Exploding Stash

First to the nice news. The picture is of redbud bushes blooming along Interstate 5 near Corning, California. If you look in the back ground (may strain your eyes) you can see some mountains off towards the west with snow still showing. There for I named the picture Redbud n' Snow. Original isn't it. I took this picture as the car was moving and yes I was driving, on my last trip north to Moms.

Next to 'splain the title of the blog. This weekend I am due to get new windows put in my studio/office. The contractor doing said job, ask that the yarn all be removed along with a few small quilting projects that are on the UFO list. Well I thought this would take a few minutes to stuff in plastic bags and store in spare bedroom. WRONG!!! This tells me I have been out of control again. So I am planning this afternoon to lay out all the UFO's and put them in a Que. Most important to..... maybe frogging even. There should be a rule (ok, maybe a law even). Everyone has to pack up and move all hobbies annually. Along with changing batteries in smoke alarms and that sort of thing. Living alone nobody notices or says anything about my explosions of items. But families might like this rule/law.

No I did not take a photo of this before. I may do an after as I also plan on painting this dark paneled room. With new windows and lighter color walls things will be easier on the eyes. I have a large living room, dining room, kitchen with a small breakfast area, but I find I spend more time in this room than any other. Its comfortable, cozy, and has a huge old old old arm chair that is use to my body. The footstool is storage for scraps of yarn. To say it all ITS MY ROOM. The cat can have the others.

Sad Yarn Content

Its a sad day in yarn land. People are quickly exchanging emails and phone numbers and buying yarn like there won't be any yarn in the world after April 30th. Sad day. Where will we go, what if we don't see each other again? Questions questions. I fear for who will handle my 911 knitting emergencies. Its a sad sad day. Some tears come to the eyes of people who have been there from the start. Or people who found their way in life again after some set backs, while knitting at the Pond. The people who came together under the guise of knitting.... knowing they would of never meant each other if it was not for the Frog Pond.

I guess you can tell. Frog Pond Knits is closing. The store has been a success, a big success for a new business, for almost 2 years. But family does come first. That I understand. Its just still a sad day.

I remember having days I wanted to pull my hair out while having teenagers at home still. So I understand. I also remember the silence when it was over and they were on their own. I remember worrying how will they survive with out my direction, out there in the world. But they did.

I only hope that the Head Frog, as I think of her, will keep her dream of a yarn shop going in her head and open another in a few years. I know she is planning on selling on line. Opening her own site. But its not the same as sitting in the knit pit with your friends and touching the yarn, watching new boxes of yarn coming in and oooooooing and awwwwwing over it. I will even miss Tink, the resident cat.

I will feel homeless.

Home With Photo's

Warnings of a heavy photo post today.

I last told you about my drive north. As I left the next morning I grabbed my camera and ended up taking 60 some pictures on my travel north. I have some great pictures of the Sacramento River. On the left is the headwaters of the Sacramento River. You can see where the water comes out of the mountain. This is at the base of Mt. Shasta in a small old park in the town of Mt. Shasta. People stop to fill water bottles. It is mountain fresh water. Better than any bottled water in in store. I dumped out store water to fill up the 2 bottles I had in my car and enjoyed every drop of it. The fresh green you see in the water is watercress which will grow to cover the whole opening into the moutain. Another treat people come to collect.

On the right is the city park in Dunsmuir, about 15 miles south of Mt. Shasta. The river continues through Dunsmuir and down the canyon into Shasta lake. Right now the lake is low. We have not had storms much needed this last winter. In the background you can see a faint outline of Mt. Lassen.

The next photo is of the Sacramento Valley where the river widens out and moves peaceful through the farmlands. There is lots of water sports, including water skiing, fishing and tubing.

And finally the river arrives at the Pacific Ocean. This River has always been a part of my life much as Mt. Shasta has. I am only posting this for those of you who have not seen the wide open lands of Northern California and think of us as all freeways and crowds.

Another Drive

Another drive up Interstate 5. So many people out there never think of California's farm lands and how wide open the spaces are north of Sacramento. By August, I will be driving thru rice fields, tomato fields, sun flower fields and on and on with the crops. The trucks will be hauling in produce, fruit and all sorts of things those same people will be eating throught out the winter and never realize where it came from. About half way between where I live and Mom's house there are even groves of olive trees, walnut orchards and peach orchards. Something you don't see in to many parts of the country are olive trees. I will be driving by Shasta Lake. A huge body of water that will be so low yet this year as we are not having the winter storms we normally have. The Sacramento River is dammed up at Shasta Lake. The river actually starts at the little town of Mt. Shasta, in a small park. The river from Mt. Shasta to the lake, looks much like any mountain river. Flowing over rocks down through canyons, along the railroad tracks. Beautiful country. After the water flows through Shasta Dam, it becomes a big wide calm river flowing down the valley through so many small towns. By the time the river reaches the Delta it starts to spread out more. Driving this trip I cross the Sacramento River 7 times. (the details I count on this drive) I will make every attempt to take photo's along the way to post. I will be gone for a few days, taking care of Mother. Keep knitting and enjoy the sunshine.

Day Off

This is going to be a busy week, with a past weekend also busy. Cleaning up yard and patio seem to be Saturday job. I filled my large garbage can and will reload it after today's pick up. Yesterday was tearing down some old mini blinds that were hanging in kitchen over glass door. I thought I could live with them till I redid the kitchen in this house. Decided I was sick of looking at blue mini blinds. Yuck!!!!! So down they came and off to the dumpster this morn.

I have done very little knitting since Friday. So the back of my sweater is moving slowly along. I guess this will be a sweater for next fall by the time I get it done. I spent some time yesterday going through my Grandmothers Button Box looking for 4 large buttons. No such luck. Two weeks ago daughter dear was snowed in up in the Sierra's. Interstate 80 was closed. We were having one of the most intense rainstorms of winter here. Yesterday my grandkids were in the swimming pool along with the dog. Two weeks of weather heating up to 85 today. Al Gore, you are right !!!!! I am glad to have the good weather as I leave this Friday Morning to go back north to see Mother. I always worry about snow around Mt. Shasta. I will be ok this trip.

I am off to get the most out of my day off. I am in hopes I can even make great progress on sweater.

Knitting is Good

I am loving knitting this sweater. It is Sensational Shirttail from Arans Celtic Knitters book. I am using cascade 128 and it is soft and feeling very good. I went in search of buttons today, but did not hit on just the right ones. I have time and will continue my search. Tomorrow is actually the first meet up for the KAL on this project. I am ahead of the game by getting about a 5 inch start on the back. This KAL is all about cable knitting which I have done before and now have picked an easy one.

I went to my other LYS's sale today and found some sock yarn, and some other other buttons on sale. There was some great yarn out there for sale. I resisted. I just do not need another protect on needles. I am swearing on my stack of Knitting books, I will not buy more yarn till I knit up the 2 other sweaters worth I have.

Knitting vs. Yard Work !!!!

One Jaywalker done, and second on the needles. I am liking this pattern as I can do it almost in my sleep. I also like the fact I can pick up and do a row as I have time. I have enough yarn to make a couple more pairs of these socks.

I have also cast on for The Sensational Shirttail sweater, from the Arans Celtic book from Knitters. I have carried this pattern around for sometime wanting to do it. We are suppose to be doing a Cable KAL and the LYS... this covers that project. I think it is more to encourage newer knitters to try any cable pattern of their choice. Between these 2 projects I have plently on the needles to keep me busy for some time. Along with this I like doing some smaller items for a baby we soon hope to have in the family.

An update on Mother. She has been home, at my brothers, now for 2 weeks. The six feet of snow they received has kept her very house bound. Brother has to bring the care givers in and back out to the main road. I do worry she is not walking enough. I have asked for an update assessment from her Nurse but to date have not received one.

I am trying to work about an hour n' half a day in yard. But it is always a slow process in spring to clean up. I will have to take a long weekend and go back north to see Mother in next week or so.

Knitting My Life Away

The skys are clearing, the sun is brightly shining, you can actually go outside without getting a major attack of goosebumps. Its time to put down the needles and face the weeds, leaves, winter mess. I don't want to. I miss winter already. Where the rains poured and a good day off meant sweats, good snacks and needles going. I went to meet a friend yesterday for lunch. We sat in the resturant from 12:30 PM till 4:15 PM, knitting along with the quick bite to eat. I got home about 4:45, checked the mail, looked at a quick round of news on tv, ate a half sandwich and left to go to Nighttime Needlers. (My usualy Friday Nite Knitting group.) I came home fell into bed and got up this morn and made a trek out to another LYS to see what is going on sale next week. In the last 24 hours, other than sleeping, has been all about knitting. I was fighting the spring weather I beleive. I was pushing back the possibility that yard work would be calling my name. I even stopped at another friends house coming home to avoid seeing the weeds. I pulled into the garage and was going to quickly shut the door before I could hear the yardwork calling my name. I could no longer delay so I did spend 30 minutes pulling some weeds a bit ago. Then the yard man drove up and I was so happy to see him I came in the house. I didn't want to over do Spring here by pulling to many weeds, and heavens forbid, not have any for another day. I leave you with a picture of the moon I took last nite walking to Nighttime Needlers.

A Little of This and a Little of That

To go along with 2 posts ago. Knitting for the war. The news is not promising on that front today.

BUT... knitting: I have been knitting away on the Jay Walker socks. They tend to move slow. I don't remember socks taking so long before. I also read others blogs where they whip out a pair of socks in a weekend. Maybe I need to stop eating, cleaning house and quit my job. I am currently sitting on about 8 pair of socks yarn. And to add insult to injury, spring is around the corner and in this part of the world, wool socks are not needed with sandals. Maybe it would help if I cut back on reading a slew of blogs. But as the "Zenneedle" blog states you feel like you know them. I have not been as lucky as she has to have gone out in the world and meet up with bloggers. But I do take in all the bloggers write. The knitting tips, the saddness, and the joy of their lives.

I am off this afternoon to learn the ins and out of my LYS, so I may be of more help to her. Yes, you are reading this right. I will work for yarn!!!!! I have been searching for the perfect cable project. There is a cable KAL being formed at LYS. I am not always up on the actual appearing on a date, time and location for a KAL, but I like the inspiration they give me. There is always so much to knit out there in the world, I need the push to revist something I have done before.

I have been hearing everyone's adventure at Stitches West. I don't think I will be missing next years. I am hearing it was even bigger this year than last. I wish I was brave enough to drive to the bay area. But we shall see next Feb. Train or Car! Car or Train!