Finally, the weather was SO beautiful that the sock and I went on a real trek.  I took the sock along to just about my favorite spot, of all spots, the rocks of Sachuest Point.  I’ve been walking these rock cliffs for many (many) years, long before it became a wildlife preserve.  It was, as much of this country’s coastal property once was, a military site.  Bunkers, like mole hills dotted the landscape.  It was a great place to explore.  The gun turrets have washed away in one hurricane or another and if there had been a lookout, it too has been gone for longer than I’ve known this place.  Back then, The land, the rock cliffs, the heath and the stone beaches were unlike anything I’d ever seen elsewhere.  I fell in love with this place.  Through the years, I’ve snorkeled off the rocks for mussels, sunbathed high up on the ledges, hiked the trails, and best of all.. searched for rocks.  I’ve never left without a ‘new’ rock or two or as many as my pockets can hold.   Some people do shells, I do rocks. 

 

Then we walked though this..

The smell of a whole field of blooming milkweed is overwhelming, lilac and jasmine. 

On the way home, the sock and I stopped at one last place.  The prettiest yarn shop I know.  I needed a needle, it was on the way, sort of.

The sock and I haven’t had many adventures together.  Yesterday, because the sock doesn’t get out much and we could, we went to see the water.  We sat on the boat, I knitted a bit, and off we went.  Not much to it really.  The sock felt better.  So did I.

Then we went to do errands.  I found this button (not part of the errands).  Amazing, no?  I’ll have to plan a project around the button.  The tag says it’s rock, the sales person said ‘rock’.  Sure looks like wood to me.  Guess I’d better bite it.

After all the excitement, we hit the Dollar Store in search of hair combs.  You know, the kind that holds your hair back??  No where! They are really hard to find.  Anyway, a quick run a round the store yielded some great finds.  Three new net bags for washing fleece.  A 10 pack of emory boards (that should restock each knitting bag and have some left over).  They are great for sharpening split and broken needles as well as ragged nails.  And, finally… chipotle stuffed olives, holy smokes!  Not bad, for a buck a piece.

NO time has been wasted.  Yesterday was too wet to keep washing fleece, but it was perfect for carding and spinning.  On the Schacht, I had a couple of bobbins worth of "Bess" waiting for plying and a few more balls of carded wool ready to finish up.  Done.*

I have one over filled pillow case of the carded Montadale.  I have test spun and plied a bit.  Very nice, but I am terribly disappointed in the never ending slubs that keep appearing.  I went through it and took everything that I could see as a second cut, but there they keep popping up, little bitty balls.   I’d thought that perhaps most could be removed as I plied, and many can.  Guess I’ll just have to use it as a design element.  It’s a slightly slubby yarn, I’ll plan to enjoy the effect. 

I’m still having trouble with Typepad.  My comments are not coming to my mailbox.  It makes answering questions difficult.  Sorry.  Here goes…

I do not know the name of the orchid.  It looks like a spider orchid.  The tag that came with it, and I’ve had it for a couple years, said only Intergeneric Orchid.  This means it’s a crossbreed, and probably they don’t know either.  Unusual though, huh? 

Here are a couple more that are in bloom now. 

* "Bess" is far from spun.  I have about 8 lbs of washed uncarded Bess in a bag, waiting.