Free for the Picking

I forget that although picking blackberries is free in the northwest, it is not without hazard and consequence.


Stinging Nettles


Thorny thickets


Scratches, scrapes and wet pants


Next year I am bringing a machete.

I took all three dogs and they had a wonderful time smelling smells and playing in the creek. We only frightened (briefly) one man with a small dog all day which is remarkable. All three of my dogs are mild mannered and sweet but we look scary from afar and it is nearly impossible to walk all three on leash by myself.
We go to off leash areas and out of the way spots but inevitably encounter others.


Pedro is growing into a very well behaved little dog. He stayed very close to me and always came when called, a relatively new phenomenon for this high spirited American Staffordshire Terrier puppy.

Tempest (who is 12 and is surviving Cancer, Hypothyroidism, Arthritis and a host of other health issues) was a trooper. She bush wacked through blackberry brambles more slowly that the rest of us but alway emerged from the thicket wearing a grin. She especially delighted in laying in the cool creek and drinking.

All three of them were exhausted when we got home which was reward enough.





And then there was jam.......with lavender.

Lost Camera

We went to a wedding on the Olympic Penninsula this weekend and hubby lost our digital camera. I didn't get a lot of knitting done anyway but we had some fabulous photos of the wedding and long lost friends from college and us all dolled up and...oh well..all lost.
I will need to replace my camera with a much cheaper version of itself. Until then, I shall knit and read your blogs with longing in my heart to participate.
I did finish book 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and had mixed feeling about the ending, especially the epilogue, seemed pretty cheesy. What did you think?

Eye Candy Friday

This WIP was inspired by this over at Brooklyn Tweed.
I already had some Noro silk garden in the stash and really needed an easy project after the dreaded skull sock.

Pirate Sock Disaster...Aaaarrrr!

After happily passing the heel and decreasing the gusset, I decided to slip the pirate sock on to see how it looked...so excited.....aaaah not going on...in a panic I reasoned...? maybe it was the long runs of white yarn on the inside just were not stretchy enough so ...I ....cut...them....This obviously didn't do anything to make the sock bigger, it just made the whole situation more hopeless and sad.



So, so sad, we had dinner with the neighbors last night and I knit a headband from leftover STR sock yarn to wear over my ears when I bike to work on chilly mornings. It fits but is really better as a hair scrunchy. It was also too small so I increased giving it that potato chip scarf effect.
I just had to make something after the disappointment, the crushing defeat that is my pirate sock.


Morgan again, helpfully suggested that I take a short break from knitting. This only served to make me more determined and angry at myself for not trying the sock on earlier. I have used this yarn with these needles and didn't think it would be a issue...oh well. please try your socks on everyone.

Pirate Socks for Morgan

Pattern: Basic top down sock with skull chart adapted from Hello Yarn, 'We Call them Pirates'.
Yarn: Shibui sock yarn in Ink and Dogwood.
Needles: Knit Picks 2.25 mm