Not much of a pose!

Juju gets to wear her new Grandma creation. It's big around the neckline, even after tightening it up a bit. Others on Ravelry mentioned that being a problem. With another shirt under it, and another year of growth, it will be perfect!

In Bear Country

Life in Western North Carolina:  the weather has been perfect, hiking in the Blue Ridge, our yard is a nicely  wooded site where we have activities called "Backyard Crafts", and wifi!
The second night our trash can was tipped over, and our trash was discovered up the mountain behind the house. Hal went for a little wander to see if he could get to the mountain top and wondered why someone would throw trash, suspiciously like our trash, in the woods... Then, putting together the clues, he realized it WAS our trash.
At the cottage we came to the conclusion that since no bears were mentioned in our briefing for the cottage rental, the culprits must be raccoons. Our trash has been moved into the cellar.

Today as I napped, midday, M&J stood on the bridge that takes our driveway to the road, and between them and the house a mama black bear with two cubs passed through the yard, and ran straight up the mountain behind the house!  C and Hal were watching on the porch, and I, in my bed, missed the sighting.  The first time any of us have experienced bears in the wild!  Pretty cool, even if I didn't see them myself!  Raccoons?  Maybe not.
A few hours later they returned and I was ready. This pic is one of the cubs in front and mama in back keeping an eye out. I was on the porch. Neighbors say they are looking for food, and have an uncanny sense that tomorrow is trash pick up day!
They are beautifully black, people shy, mama isn't very big, and the kids are half her size. By mama's appearance, she is still nursing those big guys.

Singing in the creek

Mick and Juju enjoy an afternoon of sitting in the middle of the creek, and singing "Eensy weensy spider...Out came the sun..."
Juju is sporting her new knit smocked dress.  Yes, in the middle of the creek... Fashion is everywhere for a three year old.
Life and living! Love it!

Collar

I haven't finished the sleeves...they need a try-on before proceeding, so I went back to the collar. It uses three beads every other row. Can you see them between the rows of cables?  A little tricky to handle beads in the car, so as we were 'resting' in South Carolina, I added a few rows, between sock knitting. The collar is knitted separately and attached around the neckline.  ....I have less than two weeks to get this done.  It (the collar) is officially over the one-third mark, but taking f-o-r-e-v-e-r--…. Hopefully assembly will be quick, and blocking. And... Whatever else needs to be done. Knitting in the mountains of Western North Carolina.
I hear... Insects, chirping up a storm.  The voices of my uncle and aunt in the next room. It's great having them here.  Easy people to talk to, and my only relatives outside of my immediate family. I'm glad we made this trip to connect for a few days.
And can you imagine how much I appreciate my life-long friend?  She took a family vacation with my family, and will spend two extra days with my uncle and aunt--in a car--letting them visit friends--hope they all survive!  I love them all!

Striped purple sock

Couldn't resist the colors, couldn't resist casting on, and more colors to come.  What's been happening otherwise?
We got in the car and traveled south. Put away NY and PA, and MD and a tiny bit of WV before resting our heads Monday night.  The above sock grew to what you see now.
Yarn: Jawoll Magic by Lang
Got hours of personal time with my Uncle and Aunt. We gave them a ride to visit friends. It was great to spend time (almost two full days), time to think about all the questions you wish you had thought of after a visit. 

All wet

A reward for being so diligent with our knitting progress: Our task-master allows us a leisurely evening paddle. We must have been very, very, good!

The Guild

How many knitters does it take to form a Guild?  I don't know, but this one is pretty impressive.  There were at least

200.  Maybe someone would like to count! The Rochester Knitting Guild sure impessed us. Much more business-like than groups of 10, but I can see the benefits: A huge number of people knitters to carpool to events, and if one is gregarious, ahem... you can find all kinds of things of interest. I wouldn't get much knitting done, but who does in a group setting? I'm trying to be positive, but it's really like herding cats. (Teehee)

A trip to the Falls

Denise is in Canada!  I'm in US!  Ahhh!!
Having fun with the tourists, at Niagara Falls.  Spent

one afternoon looking and getting wet, then we came back the next day to walk across the bridge.
A Texas sized "WOW"

Sunrise at Boot Camp

Oh! I just missed an early morning fishing boat...  Maybe this will be a lay-low-retail day!  Tomorrow is the weekend which brings another fair/festival!

Retail Therapy and Relaxation

Lots to do.  We went to the Kitchener-Waterloo Knitter's Fair last Saturday.  It didn't disappoint any of us.  Even though the number of vendors was down, we found more than enough to keep our tactile senses active for 6 hours.  Our wallets were pulled out, and we found ourselves separated momentarily only to meet, share and say, "Did you see this---?"  over and over.  I especially enjoyed meeting up with a fellow blogger that I follow, and first contact went:  Hmm, this Cabin Fever vendor probably isn't the one, guess we'll look in the next hall... AHHH  It's Brenda! Brenda looks questionably at me for a nano-second, and then we are hugging!  See full report here.

Yarn Harlot (Stephanie Pearl-McPhee) topped off the day.  We planted ourselves front and center.  Very fun talk entitled, "Your Brain on Knitting".  She knows her audience!

Be-decked in our shawls, we were admired and patted, and asked for pattern and yarn information by many attendees, and there were hundreds.

Back home, the next day, we sat outside, and enjoyed our Theta brain-waves.

Boot camp continues. No rest for D until there's a tree with apples on it. No rest for P until those seams are sewn on baby hoodie.  (Close ups to follow.)

Day 1 through Day 6: Dee's Progress

Dee has a deadline.  This will be an oversized baby blanket by December.  Follow the progress here! Many hours of knitting opportunity this week and next.  Can she do it?  Let's see how it progresses...

Day 1

Chicago Airport, Day 1

 

 

At Niagara Falls, Day 3

 

Day 6 - Knitting at the Art Gallery

I think she's serious!

Boot Camp report

Started the second sleeve just prior to first flight. So we call this "Boot Camp Day 1".
And I'm not sure Boot Camp is working... here's Day 6.

Meanwhile, here's a recipe for disaster

Happy Ending, though...
Everything survived, and we got to knit another day!
This time in Mt. Morris.

 

Traveling

Sharing stories, PBandJ, knitting most of the time, but less than four hours of sleep, and 2 hour delayed flight...D conked out.

Taking a break...

Life at the museum makes me think of all the things I could be doing at home.  With a day and a half off, I started sewing like... like... well, like I'm going away for a month!  Only a few days left to wrap up projects, and get things done so I don't have to look at them when I return!
One of those ideas is to sew tote bags.  Since I finished one last week, I couldn't wait to start cutting and sewing.
I have this false impression that by doing this I will diminish my fabric stash.  Hardly a dent, my friends!

 I got more and more crazy... the above and below pictures are the same bag.  One outside pocket on the side.  Cactus and...

Fish.  And big roomy pockets on the inside.  I think I'll call it "Wet and Dry".

 Pastel Southwest:  "Cheater blocks" that I always thought I would use for pillows...

 Two outside side pockets.

I used "Fusible Fleece" for filling.  Let's see:  Where should these live?

Commuting again

I can't believe how busy I've been.  It's like I added a full time job to my normal day.  Well, maybe I have, but only for a week.
I mentioned before that the local museum is my volunteering gig, and last week a new exhibit opened which requires someone in that particular room at all times.  I normally would sign up, but when I saw the many openings they had, I doubled my effort, and packed up knitting-to-go.  I managed to clock 28 hours in 8 days.
(If you are local, you would be welcome to volunteer.  Otherwise, staff have to stop their jobs and go sit.)  It's a wonderful exhibit, and we are very lucky that someone knew someone to make it happen.
To see more about this exhibit, click HERE.
Progress made:
Mademoiselle Pullover
One sleeve, and bodice is finished:

 Starting the collar which is sewn on.  Beads!!

Pattern is in Norwegian: Du Store Alpakka
Colors look dull and grayish.  They are much nicer... should be in sunlight.