knittinggenes.blogspot.com

Here is the knitting content: I'm contemplating frogging my logcabin. I need that yarn combo for something else. I cannot pick up stitches (still because of arm fears) yet. I love the colors and don't want to waste it. Hmmmmmmmmm. I took this shot of a poochie enjoying a carride! My friend Diane's granddog Violet wears goggles for her joyrides. So cool. Now for some interesting thoughts from my little sister the Veterinarian: The new Dental intern at her Vet school says that feeding hard food to pets doesn't do a thing for their teerh. Total misconception. (WOW) The thing that actually made Huck's teeth beautiful, I am told, is that I brushed them. So get brushing folks! If you have a boy kitty, like Radar, you can discourage kidney stones by feeding wet food. If they arent' good water drinkers and they only get hard food, it can exacerbate a kidney stone issue. If your kitty needs a new kidney, the Univeristy of Madison does transplants. It costs t...

I finished a pair of baby booties/slippers. No, it isn't Christmas, but aha! I have a gift ready. When people see them in real time they say OH! in that sweet, melting their hearts way. You just have to trust me. They are adorable. Now I am making a pair for ME! I am addicted to the pattern. It is SOOOOOOO easy. I bought it online from the designer: Julia Houston They are the It's Our Secret Booties. Katherine of Comfort Zone Knitting Needles, makes the same gift for all her relatives SOME YEARS (not this year!) at the holidays. I think I am taking on Katherine's mojo this year. Lookout everyone, it is going to be a slipper year. And cat owners are telling me it is going to be a cold winter. Their kitties coats are already extra thick.... I'll talk to you in the comments. :)

I'll talk to you in the comments. :) I embellish a bit sometimes. I did a quick knit for two tiny twins I know. Using up the stash again. Just these two straight knit hats. Then I thought they looked too plain. So I embroidered a bee on each. I had yellow and black sock yarn from Lorna's, I believe in the leftover stash. I had to cut the yellows and blacks into strips and then use the strips so that the bees would have the right colors in the right spots. They are tiny bees so upon my first try the entire bee was yellow. Anyhow, the little twin has nearly grown out of his hat. His mom is delighted that he can use the bigger twins' hat again. This is a sweet Jewish family that I am working with. I decided on the bees because it was their New Year and others tell me you give apples and honey as a gift. So I did a bee thing. The boys can't eat apples and honey yet! In fact, no infant or child under 2 should have honey you know don't you? I've digr...

So I was at my father's house for his recent birthday. I found the family photo album and took a shot of the signed photo of me and W. Clement Stone. He always wore a penciled in moustache. It was his tracemark. Here I am shaking his hand. The funny thing is, I have exactly the same haircut now! Anyhow I have had to have to do some postive thinking on my new knitting venture. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. Anything the mind can concieve and believe, the mind can achieve! etc. And I have some new knitting i will try to show you tomorrow. I'm making Julia Houston's IT's Our Secret Booties. I LOVE making them. Using lots of leftover sock yarn. Almost all garter stitch. Some seaming, but hey, I've had an epiphany with seaming......finally! Even though I have to make two of each, they go fast fast fast and are adorable. Just in time for cold feet...... I'll talk to you in the comments. :)

This is Lisa my dear friend with whom I knit. But WHO is this? YOu have to guess. There is a prize involved. Hint: they are not related. Happy Guessing. I'll talk to you in the comments. :)

This is the only little stand in our town of 50,000 people that uses the honor system. I think it is refreshing. I wondered, however when I saw it this morning.... would it work if it was yarn? Anyone willing to try it? I'll talk to you in the comments. :)

But that is just me. You know. Ten things I think are cool: *Karen's Oat Couture Vest using OnLinee 76 CUP. *Knitting inside pockets and then showing me how you did it! *What KnitswithasilentK did with my yarn I didnt want! Check it out on her blog. *All of Grace's shawls. *The Autostart feature on cars. It is sooooo cold in Chicago and warming up your car is brutal. *Bakery bake at home cookie dough: my little secret! *Whenever I get to talk on the Radio. * Hummingbirds come to my yard during migration *Owls. Hearing one. I have never seen one in the wild!!! *Beeswax candles *THERAPY dogs I hope to talk to you in the comments!

Wow. I came across this pillow and had to share it. At this angle there is something that captures my attention in the look. What is it? (and just because we are talking angles, have you read THE ANGLE OF REPOSE by Wallace Stegner? I call you a READER if you have. My personal favorite is his Crossing to Safety) I have to tell you a few funny things that I've come across as I go through life without Huck.... I drove to see Allison in the big city on Saturday. I got lost. Kind of scarey lost. It wouldnt have helped me and Honda Rhonda, had I taken the GPS. I mixed up the name of her street. There is no good excuse for this! Fieman and I are both distracted. He forgot the way to our dear friend Gee's house. We have been going there for YEARS. He has gone by car and by hundreds of times by bike as he cycles in her neighborhood. Then a friend at work told me this story when she found out about Huck's passing last night. Denise and her family recently lost their ...

A funny thing happened at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival. I spent more time with dog handlers, breeders, trainers and competitors, than with Wool. Working dogs mesmerize me. These dogs are Masters in movement. Watching them compete today was sheer (pun intended) joy. Each one of the dogs I met today were intense about their shepherding AND about snuggling up to me. What lovers. I did go through the two barns of wool and yarn. I just coudln't find any yarn for me. I was looking for homespun that was soft. I didn't find any. I found a little lamb that followed me home. He'll be gift. Fireman and I also found bratwurst, ice cream, and cherry pie. We were touched by the small towns with their FireDepartment 9/11 signs. We were touched with the construction workers who flew their American Flags atop their enormous machines. I paused for a moment to remember that 9/ll brought me back to knitting. To settle down. I'll be at work all weekend. What about you? I...

Tomorrow Fireman is taking me to the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival! Do not expect us to come home with a beautiful border collie; too much dog for us! I love my new square Single points from Diane;she gave me 4s and 5s. I'll be showing you some dog pictures; just because I enjoy photographing dogs. I expect to buy some handspun tomorrow. We are still working through Huck's passing; I put the metal cup measure into the washing machine today. (loud) I need to find some more faux cashmere yarn........ I'm starting to give Radar all the people treats I used to give Huck. It is a gorgeous day to knit outside in the sunshine, here in Chicago. Radar is grieving the loss of his boy, Zach, so he gets treats. Have fun at Stitches Midwest Irisheyes Lynnn and cousin Maureen. I think I'm mastering the close ups with the camera now; do you like todays' flower????? I'll talk to you in the comments. :)

or a Christmas gift. Whichever you prefer. Two leftover balls of angora blend Lush I believe, put together in the simplest manner make this scarf. Funny how those two leftover balls will call for my purchasing a bit more of each yarn. This begs the question: When does stash reduction that calls for more yarn become less than cost efficient? Is the leftover stash like a sourdough starter? Or is it more like that horrible friend bread that comes with the obligation to watch it sit on the counter for days and then force someone else to make it too? Guilt over leftovers is a bit like that, I think. At any rate, I love the way these two colors meet. In fact, I'm discovering that greens meet almost any color in a delicious way. Maybe that is why green is all over the Earth. Just for us to enjoy the match ups. What is your favorite match up with green? I'll talk to you in the comments. :)

Remember this from Cinderella? "Do you love her because she's wonderful? Or is she wonderful , because you love her?" This is my real friend who comments on the blog, Kath. She is the funniest friend I know. She can make all of us laugh at any time. She visited us today as she was in from L.A. And I love her because she is WONDERFUL! We became friends in High School. She is so lovely. She made this comment that I never TALK TO YOU IN THE COMMENTS. For some strange reason, I have been so remiss. I haven't ever talked back to her in the comments. So I told her I'd write today's blog about her! I tossed some needles and yarn at her and she said ,, NO NO NO! It was useless, the theatre major, and current actress in L.A. reacted as quick as a wink to the sight of the camera. She darn right purred at it. She has this incredible voice. She was always starring in our HS plays. So it fit that i was at Ravinia last night for their Rogers and Hammerstein eveni...

We turned Zach loose at college yesterday. I always called him my Morning Glory because he arrived at the crack of dawn. Zach if you are reading this, I took this image of a morning glory at Wagner Farm this morning. Did I do well? i did not use the auto mode! Leaving Zach at college was easier than when I was left at college. Things are always easier when I am not the one going through the changes. Okay, I am getting misty so lets move on. Abby was just over with her lace knitting. She knew she had to rip it out. I helped her. Frogging is so much easier when it isn't your knit! I did teach her about lifelines. She will succeed next time. I have no doubt. Fireman and I can't stick around the house. We do better out. So you'll be seeing some new scenery here. My log cabin blanket is calling to me. So is my nap. Shhhhhhh. Can you hear them? You know who is going to win don't you????? I'll talk to you in the comments. :)

1. I'm using Huck's passing as an excuse for my randomness.......truth is it could be any day in my life. (pretend friends let you get away with stuff) 2. My photographer Zach took the image on the post today. Thanks Z-man. College guy. Starting tomorrow! 3. The gig is up. I'm really the messy one in the family. Now it is going to be obvious to Fireman as we can be the only ones making the mess as of tomorrow! 4. You don't have to knit a ruffle when you are grieving. And you didn't want to anyway! 5. My father's back is a bit better.........thanksgiving abounds. I'm big on thanksgiving. 6. I have this strange need to keep stash knitting. I'm on a roll. 7. Zach has asked for a school colors hat. THis time he's getting it however I knit it. (and he'll like it that way) 8. What do you want to bet, I'll make his hat to his specs, after a week of missing him! 9. and don't hold me to this, because it may just be grief, bu...

That would be Zach, as you know. He has made a scarf. He knows he CAN knit. He leaves for college on saturday. We are so excited for him. I hope he knits at school. (DOUBTFUL!) He wants a hat in his school colors. I have to get going on that. The other man is my father. His mother was an excellent knitter. My father is having his back procedure/injection today so he could use your thoughts and prayers. He worked for W. Clement Stone for over 50 years. Mr. Stone promoted the Power of Postive Thinking and PMA. Postivie mental attitude. Whenever we struggled my father would stop us and say or demand rather "WHERE IS YOUR PMA?" His liscence plate said PMA. So please Think great positive thoughts for my dad today. I KNow you are all good for it. So I have to blog despite my grief because the blog is a safe and happy place for me. Huck would want me to be blogging. I am able to breathe a bit easier because we may get his ashes back today. I cannot wait to have him...