Chores

As I post this, I am looking out the window from my kitchen.  The dogwoods are really getting ready to burst on the scene, the redbuds are still in full flower, and the new Cherry tree and Crabapple trees we planted last week are in bloom in a small baby tree kind of way.  Most of the daffodils are already finished blooming, but there are several along my walking route that are still putting on a good show.  My Peones are beginning to make their presence known, as is the bleeding heart that we transferred to the front yard several years ago when the old barn came down.  It would have been baked by the sun had we left it where it was.

The vegetable garden is not ready for planting just yet,  I like to keep a deep layer of spent hay from the barn and rich with goaty amendments on it year round.  I have found that if I keep it deep enough, I don't have to water very much, it will keep the Tomatoes from getting splashed with dirt and it keeps the weeds down too.  As I was saying, the mulch on the garden is not deep enough to suit me after a long winter, but next week I will be mucking out the goat barn from last winters deep bed treatment, once that is done there will be plenty of deep hay on the garden,  a compost pile or two for next years garden, and I still have compost left over from last year to share with friends.

I thought about running upstairs to the Studio this morning, and trying to get something done so that I could post something, anything about weaving.  But, then I looked at my to do list, and realized that it was not going to happen today either.  I, like you will have to content myself with an overview of the projects of the week.

One thing I was able to finish this week is my "Ley Lines Shawl", by Joji Locatelli.  You can find the pattern on Ravelry if you are interested.

When I took it off of the needles it looked like this.  I can see the cool lines that change direction in the fabric, but it didn't look at all like the shape I saw in the pattern pictures.  I decided I needed to put my trust in my blocking wires and boy I was not disappointed!
















This is the very same shawl, (turned over) after the miracle of a good long soak and a good bit of blocking!  I was able to wear it on Tuesday, and I think you can see it in the picture of Linda and I transferring compost from my car to her's.







With that long term knitting project off the needles, I was itching to get something else on the needles, something portable but simple, something that would fit in a small project bag that I could take along to Dr.s visits and meetings.

I already had some brightly colors sock yarn, that I was interested in working with, and I found a pattern that wouldn't compete with the yarn.



The pattern is one of the many "Vanilla" sock patterns that you can find on Ravelry.  This particular one is by the "Knitmore Girls"  one of my favorite knitting podcast teams.   Anyway, it is a simple rib for a couple of inches then "zoom, zoom"  to the heel in stockinette stitch and then again to the toe.  I have never knitted a plain sock before, and I had heard the Knitmore Girls say the zoom, zoom thing before in many of their podcasts, but I can tell you, it really is quite a bit faster than any sock pattern I have ever tried!  Usually I do lace or cables or something to make it more interesting, but at the rate this pair is going, they will be off the needles before I have any chance of get bored!  Who knew!

Finally, I thought I would show you a picture of one of the things on today's chore list.  Don't worry it isn't the loads of laundry I have managed to fold and put away, or a picture of me standing on my head while I vacuumed out the old Rav4, or the pasta sauce I put in the crockpot for dinner,( though tonight that might make a pretty picture)  but even this chore though, will make your mouth water.

My favorite Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookie recipe with a hint of cinnamon, 7 dozen of them!  Dear One and I have an all day meeting tomorrow,  these cookies and those socks are really going to come in handy!

That is it for now, Until next week,

Happy Crafting, Tina