by Kat | Aug 6, 2015 | General, Making
My days have been recently filled with blue – from clear blue skies (read, no rain and lots of sun), to Indigo colored fabrics, and denim blue yarns. Clearly, this is not my usual color palette – however, I am truly in love with these blues – so much so in fact, that I am knitting a Beach Glass Blues shawl for my third month of Loopy’s Summer Safari.
Blue skies and warm days are the stuff that gardens dream of, unless they are exceedingly warm and lack rain in which case, things begin to look worn and tired and production dips significantly. Shade was the answer – in the form of some creatively “stitched together” sheets of burlap – which allows for just the perfect filtered amount of sunlight through to my parched tomatoes. It was one long, hot day to install this creation, but my garden did the dance of joy upon completion. The work looking tomatoes are now growing new foliage and are budding again. The peppers are not fazed by long, hot, sunny days – I just made six pans of stuffed peppers (yes you read that right) to freeze for the winter. I am eating about six tomatoes a day and life in general is abundant.
Bees on the Butterfly Bush
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by Kat | Jun 17, 2015 | General, Making
In a few short weeks, my first grand baby will be here and I could not be more excited. As you can imagine, I have been doing some knitting for this little one. It was a pleasant task to knit my favorite baby sweater pattern – EZ’s Baby Surprise Jacket for my first grand baby! I think it turned out beautifully and it will get some use before she grows, as it is chilly at night in Northern Michigan. I made a pair of Saartje’s Booties and a rolled brim hat with the remainder of the skein. I am eager to head to Michigan tomorrow to spend some time with my daughter, attend her baby shower, and enjoy all things baby for a few days.
Baby Knitting
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by Kat | Mar 6, 2015 | General
It has almost been 5 months since my last blog post. Five very long months that included me traveling back to Michigan to see my kids, some more knitting for a friend, some personal knitting for myself, some Christmas knitting, and a little tiny bit of Beginning Spinning teaching at my LYS.
Many things to fill the days and none of them having much to do with writing or blogging, which feels very much like failure when I look at my blog. I like to think that the process of blogging activates my brain and encourages me to write creatively. Sad that I so easily let this fall by the wayside.
The New Year came with no list of resolutions for me, at least nothing specific or defined – a purposeful decision on my part. No resolution, no failure – a simple, yet very motivating factor. Rather, my goals this year are simple – Be Healthy, Be Happy, Read More, and Learn More.
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by Kat | Apr 29, 2014 | General, Making
I am great at starting projects, but not so great at finishing them. Recently I completed two projects; one a very fun mystery-knit-along which I started last year but moving got in the way of its completion. The other, I am sad to say, had been languishing on the needles for a good number of years.
First up is Germinate – a design by Kirsten Kapur the creative mind of Through the Loops.
I really enjoyed this pattern a tremendous amount. It is a very well written pattern and an incredibly striking design. It was the first pattern I have completed by TTL but it will not be my last!
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by Kat | May 8, 2012 | General
Maurice Sendak died today. A light in my world extinguished.
In January it’s so nice
While slipping on the sliding ice
To sip hot chicken soup with rice
Sipping once, sipping twice
Sipping chicken soup with rice
Long ago, a little brown haired girl was learning to read, sitting in the cafeteria with a school aide. Dick and Jane running were no fun at all – but Chicken Soup with Rice captured her imagination.
Reading skills quickly advanced, and with it came bigger books the little brown haired girl was growing up.
Soon, the little brown haired girl was little no more. Maurice Sendak tucked away in some corner of her mind with other childhood memories.
Before long, the brown haired girl had children of her own. She introduced Maurice to her little ones, and they loved him as she did.
We “paddled” down the Chicken soup-y Nile and Whooped about Witches, Goblins, and Ghosts. We marveled in our baubled and bangled Christmas tree. Maurice in his gentle wisdom opened our minds to looking at things in unexpected ways.
He reminded us that even when we grow old it is important to nurture the child.
I told you once, I told you twice
All seasons of the year are nice
For eating chicken soup with rice.
Farewell Maurice. You left this world a better place. Thank you…
