Smatterings

  • walk with me wednesday

    better late than never..

    The "little family" isn’t so little anymore.  The goslings are about the same size as a full grown duck.  Mama and Papa are large.  Canadian geese are big.  They spend their time grazing, much of it in my yard.  I’d chase them away, as dirty as they are, but I have enjoyed watcning them far too much to cause the good parents any additional anxiety.  The kids still mind, without fuss, and quickly.  I’ve learned that communicatin is quiet, wordless.  A flick or twist of the neck, much like that of a belly dancer, sends a message to move this way or that, quickly or get ready, be aware.  A quiet hurrauk means "move now".  They are teaching, I’m learning too.  The little family floats in and away.  I watch as they round a small point of land we call the peninsula.  I decide to find their destination.  Where do they live?  On the pond, of course, the goslings don’t fly yet.  But, where is it that they go when they leave the grassy area.   Do they have a nest?  I know so little about geese.

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    oops, the muskrat lives here.

    P1030820  here? or there?

    P1030821_2  no feathers to be seen

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    I don’t find it. I pass the painted turtle who visits my yard to lay her eggs.  She is resting on a log.  I paddle onward.  Wood Ducks scatter and fly out of the pond, frogs jump from the lily pads.  No nest. 

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    9 responses to “walk with me wednesday”

    1. Laurie

      Float with me Wednesday? Cool!

    2. Carole

      It looks so beautiful and serene and cool.

    3. cyndy

      Thanks, I enjoyed the ride! Could almost hear the paddles touch the water….

    4. Manise

      Great “float with me” Wednesday! Positively lovely.

    5. margene

      It looks so cool and refreshing. We’re burning up and that water looks so inviting!

    6. Cathy

      Wonderful! I look forward to more posts about searching for the goose nest.

    7. Fiberjoy

      Thanks for the peaceful kayak view of your pond! I dream of living near a body of water where I could kayak or canoe almost daily.

    8. Sneaksleep

      Wonderful photos! I feel like I can smell the lily pads in the sun. God I miss paddling in northern waters…

    9. Kat

      This definitely reads like the beginning of a fairy tale. Looking forward to the next chapter!

  • Clue 1, the first 100 rows

    Clue #2 was posted this morning.  During the past few days, as I jogged around the blogiverse (crawling or maybe limping slowly as I’m back on dial up), I came across mention of how very quickly some of the participants finished the first 100 rows aka Clue #1.  Maybe they had more or larger blocks of quiet time.  It took me three days of a bit here and a bit there and not a small amount of tinking back.  Three rows were tinked three times, accounting for one of the three days.  Well worth it, the pattern is beautiful.  I’m hooked.  While knitting this, all other projects are on the side line waiting their turn, waiting for the Clue to be finshed.  At 7:30 am this morning, with two cups of the elixer of life already ingested,  I was online downloading Clue #2.  I’d finished Clue #1 in time to post on Tuesday, never managing to do so.  I don’t know where the week went.  I did meet Kim for lunch and more.  It is summer..  gardens, dyeing, new ideas playing out in the shop.  Before you go looking at the picture, know that I changed my mind on the beads.  Not really "changed" because I did say that I had TWO choices… instead of the silver lined clear glass beads that most of you favored, I went with the multi colored irridescent beads.  As always, time will tell.  Instead of using the crochet hook method, I prestrung the 275 beads, interspersed along the first skein.  I was thinking portability.  After downloading the pattern, it became obvious that this was not one of those portable, take to the knit group and chat kind of projects.  Not for me.  This takes concentration.  For those of you who haven’t joined, MS3 has become a force of nature.  With nearly 4000 participants  worldwide, all knitting this project at once, we must be one of the largest single knitalongs ever.  EVER!  That’s a whole lot of energy being expended. While I knit, I am aware that at the same moment, someone else, somewhere, is knitting the pattern with me, counting the stitches, placing a bead.  I love that. 

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    I’ve gotten so far behind on my posting that Walk with Me Wednesday will probably be Saturday and on and on and on….

    16 responses to “Clue 1, the first 100 rows”

    1. Cheryl

      I still haven’t cast on yet! I can’t seem to find a minute to get over to the bead store and choose some beads. At this rate I’ll never catch up.

    2. Carole

      It looks great so far.

    3. Janine

      It’s looking lovely!
      Never mind 4000, since the Yarn Harlot mentioned it on her blog there has been an explosion of signup’s. The last number I saw was over 5500!

    4. Marianne

      It looks very good so far ! You had more courage than I had in coosing a color 🙂
      I also feel it’s very special to be knitting something that so many others are knitting at the same time !
      I had to do some tinking too ;-0

    5. Carrie

      Oh boy, yours is beautiful! I haven’t started mine yet – I was trying to finish a shawl for a friend who’s ill, and I blocked it last night. Now I’m only 200 rows behind the rest of you… 😉
      Your yarn is amazing.

    6. Manise

      I thought you had fallen off the face of the earth! Glad you’re back. The stole looks really nice. I actually prefer the irridescent beads- they sparkle more giving the stole more depth of color. Looking forward to how the next section knits up.

    7. julia fc

      Beautiful. I too found myself tinking bits here and there. It’s not a lace beginner’s pattern for sure, there’s a lot of places one could easily get lost.

    8. Kim

      It was great seeing you Wednesday and that shawl is even prettier in person! I think I am going to enjoy this shawl vicariously thru all of you knitters 🙂

    9. Carol

      That’s beautiful! I’ll walk with you any day!

    10. Laurie

      Impressive project! You are keeping up nicely.

    11. Karen

      I love the start of your shawl. Purple is my favorite color, and the beads are the right choice IMHO. I didn’t join because I have not done lace other than a bit here and there in dishcloths, etc. and I am cowardly. I don’t know how to read a chart either. I am inspired to learn how before the next mystery along though, so I WILL be prepared. In the meantime, you can bet I will watch your beautiful purple shawl progress. Thank you for sharing.

    12. Ann

      I really like the iridescent beads with your yarn. Just really lovely. And I share your sentiment about the force of this thing. It is kind of fun to think of someone else somewhere knitting the same bit of pattern with you. And if just half of the folks signed up knit this thing… well, that’s still quite a few. Happy weekend!

    13. valerie

      Your bead choice is lovely. I too signed up for MS3, however have decided to spin my own yarn. Needless to say, I haven’t cast on yet either.

    14. Jean E.

      So glad I found your blog! I am thinking about knitting my MS3 in purple also. I have some Schaefer Anne in a beautiful shade. Just need to find some beads!

    15. Fiberjoy

      Though some 5500 people may be knitting the same pattern I doubt there will be any quite like yours. The deep purple is beautiful!

    16. Kathy

      That looks gorgeous, Judy. I still need yarn for MS3, but hope to pick some up this upcoming weekend!

  • MS3

    I’ve signed up for the Mystery Stole 3.  I went back and forth on it, should I, shouldn’t I.  The Spring Things Shawl is on the needles and only up to the first repeat of the first border.  It is a long way from finished.  My knitting time is shared with my spinning time and that with my dyeing time.  I signed up anyway.  The clincher was checking out Melanie’s blog, Pink Lemon Twist.  She has pictures of her stole patterns, including the last two Mystery Stoles.  It took one look at her Hanami Stole to know I wanted to play along.  There are over 3000 other player / knitters.  That’s a lot of knitters making the same thing.  But different. 

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    The yarn choice was easy.  I went into my umm.. shop and chose a merino & silk lace wt. in the colorway Pokeberry.  The instructions call for beads.  (If I wasn’t hooked by her patterns, the beads would have done it, lol.)  I’m thinking a silver lined clear glass E bead.  Nothing too flashy.  My second thought was a plain silver bead.  Since you can’t predict the look of the pattern, it is a hard choice to make.  Anyone else playing? 

    22 responses to “MS3”

    1. anne

      I’m signed up, although I don’t think I’ll be starting right away, as I have two deadline knits that need all the attention I can give them. One of them, though, is Hanami – I’m knitting it for my future sister-in-law for the wedding this summer. It is a gorgeous pattern, which makes me really excited for MS3, once I do get around to starting!

    2. margene

      Good choices! I’ll root from the side lines;-)

    3. Carole

      I signed up the last time and then never cast on so I passed this time. I’ll enjoy watching you go, though!

    4. Katie K

      I’ve signed up and will be using some Knitpicks yarn so I won’t feel I’m investing anything in it financially. Your yarn will make a beautiful stole. Listen up, guys! The MS3 begins Friday, so now’s the time to decide whether or not to join in. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.
      Is it only me that doesn’t get it with the beads? I have always liked bead embroidered cardigans and jewelry, but not beads on lace. Anyway, I look forward to seeing what you do; it’s sure to be beautiful.

    5. Carrie

      I signed up too, but I was hedging my bets and bought less-expensive yarn, on the off-chance that I hate laceweight or something like that. I LOVE the color you’ve chosen, though. My gracious, I have to keep myself out of your shop if I want to be able to afford to feed my son. (I started knitting up the maple leaves socks the other day, using some Lorna’s as a cuff, and I had to rip them because the Lorna’s looked positively DULL AND BORING next to your stuff.)
      I think I would go with the clear silver-lined, but either would be lovely. YAY FRIDAY.

    6. Sneaksleep

      I signed up, but am now having second thoughts just doe to how insanely busy I am. I haven’t even had time to think about buying yarn, much less swatching. And the first clue comes out in two days! I might stay signed up but just not expect myself to actually keep up with everyone else. I just LOVE the color you chose for yours!

    7. elizabeth

      I signed up too and it’ll be my first lace knit with laceweight yarn. I have some Steel Zephyr in my stash and if I can find more of the same dyelot, that’s what I’ll use (sounds like an excuse to buy more yarn, doesn’t it?). I haven’t even THOUGHT about beads and I’ve got to get on it! I’m a little nervous; I hope I don’t stall out on this project!

    8. Cheryl

      I’m in too, although I might be a little behind everyone else. I have a couple of commission pieces that I have to finish in the next two weeks before I can make something for myself.
      But I’m going to be using the same yarn that I used for the Moth, coned alpaca/silk laceweight from Webs.

    9. Beth in STL

      I really like that purple, and the beads you describe are just what I wanted; too bad our bead store didn’t have any.
      I’ve signed up, and I think I just heard my KnitPicks order box hit the receptionist’s desk. I’ve got the alpaca laceweight in Smoke (and a set of Options needles), and I picked up clear blue glass beads over the weekend. I know what I’ll be doing tonight while we’re running errands. I just hope the beads work with the yarn, since I can’t just go to Michael’s and pick out something else.

    10. Marianne

      I signed up too, for the same reasons as you did. Good looking previous projects and the combination with beads.
      I will use a very pale grey cashmere with silverlined beads.
      Your choice is pretty too, I’m looking forward to see how yours turns out !

    11. Wanda

      I signed up last year and never did anything with it. But this year I am quite excited, but I am omitting the beads. I thought I might go for it, but honestly I’m too lazy and reading her special notice about the beads and slowing you down, ehh, I just opted out. It’s not a race, but I do want to finish it and I’m not in the head space to pick up another technique right now.

    12. Kim

      I am so not good at “alongs”, but I do love Melanie’s patterns…very nice! Your yarn will be perfect for it 🙂

    13. Marcy

      Oh, lordy! Pokeberry is seriously beautiful. Wow.

    14. Rossana

      I just signed up tonight, and am very excited about this project. Very curious, too, to see what the FO will look like. See you at the finish line! =)

    15. Ann

      I’m playing too… Your green yarn from last year in still in the running as I’ve found the perfect beads… Pokeberry looks perfect to me. And I’d go with the silver beads, to bring out that hit of white or light gray or light purple or whatever (my monitor is not perfect). Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

    16. Christina

      I’m playing, too, although I’m not starting right away due to a cast on diet.
      I love the yarn you chose. Shop indeed. 😀 Isn’t that just another word for “stash that I sell sometimes”?

    17. Carol

      I didn’t sign up, cause I’m bad at keeping up, although I did order the recommended yarn and just got the beads in the mail today 😉 It’s a beauty for sure and yours will be great with that yarn!

    18. Laurie

      I’m slow, but you’re good. Can’t wait to see what knits up!

    19. Anne

      I refuse to (but I wanna) play. I just can’t devote the time, so I’m happy you picked something purple. 🙂 I think the silver lined beads would be stunning on that yarn.!!

    20. Barbara-Kay

      Thanks for the heads up on MS3 – I signed up, as I have yarn from New Orleans that was waiting for a shawl pattern. Having a ball!

    21. Romi

      I’m playing but I usually lag behind on these things!

    22. Leigh

      Would love to but I’d better not. Too much going on with new loom and an alpaca spinning trade. However, one can never go wrong with purple!

“Our lives are dyed the colors of our imagination.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

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