Sunshine in My Eyes

What in the world is that noise? And, why won't it stop?

That was my sleep-befuddled reaction to the dulcet sounds of Interlude, coming from my cell phone. I'd set the alarm** the night before, just to make sure I'd get up in time to get to the Master Gardener Mentor-Intern Breakfast (all the way across the county) by 9:00. Good thing I did 'cause I'd probably have slept into next week at the rate I was going on Wednesday morning.  Made the mistake of staying up late, knitting and watching the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday night; had to watch to the bitter end, thinking that the Hogs would pull it out over the Bucks...no joy there, however, as hopes died with an interception with a minute to go.

**RE:  an alarm clock.  I gave up both my wrist watch and my alarm clock when I left the corporate life for consulting.  I do have to make meetings and scheduled sessions, but I find that my computer, my cell phone and wall clocks keep me on time...most of the time.  Additionally, I've always had this internal tick-tock that is generally reliable.  But, getting my bedtime off can get my internal clock "off."  So, I resort to a back-up.**



Sun shines on intersection of
Skeet Club/Wendover and NC68/Eastchester

 I had no idea what traffic on Skeet Club/Wendover...which I have to take all the way through Greensboro to Burlington Road...would be like around 8:00ish.  Since living in Atlanta, where it once took me an hour and 29 minutes to drive the 17 miles from our house in Duluth to my office in Dunwoody (!), I do not complain about traffic.  It's NOTHING now. Piece o' cake, compared to the Big City down I-85 in Georgia.

One thing I didn't count on was the sun (photo, left).  Good grief!  They must have laid-out the road-bed for Wendover by following the arch of the sun.  Right in my eyes...or coming through the passenger side window at such an angle that I couldn't escape it.  Painful.  I may have to re-think those prescription sunglasses (which I've always avoided by having transition lens...which have some limitations while driving).

Oh well. 

I got to Burlington road with about 15 minutes to spare, so decided to go through the Dunkin Donuts drive-through to get some coffee.  Now, I'm a Krispy Kreme gal. Love me some melting-sugar-coated lighter-than-air yeast-raised doughnuts.  Makes my mouth water just writing about them.  Because I'm in the Krispy Kreme kamp, I have very strong, negative feelings about Dunkin Donuts.  Ugh is the nicest word that comes to mind.  Their donuts are better used as weights for a fishing line, I'm thinking.  But, there was no KK in sight, only a DD drive-through.  What harm could it be, since I was only going to get some coffee?

As I've said before, I like strong...but not boiling hot...coffee.  Also, I drink milk in my coffee.  I detest powdered creamer in my coffee.  Hate. It.  Nor am I a fan of cream.  No, I'd much rather have milk.  Real, cold milk.  So, when I go through the Krispy Kreme drive-through on Main Street in HPNC, I always order a coffee and a carton of milk (2%, since they don't have skim), along with that big box of a dozen Hot Now doughnuts.  No problem.

Here's how it went at Dunkin Donuts:

Me, into the squawk box at the drive-through:  I'll take a medium coffee and a carton of milk.
Female voice on the other end:  We don't got no milk, 'mam.
Me, after looking over the menu again:  Well, I guess I'll try a medium Latte, then.
Female voice:  Do you want that with whole or skim milk, 'mam?

Took every ounce of willpower not to laugh hysterically...or to say something snide like: well, they do got milk at Krispy Kreme.  I certainly didn't want to tick someone off inside while they were preparing my Latte with Skim milk...which cost me about a buck more than my coffee and my carton of milk at KK, I might add.

Anyway.



It's official!  I'm a Master Gardener Intern
Class of 2011!!

At the Breakfast held in the auditorium of the Guilford County Agriculture Center building on Burlington Road, we got to meet our mentors and some of the other members of the Class of 2011 interns.  We paid our dues, got our nametags (photo, right), and picked up our binders, one of which weighs more than a few pounds.  Guilford County Urban Horticulture Agent and Lead Instructor Karen Neill told us that each week's topic was like a college-level course...so be sure to read the material prior to coming to class on Wednesday mornings.  [Uh-oh, what have I gotten myself into??]

One of the mentors seated at our table said not to worry.  You can't learn it all...and they won't cover it all, anyway.  The main thing was to get a well-rounded introduction to all the topics, and to know where and how to research the topics.  Good advice from a veteran.


Simple Kneads in Downtown GSO

After a tour of the Legacy Demonstration Garden, which is maintained by the Master Gardeners (and which will be one of the required volunteer activities for Interns), I was still feeling a bit stunned, kinda like the sun was still in my eyes...and also more than a little happy to be so close to Gate City Yarns in downtown Greensboro (photo, below/left).  Yarn therapy!  That's the ticket!!



Yarn therapy at
Gate City Yarns in downtown Greensboro

Ahhh.  After an hour in the yarn store, petting all the fibres, preceded by a side-trip to the nearby bakery (photo, above/right) called Simple Kneads where I enjoyed a yummy, spicy Jalapeno-Cheese Focaccia pastry and a Diet Coke for my lunch, and got a loaf of Spelt bread to go, I was right-as-rain again.  And, ready to return home to begin reading my chapter on Botany.

Well, maybe I'd better swing by Krispy Kreme...just in case...

Birthday Weekend...and Projects Galore

A busy weekend...

Mr. T and I visited M. over her Birthday Weekend, helping her celebrate the occasion...and finish some house projects (painting the guest bedroom, repairing the broken basement window/installing a new pane of glass, and installing a new storm door on the back door). I tried to keep my mind off my aching back (it's that l-o-n-g car ride that does me in every time) by finishing my Tam o' Swatch (seen on Ted E. Bear, left) and starting a crocheted baby blanket with some yarn M. had in her stash. The shell pattern uses three colors of yarn to create the rows and will be edged in the white with a scalloped edge. This is the first crochet "pattern" I taught myself to do after the 9/11 security rules forbade taking knitting needles on planes (since eased, thank goodness)...but fortunately allowed crochet hooks in your carry-on. I've been making these Shell Baby Blankets ever since! Yes, it's made of acrylic yarn from Michael's...and the purists out there will have a mild heart attack...but I've yet to have a new Mom say "euw, yuk...I don't want a washable baby blanket that's almost indestructible. " As a matter of fact, I still have a darling crocheted shell baby blanket in yellow and white (acrylic) that a wonderful woman in our church in Cordova made for M. when she was born. It's been well-used, oft-washed and much-loved for over 28 years, and I think fondly of Mrs. Opal Mc. every time I touch it.

As I said, we had a working weekend as well as a birthday celebration. You may recall that M's house is what she calls "A Project House," and her guest bedroom was mid-project. The nasty carpet was stripped off and the floors refinished in a previous trip, and she had worked long and hard to remove the wallpaper and border from the walls and get them spackled and primed. She had decided on a lovely soft blue-green shade called Lamb's Ears (after the gray-green plant of the same name). Here's a photo (right) of her cutting in the paint, preparing for Messy Mommy (that would be moi) to fill in the big areas (no one trusts me with the delicate work, and for good reason). And here's an "after" shot of the bedroom (left), all dressed up! Isn't it lovely? Amazingly, the comforter set she had looks great with the new wall color, blending the blues and greens for an unexpected match. Mom uses this bedroom when she visits M., so there's a comfortable chair, plenty of light, and a small TV. Next up: the Office, which still has carpet to be removed, wood floors to be stripped/finished, and walls to be painted. Ah, another project...

Look what M. harvested from her very productive garden while we were there last weekend! And, believe me when I say that it tasted as good as it looked! She grew her watermelons in an area that allowed the vines to grow up over a trellis, and the melons themselves are such a rich green color...so healthy looking. She's also got world's of Roma tomatoes on the vines, so will have lots of tomato sauce this winter. What a fabulous first garden!



After working for a while on the house projects, we headed to Pleasant Hill, KY, to enjoy dinner at the Shaker Village. We had hoped to make it to the Alpaca Farm festival but decided to put that on the calendar for next year.

Of course, it was M's birthday, so we helped her celebrate with a cake, Chinese take-out from her favorite restaurant (P.F. Chang's), and presents. Since I'm not known for my singing voice, I found this novelty cake decoration that played "Happy Birthday" while lighting up the letters; instead of 28 candles, we fell back on the stand-by 3 for Past, Present, and Future. Deep breath...and make a wish!

On Tuesday, Mr. T. headed north to work in Chi, while I headed home on Southwest. I had my Sweater Design class that night and then made a mad dash back home to tune in to the two programs I've been watching: War (on PBS) and Damages (on Fox FX). Fortunately, both were replayed, so I got to see most of both of them. War is a monumental Ken Burns production...thoroughly researched and thoughfully presented through the eyes and voices of the survivors representing 4 American towns/cities. It has been one of the most difficult programs ever for me to watch, but I think it's necessary, for a number of reasons. As Mr. T. said, if anyone thinks that war is the answer to anything, then he/she should be made to watch War. (Damages is just trash-TV, but I got hooked on it after watching a mini-marathon recently...and I had to keep watching it weekly just to see what the heck happens...:)...now, however, I'm getting worn out with its violence, language, and sexually-explicit scenes, and just want it to reach some kind of conclusion...preferably one where Glenn Close isn't guilty of attempted murder.)

About my sweater from class...hmmm. I'm stretching myself with this class, since I've never knitted a top-down sweater before. And, at this rate, I may not finish the first one! I've followed the instructions to the letter (actually, to the "number" would be a better phrase, since math plays a huge role in this sweater), but something is wrong, wrong, wrong. Getting the correct number of stitches cast on at the neck is crucial to the success of this sweater, so you will understand when I say that I'm worried that I'm not headed in the direction of success with what I have cast on. I even took what I've done so far to the yarn shop this morning for some guidance...and it seems that I've stumped both the owner and the instructor! Well. What next? I'm going to re-measure...re-figure...and probably re-move the work I've done so far and start over. Bummer. Tres bummer.

And, last but certainly not least, Duchess is recovering nicely following her surgery on Wednesday to remove several cysts (and, while she was "under," they cleaned her teeth, too). Dr. Rosen at the Cloud Veterinary Center reported that they were, indeed, just cysts...not tumors...and we were exceedingly thankful. Needless to say, she was quite cranky yesterday, but is much more lively today. She has taken a couple of her pain tablets (chewable, thank goodness!), and the places where her stitches are look pretty good...no infection, so far. Of course, she appears to be wearing a patchwork-quilt coat, since they had to shave her fur at the surgery sites (6 of them, in all). And, she rode home in the back seat of my car with her head facing away from me...back turned...wouldn't look at me the whole ride home, even when I tried to soothe her. Mad at me, for sure. But, getting better, and that's what counts. It is all about the dogs, right?

Waddle and WIPs

Basset Alert!

That got their attention!

This past weekend was the 10th Annual Basset Hound Waddle, held in conjunction with the Heritage Days Festival in Dwight, IL. Between 80-1000 Bassets and their People attended. To see what in the world a Waddle is all about, follow this link to a slideshow that the local paper near Dwight, IL, put together : //www.morrisdailyherald.com/media/070924hounds/index.html

We had so much fun there in 2003 (that's a photo of Thomas, carrying the Missouri State Standard, waddling with D & G, left) and had hoped to return for the 10th with all three (Duchess, Elmo, and Gus, in the photo above/left). Unfortunately, Duchess has a nasty cyst on the back of her leg and would have found walking the 20 blocks (10 in the parade, 10 back to the staging area) nearly impossible. And, since she's now up to 71 pounds, she's way past the "carry me" stage. On Monday, we took her to our vet (who no longer does surgeries), who recommended us to another local doctor...who checked Missy D out on Wednesday. She's now scheduled for surgery next Wed., barring any problems detected in the bloodwork she had done at her appointment. She has been so prissy as she gets to go for a ride without the Boys, but since both of these only-dog experiences have been to the Vet...well, she just may be on to us for the next ride. Stay tuned for updates on her progress.

Well, I didn't get to go to the Waddle, but I did finish one of my Works-in-Progress...ta-da! My socks (photo, right) in Green Mix turned out nicely, and I've already enjoyed wearing them! I've never used the Sockina Cotton 0003 yarn before, but I'm a believer! It worked up so nicely on US3's using two circular Addi-Turbos and was so soft to knit with (one of my problems with using wool or wool-blend sock yarns...if they are scratchy when you knit them, how are they going to feel when you put them on your feet???). Anyway, as I've said before, I got the basic idea from the "Footlets" sock pattern in the "Favorite Socks" book from Interweave...just tweaked it a bit, as I usually do.

Another WIP is in a bag...being punished, I guess you could say. Remember, I told you about the Entrelac Scarf I was knitting from the Noro Silk Garden yarn...started in my class when I was in GA? Well, I decided that entrelac is definitely not for anything that has two visible sides, like a scarf. The joins that make the entrelac technique possible don't look very neat on the "back" of the scarf, so I decided to use Crazy Aunt Purl's "Magic Scarf" technique (a basketweave pattern of 5k's, 5p's... over 25 stitches on US10.5's for 10 rows, alternating with 5p's, 5k's... for 10 rows...etc.) to make the most of this expensive yarn. Well. I now know that Silk Garden is a B*TCH to frog. Remember I said one (of the many) thing(s) that I didn't like about this yarn is its inconsistency of thickness (first hair-like thread, followed by fat, fluffiness)? Yeah. Try to frog it, and you know what happened...over and over. I truly, truly will never actually buy any of this stuff (these 3 balls were included in the price of the class). Anyway, since I couldn't return them, and since my Scottish conscience was screaming "waste not...," I decided to knit the other two balls into the Basketweave pattern. Now, I find that the remaining two balls will make a rather short scarf, and I can't salvage enough of the colors I need from the mangled mass of once-was-entrelac...so, what do I do? Hence, the reason that the Noro and the new scarf are being punished.

Which brings me to my latest cast on...yippee! I started my "Design Your Own Sweater" class at Knit n Caboodle in St. Charles this past week. We talked about the yarn we would use, learning the properties of several different types. As we only have 7 weeks to learn the techniques and make our sweater, we will be using an aran-weight, with a gauge of 4 stitches to the inch. We took our measurements, and learned not to fear the future: M-A-T-H (oh yes, part of our homework assignment was "bring a calculator"). And, before leaving the shop, I selected a cobalt blue yarn from Cascade Yarns called Cash Vero: a blend which includes merino wool and cashmere. Can you say S-O-F-T?

The other part of our homework was to make our swatch, in the round, as we will be knitting on circs from the top down (no seams!). I actually couldn't wait to start knitting with this super-soft pettable yarn, even though I usually hate to swatch because I hate to spend so much time without a discernable product. No problem as our (excellent) instructor, Debbie, suggested that we could knit a hat on circs for our swatch...so that's what I am doing. First though, I swatched the typical 6x6 (a 4x4 square of stockinette, surrounded by a 1" garter stitch border) to get a good idea of the size needles it would take to get gauge (for once, the yarn wrapper was spot-on: US10.5's); I'll use this flat swatch to test the washing properties of the yarn. And now, I'm making a Tam for the in-the-round "swatch." Of course, I had to return to the LYS to get the last two balls of cobalt blue in order to do all of this extracurricular knitting, and still have enough yarn left to create my sweater...but who cares? I could work with this yarn for a long, long time and not get tired of it!

Time to stop blogging and start swatching!