AUTUMN RAINS

Here it is December already and I'm still working on my autumn rains.  Even though the garden is dying back, our back yard still has wonderful colors.  The leaves are a golden brown carpet announcing the arrival of autumn.  How's that for a metaphor and personification. We're learning about figurative language in my English 9/10 class.  

These are giant naturism leaves that somehow got a super dose of fertilizer and then soaked up the rain.  I had noticed how well nasturtiums thrived over on the coast so now I understand ... they like the cooler, damp weather certainly not found here in the summer but in the fall. 

The grape vines don't survive the winter.  This one made a mad dash across the chain link fence.  They die back and then come back on their own in the spring and are in full form during the summer.  



The roses are shooting out long branches but still are producing a few lovely flowers like this one.  As long as I can, I try to bring in a few cuttings for a vase display.

Here's the golden carpet. I never get tired of the gifts from Mother Nature as long as they're gentle gifts like these.  So far she's been a little crabby dumping a lot of rain on us and swelling Stony Creek in Elk Creek from a mild mannered creek to a roaring river.  I took this photo from the bridge that spans the creek. 

As always the knitting continues.  I couldn't survive with out it.  My knitting storage bin is empty except for the two scarves in the next photos.  All my projects were sold at the Eagles Christmas Bazaar.  They were very appreciative of my efforts, and I'm more than happy to contribute.  The money raised goes toward scholarships, and I'm all for that. 

 This scarf I designed myself using stitches from one of my knitting books.  I like experimenting with a variety of stitches, something to learn and the knitting is not overly repetitive and boring.  I used a worsted weight yarn I found at the thrift shop and size 9 needles.  I like to start this type of  scarf with a few inches of ribbing. Love the speckles of color in the yarn. 

This navy blue scarf is made from bulky yarn, and I can see why so many patterns are calling for bulky yarns - they're for fast knitting which produces a thick, warm product. 

Wow! Red!  My good friend, J and I made scarves for the Red Scarf Project.  These scarves will be given to young people who have been in the Foster Care system and are now going to college.  We've mailed the scarves, and they will be given out in February just in time for Valentines Day.  We usually make scarves for the Winter Special Olympics, but this year they had so many scarves from last year's contributions, they didn't need more.  So we'll wait and see what happens next year. 

 I will leave this blog with a photo of Master Gardener D and his faithful dog, Hunter.  All the lovely flowers and summer vegetables are the results of hard work and loving care by the Master Gardener.  Hunter's contribution is limited since he lives for his dinner and to chase his toys. 

Until the next blog, keep on knitting and crocheting.  I hope to have more photos of my family's crocheting projects in the next blog from my niece, D and her daughter, L.  And more knitting from me - I have a cowl in progress. 

AUTUMN'S ARRIVAL

Greetings.  Since going back to work, only part time, my blogging has slowed to a snail's pace.  Today I'm determined to get a blog sent out into the world of the Internet. Not only has blogging slowed, but so has my knitting and gardening.  However, my 9-week report cards are all done!! I do have some photos of what's been going on with school, family, garden, and knitting, so here goes.  

     Family first: My niece, D, from Vancouver, WA has learned to crochet from her daughter, L.  More about her in a minute.  In an earlier post, there is a photo of a lovely crocheted blue baby blanket, D's first crochet project.  Since then, she has taken on a larger project, a crochet shrug as seen below: 

    
     The pattern for the shrug is from Lion Brand Yarns and is called Homespun Simple Shrug.  Homespun yarn and size 9 mm (size N hook)  D says it is warm and comfortable, so she's working on another one in cream colors.  Homespun has lovely variations of color, is soft and easy to work with. Beautiful.
      D's daughter, L, a self taught crocheter and now entrepreneur,  has a shop on Etsy where she  can showcase her gorgeous crocheted scarves, cowls, and afghans.  Here's the link: 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/rubiazul

        Closer to home, Master Gardener D, has been absent from the garden since he has begun rice harvesting with good friend, Rice Farmer GB.  Once the rice is dried and ready to cut, harvesting is an everyday event until it's all cut and before the rainy weather starts.  Today is going to be a marathon harvesting day, since rain is forecast for tonight or Monday.  If all goes well, they'll have all the rice cut by tonight.  After the rain (and some days of rest), when the ground dries, they'll harvest for two of G's neighboring farmers. D's job is to drive the bank out truck which receives the rice from the harvester.  He then drives the truck to deposit the rice in the drying bins.  Here he is on the job.  Bub, always smiling.

     On the school front, all is going well. We just completed the first quarter on Friday. On 9/11 we had a whole school district remembrance on the bleachers of the football field with a speaker, music, and the local fire trucks, even though most students don't have a memory of the events of 9/11.  The seniors were about 5 or 6 at the time, but have learned from events like this that we take the time to remember the people that died that day.
My art class painted the banner.

This picture gives you an idea of the small size of our school district.  K - 12 can fit into two bleachers.  FFA officers made the presentation of the flags.  This coming week, these same FFA officers and their advisor, Mr.S, will be at the State FFA Conference in Indianapolis which will also include a few days visiting Washington D.C. Wow! Needless to say, they've been very excited and ready to go.  

The knitting continues, always, however slowly.  I had some starts and stops, but finally finished these two.  Although they're together in the photo, they aren't a set..just used some of the same yellow yarn in the hat that I used for the scarf. 

The scarf pattern comes from the knitting book: One Ball Knits/Accessories called Dewdrop Lace Scarf.  I used worsted weight acrylic and size 8 needles.  This is a short scarf about 39 inches.  The lace pattern is paired with a rib section and then finished with a scalloped edging in i-cord.  However, I made mine with crochet. The hat pattern can be found on the Red Heart website - Go Bright Hat.  I used knitting worsted and size 8 circular needles.  I'm thinking of venturing into crochet, next - I think I can do the basics, and I'm inspired by a bag pattern on a site called Attic 24.  We'll see how it goes.

The summer garden is slowly falling into itself.  The corn stalks are dry and the tomato plants are collapsing.  Although they are still producing a few tomatoes.  Never give up!  Some volunteer vines have showed up - morning glories and a few gourds, I think. 

The roses are going strong and still producing beauties. This delicate rose is a sweet contrast to the rough fence post.

And the yellow ones, too.

The pumpkin vines have nearly taken over the back yard and have produced one very large pumpkin that's hidden in this picture, but you can see Mr. Pumpkin in the next photo.    

Linus never gave up on the Great Pumpkin.

And finally from the giant size to the smallest.  This little succulent bloomed four tiny pink flowers.  With succulents and cacti, you never know when you will get a sweet flowering surprise.

I hope this blog finds its readers well and enjoying autumn's arrival.  The trees in our yard are letting go of summer by releasing their grip on their leaves.  Raking time.  And time to keep on knitting and crocheting.  We'll be happy to have some warm hats, scarves, and shrugs when the weather turns chilly.  Until next time - keep on knitting and crocheting - it's good medicine. 

LABOR DAY R & R

Greetings on this lovely September day - it's warm with summer not giving in to autumn quite yet.  Although, I've noticed a few yellow leaves beginning to fall, and the mornings are brisk and cool.  Tomorrow we'll be entering the fourth week of school and it's going along very well.  Having three classes to teach instead of six is so nice - not exhausting.  The junior high students have been moved to a different part of the campus which makes for a very quiet and calm atmosphere at the high school.  The FFA put on a Welcome Back barbecue and fed us hamburgers and hot dogs, macaroni salad, and the fixings.  

Getting the grilling going - just a little smoke. 

Grilling gets serious with lots of smoke, but that doesn't stop hungry
teachers and students from getting in line for good food. 

More smoke and a touch up from the FFA adviser. 

Service with a smile. 

And finally food - happy eaters. 

Thank you Elk Creek High School FFA. 

My knitting has slowed since going back to work.  I also just couldn't decide what I wanted to knit with this yarn. It's a Super Saver yarn from Red Heart that I found at the thrift shop.  I like the flecks of color mixed in.  So I decided to make another scarf for the Red Scarf Project.  I've made this pattern before - it's an easy ribbing with a nice cabled edge.  This a worsted weight yarn - I'm using size 8 needles.

The pattern is called "Rib Rib Cable" by BabyCocktails.  Here's the link: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rib-rib-cable

My blogs wouldn't be complete without pictures of the garden.  Some vegetables like zucchini has given all it's going to give.  The tomatoes are still going strong.  I'm going to take some to school tomorrow to share with the staff.  We have an abundance.  We're planning a winter garden. 

The flowers are spectacular.  Master Gardener D put up the hummingbird feeder - has to fill it every three days or so.  The hummingbirds have found our yard.  They're in and out so fast I have no time to run in and get my camera.  But they a so cool and they do make a sound other than their fast moving wings.  It's a little chirping sound.  I may have to do a stake-out one day to get a picture. 

Here are the flowers.  I don't know the names of all of them so I've given them my own names.  I hope you enjoy seeing them.  They make washing dishes a little nicer since I can see them from the window in the kitchen. 

I loved the way the morning light shined through the ivy leaves. 

Beautiful mix.

These flowers Master Gardener D arranged in a large pot then put the pot in the wheelbarrow so he could move it to different spots in the yard. 

    These little flowers seem to be florescent.  They're small an look fuzzy.  Beaurious. 

 
These little lavender flowers are actually three colors..the center is yellow orange, then a circle of white, then lavender. There is a red/orange variety coming up.

Morning Glories have a delicate vine and only open in the morning. Glorious. 

 What can I say about these - they're just spectacular they way they are shaped... and what a color!

Pumpkins peeking out of the jumbo leaves.  We'll have a few jumbo pumpkins and some sweet pie pumpkins. Yum.

Pumpkin blossom - vine draped across the grape leaves. 

Pumpkin vines on the move.

Red chrysanthemums. 

I think these are a wild flower D planted.  They're so tiny and delicate. 

White elysium - we're on the look out for the purple variety, too. They make a lovely border.

We're enjoying the flowers while mother nature allows.  We're not sure what will happen to them this winter - some are annuals and some perennials.  There are also bulbs in hiding right now.  Fall is the time to plant spring bulbs.  Daffodils and crocus announce the beginning of spring after a long, wet, gray winter. 

Hope this blog finds you happy and well.  Keep knitting, crocheting, gardening, and creating. 

BACK TO SCHOOL

     After a year of retirement, I'll be back to school teaching two English classes and one Art class. I'm looking forward to this - I guess I missed being busy.  This a one school year adventure.  School starts tomorrow, Aug. 13, and there was no teacher on board for these three classes, so I was asked last week and I said yes.  So my blog will continue, but along with the garden and knitting, there could be some school stuff.  Go Elks!

     Our garden continues to produce good food for us to eat.  Yesterday we had the first corn on the cob.  Talk about fresh.  We picked it, steamed it, then ate it.  It was the best.  First time corn growers, we were unsure of what we would get, but what ever Master Gardener D. did, watering, feeding, nurturing, worked.  We also have an abundance of tomatoes.  We eat them every day in sandwiches, as side dish for dinner, and just as a snack.  I've made puree and put that in the freezer.  Today I'm going to try making tomato sauce - recipe found through Pinterest.  

We also broke open one of our watermelons - needless to say it was good and juicy.  We continue to be surprised by the success of the garden, and I know that Master Gardener D deserves all the credit. 

I can't get enough of the beautiful flowers in the garden.  D is going to put together a bouquet of flowers to take to school tomorrow for a display in the office.

As usual, the knitting goes on.  I finished the vest for my sister C but was so anxious to send it to her, I forgot to take a photo.  However, it looks very much like the vest in my previous blog.  I think it came out pretty good, and she seems to like it.  Knitting clothing is risky as sometimes a garment will be too big or too small or if you're not paying attention, you'll end up with sleeves that hang down to your knees.  Must be why I knit scarves, hats, and wash cloths the most.

     Since there is no need for scarves for the Special Olympics this year (they have scarves left over from last year), my friend, Jo, and I decided to make scarves for the Red Scarf Project.  The one above was knit with two yarns held together to make a bulky scarf using a variety of red yarns from my stash.  I used size 13 needles and the garter stitch (knit every row).  Jo's scarf will be in the next blog.  Also pictured are my attempts to revise my crocheting skills.  I'm working on it slowly.  I can follow only the basic patterns so far, but I have a couple of good books to help me along.   
     That's it from HOT northern CA - typical August weather.  Thank goodness for air conditioning in house, car, and classroom.  Keep on knitting and crocheting - it's good for you.