Fall Felted Bag Contest 1-2-3

Here's my entry for the Fall Felted Bags 1-2-3 Contest.

1. Post on your blog, and give us SOME kind of secret "Bag in Progress" photo. You could share your yarn before you started, or a close up of your knitting, or the patterns you pondered when you began, or what you're still pondering.

Actually, I'm still pondering although I've started on the bag. I have to knit a few rows on the body to see if it what I have in my head, if not I'll have to revert to someone else's pattern.

2. Post a link to the blog of one other swapper that you 'met' and have continued to read through the 3-2-1 contact post.

http://knitmetotheendoftime.blogspot.com/ and http://capesoxknitter.blogspot.com/2007/08/lots-to-see.html

I'm posting two addresses I've been reading frequently. Capesoxknitter was my pal in the Spring swap and is using the same pattern for her pal this time around. How neat. Knitmetotheendoftime or some reason interests me.

3. Post a link here telling me you entered. I'm posting an update today on the FFB Blog that I've answered the questions .

4. Do this no later than September 23rd. Today is September 16th, I'm making progress on meeting deadlines.

Time Runs Out

Christmas Around The World Questions:
1. Are you religious? I don't go to church or participate in an organized religion any longer. I feel each person has to find their own peace (which I have) and live life according to their personal beliefs, not those of someone else. I also believe the 10 Commands are a good source to frame one's life around (my personal beliefe).
2. How long have you been knitting? Would you consider yourself a Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced? I've been knitting forever it seems but not on a non-stop basis until about the last four or five years. I consider myself to be an intermediate knitter, maybe a bit better.
3. Do you have any other hobbies besides knitting? Lots, I love to bake and cook, love to garden, and I do a bit of all kinds of needlework except for tatting. I have a collection of Waterford Crystal and I love good cookbooks and knitting books and, I do a lot of reading. I love all of Pearl Bucks works and Daphne Du Maurier's, too. More modern authors that I enjoy are Anne Rivers Siddons (I'm a sourhern girl), Amy Tan, Lisa See, and Rosamunde Pilcher.
4. Favorite color(s)? I truly don't know, I just love color. The jewel tones are wonderful, reds, purples, greens, blues, but I also love browns, grays, navy, and black.
5. Do you collect anything? I collect Waterford crystal, my pattern is Curraghmore.
6. Are you allergic to any fibers or animals? No, not allergic but don't enjoy receiving items covered in dog or cat hair (which has happened a few times).
7. Do you have any pets? Yes, an eleven year old Lhasa Apso named Maestro; one of the loves of my life. Lhasa's do not shed hair.
8. Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate? Coffee, but not flavors - just good coffee like Blue Mountain from Jamaica or Duncan Donuts, I don't like Starbucks.
9. Cookies or Sweets? I love good homemade cookies while they are still warm or candy full of nuts. I don't buy many American brand name cookies anymore; they've had all the 'good stuff' taken out of them.
10. Do you knit socks? No but I will get around to it someday just to be able to say I have knit them.
11. If not socks then what? (tell us about your favorite knits) I love felting and knit both hats and bags. I also love shawls which I wear and I like knitting sweaters but not necessarily the finishing process.
12. Do you put up a Christmas tree? If not then what do you do? I've always had some type of tree and often times several. One year when I was having lots of houseguest for Christmas, I even put them in the bathrooms. Generally though, I only have one and they have gotten smaller as I've gotten older. Now with a granddaughter I expect that is going to change.
13. Favorite holiday treats? Toasted nuts, fresh coconut cake, white chocolate, nut, and cranberry shortcake cookies, peanut brittle, Carmel corn; all homemade and fresh.
14. Favorite holiday smells? Evergreens and cinnamon.
15. Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional or unconventional way? Please elaborate. For our family we have 'our' tradition which starts shortly after Thanksgiving with baking cookies and making candy. I try to always arrange a time when my son is home for the weekend and he, my daughter, and me all bake together; what fun we have and we get most of our baking done in a day. On Christmas Eve we have our traditional dinner, fondue. We make big pots of cheese with imported cheeses and have pots of hot oil for cooking shrimp, chicken, and steak. We make several sauces for dipping and add a good French bread for dipping in the cheese. We have a special white wine that we use in the cheese fondue and buy plenty to go with our meal. This is one meal where we sit around the table for a couple of hours enjoying the family on a special night. Once everyone has eaten the last bite they can possibly put in their stomachs, we go to the living room and share our gifts. Santa doesn't come until Christmas morning and he fills everyone's stocking, child, doggies, adult, and guest and he leaves the children toys and the adults presents under the tree. We get up early to see what Santa has brought then later have a huge breakfast of country fried ham, red-eyed gravy, and biscuits along with grits or hash browned potatoes, eggs, extra sharp Vermont cheese, and homemade jams. Normally that is about the end of Christmas at our house but last year it changed a bit. I wanted something special because I was in the middle of my chemo treatments, really sick and wanted something special for the family. My son took over my kitchen and cooked a special Christmas dinner for us. We had a standing rib roast (he cooked it perfectly) with butter roasted new potatoes, bundled green beans, and a fresh wild green salad. Yum… This was so enjoyable that we plan to do it again this year. Whereas all this use to take place at 'home' we now go to my daughters for Christmas Eve dinner and opening gifts. We all spend the night so that we can see our granddaughter when she wakes on Christmas morning and we have breakfast before we leave. It's wonderful, all of it.
16. What are your favorite holiday traditions? The most important is having our family together. Then giving each child an ornament on Thanksgiving night, our baking together, and the Christmas Eve Fondue party. There is also the special night when my husband and I gather all the gifts we have and wrap them. We have a fire and open a bottle of wine and wrap until we are exhausted.
17. Finish the sentence: “For me Christmas is all about loving one another”
18. If you were a Christmas ornament you would be? A Santa because that's what catches the children's eye?
19. What was your favorite gift you've ever received? Or given? Gosh, I really don't know if you mean material things. I always say to my children that I don't want anything (and actually mean it) except for us all to be together and love one another. Of course they never listen to me and I don't practice what I preach when it comes to giving to them.
20. When do you start your Christmas? We bake early, usually the first or second weekend in December depending on how the weeks fall in a particular year. Our tree usually goes up two weekends before Christmas. Gift buying starts earlier each year because as we get older it takes us longer to do those things and we can't enjoy the crowds like we did when we were younger.
21. Do you send Christmas cards? Do you make them or buy them? We send lots of Christmas cards because we have a large family and lots of friends that we want to share greetings with. I always buy the cards; I'd never get them made if I had to make that many.
22. What is your favorite Christmas dish? Oh, there are too many to name but some foods that always come to mind when I think of Christmas are my mother's fresh ambrosia with fresh coconut in it and her fresh coconut cake. My dad always cracked the coconuts after removing the juice through the coconut's eyes, then peeled and grated it. He also cracked all the pecans we used at our house during the holiday season and we used lots.
23. Carolers are at your door. What do you do? Smile with joy, listen to them sing then offer them whatever Christmas goodies we have in the house.
24. When do you open presents? Christmas eve or Christmas morning? The actual gift opening is on Christmas eve but Santa always leaves a couple of gifts to be opened on Christmas morning.
25. Do you celebrate with family or friends or both? Always family and usually friends too.

I Haven't Knitted For A Week!

I'm not lost, just busy. Spring and fall are such busy times for gardeners and it has certainly hit me hard this year. I love it so, but a day of digging or manning a plant sale is really taking it's toll me this year. I'll tell you all about my exhausting, fun filled, working days next time I post.

NO KNITTING has taken place in the last week and am I ever behind. I'm hoping I'll be able to knit the weekend away while I am resting up then, I'm off on another round of my life. Tell you about that next time.

Eating On The Stree, Knitting Machines,and Digging Iris

Busy, always busy. Yesterday DH and I drove into the city take my prescription for new lens to be put into my current frames, they should be ready the first of next week then we'll go in again to pick them up. I'm not minding the two trips because it means we get to 'eat on the street'. When we worked downtown we would join hundreds of other people during the lunch hours to buy lunch from the street carts then find an empty bench in one of the parks or someplace on the street to eat. The cart we frequented the most was 'Christopher's Run-away Gourmet' a salad cart serving wonderful pasta salads, tuna and tarragon chicken salads, and a few others along with fruit, cheese and french bread; all deliciously fresh and flavorful. Hubby's suggestion of lunch on the street was well received by DW.

Tonight we are attending a wedding reception for our longtime friend's daughter. The family is originally from Pakistan and we've been friends since shortly after their arrival in the US back in the 80's. The wedding was held week before last in Jamaica, then the honeymoon, and now we friends are joining them and their families for a Pakistani reception. I know from past experiences of attending Pakistani functions with our friends, this will be a treat to attend. We've joined one another for celebrating holidays both American and Pakistani over the years and its always been enjoyable for our family as well as theirs. How wonderful it is to be friends with this family.

DH and I are about to start our fall digging for the bearded iris rhizome sale to be held at the Botanical Gardens next weekend. It's lots of work but we enjoy it and we'll enjoy being at the Botanical Gardens for the sale along with a few hundred other plant vendors and a zillion people coming to buy. The sale starts on Thursday afternoon for members of the Botanical Gardens and is then open to the public on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I have to leave my $$ at home, there will be too much to tempt me otherwise.

We are almost through the first week of September so I've begin thinking about a gift to send my pal in SP-11. Today I will put it together and have it ready to mail when I decide on a day. I don't like to wait until the last minute to do my exchange s. I don't want my partners to feel they have been forgotten by waiting until the last minute to think about what I plan to do and then being late to follow through. If I sign up for an exchanges the least I can do is, 'do it right'. I've never send things that are laying around, or things that have already been used and shows it, or bags that have been knit so long and left in a shop window that the outside has faded a half-dozen shades lighter than the inside of the bag and is splotchy on the outsides. I recently received such a package and I'm still so hurt that this could happen to anyone, not just me. And, it wasn't as if this person couldn't have done better, she certainly knows how to knit well (she has patterns published), certainly had access to yarn and other knitting products (she owns a knitting shop), and certainly had the time, (at least the same amount that everyone else participating had). My point is I want to be kind to the person I am treating and send them the kinds of things that I would be happy to receive, not just something to put in a box. Generally I have been well treated and my partners are a treasure to me, especially those who still keep in touch. The purpose of these exchanges is to make new friends who have an interest in knitting and/or crochet. The gift part is to 'make your new friend feel special'.

I've been in the yarn stash again looking and changing my mind over the colors, or the yarn, I want to use for the Fall Felted Bag I should get started on. I'm spending too much time doing this when there are so many other projects on the needles or waiting to go on the needles. This week I've even though it might be nice to have a knitting machine to help out. I've never used one and don't know enough about them to know if I would want to use one. Is there anyone out there that can share your experience with me about "yes I love my knitting machine" and what kind it is, or "no, I hated my knitting machine" and why? I can share an e-mail address with you if you'd like me to.

Time for me to get busy with thoughts of what to wear tonight. I've not worn any of dressy clothing since before my chemo-treatments and most no longer fit. I've lived in pants, jeans, and shorts for over a year now, waiting, waiting, waiting to see whats around the corner. I don't want to buy new clothes yet and since I no longer work I'll continue wearing pants, jeans, and shorts most of the time. Still, one can't go to a party dressed this way so I must get up and pull something out of the closet that can be put with something else and come up with a suitable wardrobe for the evening. I bet I can.

Local Knitting Now That Labor Day Has Come and Gone

On Sunday DH, Maestro, and I packed our bags and went to a nearby park with lots of walking trails for a out-of-the-bag lunch and a nice little hike; my first hike since the chemo. I used the bag that Jennifer http://www.whatididatschooltoday.com/ made for me during the Spring Felted Bag Swap to carry our lunch and my knitting, just in case. Surprisingly the park was empty when we arrived, a surprise but a very nice one. The trail we took carried us down a steep bank to the river and along the river, then back up. By the time we got back to the top, there were several baseball and softball games in progress, I'm glad we went early. I was afraid I'd have trouble climbing and I would have to sit it out but since most of the climbing was at the end, I made it back and almost to the car before I HAD TO sit down. Maestro and me sat flat on the grass and waited for DH to fetch the car for us. Maestro is eleven years old and the hike took its toll on him too. We had a thermos of cold water (he likes ice in his drinking water) with us all the way and we we would stop and let him drink and rest and we took his collar and leash off and let him walk with us at his desired pace. He loved it, the freedom and all the smells in the woods. When we got home he zonked out for the rest of the day until late evening when he heard those last scrabble tiles come out of the bag. Then he was up for his routine walk after a scrabble game. We haven't been able to tell how he knows when those last two or three tiles are about to be played, but he does, he never misses.

Yesterday, DD called and asked me to meet her and Dariana at Crate and Barrel to shop for some household items and then for lunch. Since I needed a wedding gift for a wonderful friend's daughter, I had already planned to go shopping on Monday anyway. This meant I could buy a wedding gift and see my tow favorite girls at the same time. Dariana said "We are having an all girls day grandmama." She is such a precocious two year old and has such a vivid imagination. She is already telling 'pretend stories', yesterday it was about her daddy falling down the stairs and her helping him up by lifting him from under his arms. This was all pretend, daddy has not fallen down the stairs.

I'm expecting my package from LittleKnits today. I can't wait to see some of the yarns I ordered with labels I haven't bought before and then there is the Nora I bought to make a bag with.

We didn't have our knit group last night since it was Labor Day and several of us had things planned with our families. Tonight will be Knit Night at Holly Springs and it will be the first time in the new shop. I do want to try and go; I know most of the regular group of ladies will try to be there and it'll be fun to be with everyone. Kathy is making a lot of changes with her shop besides the physical move and I know its all going to be a big success. Why don't you go over and visit her blog and web-site http://www.hollyspringhomespun.com/ and perhaps order some of her Scarlet Fleece http://www.scarletfleece.com/patterns.php . She is also making a big effort to promote VA grown wools which I complement her on. We have a several local alpacas farms in our county, one farm being about a mile from my home, and Kathy is giving space in her shop to introduce some of these alpaca products. It's amazing what you can find in some small villages. While many yarns shops can't make a go in a large city, Holly Springs seems to be going strong and we have some wonderful little restaurants and a nice Bed and Breakfast in our village.

It's almost noon, time to eat!

SP-11 - Contest #2

# 2 Contest – SP-11

1. What is the one knitting accessory you could not live without?
It would have to be needles and yarn since they are the necessary components for knitting – besides, I do love a pair of good needles and I'm always looking for a brand or material different that those I already have. I love my ball winder and swift and would hate to be without either of those but I'd have to say 'the one thing' would be the good needles.

2. If you're heading on vacation, do you take knitting with you? If so, how much and what type of project?
Yes, I always take my knitting and the project depends on what I'm working on at the time. Generally I take more than one project as well as materials for something new just in case I get bored. I usually slip in a few knitting books and magazines and a catalog or two also (be prepared).

3. Where have you traveled to that you'd consider your favorite spot?
Probably some of the smaller countryside villages in Great Britain, but then I love theater so I can't leave out Niagara-on-the-Lake in Canada or Stratford, Canada for Shakespeare's theater productions. For nature and the outdoors I would have to say Costa Rica. Gosh I can't pick just one.

4. What is your favorite knitting book at the moment? Do you own it?
Probably the one I go to most often when I'm looking for a 'how-to' is The Knitting Answer Book by Margaret Radcliffe and I do own it.


5. Do you listen to pod casts? Which is your favorite(s)?
I've listened to a few but I find they move to slowly and take too much of my time, I don't really enjoy listening.

6. If you could only knit with 1 color for the rest of your life, what color would that be?
What an awful thought, one color. I'd probably choose ecru being of the conservative nature. I'd want something that I could use with other colors but would still stand on it's own if used alone. Heaven's that would be so boring, lets add greens, purples, reds, and blues for variety.

7. If you were far into a project and then noticed a mistake near the beginning what would you do?
Cry! Then run to my FYS and beg for help.

8. Where is the most unusual spot you've ever knit?
I'll have to think on this one I've knit in so many different places. I've knitted on airplanes, trains, buses cars, and on a water ferry and a cruise ship. I've knitted in doctor and dentist offices, in the hospital waiting rooms and while in a hospital bed, at the cancer center and in a chemo-chair while taking treatments. I've knitted in vacations cottages, condos, and hotel rooms and the lobby. I've knitted at work, while visiting family and friends (no it wasn't rude and never looked rude; I am very conscious about those kinds of things) in a public garden and beside the pool. To me, none of these are unusual. My favorite spot to knit is beside the hearth in my recliner.

I'm ashamed!

I'm ashamed. I bought yarn again, a lot; it was on sale. I could envision what I would use it for and it was the best price I've ever seen on Paton's Merino or Cascade 220. Both were on sale for $3.99 and for once there was lots of colors in stock. I went to buy a mere two skeins of Paton's Really Red and was about to walk out of the store when I noticed a sticker on a skein of Cascade 220 for $3.99. You know that caught my attention since it usually runs $6.99. I decided I could use their red instead and would be saving almost the price of of the second skein. Then I decided that it would be a good time to buy the Cascade 220 that is used in the entrelac purse on my to-do list. For once they had the lime green and bright yellow that I want to use in stock so I put those in the basket along with the hot pink and bright aqua. About that time I noticed $3.99 on some skeins of Paton's while others had $5.99 on them. I ask the clerk and she said they hadn't gotten around to marking it all down but it was all the same price, including the new stripes. So…. I wanted to pick up something brown for one of my sisters a bag; but I've already knitted something for her, And if I knit her a bag I should probably knit the other five a bag also, or a hat, or something And then DD has ask for a new bag And I'd like to make one for myself…And, I probably won't ever find this on sale this 'cheap' again so I really should go ahead and stock-up…..And I did. I am determined I want go into a yarn shop or store and look at yarn again until I have knitted at least back to where I was on Thursday morning. To top this, I had just placed an order on-line with Little Knits on Wednesday night; Nora yarn is on sale.

I have been knitting off and on every day and night trying to catch-up and finish-up the projects I have on the needles and I cast on for the Red Hat. That will be a quick project so I will probably go ahead and get it out of the way then I can mark it off the to-do list.

This is the most beautiful day we've had in ages. It looks like fall with the sun casting longer shadows and a nice little breeze blowing. I drove into Richmond this morning so I could shop at Kroger and it was such a perfect ride in and back home. I stopped at Courtier Café on the way in to have a cup of coffee, having a second cup just so I could sit and look out the window. Courtier Café is really a coffeehouse and this one just opened this morning. I was on my way to the one a couple of miles on in when I noticed tables outside and looked to see they were now open. Generally it won't make a lot of difference which one I stop at except for mornings like today when I didn't have my coffee at home. The reason why is, someone had opened the can of coffee before I bought it and I didn't know it until I took the lid off to make coffee. I was ticked! Why would someone be so mean and inconsiderate? DH used what was left in the can we had (about ¼ cup in place of ½ that I normally use) and made what we call Georgia coffee which I couldn't drink. We call it Georgia coffee because it is so weak it has no flavor. I know this isn't a true picture of my home state's coffee making, but that's how my older sisters make coffee now that they are older. When we visit some of my sisters, it's not uncommon for us to make two pots of coffee, one for them and one for us.

Tomorrow is going to also be a beautiful day and although I don't especially like traveling on holidays, I would like for us to take advantage of the weather and go on a short hike and take a picnic along. I haven't mentioned it to DH yet but I know he'll be all for it, especially with the word 'hike' connected to it. We'll take Maestro along and he'll love running along a wooded path stopping to smell all the earthy things around. He will be in control, we'll walk when he does and stop when he does. I love grilled hotdogs in the fall so maybe I'll pick up some up and we can throw a small grill in the car and grill them late in the afternoon just before dusk. Sounds like fun doesn't it?

I posted the questions for SP-10's second contest earlier today. Hope I win.

Playing In The Yarn Stash

I have to hurry and get this posted if I get everything done that needs to be today. It's late afternoon and I still haven't gotten in the pool for my exercises yet and I haven't picked up my knitting needles today either. I've spent the biggest part of this afternoon cutting grass. The downpours we had a couple of nights last week wasn't enough to allow some of the surrounding counties to have their water rationing lifted, but it was just enough to cause the grass to grow at a rapid pace. It hasn't been a full week since I rode the mower an entire afternoon cutting while DH used the hand mower and weed-whacker. I will have to cut outside the fence out back tomorrow, I gave out of steam today. The only other thing I've done today worth a toot was answer some e-mails and do a bit of straighten up around the house. I did sit awhile with my neighbor when she came over this morning.

Yesterday I pulled out a bunch of my wool yarns to see what I had on hand and if I had enough for all the projects I'm getting ready to start. Yes, I'm going to start a few more since the stole is progressing along well and the afghan has had a few more rows added to it. I played in the yarn putting colors up against each other and stacking and re-stacking to see if I could come up with a different color combination that would be exciting. I declare, it was as much fun as playing house used to be. I was surprised at how many different shades of purple, plum, grape, etc. I have. Although I like purples, I didn't realize I have more yarn in that color than any other. Next was ecru but that wasn't a surprise to me. I like the neutral ecru alone or especially in combinations with browns. After I'd played in the yarn, I pulled out a couple of books and wished awhile and I really enjoyed looking through 200 Knitted Blocks again by Jan Eaton. I've had in the back of my mind to someday make a knitted quilt using these designs as squares. It is so easy for me to while away time looking at knitting books and magazines.

I have to post my questions and answer for the contest being held by the Fall Felted Bag Exchange. Don't want to be left out; it has to be posted by Sept. 2nd. All the exercise I am getting here is in the fingers, now I must go kick my legs awhile before I make dinner. Tonight its is going to be lasagna.

Fall Felted Bag Assignment

I was been busy with my family over the weekend. Christopher was home, always a treat, and Dariana and parents were out for the afternoon and evening on Saturday, another treat. I decided on Friday to do a Mexican menu for dinner on Saturday so DH and I went and purchased a pork lion after my doctor appointment on Friday morning (more on this below). Yesterday Christopher and I started early, chopping vegetables and meat, then browning them quickly to go in the crock pot. We were making Chili Verde; a chili using the vegetable tomatillos, and lots and lots of chilies, garlic, onions, cilantro, spices and pork, simmered in beer. Oh it smelled so good cooking all day and tasted even better for dinner along with Spanish rice and refried beans, tortillas, and all the garnished you would expect with a Mexican meal.

Everyone was stuffed when we left the table however, Dariana still found room for a few Jelly Bellies and another glass of milk before they left for home. Sunday morning I made an egg casserole for breakfast and used the left-over chilies, onions,cilantro, and cheeses along with some ham, cream and eggs; and I made grits for Christopher and me. All this heavy food means lite eating for the next few days for DH and I. I've already prepared for it, picked up fixings for salads and a good stick of bread to go along with them.

I've gotten my assignment for the fall felted bag exchange and I think I've already decided what bag I'm going to make for her. From reading my partner's blog, she seems to be a pleasant person and I'm looking forward to getting to know her. She lives in one of my favorite states; I'll not say which one it is, but I'd love to visit it again sometime.

I've been looking over some of the shots from previous bag swaps and as always, I'm amazed at the amount of talent out there. The needle felting on some of the bags is gorgeous and the embroidery is absolutely stunning. I'd love to own one those bags. I must work on these skills so I can make one for myself. Anyone with pointers?

My entrelac shawl is coming along nicely; the knitting is about half finished now. The fringe used on the shawl in the shop is a bit more than I like, although it was beautiful on their shawl, so I may decide to do something different. If not, I think the fringe will take the biggest part of a day to cut, weave, and tie in.

On Friday I saw the oncology-radiologist for a report on the CAT-scan I'd had on Monday, the report is both good and bad. The bad first, the mass (tumor) is still there and appears to be mostly un-changed since November of last year (we were hoping it would be gone). On the good side, it could be just scar tissue or a thicken in the lymph node and since I feel good that is the path I'm letting my mind lean into. I'll see my oncologist September 12 and he will go over the report with me again and we will discuss what, if anything, is the next step. I expect he will order another PET-scan which will show if the mass is still active (growing cancer) or if it is just residue left over from the chemo and radiation treatments. The radiologist says no more radiation since I had a high dosage and it didn't make a difference and the oncologist had said no more chemo but he did mention stem-cell transplant if it became necessary. I will cross that bridge when I come to it. Today I am thinking I'm well with a bit of garbage left in my body as a reminder that life does have some kinks and turns in it but doesn't always lead to a dead end.

Fall Felted Bag Questionnaire

I'm a bit late with this but blogger didn't let me have access to my blog or the Felted Bag blog earlier. Here are the answers to the questionnaire, I think most of them were already answered in the SP-11 questions but just in case I'll post the entire questionnaire for the Felted Bag Exchange.

1. How long have you been knitting or crocheting? How did you learn? or from whom? My sister taught me to knit about 35 or 40 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 was your first felted object, and why did you decide to try felting? The first thing I felted was a bag and it turned out wonderful. It was a class offered at Lettuce Knit, my LYS, and since I was already a bag-a-holic, I couldn't resist taking the class. I had never knitted a bag before but I had crocheted one back in the seventies, a big red and blue, granny square satchel I lined it with navy blue and used it for months, I was very proud of it at the time.

3. What are your favorite colors? Any you hate? I love jewel tone colors and I love color combination like black & white, grey & white, and navy & white put together. I also love the color chocolate. I don't hate any color but doubt that I'd ever use an orange colored bag.
What are your favorite styles\types of bags? (Long straps? Short handles? Handbags? Totes? Embellished? Plain? Include links to patterns or photos if you’d like – give your pal an idea of what you enjoy!) I generally like a strap long enough to just swing over my shoulder, but not a shoulder bag length and I don't mind short handles on dressy bags or handbags. Embellishment is nice as long as it is something like fun-fur or glitzy. I love the embroidered flowers that I've seen on some of the bags and also the hand felting that’s being done. I love dressy but not flamboyant.

4. What handbag or bag are you carrying today? Do you use a separate bag to carry your knitting? Right now I am using a gold thread chevron shaped bag with leather handles and trim. It is not a showy bag, rather casual, but smart.
Yes, I use a different bag for my knitting, actually I have a nice basket I bought at Portland's Saturday Market last year while on vacation.

5. What other things do you enjoy knitting or crocheting? I love to knit hats, shawls, and sweaters. I've been thinking about knitting some placemats to match the grape tint in my great room and kitchen.

6. What sort of needles do you enjoy working with? (straights vs circs, bamboo vs aluminum). It depends on what I'm knitting whether I want straight or circular and also what material the needles are made from. I love the circular Addi Turbo needles put out by Skacel for hats, bags and afghans and shawls, unless it is lace, I like bamboo circulars for bags and sweaters, Denise's plastic for lace or light weight yarns (they have sharp points). I have one pair (10.5 circulars) of Susanne's ebony and dearly love using them, I'd like more. And … one of my favorite and the least expensive of all my needles is Bylene needles distributed by Boyle. They are really good to knit with if you have problems with your wrist or hands and they have really sharp points that picks up well. They bend with your hand and arm movement and are warm to the touch. I generally don't use aluminum needles but I do own at least one pair in every size of the straight needles and probably most of the sizes in the circulars.

7. What’s one project you’ve not yet tried but are dying to make? Well, I can't say I'm dying to make socks but I've never made any so must get around to them someday. I've never made a Mobius scarf and I'd also like to do that and I've never felted shoes which I'd love to do. That’s probably it shoes, I must do some shoes this fall.

8. What’s one yarn you’ve not yet tried but are dying to work with? This is a hard question, there are so many wonderful yarns that I haven't used. I'd say anything out of natural fibers as long as it's soft, sturdy and is pleasing to the eye and on the skin.

9. What other hobbies do you have? Do you spin? Sew? Garden? I don't spin but I do sew and garden. I also love to bake and entertain and enjoy embroidery and reading good books. I enjoy cookbooks and knitting books and gardening and knitting magazine.

10. Besides yarn, do you collect anything? I use to collect Byers Choice Caroler Dolls, teapots and teacups & saucers, and cookbooks from all the states and countries that we visited. I had to give most of this up when we downsized two years ago. And oh yes, I still collect Waterford Crystal if anyone is interested in contributing to that collection.

11. What kind of goodies do you enjoy? Sweets? Salty? Anything you hate or are allergic to? I like salty better than sweet, but I do enjoy good cookies and candy. I'm not a real big chocolate lover but if it is filled full of nuts or coconut, yum!

12. Do you have any kiddos? (Furry kind count!) I have a beautiful four legged baby, Maestro (Lhasa Aposo), age 11 and I have a two legged baby boy, age 37 and a two legged baby girl, age 42, and a wonderful little granddaughter, age 2. Then of course there is DH, I won't tell his age but he is definitely one of my babies and requires more of my attention than all the rest. (I don't kid myself thought, I love giving it to him.)

13. What kind of project best personifies you and why? Gosh I always have so many projects going. I like big projects but tend to get bored before I finish them and so pick up something else, then something else and it might take me two or three times as long to finish a big project as it would someone else. I like something that goes quickly, but is different enough to hold my interest. I am somewhat of a perfectionist (so my family tells me) so I rip back as often as needed to get things right and I love vivid colors and/or definition in my knitting project. Why ? – My mother always taught me I didn't have to be like everyone else and if I was going to do something to work on it until I got it right. Besides, I'm a Gemini so I need to live up to my expected characteristics don't I?

14. What is your favorite part of autumn? You can also share a special autumn memory if you'd prefer! The time for re-grouping, finishing off summer's chores then taking a deep breath and starting something new; sort of like the ending and beginning of a new year. To me fall means crisp air and it's smells, and a warm kitchen with it's aromas and lots of stunning colors. It always brings to mind, that wonderful song, Autumn Leaves. I can just hear Roger Williams playing that beautiful tune; and as his fingers touches the piano's keyboard, I imagine seeing ever-so-many colorful, brilliant leaves falling and floating by the window in the autumn's sunlight.

15. Tell us 3 things you would do if you won 10 million dollars in the lottery. According to nature, I'm in the autumn of my life so I'd try to remember that and use the 10 million dollars accordingly. That said, I would (1.) enjoy the money, (2.) share it with those I love, and (3.) use it for a good deed that would benefit others that are a lot less fortunate than I. Actually this could all be covered under (1.) enjoy the money.

No Sleep For Me

I'm wide awake. For some reason tonight, a zillion things seem to be going through my mind. I hate having nights like this, when the body is tired and denies sleep and the mind is continuously turning over and over, as if it is in a rush to catch up and so is working overtime. I've learned that the best thing I can do, is to DO something, to get up and get busy. Eventually I will become exhausted enough to sleep. Sometimes I just read or knit, but other times I need to do something more physical, like baking cookies or felting a hat at three o'clock in the morning. I know I'm not crazy because I hear too many other women talk about the same problem. Is it gender related or what? I don't hear men talking about being awake half the night, it does make one wonder.

This morning I was up early and at the hospital before 7:30. I had forgotten on Friday to pick up the contrast drink for the scan I was scheduled to have this morning. My appointment was for 11:30 so I knew I'd have time to drink the gunk down at home if I picked it up early; better than sitting in the waiting area for two hours while drinking the stuff. This is the scan that will tell the radiologist and oncologist if the mass from Hodgkin's disease is gone, or if it is still there and not active, or still there and still active (meaning the cancer is still alive). I believe that it is gone this time, a feeling I haven't had before. I will see the radiologist on Friday to learn the results; wish me well.

Tonight I drove into the city to knit with a knot of lady-friends and what fun we had. I worked on my entrelac shawl and enjoyed the oohs and aahs from the knitting group. One lady was knitting on a prayer shawl, one was knitting a throw for her niece to use on her bed at college, one was knitting a winter scarf, and one in the group (having hand problems) was doing Temari (Japanese thread balls). How beautiful they are and what wonderful designs she creates with this craft.

Tomorrow is to be a busy day, and I'm still awake! How will I function? There wasn't anything on the calendar for tomorrow and I'd planned to clean the pool and maybe do some gardening. Early this afternoon I decided I wanted to go to the library in the morning and check on a couple of books I'm interested. I called my neighbor, Sally, and asked if she wanted to ride into the village with me and stop at the Garden Café for coffee. She was delighted saying she has books that need to be returned to the library anyway. So, one thing is now on the calendar. A short while later I receive a phone call from the flooring contractor asking if they could come tomorrow to install the new kitchen and bathroom floors. Something else added to my calendar, then an e-mail from Kathy at the LYS saying the basement was flooded and full of mud again from the storm we had on Thursday night and she and her husband were in the middle of moving the shop from the edge of the village to a shop across from the courthouse. There will be more foot-traffic for the shop and hopefully there will be no more flooding (this is the second time in six months that she's had water damage in the shop's basement). Anyway, to celebrate the move and her introduction to a new line of yarn called Scarlet Fleece, she was invited our old Monday night knit group to her home to knit and jabber tomorrow evening. Of course I can't miss this so it will be a busy, but good, day I think. The pool and gardening are now pushed back for Wednesday.

I got my SP-11 assignment and have made contact with her. I have to get busy now and decide how to spoil her. Perhaps a felted hat would do the job. (Scroll down side bar)

SP-11 Questionnaire

I haven't gotten my SP-11 assignment yet but see that some participants have; my upstream pall being one of them according to a message left on yesterday's blog. I'll go ahead and post my questionnaire although I think that most of the questions have already been answered on my blog recently. Hope everything you need is here, if not I'll try to provide it later.

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I enjoy knitting with 'good quality' but not necessarily 'pricey' yarns. Elann.com carries a good selection of yarns at reasonable prices, especially if you catch their Tuesday specials. I do not care for novelty yarns except occasionally as an accent on a few items.
2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Most anything. Actually, I have three artist brush kits for straight needles and I use a 3 inch, 3 ring, binder for my circulars. I take zipper-lock bags, punch a couple of holes in them, label the outside with needles size, length, and manufacturer, then place the needles in the zip- lock. I also use a big pitcher to hold the larger size needles and some of the extras that I don't use often.
3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I've been knitting off and on for about forty years but steadily for about five years. My sister taught me the knit and purl stitch and for many years anything else was self-taught. When I picked my knitting up this last time I decided it was time to take some classes and learn something besides knit and purl. I consider myself an advanced intermediate knitter.
4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No but I'm going to start one on Amazon today, I think it would be helpful.
5. What's your favorite scent? I'm not a fan of most perfumed fragrances. I like clean and not heavy smells. I do enjoy good soap and rose or lavender body products like body wash and shampoos.
6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? I do enjoy sweets, but I'm not a big chocolate fan although I love chocolate with nuts and coconut in it. I generally prefer salty and cheesy treats over sweets.
7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I love knitting most,but I also crochet, embroidery, cross-stitch, sew, and do a bit of crewel. I love the look of appliqué and have been thinking to make a few things with appliqués on them. I do not spin.
8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD). I'm not very technical but I don't believe we have MP3 in our home or car, just regular CD's. I like Easy music, Blues & Jazz, and Classical.
9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I like chocolate, greens, aqua's, purples, blues, pinks, and ' I do like puce' (also know as magenta and/or burgundy.) I like vivid, jewel tones but also love grays, whites, blacks and reds used together.
10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I have a husband and a four legged baby (dogie) that live with me. I have an adult son and daughter and one granddaughter.
11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? I have worn them all sometimes, but not any of them often. I have a poncho that I knitted a few years back from a Collinette Kit and enjoy wearing it because of all the gorgeous yarns that were in the kit. I have worn hats a lot in the last year because chemo-therapy claimed my hair for several months. If I wear hats, I like them to have a brim. Since I'm retired I don't wear scarves any more and I prefer gloves over mittens.
12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Gosh, it depends. I enjoy knitting cardigans but they take so long that I put them off and end up taking forever to finish one. I love felted hats and bags and I enjoy knitting shawls out of nice fibers for gifts. I have never knitted socks or gloves but probably will someday just so I can say I have. I've done a bit of lace but no longer have the concentration for following a complex pattern.
13. What are you knitting right now? OTN's – Entralac shawl using Nora's Silk Garden wool. Chris Bylsma's Crayon Box Jacket using mostly wools in lots of textures and color blends. Lilly Chin's Central Park Jacket from her label yarn, and a queen-sized bed cover for my son out of various textures and colors.
4. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Love them.
15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? It depends on what I'm knitting and what type yarn I'm knitting with. I am not a big of fan of aluminum needles but do love Skacel's metal needles and want a set of Knit Pick's Options. I especially like the one pair of Susanne's circular ebony needles that I have my 'el cheapo' Boye's Baleen II straight needles, haven't tried them in a circular.
16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes, both; couldn't do without them.
17. How old is your oldest UFO? Around a year I think.
18. What is your favorite holiday? July 4th – Because that is the day our adopted granddaughter came to us. National Holidays would be first Thanksgiving, then Christmas. Our family celebrate both these holidays with lots of love and thankfulness.
19. Is there anything that you collect? Yes and no. I use to collect Byer's Choice Carolers but ran out of space and I use to buy a cookbook from every country or state that we visited. It was a remembrance that could be used and enjoyed over and over again and I still love reading cookbooks. When we downsized two years ago I tried to get rid of lots of 'things'.
20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I have a subscription to: ' Interweave Knits' and one to 'Creative Knitting' and buy and enjoy other knitting magazines, especially the ones from Great Britain. Books on want list are: 'Bag Styles', (Interweave) when it comes out in November, and 'The Best of Interweave Knits'. Needles I'd like to add to my supply: Susanne's ebony needles (I have one pair size 10.5 circular and love them), some 7" single point knitting needles in any sizes between 3 -9, Knit Picks new Options set. Yarns: Cornucopia, want to make a shawl I think, hand painted worsted weight wools, self-striping worsted weight wool. Patterns: 'Ruched Bag', 'Bucket Bag', and 'Lucy Bag" by Two Old bags.
21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? Well I have to do a pair of socks someday, and I have to do cables and Fair Isle someday. I guess the reason I haven't done them so far is they aren't my favorite look. But, I'm always interested in learning new techniques even if it is just for the learning process. I'd also like to do some free-form and magic ball knitting; they're interesting I think.
22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? No, I don't knit socks but would like to have a hand knitted pair if they were not to short on my feet; I wear a size 9 shoe.
23. When is your birthday? June, when else? The day is the 7th.
24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? I'm signed up but they haven't gotten to my name yet. Hope it won't be much longer.

Entrelac Stole

I'm working on the entrelac stole using Nora's

Silk Garden yarn. The colors are beautiful I think although I'm not sure if I like the yarn for something I plan to wear; it is a bit scratchy. I've only used two skeins of the nine that was called for so I still have a long way to go but it does move along rather quickly once you sit down with it. I should have it finished in plenty of time to enjoy this fall, providing I don't give it to a sister; if I do, then she can enjoy it.

I prepared tomatoes and other vegetables this morning for vegetable soupso the tomatoes wouldn't go to waste. Mr. Ro helped me ladle it into the jars and get them ready for the canner. We canned 10 pints and had a bit left over for lunch. I'll be glad we made it this fall and winter when a bowl of hot soup will be so good.

I received my dishcloth from the quarterly exchange yesterday. My partner was from Oregon state and she knitted the Fan and Feather pattern for my cloth and used the new S&C stripes yarn. There was also a magnetic photo frame and a magnet for the frig. Thank you Mary. I sent my cloth out last week so my downstream pal should be getting it on Monday or Tuesday of this week. I'll post a photo after she receives it.

Project for WhoDuKnit Finished

Today I knitted my little project for the WhoDuKnit group over on Yahoo. Our July mystery read was Virgin of Small Plains and this month everyone was to devise their own project for the book. The story line is about deceitfulness and how it affects the lives of others; it was actually a very sad story. I'm glad I was able to come up with a project that I hope will add a bit of humor for this group of knitters and mystery readers. Here is a photo of what I made for two of the characters in the story. If you want to know why, you must read the book; it's by Nancy Pickard.

Although this was a bit of a 'silly little project', (a condom amulet) I learned a new knitting technique. I had never done double knitting before and this little amulet was a double knit. It was quick, and it was fun. I will use that technique again soon to make little Dari a new purse and of course this pouch will be hers to play with.

Yesterday I went shopping with my daughter and Dariana for the first time since Dariana has been a part of our family. Melody and I use to shop, shop, shop and I could usually go as long as, or longer than, she could before exhaustion hit. But, for a few years before I started chemo, I wasn't able to walk very much and as the Hodgkin's disease got worse, I could walk less and less. For the last two or three years, I haven't shopped except for necessities. Yesterday we shopped and had a nice lunch and enjoyed Dari. I was exhausted before I left to drive home but it was such an enjoyable time being with my daughter and granddaughter. Melody called tonight to tell me how much fun it was for her and how proud she was to have me to go shop with her like we use to. How sweet it is.

Tomorrow I am going to think about sewing while I knit on my entrelac stole. It has been picked up in so long I will have to find where I left off in the pattern and set my pace again. Once it gets going it is a fun project to knit but the right side triangle will probably make me stumble the first go around. I have so much I want to do, not just knitting, but I'm itching to get out my embroidery and work on something. I've been letting sewing wonder across my mind quite frequently too and even bought some lime green fleece and a jacket pattern, zipper, and thread when I was in the fabric store last week. And I've been toying with the idea of learning appliqué. I love appliqué on children's clothes and on kitchen linens. I have done a bit many years ago but would like to learn to do it well and use it on some pants and dresses for Dariana.

DH is working on his iris beds, making new beds, digging, dividing, moving, and replanting. I would like to help him more but the sun is too brutal for me right now. Tomorrow the temperature is supposed to be 100° and even now, at midnight, the humidity is unbearable outside. Tonight when I took my water exercise the pool was warm like a bath in wintertime. Maestro loved it and I must have floated him on my arm for over thirty minutes; he loves it. Look at him and Dariana. What a sweet pair of angels they make.

What I Have and Have Not Knitted

Below is a little survey of what I have or have not knitted and of things I would like to knit in the future. It's been around for awhile I think, I've seen it on other blogs, so I decided to add it here. Maybe it will help some of my partners in the exchanges I participate in. Some of you other knitters that enjoy the exchanges might enjoy adding it to your blog also.

That said, let me make a couple of other comments.

• I am not a sock knitter, I've never knitted a pair of socks, really; but, I plan to knit a pair at some point in the future just so I can say 'I've knitted socks'. I personally can't justify spending the amount of money or of time making a pair of socks that I can go buy three pairs for less than what the yarn cost for one pair. I DID SAY 'PERSONALLY'. On the other hand, I'd love to receive a pair of hand knitted socks, I've never worn any. Perhaps it would change my mind and I'd become addicted to hand-knitted socks.
• I have knitted (tried that is) with both wire and with beads. I didn't enjoy doing either. I think beads are very pretty accents on a knitted sweater, shawl, or bag, but as far as knitting a piece of jewelry with them, it's not my cup of tea.
• I do not bead - but I do appreciate all the wonderful markers that I've received (don't really need any more)
• Although I have yet to knit a 'project' using the new fiber yarns that are on the market, I can hardly wait to put something on my needles.
• Things I really adore knitting are brimmed hats and bags and especially fulling them. Next would be cardigans. I've only completed two. one for hubby and one for grand-daughter and there are two others currently on my needles (these are for me).
• I have designed and knitted a shrug and a shawl that I think are worthy of a pattern and being published but I haven't found the necessary time to sit down and write a good pattern.
• I love knitting for others, sisters, nieces, good friends and good causes.
• I love learning new stitch patterns, finishing techniques, or doing something I haven't done before. For some reason I've never knitted cables and I really must try to accomplish that. I think the reason is I'm not particular fond of cables on sweaters, bags, etc . so I always look for a pattern that doesn't have them. The same goes for Fair Isle Knitting.
• I'm a Gemini all the way. Impulsive, changeable, doing a dozen things at once (or trying to), and mind always working in overtime.

Mark with bold the things you have ever knit, with italics the ones you plan to do sometime, and leave the rest.

• Afghan
• I-cord
• Garter stitch
• Knitting with metal wire
• Shawl
• Stockinette stitch
• Socks: top-down
• Socks: toe-up
• Knitting with camel yarn
• Mittens: Cuff-up
• Mittens: Tip-down
• Hat
• Knitting with silk
• Moebius band knitting
• Participating in a KAL
• Sweater
• Drop stitch patterns
• Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
• Slip stitch patterns
• Knitting with banana fiber yarn
• Domino knitting (=modular knitting)
• Twisted stitch patterns
• Knitting with bamboo yarn
• Two end knitting
• Charity knitting
• Knitting with soy yarn
• Cardigan
• Toy/doll clothing
• Knitting with circular needles
• Baby items
• Knitting with your own handspun yarn
• Slippers
• Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
• Continental knitting
• Designing knitted garments
• Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
• Lace patterns
• Publishing a knitting book
• Scarf
• Teaching a child to knit
• American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
• Knitting to make money
• Button holes
• Knitting with alpaca
• Fair Isle knitting
• Norwegian knitting
• Dying with plant colours
• Knitting items for a wedding
• Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies...)
• Knitting socks (or other small tubular items)on two circulars
• Olympic knitting
• Knitting with someone eles's handspun yarn
• Knitting with dpns
• Holiday related knitting
• Teaching a male how to knit
• Bobbles
• Knitting for a living
• Knitting with cotton
• Knitting smocking
• Dying yarn
• Steeks
• Knitting art
• Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
• Fulling/felting
• Knitting with wool
• Textured knitting
• Kitchener
• BO
• Purses/bags
• Knitting with beads
• Swatching
• Long Tail CO
• Entrelac
• Knitting and purling backwards
• Machine knitting
• Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegating yarn
• Stuffed toys
• Baby items
• Knitting with cashmere
• Darning
• Jewelry
• Knitting with synthetic yarn
• Writing a pattern
• Gloves
• Intrasia
• Knitting with linen
• Knitting for preemies
• Tubular CO
• Freeform knitting
• Short rows
• Cuffs/fingerless mits/armwarmers
• Pillows
• Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
• Rug
• Knitting on a loom
• Thrummed knitting
• Knitting a gift
• Knitting for pets
• Shrug/bolero/poncho
• Knitting with dog/cat hair
• Hair accessories
• Knitting in public

Hummingbirds and Dish Rags

Here he comes, faster than a speeding bullet!

A smooth landing and all looks well!

Refueling time.

Lay-over and rest.

Zoom --- off into the wild blue yonder.

This is one of the hummingbirds that visits our feeders each year; once they find their territory, they return year after year. We have three that are always on a feeder or perched in a Crepe Myrtle and there are others that visit but don't seem to use our property as their home. It is so much fun to sit on the porch with a cup of coffee early in the mornings watching them fuel up for the day. They seem to be most active early in the day and then again in the early evenings getting ready for night. Sometimes we sit with the neighbors on their porch, or they with us on ours, and share a glass of wine, catch up on the days happenings and watch the hummingbirds flirt with one another. They do flirt. It is such fun to see them buzz around one another, sometimes actually smacking the other with their long sword length beak. They seem to really like the red petunias I planted in the bed across the front of the porch and there is a potted doubled hibiscus setting on the porch that some of my gardening friends brought out to me a few weeks ago. And then this, a Swamp Hibiscus brought home from our trip to SC a couple of weeks ago. Isn't it the most gorgeous thing? The bloom here is not fully opened. Once it opens all the way, it is about 8" or so in diameter and the petals no longer touch one another. It is a herbaceous perennial but I want to save some of it's seeds to plant next spring in case it doesn't make it through our dry summer and cold winter. Probably it will re-seed itself, but I want to be sure this plant is in my garden next year. The hummingbirds love it and so does the butterflies.

I decided to participate in a knitted dishcloth swap (remember when people use to say dishrag and washrag?) so I've been knitting on that today. I had a beautiful variegated yarn in all the colors that my partner likes best. I have the dishcloth about half finished and will probably finish it off tonight if there is time. It's getting to be late afternoon and there is still to take Maestro for his swim, do my water exercises, and make dinner. Dinner may take a bit more time tonight since the new kitchen range has arrived and I'm still tinkling around with what works best. DH wound up installing the range himself - which I try to always avoid since he is not a handy man and life is much simpler to just pay for installation. The opening for the 30" slide-in that was in place, did not fit the 30" slide-in that was delivered. The delivery team let us know immediately they only do deliveries, plug ins, and take aways, nothing more. I could see DH's nerves jumping around in his body when he realized what that meant. He had to make the opening in the counter about 1/8" larger, so, he went to work with his saw and sanding paper. He really did a great job as he always does, but what stress he goes through in doing it.

Tomorrow I want to bake something good in my new oven and visit a couple of old friends who are elderly and finding life to be a bit hard for them. If I bake early I'll be able to take them some goodies which they will enjoy. I love these two ladies dearly and it is so sad to me to see them in their situation. There are no financial worries for them but they live in a neighborhood that was once prosperous and is now quite run down and no longer safe. They are totally devoted to one another having lived in houses side-by-side all their married life and having no children of their own. Both their husband's passed away a number of years ago and their closes relative is a nephew. I sometimes wonder why life seems to be so much harder for some, than for others. I know that's the way life is, I just don't understand it.

I Must Be Getting Old

Perhaps I'm getting old, in looking back over my blog, I realized I've never posted a photo of the bag I sent to my Spring Felted Bag partner. I have referred to it several times thinking it was here but lo and behold, it isn't. Here is a photo of it and it's lining. It was sent out in June to my pal JoAnn. The bag isn't a true red at all, more of a deep rosy rust, I love it. I had to make two trips to the fabric shop to find the right lining. The first one I brought home didn't please me when I held it inside the bag but the second round I was pleased, the first piece of material will go in a bag for someone else.

I knitted on the blanket for Christopher yesterday and added some of Coats Moda.dea Cache in the rendezvous color scheme to give a color break for adding in a 'wild' color. It is a blue yarn with greens and oranges and a silver thread (among other colors) in it. I think I will be able to go from the blue, to the cache, to orange without it being totally off-the-wall. (Wish I could get into a more 'off-the-wall' frame of mind while knitting this project. I started adding the orange last night, got about half-a-row knitted before tiring out and putting it away for the evening.

Dariana was out yesterday to play with papa and me and we always play so hard that we're exhausted when she goes home. Yesterday I took her swimming and she wanted to jump, jump, jump. It's so much fun to play with her and watch her learning to make her little way into society. Papa had to play hide and seek with her and play with her 'baby'. He managed to get around changing Dariana's diapers, but she has him changing her 'baby's' diapers and clothes. At two she knows how to 'pretend' and use her vivid imagination. So much joy!

Our neighbor, Sally, brought over a loaf of her wonderful banana loaf bread last evening for us to have with our coffee this morning. I cut a nice, thick slice of it to have with my second cup and it is so delicious; I have to ask her for her recipe. It is a sweeter bread than I make, choked full of walnuts and it is a bit sticky and dark as if it could have molasses in it. Yum....

Tomorrow I want to tell about the hummingbirds.

About A Mile Of Knitting To Go

I've been playing with this thing for over a year now, just can't get into it because it isn't really something I would knit for myself. It's a queen-sized bed blanket requested by my son. He loves colors and textures even more than I do and requested a blanket with as many colors and textures as I could put into it. Notice I started off in a somewhat (to me) sensible color scheme but then switched to a wavering scheme that pleases him. He is sure that the outcome will be pleasing and perhaps it will. Anyway, I've decided I'll work on it every time I have a few minutes to knit but don't have time to really concentrate on another project and I'll try to finish it by the end of the year. At some point I have to work in some reds, greens, orange and yellows.

Look at this, isn't it the most precious thing. It is for my granddaughter and it will stay at grand- grama's house to avoid having to bring one each time they come for a visit. When I talked to Dariana by phone a few days ago and told her I had bought her a swimsuit special for my house, she turned to her mother and said excitedly "Grand-mama bought me my own bathing suit". She is such a joy and I am so thankful for her.

Mr. Ro and I are going this morning to order the kitchen range we looked at earlier this week and he made an appointment with the flooring company to come on Monday to measure and give us a price for new kitchen and bathroom floors. I'm really looking forward to getting these things done, and more. We've been in this house for two years now and I haven't gotten anything accomplished other than going to the doctor, going for test, being sick, and on and on. Now that I'm better I have a lot to work on and I'm ready to get started.

I had my yearly physical yesterday and I am basically healthy. I have to go back on Coumadin since one of the MRI's I had on Monday revealed I had undergone a stroke previously. My Cardiologist had already told me he wanted me to be put back on it after the next Oncologist check-up. I hate this particular drug but at the same time, I am thankful we have it. It can be a life saver for stroke victims or people with heart problems. I try to remember that, 'bad is sometimes good'.

Knitting for Me

With all the exchanges and swaps completed, it is now time to knit for 'me'. As much fun as I have doing these exchanges, it feels good to have them all completed for a time. I will be able to knit for myself without feeling quilty thinking I should be working on this or that other project.

Here's some photos of my last exchange. The 'mess' and the replacement for the 'mess' that I knitted mostly during our car trip south. I love the replacemnt but am still 'ticked' with the author of the pattern for 'the mess'.


Actually, the Wotton Bag (named for a wool mill town in England) is so much fun to knit (a four row repeat pattern keeps it interesting) I am ready to knit one for myself and my daughter, Melody. It's not a large bag but it does hold a lots and it's smart enough for her to use at work.

Yesterday hubby and I went shopping. We didn't buy anything, well, thats not exactly true, we didn't buy what we went shopping for, but I did buy a new bathing suit. (Needed a new one from the weight loss I took with Hodgkin's disease and the chemo treatments.) We were shopping for a new range and for kitchen and bathroom floor coverings. We were astounded at the price of the stoves - the style we have to have is double what a standard range or cooktop cost. Our current one slides into a stand alone counter and is a standard stove without back and sides and rest flat on the counter like a cooktop. We finally found an affordable one, when it goes on sale over weekend; the salesperson was nice enough to let us know if we waited, we could save about $300. We checked out floor samples from two different flooring stores and I think will be able to decide on a new floor cover using the samples.

On Monday we had a couple over to make their own batch of pickles. They brought the jars and ingredients and DH and I showed them how to whip up a batch in an afternoon. They were so proud of the colorful jars of pickles and couldn't wait to dive into them. Since they were still hot and would be for most of the night, I gave them a jar from my pantry to take home and enjoy with their dinner. Here's the recipe and don't let the word 'squash' scare you. They are wonderful, like a yellow bread and butter. I want to share the recipe with you.

SQUASH PICKLES

5 - pounds yellow squash washed thoroughly and sliced thin
3 - medium sized white onions peeled and sliced thin
1/2 - cup table salt
Ice cubes or crushed ice
1 - teaspoonfull celery seed
2 - teaspoonfull mustard seed
1 1/2 - teaspoonfull turmeric
5 - cups sugar
5 - cups cider vinegar

Wash and slice the squash. Peel and slice the onions. In a large container, layer the squash and onions sprinkling each layer with salt. Cover with a thick layer of ice cubes, mixing the ice into the squash and onions. Cover and weight down with a cutting board or other heavy object. Let stand 2 -3 hours.

While squash are resting in the brine water, wash and sterilize the jars and keep warm. (I use the dishwasher for this purpose.)

Rinse and drain the squash.
Combine remaining ingredients and heat slowly, just to a boil. Add squash mix and let the mixture return to a slow boil. Let mixture cook for just a minute, the squash should be slightly cooked, yet still crisp.

Just before adding the squash to the jars, heat t he lid flats in a shallow pan of boiling water.
When squash are ready, spoon them into hot, dry jars. Pack the squash down by running a knife around the inside edges of the jar and pushing down on the squash. Add more squash, and pack down until the jar is filled up to its shoulder. The squash should be covered with the boiling liquid. Wipe the mouth of the jars with a damp cloth and place a flat on top. Screw on a lid ring and tighten slightly. Turn the jar upside down on clean dry towel for several hours. You should hear a ping every so often, that will be a jar sealing. When cool, place in a cool dry cabinet or pantry. As long as the jars are sealed the squash will keep for a couple of years. After opening a jar be sure to refrigerate the remaining pickles.
Makes about 15 or 16 half pints, or 7 or 8 pints.