Zeneedle...needleart as life

A Happy Buzz

Stepping from the elevator on the SLC library's fourth floor, a spiral staircase catches the eye, as does the window above, or it might be what's seen through the window. 

As you can see there are two active beehives of beautiful golden wood.  The garden on the roof of the library benefits from the bees, as does the surrounding neighborhood gardens.  What a fun sight to see the bees busily doing they're buzzing business.

 

Any time I see bees they remind me of Kim and her love of the little buzzers.  Our garden is always humming with their sound, as they travel from blossom to blossom gathering the pollen within.  

They fly with intent through the squash blossoms, flashing by so quickly it's rare to capture one in a picture, and never bother a hand reaching to harvest the fruit.

While patience is not my virtue, and the harvest of veggies my main intent, a bee may become so heavy with the yellow gold, it can hardly fly.  This bee seemed to be redistributing his load before flying off to find the hive. 

Sunflowers are a good place to find a bee spending more time within view, so this flower is dedicated to Kim and her love of buzzing, busy bees.

Bees, with their purpose in life, have a way of bringing back happy. We need to do all we can to protect and promote their place in our world.

Happy is as Happy Does

Like Vickie*, I misplaced my happy and decided to go in search of it. It couldn't be too far away as it had just been here and we'd been doing quite well.  Happy should be found in many places, as a long holiday/vacation weekend upon me. One of the first places I found happy was with my BFFs. 

CherylS, Shelley and I had a date to pamper our feet and "do" a little lunch.  The day was quite delightful, as you would expect.  (Shelley is healing nicely after breaking her ankle and she should be loosing that boot very soon.)

Another place where happy often resides is in the garden, especially its harvests.  This is the season when something good to eat is ready almost every day.  Sunday the green beans were in abundance!  Sautéing them with a fresh onion, also from the garden, was a delight for the taste buds.  You should have seen the smile on Smith's face. He had no idea he had a green thumb.

Happy can be found in many unexpected places and this bit of art, in the parking lot of a favorite restaurant, caught my eye and made me laugh right out loud. These boots were not made for walking. 

On a little sightseeing excursion (with Dad who was visiting last week) I found happy while touring the Salt Lake City Library. Looking down into the atrium entrance, and the shadows cast by the window frames, I overcame my fear of heights and reached over to take the picture.

It's the little things that create big thrills.  There was another wonderful bit of happiness found, but I think I'll save that for another day.  It's nice to be back in Blogland.  I missed you all!

*You must congratulated Vickie for riding her bike 25 miles!!

Garden Surprises

Smith and I have learned first hand that gardening is addicting. This post is 100% for Norma, who had a birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday, dear friend.  You and your garden have been an inspiration and, with your guidance, we have had the good results with our garden this year. 

This is our harvest Saturday morning. Broccoli, zucchini, radishes (galore), yellow squash, and one Lemon Boy tomato (with many more to come).

 

Sunday we found one more harvest surprise...

a HUGE potato! 

From the looks of it we'll have quite a harvest in a few weeks and, if everything grows, the harvest could be overwhelming.  Look at the corn, peppers, tomatoes and Brussels Sprout, all of this in our 24x24' garden. No wonder I have little time to knit.

 
And, how's this for a surprise?  Our community now has chickens!  Aren't they cute?  The board is also talking about adding lavender fields and apiary. We lucked into a very fine community garden.  Gardening is as fascinating as any project I've ever taken on and the process is very much the same.  I think I'm hooked.

It's Friday?

Srsly, how does that happen when the week appears to drag on and on? All of a sudden, here it is…Friday!

TGIF! Sorta, as this weekend we're expecting temperatures at or near 100.  We've been spared the heat box this year and yes, I know, it is "dry heat", but it's like a furnace, a "hotter than hell" blast furnace.  Hiding indoors is not an option as I have a family reunion this weekend. I may shrivel and dry up. (Note to self: take plenty of cold water.) 

This week I finished Colum McCann's "Let the Great World Spin". The story takes place as a man walks a tightrope between the World Trade Center towers.  Another event happens at the same time which affects the lives of several individuals and, while they tell their unique stories, connected and intertwined stories, the reader sees how unaffected they were by the man on the tightrope, despite his holding the attention of the world.

While reading, there has been knitting.  A(nother), yes my sixth, Monkey Sock.  It's fun, easy and semi-mindless.  After six of the same pattern, I've got it down pat. The pattern also works well with Socks that Rock and I had a very old skein (325 yds) of Azure Malachite to use up (the color is funky in this photo).  This will be a mini-Monkey (4 repeats on the cuff) so the largish foot can be accommodated without running out of yarn.

Yesterday was Jessa Lu's birthday. Every year, in celebration, she has a contest. This year she's giving  away one of her lovely handmade bags AND, she might also give away a skein of handspun...both good stuff. You must leave a comment to win (as per usual with contests) and you can also "drop" my name, if you like.  Go wish her a happy one!

Happy hot weekend, everyone, and knit on!

To Everything

As the last button was sewn into place, as the last of the finishing was complete, as this saga of a sweater journey came to an end, my breath caught, and I sat in stunned silence.  A silence of peace, of inner prayer, of simple joy.  This journey now moves into a new phase, a phase of giving warmth, softness, luxury, and a gigantic hug from Kim.  Glorious!

 

Kim's Kashmir yarn has survived this journey in grand fashion.  She was knit into another sweater, completely frog, washed, and then, continued on her journey to once again be knit, frogged, tinked and knit again.  She came out of it all looking like Cinderella at the ball.  A knitter must be grateful for a yarn that is willing to do what it needs to do and become something to love. This yarn, fortunately, continues to be beautiful, elegant and splendid. 

Anne's Sprössling pattern is well written with simple finishing techniques for a happy ending.  The only modification I made was to add 3" of length before the waist shaping.  (After trying it on I realized 2" would have been enough, but I am happy.) Oh and, a little extra on the sleeves, too.

The lovely tiny buttons were found at Blazing Needles, a LYS with a spectacular selection. (Buttons for Que Sera were also found, but we'll save that for another day.)  Because of the added length extra buttons were needed.

The simplicity of garter stitch hems and edges compliment the elegance of the lace.  There was no fussing or futzing the numbers for the neck band to look good.  Everything simply fell into place as the sweater came together. The front band pickup was magical, as the first time I tried, the band had no excess, nor was it too small. 

The knitting journey is over and it's been quite a humbling path.  This sweater had it's way with me (all difficulties my own and not the yarn nor the pattern) and it took awhile for me to realize the journey was NOT hard, and that it was my own angst and inability that stopped me from moving forward. When I (finally) broke through that wall, I knew all was well.

Pattern: Sprössling by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Kashmir from The Woolen Rabbit
Raveled Here

Catching Up with Myself

The holiday weekend was spent doing much of nothing.  The garden drew our attention often and every morning, as we walked the short distance, we marveled at how lucky we were to have a community garden so near.  As the garden goes, we've won a few and lost a few.  The lettuce plants are on their way out, but we have had over a dozen fresh and beautiful salads. Gardening is hard work, but as any gardener knows, the rewards are worth the effort.

 

The peppers and tomatoes are growing like gangbusters with the "red cherry hot" leading the pack.  The other peppers (all of them of a hot variety) are coming along, too.  

The weekend weather was perfection.  We commented constantly it was one of the nicest Fourth of July's ever.  The temperate weather allowed for long hours of patio time, a place we love to "hang" when it's not too hot.  My iPod was in my ear constantly, as I listened to Outlander.  The story is pure escapism and the voice in my head now speaks with a Scottish brogue. 

There was little only a little knitting, as I was mad at myself for finding perfect buttons for Sprössling and then leaving them on the counter at the LYS.  Since the shop was closed for the 4th, I had to wait until Monday to pick them up.  This story continues at a later date (and, hopefully, with a happy ending). 

This week was, thankfully, a short one and the weekend unfolds before us again.  (Too bad it's not another long one!) Hopefully, there will be more knitting accomplished than last weekend.  As a little PSA : Please hurry over to Mim's blog and take advantage of the special offer for her new book.  And (yes there is more!), please hurry over to Kim's blog. All you need to do is comment to win a prize! 

Last (but not least)...please, have a lovely weekend!

There are Times

This is the little footie that almost was. It was a pretty blue, but I was bluer. We just didn’t get along and, while she tried to entice, I just wasn’t feeling the love. We have now parted ways.

Dear little Que Sera has been so sweet to wait her turn and her turn has come.  She should start a nice little growth spurt this weekend.  This weekend is long and that's the type of weekend that makes me happy.  Hopefully there will be some happy knitting. (Oh and I guess I had better be spinning for the Tour de Fleece, too! Don't tell Cookie I nearly forgot!)

Sprössling is blocking and awaiting her neckband, button bands and buttons. There will a button search on Saturday.  

There is expectation of lace, blue lace, blue lace that makes me happy lace. This could be a very good weekend.  

Happy 4th!!!

A Place for Friends

Meditation often uses the imagery of a peaceful place as a way to find focus during practice.  In a book on healing I read, before and after surgery, one the affirmations suggested to promote relaxation was to visualize a favorite place.  As you might suspect, my place is always Silver Lake.  It's a place easily accessible during meditation or as a "real" place to visit.

 

It is less than a mile around the lake, but it takes quite a bit of time.  Every view is beautiful and an eye must be kept for the ground and tree squirrels, the elusive, but ever present wildflowers, and an occasional moose! 

Silver Lake is a place my friends love to visit whether they live near or far.  Many a day has been spent laughing and chatting as we walk around the lake.  Last weekend Smith and I spent the day with CherylS and her Pontiff. The lake is just starting to come alive with summer foliage and flowers. We spotted a shooting stars and the tail end of the glacier lilies.

We ended the day at another favorite spot, a place I have not been since being diagnosed with Celiac (the kitchen just wouldn't be safe).  However, we can still sit on the deck, sip a glass of wine, and looking out at a very relaxing view.  I love "my" mountains and the time spent with friends while enjoying their beauty.