The Story So Far

Serious spinning for the shawl has begun...slowly. The green on the right (much richer in real life) was the first spun. I forgot how much it blooms when washed, and it's a bit overspun. The mostly-blue on the left turned out to be more what I have in mind. With any luck , I'll acquire some consistency in my spinning, and I'll be able to wear the shawl in public.

Under the Wire

The blanket was finished last night at 10:30, and Jenn's water broke about 11. Ayden received it this afternoon. Whew. Cutting it close. The photo on the grass is from earlier Thursday, before I had painstakingly sewn on the pink flannel back, and anchored it with french knots using pink embroidery thread.

Spinning at St. Pancras

Most days I spend my time preparing, maintaining, cleaning up, or getting somewhere else so I can do more of the same. Sometimes I get a little ahead; today I got way behind. Resentment simmers. That's ok. Tomorrow two newly retired greyhounds come to my house to be bathed, and I get to foster one of them. In the meantime, I offer random peripheral spinning content : if you find yourself in London, take a tour of the old St. Pancras rail station. It's like an abandoned castle. With toilet displays.

Deadline Approaches

Patients of the day.
Flower of the day. One of the hospital owners is also a gardener. She works all night as one of the emergency doctors, then goes out and works on the garden, when she's not rounding up her four small children.
This weekend, a concerted effort must be made to finish the baby blanket. The doctors are going to induce labor next week. Eek.

May Morning

Somebody once said that the most beautiful words in the English language are "summer afternoon". I believe a close second is "three-day weekend".
Friday I took a vacation day ( requested far in advance, written in triplicate, accordant with all the rules and rites and rituals thereof ) and I did all of my Saturday chores and errands, so I could lazily enjoy this glorious day virtually guilt-free: today I choose not to see the porch that needs painting... I did take notice, however, of the lavender, which will gradually require harvesting over the next few mornings. Excuse me, my spinning wheel calls.

You Broke My Will

Nothing called to me this weekend, consumer-wise. I browsed, I nibbled, I stroked. Then the mob parted at the right moment and I saw, in a box under a table, odd skeins of Louet cone ends. Got some sock-type wool, and some linen. Later on I was surprised to find Stahman's Shawls & Scarves, and Gossamer Webs. Sitting through the afternoon auction I got to the home stretch of the baby blanket, and snagged a basket for seven bucks.

But What a Thrill

Goodness Gracious

The first picture is the main drag of the Howard County fairgrounds, about 45 minutes before the S&W festival opened, at 9am Saturday. The clump of people down there is the t-shirt line.
This picture is about 10:30 am. The tshirt line is longer, and this is the last chance I had to get a whaddia callit, pan shot? landscape shot?From here on, my view was limited to people's backs.
More later. I'm tending to my sunburn, and playing with my new toys.

Great Balls of Fiber

Too tired to wrestle with all of the photos I took today at Md. Sheep and Wool. None of them are representational anyway. This dude was my favorite.

Eucalyptus

There used to be a eucalyptus tree at the corner of the house, shading the porch, smelling wonderful. It started out small, and thanks to several mild winters, grew as tall as the second story. People driving by stopped and got out of their cars and came over to look at it. Then came a hurricane named Gaston. The tree didn't fall over, but it was ripped loose enough to kill it. I cut it down (whacking things with a small chainsaw can be very satisfying) and today I dug up the stump.(See photo. Foot is included for scale.) Then, in a gesture of hope for the future, I planted another very small eucalyptus.

Stop and Smell the Rows, Sis

Patient of the Day...
Yeah, terrible pun. The date for The baby shower was announced at work and I was panic-knitting. Then it wasn't as much fun, and I realized that the blankie would not be infused with the proper mojo. So I work on the cotton blankie in the evening, during West Wing reruns and Jon Stewart, flanked by black greyhounds snuffling in their sleep. On daytime work breaks, the baby sweater limps along, a sensual contrast in wool/mohair on bamboo needles.
New toy. Don't you wish you had a Dremel? I bet Ande knows what I bought it for.