The Rewards of Green Errands or The Prodigal Returns

I wanted to go to the post office and run some other errands today, so I put air in my bike tires and got going for my first ride of the year. I have two panniers for the bike, and generally only need to take one. So what to my wondering eyes should appear when I took down both panniers from their winter storage - could it be?

Yes, it is!

The fleece artist sock and pouch, missing since last August! I must have been biking somewhere and left them in one of the panniers, then never used that one again until now. Although it was a bit disappointing to see that the little bike pannier elves did not finish the sock for me, I was pleased to see how beautiful the yarn is.

In addition to packages to mail, I took a few balls of leftover Koigu to get weighed so I’d know how much I really used in the newest baby sweater. My local PO has some of the loopiest — in the best possible way– workers around. The gentleman this morning said he would weigh my yarn if I promised to pop a wheelie in the parking lot on the way out. I agreed, on the condition that there be an ambulance available in the parking lot at the same time. No wheelie, not even a skid, just a wave to the guys as they got ready to close up.

Signs of Spring

There are certain signs of spring in my yard:

The beautiful and fragrant Prairiefire Crabapples

The Virgiania Bluebell(Mertensia) that has spread wildly this year. I love love love real blue flowers, not what they call blue in garden catalogues, but turns out to be purple. Johnson’s Blue Geranium?
Purple. So disappointing.

The second of many batches of handwashed sweaters, drying outdoors to put away in the cedar chest until the fall. Except for a few, because it is 44 degrees F. this morning. Welcome to May in Minnesota. My condolences to all those folks in Hugo, MN who lost their homes in the tornado Sunday evening. I drive through there several times a week on my way to Holley’s barn. I am not looking forward to seeing the aftermath in person.

The Law

Are you having one of those days where you are uncertain of just what is right and what is wrong? Do you need some guidance, friend? Well I have some for you. I was recently honored to attend Grandparents/Special Person Day at my adoptive grandson’s school. (He adopted us to be his grandparents, never mind that I am younger than his mother!)

We sat through the musical assembly. Let me tell you. If you have not heard the first movement of Dvorak’s New World Symphony played by the beginner 5^th grade band, you are, uh, well, lucky. I could not even look at my husband. I had to bite my thumb to keep from laughing out loud. Oh my goodness. The piece I had been really dreading was “When the Saints Go Marching In” by the 4^th grade recorder band. When what should have actually called “When the Saints Go Strolling Very Slowly In” finally came on, I must say, it paled in comparison. I didn’t even snicker.

Then on to the classrooms. Civics was the lesson of the month in the second grade, and my little guy and his buddies had to write something about Law. Your guidance for the day.

Peace Out.

Slog Cabin

My nephew and his wife just had their second child, who was born early. (Baby and mom are fine.) What’s wrong with these people? Don’t they understand that an early birth is very inconsiderate of those making knitted gifts? In my case, this gift is a log cabin baby blanket. I have made of number of these, and start with good intentions. They go so fast, oh this is great, I’ll have this done in no time. I mean, they won’t be taking the baby out very much in the first month anyway, will they?

Then, after the first few rounds, progress slows. OK, maybe I shouldn’t be making this in lightweight yarn at 7 sts to the inch. What a fool. I must have some nice washable worsted in my stash. When I bought the yarn, Rowan Cashsoft 4 ply, it was so soft, so lovely to look at, such a bargain. (Clearanced at 40% off.) Now I am not sure I really like the color combination, especially the Koigu in the center, which doesn’t look quite so blue in real life. No matter, I am not going back. I am slogging on.

It feels as though no matter how long I knit it never looks much bigger. So I started playing mind games with myself. What if, instead of seven ridges each color, I make them bigger. I’ll move up to nine ridges, then in the final set eleven. Yeah, that will go much faster because it will reduce the amount of binding off and picking up stitches. That makes sense, doesn’t it? Except now, it seems like each color is taking longer because there are more rows and more stitches. Right, more rows and more stitches do take longer. There appear to be some properties related to mathematical progression that I have not grasped. Will it ever end? Will I loose my love of garter stitch? Will I loose my mind? Will this baby get a gift from Target very soon? Stay tuned.

MLE

First of May Petticoat Day

Was this a strange New Jersey custom? Or an old-country custom that founds its way to the East Coast? When I was a kid in the 60’s (just before love peace and brown rice) there were several customs tied to May Day. The boys mostly, but also girls would shout “First of May, Petticoat Day” and flip up the edge of a girl’s uniform skirt to show her slip. Some years I would wear shorts under my uniform so that I didn’t have on a petticoat. (a doofus even then) Then there was crowning Mary (as in the Blessed Virgin Mary) Queen of the May. I imagine this came from some attempt to christianize a pagan ritual. I was always jealous of the girl that was chosen to crown Mary. She got to wear a pretty dress and a wreath of flowers. I was never chosen for such things, because I was not small and cute, but tall and awkward. The term my grandmother would use was ‘hoyden’ — not who you want traipsing down the aisle with wreaths and flowers

Second of May was Shoelace Day, you shouted that and grabbed someone’s shoelace to untie it. These days the little un’s all seem to have velcro. (Third of May, Velcro Day?

In honor of May, I have finished my first Christmas present. Socks in Kaffe Fasset sock yarn, color Fog. I love this yarn. The colors are beautiful and I wanted to keep going to see what the next stripe would be. I don’t worry about the stripes matching for each sock, as you can see. Whichever sister or niece is the lucky recipient won’t care either. I didn’t make socks last year except for my god daughter and there was much whining. One down, another 10 to go.

MLE