Computer issues

I'm still around but we've been having computer problems. Major, lose everything on the computer, problems. We took it to the 'place with the Geeks' and they said the hard drive was shot so then we took it to a local computer repair place and they are going to give it a look see.

I've got years and years of pictures on that computer....sons' weddings, baby births, graduations, vacations....some printed out, some saved on a jump drive but I know there would be alot lost. Uff.

Well, we'll see what the computer repair guys say. I'm hoping they are GOOD!

The computer was a lemon from the word go....I hope it's replacement isn't the same!

Whatcha reading??

I'm reading Steig Larrson's "The Girl Who Played With Fire". But only after struggling to get past the prologue. That was a little upsetting.

I'm also reading Laura Bush's book "Spoken from the Heart". A book that actually has a bibliography and and index. How cool is that!? I haven't seen that since I was in school mumblemumble years ago and reading textbooks.

I'm liking both books but talk about diversity! :)

On the knitting front I have 2 repeats of the body to go on The Fountain Pen Shawl and the I'll just have the edging to do. I haven't looked at the pattern enough to know how many rows or how difficult that is.

I hope your day is as sunny and pleasant as mine looks to be.

Thank you knitting community

As I was sitting at my computer this morning looking at my blog and Ravelry I realize that I've advanced as a knitter A LOT since I found Ravelry and met people through blogs.

I've been able to see what others are doing and have had encouragement to try it myself and now I'm doing more than stockinette and ribbing. There are still a lot of things I haven't done, amoung them is steeking. That just seems wrong! :) But you know eventually I may try that too. I've now learned never to say never when it comes to knitting.

So here is my heartfelt Thank You to Ravelry and everyone in the knitting blog community. I'm able to knit lace and sweaters and socks! WooHoo!!

Flowers flowers everywhere

Blue campanula



















Stella de Oro



















Siberian iris
















Orange lilies. They were my DMIL's.

















Orange lily closeup
















Pink columbine














Red & yellow columbine













Yellow rose. Rosa 'J.P. Connell'
















Pink rose. 'Morden Blush' Canadian roses are the best way to go here in the frozen north.














And for your knit viewing pleasure...Fountain Pen Shawl in progress. Dye Dreams Luster Sox yarn. Size 5 Addi Lace Turbo needle.

Things learned

I learned several knitting things over the weekend.

• I CAN knit from a chart.
• I still don't particularily like to. Written is so much more understandable for me. So I've written out the body chart. Knitting is supposed to be fun and easy right? Written makes it that way for me.
• I'm a bit fickle. I was SO excited to knit the Norwegian Woods Shawl and the baby cardigan. I ordered yarn and a size 2 circular for the cardigan and yarn for the shawl. I bought the patterns and printed them out. I was all ready to go and then BAM! The Fountain Pen Shawl bug bit me hard. And I had the yarn leftover from the Upstairs Shawl and I thought now is a good time to try chart reading and I was off! Knitting something completely off my radar.

I've got 3.3 repeats done. I'm starting to learn the pattern and read the knitting. From what I've read on Ravelry, if you do it like the pattern says, it'll be huge. I'll see if I have enough yarn to do that. And enough patience and endurance to go the full size! :)

Traveling Woman finished

Traveling Woman Shawl on a bicycle. Clever? No. Geeky? Probably.

The color is darker than it shows on these pictures although it did bleed a bit when I Soaked it.

The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Select. In a limited edition color called Pilgrims Progress from November of 2008.

It took me 10 days by the calendar to make it but it was actually less than that. I didn't touch it at all for a couple days. I was too busy reading "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Good book. One of those that won't let you put it down.

A little of this. A little of that.

I just love peonies. (Doesn't it look like a work of art? Even with the ant hanging on upside down!)

From the beginning when they are pretty little balls with raindrops (and ants) on them.

To the big luscious blooms....

That hardly fit in the viewfinder.

I've been doing a bit of gardening and I've got a set of before and after pictures for you. This obviously is the before. Kinda sad looking.

And here is the after. Ahh, much better.

And here is the knitting I'm currently working on. It's Traveling Woman by Liz Abinante. Love it. It's a quick knit. I'm already on Chart B.

The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill that was free from Sheri at The Loopy Ewe when I became a Loopy Groupie. Fun....and very generous!

I'd be even further along but I've been reading a lot lately. The last one was over the weekend and it was "the beach street knitting society and yarn club" by Gil McNeil.

She's got a sequel too and I'm hoping to find it when I get to a big town again because this was just a fun read. I could hear the British accent in my head while I read and it was so witty in places that I laughed out loud. Perfect for summer reading.

Well, my 90+ year old neighbor just keeps mowing his lawn and I have to try to keep up to him so I better get outside and get busy! Catch ya later! :)