News From The Nest

Partings & Projects

Mom, Daddy, and Lily left today.  The house feels so empty without them here.  They have a pretty day to drive home - nice and sunny.  They let about 7:00 AM and should roll into their driveway between 4:00 and 5:00 PM - depending on the number of stops they make along the way. 

I took a couple of pictures of them before they left.  Here's one in front of the sunflower tree. 

Lily now sports a new tag on her collar since she went missing last month.  It gives her name, phone number, and the city and state where she lives.  I lectured her good while she was here -- I hope she never ever does that again.  

I miss Mom and Daddy more (if that's possible) after they've been for a visit and leave to go back home.  How I wish the distance between us wasn't so great.  

Mom and I busily finished projects last night.    

I finished her bracelet and it was too small.  DRAT!  It was my third attempt.  The first two attempts were both way too large.  Hopefully, the fourth time will be the charm.  I need to loosen up when knitting these.  One side - and I don't know if it's the cast on or the bind off edge - is nice and loose and the other one pulls and makes the bracelet twist.  Looks like I'll have another chance to practice. UGH!

Momma finished her little Lotus Leaf Scarf a couple of nights ago.  She knit it out of Mini Moochi on #4 needles. Tiny.  The colors are so pretty.  I know she'll enjoy this a lot.

Last night, she knit like crazy to finish the Bobble & Weave felted tote like I did a month or so ago.  She opted not to  do the bobbles and I think it turned out great!  I don't think it needs the bobbles at all.  This is a really cute purse style.  Seeing hers make me want to do another one in different colors.

I think this was the first thing Mom has ever felted.  She was amazed at the transformation.  I LOVE these colors!

Yarns: 1 skein of Kuryeon, 1 skein of Cascade 220, and 1 skein of Lamb's Pride Bulky.  She ran out of everything except the Cascade 220.  When she ran out of the Kuryeon, she doubled the Cascade for the last few rows.  When she ran out of the Lamb's Pride, thank goodness I had just bought a skein of the same color for a bag I've started.

Needles: Size 13

Here's the BEFORE and the AFTER.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this bag!!!

Lamb's Pride Bulky - especially that Persian Peacock - gets really fuzzy when felted.  I did quite a bit of scissoring to de-fuzz it. Mom was very pleased.  She did a great job!

I worked on Citron in between trying to knit that dang beaded bracelet three times.  It's growing.  I have finished Section 3 of  the pattern.  I really like this yarn choice for it.  The colors are not very true in the close-up picture to the left. They are all shades of green - from dark forest green to chartreuse.  They're a little better in the smaller picture.  You'll probably have to click The colors remind me of lemon and lime slices.

Well, I don't know when I'll get to see Mom and Daddy again. I'm an only child and have never lived more than an hour from my parents.  I keep telling myself that we've been EXTREMELY lucky - to have lived so close to one another until last September, to have been close enough for them to have been such a large part of my boys' lives, etc.  

Doesn't make me miss them less.  I don't know how to do long distance.   

  

Hope they get home safely.  

The Seasons - They Are A'Changin'

The Easter / Spring tree has now changed into the Spring / Summer tree! Sunflowers from Michael's with little white lights really create a warm spot in the corner of my sunroom.

Mom and Daddy are still here!  Daddy is out mowing grass.  Hopefully, he'll be too tired to pack up again tonight and they'll have to stay another day!

Today, my Stats for For The Love of Fiber say I have an average of 100 page views per day!  That's amazing!!!  

Thank you all for reading my blog and I'm so glad you keep returning to check in on me!  

Stay tuned for more life and fiber-filled adventures! 

Pictures coming later of all the projects Mom and I have been working on the past several days.  I bet she'll be finished with knitting her bag by tonight.  The colors are really pretty!

Finds And Endeavors

Tuesday morning, Mom and I went over to visit Meg's studio.  I used her swift and ball winder to win  d a skein of Interlacements yarn I purchased at Fiberge to make a scrumptious pattern by Judy Ditmore.  More info on this project later!!!

After leaving Meg's, Mom and I made several stops - Wooly Bully to get yarn for a felted bag for her, Michael's to get more red beads with bigger holes for a bracelet for her and sunflowers for my seasonal tree in the sunroom (yes, time to take down the Easter bunnies and eggs!), and then to Waynesville to hit several of Mom's favorite shops.  

Once back home, Momma got to work on her little ascot scarf.  She finished this last night and started on her felted bag today.  She should be able to get a good bit done before she leaves for home.  I worked a bit on Citron and I've also started another bag to felt.  I started a beaded bracelet for Momma today, too.  I'll be sure to take pictures to show you before she takes stuff home with her.

After lunch yesterday, Daddy and I went to the Caesar Creek Visitor Center and got a permit to hunt fossils at the spillway.  That was SOOOOO cool!  This area was under water 450,000,000 years ago.  That's a very long time.  This was my first trip to the Visitor Center and to hunt fossils.  I   travel through the spillway practically everyday and there is usually one person to many people walking around, crouching over, picking up stuff.  The park rangers ask that you leave specimens larger than your hand in place for others to enjoy.  (Please click on these pictures to make them bigger so you see all the fossils in the rocks.)

I was AMAZED with the ease that you could find stuff.  It was everywhere!  We found lots of rock embedded with shells, various types of coral, etc.  We even found several whole brachiopods (here and here).  We also found several  pieces of horn corral (here) which I would have sworn were teeth from some very large animal.  The former owners planted rocks instead of plants in front of our house and they are loaded with fossils.  

Lily went fossil hunting, too, and spent the rest of the day like this.  She was exhausted!

This morning, Mom and I drove to Centerville to Fox Cottage Rug Hooking Studio.  I don't know if you remember but I showed a picture of Sue Ellen holding her new pup, Gladys, about a month ago.  Here is Gladys today.  So cute!  She's like a little tank.  Her new play toy is her red plastic food bowl.  She grabs it in her teeth and walks with it tipped up in front of her face.  She can't see a thing this way and bumps into and trips over stuff.  Doesn't phase her a bit! She's so sweet!  

When we returned home, Daddy had mowed some of the grass.  Mom and I got busy trimming the hedge of burning bush in front of the house. She started the job yesterday. Today, she got on one side and I got on the other and we clippered our way right down the row.  It was a LONG row! It sure does look better.

On the way back home today, Mom and I stopped at Kroger's to get a few things.  I got these flowers because I was itching to try out my new flower vase I got it at the flower show last Saturday.  I LOVE it!  This one was one of his smaller vases.  He showed me how I can rotate the glass vase in its holder for a different look.  The vendor who made these was full of great ideas - from filling them with candy corn at Halloween to cranberries at Christmas to flowers with a live Beta (fish).  He had lots of arrangements on display.  One of his bigger vases was filled with sliced lemons.  It was beautiful!  So simple to make a pretty arrangement with his vases.  Just hold the flowers in position as you put in the marbles, colored stone, or rock, and then add distilled water.  He said distilled will keep the vase from getting a water line and also keep it cleaner.  You should see his larger vases --- just stunning!  I'll see if I can find his web site.    

Earl Gray loved us being outside with him. He tries to go up to Lily but she's scared of him. She barks at him and acts real tough when she sees him outside or through the screen. Here both are too pooped to mind one another but Lily is glad the screen is between them.

Mom and Daddy just announced that they are too pooped to pack up tonight to leave tomorrow.  So, they're going to stay an extra day.  Wonder what work I can have them do tomorrow???  If I play this right, maybe they'll stay forever!

Mammoth Bag - Take One

Yesterday, I used my Oregon Tote for the first time.  I love it!    

I used Lamb's Pride yarn which is mohair and wool.  It ends up being quite fuzzy.  I've done a lot of scissor work on it - trying to dehair it.  

I knit the I-cord straps about 6 inches longer than the pattern directed but could have made them longer as I would like to be able to use it as a shoulder bag, too.  However, I think these straps will stretch with use. If I do this bag again, I will make the I-cord straps wider.  

I love the pocket on the inside of the bag.  If you look hard at the outside of the bag, you can see where I attached the pocket to the inside.  You have to look hard to see it so it doesn't bother me and having the pocket is totally worth seeing the hint of a seam line.

Mom, Daddy, and I went several places yesterday in Dayton.  We went to the mall so Mom could do a little shopping at Christopher Banks.  She got several cute pieces that can be worn as shirts but more likely as lightweight jackets.  She also got a cute knit top.  There is no Christopher Banks in or near Danville, VA so she'll look unique when she steps out in Virginia in her new duds purchased in Ohio.

While we were out and about, we also stopped at Michael's and Kroger's.  And, I just had to take them to Bill's Donut Shop in Centerville.  Bill's is open 24 hours a day, 7 days per week.  I tell you what - these Ohio folks are serious about their doughnuts! I've always been a Krispy Kreme fan but I think Bill's beats them. Yesterday, we left with a box full of dunking sticks, strawberry doughnuts, and cinnamon sugar doughnuts. YUMMY!

Today, the weather is chilly and rainy.  We may do a little running around later but now, I'm doing reports for work and Mom and Daddy are reading and watching TV.  Hopefully, tomorrow and Wednesday, we'll have a chance to go to a couple of nurseries and do some plant potting.  Mom and I also have some knitting projects planned while she's here.  She wants to make one of those little ascot-like scarves and maybe start a felted tote.  We also picked out red and black beads yesterday for me to make her a beaded bracelet.  I wish they could stay here forever!

KNIT ON!

Everything's Coming Up Roses And Petunias And Begonias And.....

Mom, Daddy, and I went to the Cincinnati Flower Show today at Symmes Township Park in Loveland, OH. We got there about 10 minutes before the show opened and someone in front of us had a friend that wasn't able to come and she gave us a ticket to get in. That was so nice of her!  Tickets were $20.00 each and she wouldn't accept any payment.   

There was so much to see!  Large tents featuring landscaped gardens, theme table settings, cut arrangements, etc.  I loved the display of exterior walls of houses with windows where different window boxes were planted and displayed.  There were several places to eat and / or have tea.  The path wound around the pond, to the various tents, and was lined with vendors selling garden supplies, plants, and accessories.  

I loved this garden with the sign that read "Just living is not enough.  One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."  The quote is from Hans Christian Anderson.  What a great quote!

One large tent contained artists and craftspeople selling their work. Nancy Nordloh Neville and her husband, Bruce Neville, were there with their beautiful watercolors.  Meg's booth looked great with all her felted bags.

Another tent housed Small Wonders - an area full of activities for children.  They had pens outside that held alpaca, sheep, and cows.  I peeped inside and saw children busy planting plants, petting baby ducks, etc. The children were encouraged to come in costume this weekend and I spotted one little girl wearing wings like  a butterfly.

This picture of Mom and Daddy was taken at the entrance to the park and the flower show.  The peacock was cool!  The mound of planted flowers fanned out to form his tail.

The weather forecast for today was 70-80% chance of rain and thunderstorms. We were living right!  Besides a very light brief sprinkle, the rain held off until early evening.  We had plenty of time to do all our running around.

We finished up at the flower show around noon and headed straight to Heather's Coffee & Cafe in Springboro where the ladies were meeting / knitting today.  Mom, Daddy, and I joined them for lunch.  It was great having them meet my parents and having my parents meet all of them.  They are a great group of knitters.  Donna took this cute picture of the three of us at lunch.  Mom and I have plumeria blooms tucked behind our ears.  There was a booth that was selling stalks of plumeria and bulbs of tuberoses.  He gave us the blooms.  I bought both a stalk and bulbs.  Need to get them planted and can't wait to see what they do.

Next, we headed to Wooly Bully.  I got more skeins of Lamb's Pride for another felted bag.  Wait 'til you see!!! I love this next bag pattern!  Mom got a ball of Mini Moochi to make a little ascot-type scarf.  Hopefully, she'll be able to start and finish it before they go home next week.

Then, it was on to Wild Birds Unlimited where I introduced Mom and Daddy to Monica.  Daddy ended up getting a feeder for unshelled peanuts.  My birds love the unshelled peanuts.  I hope his do, too.

Last stop today was Grandma's Garden.  More beautiful flowers!!!!!! The people that work at this garden center are very knowledgeable about their plants and gardening in the area in general.  Being new to the area and this growing zone, their expertise means a lot to me.

I'm not sure what tomorrow will bring.  I think maybe a relaxing morning here at home and I hope to get Mom started on her Mini Moochi scarf. Then, we may drive up to Dayton for a bit.  

Stay tuned!!

Waiting

Waiting.............  

Mom, Daddy, and Lily are on their way!

The house is as clean as it's going to get.  

There's a roast in the crockpot and a batch of my spaghetti sauce in the electric fry pan on simmer.  

Fresh flowers are in vases.  These are the flowers in Mom and Daddy's room and they're gorgeous.  I got them at Kroger's last night - white Calla Lilies, pink roses, eucalyptus, and fill-in stuff.  There are orange Gerbera daisies in the kitchen. 

Kitty cats have been brushed.  They're not looking forward to Lily's visit.

Crunch Time

This week has been absolutely WILD!!!!!  Driving all over the place for work appointments, evening appointments (what's with that??), and so many nurse's / activity notes that need to be entered into the computer. Mom and Daddy are arriving tomorrow just as our beautiful sunny Spring weather is predicted to turn to rain. Hopefully, it will turn pretty again before they leave next week.  I have so much cleaning still to do!

Saturday, Mom, Daddy, and I are going to the Cincinnati Flower Show.  I hope the weather will not be too bad - the weather forecast is for 70-80% showers so I'm not holding my breath.  

Today through Sunday, the flower show hosts artists and cafters.  Meg, of Meggie Knits, will be there with her gorgeous felted bags.  They fit right into the flower theme.

Nest and bird report from my yard --- The Tree Swallows have claimed the three bluebird houses we put up.  Two of the boxes have serious looking nests and the third looks like they may be starting one or changed their minds and stopped.  Not sure.  There are no eggs yet in any of them.  I have found two Red-Winged Blackbird nests in the cattails.  I wish I could peep inside but I can't get to them.  I found a Robin's nest in one of the white pine trees along the property border yesterday and it either has 3 or 4 eggs inside.  I'm used to looking at bluebird eggs and these Robin eggs are so big in comparison!  

Here's a picture of one of the Tree Swallows' nests.  So pretty! They use large

feathers from other birds. Amazing that they just find these feathers around.  I don't guess they're holding the larger bird down and plucking him! 

Wish I could find out where all my bluebirds went. That really upsets me as I just love those little birds.  I wonder if the Tree Swallows ran them off?  I hope not. I don't know how to get them back to nest since the Tree Swallows have claimed the boxes.  I'll have to ask around about this.  

Mammoth Bag

The mammoth bag dryeth.  

Citron

Yes, I have started another project.    

Citron.

You can find this pattern free on Knitty and on Ravelry.

I had this yarn in my stash and - well - it just looked like Citron.

The yarn is Berroco Metallic Sox.  Doesn't the color just look like a whole mess of limes!??!?The flecks of metallic don't show up very well in this picture but go here and you can click on the Kiwi colorway for a close-up .  I can't imagine knitting and wearing socks out of this with the metallic in it.  But, I bought it with a shawl in mind anyway.  

So far, this is a fun knit.  You can't tell it by looking at this picture but there is a section of ruching (a French term meaning to gather, ruffle, or pleat).  You make this by increasing your stitches, working in pattern, and then decreasing the number of stitches back to what you had previously.  Pretty cool.

There you have it!  The birth of Citron.

To Quote The Beatles

Little Darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter.   

Little Darling, it feels like years since it's been here.

Here comes the sun, 

here comes the sun,  

and I say it's all right.

Little Darling, the smiles returning to the faces.

Little Darling, it seems like years since it's been here.

Here comes the sun, 
   

here comes the sun, 

and I say it's all right.

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...  

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...  

 * From "Here Comes The Sun" by The Beatles.  Read the lyrics and get this song and others as ringtones here.

I had to leave home this morning at 6:30 AM to make a 8:15 AM appointment in New Albany, OH.  The plus about having an early morning appointment near Columbus is the beautiful sunrise.  I took about twenty pictures and have posted just three here.  Please click on them to make them bigger so you can enjoy them better.

Tomorrow is my knitting day and I hope to get my Oregon Tote felted.  I also have to do some mega housecleaning this weekend.  Mom, Daddy, and Lily are coming next week for a visit!!!  

Knit On, Little Darlings!