Life

The last week has been a bit of a blur with my son's wedding. Company in from out of town, places to go, things to do, and of course the obligatory computer crash. Yes, my computer crashed on Saturday afternoon, so I cannot post much in the way of pictures. We had to install a new operating system so I have effectively lost all of my address book, emails, bookmarks and pretty much anything that was saved to my desktop or hard drive in the last three or four years. My husband has high hopes that he can get it all back for me, so we will see.

With all the media we are so dependent on, I have become painfully aware that whether I like it or not, I am hooked. I am reading a new book by Nicholas Carr that addresses this topic. I do love computers and the internet, but I also love audio books and paper books and my kindle. And like the mouse in Who Moved My Cheese, I usually just re-route my habits for a while when things like these happen. I've said before, be ready to embrace Plan B. (as in, Be Flexible!)

We'll be driving to NC and back tomorrow to take my father in law home. I plan to make progress (finish) Stoney River sock #2 on the drive. My parents left this morning and we had a wonderful visit, catching up and hearing new stories of days gone by. Family visits are always an encouragement to me, and the celebration of my son's marriage made it extra special... I cannot express how blessed I feel. Full and rich!


Next week I will be working all week and am taking advantage of my last week of 'freedom'. Today will be laundry and house cleaning post-party. Boxes of stuff are all around and things need to be put away as well.

Couldn't get it right

I said I was going to do it and I did. I got out that little rigid heddle loom and went for it.
There are tons (okay not literally but you get the idea) of little hanks of wool and wool blends in my stash in the garage. This little bit is linen and hemp, I think. Maybe the only one. The warp is cotton so the weft really needed to be hard as well. Anything too soft could have sent me running if it proved to be too tricky.

I'm really pleased with what I've done so far, and that's saying a lot. I am pretty hard on myself and do not like to attempt things if I don't think I'll succeed. I figure there are lots of people who do things well and I don't have to corner the market on everything. I hope I can find a few things in this world that I do well. Let all the other stuff get done by people who are really good those things!

The Stoney River heel stitches are picked up and ready to knit.
I hope to take this with me today as I have a date with my daughter and future daughter in law to get our nails done for the wedding. If I get a pedicure instead, I can knit while they're doing my toes! (I am not a pedicure kinda girl, by the way, so all you therapists out there should be proud - getting outside my safe/comfort zone!)

And here's a To-Do list project I hope to do later this summer.
This chair was prepped by a kitty cat with claws like a velociraptor, surely. But.. with a little TLC and some new fabric, I hope to bring this dainty little chair back to the future.
Rip off the old fabric, clean well and sew slipcover. Easy, right?

I feel like a heel

It's been really busy but yesterday afternoon I spent some good quality time with my socks. I had forgotten which heel I used on the first sock so the second sock may be a fraternal or identical twin. I felt sure it was a slipped stitch heel, with short rows. I found my instruction book and went for it. So excited. Even if it wasn't exactly like the first, the second would be pretty darn close.
Then, of course the inevitable other shoe (or sock) dropped.
I had been holding them together in my lap while knitting but clearly I started the heel flap way, way too soon. There's at least a quarter to a half inch difference in the leg length! Good night!

Now I must decide if I'm gonna go for perfection or let it ride. Frog the heel, or not?

But first, I have to do some minor repairs to my daughter in law's wedding dress today, alter my dress for the wedding, and my daughter's. ( I think I need to actually buy shoes; cha-ching.) We have to get some mulch for the yard and trim hedges, etc. Phone calls and emails gotta get done today, really. So much to be done that I hate the socks will just have to wait for the next quiet moment.

The wedding is Saturday and rehearsal dinner is Friday night. ( I have officially begun waking up in the middle of the night again, rehearsing all of it over and over again, mentally!)

But we had a blast last night watching fireworks in our neighborhood. Even though it's illegal in the town of Spring Hill and nearby Franklin, you'd never know it. There were more fireworks than I've seen in a very long time, and very impressive!! They lasted for hours, an incredible display of American spirit. My husband said I looked like a six year old, giddy as the little kids next door, I suppose. God bless America.

Have you heard what they're saying?

Behind closed doors, it's all the buzz.
"Yes, we just heard the news! Smittenwithknittin is going to finish the Stoney River Socks!!"


"You know, if I could knit like her, I wouldn't need this Supreme Court job."


"Elena, you know you'll never knit socks as lovely as those Stoney River socks. What do you have to smile about?"


Yes, it's true, it's true. I am back to my final UFO and of course that would be the Stoney River Socks. They are so far down the road that I am into them like teenage girls at the Eclipse premiere.
You can see there's just not a lot left to knit.
I'm pretty much done with the leg and will turn for the foot and heel. The stitch is an alternating rib and I've got two socks from one skein!!!
The little wooden needles and cotton thread are perfect for knitting in this very warm weather. Nothing to hold in my lap; no warm fuzzy wool. No metal needles, just natural DPNs. Cool.

In the old days, one of my summer chores was to defrost my freezer. Some younger folks will not know what this means, but if you have a single gray hair on your head, you will understand. The refrigerator/freezer we had when I was first married was all one big box with a crank-arm handle to open the door. The freezer was just the upper section inside that held ice trays and kept things really cold. (my ice trays were metal then; do not lick them by the way!)
The chore involved putting everything into an ice chest, turning off the fridge and scraping out all the frost that had accumulated inside. Usually it was at least an inch or two thick by the time I got around to it, and it took a few hours to do the entire job.
So I am very thankful for a self defrosting freezer, as a modern convenience. I also appreciate the self-cleaning oven as a great time saving invention. Yesterday morning I just walked over to the stove, pressed the button and three hours later the oven was clean and all I had to do was wipe out the ash inside. Woo Hah! No more 'Easy Off' oven cleaner with gloves up to my elbows. What a breeze!

Let's Wrap It Up

We're all prone to addictions whether we like it or not. Essentially, if we engage in destructive behavior and those around us allow it to continue, we will persist in the selfish patterns we were born with. Sometimes we are blessed to have people who care about us enough to tell us when our selfishness is becoming bothersome to others. Maybe a swat on the behind when we're three. Maybe restriction when we're thirteen. And hopefully when we're grown, a boss to tell us to end the poo-poo or we're fired.
Others may not be so fortunate. Those around them coddle the selfish, manipulative behavior probably because they're too tired to rock the boat anymore and deal with the tantrums.
I didn't take my Sunday afternoon nap today, because I watched a program about this on TV. It is unsettling how common this is. I see it everyday and I'm sure I'm guilty of it on many levels. (Either the addict or the enabler.)
I believe there's always hope though. And I believe that sometimes it's up to us to do the uncomfortable thing and speak the truth. Or discontinue the pattern.

On a happier note, a pattern I have come to love is the Feather and Fan pattern. This June bug wrap has been a joy to knit and it makes me proud to say I made it myself. From the silk hankies I spun into thread on my wheel. Then plied the strands to make the yarn. And finally knitting the wrap to completion. This is one addiction that will definitely take an intervention to get me away from! Ooooweee, I do love my knitting. (Don't even start with my coffee!)

I am, however looking at trying my hand at weaving soon. I got this little baby out the other day, while cleaning in the garage.

I have been inspired lately by a couple of talented ladies, and want to follow their noble example and give weaving a try. It's been a while, so I'm gonna have to seek out some help!

Always embrace Plan B

I love the title/quote above. We can never be sure of our future and certainly can't know how things will turn out. Best bet, be prepared to go to Plan B, just in case! It might not be so bad.

When I moved into my college dorm, I had a very reluctant roommate. She didn't really want to room with me and let me know early on, but she was stuck with me. (Plan B) Later on, we shared an apartment together and eventually we wound up being in each others' weddings.

Today I went to the phone store to see about getting my insured cell phone fixed. After a 45 minute wait, we were told the same thing the girl at the door told us. Go to the website, pay your deductible and get a replacement. Every 'associate' had a little different way to solve our problem, and if we had made a stink right there in the store, we might have come away with all kinds of perks.
But in the spirit of keeping my husband's blood pressure in a good range, we left the store and embraced plan B: pay more money, get another phone and go on to the next thing. (I've got a wedding coming up in a couple of weeks and cherish sanity.)
Preparing for the wedding has been fun. I've finally painted the breakfast area where the scuff marks have been staring at my guests every time they throw away their trash.


I'm keeping up with my June Bug wrap.


I spun the Peacock wool and plied it with some cream wool for a nice variegated blend.

And I even made a pie the other night. I used to make these all the time, and my daughter commented she couldn't remember the last time I made one.





I would like to tell you this was an apple or peach pie, but we're counting calories lately, so it was filled with sugar free, fat free pudding. (Plan B again!)

Fig Leaves & Temptation

Summer is here and it's hot as Hades, if you ask me. But to be fair, it's the first day of summer so I'll let it go this time.
With the heat comes the license to stay indoors in the middle of the day, unless you're at work, in which case you're already indoors!
But for me, the temptation to get outside this morning and plant those two fig trees was more than I could resist. I dug two holes in some pretty hard clay soil, laid those puppies in the holes and watered them till I had finished drinking my mason jar of water. At least I was in the shade when I planted them!
I have to point out something interesting about one of the plants. They were gifts from my dad & mom - started from existing plants in their neck of the woods. Look at how this tree was started; sideways from a branch! Isn't that cool?

It never ceases to amaze me how the most beautiful things can come from what someone else may brand a cast off and only useful for the trash heap. What great treasures we may have right at our fingertips, if only we'd stop long enough to look (and think!).
I dyed some pretty wool a while back and after looking at my wheel yesterday, and noticing there's nothing on it, I decided I needed to grab that Peacock Wool and get at it!
Some things just naturally go together!

A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do

Things are coming together really well for my son's wedding in July - less than a month away. We met his fiance's grandmother last night for dinner. She has played an integral part in the shaping of my future DIL's character. A godly woman.
I'm very aware of Psalm 32 and 33 lately; how much the world tries to play like there's no God, but there is. He is our only hope, for individuals and for nations!

I promised some pictures in my last post that update the progress of the June Bug wrap. 100% handspun silk in the feather and fan pattern. Very soft and light!
And yes, you spotted the 'gnome' in the shot. My coffee mug, sneaking a peek. I got it in Gatlinburg, TN this week, at a great pottery shop in the mountains. There's a terrific arts & crafts community there, great views -unspoiled and untouched (see above), and friendly, humble people all around.

This lady's father made her loom and great wheel. Yes she spins and weaves!

Back home today so this morning I checked on my vegetables and they are looking good. I was really inspired at my parents' house last week. They sent me home with a bag of produce from their garden that I immediately cooked for supper when I got home.
We are a blessed nation and really need to keep it that way!!

Wheel -O

You never know when you're going to meet a spinning wheel that breaks your heart. I met a couple of wheels from Bulgaria (Bavaria ? the shopkeeper couldn't remember) last week. I visited my folks and we stopped at my favorite antique shop, The Plunderosa. They buy all their goods from Europe and yet the prices are pretty reasonable.
I saw these two little babies and wanted to cry. Talk about needing some TLC!!

And a couple of days before, on my way into town, I stopped by my old college and met up with my niece who attends there now. She showed me around the school and I got some good pictures with my cell phone, whose camera is now broken, 'cause I dropped it! Ugh.


My ideal swing prototype.

The main building and new fountain.


A funky dress made of newspaper from the Art Department.

I have uploaded all my beach/BP oil pictures to Facebook, so you'll have to be my friend to see them. I'm weary of it all; overload is my own fault.

The little June Bug project is coming right along but there's no reason to post pictures now. More on Saturday's post!

And I have to say that I had a wonderful time at my high school reunion. My classmates ALL had crazy stories to tell and we laughed hard and loud. A really good time! Although many could not be there, they promised to be at the next one.

Reelin' in the Years

Summertime is a good time to read a good book. I have already finished one and am on my second, totally into it! It's Harlan Coben's new fiction release, Caught. Great read and its going fast. I received the book, The Little Stranger for Mother's Day from my DD and SIL. I finished it in a couple of weeks. Excellent psychological perspective that keeps you guessing whether or not a house is haunted or if the characters involved are mentally unstable.

Here's some knitting for you to envy. There's no keeping track of rows so I just sit down and knit whenever I want to. No need to keep a pattern nearby or gadgets or notes or a pencil or anything! Perfect for a trip to the beach!

In fact, I'm making a visit to my hometown on the Gulf coast for my high school reunion this week. I've loaded a couple of beach chairs and have all my 'things' washed so that I can pack tonight. I have spun a second ball of silk to keep me working freely on June Bug!
I have mixed emotions about the event, like most folks would, I imagine. Pretty much everybody has a few bad memories from high school that they'd like to forget and I'm no different. I was teased and made fun of; and so were most of my classmates. This seems to be a rite of passage in our society. Get teased, get over it, grow up and move on.
But we usually don't really forget it. Ask around and people are super quick to tell about how so-and-so was a real pain in the behind back in the day. Rainn Wilson tweeted something today that cracked me up. He said the oil spill had to be caused by his school-days bully, Tony Karas, and that President Obama should kick his butt, if he was looking for one to kick. See what I mean?

The Lace is On!

The lace is on! (ha ha) I'm so into this new June Bug lace thing - I took it with me on my date night with hubby yesterday. I knit all the way to the restaurant and all the way home, including the traffic jam on I-65. Lot's of rows!
Two things are on my mind this morning; probably a lot more, but at least two that I'll mention here.

I was pruning some vines and trees in the back yard and came across some life lessons, hanging in my apple tree. In the New Testament, it says God is the gardener and Jesus is the vine. It says God will prune those branches that do not bear fruit. My apple tree is bearing fruit for the first time ever.

The apples are on random branches and not necessariy big ones, but surprisingly there are large sturdy branches that are not bearing fruit. I don't know if I should prune them to direct more energy toward the fruit bearing branches or not.

Clearly in my spiritual life I want to be one of the branches that bear fruit and not one of the big showy ones that don't. (You get the idea where I'm going with this one.)

The second thing on my mind is the oil spill in the Gulf. Some people are and will not be directly affected by the incident. Others will have their lives changed forever. I read on WKRG's webpage that beachgoers are advised to stay out of the water. For the Gulf coast, that means tourism at the peak of the season is virtually lost. The equivalent of closing Disney World from June 1st to August 31st. And no fishing either. This comes of course after several years of trying to get things back to normal since Katrina. Wow. There is no amount of money or payback or even class-action lawsuits that will fix this. However, having grown up around some extremely resourceful people, I know they will find a way to overcome yet another adversity. They always do. God bless 'em.
(I'm headed that way this week for a class reunion and am anxious to hear people's thoughts first hand. )

June Bug

Now that June has arrived, I've somehow got the bug again to knit. I finished the Deep Purple Sweater and tried it on. It fits great but will need a final blocking. Woo Hoo!

And I think I've picked my next project; started a little of it yesterday evening while watching a disaster movie called 2012. (Not a good thing to watch after listening to the news.) However, it is always fun to knit and I really like the yarn and stitch pattern I've chosen.

The silk is spun from hankies; it is three ply but very light weight and so very soft!

The stitch is obviously Feather & Fan or Old Shale if you're in the UK. (Not sure if my NZ friends call it either one!)

The needles are Inox size 10 DPNs and I've got one ball spun so I know I'll be spinning a bit more. I have two more packs of hankies to spin, should I choose to accept this mission.

Outside my office window is a holly bush with a nest of robins. They have grown a lot in the last week and the mama is very protective of them. (FYI, my husband trimmed all the hedges last weekend and didn't realize what was in the shrub!)
I know how this mama feels. I have two of my own babies! One got married last summer and the other is getting married in a little over a month. It's actually a good feeling to know that they are growing and maturing as they ought to. I'm very proud of them both and look forward to their futures and what God has in store for them.

Midnight post

It's almost 2 am and I'm doing something that I swore I'd never do. Making a blog post. This is the absolute worst time to blog because you're tired and incoherent. Yet, I'm totally inspired by something and just can't sleep.

I have lots of business things going on in my head, and after a wonderful weekend with family, I'm ready to get to work Tuesday morning. But I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep. Then I got really great idea that kind of pieced together two trouble spots I've been trying to figure out how to fix - this idea may fix both problems or at least start the fix. (Sleepless nights can have their benefits!)

So, getting up to surf the web at 2 am led to me reading Yarn Harlot's latest post about a quick scarf she knit while finishing something else. I did not knit over the Memorial Day weekend and I think I know why. What's left to do on the purple sweater is sewing not knitting and I'd rather be knitting frankly. But seeing Yarn Harlot's little scarf was so inspiring! I just haven't decided on my next project yet, and therefore have no impetus to finish the purple sweater. She said forget it and started her new project anyway. Eureka!

Now maybe I can get to sleep, having change my thought patterns to something less troubling and more fun. Now I can dream of (sugarplums) what my next project will be!