Quiddity

Sigh

I guess all you are going to get from me on this blog is big gaps between posts and then one that tries to play catch up.  There actually has been a lot going on around here, mostly to do with the barn.  Capsule version: excitement, hard work, drama, DRAMA, DDRRAAMMAA, big let down, whew!  But riding every morning is still fun. I love my barn friends, and am always very happy to spend as much time as possible there.  We had a really fun party at a local pub on Saturday for the Kentucky Derby.  It was also set up to raise funds for renovating our outdoor arena, so we had a silent auction, merchandise sales, a raffle, and even a special Ginger Mint Julep.  Yum!  Lots of fun was had and a good bit of money raised.  Yay!

Through all the upset of the last few months, knitting has helped keep my stress level under control, and since I was here last, I finished six projects and have two more on the needles.  I have yet to get around to blocking some of the projects from both this year and last, but hope to do better in the coming days.  Of course, after a protracted cold and wet Spring, it's now almost too hot to wear anything made of wool, but I figure it probably is a very good time for blocking.  Then my lovely items will be clean and ready for the inevitable return of cold weather (which I do not even want to think about for more than two seconds at this point!)

So, let's see what I can figure out has gone on for the last few months.

February

At the end of February, I went to Arizona to visit my aunt and cousins.  Talk about bad timing - they all had some kind of plague!  Not only did it curtail the activities they had planned for my visit, but I didn't get to see a whole bunch of them, either.  However, I did have a good time visiting with my aunt and the family who made it over before falling ill themselves, and it's a good excuse to go back later this year for another try.  Also, I miraculously avoided becoming sick, thank goodness.

After my last post of February 12, I finished two items.

28's Cousin 53 Scarf

I knit this with the same yarn a few years ago.  Last December, I put it, along with some other things, up for sale at the barn's Holiday Bazaar.  One of my friends fell in love with it, but had the Christmas spirit and bought it for her friend, instead.  When I saw the yarn at Claudia's shop, I grabbed it and knit it again as a gift to my selfless friend.  I'm going to ahve to make one for myself, because I love the way it drapes, and it can be worn many different ways.

Thuja Socks

This is one of my "go to" sock patterns.  Mindless to knit, but not boring.  Perfect for Friday knit nights.  Try as I may, though, my camera wouldn't capture the true color of this yarn, which is really a deep purple.

March

March 17 was the ninth anniversary of this sad little blog.  Poor thing was ignored even on its birthday.  I must start paying it more attention, don't you think?  And I'd better not forget the big One Oh next year! 

At the end of the month, we had our Spring Pony Ride Day at the barn.  This is always a big event, and this time was no exception.  The lines were long, but everyone had a good time (except for some of the horses, who were clearly over all the fuss!)  I was busy walking horses, hiking out to the pasture to bring in replacements, and helping tack horses, so no photos this year.  Picture a smiling kid on a big horse and you'll get the picture.

I finished four projects in March, one of which is still waiting to be blocked.  Another task I really need to get on top of.

December 2004 Mustersocken Knitalong Socks

Years ago, there was a Yahoo group for this German sock knitalong. They included English versions of the patterns, and although the group is long gone, I was excited to find all the patterns for free on Ravelry.  I changed the stitch count on this sock, so it doesn't look exactly like the orginal, and frankly, it's too tight.  Next time, stick with the pattern!  I also went back to my quest for a short row heel that is easy to knit and fits nicely.  I used the Strong Heel for these socks and really like both the process and the outcome.

My next project was the Zetor Shawl.  I used a skein of Wollmeise that Claudia gave me a few years ago.  Great pattern and, of course, fabulous yarn.  One of these days you'll see a picture of the beautiful BLOCKED shawl.

Bayard Hat

This was one of those "whoops" projects.  Isn't it cute?  Nice detail on the back (shown on the front here.)  But, instead of the size 2 needles I thought I was using, they were really size 4.  Soooo, it's a tad big.  Funny thing is, the ribbing fits pretty well, but to say baggy would be generous.  Anyone with a big head of hair need a hat??

Fields of Wheat Cowl

I made this last winter with wool and liked it, but had some Alchemy merino/silk that has been languishing in my stash for a long time.  I liked the idea of using the two colors and the yarn is so soft - just perfect for this cowl.

April

Lots of birthdays in April.  Cory and his wife, Laura, both celebrated.  And my kitties turned six this year!  They are still the best of friends, and as nutty as ever.  

My cousin, Pam, was in town with her husband for a convention, and we got to spend a day together.  This was especially nice as she was one of those I didn't get to see when I was in Arizona in February.  We took a tour of the city, had a nice lunch, visited the barn, and talked, talked, talked.  Such fun!  

The first April finish is another project in the blocking queue - Poe.  I love this shawl.  So pretty, and easy and fun to knit.  The yarn was a birthday gift from my friend, Brett.  I'm going to have to hunt up some more!

Knit Night Socks - Beth's Double Mock Ribbing

After a long drought, I'm obviously back on my sock kick.  These are made with Interlacement Tiny Toes, which has also been hiding in the stash for a long time.  Again, I used the Strong Heel.  It looks a little weird to me, but fits nicely.  I'm interested to see how it wears compared to my usual flap and gusset.

May

So, now it's May .  The grass and trees are green and the flowers are blooming nicely, thanks to all the rain we've had lately.  Going to the barn every morning is a lot easier now that it's light outside when I leave, and it's staying that way until almost 8:30 at night.  I know Summer's heat and humidity aren't far away, so for now I'll enjoy the warm days and cool nights.  And I'll keep knitting...and riding!

My first May finish was the Dovetail Cowl

I saw this pattern in the Neighborhood Fiber Co. booth at Stitches South.  The yarn is their lovely worsted weight in the Rock Creek Park colorway (the first photo is the true color.)  I LOVE this yarn, and the pattern was very fun.  I'm so happy it's finally warm here, but can't wait to wear this cowl in the Fall.

To prove I can get things done, here's a 2012 project, blocked just in time to wear to Stitches South this April.  

Color Affection

We saw quite a few gracing knitters at Stitches South.  Mine is the fingering weight version, and it came out HUGE!!  But soft and drapey, too.  I'm glad I went with the trend.

Ok, back to my current project.  And later this afternoon, Quadrille practice.  I'm having WAY too much fun these days!

 

Color Me Red

Red is certainly the color for February, but all of these things were finished in January (yeah, I know, fast knitter with too much time on her hands.)

So many shades, from true red to hot pink to maroon.  Exciting!  They are:

Opul Infinity Scarf

This was a fun knit, and I wore it almost immediately.  I've been on a cowl kick lately, and although this says it's a scarf, it's really a long loop.  Wrapped twice around the neck, it makes a cozy cowl.  And hey, it's a free pattern!

#077 Silk Alpaca Babushka

This is another pattern I love.  I made it in blue a few years ago, but for some reason used a needle two sizes smaller than called for.  This time, I used the correct size and got the big wrap I was looking for.  It's a great design that can be worn like a shawl, but can also be worn on the head like a kerchief, with the long ends wrapped around (my preferred method.)  Doing that allows it to be pulled off the head and onto the shoulders when the weather warms or you enter the METRO.  My only disappointment is the color.  I wanted a strong, true red, but this "red" is really much closer to hot pink.

Picardi

This awesome cowl was designed by my friend, Nell.  I wish I'd gotten a better photo of it, but it's a design that is deep enough to fold flat under your coat, or if you are skinny (unlike me) you can drap it over your shoulders.  It's interesting to knit and wear.

Marin

Here's my true red!  I love this pattern, which is just a small shawlette that lays nicely across the shoulders.  The yarn is numma numm doppio in, what else, "red."  Another friend, Allen dyes the most fabulous yarn, but really this is the best of the bunch so far.  So soft!  And look at how it highlights the stitch pattern.  Big win!!

Storm Cloud Shawlette

Another freebie, this is the second time I've knit this, as well.  Very simple but effective.  The first time, I used a smaller needle, which gave a finished shawl with a much different look.  I liked it, and gave it to my aunt, who was sitting next to me when I cast off, because she admired it so much.  This more open look is lovely, too, and can be worn several ways, just like the last one.

Purl Ridge Scarf (Cowl)

This is the fourth time I've knit this project, and I love it every time.  Easy to knit, but still interesting, it's a long loopy cowl that when wrapped just covers you in warmth.  This time, I did more repeats and made it a bit wider, hoping it would be able to be pulled over my head.  The verdict - almost.  I would need a bit more yarn than was in this skein to get it wide enough, so I'll keep working on that.  This is another free pattern on Ravelry.

I now have two February projects on the needles and guess what?  Yup, both red.  I know I said I was going to do only one color a month, but I changed the rules.  The rules are, one color per month, except if I want to keep going.  LOL!  I just finished the first one today, so I'll post a photo of that later.  The other is still on the needles.

But Jim also asked me for some knits.  He wanted two more of the little watch cap I knit him and a black scarf.  Okey dokey.

Single layer version of EZ's Very Warm Hat

I love this pattern, and have made two of the double layer version for myself.  But when I did one for Jim, he pronounced it "too hot!"  So the single layer was the answer.  Fast, easy, and absolutely Jim's favorite hat.  But after he felted the first one by throwing it in the washing machine, it's Cascade 220 SUPERWASH for him from now on!

The Dudester Scarf - reversible!!

Oh, this is a really nice pattern.  Completely reversible, and I love how flat it is.  I used black Plymouth Baby Alpaca DK and it is the perfect weight and warmth for Jim.  Of course, he's under orders to go nowhere near a washing maching with this!

Not much going on outside of all this knitting except for the same old, same old.  Still riding every morning except Sunday (my sleep-in day,) and dealing with the ongoing panic around the Conservancy preparing to take over management of the Farm.  It all keeps me busy, which is a very good thing, given all the rainy days we've had lately.  I'm going on a short trip to Phoenix at the end of the month, and am already planning what projects to take.  Looks like it will be two cowls - and neither of them will be red (I think.)  Can't wait to see my aunt and cousins, and meet the two babies born since the last time I was there! 

 

Happy 2013!

Ah well, as usual best laid plans went awry, so you get another recap.  It's still crazy busy around here, with my time being taken up mostly by goings on at the barn.  I'm on the Board of the Conservancy, and up until now our duties were mainly to raise money for capital improvements and other items the County (who owns the property) can't or won't provide.  But now, due to budget considerations, the County is asking the Conservancy to take over day to day running of the barn.  This means hiring new staff, setting new stall fees, and just generally figuring out how to keep things going while not losing money.  The takeover hasn't happened yet, but you can bet that many of us are very involved in working on committees, making recommendations and decisions, and helping move things in the right direction.  Of course, I still find time to ride every day but Sunday, volunteer with the theraputic riding program, and helping with barn tours and other Conservancy fund raising events.  In the midst of all that, I do manage to get some knitting done.  Since I've been here, there has also been several holidays and a big moment in my married life - my 40th anniversary.  And now, here's the rundown.

November

We've been in this house since September of 2006, and this was the first year I hosted Thanksgiving.  We usually go to my son's in-laws' house, but they were out of town this year, so I got to make the turkey and all the fixings.  Now, this would not normally be such a big deal, but I have a stove/oven I hate with the passion of a thousand burning suns.  It's a beautiful red Viking that came with the house, and it and I have yet to see eye to eye.  The oven just doesn't ever seem to want to cooperate, and things either take much longer or much shorter than I think they should.  This time, it was much shorter, which all things considered is to be preferred.  I did a dry salt rub on the turkey, instead of my usual brining, and it was delicious - despite the damn oven.  Everyone agreed that I did good!

That was really the only big event in November, which I appreciated after all the traveling I did in October.  And it meant that a lot of knitting was started and finished, too.

First up, Hitchhiker.  I started this in October, to have something mindless to work on while traveling.  I used some Rowan Harris 4-ply that has been sitting in my stash for quite a while, and that turned out to be perfect for this project, which is really a medium gray, not the blue that came out in this photo.

While at SAFF, I bought a beaded knitting kit to make a necklace.  I thought it would be the perfect Christmas gift for the wife of my riding instructor.  She loved it!  This was the first project of this kind I've done, and while it was a bit fiddly, I am intrigued by the idea of knitting beaded jewelry, and had Santa bring me a book on the subject for Christmas.

The next finish was the Fields of Wheat cowl.  I used Patons Wool for this, and while it worked up nicely, I thought it a bit crunchy.  I'll most likely make this again with a softer wool.

I haven't blocked the next two projects yet, so I don't have a photo of mine.  Follow the Ravelry link if you want to see what they look like.

Lacy Tube was a fun knit and I just need to block it and kitchener the ends together so I can wear it.  The weather here is certainly cold enough for it.  I used a set of Unique Sheep Gradient yarns that have been in the stash for a while.

Flurries Cowl.  I love this cowl, and need to get some buttons to finish it off.  I used the suggested yarn, and am really pleased with the feel, color, and look of it.  

December

I guess it isn't December if there isn't a lot going on.  The month started off with a fun day at the barn on the 1st.  We had our annual Holiday Market and Quadrille Performance.  This was my second year performing with the team, and I had a blast.  My usual horse came up lame three days before the event, and I was sure I was grounded.  Unhappily, the woman who leases my favorite horse was riding him in the pasture and took a bad fall, breaking her shoulder.  She was out of Quadrille, of course, but that meant that I was not only able to participate, but was able to do so with Chino, my sweet baboo!!  He and I had a blast!  Sadly, she is still laid up, so when we start practice again in two weeks, he and I will partner again.  I'll be happy when she is able to join us again, but will certainly miss my boy.  The marketplace did very well this year, too.  I had a lot of my knitted items for sale, and made a nice amount of money, a portion of which went to support the Conservancy. 

December 8th was the barn Christmas party, and on the 9th, I hosted the knitter's at my house.  The Knitter's Holiday Party has now become an annual event here, and by the time it's over, I'm already looking foward to next year.  We have such fun!  One of the things I've gotten into lately is iPhoneography - taking pictures with my iPhone.  Here are some of the party.  One thing I learned - turn on the flash - so these are a little shaky because I didn't, but I like them anyway.

My first completed December knitting project was the very popular Color Affection.  I'm very pleased with how it came out, but it's sitting in the big pile of "I really need to block this" stuff.  One of my resolutions for January is to get the blocking done!

On December 16, Jim and I celebrated our 40th anniversary.  Why yes, I was a child bride!  I put together a photo album for him, complete with recollections of our 40 years together.  He got me a watercolor done from a photo of us.  The story behind the watercolor is that Cory's former girlfriend's mom is a fabulous artist.  She did a watercolor of Jim and Cory back when Cory was dating her daughter, and it hangs in Jim's office here at the house.  So, Jim found a photo of us he liked and asked her to do the portrait.  I was amazed and so happy!  I need to get it professionally framed and then it will hang in the living room. (ignore the reflections - it was behind glass.)

Here's a photo of us now, taken on the 16th.

We had a great Christmas, as usual.  Santa was very good to me, and I deserved it!  I cooked dinner for 8 people on Christmas Eve and then 6 people on Christmas.  I DO NOT COOK as a rule, except a little bit when Jim is in town, so this was very unusual.  On the plus side, the oven cooperated, and it all came out good.  

Christmas got taken down on the 26th before Jim went back to Alexandria.  I followed him up on the 28th so we could have New Year's Eve together.  As usual, he keeps me moving the whole time I'm there.  On Saturday, the 29th, we decided to take a drive to Middleburg, Virginia.  The goal was a big tack store I wanted to visit.  The drive up was beautiful.  It had snowed overnight, and while we didn't have anything in Alexandria, and the roads were clear, there was 4"-5" on the fields.  It's horse country, and we passed farm after farm.  Although the cold and snow had most of the horses snug in their barns, we did see a few trying to graze through the snow.  The bad news was that when we got to Middleburg, the store was closed for the holidays.  Bummer.  But we walked around the little town and had lunch.  Lots of pretty buildings, including this historic inn.

After lunch, we decided to drive up to Harpers Ferry, W. Virginia.  Jim had been before, but it was my first visit.  The town sits at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers, and is full of interesting old buildings and a pretty church, all on high hills above the rivers.  

On Sunday afternoon, Jim took me to see the Basillica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, a Roman Catholic church in D.C.  It was a truly amazing place, full of mosaics on ceilings and walls.  There was a huge church upstairs, and another in the basement.  We were there for a couple of hours, but it would take much longer than that to really take it all in.

On New Year's Eve, we went into D.C. to the Hirshorn Museum to see the Ai WeiWei exhibit.  I had just read an article in the New Yorker about this exhibit, and was very excited to see it.  I was not disappointed.  While his photography isn't my favorite, his sculptures are usually interesting and thought provoking.  

I had been looking forward to seeing fireworks at the Potomac at midnight, but after a nice dinner, I was just too tired.  It was also really cold, so I camped out on the couch under a snuggly afghan and waited for the ball to drop in Times Square.  Not so exciting, but definitely  warm!

We walked around Alexandria on New Year's Day and had lunch in an Irish pub.  I tried out the new "tintype" film and lens on my Histagram app as we explored.

That last is a horse that sits outside a bar  year round.  For Christmas, he's sporting a wreath and a flashing red nose, incarnated a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.  Too funny!

My last day there, we took it easy, and then bundled up to go to the National Zoo to see their "Zoolights" display.  The animals were all asleep, although the place was full of people strolling and looking at the lights.  I'm usually not too much for this kind of thing, but it was actually really pretty.

And thus ended the old and began the new years.  My last December knitting projects were finished before I left for Alexandria.  I made mittens for my two friends, Diana and Hali, because they both walk to public transportation to get to work and need to keep warm.  Hali got her's in time for Christmas, but I wasn't able to finsh Diana's in time.  They were done on the 28th, right before I left for the airport, and she finally got them this afternoon.  Of course, it's going to be 64 here on Friday, but I know it will be cold again before too long.  

Subway Mittens - pink for Hali and blue for Diana.

And now we are all caught up.  If you've made it this far, here's my first finish for 2013...the Opul Infinity Scarf.  I chose this project because it was easy to do while I was in Alexandria.  I finished it yesterday and wore it today.  Very easy and I love how it wraps around my neck.  

You'll see that it is red.  The project I'm working on now is red.  My next project will be red.  Sense a theme?  I'm thinking I'm going to knit a color a month.  January is red.  I think February will be black and gray.  That way, I can knit Jim the black stocking cap he's requested.  March will, of course, be green.  After that, I'll have to figure it out. We'll see how long I'll stick with this and how it works out.  Something different to try, at any rate.  So, what color do you think April should be?? 

 

 

 

 

40 Years Ago Today

Just a quick stop by the blog so I can say I posted on my 40th wedding anniversary.  Why, yes, I WAS a child bride!!!  LOL  It's late, and I've got to get to bed, but I'll bop by again tomorrow with a photo, and maybe even update this poor blog!  See you soon.

 

Happy Halloween!

It has finally begun to look a feel like Fall around here, and just in time for Halloween.  We had terrible winds the last two days, courtesy of the Superstorm, but no rain.  However, in light of the devestation that took place in the northeast and midwest, we got off easy.  But today is clear, cool, and perfect for trick or treating.

So, let's start with the knitting, and then if you want to keep reading, you can find out what I've been up to over the last month and a half.  I actually have two projects that have been in progress for at least that long.  The first is a pair of socks.  I've completed the first one and started the second, but it is mostly languishing in a project bag.

I used the Strong Heel on this one.  It's a fairly easy short row pattern with no wraps.  I'm not sure I like how it looks, but it certainly fits well.  I'm not sure if I'll use it for the second sock, or try the Fleegle heel.

I also finished a test knit that is now available on Ravelry - Serif Shawl.  Go to the link to see some pretty finished ones.  In the meantime, here's mine, unblocked.

Mostly garter stitch, it's a nice easy pattern that goes quickly in worsted weight yarn.  Mine is Cascade 220 Heathers.  Here's a closeup of the unblocked lace edge.

Then I finished the Journey Scarf.  

The yarn is Universal Yarns Classic Shades in Sapphire.   I got two skeins of it from a friend for my birthday, and as fate would have it, she gave it to me at knitting group the night I forgot my pattern.  So I borrowed some size 7's and cast on.  I think it will make a nice gift for my husband or son for Christmas.

My big finish was a pullover I started last February.  I had completed everything but the sleeves when it got just too warm to work on a wool sweater so I stuffed it in my knitting bag and moved on.  It was pulled out again with the hopes that it could be my SAFF sweater for last weekend, but the best I could do was finish sewing in the second sleeve while I was there.  

This is the Katherine Pullover.  The yarn has a history.  Several years ago at SAFF, I bought two fleece.  One was Corriedale and the other alpaca.  Both were shades of grayish browns, and I had them processed into pencil roving with the intent to spin them into yarn for a sweater.  Well, that was obviously not going to happen, and last year, I had Jen take the yarn to her mill to spin into a DK weight yarn.  What I got back was over 4400 yards of very nice DK weight!!  I used about 1550 yds for this sweater.  

I like the pretty crochet edging around the v-neck, and the whole thing fits very well (even if the sleeves are a tad long.)  What I did not like, and wish I'd taken time to change at the very beginning, is the rolled bottom edge.  That is never a good look for me.  So, I tried putting the same detail that is at the neck around the bottom.

It looks nice, but even with some steam blocking, I think it's pulling out a bit weirdly.  I'm wondering if doing three stitches out of four would help that, instead of crocheting through every one.  What do you think?  But overall, I'm very pleased with the sweater and yarn combo and can't wait to figure out the bottom so I can wear it.  Now, the color in the above photos are not quite right, so here's a photo that shows it better.

Ok, so that's my current knitting.  Now to what else has been going on.  

It's been a very busy month and a half, that's for sure.  On September 22, we held the first Fun Day at the farm.  The idea was to have a fun event that riders of all abilities could participate in, that would also bring people together.  A course was set up in the four big pastures, including jumps, crossing the creek, stopping at a trivia station, and a place to get off and get a doughnut for you and your horse (I skipped that part, because I didn't need one and the horse didn't like them when he was with his first rider.)  Afterwards, we had a lovely bbq dinner.  Some young riders were lead by parents, others walked, while some galloped. Some were alone and some with a group.   It was a beautiful day and a lot of fun.  I was excited because I've never ridden in the pastures by myself before.  No one was there to take my picture, but here is Silverado with my friend Katrina, who took him out about an hour before me.

We didn't do the jumps because he's an overachiever and neither Katrina nor I are ready for jumps.  But we both enjoyed some good trotting and cantering.  I had a blast and can't wait to do it again!

In early October, Jim had a conference to attend in Hollywood, Florida (near Ft. Lauderdale) so we decided to make a vacation of it.  We went down on Friday and had the weekend before he had to start.  Unfortunately, I was well when I got on the plane, and getting sick when I got off.  It was some horrible sinus thing and I felt miserable all weekend.  On top of that, it rained.  A lot.  We were able to find a little dry time, though, to visit a local nature preserve.  We took a boat ride through the mangrove forest and out into a little lake, and then had a walk through the mangroves on a paved trail.  There were lots of birds, and I caught this guy standing on a rail, watching a hawk in the tree above him.

We tried going to South Beach to see the Art Deco buildings and maybe get some lunch, but the rain was so bad we didn't get out of the car.  The streets were flooded and there was no place to park - what a mess!  I was there five days and pretty much never left the hotel except for these two excursions and going to dinner.  But that was ok, because I needed the rest.

I was home for a day-and-a-half, and then flew off to Colorado to attend the wedding of my riding instructor's son.  It was held at a charming little chapel just outside of Colorado Springs.  I flew into Denver on Friday and got to the hotel just in time to change and meet friends to go to the rehearsal dinner in Colorado Springs.  On Saturday, a couple of us drove into Old Colorado City to do some shopping and have lunch before the wedding.  I found a little antique brass horse in one of the shops.

The wedding was so lovely!  Both the ceremony and reception were very family oriented.  I know that sounds funny to say about a wedding, because of course you would expect it to be so, but this one seemed even more so.  The bride's dad sang at the wedding (I give him HUGE props for that - no way could I have held it together!)  And he and her brother sang at the reception.  Then, her parents, who took up ballroom dancing, performed a demonstration with some of their friends.  Michael, the groom, took the floor with some swift disco moves that had everyone clapping.  All in all, it was a wonderful event.  

When the bride was coming down the aisle, I knew everyone would be looking at her, and no one at the groom.  I remembered how much my son's face lit up when he saw his bride in her dress for the first time, and I knew Michael would have a big reaction, too.  Here's the photo - isn't he fabulous!

Everyone left the next day, but I stayed over, figuring I didn't go all that way for such a short time.  I started the day at the Garden of the Gods.  I can't say I ever had heard of it before, and didn't know what to expect, except that I had seen it from the road on Saturday morning when we drove to Colorado City.  Well, it's a wonderful area of huge red rocks, and is a city park of Colorado Springs.  Lots of people who knew what they were doing with ropes and pitons were climbing the rocks, but I contented myself to drive around, stopping twice - once for a walk on the paved paths, and once to take a hike on a ridge trail.

Such a beautiful place, very tranquil despite the number of visitors there that day.  I spent about three hours and could have lingered longer, but decided to get brave and drive up Pike's Peak.

Pike's Peak has an altitude of 14,115 feet above sea level, and is 31st in elevation among Colorado's 54 "Fourteeners" (mountains over 14,000 feet.)  The road begins in a pretty aspen forest, with glimpses of the summit along the way.

About two or three miles in, a warning sign appears.

I didn't see or hear him, but it would have been fun!

After a while, the road gets a bit more challenging, rising steeply through hairpin turns with no guardrails.  Above tree line, this is a bit unnerving, as all there is to see over there is a lot of air!!  Worst of all, you can see how steep it will be coming down.  Gulp!! All I could think was, "what have I gotten myself into??"  Here's a shot of the road I took at the top.  

But after getting up there, the views were definitely worth it.  It had snowed on Friday night and Saturday, so there was about three or four inches around, but thankfully, nothing on the roads.   After about 40 minutes, I steeled myself and started down at the recommended 20mph in 1st and 2nd gears.  And guess what?  It wasn't bad at all!  There was very little traffic, and since I had come up later in the day, it was past time that people were being allowed up, so everyone was only going down.  Definitely easier on the nerves.  

After two excellent vacations, I returned home to plunge into preparations for our big farm fundraiser, the Fall Festival.  This year, I was involved in the Silent Auction, which meant making bid sheets, logging donations, and generally getting ready for the big day.  It was held Saturday, October 20, and we couldn't have asked for nicer weather. Ok, a little less wind would have been better, but it really was nice otherwise.  We had food, pony rides, a really good dj, riding demonstrations, the silent auction, and a costume contest.  Next year, I'm definitely taking part in that last thing.  We had some very creative costumes.  Here's Al and his friend Nancy.  Al is a ..... Saw Horse.  Hahahahahah!

To round out the month, last weekend, Diana and I went to SAFF (Southeastern Animal & Fiber Festival.)  It's a yearly thing, and we love going not only for the shopping (of which there is lots!) but to be able to hang with our friends.  Unfortunately, two of my dear friends from North Carolina were unable to make it this year, which was sad, but I had a lovely weekend otherwise.  Did I buy stuff, of course!  A little yarn, a pretty supported spindle that looks like an acorn, some soap, a little pottery sheep, a tiny wool sheep, and a couple of Christmas gifts.  There were animals, too.  Sheep, goats, alpacas, and llamas.  Each cuter than the last, but cutest of all, this alpaca with her three week old cria.

On the way home, we stopped at the Spring Ridge Creamery for ice cream, and then in Dillard, GA, to visit some of the shops I've been passing on the way to our North Carolina property for the last 25 years (always with the husband, who does not want to stop - I wonder why?)  Fun, fun time!

So, that's the roundup of what's been happening around here.  I'm now going to try to find time to finish my two projects before the insanity of Thanksgiving and Christmas starts.  The way things have been going lately, I'm not sure that's going to happen, but I'll make a start tonight when Diana and Hali come over for our Second Annual Halloween Knit, Pizza, Horror Movie, Pass Out Candy Extravaganza!!

 

 

Sunny, With A Chance of Showers

It's that time of year when it's still warm enough for shorts, but you can tell that cooler weather is on the way.  A few of the dogwood trees have started trending toward red rather than green leaves, and some days the angle of the light at sunrise and sunset lets you know that it's time for the season to turn.  I am not looking forward to cold weather, but a little cool off after the heat of this summer will be much appreciated.

At the barn, we are gearing up for the year's biggest fund raiser, our Fall Festival on October 22.  It's a fun event with music, games and crafts for the kids, a big silent auction, horse demonstrations, pony rides, and a horse and rider costume contest.  I'm thinking about entering that last thing this year if I can find a Lone Ranger costume.  Mark's big gray horse, Silverado, will fit the bill nicely for my steed.  And, if I can rope Scout, the big paint horse's owner into dressing up like Tonto, we can win big!  Now that I think of it, I'm going to go commercial for a moment and ask if any of you would like to donate goods or services for our silent auction.  The Conservancy is a non-profit, and all proceeds from the auction go to the care and maintenance of farm property and facilites.  The County is broke, and we need all the help we can get.  Of course, donations need not be horse related.  Send me an email if you'd like to help.

Ok, knitting.  Yup, still doing a lot of that.  Right now, I'm working on a test knit for Nell (click the link to see her fabulous work!)  She is a wonderful designer, and I'm happy to be able to help her out.  However, I had to put that project on hold for a few days, though, to knit these for her - Therm Hat and Therm Mitts. 

Mine are made from Patons Classic Wool.  The interesting rib pattern makes for a comfortably snug fit.  I can see making many more sets of these for myself and for gifts.

Before that, I dug into the stash and came up with six tiny balls of yarn I bought from the Habu booth at Stitches South in 2010.  This was one of those "I love this yarn and haven't an idea of what to knit with it" moments.  But I had started some cabled socks (still in progress) and needed a don't-have-to-think-about-it project, so grabbed the pretty green yarn and cast on for a Lacy Baktus.

Here's a close up.

This will be nice and warm, and the color will brighten a gloomy day.

The finished project before this one was the Kleio Shawl.  I don't have a photo of that yet, because it's in the big "to be blocked" pile.  But I've also been motivated to block things, so hopefully in a week or two I'll get through the pile and can post photos of a lot of shawls! Kleio was interesting, in that there were several rows of Latvian Braid to be knit, some of which were almost 600 stitches long.  I'm glad to have learned this new to me technique, but wish I'd started with something smaller, like a mitten cuff!

In other barn news, my trainer, Mark, got a new horse that I was privledged to be able to help pick out.  He was replacing a horse that he'd had for 18 years.  Raffi taught a lot of kids and adults how to ride, but was suffering with cancer, so he went to live at the University of Georgia, where he is now helping vet students learn how to treat sick horses.  Now, we have Sandi (or Cinderell/Ella/Cindy - Mark can't figure out what he wants to call her!)  She is SO sweet, and is a very zippy ride.  Mark has had some of the more experienced riders on her since she came a month or so ago, but I might get my chance this week.  I'll leave you today with a photo of this pretty girl.

Decatur Book Festival 2012

Another Labor Day weekend, another book festival - the 6th Annual Decatur Book Festival, that is.  The largest independent book festival in the United States, within walking distance of my house!  As always, there was a lot going on and many choices to be made of which authors to hear and which would have to be missed.  This year, there was the added feature of works being done on-site by the Atlanta Printmakers Studio. They hung their art to dry on the chain link fence surrounding the newly planted Courthouse lawn.  No walking on the grass yet, but that was softened by these beautiful banners decorating the fence and the gazebo.

Of course, there were plenty of books for sale.  The city closes off a parking lot and two of the main streets through town so vendors can set up their tents.

Another parking lot becomes the land of fried food and beer.

My friend, Diana, always the voice of reason, kept me away from the fried Milky Ways and funnel cakes for another year.  My stomach thanks her!

On Saturday, Diana, Hali, Jim and I attended several good book presentations.

   Butterfly in the Typewriter: The Tragic Life of John Kennedy Toole and the Remarkable Story of A Confederacy of Dunces, by Cory MacLauchlin.  If you haven't read A Confederacy of Dunces, I highly encourage you to do so.  It's a delightful, disturbing, and extremely funny novel.  The highlighted book, however, was not a review, but rather an exploration into the tragic life of its author and the tenacity of his mother in getting his posthumous work published.  I own a copy of John Kennedy Toole's book, and bought Cory MacLaughlin's.

  The Night Circus by Evin Morgenstern.  I read this book last year, and enjoyed it thoroughly.  This is not your average circus by any means, and Evin gave a wonderful talk about how she imagined the story and brought it to life.  I loved this book, too, and was very happy to get to see the author read and discuss this work.

  Elixer: A History of Water and Humankind by Brian Fagan.  Let me start by saying that Brian Fagan is an author who is clearly in love with his topics!  He gave the most animated presentation of almost any author I've seen at these Festivals.  He included a wonderful slide show to illustrate his talk, but unfortunately it went wonky before he was finished.  Like the title says, this is the history of water and its impact on human civilization in the past and for the future.  He also discussed his latest work, Beyond the Blue Horizon: How the Earliest Mariners Unlocked the Secrets of the Ocean.  This book sounded even more fascinating than the one we originally came to hear about.  Described as a navigator, archeologist, and historian, Brian Fagan is a fascinating speaker and I'm eager to read both of these books.

After all that culture, we repaired to a local Thai restaurant for dinner and then walked home and collapsed into bed.  It was a wonderful day, marred only by the high heat and humidity, but that's the norm for this weekend and this event.

Today, Jim, Diana, and I were ready for more.  After the first presentation, Jim was off him his own until the final one, but Diana and I stuck together all day.  Here's what I saw.

  A Short Fiction Celebration.  This presentation included two authors discussing their recent collections of short stories.  Adam Prince read from his book, The Beautiful Wishes of Ugly Men.  Alir Ohlin read from her collection, Signs and Wonders.  Of the two, I enjoyed Alir's more, and bought it so I can find out how the story she read part of will turn out.  But Jim got the other, so I can read that, too.  They both discussed their creative process, which I found very interesting.  I'll try to remember to expand more on that in the coming weeks, as I have a writing project of my own that I'm going to try out here on the blog.

  Buddah in the Attic, by Julie Otsuka.  This is another book I read recently.  A novel based on her family history, it's the story of "picture brides," young girls and women who are brought to American in the early 1900's by Japanese men who have already emigrated.  Chosing a husband based only on a photo and a letter or two, these women made the long sea voyage leaving everything behind to go into an unknown and uncertain future.   

  The Maltese Touch of Evil: Film Noir and Potential Criticism, by Shannon Clute & Richard Edwards.  I love old movies, and this was a fascinating look at the underlying commonalities and techniques in the "film noir" movies of 1942-1958, and that legacy appearing in the neo noir films of today.  From The Maltese Falcon to A Touch of Evil, the darkest heart of man appears in many forms.

  Fooling Houdini:  Magicians, Mentalists, Math Geeks, and the Hidden Power of the Mind, by Alex Stone.  This was an extremely entertaining presentation, as Alex brought together the fields of magic, psychology, physics, math, and science.  There were coin and card tricks, humor, and a few secrets of the magic trade were given away.  This is another book I'm anxious to dig into.  

As you see, it was ecclectic mix of topics, and as usual, all were extremely interesting in one way or another.  But as I said, there were choices to be made.  Here is a list of some of the books/topics I would also have enjoyed learning about.

The Christ Haunted South

Phi: A Voyage From Brain to the Soul

Arcadia

Alien Phenomenology: or What It's Like to be a Thing

Bottled Lightning: Superbatteries, Electric Cars, and the New Lithum Economy

Portraying the Natural South Through Photography and Writing

Talk to Strangers

The Iguana Tree

The Lincoln Letter

A Hundred Flowers

Blood Beneath my Feet: Journey of a Southern Death Investigator

That's my literary exploration for this Labor Day weekend.  What books do you think you would have enjoyed hearing about.  And is there one you like that you'd recommend to me?

 

Where Does The Time Go?

This is a test post, in that I'm blogging through the app on my iPad. I'm interested to see how this will work out, but can already tell I wish I had an external keyboard. The touch screen one is kind of meh. Anyway. I'm working on another shawl, Kleio, which is the first one in 7 Small Shawls to Knit: Year Two. This is what has the Latvian braid detail I posted to Facebook the other day. The shawl begins with a garter stitch sections, then the braid, then lace, more braid (593 stitches with, then a bit of stockinette, more braid, and a lace border. So, what looked fairly uncomplicated from the photo turned out to be a lot more interesting. No photo yet, but hopefully I'll complete it by the end of the week. (And I see another drawback to this app - no apparent way to add links.)

Let's try some photos. I have a little gizmo for my iPhone that lets you take macro shots. Basically, it's a thick rubber band with a little lens stuck in. Vey handy to carry around, and even if the photos aren't crystal clear, it's still fun. So let me see if I can get a couple I took yesterday in here.

Hmm. Looks like it stuck at the top. I don't like that. I'll add a few more and hit publish to see what happens. I'll be back soon, most likely using the computer. At least I tried!

Oh, hi, me again, on the computer.  So, it did put them at the bottom.  I'll have to try again to see how it would work to make them show up between paragraphs for different topics, but not today.  And they are kind of large.  Need to work on that, too.  Gotta run to the store, though, and then back to the barn - the new horse is coming today!!!!  Mark is changing her name from Sandy to Cinderella.  She shall be called "Ella."  Yay!!!

Second Sock

Ok, so I tried this method of heel for the second sock, as recommended by Trish.  I already had this bookmarked from another blog - it seems to be ubiquitous around the blogisphere.  It is a fairly easy method, and doesn't leave gaps or holes.  But, as you can see, I need to work on the ratio of side to middle stitches.

Why, yes, it is a bit pointy.  Oddly enough, it fits pretty well.  I had 30 stitches for the heel, and slipped ten on each side, leaving 10 in the middle.  Anyway, the plan now is to knit another pair of socks, using this method again for one and the Fleegle for the other and then make my decision.  I've Fleegled before, but need to refresh my memory of whether I liked it or not.  (Oh crap, when I went to get the url for the Fleegle link, I found another new to me method - the Strong heel.  Now I have to try that!  Ok, next pair, Strong and Fleegle.)  Stay tuned.

One of the first things I finished this year was the Shawl Collared Cowl.

I finally got to Hancock's yesterday to get buttons.  I used the suggested Misty Alpaca Hand Paints Chunky.  It is soft and obviously will be very warm.  

Here's a photo of Amelia's Tiny Cardi, that I mentioned in my last post.   

It has a very interesting almost one-piece construction. I think it looks a bit wide (it's size 9 - 12 months,) but since I don't have a baby nearby to try it on, I'm just hoping for the best.  It's going to my cousin Gayle's granddaughter, Olivia, who is currently living in Alaska.  But I hear that soon she'll be moving with her mom and dad to Louisiana.  Good thing this one is cotton!

Before I go, I want to mention the crummy way Typepad is now handling comments.  It used to be that when I got a comment, it was sent to my email box and included the responder's email address.  That way, I could click on the link and answer directly.  Now, I still get the email, but the commenter email address is marked "not enabled."  That means the only way I can answer is to post my own comment to the blog.  I do not want to do this - I want to write a personal note!  So, if you comment and have the option to enable your email address, please do.  Or, if we are Facebook friends, you can leave me a comment there.  Thanks.

Travels and Travails

I spent last Friday through Monday in Chicago.  My dear Uncle John passed away in the spring, and his daugther and her family were bringing him home from Connecticut, where he'd lived with them for the last 25 years, to be buried near his wife.  As is often the case in these circumstances, this event caused a gathering of the clan, or at least part of it.  Uncle John was married to one of my mother's four sisters.  There were also five brothers in her family.  Those ten children produced 25 first cousins, of which I am one.  While all of us were not there, it was fun being with those who were.  We told all the family stories, (a few of which changed ideas I'd had in my mind for a long time,) had some nice meals together, and visited the resting places of loved ones no longer with us.  All in all, despite the sadness of saying goodbye to Uncle John, it was a lovely weekend.

All of my cousins and their children are very talented.  There are many artists, working in fiber, clay, paint, photography, music, and well, pretty much any area you can think of.  My cousin Dawn's daughter, Kelly, just received a scholarship to attend the Rhode Island School of Design in the fall, and I really enjoyed seeing her many works of art.  She's going to major in metalsmithing, with an eye to becoming a jewelry artist.  Believe me, she's well on her way already.  Cousin Gayle's daughter, Kari, was needle felting little animals while we visited, and also showed us some of her watercolors.  She had painted a little duck that just begged to be petted, it looked so soft and fuzzy!  Cousin Kim makes beautiful quilts, and Gayle is an extremely talented painter of traditional Norwegian motifs on wooden objects.  Dawn is an amazing rug designer and hooker.  I think almost all of us knit or crochet - when I needed a bigger needle to bind off the shawl I was making, Christine went out to her car and brought in just what I needed!  Our grandmother was a prolific knitter and could sew any kind of dress, shirt, etc with no more than the idea in her head and a piece of paper to make the pattern, so we all come by it honestly.  It was so much fun to be surrounded by such talented and lively people!  Here they are, with a couple of husbands thrown in for good measure.

Christine, her daughter Emily, Gayle's husband Kelly, Kari, Dawn, Aunt Karyl (the last of the ten,) Gayle, Kim, and Kim's husband, Tom.  I'm taking the picture.

For the trip, I chose a very easy project, the Storm Cloud Shawlette.  I used a skein of Silkie Socks That Rock that was part of their first year sock yarn club.  It had just the right amount of softness and drape for this little shawl.  My only gripe was that the pattern called for 150 to 250 yards of yarn, and yet I was unable to do the listed number of repeats with the 360 yards I had.  Nevertheless, it came out very cute, and because Aunt Karyl kept admiring it, I gave it to her as soon as it came off the needles.  

Here's Aunt Karyl modeling it.  I like how it can be worn with the ruffle at either the bottom or turned over at the top.  (And isn't she cute!)

I'll definitely make this again, but with a bigger skein of yarn.

I got two books in the mail today.  The first, "Cast On Bind Off:  54 Step-by-Step Methods" is a small spiral bound volume, perfect to carry along in a knitting bag.  It has more cast ons and bind offs than I even knew existed.  I like how it gives a description of the technique, along with characteristics, what is is good for, any extras needed (extra needle, crochet hook, etc.), pitfalls, photos and words for how to work it, and a box called "get it right" for each one.  This one is going to get a lot of use, I'm sure, as I'm always thinking of what bind off I could use that would pair nicely with my cast on.

The next book is "The Knitters Handy Book of Top-Down Sweater Patterns."  I like this series, and I've been waiting for this one, as I've decided I really like the top down method of knitting sweaters.  Included are formulas for seamless yoke, raglan, set-in sleeve, and saddle-shoulder sweaters, both pullover and cardigan.  Like her other books, there are examples of finished sweaters you can copy, and sizes range from child through adult.  I have sleeves to finish on the sweater I started last winter, and once those are done, I'm digging into this book for sure.

So, now to the travail part of my post.  I'm back to sock knitting (surprise!) and have decided once again that I want to try something other than my tried and true flap and gusset heel.  I looked through all the heel techniques I have bookmarked or written down and settled on the one in "Simple Socks Plain & Fancy" by Priscilla Gibson-Roberts.  It was a bit fiddly, but that is to be expected as it was new to me, and I liked it well enough, despite the purl and knit three togethers, and purl three through the back loops, but at the end there were two big holes on either side of the heel where the leg and heel joined.  I sewed them up, but would rather have a method that doesn't do this.  Here's a photo with the area marked.

It looks fine now, and maybe with more experience that wouldn't happen, but with the second sock, I'm going to try another heel.  I have some suggestions, but send me yours and if I pick it as my favorite, I'll send you a skein of sock yarn.

I guess that's it for now.  This weekend I'm going to go horse shopping with my trainer - for him, not me.  In fact, he has orders to NOT LET ME BUY A HORSE.  Jim says, "no!"  On the other hand, Jim didn't tell me I couldn't buy a mule!!