Thoughts on Things

Mondays are for Biking

2012-01-23T19:41:00.000-05:00

Most Mondays, weather permitting, Becky and I go biking on the Withlacoochee Trail. Although the trail is over 40 miles long, we favor a section stretching from Inverness to Floral City. It's nearly 14 miles round trip and the Shamrock Inn in Floral City offers a $.99 breakfast if you get there before 11 AM. For this low, low price, you get an egg, any style, hash browns and toast. Coffee is extra. The inn is right on the trail and many bicyclists take advantage of the bargain meal. So, on Mondays, we load the bikes on the car, drive to Inverness where there is convenient parking at Wallace Brooks Park. It's a nearly seven mile ride to Floral City. We eat our breakfast and ride back to Inverness.

Today was beautiful weatherwise. Sunny with temps in the mid 70's, perfect for biking.

The sign in front of the Shamrock Inn

Becky on the Withlacoochee

Transitions are Hard

2012-01-19T21:24:00.000-05:00

The last time I posted here, back in November of 2011, I mentioned my ambivalence about being a snow bird. I was looking forward to the warm, sunny weather that Florida offers, but I was not eager to leave all the things in NJ that I really enjoy.

We've been in Florida for six weeks now. The weather has been quite mild, much warmer than the previous two winters. We've had some chilly mornings, but by midday, it's sunny and pleasant. It seems, though, that it's been pretty mild in NJ too. There haven't been any major snow storms to date and temps appear to be moderate for this time of year.

In the past, I've enjoyed the Florida weather to do outdoor activities. I do try to bicycle with a friend on the Withlacoochee Trail every Monday. Most other days I go to the gym, a gym that is no where near as nice as NBD, the gym I belong to at home. Going to the gym every day negates the allure of mild temperatures and outdoor activities. I find myself pining for the NJ gym and my trainer, Toni.

The things I miss the most though are people; my yarny friends and my NJ grands. As I follow their activity reports on ravelry, facebook, twitter and my daughter-in-law's blog, I struggle over and over with all the things I am missing. Christmas, a wedding, a yarn store opening, just to name a few. There are activities here including two knitting groups, the UU congregation, socializing at the club house, but they just don't seem to measure up this year. And, there is so little access to culture here. We see reviews of films that are not playing nearby. We miss concerts, plays. Hell, I even miss Starbucks!!

Early in December we looked into spending next winter in a more cosmopolitan area like Sarasota. It looks very appealing but prices are simply out of reach. We're toying with the idea of spending next winter at home and using NYC as our playground. Since the heat in our apartment is always on high (with no way to control it but opening the window), we won't be cold and we don't have to go out if the weather is bad.

In the meantime, there are some nice things to look forward to. I've got a frequent flyer ticket and will be heading to Portland in early February. Shortly after I return, the NJ grands and their parents will be visiting us. And, in early March DH and I are taking a knitting cruise with Barry Klein. Of course, in mid-April we'll be attending the Sarasota Film Festival again.

I'm knitting, of course. I've got three baby sweaters and an adult sweater "in process." One baby sweater is a store sample for All About Ewe, the about to open yarn store mentioned above. The adult sweater, for me, is Sandrilene, designed by Jesh, a NJ yarn friend. And, I was recently approached by the owner of a children's store in Philadelphia about providing some baby sweaters for sale in her shop. Negotiations are ongoing and it may not come to fruition, but we'll see.

Saturday, Falling Behind

2011-11-12T20:18:00.000-05:00

I joined other knitters at Panera this morning and worked on my Deco for NaKniSweMo. It needs to be 12.5 inches before I split for the sleeves. When I arrived it measured 12 inches. When I was ready to leave (more than three hours later) it still measured 12 inches. I don't know what to make of it.

It's starting to get cold and windy. The leaves are falling. I'm so ambivalent about going off to sunny FL. It's a lot of work to pack up, a long drive taking several days with two cars and then the adjustment of different house, friends, UU congregation, knit group, gym (and hopefully trainer), etc. I really don't want to be in New Jersey for the winter but I sure would like to pick up everything that is familiar and comfortable here and bring it with me to Crystal River. I know that can't happen and I always have a good time once I'm there. It's just that transitions are tough.

Didn't Knit Today

2011-11-11T20:45:00.000-05:00

I didn't knit a stitch today. I'm not sure why; it may be related to the number of appointments and obligations I've had this week. Things are winding down for us in NJ and loose ends need to be tied up before we head to sunny FL. So this week, I saw the dentist, had lunch with a friend, conducted a workshop way down in Atlantic County (that had only five attendees, sigh), had two separate visits with the NJ grands (today was Becca B's eighth birthday and I wanted to spend some time with her), went to Manhattan for a film and dinner with DD. There wasn't a day that didn't have at least two commitments outside the house. I don't know how I used to work full-time. Now that I'm mostly retired, having an obligation or two every day seems to really wear me out.

Tomorrow I have knitting at Panera and I'll have to play catch up.

Playing Catch Up

2011-11-09T20:05:00.001-05:00

I had intended to post every day this month. Then I came up against two days where I didn't get home until after 10 and I was just too exhausted to post. So, I'll try to catch you up on what's been happening.

Monday DH and I went into Manhattan to see a film and meet DD and her BF for dinner in Chinatown. We chose In the Family, a film about two gay men raising their son. When one of the men is killed in an auto accident, his family claims custody of the child. The film focuses on what the other man goes through in his efforts to reclaim the boy. We didn't research this properly and realized two thirds of the way through that it is a three hour film. We had to leave at that point to be on time for dinner. Don't know what happened in the end, may have to see it again or rent it when it comes out on DVD.

We had a nice dinner with DD, boyfriend wasn't feeling well so she came alone. It's so nice to have uninterrupted time to talk. Trains only run every hour at night, so there is almost always a wait at NY or Newark Penn Station. That night was no exception.

Tuesday it was off to the gym and the dentist. I'm seeing the trainer twice a week. She makes a real effort to make each session fresh and new. I don't know what I will do about personal training in sunny FL. I've done some preliminary research and there seems to be a dearth of personal trainers in the Crystal River area. I don't want to lose my momentum. I've made such great progress since June...

Tuesday night is knit night. It was scheduled for Coffee Beanery in Garwood but we learned mid-afternoon that they had no water. We went to Starbucks instead. Unfortunately there were only dining chairs available and my back did not appreciate it, even with my pillow. I did get quite a bit of knitting done. I'm still on track for NaKniSweMo. As of this evening, I'm just about finished with the third skein of yarn and I have 11 inches finished on the body.

I had emailed Rowan Yarns about the defective skein. The reply advised returning it to the seller for exchange or refund. I replied that the seller is no longer in business. I'm told I will be contacted by the North American office to sort things out. I'm sure that dye lot is no longer available, not sure how another will match up.

I'm posting tonight on the iPad which does not have the capabilities of the laptop. I'll post updated photos tomorrow.

6/30

2011-11-06T21:14:00.002-05:00

DH and I went to see Tower Heist this afternoon. A. O. Scott of the NY Times was not enthralled, but I thought it was really funny. Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy had me laughing over and over. It's always fun to see a film set in New York because the locations are identifiable and I can say to myself, "I've been there." The Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade was icing on the cake.

I'm moving along on the sweater. The goal is to finish at least an inch a day and a skein of yarn every three days. There are nine skeins and if I keep I schedule, I'll be finished by November 27th. It would be really nice to wear it to Thanksgiving dinner, but I don't know if that is possible. I've written to Rowan yarns about the defective skein and I've tracked down on line sources of additional yarn. I don't know if the dye lots will match, but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

Here's a photo of eight plus inches of sweater with six repeats of the deco pattern. It will look a lot better when it's blocked:

The "check engine" light is on again in my Honda Civic Hybrid so tomorrow, first thing, I'm off to Carmen the Mechanic. I had the 100,000 mile check up just over a week ago and he told me I was good to go. I'm hoping Carmen just forgot to reset the computer.

5/30

2011-11-05T20:21:00.000-04:00

Another day, another post. This time I have a progress photo for you:

I currently have about six inches completed. I've finished the waist decreases, started the bust increases and have begun the deco pattern on the front of the garment. I've emailed Rowan about the defective skein of yarn, probably won't have a reply before Monday. In the meantime, I discovered the yarn is still available so I can buy more if I need it. The issue there will be matching dye lots. The other alternative is to make the sleeves 3/4 length, if necessary.

Today's activities included knitting at Panera, the gym and ShopRite. Really exciting, right?

4/30

2011-11-04T23:11:00.000-04:00

Wow! Posting every day is hard. It's late, been a long day, just got home from a community theater performance, a series of monologues by different women. It was really hard for me to hear so I don't really know what to make of the play, Talking With... by Jane Martin.

I'm making progress on Deco, my November sweater. I've had one set back, don't know if it's going to be a major one. I have nine skeins of Rowan Pure Wool DK, just about the right amount of yardage for this pattern. I finished the first skein, started a second and thought the yarn seemed very thin. I disregarded the feeling; after all, it's the same yarn, from the same dye lot, how could it be thinner? After about 10 rows, I held the fabric to the light and saw that it was much thinner in the new section. I don't know what to make of it. The yarn is long discontinued. I bought it at a yarn shop that was sadly going out of business. I've set that skein aside for the time being. I think I will be needing it to complete the sweater. I'm hoping I can use it for the button bands and the neck band where it will be less obvious that the yarn is a different weight. The sweater is coming along beautifully, the pattern is extremely well written and the yarn (that is, all except the one thin skein) is lovely. I know I promised you an updated photo, but I'm just too tired right now and there is no natural light available. I'll try to get one tomorrow.

That's all, my friends. I'm off to bed.

3/30

2011-11-03T18:39:00.000-04:00

It's been a quiet day. Except for my daily trip to the gym, I've stayed in, knitting and surfing the web.

I'm progressing on the NaKniSweMo project. I've finished the first skein of nine and have started the second. I have nearly four inches completed on the body. Interestingly the waist decreases started almost immediately after the ribbing on the bottom was complete. This seems premature to me, but I've decided to trust the pattern. I didn't take a photo before the sun went down so my faithful fans will have to wait until tomorrow for a visual.

Today I listened to a podcast interview (Terry Gross on NPR) with the author and read an NY Times review of Joan Didion's new book, Blue Nights. I found her previous memoir, The Year of Magical Thinking, to be very moving. I'm debating about Blue Nights because it's about adoption and motherhood. Didion's daughter was adopted and now that she's dead, Didion seems to regret and/or second guess her parenting. Books with that theme often affect me deeply, sometimes negatively, and I'm not eager to experience those feelings right now. On the other hand, Didion is an amazingly skilled writer. She read a short excerpt during the interview and it made me long to read more. I'm going to think about this one for a bit.

What I am reading right now is Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy. It's entertaining, but it's not literature and the characters are not fully drawn.

Today's gym visit was the stair climbing machine. I think it's good training for hiking particularly when there is elevation gain. Today I climbed 103 stories in 41 minutes. Coincidentally that's the height of the Empire State Building. Everything they say about exercise releasing endorphins is so true. I occasionally have to push myself to get to the gym but I always leave feeling exhilarated.

The sushi chef at ShopRite, who now knows DH by name, makes wonderful tuna and salmon rolls. They are so reasonably priced that we have them about once a week, including tonight. What a treat!

2/30

2011-11-02T21:22:00.000-04:00

When I logged into foursquare at the gym today, what popped up, the "century badge." I've been to the gym 100 times since early June. It's hard to believe. Working with a trainer has been really gratifying. I've lost weight and I feel much stronger.

The November sweater project is coming along. I cast on last night with the group. I've completed the two inches of the bottom band and am about to launch into the body.

This afternoon the three older NJ grands, DH and I went to see Puss in Boots. There has been no school since the Nor'easter hit this past weekend. We had tried to see the film Saturday in the midst of the storm but the theater lost power minutes before the film was scheduled to start. Following the film, we had our regular Wednesday night dinner in Warren. It wouldn't be Wednesday without Costco chicken. I so enjoy these weekly dinners. I'm going to miss them while we're in Florida.

A New Leaf

2011-11-01T15:46:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted in months, just haven't had anything to say. November is NaBloPoMo and I've taken up the challenge to write something every day. We'll see how I fare.

In addition, I've committed to knitting an adult sweater during the month of November, which is NaKniSweMo as well. Most of my knit group has signed on to this endeavor. Since we meet on Tuesday evenings, we will be casting on tonight. My plan to to make Deco. I've already swatched (swatching was allowed ahead of the start date) and I have gauge. The yarn, Rowan Pure Wool dk, has been in my stash since November of 2008 so it's well seasoned. I purchased it when a LYS in Bernardsville sadly closed its doors. I've been holding it waiting for just the right project and Deco is the one. I'll post progress pictures regularly.

This will be my second year doing NaKniSweMo. In 2010 I made the Garter Yoke Cardigan, finishing in just over three weeks. This year's project is a bit more complex. We'll see how I do.

Meanwhile I have three baby sweaters in various stages of completion. I had hoped to finish them up before today but it just didn't happen. I guess I will work on them when knitting ADD sets in and I need a change from the main project. LOL

Oregon Grands

2011-03-25T23:24:00.001-04:00

All three kids (plus their Cabbage Patch Kids) in hand knits from Nana

52 in 52 #41 and #42

2010-12-27T19:19:00.000-05:00

Still slogging along seeing how close I can get to 52 in 52. Here are the two latest projects:

February Baby Sweater for a Boy with Huggy Bear Hat to Match

Knit in Cascade 220 Superwash Wool.

52 in 52 #39 and #40

2010-12-17T07:05:00.001-05:00

Here are the two latest finished objects, knit for a member of FUSP. Regretfully I can see that I'm not going to complete 52 items this year. I would have to do about one a day between now and New Years Eve and I just don't see that happening.

Basic topdown cardi knit in Plymouth Jelli Beenz with Quick and Easy Baby Hat

52 in 52 #38

2010-12-05T08:18:00.000-05:00

Matching hat for Natural Beauty for Baby in Cascade 220 Superwash

52 in 52 #37

2010-12-05T08:16:00.000-05:00

Natural Beauty for Baby from Knit on Down in Cascade 220 Superwash

#36 of 52 in 52

2010-12-05T08:12:00.000-05:00

Precious Baby Jacket in Lion Brand Pound of Love with felted appliques

Long Time No See

2010-12-01T21:08:00.002-05:00

It's been more than two months since I last posted. We've done some travel, I've had some adoption work and I've done some knitting. I have to say I'm no longer on track to complete 52 objects but I've finished a number of things since September.

#35 in 52 Cuddly Wrap Baby Sweater:

#34 in 52 Soaker for Orion:

Not sure why this one is sideways and can't seem to fix it. Blogger works in mysterious ways.

#33 in 52 Arshile:

#32 in 52 Garter Yoke Cardi:

By my count this brings me up to 35 finished objects in 48 weeks. I don't see any way to get to 52 before the year is out, but it's been fun trying.

52 in 52 #31

2010-09-23T16:34:00.000-04:00

Hatchling knit in Lion Brand Baby Soft Solid

52 in 52 #30

2010-08-10T22:42:00.000-04:00

Knitting Pure and Simple Top Down Cardi in Noro Silk Garden and Cascade 220

52 in 52 #29

2010-08-10T22:40:00.000-04:00

Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket, Cascade 220 and Ty-Dy Wool

52 in 52 #28

2010-07-26T22:18:00.000-04:00

Eyelet Top Down Cardi of my own design knit in Jaeger Baby Merino DK

52 in 52 #27

2010-07-23T11:22:00.000-04:00

Huggy Bear Hat #2, Sirdar Tiny Tots Yarn

52 in 52 #26

2010-07-23T11:19:00.001-04:00

Huggy Bear Hat, Jaeger Baby Merino DK

52 in 52 Project # 25

2010-07-13T14:34:00.001-04:00

Argh! I'm falling further and further behind...

Sadira from Cabin Fever knit in Cascade 220 Superwash Wool

52 in 52 Project #24

2010-06-20T17:34:00.001-04:00

Rambling Rows Jacket, Cascade 220, Berroco Geode, Shepherds Wool

52 in 52 Project #23

2010-06-20T16:39:00.000-04:00

Radiate from Knitty, Spring 2009, knit in Bella Colour

Still not on schedule, but slogging along. I will have a second object later today; it's finished but I need to take a photo. Will I ever catch up? Only time will tell...

52 in 52 Project #22

2010-06-10T20:50:00.002-04:00

IMAG0009
Originally uploaded by rallaronson

Another washcloth, this one for granddaughter #2. All three girls seem to really like them.
It's week #23 and I've finished 22 projects. I'm nearly done with the second rambling rows sweater so there is hope I'll be back on schedule by the end of Panera Knit Group on Saturday...

52 in 52 Project #21

2010-06-09T10:37:00.003-04:00

My modification of the Back to School washcloth from Spring 2009 Knitty

Lily Sugar 'n Cream Cotton Yarn

Still trying very hard to be current. This is week #23 according to my calendar. I'm two weeks behind but I have a number of UFO's that have the potential to "save my bacon." Let's see what happens...

52 in 52 Project #20

2010-06-07T17:46:00.001-04:00

Same cardi as #18, just bigger

Week #23 and I've only finished project #20. Obviously I've got to pick up the pace a bit...

Portland Visit

2010-05-31T21:38:00.001-04:00

Nana & the twins 5-10
Originally uploaded by rallaronson

Here's a photo taken during our recent visit to Portland. The weather was kind of off and on. Rather chilly (for what we think is appropriate in May) and showers most of the time. We really enjoyed ourselves in spite of the damp. DH and I accompanied Becky and the kids to story hour and music class. I participated in swimming class. We went for lots of walks, out for pizza and enjoyed some wonderful dinners prepared by Linda. The kids are growing so fast, really very verbal and very active. I'm thrilled that they will be visiting the east coast at the end of August. I'm looking forward to taking them to the playground and to the pool.

52 in 52 Project #19

2010-05-22T14:00:00.000-04:00

Pinata Toddler Tank by Helene Rush in Knit One Crochet Too Ty-Dy Cotton

52 in 52 Project #18

2010-05-13T14:39:00.000-04:00

Yoked Cardi by Hannah Fettig, Cherry Tree Hill Potluck Worsted in Passionate Pink

52 in 52 Project #17

2010-05-09T16:42:00.000-04:00

Rambling Rows Baby Cardi in Cascade 220 Solids and Paints

The High Line

2010-05-05T14:52:00.000-04:00

Saturday, May 1, we made a visit to The High Line in New York City. This park, built on an abandoned elevated rail line has been open for a while but we hadn't had a chance to visit. It was a beautiful day and we had a dinner date in the Village so we went into the city early and walked the entire length round trip. Here are some photos to give you an idea of how beautiful it is and how popular it has become.

No trip to a park would be complete without a session of knitting in public.

Trying Hard to Play Catch Up

2010-05-05T14:01:00.000-04:00

According to my calendar this is week #18 of 2010. I'm two projects behind in my efforts to finish 52 in 52. I do have few almost finished works in progress, so there is hope for me. Here are some photos of what I'm working on.

Pinata Toddler Tank in Knit One Crochet Too's Ty Dye Cotton

Lace Baby Cardi

Rambling Rows Baby Sweater

If I can get two of these finished, I'll be up to date. Wish me luck.

52 in 52 Project #16

2010-05-05T13:27:00.000-04:00

Another Yoked Cardi from Hannah Fettig done in Rustic Wool from Queensland Collection

52 in 52 Project #15

2010-05-05T13:24:00.000-04:00

Potato Chip Scarf knit in Plymouth Yarn's Bamboo Garden

52 in 52 Project #14

2010-05-01T14:07:00.000-04:00

Modified Yoked Cardigan by Hannah Fettig in Lion Brand Pound of Love

52 in 52 Project #13

2010-04-21T17:23:00.000-04:00

Alphabet Washcloth, C is for Carl, By Rhonda K. White, Lily Sugar 'n Cream

52 in 52 Project #12

2010-04-19T17:06:00.001-04:00

Basic Top Down Cardigan, Plymouth Yarn Jelli Beenz

52 in 52 Project #11

2010-04-19T17:03:00.000-04:00

Top Down Baby Cardi, my own design, Sirdar Snuggly Tiny Tots and Sirdar Snuggly DK

52 in 52 Project #10

2010-04-19T17:01:00.000-04:00

Baby Boy Five Hour Sweater by Gail Bable, Plymouth Yarn Sunday Swirl

52 in 52 Project #9

2010-04-19T16:58:00.000-04:00

Garter Yoke Baby Cardi By Jennifer Hoel Sirdar Snuggly Tiny Tots and Plymouth Dreambaby DK

52 in 52 Project #8

2010-04-19T16:54:00.001-04:00

Pretty Baby Sweater Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Yarn

52 in 52 Project #7

2010-04-19T16:50:00.000-04:00

Sam Sweater from Cabin Fever Sirdar Tiny Tots

52 in 52 Project #6

2010-04-19T16:47:00.000-04:00

Alphabet Washcloth #3 P is for Perry

52 in 52 Project #5

2010-04-19T16:45:00.000-04:00

Washcloth #2 for Katie

52 in 52 Project #4

2010-04-19T16:42:00.000-04:00

Alphabet Washcloth #1 L is for Linny

52 in 52 Project #3

2010-04-19T16:40:00.000-04:00

Rib Knit Baby Hat in Cascade 220 and Filatura Nanarota Chaco

52 in 52 Project #2

2010-04-19T16:37:00.000-04:00

Easy Baby Cardi in Cascade 220 and Filatura Lanarota Chaco

52 in 52 Project #1

2010-04-19T16:35:00.000-04:00

Mossy Cardi in Cascade Jewel

Yet Another Completed Project

2010-04-19T16:21:00.001-04:00

Basic Top Down Cardigan

I'm happy to report I've finished another baby sweater. This one is knit from wool/acrylic yarn called Jelli Beenz. It's bright and cheery and it was very nice to work with. I love the way the sweater turned out and I've posted it to my etsy site. We'll see if anyone is interested.

I've been thinking for the past few weeks about the concept of 52 in 52, that is 52 finished objects, one per week, in the course of a year. I'm a bit behind if I want to do it for 2010, but not that far behind. I'm going to give it a try. We're currently at week #16. I'll be posting the projects I've completed so far this year, numbering them as I go. Some of them will look familiar to you as they've been posted previously, but for the sake of an orderly count, they each need to be numbered.

I'm not sure if I can keep up the pace, but I'm going to try...

Finished Another Sweater

2010-04-17T15:55:00.000-04:00

I love being able to use that title for a blog post!

Here's my latest finished project, a top down baby sweater knit from Sirdar Tiny Tots yarn that has been in my stash for years. I started out with the cast on numbers for a baby sweater called garter yoke baby sweater and I improvised from there. I wanted it to look girly so I made the raglan increases with yarn over eyelets. I didn't think I'd have enough yarn (actually there was plenty of yarn) so I decided to do pink trim. Today I drove to Joann in Weeki Wachee to get buttons. I'm happy with the way it turned out and I plan to list it on my etsy site in the next day or so.

Sarasota, FL

2010-04-14T21:16:00.000-04:00

Dick and I set off on Monday morning for two days in Sarasota, about 137 miles south of Crystal River. I was able to get a hotel room for frequent flier miles. Our plan was to see what Sarasota was like and to visit the Ringling Museum complex.

Entrance to the Ringling Complex

We arrived in the Sarasota area around lunch time. Right off the Interstate we noticed a Starbucks so we stopped to have sandwiches. Then it was on to the museum. On Mondays the art museum is free so we spent our time there, enjoying a Norman Rockwell exhibit organized by Kevin and Michele Rivoli. Each Rockwell print is juxtaposed with a modern day black and white photograph by Rivoli. What is most striking in both the prints and the photos is the capture of expression and emotion. The museum also has many paintings and sculptures by the old masters. When we became foot weary, we set off to find the hotel. It was a bit further from the museum than we had realized, about five miles, but only a ten minute drive. We checked in, rested a bit and then returned to the Ringling to have dinner at Treviso.

Entrance to the restaurant which is located in the gateway building.

We had a wonderful dinner of crab cakes and scallops followed by blueberry bread pudding and creme brulee. We really appreciated the inclusion of "small plates" on the menu which made it possible to have three courses without feeling we had eaten too much.

The hostess was kind enough to take a photo

The next morning we had a light breakfast at the hotel and checked out. We headed to C'est la Vie, a French restaurant and bakery located in downtown Sarasota. There we enjoyed tea, baguette and eggs.

It was lovely to dine al fresco. Notice that the waiter is waving for the camera. The staff is French speaking and while the baguette was not up to Parisian standards, it was very good.

You can see that it's a popular spot

Following breakfast we went back to the Ringling to explore the mansion and the two circus museums. We spent a wonderful day, including lunch on the terrace at Treviso. The Ringling mansion is modeled on a Venetian Palazzo. It has been meticulously restored. The back terrace includes steps right down to Sarasota Bay. We stopped to explore Mable Ringling's rose garden before checking out the other museums. One circus museum contains an extensive miniature depiction of the circus as it was set up when the "big top" was still in use. It brought back memories of the book, Water for Elephants. it is amazing how many support staff it takes to put on 'the greatest show on earth. From setting up the tents to caring for the animals to cooking for the hundreds of employees, it is a huge operation. The other museum has numerous circus carts, posters and the railroad car that the Ringlings used when they traveled. It also is in the process of restoration.

By 2:30 we had enough and made our way back to the Interstate. We made a short shopping stop at the Outlets at Ellenton and then drove home.

The Ringling Mansion, Ca D'Zan

Sarasota is a very cosmopolitan city, very different from Crystal River. There are theaters, concert halls, film festivals, interesting restaurants. I think we will be making more visits down that way when we return to Florida next winter.

Finished Another Sweater

2010-04-11T20:47:00.000-04:00

I finished another baby sweater today. It's a top down pattern that has a very interesting construction. You start at the neckline, increase for the yoke, divide for the sleeves leaving the body stitches on the needles. After you finish a sleeve, knitted flat, you use a crochet hook to close the seam with a slip stitch. You put the last stitch from the crochet hook back on the knitting needle, knit across the back, finish the second sleeve, crochet the seam, put the last stitch on the needle and then knit the body. You never cut the yarn. On this particular project I did have to use two balls plus a bit of a third so I did have some ends to weave in. It's a most ingenious pattern. If I were to make any changes, it would be to add buttons and buttonholes to the pattern.

This sweater is available on my Etsy site. Stop by to check it out...

Craft Group Road Trip

2010-04-10T14:28:00.000-04:00

Our Intrepid Crew

On Thursday we headed up to Gainesville for a crafty road trip. We made this same trip two weeks ago, but some of our members were not able to come the first time we went to the Florida Museum of Natural History to see the quilt show. So, we organized a second outing. We set out around 9 AM and made it to the museum around 10:45. Since Sue and I had already seen the quilts we decided to explore the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art right next door while the others went to the quilt show. We spent the first 15 minutes of our visit studying the jewelry for sale in the gift shop because the galleries don't open until 11. This kind of activity can be dangerous. I ended up purchasing a beautiful necklace and earrings to match.

The art museum is small (at least by my New York standards) with an eclectic selection. It was lovely to wander through the galleries. My favorite piece was Old Man's Cloth, a large wall hanging made from liquor and beer bottle tops assembled with wire in such a way that it appeared to be a large, rippling piece of African cloth. You can use the link to see it but the photo simply doesn't do it justice.

Here's a small piece from one of the quilts on display

I want to quote a bit from the museum's description of the quilt show: Experience the natural beauty of Florida in a new way. The Florida Museum of Natural History, in partnership with the Quilters of Alachua County Day Guild, is displaying more than 100 original quilts showcasing Florida's wildlife and plants during Quilting Natural Florida II. The show continues until April 25 and is well worth the trip. Each of the quilts is a work of art. Many are collaborations by two or three quilters. They all depict wildlife and plants indigenous to Florida.

The sign outside Yarnworks

At noon we reconvened in the Camellia Court Cafe on the lower level of the Harn. We had a delicious lunch and then set off for Yarnworks, just a bit north of the museum complex. It was my second trip there. There is a large selection in a rather small space. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. For the second time in a row I purchased some wonderful yarn. Yarnworks is having a big sale on April 24. By then, I'll be on the road back north unfortunately.

It was a wonderful day, the last one of this kind with my Florida friends for this season. I look forward to doing more outings with them when I return next winter.

Biking the Withlacoochee

2010-03-26T22:27:00.001-04:00

It's been a colder than usual winter here in sunny Florida and there hasn't been much incentive to engage in outdoor activities. It's finally getting warmer although it's still more rainy than usual.

Becky, one of my neighbors here in The Islands suggested a group ride on the Withlacoochee Rail Trail. The forecast was good. Here we are first thing in the morning having just loaded the bikes on the back of the van. Becky is on the left and her friend Jill is on the right. We drove over to Inverness, unloaded the bikes and set off to the north on the trail. We biked about five miles, arriving at Sabina's, a restaurant right on the trail in Hernando. We decided it was far enough for the first outing of the year. Sabina's serves a nice breakfast which we enjoyed. We then hopped back on our bikes and cycled south.

A passerby snapped this photo of us. All told, it was a ten mile ride. The Withlacoochee is a wonderful trail, relatively flat, paved and a joy to ride. We'll be back, perhaps to ride in the other direction as soon as we have a chance.

More Satisfied Customers

2010-03-22T20:26:00.001-04:00

Quite some time ago I made Perry and Linny washcloths that had jack-o-lanterns on them. Just looked them up on rav and see they were made for Halloween 2008.

When I was visiting Portland in February I noticed that they still used them at bath time. I decided they needed some new ones. Perry and Linny are very interested in letters. They know what letters their names start with as well as that of their parents and grandparents. I searched on ravelry and found that Rhonda White, from Knitting Knonsense has designed free washcloth patterns with for every letter of the alphabet. I did some stash diving and set about making a "P" and an "L" cloth from Lily Sugar 'n Cream Cotton.

This one is for Perry

This one is for Linny

And here's the photo that came today with the twins modeling their new washcloths. Have you ever seen two cuter bathers?

Paddling to Pecks

2010-03-19T15:11:00.000-04:00

One of the really fun adventures we have here at The Islands is a group paddle to Pecks, a seafood restaurant that is a bit south of Crystal River. Pecks is in Ozello, about 17 miles by car from our place. By kayak, it's about 4.5 miles. Finally the weather is warm enough to paddle (it's been a long winter here in sunny Florida). So, this morning eight of us set off in kayaks. Five others planned to travel by car and meet us there. It was a bit breezy which gave us some headwind, but it wasn't a difficult paddle.

I always find the hardest part of the trip to be getting into the kayak. Using a kayak when it's on a beach is really easy. Getting into a kayak from a dock is another story. It always makes me anxious. You have to go down the ladder, stand in the tippy kayak and then plop your tush into the seat. I hate it. The photo above shows me smiling in relief because I made it into the kayak without tipping it over and falling into the canal. Once I'm in, paddling is no big deal. This kayak belongs to another Islands resident who wanted to paddle one way rather than round trip. That worked for me so I took her boat to Pecks and she paddled it back.

Here we are starting to form up in the canal that leads out to Dixie Bay. I'm in the red kayak with my back to the camera.

Soon there were even more of us ready to start out.

This is the group arriving at Pecks. I'm that tiny dot in the upper center of the photo. It's a good thing I only committed to kayaking one way. I'm not sure I would have managed the return trip. Although, I will point out that we paddled into a headwind almost the whole way. If the wind did not change, the trip back would be easy sailing with the wind behind the group.

Here I am relieved to beach the kayak and get into the restaurant. Remember I said it's much easier to access a kayak when it's beached? Well, I misspoke. I had a lot of trouble standing up. One of the guys offered to give me a hand but I wanted to do it myself. Well, I lost my balance and luckily fell back into the kayak rather than into the water. The second try I was successful.

And here I am ready to go into the restaurant. Did I mention that Pecks specialty is grouper in an almond crust? It's fabulous. And, you don't need to worry about the calories when you've paddled there. Once we ate and saw everyone back off, Dick and I drove back to The Islands. This is what Florida is supposed to be. We've waited for it a long time this year.

Progress--Two Baby Sweaters

2010-03-18T22:08:00.001-04:00

Sam, a Cabin Fever pattern, knit in Sirdar Tiny Tots

A version of the Five Hour Baby Sweater called Pretty Baby Sweater knitted in Lion Brand Vanna's Choice. It's not a pleasant yarn to work with but I bet it will wash up well and wear like iron.

I have three other baby sweaters on the needles (ADD anyone?). I'll post photos when they are finished.

Nothing Like a Satisfied Customer

2010-03-18T21:59:00.000-04:00

I don't know of anything that gives a knitter more satisfaction than a happy recipient of a lovingly made handknit. This picture touched my heart...

The Saga of the Sweater

2010-02-22T19:07:00.000-05:00

Years ago, 2007 probably, when I first started knitting again, I bought Lion Brand Pound of Love in four different colors. I wasn't really confident about my knitting skills and I wasn't ready to make a big investment in yarn. I still have lots of this yarn in my stash although the cream color is about gone.

In May of 2008 when my mother was very ill, I traveled to Vermont to be with my sister as we sat by my mother's bedside in the hospital. I packed the cream (antique white?) Pound of Love in my suitcase. As my mother slipped away, my sister and I sat together knitting. It was a way to be present and to pass the time. I take great comfort that we were able to do this. The nurses stopped in often, both to check on my mother and on our knitting progress. This is the second sweater I completed during the five day vigil.

Fast forward to the winter of 2008/2009. DH and I became snowbirds and rented a condo in Crystal River, FL. The condo community has a wonderful craft group. I made a number of knitted items while I was there. And, I brought along some finished objects to show the group.

Two occurences came together just as I was ready to head back north. One of the women in the group was expecting a grandchild. Said grandchild was to be born in Uzbekistan. The condo community was planning an auction event to raise money to decorate the clubhouse. At the last craft group meeting, I offered the sweater I had knit the previous May as an auction donation. It was gratefully accepted.

Many months later I learned that the prospective grandmother had bid on and won the sweater at the auction. She and her husband traveled to Uzbekistan to visit their new grandchild and took the sweater with them. It was well received.

DH and I are back in Crystal River again this winter and I am enjoying the craft group and other activities. I even got to meet the young lady pictured above when she and her parents visited a few weeks ago. She no longer fits in the sweater because she's grown so much.

Today her grandmother sent me a photo of this darling baby wearing the sweater I lovingly knit as my mother slipped away. Beginnings and endings. I guess that's what life is about. I have tears right now but I'm not sad. In a way, there is a connection between my mother, who loved babies, and this adorable little one who lives on the other side of the world.

Finished Another Baby Sweater

2010-02-04T15:56:00.000-05:00

I've finished another baby sweater. It's a Diane Soucy pattern aptly named Easy Baby Cardigan and I've made it in a combination of Cascade 220 and Filaturo Lanarota Chaco. I had about 200 yards of the Chaco multi and was pretty sure it was not enough for a whole sweater. The purpleCascade which I had purchased last year at Knit 'n Knibble in Tampa was a perfect match. I found the two purple buttons when I visited Knit 'n Knibble this year. I love the way the little collar looks.

I'm also working on a lace shawl that I hope to have finished by February 12 in order to wear it to the condo association Valentine's party. I'll post photos when it's finished.

Five for Five Giveaway

2010-01-27T15:39:00.001-05:00

I just signed on to be part of this enterprise over at the blog Handmade Homeschool. It sounds like fun. Even if I'm not in the first five over there, I thought my readers would give it a try here. Not that I'm used to getting five comments on an entry, but we'll see...

Here’s how it works:
The first five people to leave a comment on this post will get something from me.
But in return, you have to do the same thing on your blog and make something for five other people. The details are as follows, and if you want to play, copy the following onto your blog and leave me a post:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make. Whatcha get is whatcha get.
2. What I create will be just for you, with love.
3. It’ll be done this year (2010).
4. I will not give you any clue what it’s going to be. It will be something made in the real world and not something cyber. It may be weird or beautiful. Or it may be monstrous and annoying. Heck, I might bake something for you and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that’s for sure!
5. I reserve the right to do something strange.
6. In return, all you need to do is post this text on your blog and make 5 things for the first 5 to respond to your blog post.
7. Send your mailing address – after I contact you.

Chilly Weather

2010-01-09T15:48:00.001-05:00

a large bird party

It's been unseasonably cold for nearly two weeks now. We've had some frost at night. Some days the temps have climbed into the 50's and then there are days like today; the high has been 39. The weather has caused many of the plants in The Islands to freeze and/or turn brown. There are beautiful poinsettias that bloom around this time of year that have suffered badly. Other tender plants have also succumbed. We've had these cold snaps in previous years but they have not lasted as long. We're told there will be a warming trend and we should have temps in the 60's by the end of this coming week. I sure hope so. Our heat pump has been working overtime to keep up.

These cold temperatures seem to have changed the behavior of some of the water birds. For the past few days we've had a large flock of seagulls flying round and round over the canal behind our unit. I can only presume a school of fish must have swum in and they are feasting.

wood storks

We have many more wood storks than we usually see and quite a few brown pelicans. Initially I thought the wood storks were white pelicans which are rather rare in these parts. When I got close enough to get some photos, I realized they were wood storks, not pelicans.

brown pelicans

And here is one of our resident great blue herons.

More Baby Sweaters and Etsy

2010-01-03T21:50:00.002-05:00

I finished the first project of 2010 today, a colorful baby jacket based on a pattern by fpea. I've made this pattern before, using Lockhart wool and Cascade Ecological Wool. This time I've used Cascade Jewel Hand Dyed and Cascade 220. It gives the sweater a completely different look.

I dug around in my button stash and came up with two shiny metal buttons. I'm not sure if they're pewter but they seem to work just right with the sweater. Here's a close up.

I've listed this for sale on my etsy site. I donate all the proceeds from my baby sweater sales to The First Unitarian Society of Plainfield, NJ.

Knitting Progress

2009-12-30T15:57:00.000-05:00

Dick took these photos in a bit of a hurry as we were on our way to the UPS store to overnight them.

I've finished three sweaters in the past two weeks. The first two were commissioned by a fellow member of FUSP and had to be complete and in her hands before Christmas. I thought I'd be able to finish the two on the cruise but they ended up taking much longer than I thought. I overnighted them to her on December 23 and the shipping tracker said they arrived on the 24th around 10 AM. It was pretty pricey but I had promised.

Today I finished Helena, a baby sweater I started back in October. I was drawn to it because another member of my NJ knitting group was making one and it looked like a fun knit. I got caught up in other projects and it languished for a while. When I looked at it yesterday I realized it only needed the neckband, a button and button loop. I worked on it as we drove down to Brooksville to catch a movie. Note the rosebud button. I think it's perfect for the sweater. Today I got some photos and posted it on etsy.

I think my next project will be the Laughing Carrots sweater, also for a fellow UU member. She bid on a sweater at the annual service auction. It's coming along but still needs sleeves and a button band. I don't think it will be finished in 2009 but early 2010 seems realistic. I know the recipient has been waiting patiently.

Day Two in the Everglades

2009-12-21T22:04:00.000-05:00

Here we are getting info on a snake on the road during our nature bike tour in the Everglades. The volunteer ranger was incredibly knowledgeable so we learned a lot about the flora and fauna. Development and agriculture are endangering the area. It's such a complex issue with many stakeholders, but it's pretty clear that we need to protect these unique natural areas in our country or they will be gone forever.

The Everglades

2009-12-20T19:05:00.000-05:00

This national park is the 3rd largest in the lower 48 states, covering 2500 square miles. Since we're staying in Homestead the closest entry point is the Ernest Coe Visitor Center.

It was rather overcast and chilly this morning but we bundled up and headed over to the visitor center in the Everglades just outside of Homestead. We saw an excellent film about the history and ecology of the Everglades. The ranger recommended two wildlife walks, the Anhinga Trail and the Mahogany Hammock. They were very different. The Anhinga trail is a half mile boardwalk through a very wet area. It was teeming with water birds. We don't have a long lens for the camera so we had to settle for photos of birds that would let us creep up close to them. The anhinga above was very tame. Obviously he's very aware that he lives in a wildlife refuge. Unfortunately we were not able to get a photo of an anhinga drying its wings. Anhingas and Cormorants are unable to waterproof their wings by producing oil the way ducks do. They sit for long periods of time with their wings spread.

Here are two cormorants that were sitting at the side of the trail. They allowed Dick to get very close with the camera.

There were at least 50 Black Vultures in the parking lot and the wetlands area. They soared overhead and settled on the roofs of cars and RV's. There was a sign in the parking area stating the birds do damage to cars. We weren't sure if they peck at the paint or just scratch it with their claws. Our minivan is so beat up at this point I don't think we would notice any Vulture damage.

We got back in the car and headed to the Mahogany Hammock trail which is about 15 miles further into the park. Small changes in elevation determine what kind of vegetation grows in a particular area. Because this trail is higher, it's much dryer allowing hardwoods such as mahogany to grow there. The trail was a half mile boardwalk through a forest with large trees and ferns.

Tomorrow we are registered for a two and a half hour mountain bike ride through the Everglades. I'll report back and let you know how it went. If the weather warms up the way it is promised to do, we'll book a nature cruise for Tuesday.

On the knitting front, I've finished the oatmeal gansey and am about half way through the oatmeal striped cardi. I have to put them in the mail tomorrow so I have my work cut out for me tonight.

I'm alive and well

2009-12-19T18:16:00.001-05:00

Wow! It's been a long time. I'm alive and well, just very busy.

I've been doing a lot of baby sweater knitting and have sold a number of them. There was a Holiday Craft Fair at FUSP and along with selling three sweaters, I took orders for two more that must be finished by Christmas. I worked feverishly this past week. One is finished except for the buttons and the other is really coming along. I don't have any photos to post at this time. I'll get some up when I can photograph the finished projects, which has to be this coming Monday. I am in Florida and the recipient is in NJ. If I don't get to the post office by Monday I'll be toast.

We spent the last week cruising the Caribbean. The trip was sponsored by The Nation magazine and there were many panels, lectures and ad hoc discussions. Dinner table assignments were rotated each night and we got to meet a lot of interesting people from all over the US as well as a couple from Great Britain. Howard Dean was along as well as Calvin Trillin and many of The Nation's regular writers. Holland America always does a good job with the food and accommodations. Since there is a major snow storm hitting the east coast from Washington, DC to Boston, we're very happy to be staying on in sunny Florida. We're going to spend a few days exploring the Everglades and then meander up to Crystal River to take possession of the condo. Right now the weather is sunny and 66 degrees.

I'm going to sign off now because I have to get back to my knitting.

The Paper Bag Players

2009-11-16T12:37:00.001-05:00

Saturday we took all four NJ grands to a performance by The Paper Bag Players at the NJ Performing Arts Center in Newark. The Paper Bag Players is my favorite children's theater troupe. Their skits are always funny, colorful and creative. Every prop is made of brown paper or cardboard. This performance, The Great Mummy Adventure, consisted of entirely new sketches. While each vignette was amusing, what caught the children's fancy was a chicken that crossed the stage at three strategic moments, each time carrying an important, that is important to the plot, item under its wing.

I was somewhat saddened to see the Victoria Theater was not filled to capacity. Usually these shows are sell-outs. I'm wondering if the economy is keeping people home.

Years ago I took my children to see a performance of The Paper Bag Players in Manhattan. Now, for the past four or five years I've been bringing the grandchildren. What fun!

FUSP Craft Fair

2009-11-09T10:42:00.003-05:00

I'm chairing this event this year and it's already causing angst and sleepless nights. I'm sure it will be fine once it actually takes place. My table will feature baby sweaters and I'm knitting feverishly to get as many finished as possible.

Other tables will feature homemade delicacies, pottery, jewelry, paintings and knitted objects. FUSP has many talented crafters and we will also have vendors from the area who are not members.

If you are in the area join us that day. It should be fun.

Phone Rage

2009-11-02T21:21:00.004-05:00

I surprised myself the other day and I surprised DH as well. We were on the way home from a lovely lunch in NYC with our daughter. The Blue Water Grill in Union Square is one of my favorite restaurants. We stopped in the Strand Book Store to poke around and then headed to the 14 St. PATH station. We had an uneventful trip to Newark Penn Station where we found the NJ Transit Raritan Valley Line train waiting on its regular track. I was tired and grateful there were plenty of seats. We settled in, DH with his NY Times and I with my knitting.

We seemed to be surrounded by people talking on cell phones (what ever happened to texting--at least that's not loud and intrusive). Most were engaging in long conversations. One man in particular was shouting, not talking. I found myself getting increasingly irritated. We were about twenty minutes into the trip and he just did not stop. He seemed to get louder and louder. At one point he shouted into the phone, "Can you hear me?" I just couldn't stop myself; he had given me such a delicious opening. He was about two rows back on the other side of the aisle. I turned in my seat and shouted back at him, "We can all hear you, you're shouting." DH was mortified. The man began shouting back at me saying, "I ride the train every day, it's not 5 o'clock in the morning, etc." Everyone else in the train grew very quiet. He yelled again, "I do this on the train all the time." I then lost it and lowered myself to his level as I shouted back, "I feel sorry for anyone who has to commute on the same train as you." I was shaking with rage. DH quietly asked me to stop, pointing out that my behavior was as bad as the cell phone shouter. Of course, he was right. I hunkered down in my seat and resumed knitting.

When we arrived in Westfield and exited the train, I saw the conductor ahead on the platform. I approached him and asked if NJ Transit had a policy on cell phone use. He replied that there wasn't an official policy. I told him that we had a shouter in our car and he replied that he would walk back that way and check it out.

I'm still trying to figure out what set me off. It was incredibly loud and felt as if I were being assaulted. It had been a long day and I was tired. My hearing aids tend to amplify background noise and it becomes very irritating. But, it was so out of character for me. All I can think is that, "I was mad as hell and I wasn't going to take it any more." Unfortunately I ended up "taking it" all the way to Westfield. Sometimes you just can't fix it.

More Baby Sweaters and Etsy

2009-09-23T05:51:00.006-04:00

Well, I've finished another baby sweater. This one is based on the Organic Guernsey by Fawn Pea. I've made it from wool yarn (Brunswick Germantown Worsted) that was gifted to me by a member of my church. I've researched it and it must be quite old. The mill, Brunswick Mills in Pickens, South Carolina, is long defunct. The yarn itself is in excellent condition and is springy and wooly in a pleasant way. It has flecks of green in it that don't show up too well in this photo. In keeping with the age of the wool, I've used buttons I purchased from the vintage button booth at the NJ Sheep Breeders Festival.
Here's a shot of the entire sweater.

So, you ask, what am I going to do with all of these baby sweaters? I no longer have a baby in the family small enough to wear any of them. The answer is I've opened an etsy shop. For those of you not in the knitting/handmade items world, etsy is a web site created to allow people to sell handmade and vintage items. You can see the site here: www.etsy.com and you can see my shop here: www.adoptionmswknits.etsy.com. In the meantime, six of the sweaters have been taken by a fellow knitter to sell at the craft fair to be held Thursday at her place of employment. That's tomorrow.

Since many these sweaters were made using copyrighted patterns, some of which explicitly forbade the commercial use of the pattern or the finished object, I will be donating any proceeds from their sale to The First Unitarian Society of Plainfield.

Selling items on etsy not only requires knitting skills. I'm going to have to work on my photography skills as well. Taking a good picture is really important to allow buyers to see the quality of the work. It will be a good experience for me as I really haven't mastered much more than "point and shoot" with our latest camera, a Nikon D40 SLR.

Another Project Finished

2009-09-11T21:22:00.004-04:00

Baby's First Jacket, made from Regia Sock Yarn bought at Knit and Knibble in Tampa, FL. I got the buttons at The Custom Shop in Kennebunk, ME. I'm working on a second version of this pattern using Classic Elite Alpaca Sock.

Busy, busy, busy

2009-09-10T12:59:00.005-04:00

I've been working on a number of baby items to use up stash. I took lots of yarn on vacation with me and started one project after another. I've finished a few and am continuing to work on others. It's been very gratifying.

The first completed sweater was my version of Fawn Pea's Super Natural Stripes. Mine is not natural in color or in yarn. It's three shades of Caron Simply Soft. I finished it while we were in the Adirondacks and donated it to the auction for the Adirondack Scholarship Foundation. I'm told the final bid was $25. I hope someone's baby enjoys it.

Next I used more Caron Simply Soft (can you tell I have a lot of it in my stash?) to make my third version of Reynolds Cardigan for Baby. This is a lovely little pattern, knit from the bottom up all in one piece so there is very little seaming. I love the lacy detail around the yoke.

I made another soaker out of left over yarn from the Oriental Lily Dress. I love the color combination. I plan to use it as a sample at the 15th Annual NJ Sheep and Fiber Festival on September 12 and 13. A knitting friend has reserved a booth and invited other group members to display their work. I've put together a portfolio of soaker and skirty photos and will see if there is any demand for custom work.

This is another Fawn Pea pattern called Mossy Jacket. I've made it with Lockhart yarn and accented it with Cascade Ecological Wool. This was another easy knit, from the top down. It's a heavier weight than the other sweaters and would make a nice gift for a baby to wear in the winter.

This one is from the pattern, Kindred Knits Yoked Cardi. I made some modifications including knitting the button band right into the jacket rather than adding it later and turned the finished jacket in side out. I decided the handpainted yarn looked too busy with the ribs on the right side. I also shortened the sleeves for two reasons. I was concerned I would run out of yarn and in the six month size I think the sleeves are too wide the way the pattern is written. I think it would look very cute over a little long sleeve turtleneck, don't you?

I've got three others in process. Two are knit in sock yarn which makes for slower going and the third is Fawn Pea's Organic Guernsey made in very old worsted wool that was gifted to me by a fellow member of FUSP. I'll post photos of them as soon as they are finished.

It's been a while

2009-09-02T20:59:00.006-04:00

Barn with the original sign at the entrance to Little Lyford Pond Camps

It's been nearly a month since I last posted. We've been traveling since August 19 and some of the places we've stayed have had no internet access. At other spots we've been so busy I haven't had a chance to post.

Right now we're at Ferry Beach, a UU camp on the coast of Maine. Dick is a vacationer and I'm taking a course on Aging and Saging. Mostly we're discussing the inevitability of death and how to prepare for it. It sounds depressing, but it's actually been very interesting. There are about 20 of us in the discussion group and the leader, a retired UU minister, is very well informed and skilled at group facilitation. The course is scheduled for the mornings and the afternoons are free to spend at the beach or relax on the porch. I've been doing a lot of knitting both during the discussions and in the afternoons. I haven't finished any projects but I've made a lot of progress on some baby sweaters. I'll be posting photos in the next day or so.

Last week we were at Little Lyford Pond Camps, a relatively new AMC property about 15 miles north of Greenville, ME, in the 100 mile wilderness near the Appalachian Trail. It's a former fishing and hunting camp deep in on logging company property.

Our cabin, Red Quill, was one of the newest on the property. We were told it had been a falling down shed that was carefully rehabbed by the AMC carpenter. It was furnished with two beds, a table and chairs, a small sink with cold water, propane lamps for reading and a wood stove that proved very useful when the temperature dropped precipitously over night.

Breakfast and dinner were served family style in the dining room. After breakfast each day the staff set out a buffet of lunch fixings which we used to prepare trail lunches. Each day Dick and I went on a hike and then spent the afternoon reading and relaxing in the sunshine or on the screened porch near the camp library. Although we did not use them, the camp provides canoes on all of the nearby ponds. Guests can hike or mountain bike to a pond and then take a canoe trip.

The first few days of our travels were spent at Poko-Moonshine Camp in the Adirondacks of New York State. We had a mini reunion there. Chuck, Sara, their four children and Jackie joined us. Counselors provided activities for the children and there was plenty for the adults to do as well. Chuck and Molly climbed four mountains to earn Poko patches. Carl, Becca and Katie rode horses. Dick and Molly took a mountain bike ride. There were also opportunities for swimming, boating, archery and arts and crafts. I'm hoping a family reunion at Poko will be a yearly event and that next year Chris and Becky will join us with the twins. Joshua, Raquel and Twigg would be most welcome as well.

Finally Finished

2009-08-10T22:41:00.004-04:00

Linny in the Oriental Lily Dress

Oriental Lily is a free internet pattern. It was an easy knit. It called for a DK weight yarn but I had the Berroco Geode, a light worsted, in stash and it really knit up nicely. I would think of it as a winter dress, but the weather in Arcata is cool, even in August, and you can see Linny seems very comfortable wearing it for the farmers market on the Plaza.

Perry in Carlos aka Growling Dog Sweater

I started the growling dog sweater in May of 2008 intending to finish it before Perry turned one. Fortunately it's big enough because he's pretty close to turning two now. The pattern is called Carlos and is from the Berroco Design Team. It's knit in Berroco Comfort DK, a soft acrylic yarn.

Doggy

2009-08-05T10:09:00.006-04:00

Facebook has an application called Foo Pets. Members can choose a cyber pet to care for. I have a chocolate lab named Bupkis. Foo Pets have to be fed, watered and played with on a regular basis the same as a real pet. I'm touched by the facial expressions. You can see above that Bupkis is hungry and thirsty.

When I was in California in late May I introduced the grandchildren to Bupkis. Perry, in particular, became quite attached. Everytime he saw my laptop he would ask for "Doggy." After a two month intervel, I was quite surprised that he remembered. As soon as he saw my computer, he asked for the dog.

We've been feeding Bupkis every morning and every evening since I arrived. Here's a photo of the three of us watching the cyber dog eat, drink and catch the frisbee.

When we've finished playing with her, we pet her and then watch her settle down for a nap. The children understand that she is sleeping and they are very willing for me to close the window.

Arcata Marsh

2009-08-02T18:23:00.010-04:00

This morning we awoke to light drizzle. After a good breakfast we set off on our bikes (with Linny and Perry in the trailer being towed by their mother) to the Arcata Marsh. The city uses treated waste water in over 300 acres of created wetlands to provide a habitat for wildlife, particularly migrating birds. The property used to be a landfill. There are walking and bicycle paths and an interpretive center.

By the time we had completed the two mile bike ride the drizzle had stopped. While the sun never fully broke through the clouds, it became bright enough for sun glasses and warm enough to walk in shirt sleeves. Perry and Linny walked quite a way along the gravel paths and were quite interested in the various birds we saw. When they finally tired their parents hoisted them into back packs.

We made a stop at the interpretive center where there were kid friendly activities and much needed rest rooms.

There were wild blackberries and a wide variety of wild flowers along the trails. Here are some of my first flower closeups:

Queen Anne's Lace

Bull Thistle

Everlasting Pea

Everlasting Pea

There were lots of wild blackberries. You can see from the green ones pictured here that taking a walk in the Arcata Marsh in a week or two will be a delicious adventure.

Here are some that were already ripe and quite tasty.

Traveling

2009-08-01T10:25:00.008-04:00

The alarm went off at 4:45 AM. It’s my mother’s alarm clock, one I purchased for her after my father died and she had trouble waking up. For years, he was her alarm clock, never allowing her to sleep much past 7 AM. Once he was gone she began to have real trouble getting up at all. Part of that, I believe, was depression. On the other hand, she may have always wanted to sleep later than 7 but was aware my father needed her company.

My mom had trouble hearing a conventional alarm clock, something I’m very familiar with. Once I take my hearing aids out at bedtime, the world is a very quiet place. So, I bought her a clock aptly named “Sonic Boom.” I’m not sure she ever used it and as we were clearing out her apartment last June, I claimed it.

I’m invariably awake every morning by 6 AM at the latest. Most days I’m up having my coffee before 5:30. Today, in order to make a 6:30 plane to California, I had to be up at 4:45 AM. Having to be up that early always causes some anxiety. I usually don’t hear the regular alarm clock. I can rely on Dick, but I thought it would be an opportunity to try the Sonic Boom to see how effective it is. The alarm clock not only has a very loud alarm; it also connects to the bedside light, causing it to flash off and on at the selected time.

I am happy to report the clock worked well. The alarm sounded and the light flashed. It woke me up. I don’t know if it also awoke our upstairs neighbor. It was pretty loud if I heard it without my hearing aids.

The flight from Newark to San Francisco left on time in spite of heavy rain. I think it was the first time I’ve been on a large plane flown by a woman. The flight was uneventful and arrived in SF on time. I had a window seat and once we were out of the cloudy, wet New York area, the views were amazing. It’s so interesting to see how the landscape changes as you travel west across the continent.

I’m now waiting for the connecting flight to Eureka/Arcata. I had hoped to post live, but the free local wi-fi does not seem to be working and T-Mobile put me through such an ordeal to get a one hour pass that I gave up. Every time I filled out the form, it was rejected for some minor reason. T-Mobile then totally cleared the form expecting me to start over. Even with auto fill, it just wasn’t worth the trouble.

When I wasn’t looking out the window, I was working on knitting projects. I took some progress pictures in the airport. Carlos is so close to being finished:

And, Laughing Carrots is really coming along:

My goal is to finish those two and Oriental Lily before it’s time to fly home.

Last Day on the AT

2009-07-25T15:36:00.006-04:00

Sisters at the Wintturi Shelter

Enjoying Lunch at the Shelter

I had asked my nephew Matthew to do an AT section with me while I was in Vermont. He was free the last day of the conference. My sister and brother-in-law asked to join us. I decided the section from Green Gate Road to Vermont 12 would work well because the guide book stated there was a 400 foot elevation gain if one walked from south to north. The elevation diagram on the map showed a climb at the very beginning of the hike and then a long, gradual walk down to Route 12. The section is near Woodstock, VT, not that far from Matt's home in NH.

We met in downtown Woodstock, shuttled the cars and walked up an old woods road to access the AT. It was a bit of a climb up to the trail and the insects were out in force so we stopped to catch our breath and apply insect repellent. Soon we were at the ridge line and saw the first blaze. We continued to climb, passed a lookout rock that didn't have much of a view and then started down toward the Wintturi Shelter, about .2 mile off the trail. It was time for lunch and we spent about a half hour eating and relaxing.

According to the guidebook, the shelter was built in 1994 to replace an older structure with the same name. It is named for longtime trail maintainer Mauri Wintturi and is maintained by the Green Mountain Club. It has wooden sheathing and a metal roof and would be a dry spot to spend the night. The notes on the wall are distances to spots on the trail both north and south. Every shelter has a notebook where hikers make comments or leave messages for those who might be a day or two behind them. I always like to make a note myself to commemorate the fact that I stopped there.

Leaving the shelter we expected a 3.8 mile gradual downhill walk to Vermont Route 12. At least that's what the guidebook said. Much of the walk was downhill, but near the end there were three sizable "bumps" which required uphill pushes just when we were getting tired. We were rewarded by some good views of Mt. Ascutney at the top of one of them, but Virginia in particular, felt betrayed by the guide book. And she had every right to feel that way.

We did finish and were fortunate that it did not rain on us. Here we are entering the parking lot at the end of the trail.

Virginia and Tom crossing the bridge to the parking lot

In front of the signpost in the parking lot at Route 12

Total mileage for the day: 6.1, 5.4 AT miles.

Photos from Vermont

2009-07-25T15:02:00.006-04:00

When I got home today and got everything unpacked I discovered the downloading cord for the camera in a pocket of the camera bag. It was a relief to find it but a disappointment to realize I had it with me the whole time and could have done more blogging with photos while I was in Vermont. Oh, well...

Here are two photos of houses in Castleton. On the main street there was one historic home after another, all of them beautifully maintained.

Both of them look as if they are from the Revolutionary era. I've always wondered what it must have been like to live in a small town during that time. These homes seem to be quite substantial, owned by people of means. Still, it must have been hard to live in such a remote place particularly in the winter.

Here are some photos taken in the dining hall.

We lined up here to get the main course. Usually the line stretched out the door to the dining room.

This is the salad bar which was very good.

The main dining room was large and there was an attached sun room with additional seating space. Both rooms became incredibly noisy when full and it was hard for me to follow conversations.

I had most of my meals with old friends from the Mountain Club of Maryland. Some of these women hiked sections of the trail with me earlier this decade and it was a real pleasure to visit with them at mealtime.

After a few days in the noisy main dining hall we discovered there was a room off to the side that few people knew existed. It was so much easier to hear each other that we made this our regular meeting place for breakfast and dinner.

My accommodations, in Adams dormitory, were comfortable, but a bit strange. I was assigned to a suite with four double rooms. I had a room to myself and there were two men, also with their own rooms. There was a common living room and a common bathroom. The bathroom had two toilet stalls, two sinks and two showers. The showers had a common dressing room. None of us could understand how this assignment had been made so I went over to the registration desk to inquire. I was told that couples had requested to room together and the assignments began to get complicated so they just put everyone in rooms randomly. Fortunately the two men in my suite were respectful and we were able to give each other privacy particularly in the shower. Adams seemed to be the only dorm without a working elevator. I didn't mind climbing to the third floor but getting all the luggage in and out on the first and last days was a chore.

The dorm room was standard issue, not very different from the one I had in college back in the early sixties. It did have internet access so I was able to use my laptop.

I've noticed that beds in dorms now are raised allowing for storage room beneath them. The closet and drawer space was rather limited.

While it is good to be home, it was a wonderful conference. I'm really looking forward to the next one in 2011 in Emory, Virginia.

Various

2009-07-23T17:07:00.002-04:00

I had intended to blog regularly while here in Vermont at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy meeting but when I unpacked I discovered I had forgotten the cord for downloading photos from the camera to the computer. What a bummer. As a result, I haven't been very motivated to take pictures.

It's been a good meeting, at Castleton State College in Castleton, Vermont. It's a pleasant enough campus although there is a lot of construction going on. The most annoying aspect of this is the constant beeping of the back-up alarms on the various pieces of machinery. Work starts at around 7 AM and today, at least, is still going on at 5:10 PM. It's been great to see old friends, particularly the women from Maryland who hiked with me when I was completing Pennsylvania, West Virginia and parts of Virginia. I ran into a man who hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc with us all those many years ago and the sister of a Whiting neighbor who lives in Wisconsin. I only see her at these biennial events.

I had registered for a different trail segmant every day except Monday. Saturday, on a hike designated moderate, with a steep uphill climb at the outset, I developed symptoms of heat stroke about a mile in. There was a doctor in the group who stayed with me, helping to cool me down, while the group continued on without us. Ultimately we returned to our cars and drove back to the campus. That was a disappointment. The next day, on another section with a similar elevation gain, the leader went more slowly and I was able to complete the hike. The weather was a bit cooler and less humid, but I wasn't moving along as quickly as I did last year. I think it's a result of my not keeping up with an exercise regimen.

Monday was the biennial meeting. Afterward I went biking on the Delaware and Hudson rail trail with a group. We biked down to Poultney, had some ice cream and biked back.

There has been quite a bit of rain in Vermont this summer and the trails are very muddy. I decided not to hike again because of my lack of stamina (didn't want to be holding other hikers up) and because I was tired of the mud. I've been taking a power walk each day on the rail trail and then spending time knitting and listening to books on my Ipod. I finished The White Tiger by Avarind Adiga and Made in the USA by Billie Letts.

I've got about ten inches done on the body of the Laughing Carrots sweater and I'm about ready to do the waffle trim before I start the carrot pattern and I was drawn back to the pink charity sweater for some reason. I've finished the cuff on one sleeve, almost completed the garter stitch edging on the body and am also working on the second sleeve (both at the same time--don't ask--it's knitting ADD). I don't have too much to finish on the Carlos growling dog sweater and the sleeves need finishing on the Oriental Lily dress. Carlos and Oriental Lily need to be finished before I go to Cali on July 31. I just can't seem to focus on one project at a time but I do ultimately get everything done.

No photos to post because of the missing cord. I'll get some up when I get home.

Tomorrow I'm meeting my sister, brother-in-law and nephew to hike a section of the AT over near Woodstock. Going south to north, which is my preferred direction, it's only 400 feet of elevation gain. Since I did 1500 on Sunday, albeit near the back of the pack, I should be able to manage. I'm really looking forward to seeing them.

Then it's time to head home.

Moving Along

2009-07-14T16:41:00.003-04:00

Back in June I did a post on Acute Startitis, my diagnosis for the situation in which I found myself. Having nine unfinished projects was a shock to me. I discovered the total number when I cleaned up and reorganized the stash. At that time I made a commitment to get them finished before I started anything new. I've been plugging along and I've decided to do another update. I've made some progress on three projects. I wish I could show you something that's complete, but two of my projects are so close I can almost taste it.

The Opal Lily dress has one sleeve nearly finished.

Carlos, aka, Growling Dog, has one sleeve and the neck finished. I had a hard time picking up the same number of stitches for the second sleeve, but I think it will be okay. I hope to finish this one tonight at Knit Group. It's made of Berroco Comfort DK and I'm not very happy with this yarn. It's soft but it's very splitty. I really think this sweater would be much nicer if the pattern were rewritten for worsted weight yarn.

And, this is Decimal--doesn't look like much, does it? I frogged it today. I really didn't like the way it was shaping up. The original pattern called for a DK weight yarn and I thought I could make it with a worsted weight because I'm such a tight knitter. It just didn't look right and I haven't done any work on it since we got back from Florida. That in itself is a sign that it's a project that is just not meant to be. I'll have to find something new for the yarn.

Storm King

2009-07-10T20:36:00.006-04:00

Here we are on the hill overlooking the wave field.

A friend suggested we take a day trip to Storm King Art Center to visit the sculpture garden. Coincidentally I had just heard an interview with Maya Lin, the environmental artist, on NPR. She designed a wave field at Storm King which was recently completed. It's situated at the far end of the property in what was formerly a gravel pit connected with the construction of the NY Thruway. The weather was ideal, warm and sunny. We arrived around 11 AM and caught the first tram. Dick and I disembarked near the wave field. Our friend chose to stay on the tram to enjoy a riding tour of the property. Dick and I climbed to the top of the hill where we could look down on the mounds of earth that resemble ocean waves. Each of the “waves” measures between 305 and 368 feet in length and, with the grasses, rises to a height of between ten and fifteen feet.The grass on the waves is not yet fully established but when it is, the public will be permitted to walk between and on the waves.

Dick and I then took a meandering walk past numerous sculptures as we made our way to the main building where we enjoyed a display of other works by Ms. Lin including models and drawings related to the design and building of the wave field and works relating to water including a representation of the Hudson River done in pins and one of the Yahtzee done in molten silver. We reunited with our friend and took the tram back to the parking area. The three of us had a pleasant lunch in historic Cornwall, NY and headed home.

Various

2009-07-08T09:28:00.005-04:00

I'm happy to report that I have finished the Weavers Wool Mini Shawl. Here's a photo of it blocking. The points on the chevron edging were curling up. I'm hoping that blocking will cure that. I have to give real credit to Patrice of ravelry whose modification of the original design I shamelessly copied. That's the wonderful thing about ravelry; the opportunity to see what other knitters have done with a particular pattern. Patrice also used Berroco Geode, in a different colorway, combining it with Berroco Ultra Alpaca. I had the Geode in my stash and had some Cascade 220 that complemented it. I'm happy with the color combination. Here's hoping the blocking is successful.

I'm sending off another letter and I discovered four $.18 stamps in the $.15 envelope. They commemorate the Space Shuttle. I'm not sure which year they date to. I've combined two of them with a $.08 stamp to obtain the requisite amount. Click on the photo to get a close-up look at the stamps.

Stamp Collection

2009-07-02T09:32:00.005-04:00

My Dad had an extensive stamp collection. Shortly before he and my Mom moved to Vermont we took it to a stamp dealer in an attempt to sell it. Unfortunately we were informed that the collection was not worth much more than the face value of the stamps. A few short months after settling in Vermont, my Dad broke his hip and within ten days he was gone. My Mom began to use the stamps for letters. Eighteen months later, when we lost her as well, my sister and I were sorting through her belongings and found the stamps neatly sorted into envelopes by value. We divided them and I ended up with the following denominations: $.15, .13, .10, .08, .04 and .03. I've been using them for over a year now, doing the simple math to make combinations that will fit on the envelope and meet the requirements of the USPS. At first it was $.42 and now, of course, it's $.44. I'm fascinated by the stamps, how the designs have changed over the years. The $.03 stamps seem to date from the 1950's and are one color on a white background. Do you remember when it cost only $.03 to mail a letter? The $.13 stamps date from the 1970's. By that time, stamps seem to have become much more colorful and the art work is of a more playful nature.

I'm not sure if the collection ended with the $.15 stamps, which would have been from perhaps the '80's or whether my sister has some of the higher denomination stamps. I'll have to ask her. Recently my California son and daughter-in-law mentioned how interesting it was to receive mailings with the colorful stamps. Today, as I prepared the envelope for the monthly co-op maintenance fees it occurred to me that I should be getting a pictorial record. So, I'm going to be taking photos and posting them as I use the rest of the stamps. Here's the first one:

You can see I've used two $.15 stamps, one $.10 and a $.04 for a total of $.44. The evolving style is evident I think. Click on the picture to get a close up view of each stamp.

We pay almost all of our bills electronically so we don't use the stamps very often. I'll post one whenever I use one. When I am licking the stamps (they all predate the era of self-stick postage) I think of my Dad and how much pleasure it gave him to build this collection. Somehow using the stamps makes him feel closer.

More Progress

2009-07-01T19:39:00.006-04:00

As you can see, I've made real progress on the Oriental Lily dress for Linny. The skirt is finished and I'm slogging along on one of the sleeves. This project is going to need some heavy blocking. I worked hard to keep the hem from curling in order to take the photo. As soon as I picked it up to work on it, the bottom curled right back up.

Last night was really fun. It was the fifth Tuesday and the Union County NJ Crafters Group does something celebratory whenever that happens. We meet the first and third Tuesdays at Starbucks and the second and fourth at the Coffee Beanery. For the fifth Tuesday in June, we decided to convene at The Tavern at The Stage Coach Inn in Scotch Plains. Shortly before we were scheduled to meet, there was a thunderstorm with heavy rain. We had hoped to eat on the patio and wondered if we would be able to do so. The indoor portion of The Tavern was crowded and it would not have been possible to get a table big enough to accomodate all of us. Fortunately the storm ended, the sun came out and The Tavern staff set about drying off all the outdoor tables. We did some eating and drinking as well as knitting and crocheting. The group ebbed and flowed as members arrived and left.

Here's a photo of the appetizers and the "pay what you want" barbecue (the dish on the right in the photo) which was delicious, a combination of chicken, ribs, brisket and sausage. You pay as much as you want and you get a gift certificate for a future meal.

We did some knitting and crocheting as well as eating.

Some Progress

2009-06-28T21:21:00.005-04:00

Well, there are still eight UFO's surrounding me but I have made some progress.

Here's the Weaver's Wool Mini Shawl:

I worked on it at knitting group yesterday and during the FUSP service this morning. It's difficult to get a good idea of how it will look because it now has hundreds of stitches per row and it's bunched up on the circular needle. I plan to do about ten more rows and then add a chevron border using more of the Berroco Geode. I'm very happy with the color combination. I'm blatantly copying Patrice's Bunchberry Field interpretation of this shawl which is just beautiful. I've always thought that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and I hope Patrice thinks so too.

On the way home from FUSP this morning I had DH drop me off about 1.5 miles from the house so I could have a walk. I left my knitting bag in the car. He stopped at the store for groceries so I was home for a time without the shawl. I didn't want to lose my knitting momentum, so I picked up the Kauni sweater and resumed work on it. I finished the body and did a three needle bind off on the shoulders.

I wish this were a better photo. It's dark out and I had to use flash. I didn't realize I was supposed to cast on extra stitches to steek the neck opening. I've decided to wing it. I'm picking up stitches to make the neck band and once I have them all on the needle, I plan to cut away the excess fabric. It's unorthodox, but I think it will work. Here's a close up of the stitches I've picked up so far.

Once I've knitted a few rows of ribbing for the neck opening, I'll cut off a semi-circle of fabric, turn the rest under and tack it down.

I had a lovely thank you note from Gizmo's expectant parents who have received the little yoked sweater and like it. They tell me he'll wear it home from the hospital and promise to send photos. I'll post them in November which is when he is due to arrive.

One Down, Eight to Go

2009-06-25T13:50:00.004-04:00

One project finished, the smallest one, therefore the quickest. If you've read my previous post, you've seen there are eight other projects that fall into the UFO category.
Now that the sweater for little Gizmo is finished, I'm zeroing in on the Oriental Lily Dress for Linny. I'd like it to be finished before I go to Cali at the end of July.
I think it's too early to judge whether I'm on the road to recovery from acute startitis, don't you?

Acute Startitis

2009-06-23T16:58:00.014-04:00

I don't seem to be able to settle on one knitting project. At this moment, I'm sitting surrounded by unfinished items. In the chair with me are:

Dick's Kauni Sweater with the body nearly finished. I need about one more pattern repeat on the body and I can do the steeks for the sleeves. The whole idea of cutting the sweater has me uneasy so I'm not too motivated to do that last inch or so.

Also sharing the chair with me is the Oriental Lily Sweater/Dress for Linny. I've got about five inches done on the skirt and have about five inches to go. And, I need to do the sleeves. I love the color and the feel of the yarn (Berroco Geode), but I'm tired of stockinette stitch over and over.

The third item in the chair with me is my newest project, the Kindred Knits Yoked Cardigan, for Gizmo. I stumbled on this pattern today as I was surfing ravelry (as a way to avoid actual knitting) and decided it would be perfect for the baby to be of my daughter's close friend who lives in San Francisco. The baby isn't due until November, so there's no big rush, but it's such a cute pattern I wanted to cast on right away.

On the floor next to my chair is a canvas sack with the sleeves and body of Decimal. I started this project in mid-March while I was still in Florida. It's time to join the body and sleeves to complete the yoke. I'm just not very excited about this sweater and I don't imagine I'm going to finish it. To frog or not to frog...

Sharing the sack with Decimal is a Kid's Top-Down Raglan by Gail Tanquary. I started it thinking I would donate it to charity. It's a stash buster and I do intend to finish it.

Across the room in another canvas sack is the Weaver's Wool Mini Shawl. If I am struggling with round after round of stockinette stitch on the Lily Dress, imagine how I feel about increasingly long rows of garter stitch. I know it will be beautifull when it's finished, but I just don't have any motivation for this project right this minute.

Also hiding in the bottom of another canvas sack is Eyelet Cardigan by Norah Gaughan. I really don't like projects that need to be sewn together and I'm not happy with how the first sleeve attached. I've started to take it back off so I can resew it, but I'm not optimistic it will be any better then next time.

Then, there are the projects I was reminded of when I reorganized the stash. Deep down in the Rubbermaid tubs, I found two half finished baby sweaters, Peapod Baby Set by Kate Gilbert and

Carlos by Berroco Design Team. Carlos needs an inch or two on the front and two sleeves. Peapod needs more work and may just be heading for the frog pond.

I should be summing up this post with a humorous paragraph outlining a cure for acute startitis, but I'm stumped. If any of these or future projects required the purchase of additional yarn, I could say I'm not buying at this time. And, I'm not. I've even stayed away from our LYS's huge sale. Each time I start a new project, I'm knitting from stash and that's a good thing, right? The question is how to stop starting. If anyone has any advice for me, I'd love to have it.

Stash Organization

2009-06-16T22:50:00.002-04:00

Stash, organized
Originally uploaded by rallaronson

The corner of our bedroom had become a disaster area. In addition to the yarn bins, there were shopping bags full of yarn. There was no sense of organization in the way the various yarns were stored. This afternoon I pulled the bins out to the living room, cataloged and photographed the skeins and entered all the information on ravelry. It was a much bigger job than I thought it would be. I finished the wool and the wool blends. I still need to work on the cottons and the acrylics. I knew I had a great deal of yarn, but I had no idea how much. I've promised myself I will knit my way through stash yarn at least until Stitches East in October.
I'm exhausted right now, but also exhilarated. It's a chore I've been thinking about for weeks and I'm glad I've made so much progress on it.

WWKIP Day 2009

2009-06-13T22:01:00.007-04:00

The Union County NJ Crafters decided to celebrate World Wide Knit in Public Day with a Picnic at Nomahegan Park in Cranford. It's been raining for days now in NJ, but this morning dawned sunny and dry. The park was quite muddy and we had some difficulty locating a picnic table that was in a relatively dry spot.

Hillary, Jess and I arrived around 10 AM and began knitting at once.

As the morning progressed, more and more members joined us.

The park was an active spot today. There seemed to be three large groups that had reserved the picnic groves. We could smell chicken and hamburgers grilling. People walked back and forth to the playground, passing close to our table, but no one approached us to ask about our activities. We had prepared for some interest and members planned to teach knitting and crocheting to passers by if anyone expressed an interest.

Our group ultimately became large enough to require the extra table I had brought from home. And, the party chairs that Dick and I bought years ago for an event that was canceled finally found some use. Around 11:30 we decided to break out the food. Each member made a dish to share and there were some very delicious offerings.

Here we are, clearing our knitting away and setting up to eat.

There were chips, salsa, salads, fresh fruit, drinks and brownies.

Midway through lunch, Cindy arrived. Here she is demonstrating her soccer chair. She explained to us that the built in canopy protects her from sun and rain. That's an important accessory these days. And, there has been a lot more rain than sun.

The weather was somewhat threatening. At one point, it seemed as if it would rain any minute, but the dark clouds passed over and the sky brightened. Around 2:30, it became threatening again and we decided to pack up our gear and head home. As I was unloading all the gear and getting things stowed in the garage it did begin to rain--and it's continued to rain all afternoon and evening.

We had one new member, Joan, and she promises to join us at our regular meetings on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

All in all, it was a successful day. Of course, we knit in public, at Starbucks, Coffee Beanery and Panera all the time. It was nice, though, to share food and be in the outdoors.

Now You Don't

2009-06-10T19:06:00.001-04:00

Shadow Pot Holder
Originally uploaded by rallaronson

Here's a photo of the Vivian Hoxbro potholder straight on. It looks like simple stripes (although you can see a bit of the shadow knitting). When you look at the post below, you can see the stripes much more clearly.

Now You See It

2009-06-10T18:32:00.002-04:00

Shadow Pot Holder 2
Originally uploaded by rallaronson

I've become a fan of Vivian Hoxbro. A few months ago I made some potholders using her mitered squares technique and was very pleased with the results.
The potholder here was made with a technique called shadow knitting. Careful placement of knit and purl rows reveals hidden stripes when the object is viewed at just the right angle. It's an easy knit and I like the contrast of black and white. Next time I'll try a hidden pattern.

Grandkids on Video

2009-06-03T22:44:00.003-04:00

I've been video conferencing with my California grandkids off and on for nearly 18 months. They would look at me on the screen and I would look back at them. It was wonderful to see them, but hard to have any meaningful interaction. The picture and sound quality weren't that good and I wasn't sure they really "got it." I hadn't seen them in person for nine months. Seeing them on the screen was nice, but it didn't seem real.

In May, I spent two weeks with them and my husband joined me for the second week. Both kids warmed to us very quickly and we developed rituals, reading books, singing songs, playing games. The children seemed to really enjoy being with us. When Perry really liked something he would say and sign, "More, more!" One of their favorites was singing the hokey pokey.

I've been home for a little over a week now and tonight we had a video conference. Both children recognized us immediately. We sang songs and Perry signed, "More, more," as if we were there in the room with them. It was ten minutes of real connection.

It's so hard to have grandchildren (and their parents) who live so far away. I'm booked for another visit in August and really looking forward to it. In the meantime, they will be nearby in my computer.

Here's a screen shot of the two kids watching me on their Mom's computer screen. You can see they are really engaged.

Kinetic Sculpture Race--Day One

2009-05-23T18:58:00.009-04:00

Every Memorial Day weekend the Kinetic Sculpture Race is held in Arcata, Eureka and Ferndale. Floats, based on bicycle chassis' are designed and tested. On Saturday the race starts at The Plaza in Arcata. After brake and sobriety tests, the drivers set off around The Plaza and then through the streets of Arcata to Manila where they cover their wheels, struggle over the dunes and make their way down the beach to Humboldt Bay. Tomorrow they will attach flotation devices and make their way across the bay to Eureka. The race ends in Ferndale on the third day.

We went down to The Plaza early so we could enjoy the farmers market (which was moved to a side street to accomodate the race) and do a bit of shopping at the Co-op. Dick and I then found a prime spot on the corner of The Plaza where we could see and photograph every entry. Before the race starts the contestants are required to make a timed quick exit from their float, pass a sobriety test and a brake test. That all took place right in front of us. Each contestant team includes pilots and pit crew. Gifts are given to the judges.

The Plaza was more crowded than I have ever seen it. It was impossible to move much. A number of people watched the scene from the rooftops. There were food stands set up and Dick and I had some delicious pulled pork made totally with local ingredients.

Once all the testing was complete, the contestants took their floats for a spin around The Plaza. They made about three revolutions to give the crowd a good look at the creations.

Then they set off through the residential streets of Arcata to The Bottoms where the route made its way through farmland and then into Manila. Dick and I followed on our bikes. Some floats had technical difficulties along the way and most teams stopped to regroup at the Manila Community Center before they set off over the dunes to the beach. Riding on sand is not easy on bicycle wheels and most teams had brought foam strips to attach to the wheels to avoid getting bogged down.

The scene at Manila was a festive as at The Plaza. There was a band and numerous food stands. There was also an inflated play structure for children. Teams took time to fix minor problems and prepare for the sand. Dick and I walked up and over the dunes to the beach. It was a bit of a challenge in the soft sand. I can only imagine what it must have been like to pedal a heavy float up and over, yet each team seemed to manage.

Once we had watched most of the floats make it over the dunes and onto the beach, Dick and I pedaled back to Arcata and are looking forward to tomorrow's aquatic leg of the race.

Humboldt Purl 'n Hurl

2009-05-22T16:59:00.006-04:00

I had the distinct pleasure of attending two meetings of the Humboldt Purl 'n Hurl Knitting Group while I was visiting Chris and Becky in Arcata. I found the group on ravelry and was given a warm welcome, first on line and then in person. It's a real treat to be with other knitters.

Purl and Hurl meets at Mazzotti's on the Plaza in Arcata. It's an Italian restaurant. While I did not eat dinner there, I can vouch for their creme brulee.

Humboldt Purl and Hurl was started a number of years ago by Velma. You can see her seated in the center of the group photo below.

I'm delighted to know I can visit with them any time I'm in Arcata.