I Am Thankful for

Thanksgiving was yesterday in the US, the traditional time to gather with family and friends, eat too much, watch football and rest up for all the shopping deals that are only available at an obscenely early hour of Friday morning. And it's also a time to sit down and ponder all the good things going on in life. So, I am thankful for (in no particular order) . . .

My wonderful family including my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, my grandparents and my aunts, uncles, cousins, cousins-in-law and their kids. I live for every chance to see you.

A place to live.

My friends, who support me, tell me what I want to hear, and give me a kick in the ass when I need it.

My "virtual" friends who provide laughs, pictures of the pretties and the opportunity to talk about TV a lot (and Supernatural even more than "a lot".)

My snuggly cats, Luke and Leia, and my silly beta fish, Osiris.

My health.

The men and woman in our armed forces who volunteer to serve this country, making sacrifices I can't imagine. Be safe and come home soon!

My home, from my country, down to my state, hometown to my house. I can't imagine living anywhere else, and I've had the opportunity to consider it.

Knitting. Wool has provided me with the opportunity to be creative, express my love and affection for people in handmade gifts, meet like-minded people in the real world and the virtual.

A job that not only pays the bills and gives me an opportunity to travel the country and visit family and friends, but also allows me to share some family pride. (I work for my mother's company.)

There's ten things off the top of my head that I'm grateful for. There are so many more.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

New Arrivals

Marble wasn't the only new arrival this weekend.



Azula welcomes Orangina and Gothique.



Gothique came with a favorite toy, a glow-in-the-dark Cthulhu mask. After a bit of encouragement from Orangina and Azula, she was persuaded to take it off.



Both Poppets are adjusting well to their new surroundings.

Today, a council of seven came in to consult with Osiris.



They stood in reverence all day. Although they're not saying, I suspect they search for signs in the way Osiris challenges them and swims around. I am left out of their councils.

She's Ba-a-a-a-ack!!

MarbleEars
Originally uploaded by gloamingorchid

Pretty Maids All in a Row

OK, so no maids all in a row, but I got Poppets (and Grim Ratter, who insists on chaperoning the Poppets when they travel)



and I've got gulls.



Our meeting room here in Corpus Christi overlooks the bay, and today was beautiful. I got to see the sun rise over the water.

I like Corpus Christi. This is my third time here. And this is twice now that I've gotten to stay by the water. My speakers and I walked along the bay (don't ask me for a name for I know it not), and I made a friend:



She appears to be a stray. I've started calling her Suss. She followed me and my speaker Thursday night, but disappeared while we ate. Then she came by to say hello yesterday, but got distracted by a couple with a dog. I wish it were possible to take her home with me, as she seems like one of those dogs who would be shy at first, and then such a big sweet heart. But alas. I hope someone takes her in and she finds a good, loving home.

The Visiter

Halloween came early this year. The Kits were on high alert,



peeping around corners to make sure the coast was clear.



The reason for all this watchfulness and caution? We had a visiter.

You May Want to Cover Your Ears

Squeeee!!!! My invite to Ravelry came yesterday. Talk about the promised land! It's such a neat site, and very intuitive. I'm still feeling my way around, but I've got some profile pictures up, joined a few hundred groups, added a couple of projects, and queued a few things. And on days when I'm feeling particularly OCD, I could inventory my stash and my needles. (Hmmm . . . actually, the needle inventory is a good idea. I seldom have a list with me.) Anyhoo, those of you on Ravelry (which I'm assuming is most of the world because I was kind of a late joiner to the cult), my ID is GloamingOrchid, so stop by and say hello, please!

Socks in the Cities KAL



Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock medium weight in County Clare. I started these sometime in August of 2006 and finished 13 October 2007. I'm excited to have these done, as my grandmother's people are from County Clare in Ireland. I'll get a special thrill wearing them on St. Paddy's Day.



Vesper Sock Yarn in a sport/DK weight in Evergreen. I started these 3 July 2007 and finished 14 October 2007. These got to come with me on the Yarn Hop.

Continuing the Green Theme

Four years and one month after being promised for a birthday present, my mother's felted clogs:



(Obligatory before shot. Cat included for scale.)



Sadly, these puppies still have some felting to do. My father's feet fit into them confortably, and my mother keeps making noises about giving them to him. Nuh-uh. No. Nyet. I'll refelt them next weekend. Knitting these drives me slightly insane, and after the guilt of four years, I'm so relieved to have them (almost) finished.

Still Life with Fish, Bag & Yarn

Osiris poses with Piddleloop small project bag with Union Center Knits WhatNot Sport in Yesterday, purchased from Woolgirl.

Drive-by Blogger

All is still gloomy, although the sun did try an appearance earlier today, so all I have today is the current sock-in-progress: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock medium weight in County Clare. I just have the foot to finish and I'll have a pair.

Gloomy Now

Outside it is. All of a sudden it's the harsh reality of fall. Moody and gloomy, chilly and dreary. At least there's not supposed to be any rain for a while. I feel a little cheated. What about the halcyon days of fall, where it's sunny and in the 60s? I actually had to turn the fireplace on last night. I'm hoping to hold out against turning the heat on for a while. Proof it's getting colder outside, here come the hand knit wool socks!



The kits seem to be enjoying the new temperatures. They have been dashing all over the house, cross rooms, on furniture (knocking down unsecured items in their haste), up and down stairs. Leia enjoys jumping into the car when I get home.



Luke has taken to flopping down in dangerous places, like my kitchen rug.



There's really not much room in my kitchen for a rolling cat. This is if he's not attacking the fridge magnets.

Sock of the Day



Twisted Shiney in Filanon. I'm using the Traveling Vine stitch pattern from More Sensational Knitted Socks. Siamese stitch markers from WeeOnes.

Ah, Fall

Today finally feels like fall again! Actually, it took until the afternoon for the sun to shine. I was a little worried there for a couple of days. It's not unusual to have a bout of warm temperatures in autumn, but I wasn't used to the muggy (I kept expecting a plague of locusts). Or the rain. I ended up driving through a mini lake on the way to work Friday. In my defense, it was dark. I offer proof of fall in Minnesota:



This is a tree on my way to work. I love how it looks like it was dipped in paint. For whatever reasons, this year I haven't seen as many brilliant turning of the leaves.

Sock of the Day



Finishing my Zen Yarn Garden theme, I present my bamboo/merino/nylon blend in Sunny Orchid. I'm using the Undulating Rib pattern, which, sadly, tends to drive me a little batty. I really like the way it looks, but I wish I had played with it a little more. Maybe on the foot. Someday, I will get to the foot.

Socks in the Cities KAL

I finished 2 pairs of socks this weekend. (Total for the week is 3 pairs.)



First up Fearless Fibers Superwash Sport Merino Wool in October. Started these 5 July and finished 6 October. These socks . . . well, I didn't expect them to stripe, for some reason. And some moments I love the colors, and others I don't know what I was thinking.



Next up: Simply Stockinette socks (pattern from Knit Socks) in Cascade 220 #9411 Olympic Rainforest Heather and #9445 Autum Heather for the heels and toes. Started 26 December 2005 and finished 7 October 2007. Well, at least it didn't take two years. The second sock gave me fits. I had to rip back in two different places because I didn't take decent notes on the first sock. Made the toes a little wider than the pattern called for due to forgetting to decrease when I should have and being too lazy to rip back. (Easy to make those sort of decisions on the first sock.)



No post is complete without a picture of my cats.

And the Week Goes On

Sock of the Day:



Zen Yarn Garden sportweight in Blueberry Swirl colorway. I'm using a stitch patten called Mist Drops. I found in the Barbara Walker guides (vol. 2, I think.) This pattern will take some tweaking on the foot. The current patten makes a bobble on the wrong side, which I think I can live with on the leg of a sock, but not on the foot.

Socks in the Cities KAL:



I finished the Fiesta Yarns Boomerang Rainforest socks. I am pleased.

The kits came and snuggled on my while I was knitting and watching TV last night.

Lunchtime Posting

Progress on the 1st sock of the Socks in the Cities KAL isn't a heck of a lot. I finished the heel flap (after having to rip out 12 rows because I forgot I was doing a garter stitch border), turned the heel, and I'm now starting the gusset decreases.



As I have so many socks started, and I probably won't finish most of them during the month, I'm starting a Sock of the Day feature. (Just so I can amuse myself really. If you want to be amused, you can count how many socks I post during the month, and then have me committed.)



I present to you Interesting Path, in Zen Yarn Garden's Toreador colorway from the Art Walk Sock Yarn Club. The yarn in a merion/bamboo/nylon blend. I love it. I'm quite proud of myself for tweaking an estabilshed stitch pattern (Winding Trail) and having it turn out really well.

Luke ended up on top of the fridge this morning.



I got tired of him attacking the magnets on the lower reaches of the fridge. He managed to amuse himself with a bit of ribbon from Woolgirl. (She wraps all your yarn in tissue paper and a slim ribbon. The cats love both.)
Leia was amused.

Catch Up (Again)

First up, Movie Socks:



Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Heavy Weight in Harlotty. Knitted from the cuff on down at Death at a Funeral. (Which was hysterical.)



Twisted Kabam in Ankh. Knitted from the gusset at 3:10 to Yuma. A great, tense cowboy movie. And both these movies had Alan Tudyk. I am such a fangirl!

Next up, a finished sock:



That's my Knittery 8-ply merino in Moonlight. I love the way the reversed linen stitch heel flap turned out. I love the colors.

Odds 'n' Ends:

I made my seventh order at Woolgirl, and as a result, I got swag:



I was not expecting so much stuff! This is one of the reasons why Woolgirl is one of my all time favorite virtual yarn stores.

I've also joined the Socks in the Cities Knit-Along. I'm hoping to finish a few more socks this month. First in line:



Fiesta Yarns Boomerang in Rainforest. The second sock is ready for its heel flap. With a little luck, this pair will be finished by the end of the week.

And finally, because they are just so cute, Luke and Leia:





Told ya they were cute.

Always Playing Catch Up

I never seem to blog as much as I'd like. I'm winding down from the annual family vacation week. There was some drama before I left. Osiris's bowl got a crack, just as I was leaving the office Friday. It wasn't leaking water, but I couldn't just go and leave for a week. I had visions of his home giving way, and he'd be flushed out on my desk, flopping and eventually . . . . I couldn't do it. So I ran to the pet store and got him this:



I know it doesn't look it in the picture, but it's huge! He really likes it, though.

To make up for the fishy adventure, look what was waiting for me when I got home that Friday:



Piddleloop swag. Just in time for the trip. (Foolishly, I haven't taken any pictures of the yarn in this bag, yet. Don't be shocked, but it's a sock.)

Our Lake week went by fast. A friend came up from Chicago to visit. The family is doing well and all my little cousins are adorable.

Got back last Saturday and saw the Bourne Ulitmatum on the Sunday. There was some sock knitting.


The Knittery Merino 4-ply yarn in Moonlight purchased from WoolGirl

And somewhere in the blur of this summer, I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, where I knit on this:



That'd be Fearless Fibers in the October colorway.

Summertime

I keep meaning to blog, but I don't. So now it's catch up time.

What I've been doing on my (non-)summer vacation.

Well, there's been some knitting, obviously.


My basic socks in CiderMoon Glacier in Silver Pine.


More basic socks, this time in Mountain Colors Mountain Goat in Painted Rocks.


I finished my charity knitting for The Loopy Ewe's Second Quarter Loopy Challenge.

I actually took a knitting class at The Yarney for Cookie A's Knitty lace sock patterns. I missed the first lesson, but I really enjoyed the other two. Shelly was the teacher and you can see my Baudelaire as a baby. (Over on the right, bluish-grey with the witch stitch markers from ZenKnit.)

I did take a mini summer vacation over the Fourth of July. The house was loaded with pets.



Luke and Leia, obviously.


Marble has also been visiting while my parents are out of town.


Even Osiris paid a visit over the holiday weekend. He's catching up with his friend Little Red Poppet.


Osiris even had the pleasure of posing with a fishy-themed small projects bag from Piddleloop.

I've also been going to the movies. I've discovered the joy of movie knitting. Now, if I'd only stop starting a new sock for each movie.

Live Free or Die Hard in Twisted Kabam! in Ankh.


Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (or whatever that third one was). Yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Supersock DK in African Grey.


Transformers with Vesper Sock Yarn in Evergreen (bag by Piddleloop).

Finally, my Poppets just wanted to make an appearance.