Focus, learn, reknit.....and refuel!

I tell my students frequently, "Your focus is key--if you're not centered on the content, you'll be wandering around the edges and wasting time."  Well, I say to self, listen up!  While I'm loving the yarn and the pattern in the knit-along (by the way, first one other than Ravelry's Socks 2012 that I've participated in!) from Celtic CastOn, I should be adhering to my own advice and remember that I can't talk, wander around with "The Big Bang Theory," AND keep track of how many stitches I need to knit on what row between the cable-front and cable-back portions.  Yeah.  I should stay focused.

So, after finally frogging back to the cuff and starting the pattern over again last night, I'm making progress.  Look at those pretty stripes running along through the cable pattern!  Woohoo!

I also found out that instead of knitting the cable stitch off of the cable needle, it's easier with this one stitch cable to put the stitch on the cable needle, knit the next stitch, and then return the cable stitch to the needle and knit it from there.  Of course, that's probably something more experienced knitters already know, but I'm learning!  That shift certainly took care of much of the trouble of balancing three needles while I knitted between them!


All that work meant the need for some good soup, especially in trying to chase away the chill from outside, so I took a break from the needles and stirred up some bodacious potato-leek soup.  Really, it was a good excuse to use my beautiful Christmas present--a Biltmore "belly" soup pot.  The pic doesn't do the pot justice, but it's a dream to use!  What you don't see are the dumplings that finished out the soup--and after a bowl of it for supper, I was refueled and ready to knit again.  Who knows--I may just finish these socks in the KAL timeframe.  They'll be good ones for spring weather! 

Knitting along....frequent stops....

One afternoon years ago, when my kids were little, we were driving along and a church van in front of us gave vent to my sometimes kwirky sense of humor.  On the back doors of this passenger van were these statements:

(Left-side door in beautiful script)   ROLLING FOR JESUS
(Right-side door in standard block script)   FREQUENT STOPS

What a reality, I thought, and giggled at the sense of those juxtaposed phrases.  Isn't that life--we roll along with such good intentions and aspirations only to experience everyday life that pops in and says, "Whoa....just a second, Sassy--there are other things afoot!"

I am thankful that as I returned to my college campus in January this year, it was with great relief that some of the "extra duties as assigned" had been accomplished, and I could give more attention to my teaching.  In part, that has been possible, but I also looked forward to having a bit more time to do fun things, and last evening I gave in to that portion, whilst perhaps I should have been doing more grading.  Oh me....anyway, I knitted awhile on one daughter's camisole and then cast on a pair of socks that are part of a KAL (knit along) from Celtic CastOn--a neat little blog with great ideas and a welcoming writer.  Scroll down the page and you'll see the Business Casual socks for this KAL.  The yarn I'm using is one from my stash that has long since lost it's tag, but it's fine, soft and silky.

Here's my start:

So now I have two "distractions" that will provide that escape I need after reading several essays.  Really, to be fair to students, I need that break so I can give each paper the attention it should have.....yes, really.  And as I think about, it's not a stretch to appreciate the honesty, along with the humor, of that church van and its back-doors' message.  I believe, even if they didn't realize it, they were right on the mark.

Winter.....not soon enough!

Days turned into months (skip the weeks!) very quickly as fall began last year.  A torrent of work and other "opportunities" took my time and truly made it a fleeting glance experience.  With the start of the New Year, I have been determined to spend some time with things I truly want to give attention--like family, knitting, reading....and soon I hope, more writing.  One interesting result was this happy little giraffe, who turned out a bit larger than I think either I or my granddaughter expected. He's from Susan Anderson's "Itty-bitty Toys"--a great book with fun pieces.  I changed the horns and mane a bit from the original pattern, but the pattern is easy to work up.

The gloves are a "me" gift, and I have to laugh at this experience with using such interesting yarn from it's "Keltic" from Berroco. The two gloves initially look like they've been made in two different colourways, but I swear they are the same skein....just that lovely twist in tones and hues that are barely seen from one glove (the darker) to the next. Interesting!

And a fun little project was this little owl who became a quick posted gift to my sister who was in the throes of coursework in a graduate class.....having just been that road, I knew she could use a bit of a laugh and tangible hug, so this fellow did the job and was so much fun to knit!

Our mountains are covered with a nice bit of snow, but I'll have to say I've been disappointed that there isn't more--makes me jealous of places like Canada and Norway, but then the snow is probably always brighter across the fence!  The dusting we have will have to suffice for now....and I have to balance work and this other creative bent, so there we go--another resolution I suppose!  It's Saturday, though, and a rare one in that we are not on the road to family somewhere.  My bag holds several projects, so I'm going to continue to play a bit and get some of those things closer to finished!  If it would just snow a bit more.......

Our mountains'sputtering toward summer has given us an extended spring, complete with grateful plants and blossoms.  Green beans and corn rows are pushing along in the garden, along with a dozen or so tomato plants, some peppers, budding squash and zucchini, eggplants, cucumbers, and some already enjoyed swiss chard.  Well, yum!  My hydrangeas and lilies especially have been delighted with the weather and shown it..... 

Definitely this one is a smile-bringer and by maturity, the full blossom is that gorgeous blue rimming the new petals.  The bush came from a shoot in my sister's yard in Rustburg, Virginia, a small, quiet little town in the central southern part of our state.  Tucked in among the large oaks on that property, the bush was thriving along with several hostas, babes of which my sister was generous with to me as well.  There's an old adage that says the best hydrangea bush is one you've snitched, but I'm glad this one was a knowing-gift!  

The lily is one I bought and shared with another sister, and both of us have been delighted by the response of this gorgeous plant.  Mine was the smaller off-shoot, mainly because the plant was, after all, a present to her, but we share and I was tickled to find a small one sprouting for me to nip off and plant at home.  Each mature stem has had over a dozen blooms on each crown.....still going....wow.....



They will soon be gone, even with that number, and close by are a few others in apricot and yellow, but these definitely demand a special look!

So all of this outside beauty has tempted me away from knitting, but I'm trudging on, with more than I should have on the needles.......a tank top for my eldest, socks for me, socks for grandson, blanket for grandson, and a couple of surprises.  I think I just need to set a chair in the frontyard and take my knitting along......

Stories...and then more stories....

My granddaughter has a penchant for ghost stories....at the tender age of seven, she relishes a good scary story, hanging on every turn--excitedly anticipating what could happen--and being a keen critic at the same time.  Don't try to pull off an insincere or casual twist with this child--she'll call you on it in less than a heartbeat.  I'm thankful her mama can tell a good ghost story because that has never been my forte.  So when this wonderful child asked me to tell her a good ghost story, I had to admit my failing.  I could tell her all kinds of stories about fantastical places or family tales, including the one where her great Viking ancestor married a mermaid (I'm not joking....it's why we love water and being in it....really), or even spin a yarn given a set of details, but I don't do ghosts. 

It does amaze me, though, at the stories that capture a wide imagination--like the Hunger Games.  This young adult series certainly has appeal in being a "beach read"--easy to pick up and fly through--and I've been more than a little surprised at some of the folks I've found reading the triology, but then a good story has that appeal across age ranges, especially when it holds human struggle against unfair and unmanageable control.  That gist of the tale is about all I know at this point, and yes,I'll read them.  If anyone has comments, let them fly because I'm a reluctant participant on this one.  Of course, I was for Harry Potter as well, and fell flat into Rowlings grasp.....so we'll see.

In the meantime, back at the homestead, daily events demand much more mundane attention.  Spring Break is almost over, a pile of papers to grade still looms, my sock-knitting begs for attention, and few things have been checked off the "got to due" list I made several weeks before.  I'll have to admit that the socks are the most tempting, with a wonderful Malabrigo yarn to fiddle into my first pair of socks for me. 

They're coming slowly, but they are coming.  I was able to figure out the two-at-a-time deal and am thrilled that both socks will have the same tension in them.....that's probably the best outcome of this method for me.....but it does slow progress in the making.  I keep telling myself that once I'm done, BOTH socks will be done, so that's the best result.  We'll see.....I hope it doesn't take me six months to finish them!  Joining 12 Socks in 2012 on Ravelry has been a great adventure.  I'm amazed at the folks that are finishing #11 already!!  They must not work outside the home.....and have lovely, patient families that don't mind a constant knitting project in hand.....and who fend for themselves.......and feed the pets.....and don't ask for anything.....that's all I can figure for an answer to how they've done it!  Anyway, the group is WONDERFUL and the forum holds so many great sections for advice, troubleshooting, and finished works.  I'm just inspired everytime I log on. 

Three days to go....so much to do....now there's the real story.  I'm hoping that papers AND knitting get the better part of the end result!  We'll see.....