Blue and green stuff! Surprised?

OK, I finally got a pic of the drapes to show you all, and it totally sucks, but alas, it's hard to get a natural light photo of drapes on brightly lit windows with a point and shoot camera...  These drapes are not pressed properly, nor were the pleats set properly, and it will bug me later.  When it does, I'll fix it, but for now... I'm glad to have them up and not have the curtain rods glaring at me accusingly!  I like the rods a lot, as they're pretty, and kind of formal, and just good.

But hark, what light through yonder breaks onto a pretty teal tableaux!

And look at the pretty hand sewn canvas container I made from a pattern in pretty little presents.  I got the lamp 50% off at Target, and one to match it on the other side of the room, too!

And, oooohhhhh, what's in that hand sewn canvas container?  It seems to be a hand knit sock!

Yeah, a hand knit sock in Madeline Tosh Sock, super yummy, in the Gentleman's Fancy Sock pattern from Knitting Vintage Socks.  I like this pattern for it's elastic fit and calf shaping, and also, it's good for a variegated sock yarn to minimize pooling.  I really love this pattern book.  I've knitted several (read three) patterns from this book, and have yarn set aside for a few more... I've actually thought about knitting all the patterns, and I'm so glad the library has this book so I don't have to buy it!  THIS sock is for the Hubster, who says that it fits perfectly.  However, I'm nervous that the ribbing will take too much yarn and I'll not have enough for two and if that happens it may be years before these socks get finished because it would just be demoralizing...

Must not borrow trouble, tomorrow will worry about itself.  Aren't the plants pretty?  Plants like the new house, probably because it has so much light.  I got those from my Cheri.  I've decided that's her title... "My Cheri"  She gives me plants and those plants always do beautifully.

Purpley Stripes and a Green Mitten

I've been kind of a machine lately, just turning out project after project for Christmas... having my new sewing table right in the center of all the commotion helps motivate me to get projects done.  Also, it motivates me to clean up after myself before the guests get here!  I have so many projects to post, I've got to divide and conquer!  I'm rather proud of these socks, they're pretty and the pattern is perfect for a stripe, while the continuous ripping down the back keeps the sock nice and elastic... This is a Drops pattern, meant for Delight yarn, which I've never seen in real life, and I can't remember what the yarn is, I bought a bunch on sale at JoAnne's and Michael's this past year, and, of course, have lost all the labels!

The toe is a flat toe, decreased quickly at the end and then pulled tight instead of grafted... the left leaning decreases are worked knit 2 through the back loops, which is super fast and functional, if not quite as pretty as slip one, knit one, psso. 

I especially like the ribbed heel and the gussets look so nice in this yarn!

Here is a mitten I'm knitting, but am running out of yarn fast... is is kosher to knit the color in reverse for the second mitten?  Oh, well, I guess I don't really have a choice... but this ArtYarns Supermerino was soft, soft, soft, springy, and splitty, too, not to mention that it was damaged in a few places, boo!  still, it's knitting up nicely, and I think it'll block out beautifully.

Ohhhhhhh, I have sooooo been a busy bee!

Well!!!  Here I am again, your faithful, if sporadic, crafty friend!  I have lost my camera, today, so no pics from me.... but I have been making things... I have been very inspired by the Sew Mama Sew Blog, they are so good about coming up with lovely ideas for making handmade things for gifts for people you really, really love, and who really, really love you!  So far I've printed gift tags and stationary, little Christmas Houses, and sewn a meal planner to put on the fridge and a calling card case for some calling cards I printed out..... so sweet.

Sooooo, I've drafted a pattern for a skirt for my Prairie Princess, and I've made her a wool coat for Christmas.  I'm making a doll and clothes for the Barefoot Contessa from this Dover Book on Dollmaking at left.  It has patterns for the doll herself, underthings, petticoats, a cape, a suit, lots of dresses, skirts, nightgown, etc... really everything a lady could need, including a wedding gown!  There are several books from Dover I like for dollmaking.  There's one for making Godey Dolls that I find particularly fetching, it's more detailed than the dolls I have made, but I've got some experience now, so perhaps I'll take it on later! 

I'm making really good progress making socks.  I only have one more to start, one for Mini Me, but everyone else has a pair waiting for Christmas morning, Halelujah!  I've done most of the Christmas shopping for the children, but as for the rest of the family.... not so much.  This Sunday is the first of Advent and then is St. Nicholas Day, so it's more feasting for us, soon!  The plan is to make foods that have something good hidden within... cranberry jelly filled buns, omelets, a stuffed pork roast, etc... to remind us of St. Nicholas doing good works in secret.  Also, brandied mini tartlets and peanut brittle for dessert from my Everyday Food subscription.  I get tired of our standard fare and love to receive new inspiration often!

Speaking of food, I made and delivered Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls to the neighbors.  Some were surprised... like one neighbor I terrified (it seems she didn't hear the loud "Hello!" I called as her son ushered me in)!  One was belligerent (What do you want!?) till she finally figured out that I brought her a gift with no strings attached!  Another couple of neighbors invited us in for short visits, which was nice!  I think it was a hit!  I have some pretty ribbon candy already wrapped and set aside for Christmas gifts for all of them.  They're getting some Christmas cheer whether they like it or not!!! 

Don't tell my daughters, but I plan to make us all matching skirts to wear for Christmas the rest of the winter in a non typical pink... I got some really nice suiting for $3 a yard.  I think they'll be sweet. What else???  Well, after I find my camera I'll post pics and tell you all about the rest of my housewifely endeavors!  Happy St. Nicholas Day!!!

Hempathy Buttercup Top

Buttercup in Elisabeth Lavold Hempathy...

Size 4 circular needle

Cool and comfy, except for the plunging neckline, which requires a tank, which sort of ruins the sublime coolness... I'll make it again, and make the neck line a bit more discreet!  And this color, really any shade of blue green makes me feel happy... looks good with my hair, too!

Brown Cardigan

Here it is!!!  I really am proud of this!  Now I'm ready to start my Ravelympics2010 project tonight when the torch is lit... I know, it'll be late.  I took a nap!

I bought some new brown Mary Jane pumps to go with it!

Olympics Fever!!!

It's been snow, snow, and more snow around here!  It snowed so much it filled up the cattle guard and the cows thought they'd traipse right out of their field this morning to look for forage.  My neighbor's son called and gave us a heads up, so I thought I'd just roll out of bed, wash my face, get dressed, and see what's up out there... Or what's out up there... hard to say when I've just woken up.  Aaaaaanyway, I'm not packing... I'm procrastinating because I'm trying not to think about moving when the stupid Bank of America won't hurry up and tell us if we can have that house or not!  (Ranting... anger problems, apparently).

Instead of packing, I'm planning a unit study for the Winter 2010 Olympics.  It's fun!  I've found that my kids are rather weak in Geography and so the Olympics are a wonderful opportunity to get those world maps out and start learning about countries and where they are while we watch the competition!  Also, my oldest is studying Ancient Greece right now and so we're working in the Ancient Olympics, too.  Also, Canada, snow, and, if I can manage it, engineering a snow apparatus outside, while there's still snow to push around.  I think the Little Engineer will enjoy that.

We've really been inspired by the Olympic Motto and Creed.  I guess I'll just go ahead and post them ;)

Motto:  Citius, Altius, Fortius (Swifter, Higher, Stronger)

Creed:  The most significant thing in the Olympic games is not to win, but to take part.  Just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle.  The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.

Soooo, we've been setting ourselves some goals for this Olympic period, which is, as of now, 20 days.  I'm going to work on my abs... by working them out 4 times a week on our pull up bar.  Also, I'm going to try harder to work out, yoga or pilates, 4-5 days a week.  Aaaaand, I'm rereading Raising Godly Tomatoes

Finally, on my pursuit to challenge myself for this 20 days, I've decided to compete in the Ravelympics 2010, which is a competition on Ravelry, one of my favorite ever sites, where one can get almost anything a fiber freak like me needs for inspiration.

I am competing on the ClubFoot Ravelympics team in the Giant Slalom-ghan event... which means I'm going to try to crochet an afghan in 20 days... 20 days.  The rules say you can't start your project except for swatching before the Olympic flame is lit in Vancouver, and you have to finish your project before the flame is extinguished, 16 days later.  It's sort of a fun way to compete and make projects and enjoy the Olympics all at the same time!  Jeremy drove me to AC Moore yesterday to get more yarn for my brown sweater which is wet blocking right now in preparation for seaming and knitting neck ribbing and button bands.

While we were there, I spotted a sale on cheap o acrylic for an even cheaper price of 2 for $5... I thought about that and overcame my acrylic aversions when I realized the whole afghan would cost less than $30 to make and my kids will ensure that it needs to be washed repeatedly anyway, so acrylic would be a good idea.  So here's a sneak peek of the colors:

I'll be posting updates!!!  The Olympics starts in 3 days!  Are you getting swifter, higher, and stronger?

Knitting Post, so if you're not a fiber or color addict, you may want to catch the next post!

Well, knitting is continuing, though I've packed up the sewing equipment, and even most of the yarn... though I did keep out some projects to keep me busy between packing, cooking, laundry, and school. I have been garden planning, too, but I really can't do much till we're in the new house, except do a little mail ordering. Party month is coming... February is coming and there will be gifts to order and wrap and days of fun to declare. My head is full of thankfulness for God's Grace and provision and blessings, none of which I deserve, and all of which seem completely unearned, or even the opposite of what I should have. Also swimming around in my head is decorating ideas for our new home. That's my favorite part of moving: the anticipation of nesting. I keep having to remind myself that we need to just get the basics unpacked and then get the garden planted and a fence built to house Fang the beef steer more permanently than our back yard fence.

So, as this is a knitting post, on to the works in progress:

Another cushion cover, in a honeycomb pattern, with colorwork. Leftover Knit Picks Shine Sport from my babydoll tunic. This will be a rather large throw cushion, to coordinate with the Williamsburg cushion and the green cushion already made.

Beautiful, beautiful variegated Socks that Rock in the Crabby Mc Happypants colorway... a pair of lace stockings, or at least knee socks! Usually, I do not like lace in variegated yarn... but, I want a pair of lace socks, long ones, so.... there you go!

A stole... Eunny Jang's Print o' the Wave, practically free Knit Picks kettle dyed Shadow in Pacific colorway (a shade of turquoise green or blue that I'm quite fond of). I'm rather excited about this project, as it's my first real lace weight pattern to work, and it's working up very quickly. It's a simple, short pattern repeat, with all purl rows on the wrong side, so it's a good first lace shawl pattern, I think.... not to mention a good gift idea, for someone who might love beautiful, delicate handwork.

And finally, a cardigan to go with one of my winter skirts. I have a very pretty tan wool skirt, bias cut, A-line... with orange and chocolate and cream, and I've been looking for years for a suitable cardigan for it... I'm attempting to make one, finally. Mother Daughter Knits Grey Cardigan is the pattern. Lion Brand Fisherman's wool in brown... smells very nicely of lanolin.

More Laundry!

Is it just too weird that I get such a kick out of my laundry? Of course, these are all socks I've knitted, too, and all my favorite colors as well, so no wonder it hit my eye... but still, it's a little kooky.

Merry Christmas, Y'all

Um, I'm a Texan by marriage, in case you wondered about the "y'all"! It's the day after Christmas and I didn't go shopping. No, I stayed home and made Christmas dinner! Yeah, I should have made it last night, but about noon yesterday I started dinner, or asked my hubby to make the marinade and put the beef roast in it, and he did... then at 2pm I pulled out my new copy of "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" (it was a Christmas gift from my hubby!) and the recipe for Braised Beef was never gonna be done before 10pm, so we made omelets instead, per Julia's instructions... which I mastered by the way... I can make a really good omelet now in about one minute, literally! Thank you, Julia! OK, anyway, I started again today, with a beef roast that was fork tender before I even started braising it thanks to the 24 hour marinade in 5 cups of burgundy and so so many other good things! We had the braised beef, turnips, and Brussels sprouts, and it was all divine! Divine, I tell you!!! I can't even describe the wonderfulness of it, but wow, prep time was killer! I'm trying to decide if all the prep time is worth it or not! So, I'm not really a foodie, OK?! I know someone who is, though, and I'm trying to get her to blog here with me... it would be nice to have more posts, no?

Knitting continues; what a blessing it is to me! It has become this exercise in productive rest for me: active meditation, physical prayer, and mental Sabbath... My life's stresses are mostly emotional and mental, and the meditative nature of knitting is a good palliative for a weary mind and heart... like prayer or sleep. When my life is physically rigorous, the knitting falls to the wayside.

I wonder if I'll stop knitting if I start working out?! See, Joy, I can't work out, my fiber pursuits might suffer! Maybe I'll just give up the French food instead! So, I don't want to work out! I'm not an active person by nature. Read: Lazy... Projects on the needles right now (too many!): jaquard vest, lace stole, orange cushion cover, sweater for Jeremy, socks for Jeremy... That's it, I think!

In the sewing arena: One grey wool skirt... cut but not begun, need thread. After it's finished, the sewing machine and paraphanalia are going into storage till we're moved into the new house and new window coverings are required!

Upcoming in my life: packing, packing, and more packing... No word yet on the house, but since we don't want to close on it till March, it's OK... It's an exercise in faith... if we get it, Hallelujah, if we don't, well, Hallelujah, too! I'm waaaaay too blessed to complain! We are all hoping for that house. My children are already debating about bedrooms, my husband is envisioning a garage woodworking shop and fencing, and I'm thinking about window coverings and space; glorious, wonderful space.

Christmas Knitting

I've been knitting my fingers to little nubs this month... in late October, everyone asked for mittens for Christmas, hand knit mittens. Actually, my husband requested his in November. No pressure. Anyway, I have managed to knit all but one pair of mittens and a pretty hat for my youngest girl. And most of a sweater for the Dauphin. I don't really mind! You know I love it!

Bird in Hand stranded mittens in KnitPicks Palette and some leftover XXL Trekking, size 2 DPNs
Chevalier Mitts, Patons Classic Wool, Size 6 DPN's

Classic Mittens, Stash superwash Leftovers, size 5 DPN's, above, and Cascade Superwash in Scarlet and Size 5 DPN's below:

Elephant Tam, child Size by Kathleen Taylor, size 5 circular, stash leftovers, turned out beautifully.

A Knee Sock - Voila

So, I only have one done, but I decided to share! I did make a whole entire stocking but when I tried it on it was very itchy from the knee up, so I did the frog dance (rip it, rip it, rip it) and made it a knee sock again. I can see myself wearing them with my tall black boots and a denim skirt, or under a dark wool pleated skirt... they'll be a cheerful color extravaganza on dull winter days. I need some penny loafers!

I mean, look at that color! Guaranteed to brighten up the day!

One final thing... I have rather severe body image issues, but, really... these gams just don't quit!

Here's the next one, on the needles. Isn't the yarn gorgeous! Every half inch is a revelation!

Hi! Look What I Made!

I made: a box for my Latin vocabulary flash cards out of two sheets of 12x12 scrapbooking paper.

A blouse from Weekend Sewing:

Summer Afternoon Blouse

Size L

Modified neckline and sleeve length.

JoAnne's brand cotton lawn

Also, ipod cozy, from leftover orange sock yarn (Zitron Trekking and Knit Picks Palette) and vintage blue button.

Waves of Blue

Well, these were started ages ago... I had no trouble knitting the first sock, but then I got a really bad case of SSS (Second Sock Syndrome) and I didn't cast on that second sock for a really, really long time. But I did, finally, and slowly knitted away, when I didn't have anything else to do. And I finished them, and I tried them on, and it was a LOT smaller than the first one, it was a whole size smaller, 20 stitches smaller, to be exact. I had to rip and cast on that sock, again, a second time... it was slightly demoralizing, to say the least. Still I plodded on, and finished that sock again... course I still had to re-knit the toe... this sock is not hard, I don't know what the heck had gotten into me! Anyway, they'll be warm and toasty on my tootsies come cold weather. And a cheerful blue that will keep the "blues" away! Oh, hey, I took these pics myself! I do yoga. Sometimes.

Summertime and the Livin' is Crazy

Wow! I'm going crazy here... there is so much to do in our life right now and waaay too little time to blog about it. We have gone camping, to Williamsburg, and to the Hill Country and Odessa in Texas. My in laws have some wonderful river front vacation rental property and a bed and breakfast (Bend O' the River) where we always love to go. Plus the grandparents are always highly desirable to visit for the children... of course! And my honorary parents have a backyard pool! Plus I got to visit with my best friend Addy, who introduced me to the Twilight books and movie and... wait for it... Edward. Ohhhhh, Edward!

I've been neglecting the garden, in favor of house cleaning, much to the garden's detriment, it looks awful. It's about time to plant some fall greens and carrots and beets, and we're about to get a whole lot of tomatos for popping in the mouth, slicing, and turning into sauce. I wonder how the potatos will turn out? I've gotten three heads of broccoli, all with little green worms which were easy to pick off, but yucky. They were all good eating, and welcome to the table, since all of us are broccoli fans. The onions seem to have trouble staying put in the raised beds, they keep pushing their way up to the surface.




I've been contemplating a name change for the blog... I realized that the name I chose for our cottage is really the lesson I'm continually learning in my life. Contentment. I believe I'll change the name of the blog to reflect it. Also, we're planning another move, which is typical behavior for me. I'm pretty much assured we'll move as soon as I've got the house about half settled. It's our modus operandus.





On the needles: the blue sock... again. I finished it, tried it on and was surprised at it's snugness, then realized that it was made in the smaller size, so it had to be ripped out, in it's entirety and reknitted. I re cast-on, began again and I've turned the heel and finished the gussets, so it's in the home stretch now. Again. Also, a stranded colorwork vest, which probably it all wrong for my body type, but I don't care. It's a knit picks kit, on size 2 circular needles, in teal and gold. I've already knitted an inch of ribbing, but I had to rip it out as I forgot those very important words when joining in the round "being careful not to twist." So I decided to go ahead and do a gauge swatch... just to play with the colors... I'll cast on again when I cast off the sock.





Piper had her "procedure" yesterday, and is recovering by napping in the girls' bedroom right now. She's been an admirable mother, and we were able to get good homes for all the kittens, and kept our two favorite Black Susan and Hamelin, who are busy learning to hunt, ruining my sheer curtains in the guest room, and practicing their pounce and wrestle technique.





The children are making leaps and bounds, the baby is practicing his manners, trying to say please in the following variations: large cheesy smile, "meeeeeeeeeee", "peeeeeeeeeeee", or "teeeeeeeeee". Very sweet. Little J has graduated to a bike with training wheels and is triumphantly peddling around in circles in front of the house. She is a wonderful talker now, telling us stories in her preschool lisp: "Mommy, he tan wide his bite wifout the taining wheels!" JW has learned to ride without training wheels at the ripe old age of 5, he's been endeavoring to steer at that terrifying speed that comes with that new liberty and has been wearing his helmet voluntarily. He and M (who is mostly learning to do her hair this summer) are excited about taking swimming lessons starting on the 20th and the Prairie Princess and Dauphin have been taking theirs already and making marvelous progress. Also, they've been trying to read up the whole library and are frustrated by any censorship on our part. The possibility of evil doesn't really seem real to them in the library. My oldest (12 yrs) ascends from the pool after lessons with this incredibly large grin, which is so wonderful to see as he was the most terrified toddler in the world of water. He even was afraid of his bath. Now he thinks he might want to join a swim team! Who'd have thunk it! It almost, almost makes me want a swimming pool... perhaps it will be a positive instead of a negative in our house hunt that begins in January, along with the packing. Ugh.... packing!





Soon to start: some sewing lessons for the Prairie Princess and a neighbor (who recently moved onto the farm). Our first project will be a small skirt, just rectangles and a bit of elastic for the waistband, easy peasy, with a topstiched hem. I'll perhaps start to get some of my own summer sewing done, maybe, then some winter jumpers for the girls, then I'll pack away the stash in anticipation of the move.





Also soon to start: changing the workroom to a workroom/bedroom for the Dauphin... he made a very good argument for having his own room, and at 12, needs to have a little privacy, especially in a large family that occupies a small house. Also he digs the orange walls! Yay! So I need to move my yarn stash OUT of the dresser in that room and INTO something else... perhaps a plastic storage bin? Something I can access up until we load the truck in March, because, as we all know, I and my yarn cannot be parted for long, much like my hub or my kids or my Bible...





Can we all say OBSESSION?

Finally, a pic of the night sky and a crescent moon, and it's pretty.

Maryland Sheep and Wool

OK, so I'm checking in... the farm is getting soaked right now... it's chilly and wet, but I've got some tomatoes in thanks to the Studly Man in my life.

I can't believe it happened, but I forgot to bring my camera to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival this past Saturday! ACK! I know!

It was amazing, there was yarn and fiber everywhere, spinning wheels, looms, vintage sock machines, demonstrations, sheep and goats, WONDERFUL!

I did buy yarn, of course! Actually I waited in line for like 45 minutes for some Socks that Rock at The Fold booth. I met some really nice ladies who shared their giant umbrella with me and chatted about yarn (Thanks, Melissa and Mary!).

I bought some locally spun and naturally hand dyed wool worsted yarn... and some locally spun flax, cotton, and rayon fingering weight yarn ($6.50 a pound!).

I went with my friend Lyn from Hunt Country Yarns in The Plains and had fun "checking in" with their booth. I talked to the Ravelry Crew and saw Ysolda Teague (I just admired her while pretending to look at wool behind her) and I had a nice little chat with Claudia of Claudia Hand Painted Yarns (Check out the Linen yarn Desert Dusk colorway... I'll be buying some at Knitting Sisters in Williamsburg when we go at the end of this month). I was like oh, 40 feet away from her and saw this woman sitting on a bench next to one of the barns in this WONDERFUL tiered ruffled skirt knitted in gorgeous hand dyed yarns in these beautiful warm colors. I had to know where to get that pattern and what those yarns were, so, of course, because I'm me, I walked over and politely butted into a conversation and asked her.

Me: "Excuse me for interrupting, but I saw that skirt from waaaay over there and I think it is absolutely gorgeous. Where did you get that pattern? And those yarns, oh my, look at those beautiful warm colors!"

Claudia: "Well, this is a Louet Sales pattern, but actually, I'm Claudia of Claudia Hand Painted Yarns and these are my yarns."

Me: "Wow, these are gorgeous! You're like a walking advertisement! Who sells these?"

Claudia: "I don't think anyone here is selling them...."

I got her card, because it was a work of art. I want one for me. Bad. I can't believe I forgot my camera!

One Year on the Farm

I'm not sure of the exact day that we first drove onto this farm, but I know it was just about a year ago. The farm looks just the same today as it did the first day we came... a little cool, and wet, dreary sky, newly green fields, maples abloom, daffodils smiling. I've spent a wonderful year nesting and creating, teaching and nurturing, making and growing. I've even fulfilled the goal I had for myself of averaging at least one post a week... this is my 53rd post, here on the blog! I haven't done everything that I would have liked. The trim still isn't completely painted, I didn't put as much food in the freezer as I'd like, I haven't got a milk cow yet, and I have hundreds of photos that I've not blogged yet. But I did so many new things. I made my first pickles, and froze veggies from my own garden. I raised chickens and collected my own farm eggs. I ate chickens that I raised myself. We even are growing our own beef now. I've planted my first potatoes, caught my first raccoon, and had our first at home campfires. It's been a great year!

I've been thinking of setting myself a few goals for the next year.

1. Use the daily schedule I always spend so many hours making every six months

This is usually my best tool for accomplishing what seems humanly impossible, but I've been severely neglecting it. When on a schedule, my family hums along like they're on a track, and it makes the off schedule fun stuff so much more fun.

2. Make more time to "fill up" myself with good things: reading, prayer, exercise, education

I've been feeling a little as though I've been pouring all my good stuff out for everyone else, which is exactly what everyone should be doing, but now there's nothing left, so I've got to top off that tank. I've gotten some serious life improvement reading planned, some biographies, and some classic lit on my reading list. Prayer time will depend on the success of goal number 1. Exercise is already something I'm doing better with, little by little, but I want to take advantage more of the beautiful farm to hike.

3. Make friends with a new dentist and most likely an orthodontist as well. We've been in VA two years now and we haven't visited a dentist here, yet.

This is probably self explanatory, except it's hard to find time to take ONE child anywhere... and though my children are exceptionally well behaved, most of the time, doctor's offices tend to bring out the worst in them, so I tend to procrastinate about medical appointments.

4. Limit the number of projects I have going and purge projects that have languished

I've got decades old cross stitch projects sitting in baskets, fabric I don't really like anymore, and acrylic I'd rather not touch, much less knit with or wear.

5. Potty train the baby

This should help in both the laundry and time management areas, not to mention making the older, diaper changing kids really happy.

6. Organize more social time with other ladies and a monthly date with my hubby

I want a little more time with my "sistahs" and my sisters. I really dig my hub, and I've been on like two dates with him in two years. It's very, very sad.

OK, so enough of my introspection... I have definitely had spring fever and have dropped a bunch of cash of new yarn and fabric... and a few new project books. Last post, I promised some pics of knitted goods:

Also, just today, at nap time (as in 10 minutes ago), my hydrangea and Carding Mill rose arrived! Yay! I need to get those in the ground, pronto. My three peony plants in the front garden are coming up, as well as what I think is a rhubarb. I've discovered, looking around, that my gardening style is very cottage garden... ie I just throw the plants in the ground somewhere and hope it looks nice.

Spring has Sprung

Wow! It's been a month, I tell ya! So many things have happened here. Not as many as I'd like due to illness... mine, the kids, the hubby's. A plague of gastrointestinal illness in a family of 8 can take a really long time to recover from! My blogging was postponed due to a total crash of my hard drive two weeks ago and having house guests. So, some interruptions were really bad, but some were really good, too.

I finished this:

These are blooming:

The daffodils, crocus, and maples have been in full swing, and now the forsythia is blooming and some pretty white flowered tree which I have not yet identified. My tulips were coming along nicely, but the neighbor's goat ate all the leaves of all the tulips he could find on the farm, including my 18.

I have planted the cold weather crops in our new third SFG bed... it's 4 x 16 so it can fit a lot of spinach, to say the least. I planted cabbage, peas (snap and snow), broccoli, spinach, green onions, and lettuce. I've also planted a strawberry bed and potato barrel and onion sets. Still, nothing is sprouting yet. But we've had some really lovely rain followed by a couple of warmish days that I know is working its magic on the seeds. They're under their nice, sweet covering of soil softening and sending tentative little pale yellow sprouts upward toward the warmth of the sun.

On the needles: blue socks, orange socks, and a baby set for a friend's new baby... I'm making a February baby set in grey and raspberry. I just love that sweater for baby girls... it's simple, beautiful, easy to knit, and easy to resize. I've decided that the reason I love Elizabeth Zimmerman so is that her patterns are often like that: simple, neat, and warm. She knitted for the same reason I do I think... to relax and to make things people will actually wear. I wish I'd begun a blanket long ago, because the baby would look soooo fetching in her little knitted outfit nestled in a raspberry blanket on Mama's knee. Will post pics of knitted projects another time.