Let me introduce Tesserae
Pattern:  Tesserae
Yarn:  Woolen Rabbit Harmony in Chocolate Chambord
Needles:  Knitpicks wooden 2.25mm (love these needles!)

Even though I have been quietly busy, I have been chugging along on some of those UFO's kicking around here.

This pattern is one of my most favorite sock patterns ever.  It is very
easy to memorize and I love that it does not have a ribbed band at the
top.  You start off with the pattern right away and the fit is very
nice.

Most of the knitting for these socks was done during Courtney's softball
games this spring….yes, that Mom that knits.  I finally finished them up this week during
the Celtics playoff series.  What about those Celtics?  wOOt!

 

Now that these puppies are finished, I will move onto finishing up my McGregor Garden socks.  Remember…I started that second sock, which usually is a good indication that there will indeed be a pair….yay!

Can you believe how fast the days are flying by? I had all kinds of posts I wanted to write over the last few days about how Dan and Jean came to visit, pictures of the garden, the grandchildren in the pool and my little baby birds.

Between not having time to resize all of my photos as I haven't quite figured out how to get the camera to give me the right size for web pages so as not to eat copius amounts of typepad bandwith and just being plain ole busy, I decided to try one of Flicker's badges.  As you can see, I couldn't quite figure out how to get that to work either and ended up resizing anyways….aggh!

A Special Swap

This is a new plant in my garden this year and I love it! 
If you are in NH this weekend, check out the Lupine Festival….it is spectacular!

One of the things I have been wanting to learn for a number of years has been hooking.  No…not that kind of hooking…rug hooking!

Over the years, I have picked up "how to" books, but somehow just could quite get it.  I treated myself to a nice gripper frame a few years ago in Rhinebeck and then last year a beautiful sheep hooking kit, but to this day they are still sitting in the corner waiting for me to learn.

A few weeks ago, I discovered that the little Primitive Furnishing Shop that I like to visit here in town was offering a series of Rug Hooking Classes, I was over the moon with excitement.

I have found over the years that I am much more of a visual learner than a book learner.  For some reason, my brain freezes at the thought of actually having to pick up the manual, no matter what the topic is….however, if I can just sit with someone for an afternoon, I usually will not forget what I have learned.

Now I will admit that I collect books like the obsessive soul that I am and I will research things to death, but when it actually comes down to learning, I much prefer seeing someone else do it in person.

Rug hooking is a completely new skill for me.  I am painfully slow at it, but the instructor of the class assures me that it is like riding a bike….once you get it, you get it.  I imagine it is like anything else…spinning, knitting, etc, so I am excited to be finally learning!

Speaking of Birds……..

I know, I know….I promised I would not post a gazillion baby bird pictures, but somehow I just can not help myself.  Thankfully for you, the weather has been rainy and cold this week, so I have not bothered the babies that often, letting Dad keep them warm and fed without interruption.

When I did finally peak at them the other day, I found that the babies have all hatched and are growing in leaps and bounds.

I love this picture of them with their huge mouths facing the sky wide open.  The only thing that came to my mind when I snapped this picture was the old Abbott and Costello movies with Costello yelling…."Hey YABBOTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!".  Hee

This next picture is my favorite though.  If you click on it, you will see a few babies sleeping soundly.  With bellies full and a warm body to lie next to, you can almost see the look of complete contentment on this little guy's face.

After all, isn't that what we all want?  A warm place to live, a full belly and a friend…………..simple pleasures.

It takes honeybee workers ten million foraging trips
to gather enough nectar to make one pound of honey.
–Bees of the World

A few of you have asked me if I have received my bees yet.  Sadly, it is not to bee this year. After spending a good amount of time reading this winter about beekeeping, I decided that I am going to try to work with a local beekeeper and learn some bee tending skills first.  There is SO much more to it then just plopping a box of bees in the yard.  Next year though for sure!

Today was a virtual Bee Bonanza at the post office!  I have to admit after reading the newest Martha Stewart magazine, I became smitten with the idea of collecting antique honey pots and skeps.  ("Egad…not something else"….says the ever patient husband). 

This dear little Goebel honey pot was waiting for me today.  Ebay makes it waaaaay to easy to become a collector of anything, doesn't it?  BAAD Ebay….good Ebay! 🙂

In addition to the cute little honey pot was a surprise package from 2 of my most favorite customers…Lorraine and Pat.  These fabulous Canadian knitters always make me smile! 

I was absolutely blown away today by their kind and generous gift.  Do these ladies know me or what?

Inside the box was a beeutiful bounty of bee goodies!

Pat made a wonderful knitting bag with a beautiful purple fabric trimmed with golden bees and tucked here and there are these sweet little baby bees.

Lorraine made these fabulous little bee markers with the cutest little bees and a bee skep.

There was also a bee book, a bee tea infuser….some of the most fabulous smelling tea called Blue Lady…a little honey pot and some other beeutimus goodies.  Thanks Ladies!!!

All of this bee activity prompted me to coax that elusive queen bee out of her dark hive………it won't be long before she has my devoted attention!

 
From a bud, only a promise.
Then a gentle opening;
Rich blooming, bursting fragrance,
The fulfillment of the center.
Deng Ming~Dao

One of the things I love most about spring is the abundance of flowering shrubs in my yard.  The first picture is Bridal Wreath that we have in the front and side of our house and it is in full bloom right now.

These other shrubs in the back of the house are called Amur Honeysuckle.  Now from what I read this Honeysuckle bush can be considered an invasive pest in many areas, but in our yard it is definitely a friend.

This bush serves serves as a barrier from our neighbors during the
months when we are out in yard, which cuts down on most dog barking
behavior.  In the spring when it is flowering it is abuzz with bees, as
I can attest to while trying to take pictures this morning, and in the
early summer when the flowers turn to berries, it is food for the many
birds who call our neighborhood home.

We do need to be diligent in keeping it cut back in the spring and fall, but so far it's been all good.

 
Speaking of birds……my little friends are making their way into their new world!

Last night Hannah came running in to tell me that one of the babies had hatched.  This morning when I went to visit, there were 2.

Now mind you, anyone driving by and
seeing me in my pajamas with a camera, must have thought me to be
insane…..but at least I had on a nice Eileen West  nightgown and robe
set… 🙂

One of the things that I love best about the bird world is how Dad sits on the nest and tends to the little ones.

Last year when the last little robin didn't want to leave her nest, it was Dad who sad on the fence urging her on.  I am always mindful to make enough noise before I approach the bush where the new nest is to give Dad a chance to gently move away.  As I snap these new pictures, he patiently sits on the fencing waiting for me to finish.  You have to love that in a man..er..bird!

I hope that you have an enjoyable weekend in your corner of the world.  This weekend I am off to Rug hooking classes on Saturday and visiting with fiber friends on Sunday.  Enjoy yours!

PS….have I mentioned how much I HATE typepad's upgrade…..because I do!

A few weeks ago at the NH Sheep & Wool festival I was on a mission.  The only thing on my list of things to purchase was more of the scrumptious cashmere roving that I had purchased there the year before.

Bypassing row after row of beautiful fiber, I went on the search for the vendor who had sold me the cashmere.  Imagine my dismay when she was nowhere to be found :(.  I was totally bummed out!  Once we returned home however, I thankfully found  my catalog from the year before and was able to track her down.  4 little bags of roving arrived on my doorstop last week…yay!

Currently I am working on Brambler and am about 1/3 of the way finished.  This will be my last scarf for a little while once I finish. 

Of all the Little Nothing Scarves, this one is probably the easiest of all.  Anyone new to lace and looking for something to learn on…this scarf is it.  Very very easy and with the heavier yarn it works up quickly. 🙂

I have a few fiber things I want to concentrate on once I am finished with this scarf.  I need to finish up a few pair of socks, dig out my sewing machine, catch up on some spinning and then finally I hope to settle back into working on Bee during summer evenings.  Bee has been ever patient sitting in my basket and it is time for her to have a little more attention again 🙂

I hope by finishing up some loose ends, I can simplify my life a bit. 🙂

 

Spirit, that made those heroes dare
To die, and leave their children free,
Bid Time and Nature gently spare
The shaft we raise to them and thee.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

 
May I introduce Fiddlehead :-). 
Feeling much better, I managed to get my scarf blocked and the rain held off long enough for us to get a few pictures.  This is a wonderfully easy knit….loved it!!  I will have the kit up later this evening. 🙂

  
Pattern:  Fiddlehead Scarf
Yarn:  400 yards Woolen Rabbit Whisper Lace
Color:  Flamingo
Needles:  US size 4

 
It was wonderful to have a willing model who allowed a picture without the head chopped off…LOL.

 
Ok Mom…….enough is enough!!

Yes, another Robin's nest in the bush next to the one she nested in last year.  Yay…another season of watching the little ones grow!!  This year for sure, I am really hoping to see them fledge again.  Last year it was SO cool watching the babies jumping out of their comfort zone into the great wide world, guided by their diligent and watchful parents.

I will try not to bore you with a gazillion baby pictures again, but truly I so enjoyed watching them grow last year, having another opportunity to do so again is priceless.

You know what is so strange this time around though?  When I snapped this picture last week, there were 3 eggs in the nest, but when I checked on it again today…….there were 4.  Go figure?

I had hoped to show you pictures of my Flamingo Fiddlehead Scarf blocked and modeled, but sadly it will not be today.

I have been feeling a bit under the weather the last few days and while she is finished, I just didn't have the energy to get her blocked.  Hopefully tomorrow.

I am starting a new little project tonight during American Idol.  My fingers and toes are crossed for David Cook…but those teeny boppers are a powerful group.  We will soon find out.
Have a great night!
PS……..I'm not sure I like this new typepad format very much 😦

It’s Spring and our lives have all of a sudden become very busy!  Spring usually ushers in all of the sport activities, which we all enjoy very much and this year is no exception.  My son is home for the summer to save a bit of  money and it didn’t take long for him to find a few teams, both baseball and softball to join.

Courtney my middle daughter is playing highschool softball and is also on the spring traveling soccer team.  Needless to say we have been very busy shuffling between games and working in the garden, along with our other responsibilities.

I have learned over the years to cherish these times as they seem to go so fast.  Having Miles home for the summer and watching him play ball again gives us just a little piece of that part of his childhood  again that has come and gone….just one more time :-).  Truly nostalgic.

Not to fear though….I have been knitting away.  One of the bonuses of attending all of these activities, is I have a perfect excuse to knit.  Courtney tells me I am known as "that Mom" who knits…haha!

I am almost finished with Fiddlehead, one of Anne’s newest scarf patterns.  Actually it could come off the needles now, but I have decided to make it a wee bit longer this time.  I’m thinking that maybe tomorrow it will be finished and ready to be blocked :-).