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. 

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.