There's No One Way To Do It

For the past month or so I have been teaching my mom's piano teacher how to knit socks MY WAY. She's doing quite nicely and last night she announced that she understands MY heel turning method. It's true because we prattled on about stuff we've done this summer and what we've got lined up for the fall and she rarely stopped mid-knit to ask a question. She had my written instructions (so professionally scribbled complete with cross outs)on scraps of paper. (As it goes with most, nah, all of my pattern instructions).
One section of MY sock instructions left me going "HuH?" But she was fine. I was merely there for support and chatter.
I have been very diligent to tell her EVERYONE DOES IT DIFFERENTLY. I can't stress that enough. I change my methods constantly either out of boredom or fiddliness. I avoid fiddly knitting. I personally file lace knitting under fiddly and keep it to a minimum. Before my comment section is skewered with Addi Turbo Lace needles from insulted lace knitters let me say this: I am not saying lace knitting as a category is "fiddly". It's fiddly FOR ME. It has something to do with my inability to count, concentrate for more than 5 seconds, and deal with multiple yarn overs. Bless all you lace knitting souls out there. The world is a better and more elegant place because of you.
Now that I am done sucking up to lace knitters and have alienated them from reading this titillating blog again, I'll get back to the subject at hand which, alas, I have lost track of but it had something to do with reassuring all knitters, new and experienced that everyone's methods are different and that is a GOOD THING. Now, if you'll excuse me I'm going to Google or YouTube methods for joining new skeins or weaving ends because I'm tired of doing it MY WAY.

Where I Have No Sweat Left

I'm done. Dare I say I miss my air conditioned office when I leave but after 8 hours of filling my day with other activities I've had enough and move on. The whining starts soon after I get out of my air conditioned car. Knitting has been sparse. Knitting with cotton fiber is not a cooler activity. Pick up your cotton sweater. Heavy isn't it? So here's my solution: I'm going to take a class this fall to learn how to use a drop spindle. I guarantee this will lead to a spinning wheel. I have had a fascination with spinning wheels ever since the elementary school field trip to Sturbridge Village more years ago than I want to get into right now. And when I was dragged to the Tunbridge Fair a few years ago, I stayed at the flax/linen demonstration so long I feared they were going to alert security (IF in fact the Tunbridge Fair has security--if you're a local you understand) to remove me because I was creeping the demonstrator out. Fascinating. Nerdy to most folks but I'm SO past the age of caring. Next summer when I'm choking on the humidity I will not sit in front of a fan with three quarters of a long sleeve sweater sitting on my lap. I do not knit hot weather wearables....or I do not wear the ones I HAVE created. Knitting = cold=long sleeves in my world and I've stopped wasting good fiber to make things I don't wear. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I will stand in front of a fan and spin fiber instead. There will still be plenty of whining."Drop spindle sounds like an excellent cat toy to me."

Another One Down An Movin' On

The Mulligan is finished and in use due to unseasonal temps. (70's on August--love it!). Continuing my cotton summer sweater extravaganza, I'm whipping up a half zip pullover in a blinding lime green--because I can. I'm rerunning a pattern favorite of mine, 6x2 rib, drop shoulder style. Do I knit in the chaise? No, it's the most uncomfortable seat in the house.
Here's the view from the chaise. Best room in the house. I'll take that back, the most unc0mfortable seat in the house is the fan-back chair to the left of this photo.
Events over the weekend of perfect weather included a stroll down to the 3rd Annual Block Party. Avenue A is blocked off for the fun. There were local food booths, live bands, a fashion show, dog parade and various business booths. I made paper at the Southworth booth. I went for a classic Chanel black and white paper. With red sparkles.

The party ran from 2p to 8p. Fun time on Avenue A.

"I had to stay home and do laundry. Who wants to go to some stupid dog parade anyway."

Sweater Mulligan

So to "get over" my ire at the -cotton yarn that grew in the process of knitting with it- I tried the same design in my go-to cotton & microfiber (microfiber, aka acryl-ick) and so far I have faith restored in my limited but functional math skills. Right on course this time. To the stitch.
With the temps in the 90's and air so thick you can throw it at your neighbor I haven't had a good chance to test drive the black wimpy version to see if all this fuss was for naught and find that it's my most favorite sweater. puph!

In Other News...

Meet T.S. Gnome


T.S. has taken residence in the backyard in the general area of the Norwegian Maple. He was a present to my mom from my niece and has the loveliest mauvey lips. He's making himself quite at home and learning the lay of the land.

T.S. claims to be quite the gardener and has set to work supervising pumpkin production and flower blooming.
He has professed a hatred for hot peppers and will NOT have anything to do with them. I'm thinking there's a story behind the volatile attitude.


He chatted it up with St. Francis, a long time resident who's a bit territorial. T.S. will need to tread lightly. No need to get on the bad side of a saint.

Toad wasn't home or not answering the door. It happens.

Last stop on his tour was Squirrel Memorial.
Andrew, I think mom's gone a little squirrelly herself.

It's Not Good Cat Weather

It's not good cat weather. That's what I tell the boys when it's raining and they want to go outside. It's what I tell them when it's extremely hot out there. Truth is, they don't care. Truth is, it's not good human weather. I miss my 70 degree July days with a lovely breeze and my 50 degree nights where a fan blowing on me is not necessary. I'd like that weather back please.
And I'd like my plain black cotton vanilla sweater to stop mocking me. I swatched for gauge. I counted, I recounted. (several times. Not easy, this yarn has a nubby quality without nubs. Figure that one out.)I wound up with a sweater 2" larger around than calculated. I love oversized sweaters but it still pisses me off. The T-neck is...is...wimpy. There is no "body" to this yarn. I didn't care for it when I started and it didn't change my mind in process. (it drags on the needles, hurts your hands, and I was using Addi Turbos...can't get a slicker needle than that.) I don't know what this yarn is better suited for...scarf? shawl? cat toy? I'll probably wear it all the time. Stupid sweater.

It's Monday and 90 degrees

With my lack of gardening skills I almost don't want to show off my jalepanos for fear the locusts will find out and wipe the smirk off my face. It's not like the rain hasn't tried to drown everything.
These were a surprise...the squirrel must have buried pumpkin seeds from last fall. BONUS!
The lilies are liking the humid weather...
And Mr. Bee kept busy.
I have been sporting a new camera now for a couple months. I have attended a few people gatherings and become discouraged with blurry outcomes of the photos. After another dismal showing from a bridal shower yesterday I found it beneficial to hunker down and read the instruction book instead of camera blazing. Hence the bee pic. If I can manage a semi non-blurry bee in action photo, a father/daughter wedding dance is possible. Good thing I have plenty of weddings to attend this year and next. My 35mm was WAY to forgiving.
Knitting? Why yes, I finished the sleeves on mystery plain vanilla. At least that will sit still while I photoshoot it.

When Will It End

It's been a long, stressful week. Not at home, just at work. Simple problems being blown to the size of zepplins because of people lacking "people" skills. At this point my "flight or fight" response is full on flight. I have very little fight in me to begin with--just not a get in your face kinda gal. In most situations where voices are raised or someone is purposely instigating negative crap I shift down, assess the lack of logic being presented and create any means to remove myself from the situation.
There's a problem with this because the end result is flight and HIDING. After a while folks regard this behavior as unsocial, being introverted with all the negative connotations that go with it. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I, just like any other human, don't appreciate being attacked verbally or otherwise. I can't handle others being complete morons. This week has been a bowlful of both.
With that said, today is Friday, my short work day. I will leave this den of negativity and for the next two days living the other side of my life. I will recharge and come back Monday banging my drum. I may even have two sleeves finished. Oh yes, there's a sweater in progress. I get asked what I'm working on and quite truthfully I can't give a complete answer. Since I work everything from the top down I can make a plain vanilla project pretty gosh darn fancy when applying the finishing touches. Depends on the yarn, depends on my mood. Sometimes plain vanilla is just what I need. I bet you all know what I mean.

Look Through My Window Yeaaah, To The Street Below..

The dork in me just loves to watch construction, tree trimming, painting, etc. I could set up a lawn chair and make a day of it. Well! Today I have the best seat in the house, my office! Not only do I have sidewalk replacement....





But the church across the street is being painted!

It's not completely perfect...I have stuff to do...*sigh* the phone keeps ringing, people WANT things. I could get out my knitting, grab a cold beverage and supervise. Now I have the Mama's & Papa's "Twelve Thirty" in my head. "With a clock that always says 12:30..." (Actually it always says 1:20 but they removed the numbers and hands to paint.) So close to the perfect day...

Up Up and Away

So there I was last evening watching the telly (I borrowed Mad Men from the library, interesting show, maybe more on that later.) and I heard "Whoooshhhh, whooooossshhhh" knew exactly what it was, grabbed the camera and voila!











































Green River Festival is here!

Our stretch of wickedly awesome weather is taking a break to water the plants for the next few days. The jalepeno peppers are growing, the cayenne peppers aren't doing squat and if you've been following, you know the sunflowers never had a chance. The squirrel on the other hand is getting bulky.

A Day In Vermont & Massachusetts

Lunch at the Marina in Brattleboro, VT. Perfect day, lovely view and the Portabello/brie sandwich was yummy. The day started out at The Vermont Country Store in Rockingham. A fun place to travel back in time and laugh at the stuff you used to play with as a kid and everything else Vermonty. Much cheese grazing was included.
Back in Western Massachusetts this Cedar Waxwing held still long enough for a photo op along the bike path on the Connecticut River.
And the Newly Finished Bartons Cove Zippy, so named because it's first assignment was a stroll in the cool evening air. It's cotton but this pic makes it look chenille/velour/velvet. Hmm.
It's been the best July weathah evah. I'd be a happy new englander if the temps stayed in the 70's but we know THAT'S not gonna happen. Humidity and 90 degree temps are lurking around the corner.

Cloud Painting

The weather they bring may be violent but their awesomeness is to behold.

It's All About The Weather

It's rained so hard the plants under cover are dripping.
Clouds are so low in New Hampshire you can almost touch them.
Last night a thunderstorm felled a tree onto wires in Gill and blew out the phone system to the whole town of Northfield. Made for an interesting day at work. Calls came in but you couldn't call out. (if only it could have been in reverse)It was so bizarre it drew not one but TWO TV news stations to report on it. Some would say it was a slow news day....
By the way, if you don't have phone service (and no alternative communication device like, um, er, me)here are a couple helpful rules:
1. get to somewhere that does and call the PHONE COMPANY or possibly the emergency services for your area, not Town Hall. Besides, if you and your neighbors don't have phone service after a nasty T-Storm, chances are Town Hall phones aren't working either. Trust me, there is nothing magical about the phone system in the Town Hall. It works the same as yours and is probably alot older.
2. And please, if you come in to report your phone isn't working and the staff tells you Town Hall's and the rest of the town isn't either, don't look at them disgusted and say, "Tuh, so WHEN is it going to be fixed?" See rule one? Go directly to the source. I've always found that the best way to get the most accurate information.
There ya go. It will save me from trying to blow you up with my mind.
Late breaking addition:
Here's what WWLP and that cutie Shane Symolon reported:

Representing The Fourth

Oh yeah, the neighborhood represented thankyouverymuch.
And there was too much celebrating to finish this even though I boasted that it would be done.
"The firecrackers scared me. I don't want to talk about it."

What Day Is It? What Time Is it?

Beau

The sun no longer shines in Massachusetts. I pick up my sunglasses out of habit but don't need them for anything than decoration. When I looked at the weather map yesterday I wasn't sure Rhode Island was going to be there after the state size thunderstorm went through. It was completely covered in red & yellow on the map.
I'd love to post an up to date work in progress photo but it's too dark morning and evening. I'll be done with it by this weekend. "It" doesn't have a name. IT is cotton. IT is being knit in plain vanilla stockinette stitch. IT has long sleeves. IT has a main color of coral and finishing edges of white. IT will zip. I bet you can't wait to see IT! Well you'll just have to wait.