Olympic Fever

I am so enamored of the Olympics. I like watching every single event. So my day today has been spent watching . . . and watching :-D I could be knitting while watching, but really, sometimes you just have to watch.

Assorted breaks today (thank goodness for TiVo!) saw me at the hairdresser getting a much-needed haircut, and at the fresh market, and at my wheel, and potting up some plants. I don't really have alot of time with my plants, and I often try to do too much in one go. But today I repotted a group of plants that will hopefully go to show in October. It's short on on the timing for a pre-show schedule, but it's been hot here, so I'm going to chance it that I can still force them into bloom in time for the show. I made a total mess in the kitchen since the potting bench is now living in the basement - it just seemed easier to not schlep plants up and down the steps, so the kitchen got full of dirt :-D

I didn't finish everything, but I learned a valuable lesson from my cousin, Mary Ellen - pick a project that's manageable. I'm known for biting off more than I can chew, and then generally paying the price in pain and irritability the next day ;-) So, this time, even though I didn't get everything potted, I stopped when I finished one large bowl of potting mix. Hopefully I'll have some prize-winning plants to show you in October :-)

Here's "The Sweater that No One Likes but Me," formerly known as "The Sweater that Linda Doesn't Like," and also known as the Point Five Raglan . It's made out of Maggi Loopy Mohair and Moda Dea. It's been done for months but for the buttons that Knifty Red helped me pick out when we went to the Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair. Linda the Chicken Lady was really quite pleased when Knifty Red didn't like it either. And really, no one likes it except me. And I can't tell you why I do - the colors are not my normal colors, and it's not particularly flattering - I just like it and I can see myself out in my yard, in my screened gazebo this fall when the air is just getting crisp, cuddled up in this sweater. :-)

And speaking of my yard - I think these are crabapples. I have two entire trees of them, and I have no idea what to do with them . . . I've let them just fall off for the past four years, but I think since we had so much rain this year, they have a huge crop of apples. Does anyone have any ideas what might be done with them? Or know if they are even edible (like for jam maybe?) And if you do, and you live in the area and you want them, please come over. :-D

Here's a silly little hat - it's Wendy Johnson's simple pattern from her book - made from some of my handspun. This was from some Lorna's Laces wool top that I picked up at the mill end sale earlier this year. It spun up quite nicely, but really, the colors are not me. I have enough still to make some matching fingerless mitts I think - and the set will likely be gifted at some point. It's pretty fun making things out of yarn that I've spun myself. I like the feeling :-)

Thanks to all of you who left such beautiful comments for me. Yes, yesterday was an anniversary of a sad event - and I do remember sad days as well as joyous ones, but as I've said before, I don't think you can know great joy unless you have known great sorrow. I also believe that everything that happens, happens for a reason - there are things we're supposed to learn from every situation and person in our paths. I am the person I am today because of the sum of my experiences - and I like who I am - dancing like nobody's watching, and changing and growing - forever unfinished. :-)

Oh - and Michelle, I discovered that whenever I upload centered photos, they won't biggify, and so just for you, here are my shoes again - this version should biggify just fine :-D

Back to the Olympics!!