Celebrate Good Times, come on!

To kick off the celebration of my favorite guy's birthday (which is today) I met friends at Cedar Point yesterday and let him have some time to himself! (Fair warning to future friends: If you leave early, you will be photoshopped in...perhaps poorly...and it will be hilarious!)

That's right, Sweetie was not there. He's not a big Cedar Point fan, so his gift was that I did not invite him. Because yesterday was his birthday eve, I did kindof ask if he minded that I go right after work. I don't remember his answer, but I wore jeans, good walking shoes, and my fanny pack (with glasses strap inside) ya know, just in case. When Amanda texted that a bunch of friends were going, I was powerless to resist!

I didn't ride much, and took fewer pictures. I'm kindof smacking myself for not taking any night photos, since we closed down the park waiting in line for TT2! But I did take pics in line, 

and I pilferred photos of funpix...

Gosh! My friends are way cooler in these photos than I am...I've got my hands in the air and a full, toothy grin the whole time. I love being on roller coasters!

Oh, and Amanda got this video of that last ride, at 10:37pm! You can't really see us, but it's a pretty cool 11 seconds either way! 

Psst...don't tell my family. I'm not sure they support my coaster habit...but the doc said no restrictions after 3 months, and it's been nearly 6...and I've been doing a little at a time, adding in coasters that don't seem too intense, and staying away from the ones that are most likely to dislodge something...I'm looking at you Blue Streak and Steve! Millie's pretty gentle though...and last week, I didn't ride any coasters at all, but I still had a ton of fun with some of my favorite riders and smilers!

Today has already been a little lower key, spending time with the birthday boy, finally moving my daffodils to their proper place...which you can't see, because the bushes are too big with their summer growth...lol!

Knitting on my next pair of socks and summer decor for my office...

and our grandson's baseball game this afternoon! Is there anything as entertaining as first and second graders playing baseball? 

Photo Cred: Tom Apathy Photography (aka Pappy)

Later, we may head to one of our favorite, not Cedar Point, parks for a walk. Last week, we saw a great blue heron,

tons of tiny toadlets,

a pretty good sized snapping turtle,

and dozens of ducklings and other birds of many varieties!

I wonder how many of them would have enjoyed this worm for their dinner?

Summer is really shaping up here, and we are certainly celebrating these good times! I hope you are as well.

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Chicken Casualty

The granddog's favorite toy...not Steve's Lava Chicken...

was a bit of a casualty for the kids' summer visit this year, but I suppose worse things have happened to chickens. 

Still, it's a bit confusing when you're a dog. 

At least all of the cousins had a great time, and no limbs were lost at Aunt Jess and Uncle Aaron's annual sleepover.

To celebrate all the good times, after helping Sweetie give the whole house a good clean on Monday, 

I took a trip to Cedar Point and got this shot of Siren's Curse in a nearly full tilt as Top Thrill 2's train launched backwards next door! Took this while waiting in line for a night ride on the newest coaster, which was great! 

Then the cleaning resumed with a visit from our friends at Stanley Steemer, who did a great job on the carpets,

which gave me some time to work on my sweater. I've divided for the sleeves on this Neretina by Kirsten-Michele, and I'm pretty stoked about how it's turning out! 

And, though I was thinking I might get another CP trip in last night, we went walking at Sandy Ridge instead. I was rewarded by this lovely shot of dreamy, purple wild bergamot in the hazy glow of the setting sun. 

All-in-all, a good, low-key week, but I'm tired! How has your week been? 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!

Stick Season? Not quite...

It's not quite the 🎶 season of the sticks here, in northeast Ohio, but it feels pretty crunchy in our current state of drought. Even our wetlands parks are looking dry...

Despite the dry, it is still a beautiful autumn, with lots of green plants for our friends to hide in! Can you spot the praying mantis? He (or she?) certainly spotted us!

... and our mums are looking lovely on the front stoop, in the company of pumpkins! 

Temperatures are dropping, which made today the perfect day to bake an apple crisp...yumm!

It's also a great day for knitting. In fact, I've heard that today is I Love Yarn Day, something for knitters everywhere to celebrate! I think I'll celebrate by admiring the finish of three hoodie sweaters for three darling boys!

And perhaps I'll celebrate a bit more by casting on a new sweater for Pretty...I have three possibilities on my mind, but I'm not sure which to start: A Christmas cardigan or vest in green, with colorwork...

A pullover in cream and minis, inspired by Daisy Jones and the Six...

Or maybe something in blue?

Yeah, I dunno either. The only thing I know for sure is that it is too late to cast on for a Halloween sweater...which I was never planning on anyway...lol! 

Stick season is the perfect time to knit sweaters, so watch me now, hey! 🎵 Work! Work! I'll work the stitches, baby! Work! Work! Stitches driving me crazy! 🎶 🙃 Lol

Yeah, I love Ohio, and it's almost the 🎶 season of the sticks...so, I suppose I'll turn up the tunes and get busy with my needles! I hope you'll sing along! 

Thanks for stopping by, 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!

Wild Life

What do you think of when you read "Wildlife?" Do you think of snakes?

Or frogs or turtles? 

Maybe you think of hawks (on the church steeple) or other creatures of the forest? 

Perhaps you think of something entirely different, but after the wild week we've had around here, I will think of this crew (the Fantastic Frogs!) when I think of wildlife!

I'll think of fun crafts and friends,

and games outside,

and singing and being able to share all of that with my grandson this week!

You know what? There was even a snake at VBS this week!

He came with Jungle Bob, who put on a great show for the kids! Even the youngest in the crowd were super-focused on this knowledgeable grandpa-type entertainer!

He had dad jokes, for kids and grown-ups alike, and kept the kids' attention for the entire hour...even after the Popsicle Party!!!

I can't pick a favorite memory from the week, because there were just too many good times! But I do have a favorite photo, that I have already shared with my friend, Amanda (who is, by the way, our VBS Director!):

Preacher's kids, and the offspring of many church staff, never fail to entertain! Lol...

Have you had a good week? It's hard to believe that summer is half over, but then I look back at the fun I've already had, and I realize that there is so much more summer to come! What a lovely time of year (if you can get out of the heat occasionally). Full of wild, life experiences for young and Pretty-aged people alike...and plenty of time for knitting. Is there anything more satisfying than a beautiful, i-cord edging on a summer evening? Well, if you're a knitter that is...! 

Whatever your summer brings, I hope that you are finding time to rest, be well and stop and smell the roses...or whatever flowers you come across. 

Thanks for stopping by, and Knit in Good Health!