Zeneedle...needleart as life

Ten on Tuesday (kicking and screaming)

Well, maybe not kicking and screaming, but I just haven't wanted to get drawn into the Ten on Tuesday posts.  Tuesday is a good day to rest.  Anyway, I love reading, always have, and decided to post the books that will take me through the summer. Ten on Tuesday by Carole

   10 Books on Your Summer Reading List 

1. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon- This is 100% TeresaC fault. After just a few chapters I'm captivated by the story, the 34 hour story of Claire Randall's adventure in time.
2. Tinker by Paul Harding - The latest Pulitzer Prize winner was on my list before it won.  I hope it stands up to the publicity.
3. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson - Read every single one of the Girl series and loved them.  If only Stieg had lived a long life. 
4. Faithful Place by Tana French - This book will be out in July and I can't wait.
5. Lark and Termite by Jayne Anne Phillips- The book club selection for August and I know little about it (yet).
6. Little Bee by Chris Cleave - There has been quite a buzz about this book.
7. Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon - Recommended by a friend so I know it will be good.
8. The Last Child by John Hart - This book was on so many "recommended" lists  I couldn't pass it up. 
9. The Bridge of Sighs by Olen Steinhauer- What's summer without a little espionage thrown in?
10. My list  could go on and on, but I think I'll ask for your recommendations for #10.  What (more) should I read?

This Post Brought to You By...

Farmer Smith!

Look at that! Yes, we have tomatoes! Lemon Boys! And, BOY were they good!

Smith saved the garden from a vole...a voracious and tenacious vole, one that made so many holes Smith could barely keep up.  FINALLY, he was able flood it out and give it a good conk. A final conk. 

Yesterday we harvested peas, arugula, radishes, onions and beets (along with the Lemon Boys).  Dinner was beyond fabulous. Just sayin'.

The Shawls! The Shawls!

 

My co-workers are overly enthusiastic in their love of air condition. Why, must it be set at 60?! Isn't that's just a BIT too chilly?  Dear friends, do you freeze in the grocery store, or a restaurant, like I do?  In order to save myself from the frigid environs I keep a small shawl at the ready. They are a necessity during summer months and, since it's my lucky day (and yours), two designers have new publications coming out this year!

Miriam Felton is publishing a book of beautiful patterns (of all sorts), which she's making available in several ways.  Read about it on her blog or Ravelry . You can pre-order the print book or buy the patterns in three separate Collections on Ravelry. That's a very cool idea.

Speaking of cool ideas...Rosemary is publishing an eBook of 7 Small Shawl patterns.  She's designing them all in 200 days, which means you can watch the progress/process happen on her blog. One shawl is available now, but each time another is ready you automatically get an update for your book!  You can buy the shawls separately if you prefer.  

As soon as my two current projects are finished I'm going to stick to my plan and start Hamamelis.  Next in my queue  is Fog Lifter and I will do my best to stay this path. 

However, this gorgeous yarn just arrived from Kim and it could be a plan changer...isn't that always the way!?

Finish Line

The socks! They're so warm and lovely as they cuddle my toes. Maybe TOO warm.

At first I wasn’t sure about the mohair yarn but, it has a nice sheen and extra warmth, plus it adds to the longevity. The simplicity of stockinette shows off the yarn while Carole’s picot edge lends a little elegance and interest. This is the perfect sock pattern for portable simple knitting.

Pattern: Carole's Picot Socks  
Yarn: Apple Laine Apple Butter (discontinued)
Raveled Here

All the wool socks are washed and stowed in the sock drawer. Hopefully they'll be there for a few months. 

 

Bare toes feel much better this time of year! Ahh....

From the Garden

Ok Norma, if you insist, I'll blog about the harvest of beets and onions Smith brought home from the garden.  He's been working hard and we've enjoyed the rewards of fresh lettuce (many times over), radishes, beets, and onions (so far).  Not surprisingly, we're learning as we go and next year we'll know better how and where to plant the vegetables we love.  This is the second harvest of beets and when I told Norma we were a little nervous to plant more, she said to "go for it".  Hopefully this won't be our last crop because we love fresh beets!

Since we had fresh onions as well, I looked around for a recipe that would work with both and found this recipe. Plus, we had to use the added bonus of fresh beet greens, so I found this recipe. The dish was so good we had it two nights in a row!

Exactly What I Needed

Friday afternoon, as soon as I arrived home from work, we jumped in the car and headed up the canyon.  The weather was beautiful and we decided to take advantage of every minute of the weekend. 

 

The aspen forest has just started to green, the meadow grasses peek through the winter brown, and the wildflowers were either non-existent or only tiny sprouts. However, we did spot, for the first time ever, a small patch of glacier lilies.

We heard a variety of birds, saw squirrel here and there, and very few people.

It was a perfect way to start the weekend.

So Close

Can it really be? This sock (and a sweater) have been on the needles since February!  FEBRUARY!  You have no idea how wonderful and silly it makes me feel to be this close to finishing something.  The sock is right at 50 row and I need 65 rows before starting the toe decreases. The end is in sight.

TGIF everyone!

Love the One You're With

 

Even though there was a time I could work on 3 or 4 projects at a time the two projects on my needles, beautiful Sprössling and Carole’s Picot Sock, are all I can handle, Focus just isn't what it once was. However, staying true to two hasn't stopped me from looking around, surveying the landscape, and checking out what's next.  My eyes are fickle, my heart must stay true.

As you may suspect, it's time for a confession. A few weeks after Sprössling and I became an item, I strayed away with another. It was pure hubris that led me to think I could spend time with both Sprössling and Que Sera. Little progress was made on either and I learned quickly that bouncing back and forth between the two large projects was confusing and unproductive. 

The color in this photo is so wrong!

A tacit rule throughout my knitting life has been to keep it simple and knit one project of a type (such as a sweater) at a time.  Breaking this rule lead to paralysis and neither of my sweet project grew.  Poor Que Sera had to be abandon, set aside, still loved and not forgotten, but out of sight.

Sprössling thrived when she become my one and only, which meant the right decision had been made. Que Sera and I will have our day, and once my time with Sprössling comes to an end, she will be my one and only. The lesson learned, I will keep my promise and be true to one.

It's the Sun!

What a mood changer the sun can be.  It took about three seconds of blue sky and sun to put a smile on my face and lift me out of the doldrums.  I'm the first to admit the weather affects me drastically. In any case...this is what made me smile.

 

Isn't that view fabulous!? It makes my heart sing.

To enhance the mood, and bring a little color onto the patio, I dropped by the little nursery on the corner to pick out a few plants to fill a pot. 

The pansies were looking tired and worn from their endless battle with wet, cloudy days. They had to go. The color of marigolds, lobelia and geraniums will brighten our little spot beautifully.

The rain was good for the garden and our patio lettuce patch grew quickly, too.  We've had at least 10 salads from this crazy box of lettuce. Fresh, homegrown  lettuce is a mood lifter, too

The weather peoples say there maybe be clouds and showers this afternoon, but the rest of the week looks great. I hereby decree there will be no more crankiness in Zeneedleland.

Call Me Cranky

The weekend weather was chilly, rainy, and down right dreary.  Since we just went through the coldest May in 57 years, does that mean we should suffer through the coldest June, too!?  What a year to plant a garden. Everyone, everywhere complains about the weather and I know it's not very zen to do so, but a little sun, once in awhile would be nice. 

There is a mountain in there somewhere...promise.

Poor weekend weather does lead to a fair amount of knitting.  There will be a report, a full report.  I just need to come out of my sulky corner and get a post or two written, pictures taken, too.