Sunday, October 21, 2007
Playing Catch-Up
Golly! I've been away for days. During that time, I've been tagged by Kim at Knit Whimsies, which I will deliver on in another post, my family and I have helped a friend move, I've gone to work, I've read more stories in "Logorrhea," I've checked Jeffrey Eugenides' book "Middlesex" out of the library, I've almost finished knitting a bath mitt, and I've gotten my new issue of Wired magazine in the mail. Such a useful magazine, Wired is. There's not a single issue wherein I haven't learned something. Since their redesign, they've made it a point to publish even more letters from readers, which I appreciate. Hey, there are some experts out here! I just wish I knew who wrote the smart-ass intros that lead off reader letters.
We've had rain, rain, and more rain in central Minnesota. It makes me think back to high school French class, where I learned to say "Il pleut," which means "It's raining." You say "pleut" as "plu" - kind of a short "u," but with some "e" mixed in. It almost sounds like rain when you say it, especially the sort of gray, plodding rain we've had. My mom told me that she had heard that if all the rain we've had lately were snow, we'd have 180 inches. Bring it on, baby! The white stuff, please, not more rain. Have we turned into Portland or Seattle?
We've had rain, rain, and more rain in central Minnesota. It makes me think back to high school French class, where I learned to say "Il pleut," which means "It's raining." You say "pleut" as "plu" - kind of a short "u," but with some "e" mixed in. It almost sounds like rain when you say it, especially the sort of gray, plodding rain we've had. My mom told me that she had heard that if all the rain we've had lately were snow, we'd have 180 inches. Bring it on, baby! The white stuff, please, not more rain. Have we turned into Portland or Seattle?
Labels: family, french, friend, jeffrey eugenides, knit whimsies, knitting, logorrhea, middlesex, minnesota, mom, portland, rain, seattle, snow, weather, wired magazine
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Weather Report
It's heating up here in central Minnesota. We woke to thunder and a gray sky this morning, desperately hoping it would rain. It's so dry here that the grass is a crunchy blonde crewcut. Sharp, too. I've been watering three beds - one with basil, one with lilies, and one with a mix of lilies, violets, chives and hostas. We don't bother with the grass. It's gone dormant, so we'd just be wasting water on America's weed of choice. We haven't had to mow in a month, that's how parched it is.
Well, our hopes were dashed. Not a drop of rain. I sort of suspected as much, which is why I watered this morning. The thunder stopped, the clouds cleared, and the sun was relentlessly sunny. The humidity is rising, but it wasn't terribly uncomfortable outside. A light breeze and no insects made for great sitting-out-on-the-porch-reading-and-knitting weather.
For your viewing pleasure, I've included a photo of one of our lilies. They smell heavenly. Oh, to have a scratch-n-sniff computer.
Labels: drought, grass, knitting, lily, minnesota, rain, reading, thunder, weather
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
It's a Hoot!
Young Son Number Two and I went to the library last night. While there I found a book - well, duh! - rather, an unexpected book that's an absolute riot. I was laughing so hard while reading it that I was almost crying, except that I couldn't breathe. I had to walk away periodically so that I could regain my composure and catch my breath. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I won't keep you in suspense any longer. This knee-slapping guffaw of a book is called "The Museum of Kitschy Stitches: A Gallery of Notorious Knits" by Stitchy McYarnpants (a.k.a. Debbie Brisson). Stitchy collects all sorts of old fiber craft patterns, and boy has she found some doozies in her collection. We've all seen them . . . those godawful knitting or crocheting patterns, many in wacky colors and acrylic fibers, that no one would be caught dead wearing. In "The Museum of Kitschy Stitches," photos of a bunch of these loud fashion don'ts are featured with Stitchy's utterly smart and wickedly funny commentary. And the hilarity doesn't end there. Stitchy has a blog!
Labels: book, crocheting, debbie brisson, fiber arts, humor, kitsch, knitting, library, stitchy mcyarnpants, young son
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Washcloth Complete
Here's the hemp washcloth I finished knitting this past weekend. I love the texture and feel of the hemp. It's not as scratchy as you might expect. The texture shows up better in the second photo. I didn't use a flash, which allowed more shadows to show up.
I got the hemp and knitting instructions from my sister-in-law a couple of years ago, but only recently felt confident enough in my knitting ability to tackle the washcloth. Next is the bath mitt, which should be fun. So, then, is it re-gifting if you receive the materials for a project and then give away the finished product?
Labels: family, hemp, knitting, regifting, washcloth
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Weather & Stuff
Memorial Day was gorgeous, so much so, with its balmy temperature, light wind, and limited mosquitos, that I spent most of it sitting outside with relatives. I started knitting a washcloth out of hemp yarn. My mother-in-law heard a mourning dove coo toward evening and said that we should expect rain by morning. My father-in-law said that weather radar didn't show rain. The next morning, it rained, proving that the mourning dove was more effective than the weather radar. Today we got more rain, on again-off again, at one point a thunderous downpour. We've needed it.
Memorial Day didn't feel like a Monday - more like a Sunday - but Monday it was. I added a bit to my latest short story upon waking and it was enough to make me feel productive. Monday holidays tend to throw the whole week off. Next week should be even worse for confusing my calendar. I'm taking three days off. My goal is to finish the story I'm working on, maybe start the next (although I'm not pushing it), and do some yard work. We'll see. It depends on the weather.
Memorial Day didn't feel like a Monday - more like a Sunday - but Monday it was. I added a bit to my latest short story upon waking and it was enough to make me feel productive. Monday holidays tend to throw the whole week off. Next week should be even worse for confusing my calendar. I'm taking three days off. My goal is to finish the story I'm working on, maybe start the next (although I'm not pushing it), and do some yard work. We'll see. It depends on the weather.
Labels: family, holidays, knitting, memorial day, minnesota, mourning dove, rain, vacation, weather, writing
Monday, May 14, 2007
Wool Expo
Yesterday, for Mother's Day, the whole famn damily (another example of our family language) went to a Wool Expo in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. It was held at the Washington County Fairgrounds. There were llamas and sheep and rabbits, as well as fiber arts vendors, in abundance. My children bought me some cute, handpainted Joint Venture knitting needles ("made in Russia from Birch and Maple" - "distributed by Peace Fleece") that were all the rage at the Expo. Practically all of the vendors were selling them. My kids also got me two skeins of yarn. I found myself a set of 5 bamboo double-pointed needles that were a steal at $5 for the set.
We visited this Expo years and years ago with the extended family. Our kids were wee ones; our youngest may have been in a stroller. Our daughter, who has a memory like a steel trap, actually didn't remember this event, until we headed over to watch the border collies demonstrate how they round up sheep. That she had a vague memory of. It's quite an amazing feat, with the border collie owners telling us that it takes about 4 years to get a good working dog to effectively work with the sheep. Some people wonder whether the sheep are trained, but three kids were asked to come out and try to pen the sheep without a border collie, just to prove how difficult a task it is. They gave it their best shot, but were unsuccessful until the border collie was called out. The herding instinct displayed by these dogs was fascinating and one of them had a heckuva time letting the others work without her.
A good day was had by all, but I couldn't look at the llamas without thinking of the Llama Song.
Labels: dogs, family, family language, fiber arts, herding, holidays, knitting, llamas, minnesota, mothers day, rabbits, sheep, wool expo
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Knitting Goal Achieved
I've done it. Completed my first pair of socks. They're not too bad, but I ran into a couple of problems. They aren't quite the same size. One seems to be a bit smaller around than the other. The other inconsistency is in the toe. You can't see it here, but one of the toe seams runs vertically over the toes; the other runs the proper horizontal way. This is what happens when you don't follow the directions and choose to use 4 double-pointed needles rather than the 5 the pattern actually calls for. Still, they're not bad for a rookie.
Monday, April 02, 2007
A Sock
I'm half-way to my goal of knitting a pair of socks. About a month ago, I finished one. The pattern called for a super bulky yarn, which I had on hand, but only size 6 needles, which didn't quite jive with super bulky yarn. I went at it with the yarn and required needles and ended up with one bulky, stiff sock. It has a harsh seam on the heel that will make for some uncomfortable walking. Now, I'm trying to decide whether to make another sock of the same yarn, or start over with something a little less bulky. Here's my attempt:
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Fingerless Gloves
Woohoo! I finished knitting a pair of fingerless gloves tonight. While they are no more than tubes with a thumb hole, I'd say it's quite an accomplishment, especially considering my first knitting-in-the-round project happened in December 2006. I'm eyeing up a pair of socks, have even read the instructions (little nervous about the gusset for the heel), nice thick, short things. They'd make good house slippers, something I can slip over my regular socks. In the winter, I'm most assuredly a two-pair of socks woman. My engine runs a little cold. Those who know me know why. I'm a skinny slip of a thing, not much body fat to keep me warm. It's the blessing of a high-running metabolism. My body operates like a hummingbird's. I can eat whatever I want, but I also have to make sure I eat enough, or I go into a woozy state from low blood sugar. I would not do well in a famine, which makes me wonder how my skinny ancestors survived in order to pass their genes along to me.
My daughter just read the opening sentence of this post and said that now I can make her some fingerless gloves. Isn't she a gem?
My daughter just read the opening sentence of this post and said that now I can make her some fingerless gloves. Isn't she a gem?
Labels: ancestors, blood sugar, body, cold, daughter, fat, gloves, knitting, skinny, socks, weight, winter
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Blogs I Like
I read a number of blogs, some enormously popular (like Boing Boing & Seth Godin's), but also several that have a small readership. While the popular blogs are all fine and good, I prefer those with a smaller readership because of the personal interaction I can have with the writers. Here are a couple of my favorites:
Poppy Seed Heart - This is written by a lady named Joanne, who lives in Seattle and has a bun in the oven. (She calls her bun "bun".) She is following the course of her pregnancy through her blog, which is simply fascinating. She also talks about her doggies and her significant other. Joanne has a very approachable writing style that keeps me engaged. She also has some great links on her sidebars (gotta love free knitting patterns!) I'm envious of her ability to put photos on her blog, something I haven't quite gotten around to yet. Probably because I don't have a digital camera or a scanner. (Those might help, don't you think?) Cute blog name, too.
Copyrightings - This is a blog by a student named Kevin. He is interested in intellectual property rights and in finding a balance between the rights of copyright holders and the public's right to fair use. He highlights some fascinating stuff in this volatile field.
Check out these blogs, if you've got a little time on your hands. And, don't be afraid to leave a comment.
Serendipity brought me to these blogs. Do you see that little "Next Blog" button at the top of this page? That is a random blog selector (a.k.a. "serendipity"). If you click it, Blogger will take you to another blog. Be forewarned, not every blog has this button at the top and some of the random blogs that pop up are sales blogs, so you might come to a dead end. Clicking the button will give you a view of the multicultural aspect of blogging, with blogs written in languages other than English regularly making an appearance. If you're adventurous and click "Next Blog," you may just find sites that connect with you.
Poppy Seed Heart - This is written by a lady named Joanne, who lives in Seattle and has a bun in the oven. (She calls her bun "bun".) She is following the course of her pregnancy through her blog, which is simply fascinating. She also talks about her doggies and her significant other. Joanne has a very approachable writing style that keeps me engaged. She also has some great links on her sidebars (gotta love free knitting patterns!) I'm envious of her ability to put photos on her blog, something I haven't quite gotten around to yet. Probably because I don't have a digital camera or a scanner. (Those might help, don't you think?) Cute blog name, too.
Copyrightings - This is a blog by a student named Kevin. He is interested in intellectual property rights and in finding a balance between the rights of copyright holders and the public's right to fair use. He highlights some fascinating stuff in this volatile field.
Check out these blogs, if you've got a little time on your hands. And, don't be afraid to leave a comment.
Serendipity brought me to these blogs. Do you see that little "Next Blog" button at the top of this page? That is a random blog selector (a.k.a. "serendipity"). If you click it, Blogger will take you to another blog. Be forewarned, not every blog has this button at the top and some of the random blogs that pop up are sales blogs, so you might come to a dead end. Clicking the button will give you a view of the multicultural aspect of blogging, with blogs written in languages other than English regularly making an appearance. If you're adventurous and click "Next Blog," you may just find sites that connect with you.
Labels: baby, blogger, blogging, boing boing, copyrightings, intellectual property, knitting, poppy seed heart, serendipity, seth godin
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Resolutions
We're mid-way through January, a time when most people are breaking their New Year's resolutions, and I have given nary a thought to coming up with one. I figure, if there's something you want to do, why wait until some special date to resolve to do it? Just do it. (Sorry, Nike.) There are some goals I'd like to meet during the year, but I don't see them as resolutions that I must absolutely get done. They're just part of the overall list of goals I've set to reach before I die. (Did I mention that I plan to live to be in my nineties? When I first decided I'd make it to my nineties, I thought 92 would be a good age. Every year since then, the age creeps up. There's too much living to do and not enough time to do it. I'm thinking 97 sounds pretty good.)
My biggest goal for the year is to finish a book project that's been three years in the works. I'd also like to knit a pair of socks, which is something I thought would be nice to do last year, but it didn't happen. Unlike typical New Year's resolutions, did I drop the goal completely? Heck no! I carried it forward. I'm also willing to let the goal evolve to encompass a reasonable facsimile of the original goal. See, I live by the notion that you've got to give the Universe a little leeway in helping you to live your dreams. A little wiggle room. So, I might not get to a pair of socks, but I'll be plenty happy if I can knit a pair of mittens or fingerless gloves.
My biggest goal for the year is to finish a book project that's been three years in the works. I'd also like to knit a pair of socks, which is something I thought would be nice to do last year, but it didn't happen. Unlike typical New Year's resolutions, did I drop the goal completely? Heck no! I carried it forward. I'm also willing to let the goal evolve to encompass a reasonable facsimile of the original goal. See, I live by the notion that you've got to give the Universe a little leeway in helping you to live your dreams. A little wiggle room. So, I might not get to a pair of socks, but I'll be plenty happy if I can knit a pair of mittens or fingerless gloves.
Labels: age, dreams, goals, knitting, new year's, resolutions, universe, writing
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Finishing & Starting
I do believe I have spring fever. Can't have anything to do with this crazy non-Minnesota winter, could it? I finished knitting a hat & a collar. I'm working feverishly to finish a quilt I started for my son three years ago. It was a promised birthday gift. Today is his birthday. I think it's about time he get this gift. As if this isn't enough, I've started knitting another hat. One simply can't have too many projects going at once, no-sir-ee.
And, there are those two books to finish, plus another two to start . . . but, books don't really count, 'cause I'm always in the middle of one.
And, there are those two books to finish, plus another two to start . . . but, books don't really count, 'cause I'm always in the middle of one.
Labels: birthday, books, gifts, knitting, minnesota, quilt, son, spring fever, winter
Monday, January 08, 2007
Knitting a Hat
I was so busy cleaning the bedroom yesterday, and thinking about cleaning the bedroom when I posted, that I forgot to mention that I successfully finished knitting the hat I started a week or so ago. The double-pointed needles were a little difficult to get used to - too many points flying around - until I decided to cap the ones I wasn't working with. My daughter was hankering to start a hat on the circular needles I was using, so I had to finish up lickety split. Last night, after the cleaning streak, I sat down and started the hat my daughter wants to knit. Her cast-on stitches are a little tight and establishing the pattern in the first couple of rows can be a bear, so she asked me to get her going. I'm feeling so confident now that I bought yarn to make fingerless gloves. Obviously, I'm not so confident that I'm willing to attempt gloves with fingers yet. No sense in getting silly about it.
Labels: cleaning, daughter, gloves, hat, knitting
Monday, January 01, 2007
What's Unusual
I'm roasting. Sitting upstairs at the computer & sweating, even though it's winter in Minnesota. (We finally have a wee bit of snow & a whole lot of ice - the roads are skating rinks.) Heat rises, so our second story is always warmer than the main floor. What's unusual about my warmth is that I tend to run on the cold side, so even if a room is warm, I'm the one that's over-dressed. Not tonight. Now I'm stripping layers off.
I'm sitting here listening to a new CD while I blog & surf & sweat. I broke down and bought 2 new CDs for myself, Dave Matthews Band's The Central Park Concert (currently playing) and The Killers' Hot Fuss. Those who know me well know that I'm tight-fisted and have great difficulty spending money on myself. This is a direct result of having grown up in a household that was perpetually short on cash. I was well indoctrinated in scarcity thinking & it's pretty hard to break out of that rut to move into abundance thinking. I keep trying. Buying myself CDs, books, or fiber arts materials is the way I manifest abundance thinking when I can stop myself from worrying about the bills. (Ever notice that there's always one of them due?) I decided to buy these particular CDs after having checked them out of the library & giving them a listen. (See, music biz executives? Sometimes a free listen turns into a purchase.)
My other recent purchase was a nice wooly skein of yarn, hand-dyed, I believe. It cost about $7 for the skein. I also got some circular knitting needles. (I'm going crazy with the Cheese Whiz on this abundance thinking thing. Don't worry, it won't go to my head.) I've decided to knit a hat using a pattern from a book I got for Christmas. I've never knitted in the round before, so it's an adventure. Knitting was one of the last fiber arts forms that I learned. As such, it's been the most difficult for me to master. The hat is going well so far, once I got past figuring out how to join the stitches in a round. (Thank you, sister-in-law!) The next obstacle will be decreasing for the crown, which involves switching to double-pointed needles. If I can lick this, I may just be able to tackle a pair of socks. (Crossing my fingers on that.)
By the way, Happy New Year, readers, and thanks for reading my blatherings.
I'm sitting here listening to a new CD while I blog & surf & sweat. I broke down and bought 2 new CDs for myself, Dave Matthews Band's The Central Park Concert (currently playing) and The Killers' Hot Fuss. Those who know me well know that I'm tight-fisted and have great difficulty spending money on myself. This is a direct result of having grown up in a household that was perpetually short on cash. I was well indoctrinated in scarcity thinking & it's pretty hard to break out of that rut to move into abundance thinking. I keep trying. Buying myself CDs, books, or fiber arts materials is the way I manifest abundance thinking when I can stop myself from worrying about the bills. (Ever notice that there's always one of them due?) I decided to buy these particular CDs after having checked them out of the library & giving them a listen. (See, music biz executives? Sometimes a free listen turns into a purchase.)
My other recent purchase was a nice wooly skein of yarn, hand-dyed, I believe. It cost about $7 for the skein. I also got some circular knitting needles. (I'm going crazy with the Cheese Whiz on this abundance thinking thing. Don't worry, it won't go to my head.) I've decided to knit a hat using a pattern from a book I got for Christmas. I've never knitted in the round before, so it's an adventure. Knitting was one of the last fiber arts forms that I learned. As such, it's been the most difficult for me to master. The hat is going well so far, once I got past figuring out how to join the stitches in a round. (Thank you, sister-in-law!) The next obstacle will be decreasing for the crown, which involves switching to double-pointed needles. If I can lick this, I may just be able to tackle a pair of socks. (Crossing my fingers on that.)
By the way, Happy New Year, readers, and thanks for reading my blatherings.
Labels: abundance, blog, dave matthews band, family, holidays, killers, knitting, minnesota, money, music, scarcity, weather, yarn
