Sock Era or Baking Era?

Last week, I told you the tale of a sock gone horribly wrong. Well, not horribly, but certainly not as intended. If you haven't read about it, here's a link: Perplexed, but Not in Despair 

This week, I am almost done with sock #3! Yay!

To celebrate, and in between stitches, I baked peanut butter-banana muffins...

...and cookies, because I got some new cookie cutters!

(Yes, Halloween. Tomorrow is October, ya know!)

Those Keebler elves know about cookies, so I took a little page from their book and made simple shortbread (so much butter, yum!) with chocolate on the bottoms. So good on their own, but even better with a hot, slightly sweetened cup of creamy, pumpkin spice coffee! 

Each cookie was a celebration, so I started making up reasons to celebrate! Like organizing my new (and old) cookie cutters...

(Trays and lid all stack and snap together, yay!)

...and weaving in about a million (or 40) ends after finishing the colorwork on sock 2. Which is really sock 3. Which means that I've woven in more than 120 ends since starting this labor of love!

Whew! That's a lot of ends. My next project is going to be more solid colored, I think! Lol...

What's on your agenda for the weekend? I'm hoping to go apple picking soon, and perhaps I'll hit up a local farmer's market for fun. Oooh! If there are apples, there will have to be cobbler! or crumble! or maybe pie! or maybe apple everything!!! Sounds like I'm going to be busy, so I'll sign off here. 😉

Thanks for stopping by, friends, and Knit in Good Health!

Perplexed, but Not in Despair

Happy Saturday, friends! I've been working my needles harder than usual, and coming up with unwearable results, so lol! My granddaughter requested some very specific socks, and I am so excited to come up with something for her...in fact, I have already finished the first sock! It is stranded color-work, which means even the inside of the sock is mesmerizing!

But, and I knew this was happening as I kept knitting, it will never fit a human foot! 

Too long, too skinny, too tight!

I could let this distress pull my knitting soul into the pits of despair, but I have chosen instead to use sock one as a learning experience. I will have to knit at least two more socks, but I have learned that I need larger needles...and I should start right into the colorwork at the toe. I've actually already started (see photos above and below), and it seems to be going well, so yay! 

For what it's worth, I am pretty sure that I said the exact same thing about that first sock, but I was dead wrong. Murphy's Law abounds in stranded color-work. Well, it does, on my knitting needles anyway! Lol! 

I promise you finished photos when I get there, and I am thinking of writing this pattern up (since I have already gone to the trouble of 10 charts!), but that's probably a little ways down the road. So, what can I give you for free today? Well, what about photos of fall at our favorite park...

And on the path, beyond the pond, in the apartment complex next door...

And boys with their brothers, and their builder robots, and Pop Pop, and the tire swing!

It has been another full-and-good week. I have recovered from the discouragement of sock one so completely that I have not only started sock two (of 3 now, lolz), I have also cast on a special request pair of baby booties for a friend of my daughter's, as this knitter is wont to do!

I know, this is just yarn. Isn't it pretty, tho?

I encourage you to pivot perplexed moments into learning lessons, rather than allowing them to drag you down to despair, because life is much more enjoyable with a positive attitude! Remember, if you have a choice between laughter and tears (and I know, sometimes there is no choice, but sometimes there is), seek the smiles!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health and smile often!

Busy, Busy, Busy Day!

Earlier in the week, I put up a random Facebook post about the probability of my survival if I had birthed three, rambunctious boys, like my daughter has. The odds are not good that I would have been thriving in the same way were this scene part of my daily experience:

Yet, thrive she does, enjoying sweet moments and snuggles...

Moments of defiance, as he will clearly go any direction he pleases on that ladder, Mama...

Moments of big feelings, when the little kids watch big kids get off the school bus, and then the bus just drives away...without taking them anywhere...

Even the joyful moments make my heart leap in unexpected ways, because this idyllic scene...

Can quickly turn into the scene where the baby is done, and he will clearly roll himself off the swing, all by himself...Mama, he done! 

Gah! Somebody catch the baby!

So, it's been a busy, busy week in the lives of the local Pretties, and our hearts are full! My Saturday is also full, I've been going since about 6am today, so this will be a quick post. I have cookie-baking plans with my daughter this afternoon, a hat to finish, and a pair of socks to start!

A favorite shortbread cookie recipe
New cookie cutters that I am pretty pleased with
Another Musselburgh hat in a Stroll Gradient
Some sock planning and design...shhhh!

These come on the heels of chili-making, muffin-baking, chocolate caking (I dunno. I guess I'd like some chocolate cake? Lol...), and more! 

All of this in preparation for a fun afternoon with the boys and their parents. Yes, even despite the rough patches that are sure to show up from time to time, my life is good. Yay! I hope you are finding some good in your life lately, too, but it's time for me to stop typing and get on with the day.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Frog Lips

From the mouths of babes...err, I mean frogs. Because frogs have a lot to say. Who knew? Anyway, let's start at the very beginning, because it is a very good place to start.

Last week, I decided to knit a frog...an endeavor which was highly supported by my beautiful, smart and cool 12-year-old granddaughter. The rest of the family feels this may be confirmation that I should be fitted for that "special" white coat and sent someplace to rest. But I digress. What happened was that I did, indeed, knit a frog. 

Through the process, there were moments of doubt... 

Little Voice, inside my head: That doesn't look like the picture...

Me, right out loud: Well, I'll just keep going anyway. It's kinda whatcha do, there, Pretty!

Me, right out loud, again: Oh! He needed his frog lip! Lol, I am knitting frog lips! I love him and his frog lips!

Frog 1, now that he has a mouth and all his appendages: Hi! May I have a friend, please?

Suffice it to say that he did not have to wait long for the requested friend!

Frog 1, leering a little: She is BEE-YOU-TEE-FUL!!!

Ms Froggy, shyly: Ummm, may I have some clothes please?

As I watched the pair of frogs interact, and knitted them both new outfits, I considered carefully how they should be dressed. I started with a simple sweater and a pair of overalls. Let's see how they like them.

Frog 1: These are awesome!

Ms Froggy: Ooooh! I love this sweater! It is so warm and cozy! 

Ms Froggy: Ummm, Pretty, have you noticed that this guy is a little dull in the eyes? Is that something we can fix? And he keeps taking our clothes off...it's a bit disturbing really...

Pretty: Well, ummm, the eyes go in before the stuffing, and I don't know how behavior modification works in frogs. I could knit a third frog...I suppose?

Ms Froggy, confidently: Yes. Please. Do that.

My knitting needles: Click, clack. Click, clack. Voilà!

Ms Froggy: Oooh...hi, Handsome! Pretty! quick! Put the overalls on him!

Frog 1: Ummmmm...

Handsome Frog, with an educated, British accent: Very nice. Very nice, indeed. I shall also be requiring a jacket, Miss Pretty. Can you get right on that?

My knitting needles: Click, clack. Click, clack. Voilà!

Frog 1: Ummmm...

Ms Frog: May I have a pretty dress, too?

My knitting needles: Click, clack. Click, clack. Voilà!

Handsome Frog, trying on jacket, admiring dress: Splendid! Now, I believe we would like to write a blog. What should we call it?

(Frog one hops away, discouraged.)

Ms Froggy: (to Pretty, with a wink) Oooh! He's a writer! Good thing I take dictation! (to Handsome Frog, wishing she had eyelashes to bat) I also make a pretty good cup of coffee!

Handsome Frog: I'm afraid shorthand is so very out-dated, Ms. Froggy. Can you type?

Ms Froggy: Can we get a smaller keyboard?

Pretty: This is all I've got, friends. Can we make do, if I turn it on? 

Handsome Frog: If it's all you've got, I suppose we will have to.

Frog 1: Ummm, can I have my pants back? Please?

Whoops! I guess that's not an unreasonable request. But do you remember what happened last time? I mean, if you give a frog overalls, he's gonna want a blog...

While the frogs blog, I suppose I'll wrap up here. I apparently have some shopping to do. Smaller computer, smaller coffee cups, perhaps a little desk and lamp. Oh, and I'll need to knit more pieces for Frog 1's wardrobe. Wait. What have I gotten myself into?

Readers, I sure hope your Saturday hasn't gone off the rails like mine appears to have done! I will be welcoming my day of rest tomorrow, and taking a break from the craziness that frog lips have brought to this knitter's life!

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Frog Pattern is by Claire Garland
Yarn is by Knitting Lizzard and some leftovers.
My Project Page has all the details
Clothes improvised, notes may be coming.

Reading and Knitting (and Crochet, too!)

I've been spending time listening to audio books and podcasts as I play with yarn lately. Both are helping me to expand my horizons and connect with the world around me; because here, in the middle of life, when I read an actual book, I fall asleep! 

I have always loved non-fiction, but fiction re-entered my life when my granddaughter joined a reading club this past spring, and I asked about what she was reading. I hopped on Libby to see if any of "her" books were available as audio-book borrows, and lo-and-behold I now read young adult fiction! 

I have also rediscovered the books of my youth. Stories and authors I am comfortable with, in the way that I might be comfortable with a friend I haven't seen in 20 years but have bumped into while shopping. The books I read in the open, and some I hid inside textbooks, a little embarrassed that someone might "catch" me reading them. Catching up has been fun, and I kind of love not having to write the book reports. ;) But I have noticed some things...

In YA fiction, there are an impossible number of "devastatingly handsome" young men. There are also freaks and geeks, to be sure, but the hero is usually not that, and his appearance (and his kiss) makes a love interest go weak in the knees. Lol...

Language has changed since I was a young adult. There are more 4-letter words in the newer YA fiction (especially those that start with an "f"), which makes me uncomfortable, but which also seems to be the way of the world. I know this is the way young people (and older people) talk these days, but I don't like to think about my grandchildren with potty mouths...and these characters could be my grandchildren.  

Love is nearly always complicated by a problem that could be easily solved by a simple, face-to-face conversation...which has always been a problem in the world of entertainment. C'mon people. Couldn't the girl just say to the boy, "Hey. I saw you talking to Karen. What's up with that? It sounded like you two have something going on."? That might not solve all of the heartache, but some angst could likely be avoided. (I may have notes for Hallmark movies, too...oy!)

In the older fiction, the comfort from my youth, while the language is often tamer, characters and authors are sometimes problematic. They are also reflective of the time in which they were written...a fictional history of real-world problems. This doesn't make them bad, and it doesn't mean that we should ban these authors, stories and issues...and even though the world is re-thinking the attitudes expressed (which it should), it does not nullify their past and present existence.

As I read with the pre-teen and with the little kids in my life, I hope I will be wise enough to foster real conversations about what might work (and what might not) in the books we read. I hope we talk about why older books might be problematic now, and why they weren't then, and I hope they learn how to respect others and practice kindness when they can. I look forward to sharing ideas and favorite books as they learn and grow and develop their own thoughts and opinions in their ever-expanding world, and to seeing each light-bulb that goes off in these early-readers!

When they are ready to learn to knit, I'll be here for that, too! Have you read any good books lately? I'm currently re-reading the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and The Girls by Emma Cline (YA fiction, fyi and lol).

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit (and Read) in Good Health!

Dishcloths and Toys are great projects to read with!