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!

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.

Before I Was Interrupted

Finally, back among the almost recovered. The horrible sore throat is gone, the nasal congestion and cough are almost gone, and the exhaustion has departed. Time to knit.




Despite the nasties I did manage to go to WEB's (any idea of what would stop a knitter from a planned trip there?). I bought some Felted Tweed in a blue for a sweater for myself, some Buckingham (alpaca and silk, yummy) in a teal color for a Silk Smoke neckwarmer and some patterns. There was so much more to buy, glad I'm heading back that way in May for a conference.


Not much progress on any of my started objects. In one of the last posts I mentioned that the Bubbly Curtain was ready to come out and about with me as I was beyond the "have to read every line as I do it" stage. Wrong! I took it to Monday night group and knit away. Came home from Monday night group and ripped it all back. OK, back to a house project.


The one thing I have been working on fairly regularly is the Clapotis. I've been sucked in. I LOVE this pattern. I do have to admit that I don't love the yarn, Noro Silk Garden Lite. Someday I will learn. It is pretty and I am going to make another one but in more tonal colors, something more "me". Trying to decide what exactly that is :)






I'm hoping for another yarn field trip soon. Off to the north this time with specifics in mind. I'm hoping for this week but we'll see.

Spring is here, so they say, but you'd never know it from the cold and wind today. But looking in the yard I see little sprouts valiantly poking up their heads. I've seen some robins so it must be so. Somebody tell the weather to move along (well with all the wind maybe the weather is trying. But it threw a big branch down which cracked one of our car's windshield. That's not playing nice).

In non knitting items, if you love food go check out this blog. Everytime I read it and the list of recipes I drool. Tonight I made the Upside Down Shepherd's Pie and it was fabulous. I could have licked the pan. I'm trying to decide what to make next!

Deceiving

If you didn't know better you'd think it was spring. The weather here the last few days, well, it's just plain balmy! Yesterday I walked in the city at lunch, no coat. Folks it's January, never mind the temperature but hey the snow, it's gone baby, gone. Today the bedroom windows are open for some nice fresh air. It feels so good but I know it's only time before the cold and snow are back On the knitting front the Bubbly curtain is bubbling along. I also started the Minimalist Cardigan with my Monday Night knitting group. It's my first KAL so we'll see how well I keep up. The moss stitch is pretty but I have noticed a distinct ache in my wrist the last few days. I think I'll take it in small allotments. I'm also going to start the Summer Shawlette pattern from Knitting Daily. It's going to be for my future daughter-in-law to wear at the wedding reception. She fell in love with the pattern. It's my first time with a lace type pattern so I'm hoping it goes well. At least I have a year and a half to get it done! She wants it in any icey pale blue color maybe with some beads. I've seen a few yarns I think would work but I'll need to see them in person before deciding. It's too special a project and I want it to be right. Any suggestions?

I just bought some beautiful sock yarn from A Piece of Vermont in the Hot Cocoa colorway. It's all because of Claudia and her new Monkey socks. Just look at those socks in the rich brown, I'm just in love. I love the pattern and I love brown so guess what will be on my needles soon along with a growing number of projects. Must go knit!

I've heard tell you can't have a true knitting blog unless you post kitty pictures. So to that end here are two of the three purring critters that we live with. Oscar and Murphy, being disturbed from their afternoon nap. Oscar is the big orange guy and Murphy, well he's the other one! PK was off playing and didn't want to pose. She prefers a picture solo in the future!

Uh Oh...

Yikes, where did the time go? Wasn't it just Thanksgiving? I can't believe Chritmas is just 10 days away. Ready? Not me.

My holiday knitting that had to be sent out is done. That's a first for me. It doesn't mean that there won't be knitting on gifts up until Christmas, oh there will be, but at least those gifts that have to fly the friendly skies have taken wing.

Hmm, well apparently Blogger doesn't want me to post pictures of those finished objects, I guess that will come later. So, I finished the stockings for the newlyweds (and no bleeding of the red yarn this time), hats and scarves for the nephews, fingerless mitts for my mom, hand holding mittens for the newlyweds (and I have two more pair of those to do but they go quick), socks for B's future MIL, and a scarf for my job share partner. Not too bad.

I've needed to sneak in a few other projects for me even though I said I would knit only on the gifts. But since I'm just about done I thought it would be ok. I'm working on a Fidget(www.onesheephill.com) and Quant from Knitty(www.knitty.com) in Sheep Shop Yarn color G43. Both quick knits and maybe future gifts for next year, but these are for me, just me!

The tree is up along with a few decorations but I'm just not feeling it this year. I haven't baked, wrapping still to do, not to mention the shopping that still awaits. It gets harder as everyone is older. Maybe I can convince everybody that we don't need to do gifts anymore until new little ones arrive on the scene. I mean it really takes the spirit out of it when you have to ask for and shop from a list. No suprises. Lets just make it about the food(yum) and the people we love. Yeah, that sounds good!

I'll try and post later(promise) pictures of the finished objects. Now it's time to prepare for the big nor'easter coming our way.
Stay tuned and stay warm.