october

Outside: yellow leaves are blooming
Drinking: homemade masala chai. Tomorrow: pumpkin spice chai.
Reading: Wild, for my continental book club.
On the needles: the sleeves of this sweater
Studying: the synaptic plasticity of memory and learning in the brain (ironic?)

I hope this new month finds you well and doing good work. keep in touch ~

thanks, September

Outside: 63. Rain. Apples on the tree.
Enjoying: Our seasonal favorite; the pumpkin spice latte.
On the needles: A sweater for me, with yarn from Peru.
Reading: MOL, when I'm not digging through patent claims or a medical physiology textbook.
These dogs: are loving the cooler weather, playing outside, then taking naps. It's lovely.

How's the weather where you are?  Have you seen the first signs of fall? I've been ready for it for ages; knitting on the needles, soup recipes and spiced chai just waiting.  I love this season. Thanks September. 

hey june

Outside: on the patio. I'ts summer; hot days, afternoon thunderstorms, breezy evenings
On the needles: Seascape, a wonderful light lace pattern for seasonal knitting
Reading: catching up on the Kindle, so I can finally take on this and then this.
In the oven: a rhubarb cherry pie, with crust from this book (again, my favorite recipe), with ice cream.
Looking forward to: Leaving next week for RI and the cruise.  It's hard to focus on much else.

This is where my days wander when I let them stray.  Where have you been lately?

hey may

Happy Cinco de Mayo weekend! 

In the oven: A coconut rum cake, based on this recipe, but with more rum.  I am also making tacos.
Outside: warming up.  Maybe the snow as stopped.  Maybe.  Not counting on it.
On the needles: Still cranking out the zigs.  Done soon... up next... mittens? A cardigan?
Reading: This classic, after I saw the musical, which was amazing
Watching: This video. One of the big reasons my life is so great is because my dog loves me.
What I am actually spending all my time doing: presentations, finals, grading. Semester is done next week.

That's it for me... how are you?
 ~ Happy Weekend! ~

hi april

Outside: beautiful warm sun, thunderstorms, snow tomorrow, ... more flowers everyday!
On the needles: this blanket (still), I hope I get it done in time...
Reading: Guns, Germs, and Steel.  Awesome.  I want to attend this guy's lectures every day.
In the oven: tater tots.  On the grill: elk brats.  Out on the patio with a beer.  Hammock is up.

Whether or not the weather cooperates, we're ready to be outside again!
Bring on the sunshine please.
How is your weather and knitting?

hiding inside

Outside: Clear, sunny, and cold cold cold
On the needles: Chevron baby blanket for Jen's little boy coming in May, wow
Reading: The Help for my inter-continental book club, which I avoided for a long time but am really enjoying
In the oven: gluten-less Rosemary Bread making the house smell amazing, plus soup

Hiding inside as much as possible, being a hermit, doing lots of homework and grading.  My dog is getting antsy   Perhaps this weekend we will go outside? Perhaps.

What about you ?  Have you left the house lately?

hello, november

Outside: clear and cold, chance of snow tonight
On the needles: presents for Christmas (I am very behind this year)
On my wish list: an orange sweater and a watch
Reading: getting in on this one, finally (hunker down)

And the very best thing about the cold weather: (Cats and dogs living together.... mass hysteria!)

almost autumn wip

Some things never change.  It's almost fall... and I'm knitting again.  Work is busy and exhausting friends, but hopefully there is time enough for a wonderful knit hat before the weather turns cold. 

Outside: cool nights and mornings, leaves fluttering, apple picking
On the needles: Sirle hat (pattern here)
Reading: Emma by Jane Austen
In the oven: zucchini bread (every week), and soon, hopefully these cookies.

Happy almost autumn, happy knitting ~!

weekend outside

Outside: on the deck, watching Soca play in the grass
Reading: The long dark tea time of the soul by Douglas Adams
Drinking: Homemade Chai tea
On the needles: alpaca legwarmers

It was a lovely long weekend filled with family, frisbee and friends, with time enough to remember what a wonderful life we have.  Happy Memorial weekend ~ 

immersed

Outside: Summer weather, playing frisbee
(Finally) Reading: The Hunger Games.  Already on book 2.  Actually it took a lot of effort to come here and tell you about it instead of continuing to read.  I'm hooked.
On the needles: Yosemite (still)
In the oven: An goat cheese apple tart with my favorite gluten-less pie crust.

You need:
1 1/4 cups white rice flour
1 cup tapioca flour
1 TBS sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick of cold butter
1/2 cup of milk

What to do:
1. Mix dry ingredients.
2. Add butter, 1/2 TBS at a time, and then mix with your fingers to form a crumble.
3. Gradually stir in the milk, then form into a nice ball.
4. Put in a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 2 days, or freeze for later.
5. Pick up the directions to finish the tart in the link above. 

This crust is adapted from GF Everday, still my favorite gluten less cookbook of all times.

Nice to see you all!  And now... back to the arena... 

in (a little) down time

 

Outside: rain, then sun

Reading: about ice cream.  what flavor should I make next?

On the needles: Yosemite (again)

Watching: This video.  I want to be my dog. 

Also, is it summer yet?

mock spring

It's beautiful outside today.  Soca and I took a long walk and then might have fallen asleep in the sun.

Outside: Sixty degrees, sunny
Reading: Canine Colorado, to get ideas where to go with the pup this spring
Listening to: Some Strange Country
On the needles: a hat for me

Enjoy the weather... likely it will be gone again by tomorrow, so I am going back outside.

ciao!

wip wednesday

Reading and knitting are a wonderful pair.  Especially this pair.  The knitting actually inspired the reading; something about the unique construction of the herringbone pattern had me thinking of trips to the bay, clam chowder, salty cold air... and I found myself taking to sea...

"Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people’s hats off—then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can."  -- Herman Melville's The Whale

 

This book is clever, dark and hilariously insightful.   I would highly recommend it, especially if you are starting to feel 'grim about the mouth' in these cold winter months.  This knit is the perfect companion. More on that later.  In the mean time, keep yourself from knocking people's hat's off, and find yourself a good book and a good knit.

Inspired by the Yarn Along.  I won't be joining in every Wednesday, since you would be seeing a lot of the same wips and books, but they are delightful to peruse, and I wanted to share this with you today. 

What are you reading and knitting?

los cabos

Honeymoon socks!

Originally I was told to expect a 30 hr plain flight to my mystery honeymoon, so I planned a whole project for the flight. Something nice and compact, on size 1 needles and bright yarn. As it turned out, it would only be about 3 hours each way, so I only got one sock done.

I love this pattern; sunday swing from knitty. The some-what lace pattern is easy to follow, and highlights the color change of the hand-dyed yarn.

The pattern of the yarn reminds me of the sandy beaches outside San Jose del Cabo, the ocean of Cabo Pumo, and the twists of the ocean carved rocks at Land’s End.

This picture was taken as I was knitting out on the balcony of our hotel room, over looking the ocean.

this week

on my needles...

garasole in worsted blackberry

in the garden....

sedum, columbines and helping gnomes

for June....

paper postcards and place cards,

and my final dress fitting this weekend (for real this time).

what have you been doing?

good bad and sleeping

Good things about having the flu:

1. Sleep
2. Big cups of hot tea
3. Staying home from work while it snows outside
4. A little bit of knit:

Here's hoping to be up and about soon....

sweater update

you won't even recognize it....


I am finally moving at a good knitting clip now that the holidays are looming. Look how far this beauty has come! Next up: sleeves. Stay tuned....

felting again

beached whale slippers

Remember when I tried to felt slippers and failed fantastically? Well, it is high time for another attempt! I am going to make a pair of felted clogs (pattern available for download from Fiber Trends), and this time I was very careful when purchasing the yarn. Passing by perfectly sound wool skeins, I bought the yarn that said in big, bold letters: PERFECT FOR FELTING. I've knit the first slipper, and it's HUGE. This is an actual size picture of me with the un-felted slipper. I've just got to finish up the other one, stuff them in my washing machine, and I'll let you know how they come out! Fingers crossed my whales turn out like slippers somehow.

summer knitting

i found the secret...


instead of trying to knit winter sweaters this summer, i have switched to stitches that favor the swelter: light yarn, mesh patterns, airy skeins and bright colors. it has been wonderfully inspiring to knit within the season. good thing i have a future mother and sister in law who live at the beach! for them i can knit in these wonderful ways, such as the to-be-beach-bag shown here, and my first ever lace pattern shall (more to come soon!) now i am looking forward to fall, but i will still miss my summer knitting.

little of this

knitting planning eating sleeping summer


my knitting projects are more spastic than usual; generally i only have one wip at at time, and i tend to stay focused and get things finished. this summer i've been rather distracted. starting with the sweater, moving on to knit this hat which still needs embellishments, then ordering more yarn to start a market tote and a lace shall in the same week.

then again, i've also been distracted lately thinking about cake and italy inspired food and one dress or another and swing dancing and shoes and then also things like which mountains to climb this summer and pie.

what's on your daydreaming while knitting list?