I WANT a zeedonk

Aren't these guys cute? They're a cross between a zebra and a donkey.

ZEEDONK. I love that. I just love to say that.

We found them at the fair this weekend.

where, oh where, does the time go?

Sister wants to know......All of a sudden it's august. How did that happen?

July was such a month of upheaval, passing my stott pilates exam, something I've worked on for years, and the passing of gram after 96 years of life. High ups and low downs. Needless to say, not much knitting content to share.

I'm starting to think about christmas items, though.

I've got most of my master gardener hours in, I'll finish this weekend with a trip to the fair.

I REALLY want this garden, though, REALLY. Including the llamas.

Those folks ONLY spend 40-60 hours a week there, working the garden.

The house is coming along. We now have sewer laterals, and probably next week, conduits for the gas and electric. All this is very expensive, and not a stone turned yet.

We're just getting started!

I love reading the blogs of folks that post regularly. Now I just need to become one.

Test Success

This week was my STOTT level 1 mat and reformer test.
Rumor has it, I passed with flying colors, although I won't have the official
results for a couple of weeks. I'll be very happy when I finally get that certificate in my hand.

The project next door continues. It's now 6 acres of dirt and bulldozers.
Hard to imagine there were ever woods there.
At least we'll get sewer.

This has been a traumatic week

I've spent my whole week listening to THIS. The seven acres of woods next door being destroyed. I don't know why, but I find the whole thing extremely depressing. I guess it's the permanence of this. It will never be back. We've lived here for about 20 years, and truly enjoyed the quiet. All that's come to an end. I have to wonder why.... So some guy can make a ton of money, and in the end, we get 37 new neighbors. Is this the price of progress??

The good news in all of this is that we get to start planning for the new house. Now the question becomes can we afford it? Champagne taste.......

In knitting news.......

The watermelon jaywalkers are done. This was a pretty fast knit, started at the beach.

The first time I tried this pattern, I couldn't figure it out. This time it was easy.

What a difference a year makes.

I'll post a photo when blogger lets me.

Now, on to finish leafling before starting cleopatra's socks.

I'm starting to think about !GASP! Christmas, and what I'm going to make for friends and clients.

It's coming faster than we all want to think about.

30 days to the test........

Seriously, has it been nearly 2 months???

You know what they say about the best laid plans........

Last weekend, we packed up the doggies and headed to the beach. Our favorite place, the Oregon Coast, by Cape Meares,

Of course, the doggies love the beach, too! How could you not?

Unfortunately, not much news on the knitting front, some socks, a leafling half done. I don't think there's going to be too much knitting progress until after "THE BIG TEST" in July, then I'll have to start thinking about christmas and the like. YIKES!

We hope to meet with the new house contractor in June. The bulldozers still have not arrived, but they're expected any day.

I promise I'll try to update at least once per week. That was the original plan, right??

I admire those folks that can post daily and actually have something to say.......

The end of an era

See these nice woods..... They're currently our next door neighbor.

We recently found out they will be leaving us on May 1 to make room for 37 new houses. We've had such a quiet time living here for the past 20 years or so. Makes me kind of sad (in a lot of ways) to see it go.

The upside is, when the utilities are brought in, we can build our own new dream house. "Library" and all. I can hardly wait for that part.

Project Spectrum

Thanks to the BMFA folks for making this one easy. These were a pretty easy knit, they went fast, and, as you can see, they're boxer approved!

Here's a couple more FO's....Paws to Remember and Yoga hoodie

I actually don't have ANYTHING OTN right now. What's wrong with me.

Starting some socks for the trip to portland, knitting on the train, you know. Looking for the next big project. There's always socks to do.

Big Bird

This guy lives by the lake. Every time we take the doggies for a walk, there he is, hanging out on this old snag. Must be some good lunch there or something.

Garden Show and FO

Last weekend we went to the garden show in Seattle.

I've loved the show since I discovered it many years ago.

This year, it was a bit sparce. I don't know if it was the economy, or what, but a lot of the "really cool" new stuff just wasn't there.

I only spent $5. EXTRMELY unsusal for me. It was still fun, though, with lots of ideas for the new house.

On a knitting note, the acorn lace socks are done and blocked. These are from a fiber trends pattern and some yarn that came as a kit from ebay pretty cheaply. Couldn't tell you what the yarn was, but they worked out pretty good. The monkey socks are done too and on the blockers, as you can see, they're boxer approved. The yoga hoodie is blocking, we'll see.....

Now the challenge is to restrain myself on the train trip to portland, how much stash do I REALLY need????????

finally project 365/52 pic of the week

Spring is sprung.......

back in the land of the?

I know, I know, I've woefully neglected my blog, in spite of my new year's resolution to pay more attention to it.

But, I'm back, and with some good stuff too. A little "yarn therapy" from Madrona.....

As you can see, Cinnamon approves.

From top left to right, Kauni, EG (if it's good enought for the yarn harlot.....), fibertrends felted doggie toy pattern (couldn't resist), Peruvian tweed alpaca (man socks?), STR medium lolite and the "mystic sea" pattern, STR lightweight turquoise and the "trickle" pattern, and last but not least, STR dyer's choice, an interesting mix.

Don't know when I'll have time for any of these, but they DID make me feel good! I think I restrained myself quite nicely in light of the fact that the seattle flower show is next week and the train to portland to yarn shop in two weeks. Might have to have some more of that Kauni.

On the pilates front, the bulk of the training is done, one more big workshop to do, then a bunch of little ones and a whole bunch of hours. I made a commitment to myself to take the practical, though, by signing up for the test review workshop in june. Keeping fingers (and toes) crossed for a positive result.

Now, off to knit.

One down, two to go

Back from mat training, none the worse for the wear. This weekend was mostly lecture and basics. Next time all postural analysis. The last weekend is the killer, all intermediate. YIKES!

While hanging out in the hotel in Portland, I cast on and worked some monkeys all the way to the heel. I'm putting these aside now, they're going to be my traveling socks while I'm doing training. Socks make a great traveling project because they're small and they pack easily.

Today, I'll probably work on the dog paw shawl some, and maybe my yoga hoodie, which is knit all the way to the design now. I'm really hoping it fits, as it seems a bit small. Just can't seem to win with that size thing........

I also discovered a couple of places to explore next time I'm in portland. Powell's books and a seemingly fascinating yarn store called knit/purl.
More to come on that.

Project 365/52 and some knitting news

Booboo was very disapointed that sister was getting all the attention. He wanted his picture taken too. He just didn't see any reason to get out of bed for it.

In knitting news, the acorn lace socks are done, pics to follow. I've now cast on for the olive branch yoga hoodie, and I'm working on the first sleeve. This one has a lot of "mindless" knitting.

I'm still working on the dog paw scarf. Just the opposite, a lot of thinking knitting. I'm trying to get a row or two a day, but I have to do it when I can really concentrate or else I just end up taking it out.

Project 365/52

I can't resist, she's just SO darned cute!

She just HAS to be the picture of the week.

Got dog cookies?

FO Sand and shore

Finally, here is a completed Sand and Shore sweater. I started this last spring, and then put it away 'cause it was too hot to knit with alpaca in the summer. It's done in knitpicks alpaca. Very soft, great to knit with, but it came out a bit big. Don't ya hate that? Too much work into it now to tear it apart. It's going to be nice and warm.

Next up, Olive Branch Yoga hoodie and Nantucket Jacket.

I have to finish a couple of things first, though. They're the ones up there. Doggie paw scarf and the acorn lace socks that Cinnamon approves of.

Those should go quickly.

In an effort to post more often, I'm planning on joining a couple of rings. Most require that you post at least once per week, and I'm hoping that inspires me to be more up to date.

The first one is project 365/52. It involves posting a picture every week.

Here's the first pic.

This guy was working SO hard on that dead cherry tree. He's still hanging out back there, making himself a new home. Everytime I go out, he scolds me and the doggies at the top of his Pileated Woodpecker lungs for invading his space.

new year, new resolutions

I've never been much for new year's resolutions, but I think this year I'd like to try.
Maybe if I write them down here, I'll be able to follow through and get them done, so here goes....

1. Always have a project on the needles. I have lots of stash *and potential future stash, so this shouldn't be too hard.
2. Work on a way to sell some product. I LOVE to felt, but you can only have so many bags.
3. Practice pilates every day. Even if this means studying anatomy. October is the goal for my practical that I've set for myself, and it's closer than I'd like to think about.
4. Get back to doing cardio. I just have to force myself to put on the shoes and go.
5. Contribute to this blog at least once a week. I have it, I need to use it. (study html for dummies)

I think that's enough. The rest will come if I do these things.
I know, it's worked before and I can make it work now.
Happy New Year!

finished prosperous plum

Prosperous plum is finished and blocked.

Now I'm working on finishing sand and shore sweater.

I'm very proud of myself for finishing ALL of my Christmas knitting. It's done, packaged, labeled and ready to be gifted. :)

Pilates Training

I've been busy this week doing pilates training, so there' s not much knitting progress.
I did get my fishing organizer, it was a great thing to find on the porch after a long day of studying pilates. Of course, I had to dig in immediately and organize my needles.
This is great! It works well, holds all my circs and dp's, and doesn't take up a lot of space.
Next up, finishing prosperous plum, and a little christmas knitting. (in my spare time)

attempting to get a bit organized

My needles keep mulitplying and the system I have for storing them is not really working.
So, I went online this weekend to the bass pro shop and bought myself a little present
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_13318_100011010_100000000_100011000_CROSSSELL_PP_P2_2?hvarTarget=browse&hvarClassCode=11&hvarDept=100&cmid=PP_P2_2&pageView=image&hvarTextId=13318&hvarSubCode=10&jumpToPage=1&currentPage=0
who'd have thought that fishing gear would work well for knitting!
Just goes to show ya......
On another note, prosperous plum is about 85% done, just the straps and the stitching around the neck and armholes to finish.
Next up, the sweater that I started last spring. The front and back are done, sleeves left to go.
They take a bit of concentration, though, so maybe later, after the STOTT reformer training is all done.