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.
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.