Bag for ITEIII On Its Way

I got the cast-on for the Tote Exchange III posted this morning. The post lady brought the yarn yesterday and I cast on last night. I can't wait to get this one felted and see the end results. I have the orange stripe tote felted and a layout of what it is going to look like finished. Think I'm just being lazy because it could and should have been finished long ago.


I finished the hat I started last week and have enjoyed wearing it already. I was a bit disappointed in how it turned out. I used the same pattern, colors, and yarn as the one I made for my niece a few weeks back, but, I decided to use a smaller needle and knit it a couple of rows shorter. My mistake. The colors didn't distribute as nicely on the smaller needle and I would have enjoyed having the extra rows since I used the smaller needle. Its still a nice hat and comfortable on my bald head.

It is still cold in VA, 14 degrees here again this morning. What a cold February we are having although we've not had snow and sun has been beautiful. The Meadow Larks have been to visit every day and it is such a delight to watch them out on the lawn walking around in their gray/brown suits, bright yellow shirts (breast) and black bow-ties. Last year was the first time I'd ever seen a live Meadow Lark and it’s a treat to have them come and visit. The Eastern Bluebird is another frequent visitor at our house and we sometimes see as many as six, three pairs, at one time. They love to sit in the crepe myrtles (which have to be removed) along the drive or on the fence out back. I think the Eastern Bluebird is the most beautiful color of blue in the world. We put out seed and suet for the birds so we have a variety of other species to visit the feeders. We will continue to feed them continuously throughout the winter and spring until there is plenty of food on the plants. In the summer we usually cut their feeding down and feed the humming birds instead. In the late fall when food becomes in short supply we begin putting out seeds once again.

By the end of this month I expect to see bare-rooted plants in the feed and seed stores and summer bulbs in the nurseries and building supply stores. I will become impatient with winter and want to purchase plants right away, knowing full well they can't be planted for a couple more months. I will start some seed in the sunroom in early March and have them be ready to transplant in the garden by the time of our last frost. Snow is in the forecast for next week – I'm ready for spring.