I am seriously on a shawl kick. Started vortex with some Ella Rae Lace Weight and am starting the EZ 100th Anniversary Pi Shawl - Camping tomorrow with the Scary Lace kal on Ravelry. It seemed too appropraite since this is the summer of re-discovering the joys of camping! We head out Thursday for our next adventure, woohoo knitting by the fire!
Reed and I have rediscovered camping after a twenty year hiatus. These pics are from last weekends'trip to Parker's Creek at Jordan Lake. Only about twenty minutes from our house and absolutely lovely. Our site had a little private beach, perfect for a midnight swim. We took the kayaks out and did some bird watching. The weather was perfect and Reed loves to cook so I sat around the campfire knitting. The sunrise pic's are Reed's I slept through it. The last picture is my dear sis' cupcake which was fun to make and made it to Ft. Lauderdale with out incident.
Today I walked on the North Carolina Museum of Art Greenway at lunch despite it being a very hot 96 degrees. Thought I would share two of my favorite things, this wonderful sculpture titled Collapse I by artist Ledelle Moe and my cashmere scarf. This voluptuous beauty is crafted of steel and concrete while the scarf is JoJoland cashmere in Scarf with the striped border from Weldon's, Volume 5, 1890 (Victorian Lace Today).
It has been a really interesting and fun last couple of months. Our son got married, beautiful wedding and great reception and rehearsal dinner. Lot's of fun, stress and memories built (note me trying not to cry). The knitting has been fitted in around all the excitement! Still participating in the Ravelry Scary Lace kal. Finished Springtime Bandit and Traveling Woman and cast on the Woodland Shawl today. Also finished the Shalom sweater I was working on.
SAFF was so much fun. I fell in love with a black sheep named Clara Barton and learned to spin. Pics and details to follow. I am cold sheeping and organizing!
Had lunch with friends last week and we were all complaining about losing our spark. Don't know whether it is the economy, the heat or all of us being over 50. I described it as the difference between a flat soda and a fizzy one. My husband agreed we were in a rut and we decided to pack a bag and head out Saturday morning for a overnight trip west. We had no plan, no destination and no where we had to be.
We got onto to Hwy 64 and headed west. Stopped for Lunch in Statesville and decided to go to Blowing Rock via 321. He was actually game for any yarn stores in the vicinity. Discovered Chix w/Stixs in Lenoir and Unwound in Blowing Rock. Both cozy places with nice owners and a good selection of yarns. We saw a gorgeous wedding in progress at Chetola resort and discovered Glidewells's a terrific restaurant with live music and great food and service.
All in all a wonderful weekend trip and a return to fizziness (spell check wants me to change that to dizziness or fuzziness and although I have experienced those,I prefer fizziness.)
Have completed Liesel and have moved onto the 3rd beginners lace kal Springtime Bandit. More on Bandit and my purchases later. I am off to conquer the provisional cast on!
Today I had the house to myself and no agenda. A very unusual occurrence in my life! Sat on the deck, knitting and enjoyed the sunshine and birds. Found it much easier to work on Liesel without any TV, radio or conversation happening.
Worked on making a needle "home" for my knitpicks harmony dpns and circs. Started with 3 clearance place mats from Stein Mart. Didn't have any clue what it would look like but it turned out close to the idea!
This week was actually not too bad but it had it's moments. Twice I avoided major property destruction and/or behavior injurious to self or others by diving into a little yarny goodness. On Thursday we had a contentious meeting at work, I called a break and asked a few folks to please play nice with others please! I was so frustrated I went to lunch early and ended up at Great Yarns in Raleigh. I am so lucky it is close to my office. Mary was in the shop and asked if she could help me. I told her I just needed to soak up some yarn fumes so I could go back to work and BE NICE! I left without buying anything, got halfway to my car and went back in and bought this lace weight yarn. Only then was it possible to go back and be the good little employee I strive to be.
In honor of the restorative nature of this purchase I am calling this the Serenity Shawl, You know...God grant me the serenity...
Today in the car with my husband as he cursed at the third cyclist we passed I knit away on my swatch and smiled. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference!
