Month: July 2011

Well – three weeks without posting!  Some of you may have been wondering if I was still out here.  I'm happy to report that I am indeed.  But a combination of very little posting fodder, then having the granddaughters for a week along with Vacation Bible School, out of the town for the weekend, then coming down with the flu!  Enough excuses for you?

As I mentioned, it seems as if I have very little interesting blogging fodder, especially in the knitting department.  I do seem to have a lace blocking block.  Here's the pile of lace that needs attending to:

I actually finished In Dreams way back in mid-May and Tango two weeks ago, but just haven't gotten around to blocking either one of them.  Usually the minute lace comes off my needles I can't wait to get it blocked.  However, in cleaning out my sewing drawers,  I came across two more scarves that need blocking as well.  I think I just need to bite the bullet and have a lace blocking marathon.

The only knitting that has been accomplished lately are Hedera socks from Cookie A's "Knit, Sock, Love". 

These will again be for my sister.  They are almost finished and when done will leave me with only two projects in the knitting stage – the Advent Scarf and Nagano.  Did I mention that I finished the knitting on hubby's Cambridge Cardigan?  That will go in the finishing pile along with Ylva.  I think I'm ready to start something new and believe I have found the project.  The Kerry Cardigan from Patternfish. 

I have some Peruvian Highland wool that's been marinating in my stash for long enough and I think this will be the perfect project. I'm still recuperating from the flu and think I will pamper myself one more day and just sit, watch TV and do the swatching for this.

As I mentioned, we had the granddaughters last week for Vacation Bible School.  Our church did "Kingdom of the Son" and the girls thoroughly enjoyed it.  I was in charge of the 1st through 3rd graders and had (are you ready for this?) 12 boys and 1 girl!  Needless to say, by the time I got home every day I was utterly exhausted.  Isobel fit right in and had a blast.  Mei-Mei wasn't so sure about the whole idea and by the third day decided that she'd rather be with Nana than with her own group.  I wasn't sure how a 3-year-old would fit in with all those rowdy boys, but they actually seemed to enjoy her.  Several of them asked to sit with her and they all made sure she got a turn when it came time for games.  I asked Isobel if she'd also like to transfer to my group, since her group was even larger, but she politely informed me that she wanted to be with her friends!  Definitely a good thing.

We took the girls strawberry picking – we have a farm here that has the best strawberries imaginable!  As you can see, Mei-Mei was more interested in picking dandelions than strawberries.  She only picked four strawberries and ate them all!

Grandpa is always up for a good time and organized a make-your-own pizza night with some very interesting ingredients.  The girls made theirs with pizza sauce, pepperoni, strawberries, apples and cheese:

And, for Marguerite, pictures of our avian visitors.  We have Flickers that visit on a regular basis and saw this adult feeding a baby:

We've also had a return of the quail who have been absent for a couple of years.  Sorry for the fuzzy photos, but these guys are quick!

I have to send my apologies to all of you out in the Midwest and East Coast who are suffering with the heat.  Last week the Seattle Times reported that Seattle's summer could be measured in minutes – 78 to be exact.  The number of minutes the temp has been over 80 this year.  We have had a few nice days since then, but here on Whidbey Island we have yet to break the 80 degree mark and are hard pressed most days to even break 70!  I know that sounds heavenly to many of you who are baking, so I will NOT complain about our lack of summer.  Stay cool out there!

 

 

Well, we survived an entire week with the granddaughters!!  Perhaps survival is putting it a little too strongly, because mostly it was a delight.  They are very easy kids.  But the constant activity can be a little draining on two aging grandparents.  I discovered quickly that the key was to keep them busy.  And a perfect activity was winding yarn.  Ivy took to it like a pro:

Isobel was amazed at how much sock yarn we wound:

We made a field trip to Padilla bay where the girls learned a lot about the creatures that hang around an estuary:

And Ivy learned that she could actually sit in a whale vertebrae:

The best part of the day?

Ivy was pretty happy to see Mom and Dad, but Isobel actually got a little weepy when she had to leave.  I had to assure her that they will be back in two weeks to  spend the week again for Vacation Bible School.  That should give me and Grandpa enough time to recover!

I did manage to sneak in a little sewing here and there, but discovered I do not do my best work when I am distracted!  Before the girls came I managed to redo the handles on the tote bag.  As most of you suggested, they were too long and were positioned wrong.  Here's the new and improved bag:

And another one that is up on etsy:

And today I was able to spend the whole blessed day in my sewing room and just posted these on etsy:

Although they look deceptively alike, the upper one is lined with stiff interfacing and a plastic insert in the bottom so it can stand on its own.  It also comes with a matching accessory bag.  The bottom one is softed sided and can actually be folded up if necessary.  I think this line of bags will go over well with the Corgi lovers.

We've actually had a few days here and there that made it up over 70 degrees.  Hearing what's going on in the rest of the country, I am so grateful for our moderate weather.  I don't know if we'll even get any tomatoes this year.  The plants are green and healthy, but woefully short of blossoms. 

Off to enjoy the peace and quiet!  And just to assert my independence, I've left sharp objects and hot coffee just lying around!!