Current Knitting

With just over a week before the scheduled arrival of my newest grandchild, I am concentrating my knitting the little dress for her. I have passed the front back split, barely visible here on the right.

The shoulder shaping is all achieved with garter stitch gradually increasing along the arm split. I should have the back done this weekend I hope. Since I will be working the election on Tuesday, I may not have much knitting time available that day, so I better get cracking.

I also want to share my new watch. I wanted an all purpose yet nice watch, for cheap. I also have a large wrist so I have a hard time finding one that fits comfortably. So I browsed the cheap watches and bands while in Wally World the other day.

And with a bit of work on the part of the sales lady, presto change-o, I had a watch that fit. A $7.88 watch with a $5 band put together into one piece. Affordable and easy to read.

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Rain Again

So we got a bit of rain again last night.

While a neighbor had been trying to get some straw ready to bale, it started getting dark. And in case you don't know, straw sucks up water like....well like a straw. I'm not sure what state his straw is in, but the corn fields will also love it.

Just a week ago, they were looking pineapply and dry and spikey. Today they look alive again. I know our sweet corn enjoyed it.

Of course, there is always the downside. The most recent planting of sweet corn was not quite so happy.

Hmm. At least the cows will like it, even if it doesn't set ears.

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Family Time

Yes, my Little Farmer still loves the kitty. Wednesday he was having great fun, as the kitty did not run in terror whenever he approached.

Pardon my knee photo bombing the photo.

Since Lil' Farm Gal was away this week, I got bonus time with my Little Farmer. Older Son took his lovely bride (and my favorite daughter in law) out for a birthday dinner. Granted, my little guy fell asleep shortly after they left. But any Grammy time is good time.

I had posted work on the present I knit. And here they are finished:

The Almost Lost Washcloth and, in matching colors, three Mini Almost Lost Washcloths. I love my mini versions...they are great coasters. And they could be used for washing babies. And after all, we have a baby coming in less than two weeks. (Pattern link on Ravelry and at Simplynotable.com.)

I better get cracking on that baby dress. I still have a couple inches before the front is separated from the back.

 

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Warm Weather Knitting

I have mentioned how I have had to set the Baby Hap aside due to all the heat. The humidity and heat just do not work with large amounts of wool draped across my lap.

Instead, I have been sticking to smaller projects that can rest above my lap, like the Peanut Dress.

I have also been turning to cotton. I showed a picture of the Almost Lost Washcloth, in progress in ,y .ast post. I finished three, and am almost done with the third Mini version, with only two more wedges to go.

Then, seaming and closing the center hole on all of them. That should be done by tomorrow.

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Finally! Rain?

I woke up today to thunder and darkness. I was surprised to see the time. But looking outside, the reason was wonderful. Rain!

After a bit, it let up so Lizzie and I ventured out.

The major rain had moved on, although sprinkles returned. There were good sized puddles up and down the drive. That boded well for the total rainfall. We are still with out a working rain gauge since Hubby took over the place I had used. And I refuse to get soaked, wading through deep grass to read it right after the rainfall. I am working on a fix. But I am waiting for Younger Son to cut a piece of wood to set in the front peak of my chicken coop, high enough to get an accurate reading. Maybe next year. Right now, the best way to check rain fall level is in containers. This crock pot liner had been left out for the kitties to enjoy the leftover bits clinging to the sides.

You will notice that our quality control kitties confirming a lot of rain fell. Even allowing for a bit of sloped sides, I would estimate over two inches. I hope it wasn't too late for the corn fields. They were looking sad.

And, yes, while watching the race, there is some knitting.

Pattern: Almost Lost Washcloth. I may do some of the mini version too. I need to seam and draw up the center yet, but will do them all at once.

 

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Too Darn Hot

Too hot to type, so let me share a semi appropriate clip.

Ann Miller

That says it all.

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That Time of Year

The local festival is here again. Old Fashioned D....oops, National BabyFood Festival time at last. Hubby and I went to the annual Brat and Pop cook-out at Bills Shop N Save.

 

The line wasn't too bad when we got there. And it was moving quickly. (Pardon the finger in the edge of the picture.)

Yum.

And the best thing, with all these people outside eating and lined up to eat.....

We finally got a brief, although much needed rain. Now if we can get some more. The radar is looking promising.

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Busy Day

I had my training today to be an Election Inspector for my township. Wow, that title sounds a bit overwhelming! I saw several people I know, and I think I can handle working once every three months or so. I'm also glad there is a primary before the big event in November.

The local weather guys have been calling this week typically the hottest week of summer. I am amazed at all the wedding anniversaries occurring this horribly hot week, including my own. What were we thinking? All I can say is, I can hardly wait for winter again

I have continued working on the Peanut Dress. I had hoped to work on it Sunday when I was at a graduation party. But the wind was blowing so hard, I didn't want it to blow away. As long as this heat holds, the Baby Hap is remaining in Time Out. Sorry, Purple Princess.

I planned on getting another good chunk of stockinette done tonight at Knit Nite. However, we had no key, and the spare was miles away, and another spare was camping. With the heat and congestion of the Old Fashioned Days.....oops, National Baby Foof Festival, I didn't want to trek across town to knit at McDonalds so we decided to cancel for tonight.

Since I was home, Hubby corralled me to wrangle squash vines do he could rototill around them. I also picked pickles. I posted the picture on Facebook. Here it is again in case you missed them.

Note to self, next year only plant three plants, not six.

And if anyone saw last evenings post, Jumper has decided to stay in his own pen today and just talk to his neighbors over the wall.

 

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New Addition

While some good friends of the family are celebrating a wee bouncing baby boy, we are too, in a way.

Hubby returned from tonight's livestock sale with a trailer full of our own bouncing boy, of sorts.

Here he is bonding with the big boys in the next pen. We should have know better when the little guy tried to jump through to the front of the trailer. Because, after spending time bonding with his neighbors, he decided tthey were pretty nice.

And he decided to join them in in their pen.

Twice.

That's right, we got us a jumper.

So far so good. We sorted him back (again), made sure he had hay and that all the barn doors were shut. We will see where he is come morning.

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Knitting Mojo, With Chickens

It is amazing what much cooler temperatures will do to my knitting enthusiasm. Not to mention laying aside the large warm wool Baby Hap for a lightweight wool baby dress.

Seed stitch on size four needles grows slowly but I have merely a quarter inch before I switch to stockinette for another five inches. That should go much faster. Hopefully I can finish before my Little Peanut gets here.

This morning I had to coax the girls out of the coop. Okay, I bribed them with some scratch. But they spent more time outside today than they have in a long time, instead of sweltering in the coop.

The reason, of course, is that Rocky is sleeping in the freezer now instead of the coop.

Not much left after the feathers are gone, is there?

In the meantime, we wait to see if Mumps .......

......should be renamed Montgomery, if indeed "he" is a rooster.

He sure is pretty though.

And on the bright size, the flock is down to nine, which is the recommended maximum for the coop. The remainder of the flock looks much more calm today too.

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Cock a Doodle....Arck!

I keep thinking about the nursery rhyme "Who Killed Cock Robin?"

Why, you ask? Because my resident dominate rooster, Rocky, has been getting just a bit cocky. I don't mind the crowing, but he chases and fights the rest of the flock. And he has been blocking the others from coming out of the coop. I finally have resorted to taking some time and shutting the others in the coop and leaving him in the run. Not ideal, but at least then they can eat and drink from the alternate food and water I have set in the coop, without his interference.

And while he may not be full sized, I have decided that the end is near for bossy obnoxious Rocky. I really don't want an aggressive bird. Hopefully If Mumps is indeed a rooster, he will learn from Rocky's demise. Tomorrow, Hubby and I are going to corral and catch Rocky.

I think there is a soup pot in his future this weekend. Hmmm. Rocky and rice, with veggies anyone?

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I Give Up

The heat got to me.

Sorry little Purple Princess, but your Baby Hap will need to wait until the weather moderates some. And perhaps until my little new granddaughter arrives early next month.

As the blanket on my lap was really not conducive to enjoying my knitting, I found some rose gardeny looking sock yarn. Swatching soon started.

This is going to be a simple pinafore type dress, sleeveless, and suitable for wearing over a onesie.

All one piece, with seed stitch around the hem. Easy knitting, and going quickly. I started swatching only around 2:00 this afternoon and had this much of the dress by the end of Knit Nite.

If the weather's heat and humidity won't break, this will keep me knitting merrily along.

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Tour De Hesperia?

Among spinners there is this thing called the Tour De Fleece. This take off of France's bicycling binge involves spinners spinning daily during the same time period as the Tour de France. I took part several years ago, but this year, I have been trying to knit through the heat, rather than spin. However, as I mentioned previously, I did sally forth with my wheel and some drop spindles to Hesperia to spin.

You will notice the temperature was warmer than the last time I spun there. Indeed, this time I was more worried about a heat stroke, but the day was delightfully cool as I spun away.

I completed almost second bobbin today at Spin Guild. Although I didn't have as many extra equipment with me. The spindles and hand cards were left at home.

Knitting continues on the Baby Hap as the border grows. With the heat is a bit hard to work on the border with the entire blanket on my lap. As a result, my knitting mojo has been wilting.

I have been working on the Tapestry Hitchhiker at Knit Nite, but perhaps, I will need to start something more compact to work on occasionally at home.

Hmmmmm. Perhaps a baby something. Maybe I'll go stash diving again.

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Hearth and Home

My hometown, Hesperia Michigan, is celebrating 150 years this summer. Each weekend from July 4th through Labor Day there is something going on.

This weekend is dedicated to Hearth and Home.

You will notice on the schedule above, this Saturday there will be some demonstrations in the pavilion at Weaver Park. Old timers like me may know it as the old fair grounds. There will be demonstrations of quilt tying, basket weaving, Dutch oven cooking, and spinning. Guess who is the guest spinner?

Yes, that's me.

Hmmmm. I have a feeling that I won't need to bundle up quite so much tomorrow. Last October, when I spun at the library, the temps were in the low to mid thirties. (I can only dream of those temperatures now.). At least it is only supposed to be in the mid to upper 70's tomorrow.

I have been scurrying around, gathering roving, my hand cards, some uncarded locks, a couple drop spindles and spinning totes. My traditional wheel, Addy, is already loaded in Hharry and ready to go. I can hardly wait. (Why yes, I do have more than one wheel. But only three now. I have had two others that I learned on and passed along.)

So please stop by if you have the chance. I will be there from 10am to 2pm and would love to see you.

 

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First!

Yum.

The first cucumber of the season has been eaten.

That is all.

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