Saturday Sky - 24 February

This afternoon's sky, Photoshopped for fun (the real one was a more uniform blue.)

Panda Update

An update from sunny Florida...

Much to my surprise, Crystal Palace yarns came by the blog to visit. Thanks for stopping by! I also received a rather prompt reply to my inquiry there. You see, I'm still quite excited about their Panda Cotton and Panda Wool - especially the wool. To date, I have found one store online that stocks the wool: Little Knits. I also found a nice little shop across the country from me that said they'd order it and ship it to me. Isn't that nice?

To be fair, it is really new, so I'm sure it will be easier to find in a few months.

In the meantime, I shall continue to play with this...



That's my very first ever toe-up sock in the Blossom colorway from Dave's Place. I've just turned the heel and am ready to start the cuff. I might be making it a smidge too loose, but I'm really not sure how much (or if) wool shrinks*, as this is my first woolen sock. I have no idea how well it will fit, but it sure is fun to knit.

Tonight, the family and I had quite a treat. We were at an uncle's house, and he took us on a guided tour of the property - including the cypress trees, dry lake and creek bed, and a bald eagle's nest. There were a few trees down where the lake ought to be that are amazing. I am assuming they are live oaks. Huge, and majestic. Unfortunately, the light was failing so my photos aren't that great.



I'm standing on the dry lake bed here, looking back up the hill.



This is the walk down towards the lake bed. No eagle sightings today; I'd stay in my nest, too. Brrrr!

* Yes, I know I CAN make it shrink. I just don't know if it'll shrink if I manage to treat it nicely. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Saturday Sky - 10 February

Today's sky: blue as can be. Wispy clouds, if you can manage to catch them.

Dear Yarn Shop Owners

Dear Yarn Shop Owners,

Crystal Palace has two new sock yarns, Panda Cotton and Panda Wool. For someone, like myself, who lives for a fingering-weight yarn with less than 50% wool, this is a Big Thing. I would be oh-so-happy if someone would actually STOCK the stuff. Yes, I've looked. Yes, I've worked the phone. I have found a sum total of one (1) store that stocks it... and they only carry the cotton; I'm really looking for the wool. I'm getting a little frustrated at this point.

If you stock it, allergic sock knitters will come.

Thank you.

Honey and Berries

So, I've been knitting. Inside the house, this stuff looks dark blue/black. But, get it out in the sunshine and it reminds me of berries. Yum. I'll show you what it is when it's done.


On the way back in through the kitchen, I caught sight of liquid gold. Doesn't this just look like summer? A side effect of having a husband that brews mead for fun is the abundance of honey in the house. I snagged this bit to use in my honey oatmeal bread. Mmmm.

I've taking the 100 miles by April 1 out of the sidebar... I was hurting my back trying to stay on track with my goal. So, out with the old goal and in with the new: I just joined up with the Sock a Month KAL. Should be fun, interesting, and easier on my back. To celebrate, I went out and ordered my first-ever real wool sock yarn from Cabin Cove. I can't wait till I have it in my hot little hands.

And now, for a completely random moment:

Why is six afraid of seven? Because seven ate nine!

Yes, I live with two six year olds. Why do you ask?

Saturday Sky - 3 February

Happy February. It was sunny here today, as usual. The gulls in the mall parking lot were having fun playing in the wind.

Blogger's Silent Poetry Reading

It's time to share some poetry.

Though this poem is very traditional, it speaks to me as few poems do. So, instead of broadening your horizons with some exciting new bit of poetry you've not seen, I invite you to slip through the lines of this classic with me.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

Red Scarves and Such

My first FO for 2007 is this little number for the Red Scarf Project, sent off in my usual style (i.e. the Very Last Minute) on Monday.

Details, details:

Started:	30 Dec 2006
Finished:	27 Jan 2007
Pattern:	Modified version of Hugs and Kisses found here designed by Helen. I had a bear of a time with the pattern, but once I used it as a guideline instead of a rule, the world became a happy place. I rather like this scarf, and might just make it again. That's high praise from me. I'm usually a one-time-per-pattern gal.
Yarn:	Lion Brand Wool-Ease, worsted weight. Color 102 - Ranch Red. A bit under two skeins; each skein contains 3 oz. / 197 yards.
Needles:	Bamboo, size 8.

Oh, and also. The big news.


SNOW! Real snow! This is the first time in the last three winters that we've had a real snow. If only it had lasted more than two hours, I'd have been really happy. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm happy anyway.

The kids got to go run around in it. Within five minutes, they had made up "Footprint Hide and Seek", wherein one child covers his eyes and counts. The other runs about, creating a long trail before hiding himself away. When the counter is done, he doesn't look around for his brother. That would ruin the fun. Instead, he follows the footprints to find him. Too funny.

At any rate, they stayed out until the snow turned into freezing rain, and Insufferable Mommy made them come in. It was a good day.