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. 

SUMMER TIME COLORS

Even though it's hot, this is my favorite season of the year - summer, then spring, autumn, and lastly, winter.  Our yard in bursting with color as are the knitting projects.  I'm half way finished with the vest for my sister - a DROPS pattern that is very easy and has some nice detail to the decreasing at the armholes.  This is my first attempt at a DROPS pattern, and I feel confident using other patterns by DROPS.  The finished vest will be in the next blog.  

I've also been working on a few little things - two little bears and feather and fan dish cloths.

The bears a just the first two - more to come. They were a momentary nuisance for Spaz - he hardly awoke from his afternoon nap. The pattern for the bears can be found here: 

http://halifaxcharityknitters.wordpress.com 

Feather and Fan is one of my favorite patterns for scarves and cloths.  I have it memorized along with Grandma's Favorite Dish Cloth.  

The pattern for these can be found here: http://knittingbunny.blogspot.com  

Knitting Bunny has some lovely examples of this dish cloth - they inspired me to make a few for the Christmas Bazaar - and Michael's had a sale on cotton yarn.  Perfect timing.  So as I continue working on the vest, I am enjoying the fruits of Master Gardener's labors.  

The garden is providing us with a bounty of lemon cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, peppers, and zucchini - we are eating it, freezing it, and sharing it.  

TOMATOES of all sizes - a variety of colors  - red, yellow, and striped (coming in the next blog). 

And the corn behind the giant lilies is a mile high. Each stalk has one or more ears.  Corn was a last minute plant just to see if it would grow, and with a little TLC, they're doing what corn does best.  Hunter is look for the toad that has made its home in the garden.

The flower garden is an evolving thing.  Master Gardener D has planted and nurtured annuals, perennials, roses, sun flowers, wild flowers, and has started a little succulent/cactus rock garden. I take photos regularly because things change from day to day.  So here are some of the beauties.  You'll see what I mean by summer time colors. 

Happy faces.

 These are definitely unique - lavender roses.

This last photo of the sunflower bouquet adorns a few family photos.  My family will know these people.  It's such a lovely setting, I had to include it. You never know when a chance photo will touch the heart strings. 

See you in the next blog - until then, you know what to do - keep on knitting and crocheting or what ever keeps your creative spirit alive. 

BABY BLANKET - BOOTIES - FLOWERS - GARDEN

Greetings - It's a lovely July 1 day here where the flowers and garden are basking in sunshine and loving it.  The humans are loving it also, although the prediction is for rising heat for the next few weeks.  It's the middle of summer - it's expected. Thank goodness for A/C.  Hot or cold, the knitting never stops.  I just finished a baby blanket and matching booties for a friend's future grandchild who will be arriving this fall.  

I used the ever faithful grandma's wash cloth pattern, worsted yarn, and size 9 needles. Half the blanket is variegated yarn, the other half is stripped two rows cream, two rows variegated...just a large version of the wash cloth.  When I found the booties pattern, I knew it would work perfectly to match the stripes. Both blanket and booties are super easy.  The booties pattern can be found here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easiest--fastest-baby-booties-ever

My sister, C, has asked for a knitted vest for her birthday and I'm waiting for her to choose a color.  In the meantime, I'm going to knit a child size version.  Patterns from DROPS.  

The garden and flowers are spectacular.  We're harvesting a lot of squash, cucumbers, and little yellow tomatoes.  Watermelon, eggplant, corn, red tomatoes, and green beans will be ready before long.  

baby watermelon - by the time Master Gardener, D goes camping at the coast, he'll be able to take this guy with him for dessert. 

corn - our own "Field of Dreams"

FLOWERS

lavender mini roses

marigolds in the garden keep bugs away

orange nasturtiums

love this one .. not sure what it is.

short calla lilies snuggling with the nasturtiums. 

So that's the latest from Green's garden and minipurl's knitting.  More to come soon as the hot weather helps the tomatoes turn red. 

BLOOMING SUMMER AND KNITTED SNAKES

Summer has arrived hot and windy.  103 yesterday but expecting a cool down into the 90s tomorrow.  The garden is thriving, though, with watering and feeding - we've had our first harvests.  Zucchini and yellow squash never fail to arrive first.  I've blanched and frozen some, made zucchini bread, and zucchini chips.  Needless to say, squash will be served often at dinner. 

Here's the June garden - I've complained about the heat, but obviously, the garden loves it.  We were smarter this year, and used out space more wisely - no over crowding, especially with the tomatoes. I say "we" but the real work has been done by Master Gardener Damon.  

Here's some of our first harvest - lemon cucumbers, regular cucumber, yellow cherry tomatoes, yellow summer squash, zucchini, and 8-ball zucchini.  We try to grow some things out of the ordinary so we tried the 8-ball z.  These I usually shred and freeze to use later. 

We're also trying to grow some corn.  Farmers in this area grow corn in abundance - corn for the table, and corn for animal feed.  So hopefully we'll have some success. The plants were only a few inches tall when I bought them and they've been growing fast since then.

These are future pumpkins we planted on the outside of the garden area and made a path for them to vine on to.  One year our pumpkins grew their vines onto the fences and trees - was a little unusual to see pumpkins hanging from the branches.  One of these plants will be jumbo pumpkins and the other will be sweet pumpkins for pies and bread.  Yum.

Here's a close up of the mini tomatoes.  We were surprised at the way these grow with multiple tomatoes on a branch.  These are so good - they never make it into a salad because they're so easy to eat as a snack or a treat. 

All varieties of flowers are also popping up - this is a Calla Lily.  What a beauty with spotted leaves. 

This Asiatic Lily reminds me of a Georgia O'Keeffe flower painting - up close so it draws you in.  Below is what is called a red hot poker. Yikes!

More flowers and vegetables will be in the next blog.  Many are still germinating and have not produced their flowers or fruit.  There are wild flower seeds and bulbs still under the ground.

Roses love the heat and don't mind sharing the garden with other plants, white, red, and pink - roses smell like flowers should.

On to the KNITTING.  

I've been knitting snake scarves - it all started with this Coral Snake Scarf pattern I found on Ravelry and then grew, and is still growing from there. One snake led to another snake, and so on. 

This pattern can be found here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/coral-snake-scarf
I did some searching about snake colors and found beautiful striping patterns and vivid coloring  - however, this one is your basic green garden snake with a textured body.

I call this next one a fantasy snake since it's coloring is not the usual that's found in nature.  The stripes are made with a variegated yarn.  You don't know what you're going to get until the color shows up.  I like that. 

Now that it is hot and dry in the foothills, people who live there, as in Elk Creek, have to keep their eyes open for rattlesnakes that come around looking for shade and water. Here's my cabled version - non-poisonous - not like the real thing. sssssssssssssssssss!

A boa constrictor is in the works.  It's more like a boa that a dangerous snake since it's made with novelty eyelash yarn.  Look for it in the next blog. I continue knitting granny's favorite wash cloths for the Christmas Bazaar.  However, I found they are useful when needed as a thank you gift or just because.  I bundle them in threes and tie with a ribbon.  I've been experimenting with stripes made with variegated yarn - I like how it looks and it's a good way to use the small ball of cotton yarn. 

That's the latest from sunny and very warm northern California.  Keep on gardening, knitting, and crocheting.  There is always a need.  Plus it's creative and fun.