Happy Socktober!

Wow!  Somehow September escaped with hardly any posts from me.  I will try to do better this month but am not making any promises. I've been diligently working on a few projects with a deadline, but I did manage to finally complete two UFOs.  I finished two pair of socks that didn't get posted then, but isn't Socktober a good time to do so?

The cross-overs in this pattern drove me nuts.  You can see the fronts of the socks on the pattern page, and if anyone has any tips on the cross-over, I'd love to hear them!  I really love the Cascade Heritage yarn in this color.

I finished these with yarn that was supposed to make a matching pair. It came pretty close, but what interested me was the way the pattern (Solar) affected the stripes.  I am tempted to try again with a different stripey yarn to see if the same thing happens, but since there are other things waiting in the wings, I will try to be good and refrain.

This cute little guy is wearing the angora booties made just for him!

Recently we went to the Issaquah Farmers' Market and tried "marbling" at my friend Debbie's booth. It was really fun, and the finished scarf was sent off to our daughter in Chicago for her birthday.  I haven't heard whether she likes it, but  If you ever get a chance to try this process, do it!  You can see more pictures at Marmo Silks on Facebook.

On the home front these two were in our backyard at 8:30 AM last week. If you look closely, you can see the pale-colored deer's little horns. They didn't stick around long though.

These two continue their Peanut Wars, and both put on a pretty convincing act. My friend Becca was able to catch Squirrely's plea. (Not only is she a good photographer, she also crochets beautiful things!)  Did you know that the blue jays can swallow a peanut, shell and all, without choking? It's amazing to witness!

Have a great week!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Despite the smoky skies here during the waning days of August, our garden continued to surprise us with these pretties.

And we had a visitor that wasn't a deer!

Can you spot him?

This guy keeps showing up, too, and occasionally even brings a friend.

And best of all I finally finished this long-standing UFO!

Have a happy Labor Day weekend, everyone!

Finally, a Post!

August seems to be disappearing all too quickly, I guess because we've been busy.  It's also been rather strange lately because we've had a number of very smoky, hazy days thanks to the fires all over the PNW.  We even found ash on our car after visiting a friend!  Dick took this photo of the "sun" before we headed home.

Before the smoke arrived we ventured to Sunrise, a entrance to Mount Rainier that we'd never seen despite all our years here.  It's beautiful!

We chatted with a fun couple from Germany and then walked down the trail a ways where we saw a bit of wildlife: 

a checkerspot butterfly (I think)

and this little guy.

Then we helped Little Miss celebrate her 5th birthday.

Besides the sweater from my last post, I finished this cat scarf for her which had been in my stash ever since I made one for her cousin a few years ago.

That cousin received this butterfly and cocoon for her August birthday. (If you've not made a pattern by Susan B. Anderson, you should as they are fun.)  Soph's request list came late, but I am now working on something else that topped her list. Stay tuned on that.

Speaking of critters, this buck recently appeared in our backyard which activated our motion light and woke us.  After snacking on some of our flowers, he went out front to continue his pruning assignment before wandering up the street. (The photo probably would have been clearer had DH taken time to put on his contacts! However, a clearer photo might not have happened at all then!)

Have a great week!

 

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Shortly after returning from California my sister and her husband arrived for a week long visit, and we were busy every single day! The first day of their visit, we went to Cannon Beach, one of our favorite spots, and stopped at Astoria en route. (Have you read Astoria by by Peter Stark? It's a great read and has lots of history about the Pacific Northwest.)

While Jane and Ted climbed the 100+ steps to the top of the column, we enjoyed the view and spotted this guy floating toward the Astoria Bridge.

Then we stopped at the beach at Fort Stevens State Park to see the wreck of the Peter Iredale, a ship that ran aground there in 1906. We were lucky to even catch the Ranger's talk!

As you can see, the weather's predictably cool on these beaches.  It was cold and windy at Haystack Rock, too.

Dick even caught a photo of a puffin flying back to its nest on the rock!  Can you see it on the right?

This past Monday we drove up to Mount Baker which is close to the Washington/Canada border.  This time we were able to make it to the end of the road, and it was HOT despite the snow everywhere!

Back home the birds and flowers were very happy in the heat.

With all the car-time, I also managed to finish this project for a certain Little Miss's fifth birthday which is coming right up. Now to think up something else for another August birthday girl......  

Our guests are back home as we head into August.  How did July disappear so quickly?  

PS  On these recent clear nights we've been watching the International Space Station.  You can see the ISS also by entering in your location to find the viewing times where you live!  It's fun, and you don't even need binoculars. (I have a hard time remembering that it's as big as a football field and moving at 18,000 mph!)

Booties Plus

Not too much knitting happened this past week because we were off to California's wilderness with no phone and no Internet! Crazy, eh?  I did finish a pair of booties though for a choir friend's first grandchild though.

I had to shorten the cuff because for the first time ever with this angora yarn I ran short.

We spent four days with Dick's brother and his wife.  Our small abode is behind us with its great view of Silver Lake and not too far from Lake Tahoe.

Sunset on Silver Lake

Dick and Bob went on a 6 mile hike to Carson Pass.

I joined the two brothers for a "short" hike the next day.  It involved lots of scrambling over huge rocks!

I was sure glad to get past this giant and back on a "real" trail!

Here's the only wildlife we encountered.

The lupine was pretty much past its prime on this trail, but we did see some other flowers.

Meanwhile, while we were gone, my older daughter sent me this photo of our oldest grand daughter who is learning to sew. Isn't her apron beautiful?  I am very proud of her, too!

My Not-So-Colorful Socks

Well, I finally finished something other than a dishcloth and had a big surprise. This wild and crazy yarn faded more that any other yarn I've ever used.  The water was dark purple!!

Ans the wild and crazy socks aren't aren't nearly as bright and pretty as they were.  I am wondering whether they will continue to fade with more washings, too.  Sigh!

We saw these Crocosmia on the way home from Newport.  I know a deer that would have loved them, too.

Happily that same critter left us a few day lilies.

Have a great weekend!

A Nice Get Away and Surprises on Our Return ~

We got back late yesterday afternoon from a short get away to Portland for a night and then two nights at Little Creek Cove, which is just north of Newport, Oregon.

The view from our deck

We stayed in one of the lower buildings, a short walk from the sandy beach.

Lots of sand dunes here and so different from the beaches further north.  Note the jacket!  It was very windy and only in the low sixties during the days while the East Coast was sweltering!

I finished my July dishcloth.

We hiked near the Yaquina Head lighthouse.

The trail took us down to Quarry Cove where we saw lots of cormorants and a few people.

Instead of heading all of the way east, we turned off Highway 20 and went back home to Bellevue and found two surprises, a good one and a not so good one.

While we were gone, this wonderful package from from Caffeine Girl arrived.  Don't you just love those earrings?  And the yarn, and the yummy vegetable?  (Oh, you didn't know that chocolate is a vegetable?  I saw that on a pillow once, so it must be true, right?)  Thank you, Deb, I can't wait to make something with this yarn!

As for the not so good surprise, it happened in the dark of night while we were gone....my crocosmia plant flowers, that were finally about to bloom, were devoured by a deer.  All of the flowers and buds were neatly snipped off, and the rascal didn't stop there.  It visited the roses in the side yard and pruned them along with the heuchera out back.  At least we got this photo of the plant about to bloom and also enjoyed a few cut roses before we left. Sigh.......sometimes the wildlife around here can be so annoying!

Have a lovely weekend!