Fresh Start

Today dawned a new year with vivid blue skies and a very cold wind. I was up early to walk the dog and watched the dawn with blushes of pink to the sky. Hopefully this bodes well for the new year.

I'm not one for resolutions but I will try and be more regular with my posting. It's hard to believe I last posted in October! I'm not sure what has kept me from writing but I'll try to do better.This year had it's ups and downs as it did for almost everyone I know. I plan to think more on the ups than downs. Overall the kids are healthy and happy, we have a warm home and good company. I'm not sure that I can ask for more. I hope this year brings continued health and happiness to everyone.

My knitting has been plentiful. Just a few pictures of finished projects since I was last here.

Running Horses, Very Cabley Mittens, the Ruffle wrap, and Le Slouch Just a few of the things that I have completed. Yesterday I went through some of my project bags (see last post!) and pulled out some projects to finish. I am going to try to complete those as well as knit more this year from the stash. Suggestions, not resolutions!

I think I'll stop now and finish cleaning up the Christmas things. But I'll be back.....

Houston, There may Be A Problem

What do you think?

Do you consider this a problem? Just (well, most) of my knitting bags hanging out waiting for the projects inside to be finished. Kinda scary when I see it in pictures. Does it look like this at your house (please tell me it does!).

It seems lately that I am starting more than I have finished. I have a sweater for my son on the needles. It's a boring 6x2 rib for a six foot guy so needless to say I have other projects too. I am working on the November Ruffle in grey. It too is a bit monotonous however I'm almost done and it is beautiful. It will be so warm as I am using Cascade and an alpaca yarn. Looks like I may need it this winter. And I did finish a hat for M although it is too small so I'm doing another. It's called Running Horse Hat.

The one I am working on now is made with Sheep Shop Yarn and isn't so fuzzy. I like it better as the horses and patterns are crisper. Plus I think this one will fit. I'll post pictures when I am done which should be in the next few days. And then there are some forlorn socks and other things hiding that I am sure will suprise me when I find them!

The decorating continues here. The dining room is painted, well almost. The trim needs to be finished and I have to choose a color for inside the china hutch. The color is called Winter Garden and I really love how it came out. But it is lighter and now I don't think I can do yellow in the kitchen. Paint chips are hanging all over my walls in the kitchen in the hopes of finding something I like. So far a taupe color is winning out. Any suggestions? The new dining room fixture is up and again it was a good choice. The room looks so different now. And I have to confess that while I love the orange door it may change once again. I found a new color that I thik is "the one". It's called Carmelized Orange. Seems to be just what I was looking for. So another try. Not sure how to sneak this by the husband!

The weather here has been outstanding. I've been out taking picutes and playing more with the camera. A few good shots and some "interesting" ones.

The dog-


And here is a little path in fall glory that I think I may enlarge and frame. I think it's really pretty,

I hope the weather holds out for this weekend. It's Rhinebeck!!!! My friend Wendy and I head to down to western MA to my parents house Friday night and then we hop on the Webs bus for our day at Rhinebeck. I went for the first time last year and loved it. So much to see it can be overwhelming, but in a good way. I am so looking forward to it. Should be lots of good pictures and goodies to share when I get back (I know, don't hold your breath). Stay tuned.....

This Should Come As No Suprise

For those of you who read this (and there aren't that many) this should come as no suprise. I've been trying to update the house. Slowly rooms are being painted. We are on the dining room now, soon to hopefully move into the kitchen. But this weekend I decided I needed to paint the front door of the house. It's been a shade of pink for a very long time. We have a grey house with white trim and black shutters. It was pretty but it's everywhere. So many grey houses have pink doors. I've been known to watch my share of the "how to dress" shows and know that grey/black/white, they are all neutrals. And you can put anything with a neutral, right? Can you see where this is going? Oh yeah, it's orange! I had those little paint chips all over the door trying to see if I thought orange would work. I thought it just might. So I chose "Tiger Stripe" and off I painted. It was ORANGE, so orange you couldd probably see it at your house, where ever you may be. I tried to convince myself and my hubby that it was all good. Nope, this morning it was still a neon orange. I love orange but it was just too much. So back to the paint chips. Back to Home Depot and home with "Summer Heat". I like it. It has more black in it which really tones it down as opposed to the yellowy orange I painted over. Might be a winner, I'll have to see. But with the pretty rust mums by the door and the pumpkins on the steps I'm liking it. What do you think?

On the knitting front I finished a few projects. The February Lady sweater is done and I've worn it a few times. It gets comments everywhere. I love it, it fits well and looks really nice. I would make it again, in fact I know I will.

February Lady Sweater

Cascade 220

I also finished a scarf in Blue Heron Rayon Metallic. The colorway is Bluegrass. I love this yarn. I can't wait for more to show up at Butterfly Yarns. We have been waiting with needles poised for it to come in. We've all come to start calling it fondly the "Blue Heroin"!

Projects right now are the Running Horses Hat from Ravelry. Making it for M out of some lucious alpaca. I am using it for my class project on learning how to trap yarn in colorwork at Butterfly Yarns. I'm a slow student and hopefully can master the process so I will have a pretty hat for M. I also started a very boring brown sweater for the eldest son. Just a 6x2 rib. It's a good mindless project. I think there are also some socks around here too.

I bought a book seen on another blog I read. It's this book on making bread in 5 minutes. That is after you do the initial prep and it doesn't count the baking time. But as I love bread almost as much as I love orange I'm giving it a try. I have my first starter batch almost ready for the fridge. It's not sourdough although the concept is similiar. I'll let you know how it comes out.

I also have the new Mason-Dixon: Knitting Outside the Lines waiting for me to curl up with. I'm looking forward to a nice cup of tea and maybe some warm bread and a quiet afternoon. Soon, very soon.

Anyone heading to Rhinebeck? I signed up for the WEBS trip however I didn't get on the bus :( I am planning on heading to my parents Friday and then to Rhinebeck from there for the day. I had such fun last year and the yarn........oh boy. My Monday Night Knitting buddy is going too. She hasn't been before so it will be fun to hang out with her. Going to get some wine too this year!

Well, it's time for a second coat of orange paint. See you soon.

September Is Here

September has arrived and with it some cooler evening and nights while the days are warm and dry. I live for this time of year. Not to mention K is happily ensconced back at school. It's amazing how our food bill goes down and the house stays neat! I miss all the boys but I do admit I'm not having any empty nest feelings.

Labor Day came and went. It was actually a pretty peaceful weekend not much running around. We spent a large part of Labor Day up in Newburyport. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, warm with a breeze. I love it there, lots of little shops, good food and the ocean. A few pictures to spark your interest. I've been playing with the camera to try and get some "pretty" pictures. I'm hoping to take a photography class this fall to learn about lighting and composition. In the meantime try not to get too tired of my experiments!














We drove home on backroads, it felt like when you used to take those Sunday rides with your parents. It was fun to look at the ocean and the pretty houses alomg the way. We got to stop at one of the farm stands on the way home. Meet Buffy!

Obviously Buffy is the resident buffalo. I always think it's so funny to see him/her there, I just don't expect a buffalo to be living so close to the ocean and at a farm stand. What was even funnier this time was that in the pen with Buffy was a llama (or was it an alpaca, I can never keep them straight). Couldn't get a good picture of them together. I wonder if they sell any yarn??? They did sell some really delicious corn though, I could have had a dozen all by myself!

On the knitting front I bailed out on my shawl for the Knitting Olympics. This week I plan to spend some time playing with it without the pressure of a deadline. I'm hoping I will find that groove lace knitters seem to be in when one with their knitting. I have been doing some "lace" with my February Lady Sweater. This knit I am totally enjoying. The yarn feels right and looks right in the pattern. I'm done the body and working on the sleeves. I hope to have it done soon to wear as the weather takes on that cool edge. Here she is swinging in the breeze, not a care in the world! Today I spent some time cleaning out my knitting area. Found a "few" unfinished projects and some yarn I forgot I had. I'm sure there is a lot more of forgotten yarn around. I am trying to use from what I already have but I get so tempted when I see something new.

I'll leave with my final picture. I think it sums up the coming month. Enjoy!

I Knew This Was A Bad Idea

I'm usually not one for knitalongs or other types of knitting together. I like doing my own thing on my own time. Same reason I don't join a bookclub even though I love to read. So why oh why did I think joining the Olympic Knitting group was a good idea? And an even better question, just what was I thinking when I picked the Flower Basket Shawl in LACEWEIGHT??!! I have now officially ripped back more than I have knitted. I can see it might be a beautiful thing when (make that if) it ever gets done. But it's taking everything I have to keep at it. Maybe that's what it takes to be a true Olympian. I think I should have signed up to be on the alternate team, you know, the one who waits in the wings at home, just in case. I'm going to keep working on it but I think to like it I'm going to need to work on it without the pressure of a deadline. My guess is that unless a miracle occurs there won't be any medal in this corner. Here's a picture of where it stands right now, pitifull!

I've been finding so many "other" things calling my name I think in avoidance of the shawl. I have some really cute socks called Farfalle Socks from Orinda5. I saw her knitting them on her blog and was silently stalking to see if she would publish the pattern. She did, you can find it on Ravelry or her blog. They really work up nicely and farfalle is my favorite pasta!

I also boought some Cascade 220 in a really pretty orangey/peachy colorway (no suprise there) yesterday. I was planning on a Knitting Pure and Simple cardigan but somehow the February Lady sweater seems to be calling out to the yarn. I have plenty to make the sweater so I think that will be in the works pretty darn soon. I just have to go wind up some yarn to start.

It's hard to believe that the summer is winding down. K heads back to school in two weeks. He's had a busy summer working and making lots of money to support his habits at school. He's been down to Patriot's training camp a number of times and even got to go to the first pre-season game (too bad they lost). But now it's time to go through the mess he brought home and figure out what goes back as well what is needed. I know we need sheets (note to moms of boys- when they go off to college buy one pair of sheets, not really expensive ones as these guys don't bother to wash them and they STINK. Throw away and repeat each semester or each year depending on the complaints of the roommates!) and some basics but I think otherwise things are good. We'll see what list of things he comes up with.

Have you looked out your windows lately, I mean when it's not raining? This is what I noticed today-

Can you see it? The leaves are starting to turn. Yikes, fall is closer that I thought!

Off to check out some fridges to replace the twenty year old model in our kitchen. Time to update and in case you hadn't heard, no sales tax this weekend in MA. Have a good one.

False Start

No pictures. Alas I got bigger than my britches and decided to try and get in a few more rows. Yup, you guessed it. Screwed up, tinked back, dropped a few stitches. Now it's back to the begining. But a true athlete never gives up. Maybe tomorrow some pictures, including a lifeline!

Ready, Set..........Knit

Are you knitting for the Olympics yet? I cast on my lace Flower Basket Shawl this morning. I'm going to need all the cheers and support from the sidelines on this one. I'm a little cocky right now as I am up to row 20 without a lifeline. Only because I felt I had to bring it to work to cast on and forgot about the lifeline. So, should I continue or hold up until I get it home? Only time will tell.

More later...I'm at work, remember!