Pumpkin Sunrise

Yippee!  I finished another shawl.  This one  was a lot of fun to knit.  I really enjoyed the garter stitch for the main body of the shawl.  I sort of wished that I had more yarn so that I could keep going on the feather and fan portion of the shawl.  The pattern was quite easy and very well written.  The yarn  could have been a little bit softer but I still like it.  If you are a beginner knitter you might want to try this pattern for a first lace shawl project!

A whole bunch of thunderstorms came through last night and our table umbrella is lying on the pool cover!  So I thought I would post some pictures I took last week when it was chilly and spring was slowly evolving.  I couldn't resist putting a picture of Frodo in :)  He will be visiting his "beauty salon" tomorrow and will be a new man when I pick him up......oh and he will smell really really good. The last photo is the duck pond at the bottom of my hill.  It belongs to someone else but I feel like it is mine.  Every day when you drive by it you always have to yield to the ducks and geese.  The ducks are pretty easy going but the geese act so insulted when they have to move.  I have not seen any babies yet but they are always in abundance through out the spring, summer and fall.

This past week I started to read Water for Elephants  by Sara Gruen upon the recommendation from my son.  He really really enjoyed this book.  So I thought I would give it a try.  Frequently when he likes a book I will like it.  So far it is interesting and has not been a slow read.  For knitting, I am still  working on the Mermaid Tail's Shawl .  I should be finished by this weekend. I also continue to work on my cardigan  but am still on the back armhole shaping.  I have to admit that it has been neglected most of the week.   Today is the last home game for tennis!  As long as it does not rain. Yesterday was another hot and humid day.  I am not terribly fond on humidity it makes my joints hurt.  Luckily there will be a cold front moving on through by the weekend. For more knitting and reading posts take a look at Ginny's Blog- Small Things .

Even though this shawl is an enjoyable knit, I have made it to the best part!  Feather and Fan stitch always reminds me of my mother.  She would always make a blanket out of feather and fan stitch.  In keeping with tradition, I made a blanket many years ago with the same stitch that is in our family room.  It also makes great baby blankets!  The main reason that I selected this pattern is because I can keep knitting the feather and fan stitch until I run out of yarn. We went to another tennis match yesterday and boy oh boy was it hot and humid outside.  Our son lost his match but his opponent was polite and quite talented.  He has three more matches and the season is over.  All that is left is district tennis which will be on Saturdays.  It seems like his senior year went so slow and now that April is almost over it is whizzing by!  

Our daughter turned 21 over the weekend and we celebrated by going out to dinner and eating yummy cake.  Why can't the high calorie stuff be good for you?  We bought her a variety of books, a bento box for her lunches, and an armband for her ipod touch so she can exercise AND listen to music. My husband surprised me with some lovely tulips on Friday!  I really hope when we plant them outside the rabbits stay away from them.  It would be nice to have these tulips bloom again next spring. I came up with a brilliant idea for Easter dinner.  We earned a free turkey at our supermarket for Thanksgiving (because of all the money we spend there) and it has been in the freezer without any plans for it.  So this Easter I thought why not turkey instead of ham?  I did not realize that the turkey weighed 19 pounds! So I thought it would be neat to make broth/stock out of the turkey bones.  I ended up in the kitchen for most of the afternoon...

I did finish the increases of the body of the Valley Cardigan  (finally).  I am now on the back armhole shaping and as I decrease every other row, it goes a little faster :)  I am thinking that I will have enough yarn for the sweater.  I still consider changing the sleeve cuffs of the design.  I might just want a simple sleeves. I have not completely decided and have a way to go before I do. Here is a picture of spring in my yard: I have two lilac bushes that the deer love to nibble on so they are quite lopsided.  However, even though they get a thorough trim, they continue to grow thrive and blossom!  

The winter cover has been on the pool since last September and this crazy dog will walk across it, run across it and lay down and sunbath on it.  In this photo he is "hunting" the leaf covers that are shed in the spring by the maple trees.  I do believe he thinks they are bugs because they move around when he walks through the water.  Such a silly dog!  Right before this photo he jumped back in fear it was going to bite him.  

Good morning!  I thought this yarn along I would include my little chickie salt and pepper shakers, I find them so cheerful :)  I am near the end of reading The Mistress of Nothing which I checked out of the library and it is due back this Saturday.  I should be done with it today.  My knitting is the Mermaid's Tail Shawl .  I am enjoying all of the mindless garter stitch.  It makes fantastic TV knitting or talking knitting. Every right side row is the increasing row and the wrong side is just plain old knitting, can't beat that!  I also finished my cowl  and blogged about it here .   We are getting more days with a bit of sunshine but still get overcast days with.......rain.  I promise I am not going to complain about the rain.  Remember, it leads to more greenery!  (I need to chant this many times a day!) The weather forecast is for cloudy overcast days all week, ugh!   For all of you that love to see what people are ...

Here is a finished photo of the cowl that I started last week.  The yarn just blossomed from being soaked in wool wash.  I love the lace design and the size of the cowl.  If feels so luxurious!

I think I have been really tired of all the rain we have had for the past week or so.  I think I have even complained about it, especially to my sister. However, on our walk down the dirt road (our favorite), my husband snapped these photos over the weekend.  I am amazed at all of the green we saw on our walk.  So I am done with any whining about the wet weather. The trees and bushes are sprouting their leaves a little more each day.  The air smells different and the sun feels warmer.  I love winter very much but I am ready for the next season.

I have only ten to twenty rows left to the armhole shaping on my Valley Cardigan and yet it is taking forever.  Maybe if I did not have two other projects that take my knitting time away from this project, I would already be there-to the arm hole shaping that is.  I remember when my kids would ask "are we there yet?" when travelling to visit relatives.  The car ride was long for them (and for me!).  So this weekend I am going to get there, I am going to knit my last twenty rows and divide for the fronts and the back.  

Can you see it?  This is not only a picture of a tea set given to me by my mother in law, it is a picture of SUNSHINE!  I am so happy about this.  Yesterday, it rained all day and I tried to chant all the good things rain does for the environment.  But it just did not work, I was miserable by the time I returned home from grocery shopping and every single bag was wet wet wet!  After a nice lunch, I felt better and resigned myself to the dreary weather.  So this morning I was thrilled to see sun and it is super super sunny and bright.  Maybe the rainy weather makes us appreciate the beautiful perfect spring days?  I also noticed that the yard did look a lot greener :)  

Good morning!  This week I am still (sigh) reading the same book,  These is my Words,  but I am nearly finished, honestly!  So the next book I will be reading is from the library titled The Mistress of Nothing .  It is another historical fiction book and it is due on the 23rd.  I am really going to try to get this book read by the due date.  Just a little personal goal of mine.  Unfortunately it has already been renewed one time.    I am working on a cowl  that is knitting up quickly. I really like the lace detail and look forward to blocking it.  Soaking and blocking is going to make the yarn bloom and the lace stand out.   I am hoping to get a walk in tonight after dinner with my husband and of course Frodo if it is not pouring rain.  It is such a nice way to unwind. I particularly like walking down the dirt road because it is very quiet and peaceful. If you would like to see what everyone is knitting and reading...

Twice a month I meet three other ladies for some knitting and socializing.  This past weekend as I was enjoying the company of one other knitter, I casted on this shawl.  The yarn has been in my basket for quite some time.  Shamefully I think it might be two years or so.  I have loved it but never came up with a project for it. So while I was looking around Ravelry, I stumbled across this shawl pattern  and thought it would be perfect for this yarn. The older I get, the more I appreciate garter stitch and the main body of this shawl has it.  The edging is classic feather and fan stitch.   My daughter thinks the color resembles a mermaid's tail, I do not see it, do you? My romantic thoughts of standing at the tennis match yesterday in sunshine were thwarted by clouds, wind and intermittent rain.  I did however enjoyed the warm temperatures and watching a good tennis match.  It continues to rain today which will make it the perfect day for ...

I started this cowl today since I really enjoyed the last cowl I a made (seen here ).  This little beauty is going to be worn close to the neck and the pattern,  A Noble Cowl , is lovely.  The yarn is Mirasol Tupa  and I think it pairs well with the pattern.   Today is beautiful!  The sun is shining and the birds are singing, what could possibly be better?  We have a tennis match to see this afternoon and I am looking forward to standing outside soaking up the sun's rays.  I think all of last week matches were postponed because of rainy weather except for one.  I am wondering if we are done with wearing winter coats, wouldn't that be great? 

Doesn't Frodo look like he was pulled backwards through a hedge?  I love his frumpy messy look, he is so cool for a little 14 pound dog.  He is getting better at keeping still while I snap a photo.  Eventually he tries to "attack" me by coming up to the camera and doing "arf" noises.  He is quite vocal and forward. Yesterday I worked on my cashmere cardigan while thinking of my next two projects.  More about the projects next week.  I did get past the waist shaping on the cardigan and am increasing the bust area.  I am seeing progress very slowly. Tonight we are going to watch a tennis match IF it is not raining. The forecasters are telling me that we are in for some beautiful weather, just not today.

I am pleased as could be with this cowl!  This was a super fast knit and I already wore it yesterday when I went out to lunch with my husband.  The yarn is so soft and thankfully it was chilly enough to wear alpaca without breaking out into a sweat.  I am really looking forward to spring but I sure was glad that it is still a little cold.  Alpaca is perfect for this cowl because of the drape and lack of elasticity.  I have the cowl wrapped twice in the above photo.  Try the pattern you will love it!

Good morning!  I finally have a different knitting project.  It is my Mojito Cowl  that I started a couple of days ago.  It is a really fun knit and the pattern is easy to memorize.  I highly recommend it.  My reading continues to be These is my Words .  I am really enjoying this book so very much.  I am actually staying awake to keep reading it and that does not happen very often.  I like the way the author has written the book as a diary.  If you like historical fiction then I highly recommend this book. I finished my Elderberry shawl which was blogged about here .  I am thrilled with it and have worn it several times this week. While I knit some quick easy projects, I am, in the back of my mind, thinking about the next big lace project.  Such fun! Tennis season this week has been rained on.  But that is okay for us, my son slightly injured (pulled) his arm while serving last week at practice, so each match that is po...

After my big lace shawl was finished, I wanted something easy and on much bigger needles.  I did a pattern search on Ravelry and found the Infinitude Scarf . I already knew that I wanted to use Alpaca with a Twist  in my stash.  With spring around the corner, I wanted to knit something green.  I picked this yarn up when I was in Pittsburgh.  I cannot remember when......maybe my sister will remember.  Anyways, so far it is relaxing just knitting and purling and not following a chart.  I know eventually I will want something that is complicated but for now easy knitting is just dandy. This yarn is Mirasol Tupa .  It is a wool/silk blend that I think would make a lovely cowl or hat or pair of mitts.  I have yet to find which pattern I would like, I only just started looking today. The best aspect of knitting is deciding what to make.  I always buy yarn I like with a general project in mind then afterwards I decide on the specific patter...

This past weekend was so spring like and just--nice!  We were able to walk Frodo on both Saturday and Sunday.  I really liked listening to the birds singing to each other.  The lawns are looking greener. Also the air smells like spring.  Now if only the farmer's market would start in town, that would be fabulous. All of the CDs in the picture belong to my son who has yet to take them up to his room.  Just think in four months both kids will be away for higher education.  Any piles of CDs will have to be left by my husband!