Year-end WIP 'n WOW

Trying to wrap some things up here before the new year. There are just three WIPs. Yes, just three. One on the loom (leno scarves), one on the needles (Christmas stocking - hey! It's early for NEXT year!), and one on the hook (Moorish Mosaic Afghan, yes, still, started it in October of 2009).


I suppose to be truly forthcoming I need to mention that there is one small project in hibernation, and this count does not include any of the mending, sewing, or stitching projects that are in various stages, or the house and yard projects that are somewhere between start and checking it off the list. I do not have a final tally for 2010, but I do know that there was a net decrease in stash. I did add a little fiber so I have something to spin on my new wheel! I guess I need to start tracking that by weight so I can monitor myself and attempt to keep it under control.

Temperatures in North Texas have been all over this place this month. It was nice to have the windows open, and you can see the cats fully enjoyed it as well. Unfortunately the screen really messes up the picture.

Norton decided he was going to help with some of the fiber projects. I'm still looking for my mini snowman he knocked off the shelf.

Independence Days July 13-27

I worked for three days, then we were gone for four-and-a-half days for the family reunion, so this is a two-week update.

1. Plant something: Planted asparagus beans for tunnel and bird house gourds for teepee. Transplanted tomatoes, peppers, basil, sage, rosemary, Mexican heather, rudibeckia, coneflowers.

2. Harvest something: Peach and cantaloupe. Rainwater.

3. Preserve something: Nothing.

4. Waste not: Eating leftovers. Weekly recycling & composting. Reusable cups/mugs and bags. Cloth napkins. Recycled bags for trash. Scrap paper. Using bricks from an old walkway on our property to border the three sisters garden. Used branches for stakes.

5. Want not. Secondhand shop finds: 1960s folding chairs in excellent condition; three Crazy Daisy plates & four mixing bowls; jelly jar glass to match the others I have.

6. Build community: Reconnected with family at the reunion. Long-distance community, but vital nonetheless.

7. Eat the food: Ate the peach and cantaloupe. Ate some homegrown items brought to the reunion potluck. Also enjoying some homegrown sweet corn given to us by one of Jeff's cousins.

8. Life-long learner: Reading The Rodale Book of Composting.

Here is the original information about the Independence Days Challenge.

Blurry WOW & WIPs

Had to include this picture of Frank even though I took it with the camera on who-knows-what setting. A good pictorial representation of how I feel today...

From the WIP post on the 14th, there have been no changes to #s 1,3,4,6,7, and 8. #s 5, 9, and 10 were frogged. The ends are woven in on the dishcloths, #11, and I finished knitting the Danica Scarf #2 -- it needs to be blocked and I need to sew the backing on it. I started the Swallowtail shawl on Saturday. Just did the third Lily of the Valley row, and need to tink 1/2 the row because I forgot a stitch. Using beads instead of nupps because I want to use beads and make sure I have enough yarn, not because I have anything against nupps.

Well, whaddayaknow. It just started raining here.

WIP 'n WOW

I know there is at least one hibernating project missing from this photo (Deciduous). And I see two things that didn't make it to Ravelry yet. Glad I'm starting to take a little bit of an inventory. Eventually I'll have to add in the non-knitting/crocheting projects, too.

1. Heroine Jacket -- 2/3rds of back done. May frog. Probably will not be able to match gauge, and not 100% sure the yarn & project go together.
2. The Scarf That Shall Not Be Named, aka The Scarf That Never Ends, aka if I'd just make it the pick up project I'd be done with the dern thing. (Danica is the pattern.)
3. Mallow Moorish Mosaic Afghan -- 6/30 hexagons, 20/20 squares, 0/18 triangles. Plus ends and assembly. I'm enjoying it, but I do have to pay attention to it.
4. something that was supposed to grow into a Kokeshi Doll. Someday.
5. Cool Beans that I now should just frog & restart because I will never get the same gauge. I love them and they were fun knit -- looking forward to doing them again
6. Headless Giraffe. Yes, this IS just sad.
7. USA hat was finished before the end of the Olympics, but the pattern is not yet written so I've included it in the pile.
8. Looks like I tried to knit some Patriotic Baby Socks. Maybe Monkey pattern.
9. Coquille. Yes, the pattern came out in Knitty a week ago. No denying this is a new cast-on. Not quite half-way through -- LOVE it.
10. Sock to be frogged. I want my yarn back.
11. Two Nine-Patch Dishcloths. Amazing how the ends are not magically weaving themselves in. Simply amazing.



Three of the five little kittens in our backyard. We haven't seen them since June 20th. We were hoping to keep them close to hand tame them, spay/neuter, and find homes. We still see momma every day, so she still has them close to our house.

Independence Days July 6-12

A bit of a drive-by blog today. I won't take the time today to describe the Independence Days concept/challenge and my personal version of it, but will jump in with the first weekly report.

1. Plant something: Planted corn, sunflowers, summer squash. Transplanted tomatoes, marigolds, and lisianthus.

2. Harvest something: Swiss chard. Sunflower seeds. Rainwater.

3. Preserve something: Set aside a few sunflower seeds for next year.

4. Waste not: Eating leftovers. Weekly recycling & composting. Reusable bags for shopping. Recycled bags for trash. Scrap paper. Cleaned out pantry & took inventory.

5. Want not. Purchased more pots for buried clay pot irrigation (three sisters garden). Purchased perennials to attract hummingbirds & beneficial insects. Jeff changed the oil in the Element and performed maintenance on the motorcycle.

6. Build community: Nothing this week.

7. Eat the food: Sauteed the chard in a little olive oil. Remaining sunflower seeds went to the birds.

8. Life-long learner: Reading The Rodale Book of Composting. Small amount of online research about permaculture.

First Blush

It is so much fun to see things growing and ripening! I took these pictures this evening.


Is it a little bashful?


Perhaps I should have made a taller trellis. The chard seems to be at a standstill. The lima beans seem to be doing well for the most part. I'm not sure there is any pollination going on -- the cumbers are dropping flowers but no fruit is forming.


Getting closer to melon time!


Two eight-inch clay pots for irrigation. From front to back down the center, two each yellow pear, Amish paste, brandywine and beefsteak tomatoes. Along the edge I put in a few petite marigolds. In the next couple of weeks I will put in a trellis down the center of bed.

Rain

For most of the past week when I look out the window, this is what I see:














We had a short break and it was finally dry enough to mow and do a little digging, but as you can see it is pouring once again. I am certainly not complaining, although it REALLY makes me wish our rainwater catchment system was in place.














Pictures of the play garden from the 28th. Need to fill in a couple of sunflowers and morning glories that didn't germinate. The seedlings are really taking a beating in these downpours.








Even though these pictures are just from Monday, they seem old! The cucumber now reach the next tier on the trellis, and the melon is bigger!

We have a break in the rain, so I need to go put the pool pump back together.