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My Cardi Shrug is moving along now.  Thanks to Meredith's inspiration at Mereknits.   The image in the middle has the truest color shown. I changed needles during this knit up.  I had to go to my addi turbos awhile back. I was using my favorite plastic needles, but they would snag the stitches at the needle/wire join. It was driving me crazy to tug all those stitches along each row.   The addi's that I have are not a particularly sharp tip but this yarn is not lace or sock weight, so it doesn't ' matter all that much.   Fun fact for today: The Kitchener Stitch was named after the Famous Lord Kitchener.  American's copied his YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU style poster,  substituting Uncle Sam for Lord K's image. Why don't we play a little THIS LAND IS YOUR LAND THIS LAND IS MY LAND game : just tell me what State you in live in for today's comment.  I"ll start. ....  .

I don't have any knitting to show you because I ripped out the lace scarf yesterday.  Yup. Done. Undone.  The mistake was bugging me.  Thanks for the permission to rip! It's Daisy and Coneflower time around these here parts. Helo and Al. . What can I say? Working on my Cardi Shrug.  Pictures tomorrow. It was movie night at Camp HOMEIFYOUCANSTANDIT. Al made me watch Bridesmaids.  I laughed my butt off. If this heat keeps up, I know the cure: Go to a Wave Pool. What's your cure for intense heat?

 Rosalyn wanted some face time....She thinks she loves the chair Al cannot take with her to Virginia Beach.  However, it is MY chair now.  Nice try Rozzy, very nice try.  I hope she loves the cat that Al cannot take with her to Virgina Beach as much as she loves the chair.......more on Helo's arrival later. So I should say NIGHT 4 of Staycation because it is really all about sleeping normally for 14 nights. Fourteen delicious nights of getting under my sheets when it is dark out.  Real dark delicious sleep.   Drool on the pillow kind of sleep.  Go to bed when you are tired, sleep.  Sleep is not underrated.  Sleep is awesome.  Sleep is mine for 10 more nights.... Staycation yesterday involved more ONE ROW lace knitting.  This is the spongey softest yarn I have ever worked with.  It is a sock yarn and I lost the label. ( Happy toes?  Happy Feet?  Big Foot? Hodag.... I can't think of it right now) I made a mistake...

 Wouldn't it be great if I was knitting the Summer Flies Shawl I'm showing you today?  Ha ha.  Nope you know me too well.  Karen has cast on another and look at her fly!  I will show you MY knitting tomorrow. We ate dinner at the public golf course last night.  It was a perfect temperature outside.  Fireman and I had fun watching the golfers tee off on the 10th hole.  We were the only ones there for a good while.  I call this our "Elvis and Priscilla" routine.  We tend to go to places when others are working and we get the whole place to ourselves.  Elvis had to rent out places for him and Priscilla to enjoy their privacy. We were not wearing blue suede golf shoes..... Staycation events of yesterday included * a very indulgent 90 minute massage.  I found a great deal at our Massage Envy location and jumped on it. *a bittersweet goodbye to Babka and Puddy as they went back to the shelter.   This group was a ton ...

Last night just before Sunset I went to the only farm in our county and found beautiful light.  It is funny because in winter, I won't leave my warm cozy house after about 4 pm.  In summer, I will go out and about until all hours.  All of the cows were tucked in, save for one. Staycation Rules that Apply To Me: (your Staycation rules are your very own!) *No cooking if you don't really want to. Last night:  Don't gag.  I tried the veggie burger at Burger King.  It was delish.   I am not a vegetarian but I am trying very hard to minimize meats for awhile.   *Invited my neighbors over to see the kittens at noon.  This left my afternoon free afterwards for a good nap.  Invited another friend for coffee at 4 on the porch.  Part of my staycation planning means, STAYing at home. I love staying at home.  If someone is late arriving at my house, I am less crabby about it than if I am waiting for them at a coffee shop. *Swatc...

Karen finished her Summer Flies Shawl yesterday.  That woman is a Phenom, I tell you.  I love the color of the shawl and they way it bends so beautifully round and round. I took the image of the thorny thing last night.  I think it is thistle... The downy middle is what birds like goldfinches put in their nests.  Nature amazes me time and time again. Winner winner chicken dinner: Channon won the lace fair and square.  Number generator is easy fast and fun to use.  Channon the blue lace is headed to Virginia.....how appropriate....maybe I'll have Al deliver it. I've started my Staycation.  Staycation is awesome.  I have lots planned and nothing planned all at the same time.  If I want to do things I will, if I don't I won't.  Some perks to stay cation: *I don't have to pack.... ANYTHING.  Not underwear, not makeup, not yarn even! *I don't have to wonder if the bed I'm sleeping in is really clean.....it's mine! *I do...

Because it is getting so hot this summer I am walking down the Lace Road.  The road that normally eats me alive.  I've had very few successful lace knit ups finished.  Yet, I'm looking at patterns again.  I need a simpleton Easy One Row Lace scarf.  I know they are out there.  Maybe 2 or 4 rows MAX. (suggestions so very welcome) I used to knit with the finished product as my goal.  I just wanted the joy of the finish.  Lately I want to enjoy the knitting itself, from the yarn chosen to the pattern to the actual sit and knit.   Sure I want the outcome to be beautiful, but I want to love the knitting process as they say.  Process vs product.  The same old question. I was reading some other knitters thoughts on the debate. Then this occurred to me, what if ALONG the way you discovered some joy.  Joy as in loving the cookie dough as much or more as the cookie. I love the sightseeing along the way to a destination. I love ...

Karen's Summer Flies shawl is flying.  I had to go to pic monkey to lighten the image.  You get the idea right?  There is nothing buggy about his lovely shawl.  Many people say it is an easy beginner lace shawl.  I think  the term easy lace is an oxymoron.  Why is it that spiders can spin lace webs and I cannot knit lace? Speaking of Flies and Spiders.  Really. Seriously.  This is true.  100% true. A creepy ER story from Al. Patient walks in saying she hears something moving in her ear.  Doctor pours water in the ear. BIG BLACK spider crawls out of ear.  Doctor asks for specimen jar.  Allision, Nurse, Runs away. It really happened.  Now, we must knit earplugs.....in cashmere.  I cannot sleep unprotected....anymore.

 Here is the prize lace yarn.  Blue blue blue.  Almost periwinkle blue.  China blue.  Danish Blue. So it is already Thursday.  This means Puddy and Babka had their surgeries this morning.  They will stay here the weekend, and then they will be back at Heartland Animal Shelter awaiting their forever homes. I'll miss their cute faces.  But guess what?  Helo, Al's beautiful cat is coming to stay with us for at least a few months.   He doesn't need the stress of moving to Virginia Beach with Al.  Beatles needs a buddy.  Rosalyn has been a trooper.  She is tired of Beatles  tackling her though. Her old bones need a rest. Helo will take a while to fit in; cats just take a little time.  I am so excited for him to live here.  He has the most amazing eyes.  He is part Siamese/part something else...probably grey tabby.  He needs to lose some weight, so playing with Bea will be perfect.  Helo is ...

It is finished.  Ready to gift at the Christmas holidays.  I love this scarf.  I love a scarf that doesn't need to tie.  Hence my love of the Life Is Good Shawlette. Today I can allow myself to knit the Cardi Shrug that Mereknits just finished.   Because I had so much fun with the last contest, I want to have another.  Al is moving to Virginia Beach in a few weeks. So proud of her.  She has taken a position in the Children's Hospital's ER. Let's celebrate her final night shifts!  She will be off nights...finally. She's been a trooper. Nights puts your life on hold.  Nights is like jet lag every day.  0400 never ever gets any easier. Al is donating the yarn.  She doesn't want to haul stash to the East Coast.  Or not much anyhow. So Two Skeins of Malabrigo Lace in Indigo 88.  470 yards a piece.  If you knit lace, or know someone who will love this yarn, enter the contest by 0400 on June 23rd in the w...

This is an orange post.  My ribbed scarf is nearly finished.  I will finish it today! I have some dental waiting room knitting ahead this afternoon.  I also have unlimited porch time later in the day.  I'd rather knit my Cardi Shrug, but I am too functionally fixed in my ways to be working on 3 projects at once.  I did place a buttonhole in the scarf for easy wearing.  It looks like too small an opening from this image, but in real life it is good!  Orange you wondering why I am showing you a radiator in 90 plus degree Chicago summer heat?  Because, in a few days we are half way to Christmas that's why! (I am off this Holiday!!!!!! So we cannot get excited too early)   Orange you thinking these trumpet flowers are gorgeous?  They attract a few hummingbirds in July usually.  I only have a few weeks to wait!  The light was just right last night when I snapped the image of the flowers.  Fireman told me the flash wa...

You would think there was a wedding going on here, but no.   Something old is : the orange ribbed scarf I'm nearly finished knitting!   Something new is : Homemade Gazpacho.  I tried a very easy recipe I found online using tomato juice and it was delicious.   Fireman had to add chunks of avocado to his bowl.  I love gazpacho on a hot summer day.  We are having lots of great hot summer days. Something borrowed: the book Im reading,  CATS by Doris Lessing. What a wonderfully written book. Something blue: My Cardi Shrug is started in that awesome Mad Tosh.  It is fun and easy. Wishing you a good book, a good old knit, a good new knit and some good gazpacho.  Happy Saturday.  Its the workend for me!  See you Monday or Tuesday.   Happy Father's Day weekend to all the blog lurking fathers out there!  You rock.

Fun fotos for Friday for you.  First, Full's logo: 3 Bags Full's logo that is.  For seconds, my new favorite yarn: Madeline Tosh.  Meredith inspired me to knit a shrug. I'm casting on this morning in this gorgeous quiet color.  It is a plain and simple shrug: The Cardi Shrug by Jennifer Jones...pattern...what else: FREE! Friday featured feline is PUDDY.  He's becoming calm and we are able to hold him now.  He was full of feline fear the first forty four days here...well about that.  Now he gets it: we are fun! Father's day festivities begin today, Friday for us.  The workend and all that falda rah and fiddly dee. Finally, we have been gifted a fax machine.  We have been fax less our whole lives.  My friend Abby got an upgrade and found herself free of the other fax machine.....so she foned us and offered the fax to us.  Fine we said, fine. Fee Fi Fo Fum.......Friday.....

 This is the Summer Flies Shawl.  It is not mine. Sadly.  I was giving my friend Karen ideas for a new knit up and she decided to try SUMMER FLIES in lace weight.   I always take Karen's knit advice. It is funny that she took mine.....Everyone says this is an easy starter shawl.....it does not look easy to me.        Karen can knit just about anything, with her eyes closed.....  Picture heavy post today!  This is one  of 39 shots I took of my niece and great nieces on Tuesday evening.  They came to see the kittens and have pizza with us.  Summer flies, and my niece is a teacher, so we made a date right away.   This is the best image of the bunch.   Aren't they pretty? I took this flower image yesterday when I was out on my bike.  Summer flies to I have to get on my bike when I can. I had to mail 2  packages today. One box was mailed  to Zach who lives about 15 miles away.  It cost 5 ...

I fell in love with this license plate find yesterday.  Yesterday was about not a lot of actual knitting.  However, I was reading blogs, looking at patterns,  calling my LYS about yarn and the like.   Today will involve more actual knits and purls. I think I love the internet for its INFORMATION capabilities.  There is just so much to learn in the world and it is so near my fingertips now.  I can get pleasantly lost in a sea of information about my favorite things in life.  I'm glad I live right now..... I know I would not have handled Pioneer Life well.  I know that guns are everywhere now too, but at least I haven't heard of any scalpings lately.... So, Last night I revisited a few sites that I love: Catsandcasseroles.blogspot.com I want to make almost every recipe listed. TinyBuddha: a beautiful video was posted yesterday. Simon's Cat: The cartoon films produced on this site are so funny.  If you know a cat, you will laugh y...

Steal Like an Artist is a new book I found out about today.  One of the authors 10 tips for fueling your creativity is: Creativity is Subtraction. You have to know what to leave OUT as well as put in to your works.  So since my toes are not yet professionally pedicured for the summer, I left my toes out of the image above....  Tomorrow, I plan to sit still for a pedicure. The flower, looks best alone in the image above I think.  It doesn't need to share the image with the fence or other flowers..... I took the picture on a walk around the block one day when the light was nice. I usually think about my blog post for the day for a bit before I write it out.   You would laugh if you knew all the things I've sent to the Delete button before the post is DONE.   Here's something I could leave out, but won't:  Just like Creativity is Subtraction, Medicine is not Math.  That is what I tell families. Doing this and this to a body does not me...

 Al and Babka would like to announce the winner of the Blog contest: Catherine in Ireland.  Check out her blog and her blog mention.  Since there are no DQ's in Ireland, the gift card is going to the Katherine with a K who reads Irisheyes.  Katherine of ComfortZone, Katherine from Texas where it's  hot hot hot! Isn't Babka cute?  She has sort of sleepy eyes most of the time.  She is a patient little one.  Puddy stands IN The food dish and growls until she backs off.  Babka just waits... patiently.  Puddy is finally finally well.  He is not as big as Babka.  They have a couple more weeks here to grow and get strong then, they will go to the shelter and some one some very lucky one will take the pair home..... Here's 22 inches of ribbing.  Hmmm, still undecided .....keyhole scarf? or Cowl??? I love love love this color. Someone I love is moving to Virginia Beach soon.  Have you been there?  Do you know th...

So here is part of the prize package: Denim Berrocco, a treat at the DQ, and an American Flag windsock. Summery theme going on here.  I will be adding more to the box for the winner.   I am delighted with the new blog suggestions.  I hope you can find time to read them too and give them a comment to cheer them on. I was on Ravelry's site early today .  Someone linked an Interweave damaged book sale.  I had to order a book on felting that I found.  FELT FORWARD, Modern Designs was my pick.  Do you have the book?   I love to felt my knitting and I usually have very good luck.  If you've never felted and need a little something new, go for it.  It is a bit magical and a bit nerve racking at the same time... Kind of like a roller coaster ride Kind of like adopting a new puppy Kind of like public speaking Kind of like asking for an autograph Have you asked for an autograph ever?  I have .  Ron Santo of the Cubs was the mo...

 It's Friday here in our blog land, I'm knitting a pattern I can understand, My flowers are planted and seeds are sown The earwigs are eating them I must bemoan, There are holes in my coleus, lace-like you see But all of you know Lace is Greek to me, These little flip flops were made in a snap by Meghan whose 7, all she did was wrap little balloons around the one part and it took less than an hour from finish to start. I;'m waiting for fireflies to light up the night its one of my most favorite summer delights The breezes are lovely from here where I sit I'm ready to pick my needles and knit and so Happy Friday to you and to you May you finish a project and start one new too.

Puddy wants you all to know that you can keep sending me new blog addresses for additional entries in the contest. Remember contest ends Sunday June 10 at midnight.  I'll know the minute it ends...its the workend!   Send me a little read/commented on knit bloggers address and you get an entry.

 Rosalyn wanted some time on the blog.  She's our old girl.  She is an amazing tabby/torti mix.  Her personality is awesome....Here she is at 15 years of age, enjoying the screened porch the other day. Cakespy posted this image of a watermelon cake on her blog today.  Jessie is awesome.  I'd love to eat this cake! In my knit world this is going on: *I finished another Life Is Good Shawlette yesterday.  I"ll show you soon. *On my way to the Colour cowl I took a turn....I think Im making it a keyhole Scarf now.  I just love the orange yarn knit up.  I never use this color and I think it is refreshing to me.   I am afraid that the seam on the Colour cowl will mess me up in the end.  There I go, retreating to safety.  But that is the story of my life.... and I don't mind it so much.   Have you retreated to "Safe" lately???

My little neighbor is ending the school year today.  Here she is with her gift to her teacher.  Isn't it great?  Apparently they found it at a garage sale, and she brought it home. Her mom, really didn't want it in the house and suggested they give it to the teacher!  I think it is fantastic and a wonderful delightful whimsical flower for the teacher.  What a little Miracle Grow won't do. As long as we are on the topic:  The Carmelite Sisters have a home very near us. My mother often donated to them and asked them for prayers.  Carmelites take a vow of silence.  Only the Mother Superior talks.  They are not allowed to ask for anything.  God fulfills their needs.  So once, after the Carmelites had prayed for my Mom, I wanted to thank them.  I asked if they needed anything and the Mother Superior said no, nothing.  She said they want for nothing.  So then I asked if they had a garden.  Mother Superior was excit...

GO ahead.....tell me about a blog you read that gets only a few comments.  Make it a knit blog.  Leave me a blogname in the comments here and you are entered in my contest. Make it a blog we've never heard of before if you can.     Let's get out there and leave each other some comments.  Nothing make my day like hearing from you.  Then we can go out there in the cyberknit world and support each other.  Contest ends: Sunday night June 10th. Stay tuned for a great knit prize.....

He's ONE!  And he's onederful too.

 The orangey cowl is easy and fun.  The Life is Good Shawlette is number 5 for me, I think. So yesterday, Fireman was trying to rest and I was knitting when the phone rang.  Unknnown number.  For some strange reason I bothered to answer it.  A woman assured me she was not asking for money.  (Yuh-huh) She then went on to say that she was from the Lung Association.  She said we needed to put the word out to my neighbors that our air quality was poor...... I coudlnt help myself....... I began coughing emphatically into the phone...... She became silent, so I hung up. Can't stand those phone solicitors....they interrupt my knitting ......