More Pictures than Words

We've been busy planting seeds (so far we've planted mesclun mix, arugula, radishes, snow peas, beets, kale & chard) and starting the new chicken coop, but there's also been time for a little knitting (less once we started building; hammering exacerbates tendonitis) and appreciating Spring...

We realized that the future coop was in danger of being drowned as water poured off the garage roof, so before we could start building, we needed to remedy that situation. We installed a gutter (no downspout yet)...I was even the 'handy one' this time, in that I actually read the directions!

Once we installed the gutter, we could begin building!

It may look odd, but that is one sturdy--and absolutely level-- floor.

I finished the first sock! It's too big, and the kitchener stitch was weird, but it's a sock. Now I'm working (when my hands will let me) on sock #2; once that's finished I can try some of the easier patterns people have shared with me.

Working outside lets us really appreciate the glories of Spring, like shy hyacinths, 

dancing daffodils,

and exuberant, exultant forsythia!

Of Socks & Food

  Wow--the whole food change thing has really struck a chord with folks! I'm so grateful for the support 'out there', and amazed that there are so many others facing the same challenge. Is this what the age of convenience has done to us? Have we abandoned and forgotten 'real food' and are now suffering the numerous consequences? Sunday we shopped for the week's food; I was down with a nasty stomach bug and barely got through shopping, but went because I was determined to start this plan first thing Monday morning. Poor Linda was stuck making the first batch of the Ultrabroth. It took an hour of prep, and another 90 minutes of cooking; she's so good to me. Yesterday, came home from work and was immediately tied to the kitchen, chopping and prepping for dinner; even with Linda's help, it was over an hour, and included a lengthy discussion of whether to start mauling vegetables for the next batch of broth or wait until tonight when dinner itself will require less prep (and you better believe we're going to make a bigger batch of broth this time!). Told her this 'new' way of eating will make me crazy, because it suddenly feels like it's consuming me. Planning, prepping, considering what I 'can' or 'can't' eat have taken over my life already. I had no idea how much I relied on convenience/processed food, and how little time I spent preparing fresh, healthy, unadulterated food. And yet, I would have said that I cook alot and use plenty of vegetables and such. After all, I live for Farm Market shopping and go into ecstasies of glee over fresh brussels sprouts and tomatoes. But clearly, convenience, not freshness, was my go-to ingredient.
  The first day went surprisingingly well! I stayed with the plan...breakfast was plain, fat-free Greek yogurt with a dollop of Simply Fruit stirred in, and an apple later. Lunch was Ultrabroth, edamame & grape tomatoes. Dinner was Lemon-Garlic-Basil chicken breasts and Gingered Carrots with Red Onions & Broccoli. I admit, I'm so accustomed to a sweet treat at night that all the knitting in the world couldn't silence that wee voice whispering sweet nothings in my ear (and I don't mean Linda) about 9 pm. My solution was half an apple, nuked with cinnamon and a teaspoon of maple syrup. It worked, comforting and shushing that voice without throwing the day's efforts out the window into the cold, dark night. And I was very surprised at how little I was tempted to answer the call of the vending machine yesterday afternoon. It's awfully close to my office, and its siren song of Twix bars and Rice Krispie Treats often drowns out all other sounds. But yesterday I just covered my ears, sipped the salty-sweet Ultrabroth, and went on with my work. Pretty cool. Drinking the Chinese herbal formula twice a day--ugh.

Less manageable with each cup, but the hives are improving, not dramatically, but noticeably, so I'll suck it up at least until the next visit Friday.
  This blog is not going to become all about food and changing my eating lifestyle, I promise. It's a big part of the picture for me at the moment, but there will always be wool, and critters, and life in our neck of the woods. Ya know what I've been doing? Knitting a sock! Settled myself down at CountryWool's 'sit & knit' Saturday afternoon, and Claudia was infinitely patient. I hadn't made as much of a disaster as I'd thought, but because of one significant and irreparable error, we pulled it out to the start of the heel flap, and I worked it right through the heel turn & the gusset! By golly, it looks like a sock!

I am knitting a sock for real!! And it might one day be finished! On the easy part now, just straight knitting for several inches to complete the foot. I refuse to even look at the toe directions at the moment; having too much fun watching this actually become sock-like! Do I dare envision a sock-filled world ahead of me?

Progress, Not Perfection?

First, the successes: Claudia says my plying is much more balanced:

So that's great, and I feel good about it. However....once I get the hang of the spinning & plying, I may be destined to knit only rectangles forever. My sock is a disaster. Helpful folks on Ravelry got me right through the heel flap and turning the heel. I learned about slipping stitches and ssk and even found a great video to help with the latter. And when I saw that heel start to take on a cup shape, I was thrilled! "Hey! I'm getting this! I'm knitting a heel, by golly!" I foolishly thought to myself. Then came the gusset, and 'pick up and knit the chain selvedge stitches'.
  Ya know what I learned? That when you throw a sock in utter frustration and despair, it sort of just flops. There's no satisfying-yet-accusatory THWACK like I got when I threw Getting Started Knitting Socks. No, my misbegotten sock just laid there, double-pointed needles askew, like a dead fish used as a voodoo doll. I thought I knew what I was doing (okay, I hoped I knew what I was doing), but when the directions went on to say "you should have 54 stitches total" and I had 60, and it was a twisted mess, and the needle holding the reserved stitches was not on the same side as in the utterly worthless book photos, I gave up. Lots of knitters have told me it's a great book, and I'm sure it is....I'm blaming the user, not the author.

                                                                    

    
At first I swore no more socks. I can be happy knitting pot holders and scarves and blanket squares, right? But I need to get over this. Millions of people have knit billions of socks over the ages. So, I will bring it to CountryWool on Saturday, ask where I went wrong, and then ask Claudia for the easiest sock pattern she knows (that will let me use this same yarn). And I'll try again....after all, 24 hours ago I had never knit a heel flap and turned a heel, right?

Norwegian Cast-On

Yep...feeling a bit of swagger at my mastery of the Norwegian Cast-On, learned last night while Linda was off at her Beekeeper's meeting.  Months ago bought a book on knitting socks, determined to give it a try.  This in and of itself was remarkable bravery, given that using TWO needles keeps me challenged; 4 needles?!  Each with TWO points?! Gasp! Thank Goddess for those little gnome caps that keep hard-won stitches safely where they belong. Anyway, although I'm happily working on Linda's crocheted throw, I've been longing to knit, and Linda would like a pair of handknit socks, so last night I pulled out that book (and Kids Knitting, which has been a lifesaver for this confidence-and-skill challenged beginning knitter), and began.  It took three hours to learn the intricate dance that is the Norwegian cast-on, juggle all those needles, and knit 3, purl 1 the first three rows of cuff ribbing...but I actually enjoyed every minute!