And It Begins Again

For 15 years I have spent my February holding hands with seniors who are writing their first major research paper. It is always on Hamlet. I then spend days, nights, and weekends helping them get through the meticulous and time-consuming process without failing any other courses. It is the curse of the shortest winter month, the time when it seems that spring will never arrive.

But it has. My crocus and snowdrops are coming up around the forsythia. There are other signs that spring will be here in the woods. Racoons have had cute litters in the barn that keep trying to break into the sheep feed.

We have a stray little puppy girl She showed up at the house last week in full heat. Hobo had been having a good time. I brought her into the laundry room because it was cold. She then left through the dog door in the morning, and puts herself up at night on her mat. A very smart girl. I'm taking her to the vet next week, and I hope someone will want her. She is a sweetheart.

I think that the Koigu project may go into hibernation for awhile. I want to finish the shrug, and against doctor's orders (!) I cast on for the Star skirt. It is fun and the best project to work on in school. Not to much patterwork or counting so I can talk to friends and keep my hands busy.

Linda, Debbie and I went on a wool hunting trip this weekend. In just two stores we had enough to fill a trunk. I bought some beautiful colors and textures, and two garments of white wool (!). Debbie was reluctant to buy a pleated Pendleton suit even though it was about the right color. I told her to get it and I would wear it to church on Sunday. Well. It is a perfect fit and just gorgeous. Now I have to call Debbie and tell her that I will give her her two dollars back.

Today is warmer. Not warm, but warmer. The sun is shining and I'm happy. The gym was closed today, so I had some time in the morning to take all four dogs on a long walk and turn the heel on my second sock. The grandkids are coming this afternoon, so I'll stop at the grocery and get home in time to kid-proof the house.

A female puppy in heat showed up at the house a couple of days ago. My first thought is take her to the pound, but she is loving, sweet, and I just can't do it. So in a couple of weeks I'll take her in for spaying, shots, etc. Linda (friend) said she might have a home for her. When it became bitter cold I told DFH I was bringing her in to the laundry room. He said what if she howls. I said I would sleep with her. I brought her in and put her on a couple of sheepskin mats. As I spoke to her and petted her, she stretched and yawned and fell asleep. She didn't explore. The next morning I put her out. The next evening I looked for her outside and she wasn't around. I thought she might be with Hobo in the barn. I went to the laundry room and there she was! Curled up and asleep. I didn't show her how to use the dog door; she figured it out from my two. And she doesn't try to get into the house through the second door. She knows her place. She is probably a beagle-lab mix, smallish and yellow. I hope to find a home for her, but if not, she can stay. She even loves cats.

I haven't had much time to knit this week, and I don't have much time to finish the scarf for DFH for Valentine's day. I have to work on it at school or when he is not home. I'm hopeful I will get it done - then the socks, shrug, and toreador jacket need to get done. Yes, I have yarn and have purchased yarn for several more projects for DFH, me, and the grandkids. Socks for them, skirts for me. I am also starting a hooked rug to support the efforts of Linda in finishing her hooked rug. I haven't hooked in years, but I'm sure it's like riding a bike. Wait, I can't ride a bike. I nearly killed myself last year trying to ride a paved straight path with DFH. Oh well.

It's a Yoga Kind of Day

This morning I went to my yoga class at the rec center. I go twice a week for this class, and I do like the instructor. However, this morning she was in California and had not arranged for anyone else to take the class. People started to look at me - I have the cool yoga clothes, so I said I would lead the class. The director came in and put on the music and put me in the mike thing, and we started off. I have led only one other class, but I teach so I was fairly comfortable with doing this. I got applause at the end, probably because one of the other instructors would have done core work for an hour that is thinly disguised as yoga. I concentrated on neck and shoulder work and a really good relaxation at the end. The wellness director said that they would pay for my certification the next time it was offered. I think I will do it.

I am stuck a bit on the Coriolis socks. Markers B and E will collide into each other the first time I decrease for the spiral bit up the leg. When I get home I will finish turning the heel (second sock) and then see what I have missed in the directions. I'm not sure what B is doing there anyway. E tells me when to increase and decrease. Oh well, I'm sure I'll get it tonight. The Vogue shrug is almost across my back, and I am dreading the twisting yarn I will have to untangle as I circle through the front. I love the colors (Lorna's Laces Watercolor worsted) and the pattern, but it is a pain. I'm going to bag the balls and do some judicious untwisting as I work to keep everything in order. The Dr. Who scarf is coming along nicely for DFH for Valentines. and the Koigu toreador jacket is always a joy to work on. Do I have enough projects? No, of course not. I have some bamboo-cotton yarn on the way for a skirt and vest, some lace weight for a shawl, and I'm going to my LYS tomorrow where they just got in some hemp. Perfect for the aging hippie woman. I plan on making the Trumpet Skirt from an Interweave magazine. I don't have it, but people at the shop do. But I must make a solemn vow to myself that I will not cast on anything else until I get something finished - really finished, not just cast off. THOU SHALT NOT CAST ON.

Grape pruning time

I've been having trouble with my left shoulder and I thought it was because I have ramped up my strength training. It's been bothering me for about 10 days now, and I have tried to be careful with it. The wellness director said that if I had lost range of motion with the soreness, I should take it easy. Since I had trouble buckling my seatbelt, I thought that that counted as a problem with range of motion. But as I have been thinking back on the problem, I don't think it is my exercise routine - it was jamming one end of the pruners in my left armpit to cut branches. That is exactly where it still hurts.

It hasn't stopped me from knitting though. I have four projects on the needles: the second coriolis sock out of Ella Mae, the Vogue shrug out of Lorna's Laces worsted, and the Koigu toreador jacket out of Lorna's also. O wait, my husband's Valentine gift - a season 18 Dr. Who scarf - scaled down to be wearable. We just got satellite TV, and I found Dr. Who on the BBCA channel DNFH was thrilled, so I decided to knit him a scarf for the occasion.

My obsession is becoming infectious. I now have three students learning to knit scarves. They pile into my office to use my fast computer to look at yarns and drool just as I do. What fun. One student brought her sister and encouraged her to make a scarf also. The older sister received her yarn two weeks ago and (on large needles) already has a six-foot scarf. She is also on the High Honor roll, so I know her homework didn't suffer. She is a powerhouse knitter.

Oh, yes, grape pruning. Friends came over Saturday and we spent three hours digging old grapevines out of the brush and honeysuckle and pounding in supports and pruning them. It was wonderful to have expert help on this. These vines are at least 50 years old and precious to my husband, but I guess not precious enough to take care of. ") Now they show off their old bark and beautiful twisted vines, and have light and air to produce lots of pitty Concord grapes this fall. I made the trimmings into a wreath for the house. I may get more artsy with it, but right now it is simple and lovely.

My yarn from Artfibers has already shipped! I was hoping to have a couple more weeks to finish SOMETHING, but it is not to be. I know it will be on the needles as soon as it arrives. It will be the star skirt from Ravelry -it was the yarn it called for. My student picked out the color for me, as he knows my wardrobe colors and preferences better than I do. We've been working together for three years.

My next victim (er, student) is due to arrive. I'll try to remember to get some pictures up of the grapevines later. Namaste.

Pruning apple trees

My husband decided that he would help me trim the old apple trees on the farm. I have read up on the subject and had some idea what it would entail. Just some dead branches, those that crossed, not too much time involved. I got out my clippers and he went for the chain saw. For the next hour I trimmed and pruned while he tried to get one of his two chainsaws running. He finally gave up as I was finishing the last tree. There are still several limbs that need his chainsaw, but we'll see when they are running again.

He did cook some great soup for dinner - and called me to pick up coriander and diced tomatoes for it. It is great soup and I brought some to school for my lunch and for other teachers to try. Tonight we are having a fancy dinner at a fancy restaurant for our anniversary. We have a gift certificate from our wedding, and we are going to use all of it.

I just ordered a couple of cones of Artfibers Zoe for a skirt. I've never made a skirt, but how hard can it be? I got a free pattern on Ravelry, and the yarn is 20% off because the store is closing. One of my students picked out the color. He said olive, turquoise, gold, could it be more you? I had to agree. I still have the Koigu toreador jacket, the Vogue jacket and a pair of socks to finish, and I absolutely will finish something before I begin this project. I don't know which, but my personal queue is getting a little deep. Happy anniversary - first year- I hope many more to come.

Happy Anniversary

Ken came home last night with a dozen roses and a card. I cooked, a spectacular feat for me, especially since he actually liked and ate it -turkey breast and potatoes. Then he even came to church with me (I'm the organist). We came up to receive a blessing, and some friends were also celebrating their anniversary of 41 years. Ours was our first. What a difference. We'll probably never make it to 41, but not for the usual reasons.

I wore my new smoke ring out of Tilli Thomas Rockstar beaded yarn and the corresponding plain yarn. It was the warmest and coziest item this cold and wet day. I decided it would not be saved for "church" days. I am going to wear it as much as possible, and start another similar one soon- just as soon as I get to my LYS for some fine pretty yarn... By the way, that is a bust of Bach that sits on my piano. A perfect foil for knitted hats and smoke rings.

The man is tired and napping, and the dogs just had an hour with me walking the fields. The house is quiet and peaceful, just as a Sunday should be. I'll get myself ready for work tomorrow and then knit, knit, knit.....

Today is sunny and cool, and I'm wondering if I could knit the feeling of watching crows mob a red-tailed hawk out in the fields this morning. My dogs didn't see it - they were looking for the cows to bring in for the early morning feeding. I went to dance class this morning for the first time in two weeks and it felt wonderful. I am sort of glad to get back in the swing of things at school again.

I worked on my coriolis socks last night and I love the pattern. Cat Bordhi's patterns are beautiful and unusual. I hope to make several pairs and put them away as presents.

We now have a new TV - a flat screen that was up and running when I got home from work yesterday. My husband had gotten lots of projects finished yesterday: a new door to keep out drafts, the TV, book moving, and fabulous panko shrimp. Yes, he does most of the cooking. I'm a whole raw food person and he is a southern fried boy. We don't share meals often, but I can't resist the shrimp. Neither can the dogs who sit quietly but attentively for the tails.

I hope to get another bookcase soon for all my books. When I moved in, there were none and I just had two. My man doesn't have many books, and doesn't quite understand why I have 25 boxes of them, some of them still unpacked from the move this summer. Once we get the furniture in, it will be time to move it all out of the way for a new floor.

Just as long as I have enough time to knit....

LH