Happy 2012

It's been a while. Lots of business. Lots of babies....lots of travel....mostly good things. And...there is knitting. Gasp.
Visited baby girl down in OK over Thanksgiving. She wanted one of the cute earwarmers everyone is sporting these days. I used the Morning Stroll earwarmer pattern provided through Ravelry along with some bulky well marinated stash yarn to create this cute and super warm topper. She LOVES it! Sorry, but I just don't have any of the details other than I think I used size 11 needles, and a size J crochet hook for the flowers and leaves (patterns for those cobbled together from various links on Ravelry as well). All told it took abut 3 hours. Perfect for those quick gifts!

Right now, working on sox, and a scarf, and a sweater...more details as things progress! Knit On with your bad selves and I hope to keep up with the blogginess a little more this year....knitting goals for 2012? 4 pairs of sox, 2 sweaters. That's it...because scarves and hats and mitts really don't count.

Monday, Monday

Ahhh....Monday, Monday....
Last week was crazy busy! Had an old friend visiting which kept me hopping. We took the Readers Digest Condensed version of the Alaska Tour. Traveled to Talkeetna and found a beautiful summer day. My friend flew Talkeetna Air Taxi to Ruth Glacier on Denali and was awestruck by the grandeur and majesty of it all.



We enjoyed another afternoon trip to Seward with a boat (my friend insisted it was a ship) to Fox Island where we skipped stones on the beach and had a lovely dinner of fresh grilled salmon.






We fished unsuccessfully for kings at the Eklutna Tailrace




then fed baby muskox at the muskox farm in Palmer.

Like I said, it was the condensed tour. I worked the whole week...caught 10 (yep ten) babies...the level of fecundity is astounding.

I am also in the throes of puppy parenting. Was "gifted" with a delightful new friend. Her name is Adele but I call her Addy for short. She's a now 13 week old Min Pin.



Like dynamite in a tiny dog body. Very fun and very energetic. Has increased the noise and clatter quotient of the household exponentially! And of course, she likes the knitting!





Speaking of knitting....yes, there still is.
I am currently enjoying the baby sock pattern from Joelle Hoverson's "more Last-Minute Knitted Gifts".....I picked this book up from Joann Fabrics a week or two ago because I fell in love with Leah's Lovely Cardigan. There are an awful lot of other super-cute patterns as well, and with the 50% coupon, it was a no-brainer.

Worked in the garden a bit yesterday, my Blue Himalayan Poppies are stunning!



Planted a raised bed full of strawberries and completed 2 more 3' x 6' x 12" boxes to paint and fill for veggies. Am envisioning a backyard with minimal grass mowing and lots of veggies and perennials along the Southern fence. Will spend this winter developing garden plans and hopefully get the landscaping initiated next spring.

Enough of my ramblings for the day. Time to mop the floor (thanks to puppy its a more than daily chore)...bills need to be paid, laundry needs to be folded. Thanks for the comments and support. You probably dont know it but you blog buddies are a fantastic source of comfort! Until next time...

Knit (or garden) on!

Cinque Terre

candy colored neighbors clinging to Ligurian cliffs.......

Venice

decaying grandeur,
ghosts.
imagination.
unforgiving elements.....

Here we go again....

So, it's been over a year and a half since I last blogged....lots of good reasons...lots of life changes.....
Big breath....I got separated...I am getting divorced.
That was easier to write than expected. Such a small word for such a big change.
Yes, we sold the house...but, I myself, bought a new house. Much smaller, much older, much, much closer to work. Such an adorable cute house. I love it.
The daughter has grown up, moved out of state, and is pursuing her dream...working hard, learning life lessons, independently. Guess we did a good job. Miss her LIKE CRAZY!
I am OFFICIALLY middle aged. Over 50.
Took myself to ITALY for two weeks for my birthday. Best. Vacation. Of. My. Life. Ate gelato three times a day sometimes. Felt like a cliche'. But loved it. And will go back!
Still catching babies. A lot.
Still teaching at the University. A little.
Started working with SART as well...I'm SANE...(google it)..still the acronym makes me giggle inappropriately.
Losses....Tucker man...beautiful, loyal furfriend......hemangiosarcoma off his pancreas...passed away in April of this year. Peacefully. Surrounded by love.
Grandma Clara. Would have been 90 in July. Passed away peacefully May 11. I was holding her hand. It felt like....a soap bubble popped.....I looked down and she was gone. Miss. Her. Like. Crazy....more than I ever thought I would. Really. Still getting used to her being gone. Still see things at the store and think "oh, she will like this"....and realize belatedly that she's gone.
So many many changes. And yet...I still knit. I still catch babies. I still am me.
I think, it is time to start blogging again.
If you are still out there and reading this...let me know...

A Delightful Thanksgiving Holiday and an Almost Finished Object

What is this?




It's my February Lady Sweater....pinned out and blocking. I was able to finish her during the few days off after Thanksgiving. I think it turned out well..and this photo is much more true to color (Calypso Green) than the previous pics. Modeled shots will come later this week for sure!

Despite having to cover L&D Wednesday day and overnight Thursday night...and the multitudes of babies accompanying the holiday, I was able to have a lovely day Thursday with the family. Much of the prep work, and the homemade cranberry sauce was completed on Monday and Tuesday. Thursday morning was devoted to putting the turkey in the oven, along with the stuffing in a side dish pan (we do NOT like our stuffing in our turkey...we like our stuffing crunchy on top! and full of wonderful things like sausage and cranberries and pecans and savory saute'd onions and celery and such)...



Had the best darn sweet potatoes (not yams) whipped up with a dash of cinnamon and vanilla and egg...smothered with a crispy crust of toasted chopped pecans, brown sugar, flour and butter....even the teen preferred them to the marshmallow covered variety...in fact, there are none left. None. Between the granny, the girl, and the man...they were devoured.




The spinach salad added just the perfect touch of green leafy things....

For dessert, pumpkin pie (with whipped cream of course) and a decadent apple/cranberry pie topped with walnut streusal...my personal favorite.

Life is good. I have much to be thankful for. And the girl GRADUATED from high school!



With a decent GPA and all. A semester early. She's working full time for now, and will likely work at a lodge this summer before leaving for college in the fall. Yes. Life IS good. Here's hoping you all enjoyed a wonderful day with friends and/or family members....



Until next time...KNIT ON!

Long Time No Blog

Yes, I know it's been months. But I have been using my time productively. Honest.
Since we last connected, I've hiked through enchanting Alaskan terrain covered in waterfalls and glaciers and lakes.







I've traveled to Peru for a volunteer medical mission, a life-changing experience if ever there was one....













Hiked the Sacred Valley Inca Trail and watched the sunrise over Macchu Piccu.











And now back home, reinvested in myself...have begun a rigorous training program towards a triathlon next summer.

I'm feeling great, feeling strong, and yes, I am still knitting. Knitbud Ruth and I are doing a mini-KAL...it's her first grown-ass woman sized sweater...yes, it's the ubiquitous February Lady Sweater....I know, I know, I started one of these a year ago...but it just wasn't a good marriage of pattern and yarn at the time...this one..much improved! I'm using Elann.com's luscious Highland Wool in Calypso Green (which is actually somewhat greener than it shows in the photos)




purchased during one of their amazing bag sales a year or more ago...and if you noticed the clever stitch markers between each 7 stitch lace repeat..why they are nothing more than cut up drinking straws (because who has eleventyjillion matching stitch markers?)...clever idea culled from the FLS forum on Ravelry.


So, I'm back...not sure how frequently I'll be posting, or what the content will end up being...but I've missed the blogging...until next time...

Knit On!