Knits at Sunset

This is everything that is on the needles. A sweater for me, a sweater for The Bug, Short for Summer Socks, and commissioned baby socks. The baby socks will be cast off tonight. Technically The Bug's sweater isn't on the needles. One sleeve is on stitch holders.
I suppose I shouldn't tell you about the KAL I signed up to join next week and that the next installment of the Cookie A Club will be coming next week. And if you know me you know that next week is also crazy in other ways. If you don't know me you don't and if you do know me and don't know this; shame!

Apples!

Almost a week and a half ago, because why would I want to blog in chronological order, baby alpacas will have that affect on you, we went apple picking.
Oh fabulous apples!
I also got some apple cider while we were there. Partial because Mr. Gnome and The Bug both likes the stuff, partially because I've been dying to make these donuts. Apple Cider Donuts. Oh so wonderful, appley, spicey, cakey, not at all too sweet. Really good. Thankfully the recipe only made 6.
Apple Butter was made. I love the swirling of the apples and sugar. Pay on attention to my dirty oven, just look at the lovely swirleys. I did a double batch again this year. Though this year I cooked it as two separate batches. I tried the double batch in one dish last year and it just never got mixed and baked enough. The smell of this stuff baking in the oven fills the house and lingers for days. Oh it was wonderful!
Mmmmm apple butter. There is also four jars of apple sauce in the freezer and some dehydrated. A bit of eating happened but no other baking. I do plan on getting some apples from the farmers market for a pie soon.

Actually Weekending

Sometimes it does happen. Though maybe it's best that it doesn't happen to often this is a picture heavy post.
Saturday we went to the Strange Folk Festival. Love that every year. Always find great holiday gifts, the kid does some crafts and in general a grand time is had by all. This year The Bug also tried out hula hooping.
So did Mr. Gnome. You can see him modeling the bag I got for doing the yarn bombing. Now you are expecting a picture of my bomb. Yes, well, so was I, but it was lost in the transporting or some such. No bomb from me. Very sad.
Little Gnome coming out of a mushroom house.
Then Sunday I demonstrated knitting at an Alpaca Farm Day. This of course meant I got to meet some adorable alpaca. This is mom and baby.
I just love the face markings on this lovely lady.
This young alpaca thinks it's a dog. You see the big guard dogs checking out the puppy on the other side of the fence. Well the alpaca thought she should check out the puppy too. Then when the puppy ran along the fence the big dogs playfully ran with it. And so did the little alpaca. So funny!
Had to get a shot of the nursing alpaca!
There was a big surprise to start the day. Well little adorable surprise really. A new baby boy! Early and totally unexpected and found just before the farm was going to open for the day's festivities. I didn't get a picture before they put the blanket on him but he's all legs and neck. Cutest little guy. Mom and baby had a rough start with all the commotion and were closed off so they could have a better bonding experience. mmmm maybe humans should do that sometimes too.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
As inspired by SouleMama.

And So She Grows

The thing about having a small kid is she usually grows in small bits. But this year.....This year I had to actively seek out clothes for her. And shoes. The shoes are the most surprising. Usually it's a year or even two before her feet grow. This year she skipped an entire shoe size. Meaning I had to scramble to find her ballet shoes days before her class. I like to be more prepared than that. I like to get her used ballet shoes. Luckily I did find used ballet shoes in a consignment shop I had to visit anyway. The kid is growing. A few of her sweaters aren't going to fit her this fall and winter either. And well you know what that means. The above is Tiny Tea Leaves. SouleMama made it popular last year; making one for herself and then one for her daughter. Generally I'm not a big fan of yoke collars but I think it will work well for The Bug. I did change it slightly, Bugified it if you will. As you can see I changed to a variegated yarn in the bumpy tea leaves part. Other than that I might make it a tad bigger; The Bug likes things long. Or maybe she's just used to things being long......

Knit Socks?

Me? Knit Socks? Really?
Velma, one of the patterns in the August Cookie A. Club. The yarn is Verb for Keeping Warm. Beautiful yarn lovely pattern. Great socks. So happy!
And another short pair for summer wear. This one is Noro into some hand dye into some sparkly something. Nothing exciting. Just two and half more balls of left over sock yarn gone. I'm up to 4 pairs of short socks. I'm think something like ten would be good. Maybe....
Mmmmmm socks.....

Long Time Coming In the Kitchen

After living in this house for four years I have finally replaced the ugly brown curtain in the kitchen. Fabric from the Upcycle Exchange. Gosh I love that place! The color really brightens it up the room and even on a gray day like today when the lights are out the light purple flowers seem to glow. Lovely!
And for the first time in my life I had okra. Really I'd never had the stuff before. I was raised by one of the anti-0kra persuasion. In her defense I think she'd only ever had the things stewed, or fried, or something tasteless like that. This is Okra Gumbo From Post Punk Kitchen. Really quite good and very filling and hardy. Naturally when having a southern dish I was obligated to make biscuits as well; thus the dirty rolling pin.

The not-so-quiet quiet day

Yesterday was one of those wonderful quiet, busy, relaxing, productive and fun days at home.
We started it with pendulum painting.
Inspired by this place. The Bug's Orange bottle was nearly empty so I cut holes in the top and thread some yarn through the holes. Attached the yarn to the top of her climbing structure. Then we had fun. This could turn into a crazy fun and messy tether ball game. Or could be a fun (and again messy) alternative to a birthday pinata.
We then followed the day with reading, sock laundering, Salad making, and of course, some crafting.A new set of place mats for fall. The fabric for these is mostly upholstery samples we got at the Teacher's Recycle Store. The one fabric that isn't is the blue with greenish diamonds. This was a dress of sorts that I found at the Upcycle Exchange. The backs are black t-shirts leftover from this quilt.
Isn't that fabric in the corner funky! I can't imagine how it would work on any upholstery. It's bits of plastic that kind of look like straw.
We finished off the day with our first successful batch of homemade vegan ice cream; Chocolate Peanut Butter. Oh it was creamy and wonderful!

The Hundredth Shawl

No it really isn't. I was just asked if I had a hundred of these when I asked for help with the photo.
A very washed out photo. The bloody camera likes the setting that washes stuff out and automatically goes to it no matter what I do. Grrrrrr
This is kind of close to the color. It's beautiful. Really it is.....sigh. The yarn is Sanguine Griffin Bugga, Golden Orb Weaver is the name. It's one of those times when the name of the yarn decided me. Well really it was The Bug who was helping me decide. She ooohed when I told her the name. It's brighter and well looks like something. I'd take another picture but this shawl has been done for weeks now waiting to be photographed. I really prefer shawl photos on people.....sigh....