Earth Day

We went up to the Berkshires for some good old country fun last weekend. The weather was absolutely breathtaking and warm.

On the way up we visited my grandmother, who lives in Chappaqua, NY. She sold a lot of her land to the Audobon Society, so her yard connects with a nice amount of woods that will never be developed. While we were visiting, we sat in her dining room which has a large picture window on the back yard. Lindsay had fun putting out peanuts and birdseed, and we had fun watching the chipmunks, blue jays, titmouses (titmice??), red bellied woodpeckers, and chickadees diving in to eat. The highlight of the nature parade was a coyote sauntering across her backyard.

On Earth Day we went for a bike ride to Mill River, which is the next small town from Hartsville. We noticed people on the side of the road picking up litter and we decided that it was a great idea for celebrating Earth Day. After Lindsay's nap we went out onto Neil's parent's road with their little wagon. I was shocked at the amount of garbage we picked up. In less than 2/10ths of a mile we picked up over a case-worth of beer cans and bottles.




We also bought some compact fluorescent lights for our closets. Naomi Dagen Bloom of A Little Red Hen was the catalyst for my finally buying them. So what with the litter collection, the bike riding and the cfls, I felt pretty good about celebrating the planet.

The next day we went for a hike up Monument Mountain. This is a hike that Neil's family has done for years. It's a nice moderately steep hike with a lovely view at the top. They laugh because Canyon Ranch takes their clientele up there now. So the Beckermans get a nice spa treatment for free every time they do that hike. Lindsay did well on the trail and fancies herself a mountain climber now. She insisted on carrying my backpack on some of the stretches.

aran lace scarf

I just completed a bulky-weight lace scarf for a fundraiser at my daughter's school. The money will go to the scholarship fund. I also donated private knitting lessons. Both of which I'm hoping someone will think are nifty and bid on.

Anyway the specs for the scarf are:
Takhi Lana yarn
size 15 addi needles
Barbara Walker lace insertion pattern called Dayflower. The pattern gently undulates on the sides, which adds a bit of grace to the lace.

I had knit my daughter a scarf with a worsted weight yarn in the same pattern. Time was limited to make this one for the auction, so I pulled yarn out of my stash that was quite bulky. The yarn looks a lot like aran fisherman sweaters even in the lace. Several non-knitters who saw it mentioned that.

Berkshires

After spending Passover in the city, we drove up to the Berkshires to stay with Neil's parents. Lindsay is on Spring Break until the 12th. Rather than stay in Brooklyn and get caught in a rut, we decided to go to the country.

We visited friends who moved up there from Brooklyn. They have a daughter Ruby, who is one of Lindsay's good friends. We all had a nice time catching up with them. After leaving their home in Ashley Falls, MA, we drove for a minute or so out of town and saw a bobcat flying across the road. It was an amazing animal, running full speed a la National Geographic special. It did stop a second to glare at our car heading right towards it. Absolutely majestic animal. Although it was incredible to see such a beautiful animal, it was out of place where it was, which was a sad reminder of how all of the houses being built up there are displacing its habitat. I hope it finds a good new home. I think it was eating a chicken before we so rudely interrupted it.

I was talking about unusual animals with the owner of a pet store here in Brooklyn. He mentioned that there are colonies of wild parrots in Brooklyn. I can't wait to look for those guys. There's a colony at Greenwood cemetery, which is a gorgeous park-like place that I have never gone to.

Z hat

It's been a fun knitting week. On Thursday, I went out in the great world of grown-ups to see Stephanie Pearl-McPhee aka The Yarn Harlot speak at FIT. She was launching her book tour here in NYC. As usual, she was lovely and hilariously funny.





I also finished a little hat for baby Zach. The first one was kind of awful. I tried to do the Z with intarsia and it came out really lumpy and uneven. I might have tried to overlook that if it weren't for the fact that the hat almost fit my 3 year-old. Don't know what's happened to my knitting mojo since the shawl, but I think it has more to do with the fact that I haven't been able to sleep well lately.

Anyway, I think this hat is suitably cute for a newborn. It will get packed up with some nice kids music, some wonderful organic baby shampoo and lotion and sent off to Zach.

I have friends who had a baby 2 months premature. I think that little baby needs a hat. I just have to figure out how small to make it.

When in doubt, spin

Since finishing the shawl in VLT, I have had a hard time starting a new project. I made a little hat for Zach, but I can't say it was a success, so it's going to the frog pond.

During this phase of floundering, I have been doing some spinning. Nothing like the simple act of spinning to soothe the soul. This skein is 80% merino and 20% mohair. There's just enough mohair to have a beautiful sheen, and take the dye beautifully. The merino keeps it soft. The color is beautifully gradated shades of dark blue. It wasn't until I plyed and tied the skein that I noticed the color choice being similar to my blog colors. Funny how that works without one realizing it.

I am now spinning some yak fiber I got at Rhinebeck. It's unbelievably soft. Makes you just want to roll around in the roving. The fibers are extremely short, so it lends itself to a fine highly spun yarn. Ruth if you are reading this....this might be harder than the cormo.

Zach is in the house

Little Zachary was born in Santa Cruz this morning weighing in at just over 8 lbs. Mom and baby are doing well. Lindsay is a cousin and I am an aunt. Does that mean I can crash people's picnics?

Shawl with #20 edging

Yippee. This shawl has been finished for some time, but not blocked. I couldn't find my t-pins. I figure that Lindsay was peeking in my knitting notions bag and came across the pins. I probably put them safely out of her reach and then promptly forgot that I did that. I guess some day I will be dusting up high (ha ha ha) and find them. I decided to bite the bullet and buy some new ones. And now, voila!

So I should have been smiling and jumping for joy in the photo you say?? Lindsay was mad that both her parents were outside doing something other than entertaining her. So she was having a tantrum at the back door. I thought I did an admirable job of hiding the blood vessels that were ready to pop, but I guess not.

Specs:
Victorian Lace Today, Shawl with #20 Edging
Kid Silk Haze
Size 7 needles