Awesome Swap

I just received an awesome package from my swap partner in Arizona. We participated in the "Sock Yarn from Your Stash" swap on Ravelry. Essentially you send your partner a skein or two of sock yarn in your stash along with other goodies according to their questionaire. I got sooo very lucky, check it out-Lots and lots of chocolate (yum), chai tea, a ladybug tape measure, Zen Yarn Garden yarn in the colorway Almond Branches (too pretty to part with, don't know how she did), and a lovely bracelet with a ladybug in the center. My partner just outdid herself! Round two is under way, I didn't sign up but I will for round three. Such fun!

My knitting is all over the place, not working on the things I should be doing and starting new projects. Par for the course for me. Buying yarn and more yarn, I need to get myself under control (right). Well let's see what happens!

What I've Been Doing When I Could Have Been Knitting

Well, I've been enjoying nature. The lilacs in my yard are finally starting to bloom. Hopefully I'll get to enjoy the lovely aroma if it doesn't rain all week!

Today I planted the window boxes and various pots around the yard and on the deck. Here's my new favorite pot, can you see why?I just love ladybugs!

And we planted a tree! A few years our neighbor put up a fence. I decided it was a great backdrop for a new tree. Due to circumstances it waited. This weekend we were looking at what was out there in one of the big nurseries near us. I loved this Pagoda Dogwood but at $150.00 it was a bit much. Cool leaves though and a flower about now with fruit later for the birds. Oh well. Then I saw a River Birch that I also liked. More reasonable and I almost liked it better, almost! So we passed and decided to keep looking. Today we went to another nursery. Just to poke around, no intention of buying. There, off in a little corner was a Pagoda Dogwood. Now it wasn't as big as the original one but it was a good size. We looked at it and then my husbamd looked at the price....$30.00!!! Yup. I stood guard and off he went for a cart, lickety split. We made sure to talk to one of the nursery guys though. We wanted to make sure there was nothing wrong with our little tree. Nope, it was just, are you ready, last year's tree! Overall healthy but an old model. Our lucky day. We gently put her in the car and off we drove to her new home. She was so thankful, I just know it. Since it will rain tonight we (by that I mean my husband) dug her a nice hole. Isn't she pretty?Grow little tree, grow

I also spent some time with K this week watching him ride and jump. Have to admit it was a little scary for me but he looked great and did a good job. I can't believe this is the same kid who used to be so afraid of horses. Now he wants to make them his career. Tomorrow he turns 20, no more teenagers in my house. I can't believe my boys are all men, and if I do say so myself, decent, wonderful ones at that. Happy birthday K!

Keith and his buddy Quill sharing a laugh

Back to some knitting now that most of the plants are in the ground. A new baby sweater is on the needles and then all those languishing projects that I keep plugging along on. Hopefully knitting pictures in the next post.

Day in NH

We didn't need the boat after all. Today turned out to be a beautiful spring day just right for a drive to the NH Sheep and Wool Festival. What a great day. Cute animals, unbelievable yarn, and yummy food. Honestly it can't get much better than that.

Aren't these guys too cute? They were friendly and so curious. Some of them had had their coats shorn and they looked like they were wearing cordorouy suits. I could have taken them all home but they just wouldn't have fit in the car. It would have been fun though cruising down 93 with their little heads sticking up through the sun roof!!

This poor guy looked like he just got out of bed! Don't know why he was having such a bad hair day but I think he got the most attention because of it. He (or she) reminded me of K on an early morning!

There was yarn everywhere. It always makes me a little crazy because I get overwhelmed fast. Should I buy this now or do I wait and maybe see something else I like better? Will I be able to find it again if I don't buy it now but want it later? Oh, the pressure. I was so busy looking I forgot to take too many pictures but it looked like this everywhere.

I managed to find some really pretty yarn from some places I hadn't seen before. Sock yarn, some lucious alpaca, and a sweater worth of organic cotton that feels like butter.

The three large cakes are the cotton from Decadent Fibers, the dark brown in front is alpaca from Sweet Maple Alpacas (Lydia donated her coat for the yarn) and the multi cakes are sock yarn from ellens half pint farm.

All in all it was a great day. Good company, beautiful animals and fiber, celebrity sightings (Grumperina and Guido), and food, lamb(sorry guys) and the best apple crisp!

Just one picture of a finished object, the garter shawl for M. The picture doesn't show how pretty the yarn is but you can see a little of the sparkle. The sparkle comes from a strand of KidSilk Night and it's held with one skein of another yarn but I can't find the ball band. Trust me, it's pretty. I've been looking for a horse or greyhound shawl pin but so far no luck. If anyone knows of a source let me know.

What Can I Say

The Harlot I'm not. I keep meaning to post but the words just don't find their way here. I'm going to aim for a post per week and see how that goes. A goal is always a good thing.

Knitting progress has been slow. I did finish the Garter Shawl for M. I started her Summer Shawlette but I'm taking that extremely slow. I want it to be perfect. It's been tinked a few times but so far so good. A lifeline is a shawl's best friend! Socks almost done. No pictures, soon though!

Went to WEBS last week. It was, as always, a wonderful experience. I bought some Shibui, some Northampton, Lorna's Laces, and Cascade. But ohhh, the temptation to buy so much more. Honestly it's a good thing I don't live close enough to be there all the time.

Tomorrow is the NH Sheep and Wool Festival. I can't wait. So much fun and friends to share it with. I'm really looking forward to the day. I hope the weather behaves, calls for rain in the morning. I'm going to get the boat ready.....just in case. Stand by for pictures and a report soon.