Gone to the Dogs

Paula has created an institution. Fred and Mugsy are pretty excited about it. My evening was very full last night - worked all day, drove to DC and back home - so I missed my first opportunity, but humor me, okay? My boys knew I was worn out when I got home, and just smothered me with puppy love. They deserve their moment, even if it is belated!

So, some dog shots you haven't seen before:

That's Fred and Shadow II. Shadow is the second sable sheltie Mark's grandfather has owned, and so, Pop used the same name. This picture was taken two years ago, but Fred doesn't come to the shop with me much anymore, because Shadow *STILL* insists upson licking Fred *IN* the mouth. My patient old man just walks away and counts on me to make the brat stop. That's why he's my hooey hound!

This is Farmer Mugsy. (And "Dadaw" as the dogs call him, but he's not a willing subject.) Yep. He likes to ride the tractor. He won't approach a running vehicle of any sort, but if Mark cuts the tractor off and reaches down, Mugsy climbs the steps and up he goes! The black box is his collar for the invisible fence, and it comes off once Mugsy is safely in Mark's lap. They're both very content and happy, in case you can't tell.

Fred likes to be photographed, but Mugsy isn't always a willing subject. (Gets that from his father, I suppose.) I suspect you'll also see the other dogs in our lives too, as the weeks go on. We're all about dogs, kind of like Pedigree.

Check this out

Y'all know I love Carodan Farm. Their newsletter had a bit in there about a new project they're doing, in conjunction with Socks for Soldiers. I thought some of you might be interested. I also want to stress that one needn't knit socks to participate! There are other, non-sock options, including washcloths and beanies, but read the guidelines, because they're very specific.

I remain in awe of the knitterly kind karma out there.

PS - Blogger? Knitterly *IS* too a word. So there! (I'd stomp my foot, but Blogger wouldn't hear me.)

What a Wonderful World

It really is a wonderful world, full of fantastic people. Yes, yes, I do keep saying I won't have time to blog again until after all of the madness that is the next week of my life, but I knew you guys *NEEDED* to see this! I went straight to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix from work (no comments at all, until Anne and Amy have seen it, and I won't comment without warnings first), so imagine my delight when I got home and had TWO packages waiting for me. One was from my semi-local Carodan Farm, but I can't show that just yet, although some of it was actually for me.

The other was a birthday box from dear Devon! See!? That's why I celebrate birth MONTH. Why limit yourself to one day of presents and cake? It was all wrapped up so nicely, in pink and red (two of my favorite colors, you know), but I was too excited to snap a pre-unwrapping photo, so just take my word for it. That's the "group photo" of everything. The book, Knit Fix, is such an appropriate selection, because as Devon noted, our first real chat was because Anne referred me to Devon (Anne's SP10 pal), because Devon had knitted socks before. The rest is history. Who knew!? A friendship was formed in that heel I couldn't turn without Devon's patience and row by row counting. There's imported chocolate there too, on the far left and that brown square on the left of the yarn. Dark chocolate with nuts. My hubby doesn't like dark chocolate, but has eyed them just the same. Now that's friendship, folks. Devon either brought TONS of chocolate home from her trip abroad, or she's cool enough to share!

The tea is some of Devon's favorite. While I'm a loose tea girl, bag tea does go to work with me, and that Earl Grey is going in the morning. I've never had Taoz Earl Grey, so it's time to try it, no? Nor have I had Trader Joe's White Pomegranate, but that will get tried soon too. I love fruity, white teas, but that will happen at home where my precision tea water pot lives. (Long story. Maybe on K1, T2 one day...) Now THAT is how you have a cuppa' cyber style, without losing the spirit of tea.

The card is just darling too. I am trying to learn to make cards, but I'm very much the newbie, so this one gives me all kinds of ideas! Of course, it will also get saved for future scrapbooking, because I am, as Anne calls me, a gooblette. Flip flops, a cool tote, a towel, and a little journal. What more could a girl want for a trip to the beach? When are we going? Oh yeah, not until the end of the month. Shoot.

You want to know about the yarn though, don't you? Well, Devon said she though of me when she saw it, and she should have. It is Jojoland Melody. 100% wool, and 220 yards per ball. I will have to make longer socks than I normally wear, because this yarn is just something else. (Hmm... Devon, do you think it would be nice for those baby cables I covet so?) I'll have to get more photos in natural light at some point, because that hardly does justice to this wonderful rainbow of Chan's favorite colors!

Sock it to Me Contest

Why and how I started to knit:

Which time? You see, my dear auntie tried to teach me to knit at least two different summers when I was around 12. I'd get excited, but frustrated, and would come home, where my great aunt would re-explain "left-handed" knitting, and then school would start...

Then, last November, while Anne was visiting, I got infected. I watched her knit. I helped her wind yarn and even wandered into a yarn shop with her. At the time, my inner knitter merely stirred, and went back to sleep. However, when Anne and her sticks and string went back south, suddenly, I was overcome with the NEED to knit. So, I bought some bamboo straights and some cheap yarn, and I tried. Oh, how I tried. It was torture, just as I remembered, until I found this site, where I immediately realized I had found the "left-handed" Continental style much more sensible. Everything clicked, and I have only reluctantly set my needles down to eat, sleep and work since then.

Why? Because I've always liked hand-crafts. I did my first needlepoint at six, I think it was. I am still in awe of how two (or more!) sticks and some string can produce almost anything imaginable. Plus, there's just something soothing and magical about the serenity of knitting.

Crup?

I'm just checking in to let you know that I'm beginning twelve days of running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I'll be checking email except from the 15th-18th, but I don't know that blogging will happen much.




Why do I swap, and crazier still, co-host swaps? So I can meet people like Paula! I do believe that particular photo she's using as her logo is of my Fred's uncle, who was the Hush Puppy model about 10 years ago. I love it! (And why didn't I think of that? Mugsy's literally got his back to me. Guess I should have been Crup Knitter instead of KnitTea, huh?)






In sock news, I have begun Sockza sock #1! (aka: SoS pair #2!) I won't be showing photos, just in case, because I do want to surprise my pal. I can proudly announce that the yarn was wound with my birthday swift and ball winder, by - get this, Anne! - my husband! He finds it all very interesting. It appeals to his inner mechanical nerd, I guess? I then had to weigh it, so - wise man, that one - I can confirm that this yarn I've not used before will indeed make two socks for my pal. I got lucky and got a pal with little feet, so I'm sure it won't be a problem, but... he's thinking like a knitter, yes?

Now, back to that crup thing. I hear some of you asking, "What's a crup?" Well, in honor of the cinematic event, the debut of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, I'm tempted to have a contest, but as it would be a month or so before you got a prize, I won't. I'll just tell you.

Are there HP fans out there who don't know? Giggles... Don't be embarassed. Even folks on my HP forums often ask. This, my friends, is a crup:

See the forked tail? That's the only way you can tell a crup from a Muggle Jack Russell Terrier. Those of you who own crups know that sometimes, wizards dock the crups' tails short so you can't see the fork, but trust me, you *KNOW* if you own a crup.



Still unsure? Well, let me see if Mugsy - a pure-bred crup - can help. Is your JRT just, well, not as compliant as others you know? Do you brag that his disobedience is actually a sign of his superior intelligence? Does he train YOU? If so, you too probably have a crup. Please refer to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for more information.

Yep. That's our crup, preparing to launch himself into HIS hot tub. Don't worry animal lovers; we changed chemicals three times until hubby found one that is safe for human and animal consumption; the sales rep drank a big ol' glass right from the display for him, and he was sold. That's the other test; crups won't allowed themselves to be owned by ordinary folks. They seek out those owners with just enough magical ability to appreciate them, which in Muggle talk means spoil them rotten.



PS - Cass, the photos are for you, and anyone else who loves photo-rich posts!

Three down...

...and who knows how many to go. My third pair of socks, done on two circs. I like that method. I'm not sure I'm crazy about this pattern, but that's okay. The loose leg will never get too tight during a long day. My trusty, beloved sock blockers just didn't do this pattern justice. I can say that I'm learning to graft, and I enjoyed knitting with a blend, rather than 100% merino.

Pictures might be slim for a while. I'm casting on for my Sockza socks next. I also want to cast on my Tofutsies June Sock of the Month, but I need #2 circs, and those are on order from Knitpicks, along with several books, all courtesy of my mother inlaw's birthday money to be used on knitterly goodness.

This was also my first pair for the Summer of Socks. Clearly, I'm not entered in the most socks in a summer contest.

Wanna Swap?

And in other swap news, Cass is wondering if you're interested in a vegan swap. You don't have to be vegan or allergic to animal fibers/products to sign up, just willing to participate in a vegan swap. Swing by and check it out. I love playing with new fibers and discovering new products, and I'm betting a lot of you do too!

Also, swing by K1, T2 and let us - Devon in particular - know how you like your tea. It's a contest, open until July 20th. As for me, I like mine straight up. Hot, cold, tepid, it's all good. I do like a bit of Splenda and cream in hot, black teas though.