Pumpkin Sunrise

My fruit basket on the island decided to help me with the photo shoot of this hat .  The pattern  is fantastic because it uses fingerweight yarn which I love and it is so versatile.  I was one inch short in the body and it doesn't really matter because hat knitting is oh so forgivable and flexible.  I'm thrilled that I can use up all the left over sock yarn bits and ends to make a scrappy hat  like last time. This lovely orange yarn is left over from this project .  So far I think it is my hat.  For now.  This morning I mused over how to photo the hat without doing my gymnastic feats of self portraits.  I don't know about you but I find hats and socks hard to photograph.  Even when they are on a body.  Something for me to think about I guess. So guess who was wearing the above hat? Why a lovely ceramic chicken "helped" with the photo shoot.  I LOVE his beady eye :)

My weekend contained: -shopping for back to campus supplies-my favorite item-post it notes for post it mosaic wall art (this is one of my son's many hobbies) -relaxing on Saturday waiting for my husband to return from a trip -ordering pizza out!  (very lazy this weekend) -Oh the laundry!! I am still working on it but the end is near -meeting with friends for knitting, laughing, and catching up -feeling a scratchy throat as soon as my husband declares having one -wondering if it's germophobia or not -finding THE perfect pair of casual sneakers to replace a four year old pair that I adore -looking at the budget and gearing up for the great "no spend" mind set once the kids leave -husband cooking curry today even though he feels icky, hence the photo above. How was your weekend? Joining Amanda

I could not resist snapping this photo.  It is such a rarity to see Frodo relaxing because of those rotten bunnies that taunt him on the outside of the fence.  The neighborhood rabbits are growing up.  It is my belief that their fat little bodies are unable to fit under or through our fence.  Frodo is not catching a whiff of their scent and can relax while patrolling his domain.  Fingers are crossed that the worst seems to be over since he is laying on his stoop . Do you call it a stoop?  I grew up in the big city in a row house and everyone would sit on the stoop at any part of the day to watch the neighborhood.  There were quite a few that sat on the stoop unless they worked.  If you were walking to the corner store (remember those?) you would stop and say "hey" to the stoop sitters-I just coined that phrase.   On summer evenings people would escaped their hot stuffy homes to try to catch a tiny breeze outside.  During a neighborhood walk as a child,  I would get the b

I think I am way better and taking photos of yarn than food, but I wanted to share my go to recipe for risotto.  It is something that I make at least once every two weeks.    Before I start telling you my secret recipe, do you see those peppers in the green  bowl?  I stir fried all of them for my husband and everyone was coughing and sneezing from the fumes.  We all had to leave the first floor to get fresh air!  So the peppers will only be grilled outside from now on.  Funny, Frodo did not cough once, he has super powers (or he is low to the ground). Mushroom Risotto 1 box of sliced mushrooms your choice 1 1/2 cups of risotto (rice) 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 cups of vegetable broth 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese saute the mushrooms in a frying pan with the oil until nearly soft.  Add all the rice then half of the broth  (2 cups)  bring to a boil over medium heat stirring every time you walk by, do not cover with a lid!  Once the two cups are absorbed by the rice add

On the left (at least I think it's the left) is my hat that is at the decreasing part-it should be done by the end of today.  I've knit that pattern many times and it is a great easy knit.  On the right is my second citron shawl , the yarn is half silk and half wool and it is wonderful!  It has more of a woolly bloom than I expected-a pleasure to knit and I bet it will block perfectly! I am thrilled to report that my featherweight cardigan is complete and I posted about it yesterday.  I had to rework the button band which ended up to be a minor setback.  But it felt like a major setback!  So I have a cardigan just sitting and waiting to be worn when the weather is a bit cooler. I continue to read The Language of Flowers  and I continue to enjoy it.  It is an excellent story and well written about the foster care system and relationships.  The main character has trouble attaching herself emotionally to other people. Overall the book is sad but there is always a thre

I bet you are wondering why I haven't mentioned my featherweight being done and showing it off. The first two photos show the sweater completed before blocking and shaping.  I was quite pleased with how it turned out.  Very very pleased. Then I blocked it. I soaked it and wished I would gain an inch in length.  Well-I gained many inches!!  Silk has little to no memory and it just stretched long.  So I did get my length but in the process I lost my width of the button band!  I also did a stretchy bind off (do not do this on a button band) so it was wavy and quite ugly. I undid the bind off and knit another 2+ inches with a smaller needle size and bound off the regular way. I just finished today and ran upstairs to steam block the button band. I am so happy now!!  I am happy that I slept on what I wanted to achieve and how I was going to do it.  Now I can wear it without being grumpy :)  I am also happy that I have ravelry friends who helped give advice on silk handli

My weekend was filled with: -cooler weather (yay!) -wetter weather -car rides for errands and daydreaming -re-fudging the buttonband of my featherweight cardigan-for the better -wishing oh so wishing that I was not re-fudging the buttonband -meeting with a friend who loves to knit and comparing projects -burgers and french fries -starting to buy back to campus supplies-notebooks, binders and notepaper -a happiness to see these aisles pop up in every store -a trip to Barnes and Noble, inhaling the coffee-book print air!! How was your weekend? Joining Amanda

Yesterday it started to rain-finally!  Ordinarily I do not like rain because it makes my hair frizz up but I will accept some rain that comes with a cold front.  Today it is supposed to be around 72 degrees-brrrr.  It might be a jean-wearing, shoes and socks kind of day. I am happy to report that Frodo has not caught any rabbits this week.  I think they're just lucky.  They still manage to squeeze into the fenced in area and he still manages to find them.  Frodo is FAST.  I always cheer for the rabbit's escape. Makes me happy list this week: -rain! -thunder rumbles -first cucumbers from the garden -sister conversations nearly every morning this week -crossword puzzles -feet dangling in the pool with my family while sitting and talking -pumpkin seeds on my salad -my positive thinking schnauzer What's on your list?

Big day here at my house!  Yesterday I went out to our little garden patch and picked the first two cucumbers.  By the looks of it, there will be so many more to follow.  I think this might be the time to call up my dad and get his cucumber salad recipe :)  I think in the next week we will be able to pick some tomatoes.  The peppers look "pickable" to me but that is my husband's food-he loves hot peppers!! How do you like to eat your cucumbers?  Any delicious recipes?

I started reading The Language of Flowers  and it's a book that is hard to put down.  From the very first page the story has been engaging and I eagerly want to read more.  The book is about a woman who turns eighteen years old and the american foster system has failed repeatedly her during her childhood.  She has attachment issues because her mother abandoned her and the foster parents she was placed with were not the best.  I think what makes this a compelling read is that the author was a foster parent and has adopted a foster child (could be children, not sure).  So even though I have no idea how this book will end, I highly recommend it. My knitting has been focused on three knits-two are photoed above.  My husband's socks -one done with the other on the needles.  My second citron shawl !  Oh how I love to knit this pattern and I love picking up this project, it does give me great joy.  My third knit not in the photo is the orange hat that is my knit and read hat.  

We are near the end of the sock posts and hasn't it be fun??  I think so!  I have knit the foot of my husband's sock so that it measures 8 inches from the edge of the heel.  This is because that is the length that I use for it to fit him.  My son is 8 1/2 inches, my daughter is 7 inches, and I am 7 1/2 inches.  (all memorized) To begin toe decreasing, you will start in the middle of the bottom foot, as photoed above.  Needle #1 is on the left.  There are many ways to decrease for a toe.  I use several, but this one is the easiest. *Knit across needle #1  to last three stitches-k2tog, k1.  Beginning of needle #2 -k1, ssk,knit across to end.   Needle #3-same as needle #1.  Needle #4-same as needle #2. *  Repeat ** every other row until there are nine stitches on each needle (total 36 stitches) then decrease EVERY row until there are four stitches on each needle (total 16 stitches).   Close up toe using the kitchener's stitch . And there you have it- one glori