I Made My Way Through the Stash

Just kidding!  I finished the Stash Cardigan with the four skeins of Himalaya.  I really like the yarn so much better than I originally thought.  I'll add some other large buttons until I get the others painted; that way I can wear it.  Our temps are dropping after today.I had fun over the weekend camping with the troop in spite of the abundance of liquid sunshine.  The theme for the camporee was CSI.  The patrols had to solve a murder by collecting evidence using scout skills and learning some new ones.  The staff didn't even know who the murderer was and it was funny to find out that it was the ex-wife, played by a friend of mine.  Our troop was well-represented on staff with former and present adult scouters.  I walked around with my patrol, the What-Sons, and the other leader was with     the Crime Scene Instigators.  Our patrols earned three high scores and the  troop got a site inspection ribbon to add to the troop flag.

26.10.10  I can see the wind picking up.  It's supposed to be very windy and rainy today.  I have to decide whether to take Mom out and about today.

Last night I brought out my button stash and found three buttons for Stash.  Originally I was going to paint the wooden ones, but the tagua buttons match nicely.  It's cold enough today to wear the sweater!  Yesterday the postman delivered a package from dear Margie in Ireland.  I won a drawing on her blog and it was so fun to open and see all the goodies she sent!  Thank you so much, Margie!

Tempus fugit--num me vexo?

Today it's cloudy and breezy.  The winds of change are coming.  The leaves are passing their peak colors.  I took Mom for a walk yesterday.  She enjoyed the fresh air and remaining colors.  We picked up a couple of little pine cones and some lovely scarlet maple leaves.  She used to tuck leaves into her letters and books she'd send to me when we lived in Germany.  Before the leaves are all gone, I want to press some between wax paper, which I haven't done since I was a kid.  Winter will be here soon enough.  The critters are scrambling to stash the remaining acorns.  I made an apple pie, too.  Mmmm...the crust is so flaky and the house smells as good as the pie tastes!

Ahhh, it felt good to be teaching again last night!  I had my first class, we made knitted ornaments, and it was fun.  The pattern worked great (I only have one number to correct) and I'll be able to correct that easily and print some more.  Before class, I went in early to teach a young woman how to use a drop spindle so she could teach an actress at the Lyric Arts Theater how to use the spindle during  an upcoming play.  She made her spindle with a pencil, cup hook and cardboard disc (she found the instructions online).  I cut a tiny notch in the disc to keep the fiber from sliding around.  Her spindle worked fine as a learning tool.  Speaking of spinning, I'm excited that the spinning classes are filling up!  It will be a refreshing change of pace for me to teach both advanced knitting along with spinning.  Good things come to those who wait...

The big camporee is this weekend.  I need to practice setting up Big Agnes.  We had the pole repaired and were lucky not to have to pay--the poles were still under warranty.  The theme for the camproee is CSI.  The scouts will have fun with that!  They have to solve a murder mystery and of course realistic first aid will be involved!  

I'm knitting away on the scarf and should be finished soon.  I don't know what I'll make after that.  Heaven knows I have plenty of yarn in the stash!  I typically make something cabled after using lots of color, and I have the lovely tweed handspun I made during the Tour de Fleece over the summer.
22.10.10  Already Friday and I'm burning daylight.  Time to get ready for the campout this weekend.  We went grocery shopping with the Grubmaster last night and got the items loaded in the coolers and tubs.  I set up Big Agnes and she's looking good.  I'm happy to have the new tent poles.  Naturally the dry weather we've been having will end over the weekend and Stearns always manages to get rain.  Ben and Scott would stand on top of the climbing tower and watch the weather when they worked at camp.
The leaves continue to fall and the back yard is full again.  The maple trees are holding on tight and have barely turned yellow this year.  Eevee brings in lots of the outdoors inside.  It seems I have as many leaves inside as outside.
I finished knitting the short cardigan and now I have to block it.  I'd like to get the large buttons painted today so I can sew them on when I get back from camp.  
Well, it's almost time to leave for camp, so no painting today.  My backpack is ready and I made sure to tuck in some gloves and a hat if it gets really cold tonight.

Color and more color!

It was another glorious autumn weekend and we enjoyed helping out at the first overnight Cub Camporee for the district.  Jim was in compass and then fitness, and I was in Cub Knowledge and flag-folding.  We were pretty tired by the end of the day, not having worked with the young scouts for a long time, but it was great fun to see the boys having fun! 

 

Now that most of the fall colors are past peak, I'm working on the color sample scarf again.  I have to admit, knitting forty stitches in the round have been tough on the right wrist, though.  I'm slowing down a bit (which is difficult, as I love to see what's next) and will take time to weave in a few ends.

 

Most of the leaves are raked and mulched.  I enjoyed using Jim's new toy.  The bag got a bit heavy, but it made quick work of the leaf piles and they fit in the recycling bin for yard waste.  Eevee still manages to track in leaves.  I couldn't believe the acorns!  No wonder the squirrels were so happy this year!  Even though we mulched some of them, there are still plenty to go around.  Speaking of acorns, the tiny knitted acorn was made by my friend, Kathy. It's about the size of a real acorn and I want to put a pin back on it so I can wear it.  She's a very talented person, which reminds me...we need to make time for coffee, soon!

A score at Half Price and a new magazine!

I was running errands after lunching with Mom and finally took two bags of books to Half Price Books.  While waiting, I looked through the knitting books and didn't see anything spectacular--until I looked on the top of the bookcase and there was a book I'd been interested in for some time. Icelandic Knitting Using Rose Patterns, by Hélène Magnússon.  I love intarsia knitting and Icelandic wool, so it's a great find.  burda Verena Knitting was my other find at Joanne, ETC.  I was hoping to get this issue because I liked many of the projects I'd seen online...also intarsia...I'm suspecting I have a theme going on...

It was such a gorgeous day and happily my little burning bushes are showing their colors! Eevee enjoyed the fresh air while I was taking photos. 

Indian Summer

This has been quite an unusual week with temperatures in the 70s and now 80s!  The breeze is nice and the skies are clear blue, which makes for a nice background for the fall colors.

Yesterday we had a lovely day of "museuming."  My brother and sister-in-law are visiting from Texas, and we loaded Mom and her wheelchair into the car and visited two museums--theMuseum of Russian Art and the MIA.  I'd not taken the time to go to the MORA and it was wonderful to see such a gem!  The current exhibit features paintings by Vasili Nechitailo.  He's a master of capturing light and his expressive brushwork add dimension to his paintings.  Downstairs there was a textile room and on display were beautiful distaffs and peasant clothing and lovely embroidered linens.  A visual feast!  The shop was very nice and I bought a few pins to brighten up my sweaters. 

Today (Saturday) I spent the day spinning at the shop.  It was just like the old days in Texas.  It was fun to sit outside, spin, visit, and laugh!  I finished a small skein of pencil roving and it will be a perfect addition of color to a plain cap.  I have lots of plain wool spun into yarn and it's always nice to have some color added.  MiniD and Jojo kept us company.  Earlier in the week, I got a call that Jody would not be able to teach the beginning spinning class.  I will now be the teacher and I am so excited for the opportunity to teach spinning in addition to knitting. 

Autumn days

October is starting off with the loveliest weather and color!  Over the weekend we went down to Base Camp near the airport for the dedication.  It's also a short walk to historic Ft. Snelling.  We enjoyed talking to one of the residents.  She had a great pair of double fabric mittens and I hope to get the pattern soon (vintage pattern).  She dyed the wool a lovely shade of gold with onion skins.  I'll have to start saving onion skins again.  You can just barely see them in the left side of the photo on the windowsill.  Anyway, we watched the marching and charge.  One poor kid bit the dust.  I can imagine that happened in war, too!
It was chilly enough to wear warm clothing.  I was happy to have the handspun scarf along.

On Sunday, we took a walk in Elm Creek Park to look at the leaves.  It was so pretty and slightly warmer than Saturday.  The range of colors from the sumac amazes me.  At the end of the path before the parking lot was a section of wildflowers hanging on. 

06.10.10 I got some welcome news yesterday--The beginning spinning instructor can't do the class and asked if I would like to do it.  YES!  I really wanted to teach wheel spinning in addition to drop spindling.  i have to work out some details with Kathy, but I'm sure we can get things going and reschedule so everyone that signed up can be there.  

I'm going to have that second cup of coffee before cleaning the house.  I don't want to have to think about it after today.  We have a busy rest of the week/weekend coming up!

Yes, the sky really was that blue and the tree was just popping out against that clear sky.  Just beautiful!