Smatterings

  • Almost ready

    Before coffee..

    waiting for coffee to brew..

    first cup..

    Let the games begin!

    2 responses to “Almost ready”

    1. Manise

      Quite the sight of your skein winders in furious motion. Can’t wait to see you tomorrow! Cool mug btw.

    2. Melissa G

      Pretty blue.

  • Lady Bertram Shawlette

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    Thank you Wendy!  I loved knitting Lady Bertram.  This is the second of Wendy Johnson's shawl patterns that I have knit.  One right after the other.  Both were quick to knit from fingering wt. yarns, fun and easy.  They'd be great gifts.  I carried them to meetings with me and worked on them through my favorite TV shows. 

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    I was excited when I saw that Wendy, the first knit blogger I ever read, was writing shawl patterns.  I've admired her work for years.  If you didn't read her blog back in her fair isle days, let me tell you that she was definitely the 'Queen of Steek'.  Such courage.  I could hardly wait to read her entries every morning. 

    Miss BertramRaveled here and her sister shawlette, Miss Woodhouse, will accompany me to the CT Sheep & Wool Festival this Saturday.  She'll be representing Ball and Skein's Sophia, not on the website yet.  All of the newer yarn bases will be offered at the shows only until the end of May.  I think I need two of me.  I've been going non-stop for a couple months now and there is still much to do.  So much for that.. coffee, coffee, wine and listening to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (I never thought I would admit to enjoying it SO much), while I work.  But honestly… it is an awful lot of fun!

    13 responses to “Lady Bertram Shawlette”

    1. I’ll see you in Connecticut – yay!

    2. Very, very, pretty! Love the color.

    3. That is lovely. Gorgeous color!

    4. That’s a beautiful shawl!

    5. Manise

      Oooh very pretty! Can’t wait to see them both on Saturday!

    6. Manise

      Oh, would you bring Onerva too? I’d love to see her in the flesh!

    7. Beautiful! Think I might have to purchase both of Wendy’s patterns!!

    8. Looking forward to seeing you!

    9. I was eyeing that beauty. I’m liking the Wool Peddlar variations. You did Onerva too? (I’m probably just not remembering. I’ll go back and look.) See you Saturday!

    10. Love the Shawlette! Can’t wait to see it. Will you be at NH Sheep & Wool?

    11. Melissa G

      They both are beautiful! I’ve recently been admiring Wendy’s shawls.

    12. So Beautiful!
      Have a great time this weekend!

    13. Absolutely gorgeous!

  • they are coming!!

    Whew!  The days have been racing by.  Between the longer daylight hours, and the incredibly unusual weather (and flooding) that New England has experienced the past couple weeks, I've let this post slip. 

    IT"S TIME!!!  GET YOUR FEEDERS OUT!

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    I checked this against last year's map and it looks like they are about 10 days early.  If you are interested, compare them yourself for your area.  I generally figure that they get to me around the first week in May.  Last year I spotted one a week earlier.

    Just in case you've forgotten the recipe for hummingbird nectar or are new to this and thinking that you'd like to set up a feeder, here goes:

    Bring to a boil: (I do this in a glass measuring cup in the microwave)

    1 cup water
    1/4 cup sugar

    NO fake coloring. 

    That's all there is to it.  Easy, huh? 

    Speaking of birds.. Last Sunday, Chris and I headed to the beach with our dinner.  Afterward, while C snoozed and read the paper, I took a second walk.  A bit down the beach, I spotted a couple kids throwing rocks at a seagull and yelling for it to drop the starfish.  I ran for my camera.  

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    12 responses to “they are coming!!”

    1. Yes, NO FAKE COLORING! Why don’t people “get” that? Sigh.
      I believe I had one a week early last year, too. Usually they arrive on Mother’s Day.

    2. Manise

      Hurray! Time to get the planters out for the deck. I may try a feeder this year if DH doesn’t have a fit and claim we’ll be inundated with ants.

    3. Pete and I were just talking about it on Easter after we checked the map. They are going up this week. Spring is coming!

    4. I was just telling Dale that I thought we should get the feeders ready, what with all this warm weather. Yippee!

    5. holy cannoli that’s early… I will get mine out. Thanks for the reminder as always!

    6. Mine’s been out for a week. Haven’t seen one yet.

    7. Melissa G

      My DH and Manise’s have that in common, though the feeder is my daughter’s.

    8. They are following the blooms, and the warm weather is making everything pop!
      I can always count on you to remind me to set up the feeders, thanks!
      And hey, Manise! You can drip a drop of mineral oil on the feeder hanger to discourage the ants, works well for me!

    9. Rhonda from Baddeck

      Spring has arrived about 10 days early here in SE Michigan – the magnolias are usually in bloom on April 15, but they’re already in full flower. Each day without s**w increases our odds of a long, gentle spring — something we haven’t seen for a while. We had a few hummingbirds in our lilac bush last year – maybe they’ll come back.

    10. Oh! Oh! Must dig out the feeder!
      Thanks for the reminder!

    11. this is our third year counting on your post to remind us! it is our family tradition 🙂 thanks!

    12. Thanks for the reminder. Gotta get that feeder out – and some oranges for the orioles.

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

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