So Much To Tell

We're back from a wonderful weekend visiting friends, visiting and working in a fabulous iris garden, and Car Knitting. I took along the stole I am working on and was able to complete a couple of tiers on the way up and part of a tier on the way back. Usually I'm not able to knit in the car, it makes me dizzy (dizzier some would say)but I sat in the back seats to allow our guest the front seat. Naturally this was a treat for me and I didn't feel guilty about not participating in conversation. We visited with DH's Navy buddy, Frank from the 60's and his wife, Marie. Our friend Cameron was met by a lemo and driven to his hotel near the Presby Gardens while we commuted back and forth so we could visit with our friends. What a good time we had catching up and talking gardening, grandchildren, foods and wine which we both have in common. They have build a beautiful garden so we last visited them and they are so proud of it. It is a nature garden, having two ponds and many 'rooms' to sit and enjoy that part of the garden. We had appetizers and wine on the patio beside the pond on Friday and on Saturday, wine in the gazebo. Sunday it rained and we had appetizers and wine at the kitchen counter while our salmon grilled outside between two cedar planks. The bag and goodies I placed inside it was well accepted and Marie quickly removed the goodies and claimed the bag for a purse.

On Saturday morning we took off for the iris gardens. It was a beautiful day but before noon almost unbearable in the gardens. It was really tough on me even though I wore a brimmed hat and a light weight cotton long sleeved shirt to try and keep the sun off my 'radiated skin'. Our friend and DH was able to help the garden superintendent identify a few of their unknown iris and to identify many mislabeled (named) iris. The gardens were vandalized a couple of years ago by a drunken teenager and all the iris were knocked out of the beds with a golf club and stomped upon. What a shame, Presby Gardens, http://presbyirisgardens.org/is a registered historic garden and I believe, the largest of its kind in the world. For someone to destroy it this was is sickening and to ever correctly identify all the correct names of the iris that were lost is almost an impossible task.

We were also taken to see an individual garden belonging to one of Presby's volunteers whom we had met at the National Convention in 2006 and whom DH has exchanged some of his historic iris with. I do believe another 'swap' was arranged. On Sunday we had lunch in the private gardens at Presby and met with some of their board memebers and volunteers to discuss ways of improving the garden and what we saw as positive, or things that could be improved upon, to make Presby an even better iris garden. It was a wonderful experience for us all but for our friend Cameron, it was near heaven. He was a real trooper at his age and in his poor health to spend the hours we spent in the garden and in the horrific heat trying to help the staff at Presby Garden to carry on his beloved iris forever. Sometimes this older man can become a 'grummpy old man' but the joy I got from watching him in this garden last weekend will remain in my memory forever. It was an extremly tiring trip for me and I've still not entirely recovered from it, and would I do it over again? You bet I would. This was the kind of pleasure in life that you stumble upon; something that goes beyound what you imagined it would. To make someone as happy as this trip did our friend is amazing.

When we got home on Sunday night our neighbor came over with a 'big box'. It was from my exchange pal in the Spring Felted Bag Swap. I was so pleased to see it, yet to tired to give it justice. I did open it, couldn't bear to wait, and here are photos of what a grand box Nifers sent me.

Thank you Nifers for everything. She sent me her fist set of handmade stitch markers and they are beautiful,there is a wonderful flower bucket for displaying tall bearded iris as well as peonies, and lilliums. Also in the box was two skeins of freedom wool and two skeins of sugar and spcie yarn and a skein of Dreambaby to knit my little Dariana something from. She also sent Dariana bubbles which she adores and I can't wait for her to visit so we can blow bubbles together. There is Earl Grey tea, pita chips, dip, soap, bath confetti and a date bar cookie. Tell me I haven't been spoiled.....no sir rea, you can't. I have been spoiled. Thanks Nifers and thanks too, for the hand written CD note, I like it.

Pink Hobo Bag Felted and We're Off

Here it is, the Hobo Pink Striped Felted Bag.

The bag felted really well and the size improved tremendously. Un-felted this was the biggest bag I have ever knitted and I was afraid it was going to turn out much larger than I wanted it to be. Luck was with me and it is a perfect size to be used for:


We're off this morning to take our friend Cameron to the Presby Iris Gardens. He was invited to come and help identify some of their historic iris. Cameron is rally excited over this trip and over what an honorary invitation this is for him. We are excited for him and so pleased for him to be ask to participate in this. Cameron has a large historic iris garden at his home and a huge one at his cousin's property in the country. He is responsible for much of Mr. Ro's training in the iris world and has shared many of his rare historic iris with us hoping they will be carried on for another two hundred years. Yes, we have some iris in our garden that were hybridized over two hundred years ago, isn't that amazing. Anyway - we're off this morning and DH and I are staying with his Navy buddy and his wife. We've visited back and forth always and we're looking forward to seeing them again. The bag is for them, don't you think it is just perfect? I love it and they will too; and it can be used again for the same idea, used as a work tote or even as a 'pocketbook'.

I Think I'm In The Mood To Bake

What a straggly day this has been. I've accomplished absolute nothing other than I did get my walking in this morning and helped hubby and neighbor take the cover off the pool. I tried to knit but couldn't get into it, tried to blog and again couldn't get with it, I didn't want to read, or to garden, or to talk on the phone (which I never like to do but should stay in touch with friends and family more than I do). I thought about doing some baking but didn't want to go to the grocery to pick up eggs. I used the last one in the frig last night when making Amish Pasta Salad. It was so good, I love the dressing used in this salad although I know it has more calories than it should have. We love pasta salads and I make a lot of different ones, most having an oil and vinegar base dressing. This one has a mayonnaise base, two cups of it, but oh it is so good.

I think I am probably in a mood to bake and tomorrow I will make myself go to the grocery and re-stock the frig and whatever else needs to be replenished in the kitchen. I've been buying fresh strawberries, butter and red leaf lettuces, young onions, basil, broccoli, and …collards (I'm a GA girl) from a set-up beside the bank's parking lot. I'm told they will have fresh produce to sell all summer as each crop matures. This particular farm grows for a local grocery chain and so grows a large variety of vegetable for them. I don't really go to the grocery that often anymore since there is just the two of us. Like so many people, we eat more and more prepared foods. It was simply easier for Mr. Rō to handle the kitchen when I was taking chemo if there were foods that didn't take a lot of preparation. While I much prefer cooking everything from scratch, it doesn't happen that often any more. I still love reading cookbooks and still find myself buying one each time we visit a different state or country, I just don't use them to prepare food by the way I use to.

The hobo bag is felted and it really turned out nice. I used Patton's merino and even the cream color yarn felted nicely. Now, do I line it or not. If it were for me I wouldn't put a lining in it but can I actually give a bag without a lining as a gift? Probably not. I've thought about putting a zippered lining in it because it is pretty open at the top and that would make a more secure 'pocketbook'. The person I'm giving it to doesn't knit, as far as I know, so it wouldn't be used as a knitting bag. She is a medical technician so she might enjoy using it for a work tote. I'll have to think about it some more, still have a couple of days to decide. We'll be leaving on Friday morning as soon as my radiation treatment is completed. It's been several years since we've visited these friends and we're looking forward to seeing them again. They, like us, have become grandparents since we were last together. Guess what we'll be talking about. My daughter had a new brag book printed of Dariana's latest escapades for me to take with me to GA last month. Grandparents love to brag about their grandchildren, how could they not?

I Rescued A Knitter Today

Today I rescued a knitter who had strayed from our path. It wasn't hard but it did take a show and tell lesson to do it. DH has a friend from working days that just happens to live in our little village; in fact, he and his wife married and built a new home here several years before he retired so they have been a big help to us in finding our way in this little world. The wife makes really gorgeous quilts and in fact has one that both DH and I covets, an appliqued and quilted iris pattern, that hangs on their loft's banister.

Anyway there were over last week to see our iris. I happened to have just started the pink stripped bag. She commented on it and we begin talking about knitting. She 'use to' knit before she started quilting; had knit a few sweaters for herself and her children out of Red Heart acrylic and felt like there wasn't anything more to knit once she exhausted that avenue. I ask if she would like to see some of my finished projects and she did.


I suckered her in and I don't think she ever realized it.

Before she left she thought she might like to take out her needles again and try to make a felted purse if I could guide her through it. Of course I was excited to help and so after finishing the pink striped hobo bag last night, I called and ask if she would like to see it before it was felted. This morning I was ringing her doorbell well before 10 o'clock. She was stunned at the size of this bag (so was I, not realizing it was going to be this large). After we talked last night she had gone on-line and found a pattern that she thought was simple enough for her to knit. We went over all the details of knitting and felting it and I offered needles in the right sizes so she wouldn't have to buy additional materials when she buys yarn. When I left she was excited.

Me? I'm excited too; so happy to have captured one more in the knitting web. I will make sure she sees my new bag once more after it is felted, shaped, and dry and before I depart with it. Keeps the interest up!

Knitting and Partying

I was reminded by my 'mental note' to contact some of my knitting friends and arrange a get together. It turns out everyone had plans for the weekend, from going to visit family to kitchen renovation, so one of the ladies suggest June 9th for a visit and to celebrate birthdays, hers on the 5th and mine on the 7th. We will make it into a party day and I'll make a lunch or brunch for the patio; and we'll eat cake too. I'll teach them the S-cord which I just learned myself, for using on a new knitted purse. A purse was the first project that we did together when I was teaching them to knit after they first knitted beddie slippers. This group of ladies can do some knitting and we all have a favorite thing to knit. One lady knits prayer shawls, two or three a week, and keeps them on hand to hand out to sick or to sadden people. She gave me a beautiful fuchsia, cabled shawl to wrap-up in while I took chemo and although I had many shawls, this one is special and I always feel her closeness when it is wrapped around me. I'll keep you posted on our party.

I'm posting a couple of my OTN projects today. I really do have to get busy and work on these two. I put my own knitting off to knit for others, which I enjoy doing. Since these are usually small projects I will think I can knit it up quickly and then work on the jacket but before I get to the jacket something else always finds its way onto my needles. I'm sure I'm not the only knitter with this problem. I can say this, neither of the projects has been on the needles for longer than a year but I do have the crocheted afghan called Sea Peach that has been on the needle for over three years. That’s because I decided to knit again. I do want to finish the afghan, it is a beautiful thing done on a big size P needle with two strands of yarn and triple crocheted shells that puff. I don't know how logical it is to crochet something like this afghan because I feel sure it will snag easily, but it certainly makes a beautiful afghan.


And here's the latest purse, its almost completed now, just have finish knitting the S-cord strap, then felt it. Guess who may be getting it? It could belong to my pal in the Spring Felted Bag Swap, or, it could be going to a friend. Wait and see!


Today Mr. Rō got up saying he had to go to town. Since he hates shopping and I picked up an extra gallon of deck stain for him yesterday, I am able to guess what he has gone for. Our anniversary is Monday and he's always generous on our anniversaries. I too, have to go shopping before the weekend is over. My family will be celebrating a birthday or anniversary almost every week for the next two months starting with our anniversary. My daughter and I have June birthdays as well as Mr. Maestro, DH and son have July birthdays, then my daughter's anniversary is in July, and her husband's birthday falls in August. Little Dariana's birthday isn't until November but we celebrate her joining our family on July 4th. That's the day we flew to Guatemala and she was put into our arms. She's truly a joy and worth celebrating with two birthdays.

My treatments are going well so far and I expect them to continue that way. Thank each of you who has added a comment to my blog and for the e-mails I've received with your warm thought and encouragement. I do appreciate each one of them.

Knitting Diary & DH's Cardigan

I decided today to update my hard disk knitting photos. A couple of years ago I decided to start a knitting diary and to keep a scrap of yarn, the label, dates of work, who project was for, etc and to make a photo of the work in progress and the finished item. Like so many things I start with good intentions, I have fallen behind and have had to catch up more than once.

For instance, the cardigan I knitted for DH last year lacked a photo of the finished project so today I pulled the sweater out and took the final photo. I knitted it with Jamieson's Chunky Shetland yarn and used a pattern from a back issue of Family Circle Knitting Magazine.


I took photos as I went along but finished knitting the sweater just about the time I started chemo-treatments and I never got the finished product cataloged.


I was pleased with the way it turned out and so was Mr. Rō.





I have several projects on the needles that I made photos of and I'll share them in the next few days. I do knit things other than bags; it just happens I have always loved 'pocketbooks' and shoes. I never get tired of a new bag or new shoes and have an overflow in my closet. I have given a lot away in the last few years and still have more than I need. What a wasteful person I am in those respects.

I had my first radiation treatment today. It was not bad or stressful in any way other than worrying about what side effects could happen. I'll just trust that everything is going to be alright, I believe that it will be. I didn't go to my knitting group tonight because I want to try and make sure there are no embarrassing surprises from the treatments, the Dr. forewarned me that there could be. Next Monday night will be a holiday weekend and there won't be any knitting, then throughout the summer our group will meet on Tuesday nights. The shop will be closed on Monday while the proprietor works with some of her own fleece, yarns, dying, and starting a label of her own. Doesn't that sound exciting? I wish her the best of luck.

I've let too much time pass since I had the group of ladies I taught to knit come out and knit with me. Spring is such a busy time for us and the iris get so much of our attention during April and May that it's hard to work everything in. I'm going to put a note on my mental calendar to call the group tomorrow and make a date for them to come out, perhaps over the weekend if they don't have holiday plans. Mr. Rō is busy cleaning and resealing the decks and if I'm lucky maybe he'll get the pool up and running by the weekend. We can sit, knit and relax by the pool and drink lemonade; the weather is predicted to be beautiful. Perhaps, Mr. Rō could be persuaded to grill for us and I can make a Strawberry Trifle with lots of good pudding and loads of real whipped cream. Yum!

Package On It's Way - Mystery Swap & SFB Exchange

Packages in the mail, whatch and see if one of them is for you.

Not An Intentional Lie

When I said I'd get my Mystery Swap in the mail last week I really thought I would. 'Things' just happened, and it didn't happen. I had everything ready to go except for a note on Friday and thinking that wouldn't take more than a minute to write I decided to wait until Sat. morning. Meantime I decided since I had everything gathered for the first package to my pal in the Spring Felted Bag Exchange I should go ahead and put it together and make one trip to the post office.

As you know, we live in a very small town and the post office doesn't open until ten o'clock on Saturday mornings, so I proceeded with putting my package together, writing my notes and eating strawberry shortcake. (Yum, the strawberries are so good and I still had pound cake from the one my son baked on Mother's Day, with half and half trickled over it for moisture and real whipped cream.) Everything done and at 1:10 off to the post office I go, plenty of time before they close at 2:00. I pull into the parking lot and walk up to the door with my packages and guess what, they closed at noon.

Now tell me, why would a post office open for only two hours in the middle of the day? To top that, Mr. Rō went to buy a battery for the garage opener. We do have a Radio Shake in our small town, located 'inside' our new (the second one) drug store to find they also close at noon on Saturday. I'm not sure what this all means; are small towns so slow they don't have enough customers to stay open on Saturday afternoons, or are they so busy they have to close to attend some function; there was a Lawn Mower Race taking place at the fairgrounds yesterday.

All that said, the two packages are in the front seat of my car waiting to be mailed first thing on Monday morning. Look out ladies, two of you have a package coming next week.

In finished knitting the body of the purse I've been knitting on off and on last week. Today I will get the strap knitted and it will be ready to felt. I had no idea this bag was going to be so large before it is felted and still can't envision it shrinking to the size the pattern states the bag should be. This is one huge bag. I can't wait to see if finished.

My entrelac class was fun and I have the first two tiers knitted. Once you get the hang of all the turns the knitting goes fast, at least I think it is going to. I forgot the camera so will try and remember it the next time I go to the shop so I can get a picture of the stole to post.

I've been receiving quiet a few posted comments and e-mails from people reading my blog. Which of you are my secret pals?

Entrelac, Tattoos, and Tomato Plants

Yes sir, now I have tattoos too. I received three of them yesterday. They are used for body mapping to locate the exact spot where I am to receive radiation. I will begin treatments on Monday and will have one every day for four weeks. Hopefully I will then be rid of Hodgkin's disease and cancer free. I'm looking forward to having a normal life once more with plenty of energy to run and sing and dance; like a young girl going on her first date. The difference is, I want to garden, knit, play with my granddaughter, enjoy my family, and be able to travel.

Tuesday I signed up for an entrelac class and was shown how to knit the first triangles so I could have my homework (the first row) before class begins tonight. We are making a gorgeous stole using Nora's Silk Garden Lite yarn. I chose colorway 027, beautiful blues and browns. I've been wanted to learn entrelac for some time now so the classis a way for me to 'do it' and stop procrastinating. Plus, it's being offered my FYS and will be a treat to knit along with the other ladies. If I remember to take my camera tonight I'll take a photo of the stole the shop has on display.

I've had a couple of e-mails from my upstream partner in the No Sheep Secret Pal Skein Exchange. She sent a nice e-mail telling me about herself and her family, I have to do the same for my downstream pal. Some of the new non-wool fibers on the market are so beautiful. I'm looking forward to this exchange and plan to get my first downstream package off next week. This is a two package exchange – fun!

This morning I put out some pepper plants and planted tomato plants in the garden while DH power washed the decks in preparation of opening the pool next week. I've been test growing the tomatoes in a big pot in the sunroom, then on the deck to see if an early start inside will produce tomatoes before July 4th. There are blooms now but will have to wait and see what the transition does to them. There are a few ripe strawberries in the patch that we put in this spring and the Vidalia Sweet onions are beginning to show growth. There are a few beans blooming, need to plant more, and want to plant okra, Speckled butter-beans and Crowder peas (I'm a Georgia Girl). I will buy a couple of squash plants, only enough to make squash pickles – oh, they're so good on a roast beef sandwich or with a vegetable dinner, and I'll buy a couple of cucumber plants because they too will produce more than the two of us will use. I'll share with my daughter and our neighbors if there is extra, generally there is.

Last week I put up the hummingbird feeder and late in the afternoon sat on the porch knitting, having a glass of wine and watched the hummingbird zip back and forth from the feeder to the crepe myrtle trees. They are always so active at that time of day making their preparations for the night. So far I've only seen the one but others will come as the weather gets warmer. It was such a thrill to have baby Eastern Bluebirds in our boxes this year. It would really be a thrill to find a hummingbird nest and see how tiny the little creature must be before it leaves it's nest.

We've put in another bed for perennials and now have to fill it with plants. So much to do and enjoy each spring but never enough time to accomplish it. How do I chose between all the things I love. My days are getting longer as I try to crowd something more in each day. I like getting up early and having coffee as the birds wake up and begin chirping. Lo, life is good ain't it.

Mystery Knitters Swap Ready TO GO

The one skein has been knitted for Cindi and the package for the WhoDuKnit Mystery Swap is ready to go except for one final item. My son made the suggestion while he was home for Mother's Day weekend and it was such a great idea that I decided to discarded the one I'd planned on using which means I have to make one more trip to a department store (probably tomorrow) before I mail the package. I am so pleased with the way this turned out that I have to knit another for myself but I want to use Nora's Kureyon, probably color 194. Wait too see the photo post at the end of this week and tell me what you think.

I had a wonderful Mother's Day, both my children were here and made a wonderful lunch for our families. Little Dariana had a ton of hugs and kisses for her grandmama and we played doll and I gave her the big lollipop that Althea sent her in the Knitter's Treat package she sent me. Here's a photo of her enjoying it.


I've almost finished knitting the purse I plan to take to our friend in NJ. This trip's date has changed to the first week-end in June because of the weird weather we've had this spring; the irises will not be in full bloom at Presby's Garden until then. Should I find time I would like to knit a felted wine caddy for the husband, if not it will have to be wine in a gift bag.

Our week, last week, was really a busy one with our garden being at peak bloom. We had guest to visit everyday except on Tuesday (Dr. appt. day) meaning we needed to keep the lawn (weeds) cut, the garden dead-headed, and the porch ready for resting. That too means making sure there is a beverage to offer and a clean bathroom at all times, just in case. I put in a new border perennial bed last week also and planted tall phlox, hardy asters, platycodon, dianthus, coreopsis, hardy salvia, digitalis and crocosmias. At last I've made a start on the garden. We've had 16 yards of soil from the bottom of a drained 'fish pond' delivered to use building beds and to add to the vegetable garden. Lots of work to be done this summer providing my treatments allows me to continue working outside. This fall we will add trees and shrubs, and yes, I know this is backward planting in building a new garden but you do what you have to and I can't bear looking at the property with no flowers blooming for another year.

Answers To This Weeks Felted Bag Question

This Week's Question:

How did you get interested in felting? Did you learn it from someone, see a bag you liked? Just want to try something new? If you have a picture of your first project, please include it!

I had just started to knit again after not picking up my needles for years and noticed in several magazines that people were felting their own bags. Since I always loved the look of a boiled wool jacket and have owned several myself, the idea caught my attention right away. About the same time there was a new yarn store opening about a mile from my home and they had the most fantastic staff of any yarn store I'd ever been in before, or since for that matter. They stocked the store with yarns I'd never seen or heard about and displayed lots and lots of their knitted items, including felted bags. When they were settled they decided to have a felted bag class and I signed up for it right away. I didn't think I'd ever use anything that I felted myself but how wrong I have been. Not only do I use the items I make myself, I give them as gifts and am thrilled to see they are used by the people I give them to. Here is a picture of my first felted bag and also some of my bags are in the photo album at http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/Bag-A-Holic/photos/browse/5ce5?m=l

My Knitter's Treat Package Has Arrived

LOOK - LOOK - LOOK





Oh my, What a Knitter's Treat.
I came home last night to a package from New York, NY and what do you suppose it was? It was from my upstream Knitter's Treat partner, Alethea. Alethea, you really are a spoiler, I mean really. What a joy it was pulling out all those many smaller packages from that 'small' box. I couldn't believe you could get so much inside. My niece always teases about how much I can package in an envelope but I do believe you have me beat. Look at all the paper beside the box then look at all the things I received.

I started with the smallest wrap and went up a size each time until I got to the last, and the very best. I was near tears to think what a wonderful person you must be to choose such lovely things for me. The smallest package is a wonderful BookArt hand-crafted metal bookmark, a Dragonfly that identifies with me loving to read and loving to garden. Then, there was cute adhesive art stickers for paper toppings, a 'just-the-right-size' notepad for writing down names and camera photo numbers for DH while we are on garden tours, two nice tile magnets (did you make them Alethea?), and the most unique little garden package I've ever seen. A small round tin that says on the lid, 'The Pocket Garden Seed Collection' edible flower garden. Inside is five little tins with seeds for edible flowers, five little garden markers to identify which seed is which flower when they bloom, and a cute little pencil to write the names on the markers. There is also instruction on how to grow each type flower and recipes for using the flowers in food and for drying the flowers to be used in a flora arrangement. How charming could you get? You must have read my blog from start to finish and shopped for me for days to do such a thourgh job of spoiling me. Now, that's not all that was in my package, the next item was a huge, all natural, grape lolly-pop that is intended for my 'Pride and Joy granddaughter', Dariana. She will be so delighted when she comes. I wrapped the paper back around the lolly-pop so she could un-wrap it herself. She loves presents and I often have something wrapped up or in a bag for her when she comes. Next was knitting patterns from Just One More Row http://www.justonemorerow.com/ called 'Beautiful Bags', and a packet of embossed flower garden note cards, thank you. The next item I opened was bath accessories, a nice scrubbing mitt, body wash and body lotion. Then there was a packet of Parmesan cheese bred, oh so yummy it WAS, I have to see if I can find the same brand locally. There is a magazine I've not seen before from Garden Gate called Backyard Retreat that I had to thumb through last night and will go back to day. It is full of neat ideas for outdoor living including some wonderful sounding recipes. Last was my SUPER treat, three skeins, did you hear, three skeins, of Banana Silk Yarn. It is hand spun in Nepal and made from banana fibers. It is gorgeous and shinny and bright in color and has 150 yards to a skein. The texture is thick and thin and really soft. I've been dying to try knitting with this fiber yarn and already know what I'm going to knit. Either the Triangular sari silk bag at the Wool Peddler, http://www.recycledsilk.com/bags.html or the Unbiased recycled silk bag at Knitty, http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/PATTunbiased.html both bags are Stephanie Shirman designs.

I hope I haven't left anything out. I love everything and can't wait to get to know Alethea better. I already know she's such generous person.

Cast-On for Mystery Swap

Its time I started on the project for my partner in the WhoDuKnit Myster Swap. I've debated over something she would enjoy that could be made from one skein of yarn. Naturally I've looked through the new 'one skein' books and I've chased around the blogs looking for something interesting. I've finally decided. Last night I cast-on the stitches and knitted about two inches to see if I thought it would work out with the yarn she sent me for the swap. I think it will and hopefully I'll have a package ready for the post sometimes late next week. I'm not expecting to get much knitting done this week-end, just to much going on.

Today we will cut some of our beautiful iris and take for an exhibit at our local botanical gardens, Lewis Ginter. The gardens sponsor two plant sales each year and this week-end is the spring biggie. Iris rhizomes are not dug until late summer, early fall so our local iris chapter only has plants for sale at the fall sale so we're hoping this display of beautiful, colorful Iris will entice people back in the fall.

Tomorrow and Sunday is 'Arts In The Park' a yearly event in Richmond with hundreds of vendors and thousands of people. I love to go and spend most of a day seeing what these talented people are offering each year. Sometimes I buy, usually I look, but there is always something to wish for. My daughter also wants me to go with her and my granddaughter to the Children's Museum for a 'Princess Party'. I'd love to go just to see my princess dressed up like a princess. Perhaps there will be time.

Sunday we have a couple of garden tours to go to, then a picnic. Tonight I will make a pasta salad to take to the picnic. Here's the recipe I will use; it makes a huge bowlful and its so delicious.

Pasta Salad

For the salad mixture:
1-10 ounce box of pasta (your choice)
1 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 large green bell pepper OR yellow, red, or orange peppers, or a mix of colors
1 pint container of grape tomatoes OR 2 regular ripe tomatoes
3 scallions
1 small can of water chestnuts
1 small can of sliced black olives
1-14 ounce can of blacked peas OR black beans OR red beans

For the dressing mixture:
2/3 cup of GOOD olive oil
1/3 cup of tarragon vinegar
1 large or 2 medium cloves of fresh garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 or 2 drops of a hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon cumin (do not leave out, it's what makes the salad)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt

How To:
Make the dressing first, then while preparing the salad mixture, cook the pasta. This sequence makes everything come out in the order needed to mix the salad.

Dressing mixture:
In a small mixing bowl mix the olive oil, vinegar, garlic Dijon mustard, and hot pepper sauce. Whisk together until the mustard is blended well with the other ingredients. Add the cumin, sugar and salt and whisk until the cumin has dissolved into the oil and vinegar. Set aside to rest while the pasta cooks. When the pasta is cooked and cooled, whisk the dressing again then pour over the pasta. With a large slotted spoon, turn the pasta gently to cover all the pieces while not breaking the pasta.

Cook the pasta according to box directions or to your liking. When done, drain and cool by covering in cold water, then draining again. Have dressing ready to pour over pasta as soon as it is cool to keep it from sticking together.

Salad Mixture:• Wash the cilantro well to remove any dirt or grit then strip the leaves from
the main stem and let drain.
• Open the black olives, peas and water chestnuts; rinse the peas and water
chestnuts until all the foam is removed, then chop the water chestnuts.
• Rinse the scallions and chop fine, after removing the green blades and root.
• Wash the green pepper and dice into small pieces
• Wash the grape tomatoes and cut in half, or if using regular tomatoes, chop
into cubes
• Chop the cilantro leaves

Pour the pasta into a large mixing bowl. Add the cilantro and mix with the slotted spoon. Add the remaining ingredients turning with the slotted spoon until they are evenly distributed throughout the salad. Serve.

Any leftovers will keep in the refrigerator several days. Leftovers can be heated for a few seconds in the microwave if so desired; my husband does.

Knitting Exchanges & Iris Gardens

Dang it, there is never enough time from mid-March until mid-June to get everything done that I would like to do. If I knit I feel like I'm cheating on gardening, if I garden I feel like I am neglecting my knitting. I love each hobby so much that I want to give a 100% of my time to each of them and of course that isn't possible. Once the weather gets really hot, it was 'only' ninety degrees yesterday, I don't do a lot outside and of course from around Thanksgiving until mid-March it is to cold to work outside very much. If I could learn to managed my time, I would devote Mid-March through mid-June to gardening and the rest of the year to knitting but I'm sometimes a selfish person wanting all good things at all times; both knitting and gardening is a good thing to me.

I'm trying to decide which bag I am going to knit and felt for my Spring Felted Bag partner. I have a pattern (I won't say which) that I ordered from Knit-Pick planning to knit it for myself this of course hasn't happened yet. It is such a good looking bag I may decide to knit it for this partner. From reading her questionnaire she hasn't made or been given this one. However, this is an entirely different type bag from her others so perhaps it wouldn't be a good choice for her? Lo-the trials and tribulations of knitting for someone else but oh Lordy, how I love it.

I've heard from my upstream partner in the Knitter's Treat Exchange to let me know she/he hasn't forgotten me and that my package will be arriving from the US. She/He has been very thoughtful to post to my blog and let me know I'm going to be spoiled. Thank you "Partner' for this kindness. I think it is important to stay in touch with whomever you are partnered on these exchanges. No one wants to be left wondering if they've been forgotten or whether or not the upstream partner has reneged on their commitment.

This morning I finished up a shrug I knitted for my sister. Hubby has gone to the post to mail it for me right now. I really would like to post a picture of the shrug but I'm considering submitting it to Mag for a fall issue of the MagKnits magazine. I want to knit it once more and make a few improvements before I say for sure that I am going to submit it, but I love the way it looks. I want to knit it with a different yarn than the one I used this go-around and of course pay closer attention to noting for a pattern. Since I'm not going to post a picture of the shrug I will post something from our garden for you to enjoy.

The iris were popping like crazy in the heat this week. Our garden is about one-third at peak right now and would probably have peaked by the weekend except we are back to cold weather this morning. Yesterday was ninety-two degrees, today its fifty-seven; what a change. The iris are really telling us about the crazy season. Many of them are blooming down in the foliage or on very short stalks instead of putting up the tall stalks that identifies a tall bearded iris. The colors are still vibrant and its a joy to look out the window and see the many colors in bloom at one time. Mr. Rō and I love walking through the beds early in the morning with our first cup of coffee to see what is going to open each day, and again in the early evenings with a glass of wine and having the neighbors come over and join us to see what is in bloom. What a pity this excitement only last for a few weeks, it such a joyous time for us.

Gold Smoke, Snow Goddess, & Color Carnival Tall Bearded Iris

It has begun raining again. Shall I drive into Richmond and do the shopping that needs to be done or shall I knit. I think knit, its to chilly to be outside.

I'm Back To Gardening, Knitting, and Life in General

Cooking Mitt for Brother, unfelted at top and after felting below.


I haven't blogged in two weeks and the hardest part of blogging is getting started, at least that is hardest for me. Mr. Rō and I have been busy as bees these last two weeks. Our visit to GA was great, I think the best visit ever except for seeing my sisters become old, and for the family members who are sick. I visited both sisters and my brother and several of my nieces and nephews. My nieces and nephews prepared all our meals for the week except for three, can you believe that? What a wonderful family I have. Another one of my sister's lives in SC and drove down on Monday to spent four days with us enjoying the gatherings and going with us to visit an iris display garden in Warm Springs, right across the road from Roosevelt's Little White House. Another sister and her daughter were also with us and we had such fun introducing them to the 'Rainbow Flower'. Irises are called 'Rainbow Flowers' because of the many colors they bloom in, like the colors of a rainbow. Did you know iris bloom in all colors except for a true red and that, I believe, is not far away. Hybridizers are working on it continuously hoping to be the one to introduce the 'true red' iris. A gorgeous iris named 'Lady Friend' was one my sister coveted most and that I can understand, it is also one of my favorite. Lady Friend is a beautiful rosy- red colored iris that stands out in any garden and it is one we grow. When we dig in late summer we will reserve a piece of 'Lady Friend' for my sister and we will be sending a big box of rhizomes to my niece, Lou. Lou has a number of older iris in her garden so we plan to send some of the more modern ones and some of the re-blooming hybrids. She was fascinated to learn some iris are bred to bloom twice each year providing the climate is right and they are fertilized after the first bloom and kept watered throughout the summer.

My knitting gifts were a hit but there was a problem, I didn't have one for everyone, the family is 'way to big'. I still have one sister in Mississippi to knit something for to have given all the sisters and brother a hand-knitted item. Did you ask how many siblings I have? Well there were 'ten of us', eight girls and two boys; eight of us are still living. We lost our oldest brother to colon cancer three years ago, then next to our oldest sister to Alzheimer's disease in December. I'm the youngest at sixty-two. Anyway, when you start knitting for a family this size you need a lot of yarn and a lot of time. I have some hand-dyed mohair from our local fiber festival that will make a fine looking shawl for my sister, Lucy.

I mailed my Knitter's Treat package to Marianne, in Cambridgeshire, UK, before I left on vacation. I was afraid if I waited until I was back home it wouldn't be received May 5th, the cut-off date. The clerk at the PO advised me to send it fast post (doubling the cost of postage) or it could take up to six weeks to get there; it arrived at her door in less than a week. Visit Marianne's blog, www.picperfics.blogspot.com where she posted some photos of the package and has a lot of other photos along with her knitting blog.

I still have to knit my WhoDuKnit Mystery partner something from a skein of purple tweed, Cascade 220 yarn she sent to me. Any suggestions of a neat one skein project? I have a couple of ideas but am still thinking I may find something more interesting. I have already purchased the mystery book to go with this exchange and a couple of other items I think she might enjoy.

ITEIV is about to begin and I debated whether or not I would have time to knit one more bag; I am waiting to receive the name of my upstream partner in the 'Felted Bag Exchange'. I have loved bags and shoes since I was a little girl so I never pass-up a new one. With older sisters in the house there was always high-heal shoes, falsies, and pocketbooks to dress up in. Thank heavens I don't need the falsies anymore and high-heal shoes are no longer a part of my attire but I still love lots of shoes and lots of bags.

The rain that we had during the night and earlier today has stopped and the sun is out with humidity building.
Mr. Rō is already out in the garden working on the new beds he begin building for me yesterday. I had planned to knit this afternoon but will work in the garden instead; lots to be done, the 'Rainbow flowers' are beginning to bloom.

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane

One last post before vacation.

I have the goodies packed in my luggage and my knitting bag packed with a couple of projects, extra needles, and yarn. I anticipated holding a knitting class for nieces and niece-in-laws while I am visiting. The sister who taught me to knit is also coming for a visit at the same time, together we should be able to encourage some new knitters and we certainly will have a grand time discussing our knitting and other needlework. This sister loves machine embroidery and the two oldest sisters are the most fantastic quilters.

Several years ago they were invited to participate in the GA State Fair and there was a nice article written about them in the Atlanta Journal; a real treat for them. My two older sister are eighty-five and eighty. Each lives alone and the eighty year old is still able to drive herself to her quilting circle twice a week. Both make beautiful quilts and have made and given each of their children and grandchildren a quilt or two. The colors, names, and patterns of these quilts are amazing but even more than that are the stitches. Such tiny stitches and all straight in their lines and ever so neat. This circle of ladies have quilted together for years and know each other so well they can look at a quilt and tell you whose stitches are where. Amazing. I don't have the gift of quilting but my mother did and loved it as much as these older sisters do. In fact she taught us all to quilt but only these two older ones learned to love the craft so well. My mother's favorite needlework was tatting and hand embroidery. None of us girls learned to tat; now we all wish we had. Several of us embroidery and all except one sews, some extremely well and we all learned from our mother. I can't wait to see what has been hand made since I last visited. Oh us girls are going to have fun and so will Mr. Rō. The iris are blooming and he plans to dig and divide iris for one of the sisters while we are there. We plan to visit an iris display garden in Warm Spring, GA., home of President Roosevelt's Little White House. And - there are BIG SUPPERS planned; a bar-be-que with brunswick stew and homemade ice cream, a catfish fry with bar-be-qued chicken for anyone not liking catfish, a sitdown dinner at a newphew's new home, and a BIG Mid-day SUNDAY DINNER after church. It's always fun to relive some of those childhood days that are still so much a part of my family's life.

Rose Bag for Lou

Spring Felted Bag Exchange Questionnaire

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR FELTED BAG EXCHANGE

1. How long have you been knitting or crocheting? How did you learn.
My sister taught me to knit about 35 years ago. I knitted for a year or so and then off and on whenever someone needed new booties until about 3 years ago. When I picked up my needles this time, I kept knitting.

2. What are your favorite yarns to knit\crochet felted bags with?I haven't tried a great many yarns for felting. I have had very good results with Brown Sheep's' 'Lamb's Pride' and 'Nature Spun' wools but they take a bit longer to felt than some of the others. Cascade 200 knits up and felts quickly but doesn't give as steady a bag as some of the other yarns. Patons Classic Merion Wool makes a nice weight felted bag, felts rather quickly and holds up well but can pill. Knit Picks Peruvian Wool felts well and knits up nicely but can't speak for it long term. Elann's Peruvian Highlands Wool comes in lots of gorgeous colors, knits up well and felts well but may take an extra cycle in the wash – and – there isn't an extra inch in their balls so make sure you buy at least what a pattern calls for and an extra ball is not a bad idea. Overall I'd probably say Brown Sheeps, Elann's, and Patons are my favorites.

3. What are your favorite needles to knit\crochet with?
I am probably more of a needle snob than a yarn snob; I love good needles and like to try every kind available. Suzanne's Ebony Circulars is one of my favorites, then the Skacel Addi Turbos and Crystal Palace now has a very fine bamboo circular needle out. But, I must say, one of my very favorite is one of the most inexpensive needles on the market and that is the Bylene needles put out by Boyle. They have a sharp point, are lightweight and somewhat flexible, good for arthritic hands and arms.

4. What are the last 3 bags you knitted\crochetted (include URL for Yahoo! or flickr album or your blog if you have them!)? You can also link to patterns if you don't have pictures of your finished objects!
Gosh, the last bag I knitted was for my two year old granddaughter, an Easter purse out of white eyelash and acrylic yarn, no pattern, and it is posted on my blog, http://agardeningknitter.blogspot.com/ . The week before that I knitted a bag for my niece which I haven't posted yet but will post on my blog this week as well as on the Bag-A-Holic's web site. The third bag back was for ITE-III and it is posted on by blog on March 28th, as well as the Bag-A-Holic's web site. There are some this and that bags also on the Bag-A-Holic web site at http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/Bag-A-Holic/photos/browse/5ce5?m=l listed in June's album.

5. Do you carry the bags that you make, give them as gifts, or both?
Both.

6. What is your favorite felted bag that you have made for yourself?
Probably the first one I ever made, it is pictured on my blog. I still use it.

7. What are your favorite colors? Do you like bags in these colors or choose other colors? I love color and I also love a combination of two complementing colors such as black & white, grey & white, and navy & white put together.

8. Chocolate: White, Milk, Dark, or not so much?
Not so much. I'm more of a 'fruity' person, coconut, peanut butter, etc. Of the chocolates white, milk, or dark, I probably like them equally.

9. Coffee, Tea, or Milk?
Coffee, tea, then milk. Just plan good coffee, no flavors and Earl Grey or English Breakfast type teas. I do like Jasmine tea but I don't care for the herb or flavored teas.

10. Do you prefer sweet or salty treats? What kinds?
Oh, salty most definitely. Cheeses, nuts, crackers, chips, and mixes; you know, the fattening kinds of snacks.

11. If you went into Bath and Body Works and could only come out with one item, what would it be and what would it smell like?
Probably a good soap, lotion, or shampoo. I'm not into wearing fragrance very much. The smell would be fresh and clean and not heavy at all.

12. Do you enjoy any other crafts or hobbies? Do you collect anything?
I knit, garden, and read. I enjoy baking and cooking and I crochet, cross stitch and sew a bit.

I have a collection of Waterford crystal and use to collect teacups and teapots, and the Byers Choice Christmas Caroler Dolls. Now I'd rather give these things away rather than collect them.

13. Are there any bag patterns you have not yet knit, but hope to someday?
Lots of them. The Plentiful Pocket Tote, http://internationaltotexchangeiii.blogspot.com/ (March 21), and also one of the entrelac bags.

14. What is currently OTN (on the needles) for you?
Chris Bylsma's Crayon Box Jacket, and Lily Chin's Central Park Ribbed "CONVERTIBLE" Coat.

15. What is your most recent finished object before that?
Besides the purses I was working on, a ladies vest .

16. What's cutest: Puppies, Piggies or Pixies?
Puppies, I love them, especially Lhasa Apso's and Spaniels.

17. Do you enjoy reading? Books, Magazines, or both?
Both

18. Do you have any children? (kid-kind or pet-kind apply!)
A daughter, married with a daughter; a son, unmarried; and a Lhasa Apso named Maestro.

19. What are some of your favorite yarns for other projects?
I love soft and not scratchy yarns. If I'm going to wear it, I prefer it to not be wool or heavy cottons. I love trying any of the new fiber yarns.

20. And for the final question, one I see debated all over: Novelty Yarn: Love it! Hate it! or It depends!For the most part I don't like novelty yarns although I do think they have their place as an accent or way to embellish an item in some cases. I wouldn't say I hate them but I don't care to use or wear them much.

This is an early post, 3:15 a.m., but I finished my sleep and saw no need to stay in bed. I thought I'd get up and knit but decided I was hungry so made coffee and a bacon biscuit to share with Maestro; I want to not disturb Mr. Rō. If you are wondering why I am up so early, it's because I went to bed at 5:30 pm yesterday - all because of knitting. Actually what happened is, I received my partner's name for the Knitter's Treat Exchange yesterday afternoon and realized I should get the package in the post before we leave on Sunday for GA. We'll be away a week and I'm afraid the treat package might not make it to my partner on time if I wait. I don't want this to happen and have my partner wondering if I've forgotten her. These exchanges are wonderful fun but for anyone that hasn't experienced having a partner that doesn't interact with you, it's frustrating. Anyway, I took off for the local gift shop and the village yarn shop. This is Monday and we are a small village, so the gift shop was closed meaning I would have to drive into the city to get what I had in mind. I skipped the LYS and made the 17 mile drive, bought the items I had in mind (I won't tell what they are in case I'm found out) and took a walk around the mall. This is the first time I've been to a mall since I had started chemo and even though I'm not in treatment right now, I still don't have a lot of energy. Earlier in the morning I had cleaned the bathroom's linoleum floor, this was also a first time and without realizing it most of my energy for the day had been used up. By the time I got home I was totally exhausted and after trying to knit for a few minutes I decided I'd take a rest. Instead of a rest, I went to sleep and slept the night away.

I left a message on my downstream partner's blog and my upstream partner has made contact with me. Thank you Partner, for posting to let me know you are there.

Our weather is still very cold and we've lost the buds on some of the iris that had begun putting out in this pre-season warm weather. Hopefully they will recover and our bloom will still be good this year. My bleeding hearts were beautiful and they seem to have held on since they are in a sheltered area. The Helleborus of course don't mind the cold and look none the worse from the snow. I haven't been out to the vegetable garden where we had just set out another 25 strawberry plants and 25 'sweet onion' plants mid-week. Mr. Rō says the strawberry plants look okay but the onions are a bit droopy. I bought dahlia bulbs last week hoping to get them in the ground, perhaps its best that I wait another few weeks.

Think I have another cup of coffee and sort through my knitting for the trip.

Seedlings up for transplanting in another few weeks.

Easter 'Pocketbook'

This is a picture of my precious grand daughter in her little Easter dress and the 'pocketbook' that Grandmama-ma made for her. Isn't she cute, we adore her. I knitted the little bag and added a pink lining with kitty cats printed on it and filled it with candy, some change, and a bunny pen. I used velcro as a closure so that she could open and close the bag easily. Her mommie and daddy were taking her to the Easter Parade on the Avenues today to let her strut along with thousands of other people and their dressed up animals. It's a yearly event and always lots of fun with imaginative outfits (costumes), the Easter Bunny, music and dance, and of course lots of food vendors. I know she will have a grand time.

We had snow in Central VA, yesterday and it is so cold again; 21˚ at eight o'clock this morning. The sun is bright but it's mid-afternoon and still cold. The Easter Bunny won't hide too many eggs today I don't think.

I received a skein of yarn from my mystery swap partner this week and now have to figure out what to knit for her from one skein. It is Cascade wool so perhaps I'll knit something and then felt it. I love felting or fulling as some say, which is really the correct word but most people understand the word felting while not always understanding what fulling is. I 'm afraid the yarn I sent her isn't so forgiving as wool. I hope she won't mind too much. I sent a beautiful ball of On Line's Linie 11 Alpha yarn which is a DK weight. It was so soft and peachy I couldn't resist it.

I also bought some of Crystal Palace's Bamboozle this week thinking I would knit the socks on two needles with the whoduknit-knit-along. I haven't had time to start them so far but maybe before months end I will be able to begin them. The instructions for materials says Plymouth DK which I was unable to find in my area. I could have ordered, but needed to go by and see the women at my old LYS and of course that means buying something. The Bamboozle is beautiful and very soft. It is 55% bamboo, 24% cotton and 21% elastic nylon. Yum, not scratchy wool socks for me. Can't wait to use this yarn.

Knitters Treat Exchange Questionnaire Posted Below on March 29th

Knitting, Gardening & Maestor, the Lhasa Aposo

I've almost finished knitting the items that go with me to visit the family; I have about 15 rows left on a triangle shawl I'm knitting out of Crystal Palace's yarn, Shimmer. The drape is very pretty and I think it will make a nice wrap to wear with almost anything and anywhere. I hope my sister will like it. It's hard for me to know what my older sister will like because they are quite a bit older than I and we've not lived close enough together for the last 40 years to visit often. On the other hand, I feel very close to my nieces and nephew. I am the youngest child of 10 and there is a nephew and two nieces older than I. Knitting for the family has been a lot of fun. As soon as we return from the GA trip I will knit a bag for the friends we will be visiting in NJ at the end of May and then I'm going to be knitting for myself for a long period of time. I have several projects that need to be finished that I'm anxious to get back to. And oh, I almost forgot, I have the Whoduknit project to do for my partner which will take precedence over the others. Have to come up with something rather wonderful to knit from one skein of yarn.

The last couple of days have been beautiful here and we've taken advantage of them. Yesterday after we returned home from having another Pet-scan, Mr Rõ got the tiller out and worked in the vegetable garden for a couple of hours. I sat in the garage with the doors up and sorted through a few more un-packed boxes. Why am I doing this? The boxes have been setting in the same spot for two years, since we moved, and I haven't needed anything in them in all this time. Why do I need to go through them again; I should just pitch everything.

Today Mr Rõ tilled some more and I actually raked a few leaves from around the potting bench out behind the shed. I don't have the energy to do very much at a time but it feels so wonderful to be outside and watch my plants (which are still in pots from the move) putting out. Surprisingly they have survived two hot, dry summers in their little pots. I do hope to see them in the ground this year. We have a SDB (standard dwarf bearded) iris (photo of Plum Wine on side-bar) in bloom. This is really early for central VA and oh how 'The Head' has swollen. He took pictures and ask me to e-mail them to a couple of his male friends – bragger! These men are so funny when it comes to their iris, always wanting to beat the others at being first, having the most, having the last, having the only one. What fun.

Later this afternoon we setup some chairs under the cedar trees and I knitted while Maestro teased his dad. Maestro would pretend he to walk over to the property next door and wait for his dad would call him back. Of course Maestro pretended he didn't hear so his dad would get up and come to him. This baby is so like a child, sweet, smart (I think he has a college degree), and cunning. Tomorrow he goes to the groomer for a bath and haircut. He doesn't like the idea of going but once he is back home he is wild with excitement. What a charmer.

My ITEIII Bag Came Today

Today the postlady brought me a package and what a delight it held when I opened it. The long awaited bag from my partner in the International Tote Exchange. Her name is Jill and she lives in Manhattan Kansas. She made this wonderful felted bag for me after the first one she made took a dive on her in the washing machine. This one is a perfect size and shape for me, I love bucket bags. Inside the box with the bag was a 'heap' of nice things, great yarns, a pattern for knitting and felting a birdhouse, wool wash, a bookmark, a craft organizer, knitting needle holders, yarn bras (they hold balls of yarn, not boobs), and good things to eat. Chocolate covered sunflower seed, 20 flavors of jelly belly, a great big chocolate egg, pez, and microwave popcorn on the cob. Doesn't all this sound like fun? Thank you Jill for the great swap box you put together and most certainly for the extra effort it took to knit the second bag.

I Shoud Be Busy Knitting

I should be busy knitting since I've fallen behind with my knitting schedule. None-the-less, I wanted to post since its been a couple of weeks. I still don't have pictures of work in progress; perhaps I will get them ready to post in a couple of days. Gardening has been taking some of my time recently. The new bed is made for the strawberries and the plants are ready to go in later this afternoon. The iris beds are weeded, spots cut off the foliage, and bone meal and Snap Shot applied. Mr. Rō pointed out to me this morning that three bloom stalks were emerging from Eleanor Roosevelt, one of my all time favorite iris. This iris grows strong and vibrant in our garden and re-blooms for us in the fall. The warm days have really pushed the plants out of the ground. I noticed the dicentra (Bleeding Hearts) has a good growth start already and also the heuchera (Coralbells). The helleborus (Christmas & Lentne rose) have nice blooms on them. I lost a few of those plants last fall and was afraid I wouldn't have any to survive because they have not had proper care and are planted in heavy clay soil. How I long for my old garden now that spring is here. It would be popping with spring bulbs, the redbud, camellias, and the hardy clematis would be about to break into bloom...oh what a sweet fragrance as you turn into the driveway. It breaks my hear to think about leaving that wonderful garden.

I didn't receive good news from my Dr. on Tuesday. I was finished with my chemo-treatments in Feb. and just had a body scan to see if everything was ok. The cancer is not gone and I will have to have some additional treatments. Also, a problem has shown up in my lungs caused from one of the chemo medicines, that has to be dealt with first. I was so in hopes of being strong by spring and being able to create a beautiful flower garden. This is the third summer in this home and the landscape is still almost bare. I do get to knit and read more than I have in many years so I guess I shouldn't complain too much.

I will go now search Amazon for a new mystery for my WhoDuKnit partner and find a ball of yarn to send her to make something wonderful for me. These swaps are fun, could become addictive, I must watch myself.

Knitters Treat Exchange Questionnaire:

Knitters Treat Exchange Questionnaire:
1. What's your favourite type of yarn?
I love natural fibers and want to try some of the newer fibers that have recently hit the market like corn, soy, bamboo, banana, and hemp.
2. What's your least favourite type of yarn?
There are too many fabulous yarns on the market to have a particular favorite but I do love soft fibers, nothing stiff or scratchy.
3. What's the first thing you do when you visit a new yarn shop?
Look and Listen. I want to see what they stock, the amount of variety, and the pricing, but probably more important to me is the people who work the shop. I want to see a knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly staff if I going to give them my business.
4. What other crafts do you do / would like to do?
I crochet, cross stitch, hand embroider, sew, bake, and live flower arranging. Do you count baking and flower arranging crafts or hobbies?
5. What magazines do you currently subscribe to?
I tend to change every year or so depending on how well I enjoy my subscriptions. At present I receive Fine Gardening, Horticulture, Interweave Knits, Knit n Style, and Knitter's
6. Put this type of magazine in order of preference:Knitting / Crochet / Other Craft / Food / Home / Fashion / Celebrity Gossip / Garden Knitting, Garden, Home, Food, and Crochet, Fashion, Other Craft, Celebrity Gossip.
7. What items do you like to knit / crochet?
I love knitting and felting hats and bags, love to knit and wear shawls, and enjoy knitting cardigans and pullovers. I have never knit a pair of socks or gloves but have knit and mittens.
8. Are you allergic to anything?
So far, no.
9. What do you like to* smell of?(*This is not a typo. The question is: What do you like to smell of) Nice clean smelling soaps.
10. What's your favourite way to relax?
Sitting in front of a fire or on the patio with husband, good friends and a good glass of wine.
11. You're stood in front of a Victorian style sweetshop, an Italian cafe, an old fashioned bakery and a dainty tea room. Where do you go first?
The dainty tea room.
12. What do you come out with?
A satisfied and relaxed feeling.
13. Where do you go next?
Home or on to whatever else is on the agenda. I wouldn't feel I needed any more food at this time.
14. Any other words of wisdom for your pal?
My motto is perseverance. It has served me well throughout life. I was taught this little poem in middle school and have often recited it to my children, nieces, and nephews hoping it would encourage them to never give up, but to keep going after what they wanted to accomplish.

Perseverance can you spell it
And it's meaning can you tell it
Trying once and twice and three times
Yes, a hundred and even more times
I can spell it, I can spell it
And it's meaning I can tell it.

A Busy Saturday

Winter has returned to VA.
On Thursday we had 80˚ weather, today we had 30˚ weather, what a change! When I awoke this morning my plans for the day was to felt the kitchen mitt I knitted last night and to finish attaching the handles on a purse that's been hanging around for awhile. Not either was accomplished. I decided to drive into the city to find a pretty button for a purse I knitted on Sunday and to buy material to use for a lining. The button I found, the material I didn't. Next a stop for lunch at a wonderful Pakistani restaurant before stopping at the craft store to buy some Patons Wool yarn. How I love Indian and Pakistani foods.

My friend, Sibaha and I have had some great times teaching each other to cook our native foods. We have spent entire summer afternoons in my kitchen learning from one another. She, showing me how to cook a Pakistan recipe and I in return, teaching her to bake the American deserts her family loves so much. Sibaha cooks the very best middle-eastern food; better than any restaurant. She blends the spices and hotness together so well that you always want more. The most amazing thing she taught me was how to know when the spices and sauces were ready for the main ingredients to be added. When I ask her how could I tell when it was ready, her reply was "when it smells right". At the time she made the remark I thought it to be the most asinine reply anyone could give me but with her patients and good sense of humor, I soon found out that's exactly what you do. You nose learns to pick up the fragrance of the fully cooked spices and sauces to let you know its time to continue with the next step.

Today was our local Iris Society meeting and was the first meeting I've attended for some time. Mr Rō attended some meetings without me and was pleased to have me come along today. I was awfully tired when I returned home after a full morning of 'yarning around' and an afternoon of planning an iris exhibition. Still, it feels good to be getting out once more.

Tomorrow I plan to do the things I didn't get done today, plus see my daughter and granddaughter, Dariana. I have to make an I-cord and seam up the little purse that my daughter ask me to make for Dariana's Easter. It is so prissy, I'll have to post a photo once it is finished. I can't wait to hear Dariana say 'oh-ooh', then 'grandma ma, it's soft' What a joy she is!

Knitting Fun

What fun it is to share our knitting skills with others.
Having a stressful IT job I found knitting during my lunch break to be relaxing. Many people in my agency had noticed this and seen my work and 'wished' they could knit and so our Human Resource Div. arranged for me to teach a 'Learn to Knit for Stress' class during lunch hours. Because of shortness in time, I broke the class up into six parts over three weeks and what fun we had. Everyone learned to knit and finished a project or was on their way to finishing it by the last class. We decided to continue the group and meet twice weekly to knit, chat, and continue learning. Some of these ladies turned into wonderful knitters and although several of us have retired, there are still a couple of the ladies left to knit during their lunch breaks. Also out of this group came a couple of knit meets. I haven't been able to attend either but I understand that one of the groups in particular has a great time each week at their Knitting Laugh-in. But guess what, during my long winter of chemo-treatments several of these ladies have come to visit and 'sit & knit' with me during times when my resistance was not to low to have visitors. These ladies also made chemo hats for me and a prayer shawl and brought me books and Cd's to occupy my times. What a huge pay-off I've received for spending a few hours to teach someone a craft that I loved. Even more important is the friendships that have been established and having them continue even though we no longer work together. Knitting is like that, bringing people together. The logo we chose to use as a knitting group at work, 'K2TOG' has truly fit this group perfectly.

Iris Gardening

Today was a beautiful day, sunny, warm, a little breeze –almost perfect. Mr. Rō worked in the iris garden most of the day while I ran into town to buy potting soil and material to make a new raised bed. Our work will begin in earnest from now through the fall with first the iris beds, then the vegetable garden, and in-between putting in new perennial beds, adding some trees and shrubs, and keeping the grass cut.

When we moved to this property two years ago in June, there was a drought and while we waited for rain so the soil could be broken up and for amendments to be trucked in, our iris baked in the garage. We had dug over 500 varieties from our previous garden to bring with us to our new home. Each iris had its name written on the foliage and its garden marker was place along with it in a brown paper bag. The outside of the bag was then labeled and grouped into decades. What a lot of work went into building this garden but by the end of July we finally had all the iris planted and garden markers in place in plots of 10 year intervals. It was so hot and dry and my husband worried continuously if the plants would survive the digging in May, baking in June, planting in July and the long summer drought. He had taken particular care of some first year seedlings he had hybridized and was waiting to see if one of them would make the grade. For these a new raised bed was built and became their home while he monitors them for the next few years. We were thankful that the winter wasn't very cold and for the rain that finally came in late fall and again in late winter. As soon as the weather broke in March Mr. Rō was out weeding, fertilizing and worrying about rot. We had been without rain all summer and now we were getting too much for the iris to survive in our clay soil.

To our surprise, we had beautiful bloom starting in early May. In late May we flew to Portland, Oregon for the National Iris Society's Annual Meeting and had three full days of touring such wonderful gardens as Cooley's, Schreiner's and several other smaller, but very impressive gardens. We toured the garden in the rain, bus load, after bus load, after bus load of people tracking through the iris. What miserable fun! We extended our vacation and traveled into Washington Sate and even over to Canada to the Buchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia. We returned home in June and were relieved to have enough rain during our second summer to keep the iris healthy. In August, iris were dug and divided from this first year garden, and given to our local Iris Society for their annual fund raiser. Everyone teased my husband that he had West Coast rhizomes because they were so large and healthy. The bottom of that drained fish pond scraped up, delivered, and spread in the iris bed had paid off and when fall rolled around our re-blooming iris surprised us by putting on a big show of bloom stalks. Sadly, most of them never made it to flower because of our early frost. Still, what a wonderful 'Iris Year' we had. Now we must work toward making the second year a success.
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Ramblings on Knitting & Gardening

I have lots of knitting to finish within the next month for my plans stay on track but I need a couple of days break to help Mr. Rō put the house back in order now that he has finished painting. I have curtains to hem and hang for the bedroom but that will have to wait a little longer, don't think I'm up to dealing with that yet.

Yesterday after going to the post and mailing the ITE bag, we stopped by our local feed and seed store. I wanted to buy strawberry plants but they didn't have them in stock yet. They did have seed potatoes, a few collard plants, and a few 'bushes'. It always tells me something to hear someone call shrubs 'bushes', but we do live in the country now (or somewhat the country). I bought peat cups and disk and plan to sew some seeds later today and have them ready for transplanting as soon as it warms up enough. Our last frost date is March 15, only a week away, but generally we have a few late frosts; the weather will still be cold. I won't set out tomato plants until sometimes mid-to-late May. My brother will have tomato plants for me when we visit him in GA next month. I hope I can manage to get them back to VA on the plane but who knows now security being what it is; don't misunderstand me, I am thankful for the security. I use to fly to GA for a visit and come home with a shopping bag setting between my feet, full of plants. I do want to bring back some plants from the 'old home place' and from my sister's yards to go in the new gardens we have to create. I had lots of 'family' plants at the previous home and it was such a joy to care for them and remember each family member that gave them to us as we walked through the garden.

Now that the ITEIII bag is out of the way I have started knitting on another bag, as well as a biscuit cover and will knit a felted mitt to go with the biscuit cover. I will post pictures when there is more time and as I am nearer completion. I'd like to post some pictures of pervious projects if I am ever organized enough to do that.
I love seeing the projects on other blogs and hearing about the despair and accomplishments of others. My husband likes to tease that I pull out as much as I knit. Actually that isn't quiet true but I do like to have a completed project that I am proud of, one that is wearable if it is clothing, or one that doesn't reside in the closet because it turned out to be a circle instead of a square. Besides, the cost of yarn is such that I can't afford to throw it in the trash or hide it in a closet. So, for now I am back to knitting on the bag to be used as a gift to a GA relative next month.

Internationa Tote Exchange Project Mailed

It's been awhile since I've posted and a lot has been happening. First and foremost, I finished my bag for the ITE-III and put it in the post today. It should arrive at its New Owner's door on Saturday, but no later than Monday. I paid an extra 50¢ to have confirmation of delivery, well worth that amount I think, since there seems to be some problems 'someplace' with deliveries.

The last photo I posted of the bag was at the completion of the bag's body. I ran into some problems with joining different colors of yarn at the beginning of a round in a slipped stitch and had to tweak it a bit; no problem (other than a good bit of time) the bag turned out beautifully as I expected it would. I added the button closure and a gorgeous lining and filled it with goodies that I hope my partner will enjoy. It was actually hard to give the bag up and I thought for sure my daughter was going to convince me to send a different bag so she could have this one; she gave it her best when trying to convince me. My husband took pictures and declared, should I want to participate in the next exchange I should go ahead and knit the bag and have it ready to go (as if I don't have a half-dozen other projects in progress right now).

The exchange has been fun and I've enjoyed reading the blog each day and seeing the excitement from other members as they give and receive their bags. I would want to participate in the next exchange using some of my own ideas for a creation. I'll stay tuned.