The baby sweater is almost done. By midnight, I got the sweater and sleeve seams sewed up and half the hood done, too.

Get a load of this crazy cat. This wagon was Colin's Pioneer project from last year. I don't know how she managed to squeeze herself in there without collapsing the whole thing.

Happy Earth Day!

I hope everyone is out there doing something good for the earth today. Me, I sure am. I had a nap this morning, therefore I did not drive my truck, watch TV, have the lights on, waste water... And I'll be serving supper by candlelight.
Hey, every little bit helps. I am pleased to say that our water consumption has gone down in the last four months! How awesome is that? The water bill does not lie. Next month when I paint the house and hubby installs the new fascia and gutters, I fully intend on acquiring a rain barrel or two from which I will be able to water the gardens. Because I plan on putting in more gardens, much to hubby's dismay. I don't know how many times he's told me that he likes a nice lawn. I think he might see the light when he sees how happy my gardens make me feel, or when he sees that it takes less time to mow his nice lawn (and therefore pollute the earth less! ) I've tried but have been entirely unsuccessful to get him to embrace the wonder that is my rotary push mower. A trim lawn and exercise? What's not to love?

I want to thank you all for all your nice comments about the baby sweater. I wish I knew what kind of yarn I was using. All I know for sure is that it's wool, but my aunt in Poland had a bag of it in hanks for over five years, and let's just say she's not as obsessed with wool as I am. To her it is just nice soft wool. Even Tina commented how soft it was while I was knitting at 4-H. I am "just" a parent, Dorothy, but Tina is a Crafts and Scrapbooking leader and she was knitting on a pair of socks! Lucky Stars rock, what can I say? Pam, I'm really not that fast: I had the front of the sweater all done my last week in Poland, and I worked on the back at home watching TV, but other than that it lounged around in the bag for over a month. I must get it done before this child is out of diapers! I've already made allowances for extra growth with a couple side cables and made the sleeve cuffs a bit longer than originally planned.

Thanks to Balkan Style Bloggers for the link on making the sweetest organza roses.

For all you sewers, check out the new link in my sidebar, thanks to AliP. Got a fabric stash you wish to use up? Weekend designer has so many cool ideas.

Do you like baby animals, specifically baby goats? Go visit Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm and scroll down a bit. So curly and cute! I miss my farm the most this time of year.

Bloody Fantastic

I must be the last person on the planet to hear about Susan Boyle. I have Sheri to bring me into the here and now, thank goodness. Susan has fantastic talent. 36,786,444 views on YouTube can't be wrong! She needs to record a CD pronto.

In knitting news, this is the little sweater I'm designing for my cousin's baby. Last night during the 4-H meeting I finished the second sleeve. Yeah! Next, I have to assemble it and then do the button placket and knit on a hood. Getting there. I have no idea why I procrastinated on this little project for so long.

I love cardinals. I took this picture about a month ago, but I've been hearing him lately, singing his little heart out.

The weather has turned and this time, the rain is actually welcome. I've been working in the yard like a fiend, taking advantage of the sunshine and warm temperatures. Raking, trimming trees and shrubs, even splitting wood. Who knew it would be so satisfying. I am woman, hear me roar. Much more to do, but for now I'm taking a break to rest my disgruntled muscles.

Inspired Idea

We all know Laurie of Crazy Aunt Purl fame, right? She often posts lists and cat pictures and tales of her (mis)adventures, all the reasons I read her blog on a regular basis. Always gives me something to think about. None better, though, than yesterday's post. I hope some genius takes her most inspired idea and makes it a reality. I would be so totally on that band wagon, my friends. Hubby might even allow me to get another kitteh. I mean, getting your car to run off of cat poop? Brilliant. I wonder why no one has thought of this before!

Go away, now. I'm trying to nap here!

Everyday that I check my email, I think to myself that this will be the day that I will update this blog. Then I get lazy, say I'll do it later and later turns into tomorrow or sometimes a week. You know what I mean?


I tried to work up a proper head of steam and fury during the Easter weekend when it snowed, and then snowed some more, when it was generally so miserable outside that I avoided going out at all costs. But no. Couldn't do it. I took some photos though, because knowing my memory or lack thereof, I will complain about the snow in April next year and hubby will try to remind me ever so gently that we had snow around the same time the previous year, and I will feel compelled to argue with him. Naturally.

Here's Tommy, Easter Sunday, around 4:30am, looking at the snow with that "what the h*ll is up with this white crap?" look.

That's Kora and Sam. I swear I didn't put the cat there. He just follows Kora around and snuggles up to her at least a couple times a day. Like he knows she won't be around much longer. For now at least, the puddles she was occasionally leaving on the kitchen floor have stopped. I am not putting a diaper on my dog! The hearing loss I can deal with. The fact that she's been wandering out into the middle of the road for no apparent reason has made me watch her more closely. I've been giving her baths more often because she's been stinking more (is that a true sign of old age in a dog, though?). And in hushed tones hubby and I have be discussing who will be the one to take her for her final vet visit. Let me put it this way: he's not exactly volunteering.

I've been taking photos of birds coming to my feeders too. Lots of birds that drive my poor cat Sam absolutely crazy. He lays there on the back of the sofa, stares, and starts to chatter in that way he has any time crows or blackbirds invade our yard. It's like he takes personal offence.

I just finished reading Foreign Correspondence by Geraldine Brooks. Non-fiction. Very good. I highly recommend it.

I finished my daughter's socks and apparently she likes them. A lot! She's worn them for two days now.

Fridays Are Always Good, In my Book

Knitting update in pictures:

1. Socks for my youngest, in Regia that I got the day I met Sheri;

2. March Sweater Madness is coming along nicely; I cast off stitches for the armpits;

3. A little surprise I'm working on for a friend;

4. And lastly, I taught the youngest offspring to knit I-cord. Itty Bitty posing with the I-cord.

I finished reading Dewey by Vicki Myron.

You must read it, it is that good. I laughed so hard, I woke up hubby, and until my sides hurt; and I cried until my face was soaked with tears. More than a story about a cat. Beautifully written.

So, what are all you up to?