Green Grass and Flowers

Oak Harbor, WA on beautiful Whidbey Island, where spring has sprung. Flowers everywhere tulips, daffodils, rhododendrons, and more that I didn't get out to see who they were. Warm enuff yesterday to briefly have a/c on. Whidbey spinning do gets underway 10 and am I ever looking forward to visiting with peoples I only get to see once a year. Had supper last night with Terry from Eburg, ate at Jumbo Buffet, while I dearly love it won't go there again tonight, to tempting. Will try and find someplace with a salad bar.

Have 2 (about) 5 oz bags of BFL in shades of purple to spin, and golly gee if I should get it all done am sure there will be a vendor or 2 or 3 that would be glad to sell me something else. Am hoping I can make it into the bldg in one trip, have rolling luggage cart for wheel, can hang over the handle the lazy kate and maybe one more light bag, then purse and basket with spinning fiber, tool kit (spare belts etc.), lunch etc. on my arm.

Lots of gas stations giving 10¢ discount for debit or cash, not sure if my debit card would work but likely have cash enuff to fill up before I leave. So much selection down here that it is almost overwhelming.

Cast on socks out of the Kidazzle, oh my goodness that is nice stuff, 70% wool, 20% kid mohair, 10 % nylon, going to make exceptional socks. Using the blue - green right top of pix, next to the bright orange. Wish I knew how to add an arrow to the pix, am sure there is a way but haven't figured that out yet.

Trading

Wish all trades were as smooth and easy as the latest trade, the Olly Koigu gloves for 4 skeins of Koigu. The gloves went to Gail G in Ontario.



Finished the first sock in light blue Regia silk mix, so now have one each of current 2 pair finished. Seconds are underway, ribbing and first pattern done on Orangerinos and just ribbing done on second lt blue. Will be taking both second socks with me on upcoming road trip.

Have clothes all clean and ready to pack, but won't do that until Monday giving me lots of time to change my mind. Usually end up taking more knitting than clothes, can always do laundry along the road but horrors to run out of knitting, can't let that happen.

Welcome to all my blog readers from far away places, Australia, Estonia, Brazil, UK (thanks Jean Miles), Germany, Netherlands, Finland, Norway and more, enjoy seeing every morning where the readers come from.

Snowy day again

Woke up Sunday morning to 4-5 inches heavy wet snow, moisture for ground, by 3 pm almost all of it melted, then again yesterday morning ground just white with a good skiff, so what did I expect for today more snow nah not gonna happen, but guess what its been snowing again or should I say still, since just before noon. A good day for a pot of chicken with something soup (rice or noodles), have already added a soup bowl full of carrots and celery, will decide later for the other.
This was Sunday morning.

Finished the first Orangerino sock, second sock ribbing about halfway. Can't believe how much I use orange, seems to go with everything. Had hoped to have them both done before I leave for Desert Mesa, may still but will be cutting it close. Have Whidbey trip first and not much time there for knitting.

Also did another pair of baby booties, had the brown ones already done, garter stitch thru out. Not the ones from Yarn Harlot but the famous stay on booties just did them in garter stitch, and no seam did them on DP needles.

Blizzard

Drove out yesterday in a mini blizzard, 20 miles to glorious downtown Tatla Lake for knitting bee, had I known it was going to be so bad would have found someplace to turn around and come home, with visibility so bad that might not have worked. Drive made even worse since I was first vehicle out and no tracks on road to follow, by keeping speed down to 50 (30 mph) did OK. Spring maybe next week.

Took Oranarino sock out to work on, down to toe decreases once thats done will go back and work on Regia wool & silk mix, maybe a couple of dozen rows on it then will start Oranarino #2.

Have seen Trumpeter swans flying north over valley now 3 different times and seen and heard Canadian geese, that usually means spring is about to drop but ain't holding my breath. And have read that a few grizzles are out & about in Bow Valley in Alberta, hoping our resident sow griz is back again this year, means of course ever aware when stepping out on back porch, ABC always be careful. And keeping car right close to back door. Remember one year trying to get car loaded to leave and griz over along fence right away eating alfalfa and clover, waited in the house for her to leave.

Two at a time

Not a snowballs chance in h***, often have 4 or 5 colors attached at once, just can't get my hands around two at a time, 8-10 colors all hanging at the same time, nah I don't think so. Besides am not in a race to get socks done thoroughly enjoy the process of my knitting time. This pair has different patterns on top and bottom of the foot, old fashioned salt & pepper on the bottom and fair isle sorta patterns on the top, keeps me on my tip toes remembering what goes where.

Much easier to have two completely different socks on the needles, this pair is using Regia wool-silk mix for the very light blue then back to the bag of odds for the patterns. At the point of time to decide if I want patterned foot or just the plain light blue.

And already have next pair in my head, will use an Opal denim blue with lots of other blues & greens, or so I am now thinking. Know that I am in the sock groove when I am designing patterns and colors to use before I drift off to sleep. Guess I have the sock knitting disease percolating all the time.

Weather continues towards spring (can one hope), some days we have sideways snow squalls then a bit of rain before more snow squalls. Today so far its overcast with sunny periods.

Homemade salsa

Chunky salsa, 1 1/2 ripe tomatoes, smallish chunk of sweet onion, lots of cilantro and about a T lime juice. Not yet sure what I will have it with tonight, maybe taco's or just in another big salad. Haven't made any salsa since I last had real tomatoes, maybe September of last year. And prolly its not a real salsa since I don't always have necessary ingredients, no jalapenos or such. But it sure tastes fresh and no added chemicals.

Ended up making 10 Bearly's, have faces embroidered on, half have scarves and will work on remaining yet today. Some of the yarn I chose was a big bulky for the small needles and ended up with sore fingers and hands, especially on finger that had nail lifted. Looks like nail won't be coming off, still a bit sore to know for sure.

Big melt continues, about 75% of yard is bare and snow remains in sheltered places. Next will be welcomed mud, hoping my driveway thaws so that I can use it for Wednesday, has been wet ice and not smart or safe to try. 46° F right now so ice may be getting soft.

Orange is the new black

Main color is Hazel Knits sorta orange then lots of other oranges and reds, quite like the effect of all the various shades of oranges. Along with working on these socks also have on the go Bearly's, have done 8 so far and in between socks and gloves will continue working on them until hands get to sore to continue. Smaller needles and dk size handspun makes for tight increases and decreases. All the Bearly's will be needing scarves by and by.

Arctic outflow weather has moved over the hills to someplace else (for now), got 4 inches much needed snow last night and hope before March is finished to get a bit more. Weather forecast tho is for upper 40's F by the weekend so not likely its gonna happen. Will make for an interesting fire season in July & August.

I lifted the nail on forefinger left hand, once it quit bleeding it got extremely sore, lots of Polysporin and band aids later sorta under control, can even still knit by using middle finger to carry the yarn, where there is a will there is a way.

Finally got into town

After 3 months a visit to town was way overdue. Went in mid morning on Wednesday, got all my errands over with by just after 4pm and headed up to friends for the evening and to overnight. Then Thursday I did the grocery store, over half my buggy was produce, needless to say I had been out of everything. Bought every kind of lettuce SaveOn had, peppers, 2 bunches celery, carrots, green onions, cabbage and so on. Had a huge salad first night and again last night but added a piece of squash Deni had given me, will do the same tonight. Best part of the whole trip tho was a much needed haircut. Took a bunch of stuff in for Deni, a duplicate book, spinning fiber, felted slippers for her 4 grand daughters, sci fi books for her hub. Back in Tatlako valley 4 ish Thursday picked up Lucas (grocery unloader) Then before taking him home went up to the dump, had him (with $20) home before 5pm.

First 3 Bearly's are almost done, all that remains is to embroider the faces and make each a multi colored scarf. Will I am thinking continue making more of them, just so darned handy for give aways. Had to refresh the fingers after not making any for such a long time, but one quick look at pattern and everything was OK. Also have a pair of socks on the needles, pix next time.

Projects

Finished the second pair of Olly gloves Saturday evening 8:20 pm just ahead of cutoff on Sunday at end of the closing ceremonies. Relief. I traded them to a gal in Ontario for 4 skeins of Koigu.

Giving gloves a timeout for awhile and will instead go to knitting Bearlys out of leftover handspun yarns, its prolly been 2-3 or more years since I made one and had to take a look at pattern to just be sure fingers knew what to do, one quick look and everything clicked. I've prolly made several hundred over the years so it was just a case of remembering. Pix of Bearlys taken on my loveseat and it was so long ago that I was still using the old Sony Mavica digital camera, long time ago. Latest Bearly ready to be stuffed then the head added, used a 2.5 mm set of DP's would have been better if I would have had the next size up in DP's. Will pick up the needed sizes when I go down to Whidbey in early April.



Have decided to head into town Wednesday after knitting bee (30 minutes closer to town), then first thing I will do once in is get a much needed haircut, don't think I have had one since October. Just talked to Deni and everything is OK with her. Have 2 large bags of stuff to take it, including the newest pj bottoms hoping a run thru in her hot dryer will shrink them a bit. So all and all will be a busy week. But will be worth it to have produce, fruit and groceries again.

stuff

Glove #1 of second Olly challenge pair finished, #2 well into patterns around thumb increases. And they are traded to lady in Ontario for 4 skeins Koigu. Thought I might have more interest in trades but happy so far with the one I do have.

Below zero F this morning, and forecast is for 22°F below tonight, have big green wool blanket (from Scotland) over top of the comforter, wool bed socks (thanks Clarinda), just my nose is all that gets cold. Craving a big pot of vegetable soup but don't have any produce on hand, weather window is looking good for early next week so will go in and buy load of fresh produce and fruit. Spinach salad and more soups in the close future.