Vacation Picts

Hi All!! I've been on vacation for about a week or so, and been home for about a week! Finally able to sit down and show you a few pictures. For some reason, blogger put them all in backwards, so...just like the backwards Seinfeld episode (look this one up! very funny), the images are backwards (from what I intended). So...here's an overview of the Cactus family vacation for this summer. Ta Da!

I did get to knit a little. It took me all week to make this hat for my friend C. She picked out the yarn, and wanted a big, giant, humongous, plain and simple hat! So...that's what I made her. (If anyone wants the pattern, I'll gladly give it to you...just let me know!)

The Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel, Colorado Springs, Colorado. If you're ever in the Springs (as the locals call it), this is a wonderful day trip. The Academy is located just outside the city off the highway and it's free! This will be, I guarantee, the cleanest college campus you've ever, and I mean ever, seen (or will see) in your life! I have some shots of the inside, I'll post them a little later.

Seven Falls. Also in Colorado Springs. This was really neat. It's one waterfall that has 7 spots where the water lands, then moves on to another fall (thus the name). Walking up to the fall was very steep, and there's stairs that go along next to it that are way steep. Good for your calves!

Downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico. We stopped here on the way up to the Springs (see why I wanted these pictures first?). This is the famed market spot where you can buy some great Native American treasures. I, however, did not buy anything (a first for me!).

This is the courtyard of the hotel we stayed at in Santa Fe. Gorgeous isn't it? It's right downtown, you park and walk everywhere!

So there you go. Just some of the pictures. I'll show a few more in the next couple of days. I did get to one of the local yarn stores and bought yarn for hats, socks, and a sweater [this one]! When I start it, I'll take pictures to show off the yarn!

Anyway, hope all are having a good summer. We're gearing up for school around here in the next couple of weeks!

Zoomania!

One of the first touristy things we did on vacation was to go to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. If you're ever in Colorado Springs (or "The Springs" as the locals call it), I highly recommend that you go! This zoo is great! You can get close to the animals and actually see them. Among all the zoos I've been to (San Diego, Phoenix) this one's is one of the best.

You can feed the giraffe's and if they get close enough actually pet them! (As you can obviously see by the hands reaching out to this guy!) Their tongues are sticky and they're actually very soft.

(Sorry I should have flipped this photo.) Here's the moose! Don't you just love him! He was laying down for a while and then the zookeeper came and he stood up! He's only a baby (2 1/2 years old), so his antlers were just coming in.

And the bears! This exhibit is cool! There's a small building where you can watch them swim, and then run out and see them tumble and play in the trees. We were there when they were feeding them, and it was really cool.

And a vacation FO!

Pattern: Father/Daughter Hat (ravelry link).

Yarn: Brown Sheep Nature Spun, teal green.

Modifications: Made the ribbing longer, as usual, to cover the ears. Gifted this to C (where I was staying) who loves, loves, loves hats.

The first of a few photos I've got. I'll have some more later this week!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

I'm Back Baby!!!

Hi All! Hope every one's summer is going great for them and not too hot. We got back two days ago and it's taken me this long to get caught up, what with laundry, cleaning the house (you would think that with no one here, it would be clean!!) and then we decided to re-arrange our living room, office space and basically the entire house!
I'll have some pictures tomorrow, I still have to up-load them to the computer and haven't got around to it yet.
Now...I have a question to pose to you all out there, I'm struggling with the Magic Loop sock method. I started last night by following the directions I got from the knitpicks web site, and got really confused. Is there a better pattern/tutorial out there that I should/could use? Or, should I just jump right in and begin? I'm tempted to just jump right in because I really want to learn how to do this (no second sock syndrome!). I just printed out the knitty.com info on the magic cast-on for toe-up socks, so I'll look that over later and see if it makes more sense to me.
Since we've gotten back home, the monsoon has kicked in full time. It's been cloudy and humid here and raining every afternoon/evening. It's great. We really need the rain in the desert!
(Oh, by the way, school starts back here in a little over three weeks!)
Take care and happy knitting!

Happy, Happy 4th

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July!
Hope everyone is having (or going to have) a great time with lots of food, fireworks and fun! (The three "F's"!)
I forgot to bring my camera cord to show you the pictures of Colorado! Yes, that's where we are! It's great too. I talked to my parents yesterday and they said in AZ it was supposed to be 115 degrees today! Wow! Right now I'm (well as soon as I'm done typing) going to go get my ...hmmm...CPH or a good bias shrug....I'll make up my mind when I get up! It rained really good yesterday, and sounds like thunder again now! Ella is here with us visiting her friends Abby and Coco (if you look back through you'll see the pictures of Ella's doggie friends). And they're having a great time.
I have made a couple of yarn purchases (pictures to follow at a later date):

1. some Hemp yarn from, believe it or not, the Hemp Store!
2. a lovely skein of papaya colored of bulky Shepherd's Shades (it was on sale and there was only one left, how could I not?) {Amanda hat perhaps?}
3. one skein of Shepherd Sport in a great teal color, which has already become a hat!

Oh, and a set of Addi Turbo needles #2 in a 40" length to teach myself the magic loop method of knitting two socks at once!

There will probably be more yarn added as the days go by, so stay tuned!

Hope your 4th is safe and fun!

Howdy!

I hope everyone has a great weekend! I'm on vacation for a couple of weeks, but when I get back, I'll have a couple of FO's to show you all! (The A Good Bias, my perpendicular hat and a couple of others!)
Off to go do the tourist thing and hunt down a couple of yarn stores!
Take care and hope everyone is well!

More Yarn...

Okay. I know I wasn't going to buy any more yarn, but yesterday the kiddos, the hubby and I all went on a field trip day. Since the kids are off this week for fall break (which is feeling more like summer), we took them on a field trip. We went on a museum tour at the local college campus, one of which they wouldn't let us in -- my purse was too big and I might "bump into the artwork." That is a direct quote from the security guard! Can you believe it! She wouldn't let us in because I wouldn't leave my purse at her desk! There's just no way! I had all the stuff you would normally carry in a purse in there and there was no way I was leaving it with her!

Anyway, on a brighter note, I did get to go to one of the LYS's that I hadn't been to before because it's all the way across town. It was a nice store, small, but she had a good selection. And she told me that another LYS opened up closer to me, that's my next week's trip (when they're back at school!). All I walked out with though was this:

... Regia, sock yarn in like a pink, but not hot pink color.

I think I'm going to either do the Uptown Boot socks or the Embossed Leaves, from Favorite Socks. I think both would look great with this color. But before I can begin, I need to finish the hubby's socks (and Ella's sweater). Tune in tomorrow for DoT (dogs on Thurs.) and I might be ready to unveil Ella's sweater.

Been Too, Way Too, Long...

Found this picture in my archived photos on my computer. It’s been soooooooo hot here these past two weeks that this is a great reminder for me! My feet in the cool Atlantic Ocean! {This was at Popham Beach in Maine.}

And I know, I know, it's been too long since I've posted -- I've lost track of time what with coming back from vacation, the kids started school, trying to organize the house with them gone all day and then trying to finish the blue rib and cable socks (I have to install my printer software and then I'll have some pictures--hopefully by tomorrow, Sat at the latest I hope). I'm almost finished with the second sock, and the more I look at them and admire my work (which I think you have to do) the more I like these socks.

My vow was also to not start anything new until I finished all the UFO's I've got lying around, but I don't really think that's going to happen, I've been reading all my issues of Vogue Knitting, Interweave Knits and the Knit Simple that all seemed to arrive in the mail in the same week. There's a lot of stuff in there that I'm considering -- so much to knit, so little time. And besides, I think I'm really, really ready for fall!!

Not to mention that I've been reading all the new books my library got in. I just finished Reality Queen by Debbie DiGiovanni -- it was very, very good. I also have Knitting Around by Elizabeth Zimmerman which I have glanced at, but need to read in more detail and then I've been looking for this one and finally found it Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver which somebody recommended (I can't remember who), so I'm going to try to read/start it this weekend.

(Edited on Friday 8/17 -- Started the Animal, Vegetable, Miracle book and just didn't like it -- the tone of the author regarding the desert SW was not too good, somewhat negative in fact it seemed and thus this sort of turned me off of this book. I don't like starting a book with negative thoughts!)

Hope all have had a great week or so that I've been out of touch, take care and keep on knitting!!!!

Lobster Roll

Food for thought Thursday:

The lobster roll on my vacation (I only ate one of them), courtesy of the Brunswick Diner in Brunswick, Maine.

(Edited to add: don't know if you can see the claw meat pointing from the right container to the left container -- freaked my mom out a little bit!)

We didn't eat in the diner, we got them to go (the kids didn't want lobster, they wanted McDonald's).

Happy Thursday (it's rainy here today) a great day for knitting and the watching of the first place Chicago Cubs!!! Go Cubbies!!!!!!

Vacation story part two -- click here.

Knitting Update (Among Other Things)

(A warning from me -- this is a wordy one!)

My knitting has begun again. It took me about a week or so to get back into the swing of things, don't know why, maybe my brain and body were still on vacation. Let's just say that over my vacation I only knit the top of a hat (I'm making this one for a friend, but in a stripey green, yellow and turquoise blue color), but over the weekend I finished the brim, now all I have left is the I-cord trim (I just hate making I-cord). But, I want to get it in the mail sometime soon...

I also finished the blue cable and rib sock (go here for an old visual). I decided not to rip them, but push forward and finish. So, I finished and cast on for the second. Doing good, I think. Tried to upload some picts, but my computer is just hanging on by a thread here and wouldn't let me do anything with my camera. But I did take some pictures, so when I'm able, I'll post them!

Check here: Kreative Kelpie to read the first installment of my vacation stories.

Oh, yeah, I also read that book...Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Safe to say most of you who were going to read it have done so, but I'm still not going to reveal any of the secrets in case there are a few of you who are still getting through it.


I also read Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber. I like this series, the bits of knitting interspersed with the story are great. This is the third in the series, and if you haven't read them, I do recommend them.

Let's see, what else. Oh, yeah. I painted the kids bathroom this morning. The color is bayside by Behr, which I bought at Home Depot. (I also have a picture of this, but again, see above as to why there are none here!)

Yesterday the kids and I went to our favorite store in town...Target. We had to purchase school supplies. The Munchkin is going into 3rd grade and the little one to kindergarten. He's all excited, her, not so much. She sometimes has separation anxiety symptoms. (She thinks I'm going to need her to do things around the house, and I do, but she needs to go to school!) Why shopping so early for the supplies you ask? Well, out here school starts a week from Thursday (Aug 9). I know it seems awfully early, and it is, but it makes the hot summer seem shorter. Fall for me starts next week! Then again, this summer seems awfully short as we were gone for a good portion of the hottest part of it.

Okay. I think I've rambled on enough today. Remember, check out my vacation story link above!

Have a great day!!

Vacation/LYS Stash Enhancement -- Part Two

The last of the vacation bought yarns:

These are Sockotta, #14 (teals, blues and greens) and Trekking (XXL) #84 (a mix of cream, greens and beige). From Knit Purl (see previous posting).

Ah, this is probably my favorite. Schaeffer Yarn, Anne (color is reds, blues, purple and a splash of rusty orange). Bought at Classic Yarns of Grafton in Grafton, Mass. The owner (Eileen) was great and offered her cotton yarns on sale for me (even though the sale wasn't until the weekend). I only bought this, though, as I didn't have that much room left in my carry-on (ship yarn in my luggage -- no way!).

These two pictures are the front and back of a cardigan that my great-aunt gave me. It's an Irish knit that she knit years and years ago (she couldn't remember when) and it doesn't fit her any more, so I got it. It'll be like wearing a jacket for me when it gets cold here!

This picture (below) are my fried clams. I love fried clams! And to get them in the desert is next to impossible (not that they'd be fresh either). So, on the Saturday night after we got to Mass., Harry's came through! (It's in Westboro on Route 9, north side I believe.)

Next time I'll try to tell you some tales about the vacation and maybe even show you what I knit while on vacation (it wasn't much, let me tell you). And when I got home, I didn't pick up any UFO's until yesterday afternoon. I don't know, mentally I wasn't ready to dive back into any knitting or any other projects until then. But I picked up the blue cable socks and am now happy with my needle change. I told myself I've got to finish at least those and the monkeys before I can start anything new with my new yarn. (Yeah, right--we'll see how long that takes!) Anyways, hope all are having a good week! We're getting monsoon rains every afternoon since I've been home -- it's great the desert really needs it!

(Sorry about the delay in getting back to blogging -- we've had some computer malfunctions/problems/really, really, really need a new one!)

Vacation LYS/Stash Enhancemet -- Part One

(From left to right.) Cascade Yarns, Sassy Stripes, #713; Fortissima Socka, #1014 (purple). Bought at Skip One Purl Too in Mesa, Arizona.
Couldn't resist the price on this one--$1.99. Lion Brand, Wool Ease, sport weight, #146, fuchsia. Bought at what was Spag's, but now is Building 19 in Shrewsbury, Mass (at least I think that's where it was--my aunt was driving and I got all turned around, but it was on Route 9, so I think that was it).
And for those of you who were with me during the Monkey sock yarn problem---ta da! I found it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Lion Brand Magic Stripe in jelly bean stripe. Bought at AC Moore in Framingham, Mass. where a lovely lady named Kitty helped me and my aunt out in their yarn department. Oh, yeah, and it was on sale -- they're discontinuing the colors. Now I can finish the monkeys! Found 4 skeins of Micro Spun in #144, lilac for a possible future project. On clearance at AC Moore for $1.87!! Can't beat that. Also another Magic Stripe in denim stripe (also on sale).
And the last installment for today-- Cherry Tree Hill, supersock in brights. It's a great mix of reds, pinks, orange and bluey purple. This was purchased at Knit Purl in Sudbury, Mass. She doesn't have a web page, it looks like, but the link shows directions. The owner, (I can't remember her name) was very nice and helpful. This shop was neat, clean and had a wide selection of yarns. Part Two of this will show what else I acquired at this shop.

That's it for Part One, but there's more...

I'll have vacation review (and some more pictures) next week after Part Two of stash enhancement.

Hope all have a great day.

Toe-Up Socks/4th of July

I couldn't decide which picture I liked the best, so I put all three in. The bottom one shows the pattern a little better, I think.

These were a good practice pair. The yarn is a little thick to wear with my shoes, so I'll probably use them as house socks. But they are soooo comfortable (of course given that it's been about 106 degF here, socks won't be worn by me for a few months).

I did the easy toe version. Next time I think I'll be adventurous and try the short-row toe.
Pattern: 5 Stitch Patterns (lace rib), from Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch. Gauge: 6 sts/1" for 8 or 81/2 foot cir on #4 dpn (#2 for the ribbing). Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease in terracotta.

So there they are. My first pair of toe-up's completed. I do like that I don't have to Kitchener at the end and I can measure as I go and hopefully not run out of yarn! The only thing I did not like about this pattern was the purl stitches at the beginning of a round on the dpn (I purl them too loose for my liking and get a little bit of a loose portion), next time I'll have to try on the two circulars, it might be better.

On another note...I just wanted to wish you all a Happy 4th of July. The kids, my mom and I will be traveling to Massachusetts and Maine for the next two weeks, so I'll probably be out of touch with you all for a while (none of my relatives have a computer or Internet access that I know of) so... you all take care. If I can find a computer with Internet somewhere, I'll post on how my vacation is going! Otherwise I'll see you all back here in two weeks!

Happy knitting and Happy 4th! Enjoy the fireworks!!!!!

Forgot to add this morning: Ali's (skeins her way) is having a contest. Stop by and check it out!