It's Easter...Right?

Check out the photo to the left. What do you see?

Well, what looks a little like something on the lens is actually SNOW falling on Easter Sunday. And, in the lower left, is our very first daffodil blossom of 2008.

Yes, it snowed on Easter here. And then the sun came out and melted the inch or so of accumulation off the deck and bridge. Then, later in the afternoon, the sun went away...and it started to sleet. Then, to hail. And, finally, to snow yet again. Almost an inch of accumulation of "stuff" on the deck...for the second time in the same day. What else can I say? Turn the fire on, please.

At least the wintry weather-mix, along with the NCAA Tournament action, gave me an excellent excuse (like I need one, right?) to spend the weekend knitting. I finished my Sassy Stripes socks (see photo, right) and the Ripple Wave Afghan (which is knit in 8 strips, then joined together) I made for a cousin's wedding ("ah, shouldn't ha' told you tha'"...to quote Hagrid of Harry Potter fame...since it's a gift that hasn't been given yet...so, I won't post a photo of it just yet). I really like these socks, which were a simple rib pattern, followed by stockinette stitch (SS).

Simple is all I can manage while watching the Tigers play...because they create way too much action on the screen to allow me the luxury of following any pattern stitch. They gave us a bit of a scare in their victory over the Mississippi State Bulldogs...but they are nonetheless in the Sweet Sixteen. It should be another exciting weekend!

On March 17th, Everyone is Irish!

We're back...! Yes, we had a wonderful week in Ireland, returning last Wednesday...exhausted after the l-o-n-g flight from Dublin to Chicago and then the 5-hour+ drive home to STL...but ever-so-glad that we'd made the trip. I spent most of yesterday and today printing photos and creating our Photo Book on Photoworks.com. If you'd like to see it, follow this link to My Page at: www.photoworks.com/members/Adsit2. BTW, we really like the way that PhotoWorks does the Photo Books...we've had 3 or 4 made there and always liked the results.

The photo of the green beam (above) is from the Guinness Storehouse self-guided tour. Thought it was appropriate for a post on St. Patrick's day. Here's a shot of St. Patrick's Cathedral (right).

Of course, we felt like we had found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow when we returned to NCAA Tournament Selection Sunday...and heard that the Memphis Tigers were the Number 1 seed in the South Region! Go Tigers Go! The games begin on Thursday of this week...so I'd better find a no-brainer project to let me knit through the inevitable tense moments that tournament games bring. How about that Harry Potter Third & Fourth Year scarf I'm knitting for Missy M? It's just knit, knit, knit in the round...the only thing I have to count is number of rounds in each color (19), then change color (gold to burgundy, then vice-versa). Sounds like it might be a perfect project for tournament time!

I worked on a couple of small projects on my trip: the Irish Hiking Scarf (more on that in a later post) and my Sassy Stripes socks. Most of our days were jam-packed with sightseeing, leaving us exhausted in the evenings...with little energy to pick up the pointy stix.

I did finish one of the Sassy Stripes socks, but I can't seem to make it from the heel to the toe on the other. This is the first time I've had a problem getting my hours straight when coming home (flying East to West). I can barely make it to 10:00 p.m. before falling asleep in my chair, knitting needles and project resting in my lap...but I seem to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at 3:00 a.m. when getting up with one of the dogs. Reverse jet-lag? Oh well...this, too, shall pass.

On a positive note, we were amazed to find Ireland awash in buttercup-yellow, with daffodils blooming nearly everywhere we went. Coming home to the tiny shoots finally awakening from our own Spring bulbs fills me with hope: Winter will soon be just a memory! Meanwhile, here's a photo of a hillside near Thomastown in County Kilkenny, Ireland.

I'm Seeing Red...and Green!

Look: I finished my Minimalist Cardigan (left) at 2:00 a.m. this morning...woo-hoo! I just love, love, love this yarn (Cash Vero DK, Color Number 020) that I got at Knit and Caboodle in St. Charles. I modified a pattern in the Interweave Knits magazine, Fall 2007 edition, lengthening the sleeves and the body...just enough. As you can see, there are no buttons, just a shawl-like collar, knit in stockinette stitch...against the Moss Stitch pattern for the rest of the sweater. I started knitting this project on 1/5/08, with the goal of wearing it on Valentine's Day...looks like I made it by a whisker!

Here's a close-up of the Moss (pattern) stitch:


We're planning on trying out a new (for us) restaurant in St. Charles called The Vintage House. In checking their menu, it looks like they are heavy (pun intended) on their German heritage, and they feature local Missouri wines. This should be a super-special "date night" for us!

Of course, our conversation at dinner is likely to center around our upcoming trip to Ireland...ooh, can't wait! I've been reading up on the Emerald Isle...circling the sites we want to visit...printing out addresses of wool shops all over the country...plotting our course for the 7 days we'll be there. This is usually Missy M's role, but she's been unusually swamped at work, so I thought I'd try to help out. More on this later.

Since it's been cold, cold, cold here this week, I thought a nice bowl of chili would hit the spot tonight. Ummmm...smells like it's ready. Time to close!

Snow...and FO's

It's a Snow Day in STL! We got nearly 7 inches of the fluffy white stuff yesterday and into the night...our heaviest snowfall this season. The dogs are alternately crazy-nuts about leaping and bounding around the back yard (remember, Basset Hounds are pretty close to the ground...:)...or, they don't want to get off the deck and get their bellies (or other important parts) wet. Mr. T has worked hard to keep paths clear for them, but at times the snow was falling faster than he could sweep.

Here, right...Mr. T sweeps off the Solar Light Bird Feeder on the deck so our feathered friends can get a little breakfast. The rest of the feeders in the back yard are covered in snow, with only a few assessible...and it seems that every bird in the neighborhood showed up for the buffet this morning. I counted 9 male (red) cardinals in one area...with numerous house finches, purple finches, sparrows, titmice, "snow birds," woodpeckers (3 different kinds), and grackles. The squirrels and the bunnies are quite active, too, trying to share in any feed that has fallen to the ground.

And, check out the photo of the deck below, left! We won't be sitting out there any time soon, will we? Also, it's hard to tell...but that's a photo of the bridge over the fish pond, right...both of which are covered in snow. I sure hope those fish will make it through this.

It's a perfect day for a cup of hot tea, lots of lemon and sugar...the warmth of the fireplace...and the click of the knitting needles! I'm currently working fast & furious on my Minimalist Cardigan (pattern in the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits magazine) in deep red Cash Vero DK on US6's. I've finished the back and the left front...working on the armhole decreases on the right front today. Hopefully, I'll be able to get a sleeve going by the end of the weekend! I've also been working on M's "Harry Potter Third & Fourth Year Scarf" from the Charmed Knits book...a great take-along project, as I am knitting it on circs like the First Year scarf (the finished one of which went to Mr. T, who is wearing it with regularity, much to my delight).

I took advantage of my business trip to ATL earlier this month, to have some quality knitting time (no dogs!) to finish a couple of pairs of socks: (left) the Panda Cotton red ones with the colorful "Fruit Salad" toes and heels are a Valentine's gift for Mom; (right) the multi-color Sockotta stripey ones are for moi. The center photo shows a cabled hat in Wool Ease Forest Green Heather that I knitted for SIL J in Nashville...her birthday is next week. The pattern is called "Jack's Cabled Hat" from the Knitting Pattern-A-Day Calendar Box that she and Brother J gave me for Christmas. I peeked ahead to March 31st...but I thought the name of the pattern sounded appropriate...and the yarn just begged to be cabled! I hope she will enjoy wearing it. I will get moving on a pair of blue-hues for Missy M soon, using some of her Yarn Pirate sock yarn.

Thank goodness for the calming effect of knitting. It's been a tough month around our house...one that I'm happy to say "so long" to, without a doubt. We've all been battling some "-itis" or other (sinunitis, bronchitis, etc.), plus I've had a re-routed root canal (originally done 5 years ago...had to be re-done...ow...) and re-emergence of my old nemesis, back pain. A trip to the Out Patient Surgery for an epidural cortisone injection has eased that last problem...at least for the moment. Fingers crossed...toes, too...that I'll only need to go through that just once this time (instead of the customary series of 3). I hope, I hope, I hope...

Anyway, my flight back into the STL airport was from yet another direction (north by north-east to the southwest?), so I snapped a fuzzy photo that shows the curve in the Mississippi above the city...can you spot the Arch in the haze to the right-top of the pic?

Ch-ch-ch-changes...and FO's for the New Year

Look at that calendar! How dare it say January 20th? The days are just flying by...

Most of this month has been given over to getting well. A nasty cold that arrived in our household from Kentucky started a whole round of problems...let's just say that the statement "oh, my aching back," pretty much covers it for me, as I conquered the cold only to be bent low by my old nemesis. Mr. T continues to do battle with a monster cough, while Nana is just now beginning her climb back to better breathing. Don't you just hate a cold?

Anyway, it's been a ch-ch-challenging month of ch-ch-ch-changes for Mr. T, as he begins a new phase in his career. The company he has worked for since 1997 (Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America) is being assimilated into another, much larger parent company (Daimler AG/Freightliner/Sterling Trucks), and he has been involved in a couple of weeks of meetings, etc., as they make this happen by February 1st. Naturally, a bit of apprehension might occur at a time like this; you know how hard it is to learn all new systems, new organizational structures, new ways of doing things. But, honestly, his main reaction has been more of anticipation...as these changes are more positive than negative, for the most part. One thing's for certain...he'll not have a boring year in 2008!

As we welcome the New Year, I've been a busy little knitter, keeping the sticks clicking during all those bowl games...and then through the play-offs. And, as college basketball begins to dominate the season (Go Tigers Go!), I've got even more reason(s) to knit & purl. I've finished the Harry Potter First Year Scarf (seen in the photo on Ted E. Bear) and a hat to match in Encore burgundy and gold as suggested in "Charmed Knits." I gave them to Mr. T, who needed a warm scarf for his dog-walking activities...and then I immediately cast on another in Paton's Classic Wool for Missy M, who requested a Third Year scarf, which has narrower contrasting/gold stripes.

I've finished a couple of pairs of socks, along with a dishcloth that proclaims "Live to Knit" (from my new Knit 2008 Calendar box, a Christmas gift from J&J). And, I've been working on a sweater in deep red Cash Vero DK, on US6's using a moss-stitched pattern called "Minimalist Cardigan" from the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits magazine. I just love, love, love knitting with this yarn...so soft. And, I seem to have finally tamed the moss-stitch, which, along with the seed stitch, has always been a challenge for me for some reason. I've got the back done and have started on the right front. To my own amazement, I find myself using the Continental method on my "pure knitting" sections, as it really is faster than the English method...but, not for me on the purls, alas. Who says you can't teach an old dog any new tricks???

"It's Not Easy Being Green!"

We're celebrating New Year's a little early this year. Mr. T., Missy M, and I had a wonderful time last night at The Fabulous Fox Theatre in STL, enjoying the musical Wicked. Have you been to see it yet? You should grab your broom and go! Here's what one reviewer said:

“A surefire hit! This sensational prequel to ‘The Wizard of Oz’ is the kind of grand musical Broadway has been missing for years. A terrific evening!” --Jeffrey Lyons, WNBC-TV

The cast of characters/actors were superb, and the music was fantastic...even though the accoustics in the STL Fox are...well, let's be kind and just say "somewhat less than ideal." The weather outside was frightful...oh, wait...that's another song, isn't it? Anyway, we braved the cold, the rain, and the fog...and the road closures in and around STL (something quite awful...nearly every major highway or by-way is either closed or closing or so torn up due to construction that the City appears to have been bombed recently), and we were rewarded with a great performance...and a lovely evening together as a family. [Nana/Momma/Edith had opted out of this evening back in September when I got the tickets.]

Here we are (photo, left) after the performance ended. We "borrowed" a tall-ish cash register to serve as a tripod and snapped this shot in the hallway, as we were leaving our seats. The lighting was awful...and my photo editing software can only do so much with what it has to work with (!), but we were all together, and that's what counts.

Happy New Year to one and all!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Christmas FO's!!!

I finished! And, before the Fat Man came down the chimney, too!! The photo to the right shows the Christmas Finished Objects (FO's) that were wrapped up and under the tree on 12/25/07:

1. In the back, draped over the chair, is Nana's Prayer Shawl, using Lion Brand's Homespun in Barrington, knitted with a strand of worsted weight, plum-colored yarn to give it weight. I used the pattern in Debbie Macomber's latest book, Back on Blossom Street, for the Triangular Prayer Shawl...and added fringe on three sides, to serve as woven prayer beads.
2. On the left is M's Felted Mobeius Bowl with added I-cord accent, knitted in Cascade's 220 Quatro, Number 9434. I used the pattern for the largest bowl in Cat Bordhi's book, A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting. I got both the book and the yarn in Lawrenceville, GA at The Yarn Garden.
3. Continuing on around the photo, lower right, are the socks I knitted for M. using the Duet Sock Yarn called Middy from A Swell Yarn Shop (online). You get the hand-dyed yarn for the socks and a coordinating yarn for the heels and toes. Sweet! I used the same Slipped Rib pattern from One Skein Wonders that I had used for Sister-in-Law J's green socks.
4. And, last but not least, being modelled by Ted E. Bear, is the Tam and Scarf knitted for M. I used baby alpaca yarn for both the body of the pieces and for the accents (edges of scarf; Fair Isle pattern of the Tam). The main color yarn is Wheat Bernat Alpaca Natural Blends and the accent yarn is a multi (purples, pinks, beiges) Big Baby from Alpaca with a Twist (Georgetown, IN). The Tam is a pattern from the good ol' standby book, The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, with a Fair Isle pattern thrown in for good measure (to see if I had the hang of knitting with two yarns and both hands...at the same time...and I did!), and the scarf is the Filippi Scarf pattern from One Skein Wonders.
5. Not shown in the photo is the pair of black socks knitted for Mr. T. from Panda Cotton and Bamboo blend, worked in a K2, P2 rib. I've written about working on this yarn before...but I didn't tell about the little detail I added to make these socks personal: I knitted in a heart shape on one of the toes, using some red Panda. Now, whenever he wears these going through airport security and has to remove his shoes, he can think of me!

I had a ball (pun intended...:) knitting up a storm for the Holidays. And, all recipients seem happy with their gifts. But, honestly? I'm looking forward to doing a few stitches in a couple of projects just for me. Almost sounds selfish, doesn't it? So be it. I've got several patterns put aside to start "after I finish the presents." Well, that time is now!

Stay tuned for updates!