Moon Tea

I'm learning to spin!

The bug has finally got me, my fiber nerdiness has increased, and I purchased a "beginner" spindle (a Babe) and some sort of cheap white mystery fiber. I read a ton on the Ravelry forums (especially the beginning spinners group and spindlers group), watched YouTube videos (just search for spinning, spindle, or spindling) and voila - I was doing it! I started with the "park and draft" method where you're not spinning in midair, just spinning a bit then setting it down between your knees to let some twist into the fiber.

So far I love it! Here's my first "yarn".

It's very thick and thin, and this is only a little less than half of the original 8 oz (?) of fiber. I'm going to force myself to spin it all so I can practice plying on it.

Progress

I am slowly but surely making progress in my latest teaching assignment (4th grade if I haven't mentioned before). Learning routines and procedures, learning how to teach to this developmental level, learning that all children are different and so is each class. Phew, I am just plain learning a lot this year and coming home tired, too. The house is a mess and so is the car. Especially with all the mud Malka tracks in from her walks! Life is doing a bit of a number on me right now but it's all positive things.

Meanwhile, as usual, knitting has been keeping me grounded and allows me some downtime for processing and reflection. I am making progress on yet another Koolhaas, this time for Joe. And I have one more planned for him, too! Did I mention I looove this pattern? It is THE perfect hat in many ways. Both process-wise and product-wise. Even though knitting it makes my wrist hurt because of all the tight, twisted stitches.

Almost done with this hat and this week!

Malka goes to the snow

We went to Pollock Pines the other day for the express purpose of introducing Malka to the snow. Did she ever love it...she kept chasing the clods that rolled away as we walked and tunneling through drifts. Afterward, she passed out in the car and left us alone for the rest of the day. It was a welcome relief from her usual nipping, stealing shoes and used kleenexes, barking, and chasing the cat schedule. And, it was fun!

Where's Malka?

There she is!

Snow is good.

Koolhaas success

Yay, I finished it! I started this probably a year ago but gave up because it seemed too complicated. Finally, I taught myself how to cable without a cable needle, and, well, it's absolutely necessary for this pattern! I used this awesome tutorial, and after several rounds it finally clicked and I zipped along.

Pattern: Koolhaas

Needles: 6 & 8 Circs.

Yarn: 1.5 skeins Artfibers Kantuta, gifted to me long ago by Caitlyn and I finally found a good pattern for it! Thanks, Caitlyn!

Sorry for the blurry pics, it's been very, very cloudy around here and it's impossible to get decent shots. I only look like I have sunshine on my shoulders here because of extensive photo editing.

Anyway, this is one of my all time favorite, classic patterns. It's fun to knit, has perfect fit, and looks good on everyone. I already have another one on the needles for Joe.

 

I had a chance to wear it to the snow this weekend when we drove to Pollock Pines park. We didn't have to drive very far because the snow line has been much lower this year, woo hoo! Malka was way into her first experience of the snow...more pictures tomorrow!

Simple socks

I love easy, relaxing knitting:

Pattern: Generic 61 st. stockinette cuff-down socks
Needles: Circulars, I believe 1.5's
Yarn: 1 skein Colinette Jitterbug (cant remember the colorway)

Sorry for the early morning, no light pictures

Whipped these out for my mother in law who requested a pair of handknit socks after seeing some I was working on. She loved them. I need to knit more for others! It's so satisfying. I am always surprised by how much some people love handknits. I thought socks were too boring but so far I've gifted three pairs and they were well-received (no fake smiles, either!)

I'll make good on that goal because I've got yet another pair of socks on the needles for Joe (yet another request) as well as a Koolhaas hat. Now I've just got to be brave enough to cast on for that lacy shawl for mom...shawl projects make me nervous for some reason. Better just dive in.

Happy Friday (and almost three day weekend)!

Silent Poetry Reading

I love this event, every year on February 2nd - in honor of St. Brigid the patron saint of poetry.

This year I chose the last part of Lord Alfred Tennyson's The Lotos-Eaters, written in the 1800's.  I only chose the last section because it is a very long poem (I guess you would call that a ballad? Not sure.) This is one of my favorite poems and very fun to read, it's based on the classic Greek epic The Odyssey, the part when they land on the island of the lotus eaters who sleep and dream all day away from the world.  Poem in its entirety here.

* * * *

The Lotos blooms below the barren peak,

The Lotos blows by every winding creek;

All day the wind breathes low with mellower tone;

Thro’ every hollow cave and alley lone

Round and round the spicy downs the yellow Lotos-dust is blown.

We have had enough of action, and of motion we,

Roll’d to starboard, roll’d to larboard, when the surge was seething free,

Where the wallowing monster spouted his foam-fountains in the sea.

Let us swear an oath, and keep it with an equal mind,

In the hollow Lotos-land to live and lie reclined

On the hills like Gods together, careless of mankind.

For they lie beside their nectar, and the bolts are hurl’d

Far below them in the valleys, and the clouds are lightly curl’d

Round their golden houses, girdled with the gleaming world;

Where they smile in secret, looking over wasted lands,

Blight and famine, plague and earthquake, roaring deeps and fiery sands,

Clanging fights, and flaming towns, and sinking ships, and praying hands.

But they smile, they find a music centred in a doleful song

Steaming up, a lamentation and an ancient tale of wrong,

Like a tale of little meaning tho’ the words are strong;

Chanted from an ill-used race of men that cleave the soil,

Sow the seed, and reap the harvest with enduring toil,

Storing yearly little dues of wheat, and wine and oil;

Till they perish and they suffer—some, ’tis whisper’d—down in hell

Suffer endless anguish, others in Elysian valleys dwell,

Resting weary limbs at last on beds of asphodel.

Surely, surely, slumber is more sweet than toil, the shore

Than labor in the deep mid-ocean, wind and wave and oar;

O, rest ye, brother mariners, we will not wander more.

The other reason I've been busy...

...is these guys:

My first grade class I've been a long term sub for from November through January. Now their teacher (on maternity leave) is back, and I finally have some downtime before my next long term job in 4th grade kicks in.  The 40 minute commute each way and the exhaustion at the end of the day zapped my free time.

The best birth control? Teaching 21 of the little rug rats for 3 months straight. Yikes. I love them, but I think I'll wait. :o)

Here's hoping I use my free time wisely. I have cleaning house, exercising again (3 months of no exercise makes Julia a dull girl), and knitting on my list. Here's some of the next projects:

A basic hat for me knit from Pigeonroof handspun:

A Koolhaas hat for Joe from Pigeonroof worsted:

Two good things...

Yarn, and puppies. Plenty of both in my life right now. Here ya go:

Indigo, our blind cat, is still very unsure of Malka.  Here she is checking her out when she knows it's "safe".

I wish Malka did more of this! At least she sleeps through the night.

Malka being very naughty (not infrequent) trying to take her leash away from 'daddy'.

Cute puppy butt:

One last cute picture:

And now for the new yarn additions, all of which is Pigeonroof, because I am now an official Pigeonroof junkie. (I just noticed I have a purple and green thing going..)

Pigeonroof Silky Merino Worsted in Lilac (will be made into a cowl or hat).

Pigeonroof Silky Merino Worsted in Spruce (hat or cowl).

Pigeonroof hand dyed, handspun merino worsted in Bruise.

Pigeonroof hand dyed, handspun merino fingering in Bronzed Teal.

Pigeonroof superwash merino sock in Ceramic.

Pigeonroof superwash merino sock in Sugar Plum.

I suppose it's a good thing I'm working to pay for all this loveliness. And there is more on it's way. Yeesh.  :)

Now back to the regularly scheduled program

Ok, I think I am getting used to the newest shape of my life enough to start blogging again.  Meet our newest time-suck, Malka (here at 10 weeks):

She is a pure-bred German Shepherd (yes, German Shepherds can be white) that we bought from a local breeder, Sprague's GSD.  I have already heard from many people how we should've gotten a shelter dog. But guess what? Growing up we always took in unwanted dogs and cats; I have two stray cats, one who is blind and who was headed to the shelter if we didn't take her (to very likely be euthanized), and I've never had my own puppy to raise from day one (or week 8 as the case may be). So we spoiled ourselves, and boy do we not regret it. She comes everywhere with us now.  Yes, she has papers and pretty great genetics. But she's also just a dirty, smelly dog. She's also very smart and knows the sit, down, speak, and shake commands. If training and commands are your thing - get a shepherd, they absorb it like sponges!

Perhaps the next dog will be a rescue (and yes, I do want another!) But for now I love this little pup...who is now crying to be let out of her crate after her nap. More later!

Change

I only wish I could've been in Chicago, or Oakland, or anywhere where they were partying it up or making noise last night. Instead, my neighborhood was pretty quiet...but we both enjoyed a moment where we were sitting in the driveway in our car, in the dark together, teary eyed, listening to Obama's acceptance speech. And I'm real proud of McCain for the amazing and inspiring speech he also delivered.

Another, lesser, change...we have moved! I'm currently sitting in an upstairs room of our new (first!) house, surrounded by boxes and things out of place. More on that later. Right now I'm just so happy, and loving that everyone seems to be in such a good mood...it's palpable.