Yellow Butterflies

Magnolia soulangeana "Butterflies"

The goods - some of Scout's Swag

In my first-ever blog contest, three people guessed the right answer. The mystery flower is a true yellow Japanese magnolia and the variety is 'Butterflies'. I stuff my zone 6a garden as full of as many Southern plants as I can, to remind me of home. I love magnolias, but wanted something that would be hardy and different from your typical pink and purple ones (even though I love them too). So when I saw pictures of yellow magnolias on the i-net, I knew I just had to have one.

Now, in my part of the midwest, people tend to be very suspicious and closed-minded regarding anything (or anyone) that is new and unfamiliar. So that means that the stores here tend to be about 5 years behind on trends, even the garden centers. I had a heck of a time finding anyone who had even heard of a yellow magnolia until last year, when I finally tracked down a very nice little tree. Unfortunately, I had missed the blooms by about 1 week. So it wasn't until earlier this week that I finally saw them blooming in real life. And they are even better than I anticipated! Don't you just love it when that happens?

The winner is Diane, whose name was randomly chosen by Mr. C. Thank you Sonya and Li, who each guessed correctly and will each receive a little surprise. And Juli who did not guess magnolia will get a little something for being a good sport. I enjoy all of your comments and love getting to know you all on your blogs. Thanks! And keep your eyes open for a new contest coming soon as I am approaching my 100th post!

It's late and my stash is spread out all over the great room and must be picked up before bed, so I must go before I finish telling about the rest of the weekend and an exciting addition to the stash. Guess you'll just have to check back next week...

Spring Is Sprung

It's officially spring here on the prairie. Everything seems to have popped into bloom over the past three days:

The weeping cherry is in bud

The early daffodils

The violas, lysymachia and Labrador violets

Any guesses?

This last picture is a greatly anticipated event - it's first year in my garden AND the first time I will ever see one in bloom in real life. I can't wait!!! I am having a contest for the person who guesses the right answer ( if more than one person guesses, there will be a drawing to determine the winner). And if no one guesses the correct answer, I will have a drawing anyway. The prize? Does "Scout's Swag" tempt you at all? And maybe a little surprise thrown in. I am hoping to lure some of the lurkers out into the open. You have until Friday - the answer will be revealed on Saturday. Good guessing!

The Teeny Bunnies Made Me Do It

So of course I had to run over to my favorite lys to get some yarn so I could knit something using my new bunny stitch markers. You'd do the same thing, right? So many beautiful new yarns! So many gorgeous springtime colors! I didn't even try to resist. Do you blame me?

The springtime stash

Criquette wasn't in the mood to pose tonight, so I had to use her stand in. The pansy-colored yarn is a squishy-soft baby alpaca that I can't stop petting (which put Miss Criquette's whiskers in a snit). It is called Big Baby from Alpaca With a Twist. If I can get the gauge close enough to fit the pattern, it will be knit into Li's Herringbone Scarf, a pattern I have been dying to make. The coral colored yarn is a wool/mohair worsted by J Knits called Felter's Dream. I want to use the One Row scarf pattern again and hope it looks good with this yarn. These scarves will be for the 2 wonderful ladies who run our office and put up with all kinds of craziness, even sometimes from the patients! They are very interested in my current knitting projects and act like I am a good knitter (they don't knit, obviously) so I am going to have great fun showing them the progress on these scarves without saying who they are for and then surprising them. Does anyone know when Administrative Assistants' Day is?

Next in the lineup is some Nashua Cilantro in Soft Green and Ivory for a baby hat for a friend who is finally having her prayers answered for a grandchild. I know she'd really love one in pink, but since the sex of the baby isn't known yet, I'm playing it safe and neutral. And finally, the fresh and pretty apple green yarn is a Rio de la Plata merino hand-dyed sock yarn. It's so soft and bouncy and pretty, it almost makes me want to learn sock-knitting, but it is actually not going to be part of my stash - I am just fostering it for someone else.

And speaking of fostering, don't be feeling sorry for Griff, who is not Los Lonely at all. He is a big dog now! It's official - he goes on walks with Chloe and Abbie every day. And when he potties outside, he can come in and have playtime with the big dogs. And Chloe and Abbie have been surprisingly good with him. Abbie even lets him share her squeaky toys and Chloe herds him around.

Killing the squirrel toy with the big dogs

In other good news, Griff is now being shown on the border collie rescue page, starting today. He is one of the only puppies available, and the cutest in my opinion. And the smartest, I am sure. And the best news is that he doesn't have to go back to the shelter this weekend. The shelter director understands why it's important to us to help him find the right family and is letting us do it this way. So if the rain stops and it stays warm, I'll spend Sunday in the garden, surrounded by canines. And if the rain doesn't stop, I'll spend Sunday knitting, surrounded by canines. Either way, it's good. Hope you have a good one too.

"Just save some for me, okay?"

Surprise Bunnies!

Today was just one of those wonderful days that keep me going on the not-so-wonderful ones. It was rainy, then dreary and cloudy, but warm, all day. But thanks to the 2 previous days of warmth and rain, there are daffodils, flowering pears, magnolias and violas blooming all over the city and it is just beautiful! And as if that wasn't good enough, look what I came home to find:

The good kind of bunnies

The cutest, teeniest little bunny stitch markers from my friend, Sonya. I met her in the February Color Swap - she is the one who sent me the luscious chocolate alpaca yarn that is now a finished scarf. Thank you so much, Sonya! You made my day. I love bunnies (unless they are munching on my flowers). Ya'll should go visit Sonya at her blog. She has the cutest kids and dog and is just a really nice person. She will even take you on fun tours of her charming town - look for the Kong-sized clock. And if you join in on the Color Swap (see March 19 post), you might just get lucky like I did and get paired up with her!

Finally, Some Real Knitting Content

Last week was good for finishing the 2 alpaca scarves I have been working on for the Alpaca Along. This first one was knit with the gorgeous chocolate Blue Sky alpacas yarn from Sonya (thanks again, Sonya!):

The color in this picture is accurate

The color is off in this picture

I absolutely loved working with this brown yarn and will be ordering up a bunch more in some different colors. The periwinkle yarn is Reynolds Blizzard, a 65/35 blend of alpaca/acrylic in the color 617 - it is really soft but didn't have much body. In addition, it split easily with my relatively blunt-tipped bamboos so I didn't enjoy working with this one as much, but I like the way the periwinkle complements the chocolate.

Lengthwise garter stitch wasn't what I originally wanted to do - I wanted the brown to be the predominant color, with varying width stripes of different colored alpaca yarns, but I didn't like the color "bumps" (I don't know what else to call that line of the first color that shows up on the second color) that were too obtrusive on the "wrong side" of the scarf because of the high contrast in colors. I tried stockingnette, but was still getting the lines/bumps. So I settled for good old garter stitch with just one color change and am very pleased with the way the focus ends up on the chocolate yarn, which is where it belongs. This scarf is for me!

This second scarf has been knit with Alpaca Baby Grande. The pattern is the One-Row Scarf from Stephanie, aka Yarn Harlot. This is a perfect stitch pattern - it's not only easy to memorize and quite lovely, but has a flow to it that is very soothing and relaxing. Plus I could watch TV and knit without even having to pay much attention to the knitting. And the yarn is incredibly soft and sensual. In fact I am going to buy more of it this weekend and make a couple more one-row scarves for our wonderful and indispensible office staff. Surely handknitted gifts of alpaca yumminess will entice them to continue to tolerate working with a bunch of neurotic therapists???

Finally, here is the new craft I have learned - needle felting! I took a little class at the lys and we made an easter egg and bunny. I don't know where the egg went (I suspect Criquette and Bitsy were involved in its disappearance but they're not letting the cat out of the bag). Here is the bunny:

A little out of focus, but you get the idea. Hard to believe I made it by poking a gob of wool with a needle about 8723 times. It's a great way to work out stored-up aggression, as long as you don't poke yourself by mistake (ask me how I know). I'm hoping to find some time this weekend to make something else. Which means a road trip to a not so lys, about 40 miles up the road. To buy some roving and whatever other little needle felting goodies I can't live without. And if I happen to find the right yarn for my next non-scarf project, all the better!

f
Finally, I will leave you with a shot of my next scarf project. Once again, a simple lengthwise garter stitch in some of my favorite colors for spring and summer. This is meant to be a gift, but I'm really loving these colors....

Los Lonely Boy

Thursday night

Friday night

Cody (now re-renamed Oscar) went home with his new parents and doggy sister on Friday afternoon, leaving only Griff without a forever family. Of course, we have spoiled him almost rotten, by playing extra time with him, giving him some extra treats and of course lots and lots of cuddles. He has actually settled in quite well, only wimpering for about 5 minutes Friday night before falling asleep. We're continuing to potty train him. He has learned to fetch and sits on command, even without treats.

I'm sorry I don't have a third picture that would be captioned "Saturday and Sunday". But since Griff's brothers have left, he has been joining the "big dogs" Chloe and Abbie on their walks and then playing with them a while. We were afraid he wouldn't be able to keep pace, but after a little more than a mile walk, guess who was trotting out at the front of the pack?

We took him down to the shelter yesterday and today. We had several people interested, but none of them were the right fit. We were lucky enough to hook up with MOKAN Border Collie Rescue, and since he has so many BC traits, they are cross-listing him on their website and helping us find him a great permanent home.

Earlier this week, I finished knitting up a scarf made from the chocolate brown alpaca, which needs to have ends woven in and blocking. I am knitting small swatches on my next project - a spring scarf. I lovelovelove the yarns I am using and can't wait to get started on it sometime this week.

And, as if I have unlimited free time, I learned a new little pasttime. I will post about it next blog. I will say that it involves the wooly stuff, but that's all. You'll just need to come back, okay?

The Perfect, Perfect Prince

Take a look at one lucky little dog.


Yes, Cody found a new home today. We met his new parents at the shelter yesterday, who initially said they were "just looking". However, much conversation and puppy-holdings later led to the delightful Mrs. J asking if she could bring their dog, M to meet Cody last night. So this lovely couple brought their lovely border collie mix to our home where the couple fell in love with Cody, Cody fell in love with M and her fluffy tail, and M ran around our house looking for the cats. They called us this morning to say they had decided to adopt him and are renaming Humphrey (as in Bogart). At first, I was like, WTF? but the more I thought about it, kind of liked it. It's the kind of name he will grow into and will seem just right when he is a big, beautiful hound dog.

So, as with the other pups, Cody has found the perfect family! They are a very nice professional couple in their 30's, whose dogs are their children, so of course are spoiled with lots of love and toys. And lots of walks on the walking trails by their house. And big, soft cushy beds. And Mr. G works at home, so is around for cuddles and play time. But here's the best part. Mr. G recently had to put down his wonderful dog of many years. He had this dog before he and Mrs. J married (M was her dog before they married) and has really felt her loss.

They were really attracted by Cody/Humphrey's personality, which is a little more introverted than the other pups. He needs lots of attention and reassurance, probably because he was the runt. And his favorite thing to do is still getting a toy and scrambling into our laps for a good long chew, followed by a long snuggle. Mr. G's previous dog used to do this too. And Cody, being a bit OCD, has a thing for gathering up all of the toys and putting them away in the crate. He "cleans up" every day. Get this - so did Mr. G's previous dog. In fact, Cody/Humphrey will be getting his own toy box to put his toys in! I really think that Cody is going to help Mr. G heal from his loss and will be a joy for them.

Mrs. J referred to M several times as their "pretty, pretty princess". My guess is that if Mr. Cody/Humphrey plays his cards right, he will become their "perfect, perfect prince". We should all have it so good.

I actually got a little more knitting done today. I have finished the aqua alpaca scarf and just need to weave in the ends and block it. This new scarf I am working on has been frogged several times because the yarn was not happy with what I was trying to force it to do and I think I have found the right pattern, finally. It wanted to be knit on sz 15's, instead of the 17's and 19's I had tried, and it also decided it wanted to be knit lengthwise. I hope to have pictures with actual knitting content in them by next weekend.

I am also hoping to have a story to tell you about this little guy's new family.

Griff

I am really puzzled as to why no one has shown an interest in him yet, except a nutty/scary woman looking for a brother for her enormously obese and snappy sheltie, a mom with 4 young, out of control and very badly behaved boys, and a preteen who, without even asking to pick him up while he was sleeping, grabbed him by the leg to drag him over and caused him to yelp- I don't often get mad but I was in her face, yelling "You don't pick up puppies that way! Do you want me to yank you by your arm?" I felt kind of bad for being harsh and apologized but I don't think it will change her behavior. The worst part is, her parents never tried to stop her or reprimand her, and had the nerve to ask about adopting one of the puppies!! I'm afraid I was rather abrupt and rude with them too. They're lucky I didn't jab them with my knitting needles!

Griff is the most outgoing and most fun little guy in the bunch. But I have faith that the right family and situation are just waiting to happen. Please send good thoughts Griff's way this week.

How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?

Are they gone yet?

As wacko as this past week has been, there have also been some highlights. Our efforts to find the pups forever homes are starting to pay off. We realized back in the beginning that the only way we would be able to part from these boys would be to know they were going to homes where they would be treated like a member of the family, and not be abused or neglected. So we put a lot of time into socializing them to love people, other dogs and also to have good manners and even do a little trick or 2. This was really important because, unfortunately in the world of animal shelters, black dogs, especially big black dogs are usually hard to adopt out. And these pups will be at least 50# when grown.

So please indulge me while I brag on our foster kids a little. These dogs have incredible temperaments and are very affectionate. They are well on their way to being potty trained, sit on command and are starting to come when called and are learning to fetch. They don't jump up on people (at least not yet) and have learned to use soft mouths around people's hands. In short, they are dream puppies.



Oreo was the first to be adopted by one of my coworkers and her family, which includes 2 great kids. They all bonded right away and his loving disposition is the perfect fit for their family. They're taking some family classes to train him, he will live inside but spend lots of time outside as they plan to include him in their various outdoor activities. They picked him up on Wednesday. Mr. C and I were both sad to see him go but it's made easier knowing that he will have such a good home. So we got a call from his new mom the next day and she raved about how he went right to bed without crying (the secret is that we turn on a sound machine that has a heartbeat every night at bedtime. We also sent him home with a towel that all of the puppies had slept on so he had their smell. And they got him a sound machine! How spoiled is that?) and slept through the night, and was pottying in the grass and hadn't even gone on his newspapers in the house. Brilliant dog - that's the way to get yourself a forever home! The best part is, since we work together, I will get regular updates and even get to see him from time to time. They renamed him "Buck", in honor of Buck O'Neill, a beloved Kansas City figure who played for the American Negro Baseball League and was just the sweetest man, well known for his generosity in fund-raising. It's a good name for a good dog.


So that left us with 3. We went down to one of the TV stations today - every Sat. am they feature an animal from our animal shelter and the boys were the stars today! I recorded the program and hope to figure out how to download it so I can put it on the blog. They were perfectly behaved, sat on the newscasters laps very politely and kept looking into the camera with their sweet little faces. Who could resist? Then we took them to the shelter where they had their own little puppy pen in the lobby and they were the stars of the day. I brought my knitting, but ended up being so busy that I only got a couple rows of my scarf done.

Marley was the most popular - sort of surprising since he is the biggest of the 3 with huge paws. A couple of people came so close to adopting him, and would have given him a decent home, but I just had a feeling he could do better. Do you believe in the power of prayer? I sure do. I said a quick one, and a little while later, a single mom and her 11 year old twin boys came in. My first impression was, I am ashamed to admit, "oh not them" because I was pretty sure one of the boys had Asperger's syndrome. (I work with lots of highly functioning kids with Asperger's and really enjoy them but many of them are just not good with pets). But physically, he reminded me of my favorite nephew, and I started talking with them and am I glad I did. He and his brother are 2 of the gentlest and politest kids I've met and it was obvious the mom had good judgement and a knowledge of dogs. They saw Marley and that was it. Love at first sight. For Marley too. It turns out, both boys have high-functioning autism. They have been raised around their grandparents' dogs and have learned how to be respectful of dogs. Marley just settled into their arms and kept licking them. I wanted to cry, it was just so touching. The mom was finally getting them the puppy they had been asking for, for their birthdays next week. They already knew what their responsibilities would be and the mom felt they were ready.

Now for the cool part - the part where you know it was meant to be. These boys had been among my first patients when I was starting out as a psychologist, 8 years ago. As soon as the mom told me, I remembered them (although I would have never recognized them they have grown and matured so much). She said when she recognized me, she knew she had to adopt Marley because I was the person who recognized their symptoms and referred them for autism evals and that, because they had gotten services at an early age, had been able to make such significant progress. I did cry then, because so often I never know how these kids I care so much about turn out. She wants to stay in touch and be able to send me pictures of Marley (who is being renamed Max Chocolate) and the boys. Who informed me as they were leaving that they were now his new dads and they would love him forever and would make sure he only ate good dog food so he would never get sick. We should all have such good dads.

So although we are 2 puppies fewer tonight, instead of tears, we're grateful and joyful and have high hopes for tomorrow when we'll take Griff and Cody back to the shelter to find them their forever families. We have reason to believe one of them will be going to their new home tomorrow, but it's not certain and I don't want to jinx it by saying anything yet. So stay tuned tomorrow for the continuing saga of the little puppy posse on the prairie.

Cody, Oreo (aka Buck) & Marley (aka Max Chocolate)

Everything They Say About Full Moons is True

This has been one effin crazy week to be a psychologist. It is absolutely true that the full moon brings out the crazies in many folks, shrinks included. Although the official full moon was last weekend, there was also an eclipse (which I think also wigs people out) of the full moon and I think that combination was potent enough to carry over into the start of the week. In fact, when I left work on Monday night, there was a huge dark orange moon looming in the sky, the kind I've heard called a "blood moon" - an appropriate end to the day in our clinic. It started first thing that morning - one of the therapists was doing a family session with twin adolescent boys and their parents. The boys were intoxicated and pissed. Bad combination. The session exploded into a verbally violent fight, with the overgrown oafs bursting out of her office and storming through the halls, yelling, cursing, slamming doors and generally behaving worse than elephants in heat (I watch too much Animal Planet). This was way beyond the kind of behavior we experience in our clinic, which is a private practice in a suburban area where our clients are more typically anxious, depressed or seeking help for normal life circumstances. Not raging idiots.

So after that dust had settled and the therapist reassured everyone that the twins wouldn't be back (at least as a pair), we all went about our normal routines until after lunch when ANOTHER full-moon victim came in for an initial visit. This guy was seeking a disability determination and arrived dressed in a military-looking outfit (not an actual uniform), and sat in the waiting room talking loudly to himself about killing his wife and children, while stomping his feet and beating on his legs with his fists. Now fortunately I was blissfully unaware that a potential mass murderer was about to go postal on us until I finished my session and escorted my clients back to the waiting room and found several police officers taking the poor guy away. Turns out our building super found him wandering the halls yelling about weapons and murder and dismemberment and stuff and wisely called the cops, who discovered this guy was just out of jail on assault charges and weapons possession and that he had weapons in his car that day. Full moon fever.

And of course, I had my usual rash of weird full moon phone calls, although (strangely) all my kids that day were doing really well. I myself have been kind of squirrely this week (more than usual) and everyone in the office has been sort of weird too. Even the resident pet posse and the pups were off their usual behavior. So if you or someone you know should ever wonder if the full moon really affects people's behavior, just ask your friendly local mental health provider - they can probably give you an earful!

Speaking of puppies, I will post about them tomorrow, Sonya. Marley, Cody and Griff will be on TV in the morning and making their debut at the shelter tomorrow where their beauty and charm will surely win them forever homes. And their squirrely foster mom is going to spend the day down there with them, knitting and making sure the people who adopt them are Worthy and Sane. If I run into anyone I know, I'll just blame it on the full moon.

Obligatory knitting content combined with gratuitous cuteness

SP10 Questionnaire

After reading many happy bloggers raving about SP9, I had to join SP10. And of course, there is the typical questionnaire and here it is:

1. What are your favorite yarns to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I love merino, alpaca, silk, silk/wool blends and soy/wool. I don't care for cotton (unless it's very bouncy and stretchy) and don't like anything rough, scratchy, or plastic feeling (Red Heart, Lion's Brand). I am also not a fan of sparkly, metallic or hairy/eyelashy.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in?

A funky vase I found at an antique mall, a Waterford bowl and a hook in my stash room/office for the circs.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?

I taught myself last February from the book "Knitting School". I still consider myself a beginner because all I've knitted so far are scarves (I do a mean garter stitch!), hats and a kitty pi bed. I try to do something new each time I make something, whether it's a new stitch, a new technique, or using a new yarn.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Yes, I have a wish list on Amazon.

5. What's your favorite scent?

I love vanilla, orange-vanilla, and lavender. I also really love the smell of roasted coffee.


6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy?

I have sweet teeth and salty teeth. I love something sweet followed by something salty, then back to something sweet, then salty...this can go on all night. I love most peppermint-flavored candy (but not starlight mints), skittles, smartees, and the little chocolate candy bars you hand out at Halloween BUT I am not picky when it comes to sweets!

7. What other crafts or Do-it-yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin?

Since I started knitting, I have been so obsessed I have forsaken all other crafts for the most part! I love to gather and dry various things from nature which I use to decorate. I like to do some beading from time to time and hope to start learning how to hand-dye yarn this spring. I don't spin because I don't have time to learn right now, but maybe one day I will take it up.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3's?

Yes, I can play MP3's. I LOVE most kinds of music - classical, jazz, rock, alternative, contemporary Christian, world music, New Orleans funk, R&B, hip/hop & even some rap. I am not a fan of metal, country music, Top 40, or easy-listening pop. One of my favorite things is discovering artists I haven't heard before!

9. What are your favorite colors? Any colors you can't stand?

I love colors and neutrals. My favorite colors are cobalt blue, ocean colors, purples (especially lavender, periwinkle, and grape), blue greens/turquoise and lime green. I also really like autumn colors. In neutrals i really like greys, black and soft creamy white. I don't care for really bright colors, tans or pastels.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Married 22 years to Mr. C (who is wonderfully supportive of my knitting obsession), no kids (but I have 9 fantastic nieces and nephews), 2 grey tabbies (Bitsy Bonton and Criquette) and 2 of the best dogs in the world (Chloe and Abbie). We are currently fostering 4 adorable puppies. We also have several bird feeders and squirrel feeders for our "outside pets".

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos?

I wear scarves and mittens. I rarely wear hats but do like skibands. I am not a poncho-wearing kind of gal.

12. What is your favorite item/s to knit?

Scarves, scarves, scarves! And sometimes hats (when I am tired of scarves). Anything in which I can get quick gratification and that doesn't challenge my tiny attention span!

13. What are you knitting right now?

If you guessed a scarf, you'd be correct! I just started on a deliciously soft scarf in a pattern that I designed. I go to sleep at night dreaming about it!

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts?

Oh yes!

15.Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I prefer the right needles for the yarn and the project, because I am practical like that. I have used bamboo, plastic and stainless steel and like them all. I'd have to say I usually try to use my Clover bamboo needles first. I have a set of Addi's that I love but they often feel too slippery. I can't stand the feel of aluminum or the sound they make - like nails on a chalkboard. At some point I will get some wooden needles to see if I like them as much as the bamboo.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and swift?

Yes! And I love playing with them!

17. How old is your oldest UFO?

That would be the Heartbreakingly Cute baby kimono from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I started it back in October and got through about 4" of straight knitting (on little sz 7 needles!!) and got bored and put it aside. This does not bode well for my goals of knitting a sweater and shawl this year!

18. What is your favorite holiday?

I love Thanksgiving and Christmas because fall/winter is my favorite time of year. And I love Easter because it comes at just the right time every year - just when I need hope and renewal and springtime the most.

19. Is there anything you collect?

Rabbits, crabs, turkeys, pumpkins (but not Jack-o-lanterns), and reindeer. Weird collections for a weird person!

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have?

No subscriptions. As far as books, see my Amazon list.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn?

I'm almost embarassed to say this, but I'd like to learn about using gauge - not just knitting a swatch, but how to manipulate the yarn type and/or needles to get gauge. Then I want to learn to knit a sweater.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements?

No, knitting socks doesn't interest me at this time, but maybe when I get tired of scarves and hats I will give it a try, but it will have to be a pattern that calls for sz 8's or larger! As far as my foot measurements, I'm not sure how to measure it for socks. My shoe size is 9.

23. When is your birthday?

November 8.

PUPPY UPDATE!

Here is a picture of the brilliant puppies sitting for treats. Oh, the cuteness! And I've already informed Mr. C of my plan for my next career as a puppy trainer!

(L - R) Oreo, Marley, Cody and Griff

Monday is a big day for the gang - they're off to get vaccinated, neutered, and microchipped. Don't feel too bad for them - they will be totally loved on and spoiled when they get back later that afternoon! Then Wednesday will be another milestone for all of us - Cody and Oreo will (hopefully) be off to their new homes. It will be a bittersweet day here at the little animal house on the prairie...but we'll still have Griff and Marley around until we find good homes for them too. I suspect once we take them out to adoption sites, their little faces and nice little sitting trick will find them homes real quickly!

Wishing Paid Off

All that spring time wishing on Saturday paid off. The "wintry mix" moved north of us so it's just a little cold and very windy here today but no more white stuff on the ground. A large group of robins has taken over the back yard - there must be 18-20 of them. I saw one or two last week, but this big flock just screams "springtime". And I found these daffodils peeking up this morning:

One of the surest signs of all, the critters are starting to shed their thick winter coats. I just dust-mopped 4 days ago and look at this Kong-sized dust bunny!



And the puppy posse is just full of energy. They are especially loving the treats Sonya included in her February Color Swap package - they are tiny little bone-shaped biscuits that must contain the equivalent of puppy catnip - they go *crazy* for them. The boys all learned how to sit yesterday in record time once they got a taste of those treats! I will need to ask Sonya what kind they are so I can restock.

Who wants treats? (sound of bag shaking)

In knitting news, I came up the pattern I am using for my thick&juicy chocolate alpaca scarf and started knitting last night during the Academy Awards. I didn't enjoy them so much - thought they were boring actually. Maybe because out of all those movies nominated, I have only seen 1 (Little Miss Sunshine) so I had no opinions about who the winners should be. Although there were oodles of gorgeous gowns, alas, there were no major fashion tragedies to entertain me either. And as much as I love Ellen DeG (a fellow New Orleanian), I thought she was a little intimidated and subdued. Hope they give her another chance next year. And please, would the academy please do the following next year to make it a more exciting event: (1) nominate movies that most people have seen and that aren't full of gore and violence or pedophilia, (2) nominate people who make hilariously appalling fashion choices (remember when Cher was nominated?), and (3) ditch Tom Cruise and bring in some real eye candy to present (Where the heck were Denzel, Russell, and Johnny?????). Of course, if next year is better than this year, I may not get much knitting done!

Signs Of Spring?

Here's what it looked like on the porch Thursday:


Glorious, sunny and in the high 50's. Even though I had to work all day and had no time to enjoy it, I was still delighted to know my favorite room was useable again. So the pet posse enjoyed it for me.

Fast forward to Saturday...no work, minimal cleaning needing to be done, lots of free time for knitting on the porch...BUT:

Cold, grey, rainy, dreary. Thunderstorms tonight changing over to a "wintry mix". Notice all the white in the background? That is the leftover from the huge glacier that has covered our yards since earlier in January. Despite an entire week of temps above freezing, it still hasn't melted. Global warming? Not in Kansas.

However, one of the things I have learned as a psychologist (that I actually use in my own life - therapists are notorious for being some of the nuttiest people you'll ever meet and most are strangely resistent to using the advice they give their own clients) - ummm, where was I? Oh yeah, I have learned to reframe negatives into positives as a way of keeping my mood happy as opposed to depressed. So, instead of grumping about today, I am thinking of today as ushering in the beginning of spring! I have put away several of the darker winter decorations in favor of light greens and yellows. I put on my favorite froggy-colored summertime Crocs.

I took some blueberries out of the freezer to add to a salad I will fix tonight with spring greens and goat cheese crumbles with raspberry vinagairette. And then I finally finished a little feline-sized springtime-fresh kitty blanket and Criquette and Bitsy have been taking turns napping on it today:


And I keep peeking out the window to see if the many narcissus and daffodil bulbs I planted last fall are beginning to peek out of the ground yet. Because as of today, spring is really just around the corner!

So while I'm waiting, I'm knitting. And how much do I love my new alpaca yarn? So much I started casting on for a new scarf, pour moi. It should knit up quickly. Then we'll need at least one more cold spell so I can wear it.

Maybe I'm not quite ready for spring after all...

Chocolate, chocolate and chocolate!

Wow! I have been blessed with the greatest swap partner ever!!! The theme of the February Color Swap was "brown and tan". I was gifted with some seriously brown goodies, as in "chocolate brown". Here's a peek...

My CS pal couldn't have done a more perfect job of choosing things that I love - a delicious solid chocolate heart (ask me how I know it's delicious), some adorable knitting note cards, some dark and yummy-smelling coffee, a vanilla-nutmeg candle, 3 vials of amber colored glass beads, some cute tiny biscuits for the puppies (big and small), a teeny little knitted sweater keychain (partner, did you knit this?), and best of all, the most sinfully luscious Blue Sky bulky alpaca (!!!) yarn in a deep, rich brown that is the color of dark chocolate. OMG!!! Thank you so much, Sonya. I am enjoying our emails and reading your blog and getting to know you. I hope you are equally blessed by your swap partner!

I should submit this to Cute Overload!

A New Meme for Al=KAL

I've been home sick all week with strep throat or something equally evil...fortunately, 3 days worth of antobiotics has gotten me back to where I can sleep for more than 1-2 hours at a stretch, don't need to have the kleenex box attached at my hip, and I can actually swallow without crying. Fortunately, as bad as I felt, I never felt bad enough to stop knitting, even if I was sneezing and coughing after every other stitch. This is what I was working on:

Bitsy BonTon thinks this would make a very nice little pillow

I finally decided what I wanted to knit for myself and it is luscious! Baby Alpaca Grande
yarn knit on #11 clover bamboo needles. The pattern is the Yarn Harlot's "One Row Handspun Scarf" which really showcases the yarn and has been a very soothing combination of stitches to knit on while watching TV and choking to death on oceans of mucus. I have a skein left and am trying to decide whether to add fringe or leave the ends plain. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Since I had so much time for myself (when I wasn't hunched over a sink of hot steam trying to figure out how to do CPR on myself if I got too congested and stopped breathing), I got to explore the 'nets looking for new knitting adventures. So I stumbled upon this, and since I wanted to join a KAL and since I was already almost finished knitting a project with alpaca and knew I wanted to knit with alpaca again, I thought joining would be an excellent reason to make a run to the lys to add loads of squishy, buttery cloudy-soft alpaca to the stash.

So I joined. And then I began a remarkable healing, miraculously restored by the surge of motivation to get well so I can buy. more. yarn. Truly. As of tonight, the fever has broken and if the weather makes it up into the 20's, I will go and get my Rx filled this weekend!

Meanwhile, here's the Al-KAL meme which I know you are all waiting with baited breath to read (and what does baited breath mean anyway? That you have worms in your mouth?)

I've been hooked on the needles since...
The week before Mardi Gras, 2006.

I'm still a virgin, but not for long...
For cable and lace knitting, and making my first garment that is not a hat or scarf.

She's crafty -
she gets around to....
Knitting, beading, sewing things for my home (as long as it's simple)

she's always down for...
Good food, good wine, good music

she's always got a gripe about...
Not having enough free time to knit and be otherwise crafty

What type of knitter are you?
Since I am the proud owner of an ADHD brain, I bring these characteristics to my knitting: curiosity, a need to have something new going on in each project (new technique, new kind of yarn or needles, etc.), need to have several things (AKA projects) going on simultaneously, need for quick gratification, and of course, the attention span of a beagle.

I'm dying to try...
Some alpaca/silk blend - maybe for some mitts.

I gravitate towards colors like...
Violets, lime green, periwinkle, very soft butter yellow, cobalt blue, greys, black

My most cherished possession (kids, pets, family doesn't count)...
I have a few: my deceased SIL's bible, my mother's wedding ring and my cherished family photos.

I'm stuck on a deserted island, what am I reading?
Probably 2 books: Raft-Building For Dummies and Making Yarn From Common Tropical Plants

If I was offered a last meal, it would be...
Sauteed crab claws and the broiled pompano from Jaeger's, Teddy's red beans and rice, my SIL's macaroni and cheese and my sister's artichoke casserole served with a cold Abita beer. For dessert, a trio consisting of Emeril's banana cream pie, Lawrence Bakery's chocolate doberge cake and Commander's Palace bread pudding souffle, and a demitasse of strong chicory cafe' au lait.

Music to knit by...
Any music is great to knit by, it depends on my mood. Since it's Mardi Gras season, I've been mostly listening to lots of Neville Brothers, Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Beausoleil, Professor Longhair and Nathan and the Zydeco ChaCha's.

I have a crush on...
Men In Trees

Least favorite celebrity...
The ones who act so fudgin' stupid that I cringe in embarrassment for them...Tom Cruise and Britney Spears are the 2 that pop into my head although there are others...

Choose...
Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp...
Johnny Depp, of course

Madonna or Janet Jackson
Neither, I much prefer Mary J. Blige

June Cleaver or Peg Bundy
Do either of them knit?

Jackie or Marilyn
Jackie

Love or money
Love

Brains or looks
Brains

Math or English
English

Cat or dog
I can't choose - this is how we ended up with 2 of each!

Leader or follower
Independent, although I can be either when I need to be.

Beer or champagne
Beer, unless we're talking bellinis

My favorite smell...
Roasting coffee beans, gasoline, fresh mown grass, lemons, lavender, vanilla

Not many people know this about me...
I can still recite the poem Jaberwocky, which I learned in 4th grade.

My hidden talent is...
Tap dancing and singing opera to the kitties. (For the safety and mental well-being of everyone, these shall remain hidden.)

Oops - my Kleenex is calling, gotta go. Ya'll stay well out there!

Look What I Came Home To Find, Part 3

Say "hi" to Griff, numero quatro foster boy. C brought him home because his other foster dad got sick and had to bring him back to the shelter. He is Oreo's twin and was being pushed around by the bigger members of the brood. C figured, what difference is one more eating/pooping machine going to make? Not much, but the extra cuteness factor is always appreciated. Griff was overjoyed to be reunited with his brothers - he was prancing and spinning around like a baby antelope. It was such a sweet moment, I almost cried, but I had to clean up several little puddles instead.

Here's an update on the other 3:

Oreo and Cody

Marley

We have started networking with our friends, neighbors and coworkers to find these baby boys good homes before they have to go back to Animal Haven. We have about 3-4 weeks. So far, 2 families have expressed an interest. Wish us luck!


I hope everyone reading this will have a lovely Valentine's Day in the company of at least one loved one - doesn't matter if said company has a tail or not, love is love and today is the day to celebrate love in all of it's forms! I for one am spending it with 6 darling canines who will cover me with slobbery kisses, 2 cuddly felines who will snuggle with me if I gift them with albacore tuna tonight, 1 horrendous respiratory virus, and 1 great husband who just went out in a 4 degree windchill to get me some 7up, chicken soup and the most fantastic pumpkin bread on the prairie. May you all be so blessed (with the exception of the virus, of course).

When You Miss The Christmas Deadline, Turn Them Into Valentines

Honestly, where does the time go? I personally think there is a leak into the Parallel Universe that sucks up what little time we have here in Realityville. Like a black hole or something. It seems like just last week I was frantically knitting my way towards Christmas, cranking out little bits of scarf goodness for the near-and-dears. And, suddenly, it is FEBRUARY and I have finally finished the final 2.

Some of you are probably saying, "Why didn't you just send along the rest of their Christmas gifts ON TIME, and save the scarves for another time?" However, that doesn't take into account that I get these little obsessions that get Gorilla-glued into my brain and once the idea is there, it must be obeyed. You see, these scarves are going to my dear brother, B and his wife, G. I hardly ever get to see them because they live far, far away in the land of North Carolina, which means I would have to drive millions of miles to see them, or else I would have to resort to flying. Considering that I'd rather have an un-aenestethetized root canal than fly, and that they hardly ever leave their beautiful, mountainous state to consort with us prairiefolk, we leave our visiting to the wonders of electronics.

Let me digress for a moment and explain my aversion to flying. You may be surprised to learn that it has nothing to do with fear or anxiety of flying, terrorists, or the like. I don't mind being miles and miles above land, and I have a fatalistic view of terrorism: if it's your time, it's your time. No, the simple truth is that I detest discomfort and airplanes are not comfortable, for all the obvious reasons. I also hate having to hurt my brain by packing in such a way as to fit everything into such limited luggage space, not to mention all of the restrictions one must remember in order to win the airport security seal of approval. And the fact is that much of the stuff I NEED to bring along so that I am comfortable (see #1 above) will cause the alarms to go off and result in me being removed to that secret place in the airport where a large and unsympathetic security guard named Brunhilda will strip search me and confiscate my favorite mascara and hair products and make me miss my flight. I also figured that, by the time I leave 3 hours early to drive 70 minutes to the airport, check in 2 hours ahead of departure, wait for the inevitably delayed flight, fly to Atlanta to catch the delayed connecting flight to Charlotte, then wait for the 50 or so pieces of luggage I will need for a 5 day visit, it would take me ALL DAY to take what boils down to 3 hours actually in flight. So I try to offset my weirdness with hand-knitted goodies.

The other reason for my determination is this:



This was my present from them - beautifully handmade by the talented G. (This year, G. was chosen to participate in a prestigious juried art festival in Asheville - she's come a long way with her pottery in a very short time!) They have sent me similarly luscious pieces every year, appreciated all the more because they are handmade. I was determined to reciprocate in kind this year (technically, last year). So without further ado, here they are:

Urban Camo

Stormfront

The Urban Camo has been a UFO since the fall. It was knit with Cascade 128 in color 1183 (a rich, very dark olive green) and Classic Elite Beatrice in 'Hedgerow'. C saw the scarf and wants one. Little does he know that Urban Camo Jr. is on the needles with his name on it! At the rate I've been knitting, he may get it in time for Father's Day!

Although the concept is very simple, I am quite pleased with my design for Stormfront. It is knit with 2 different Paton's yarns: Rumor 'Halcyon Heather' (an alpaca/acrylic blend) and Shetland Chunky Tweed 'Charcoal Tweed' an acrylic/wool blend). The Rumor is a delight to knit with - I liked it so much, I started another scarf in it. The Shetland Tweed isn't as soft, but the colors coordinated perfectly with the Rumor and once knitted, it makes a nice fabric. I will be happy to share the pattern particulars of both scarves with anyone who requests the details.

And I can't forget my niece, J. Last year, I gifted J (a teenager) with a fun, fluffy scarf - the last item I crocheted before becoming converted to the Church of Knitting. Not wanting to be redundant, instead of a handknit, I thought it would be nice to make her a convert as well, so I am sending her a beginner's knitting kit containing 2 skeins of a soft self-striping yarn, needles, accessories and the book "Teen Knitting Club". She loves sewing and other crafts. Think she'll like it?

The scarves, along with some other goodies, will be packed up and sent off tomorrow. Okay, so it won't exactly arrive there on Valentine's Day. Maybe I should label the gifts "Happy President's Day"?