Snowy Days.

Last weekend, a warm breeze blew in from the south and Minnesota had a nice thaw-out.  Look at that - water on the lake.

Don't let that kid you, though.  There is still at least 2 feet of solid ice under that water.  This early taste of spring was the calm before, yet another, Minnesota blizzard.  Gobs of snow and howling winds kept us home for most of two days.

A little snow and cold didn't stop the boys from grabbing their airsoft rifles and heading out the door to play 'army'.

I stayed safe and warm inside trying to clean out my yarn container that is an entire den.  I took pictures, but I'm really too embarrassed to show you that in some areas of my life, I am - a hoarder.

I also managed to finally put an end to these forever toe-up stockings.  These are Belle's "Lagoona Blue" socks in Knit Picks Felici; colorway "Marine Life" on a US 1.5 or 2.5 mm needles.  Snore.  Took forever.

They turned out pretty darn cute, though.  She ever wore them to school today, sweet thing.

Hibernation

Happy Shoveling!

March Sweater Madness anyone?

If you're itching to knit a sweater, The Sweet Sheep shop is itching to start the nest March Sweater Madness.  Check it out.

My Super Model

Hi folks,

My darling little niece is modeling the Baby Cable Yoke Sweater  that I knit for her and gave for Christmas.  (here is the Ravelry link)

Isn't she yummy? And look at the fabulous owl hat on her head!  I wish I could claim that little ditty as one of my own creations, but my crochet skills aren't quite there . . . yet. 

There is a better picture of the hat for those of you who are dusting off your crochet needles.  If you figure this pattern out, would you ever share it with me? 

Sissy also sent me an iPhone photo of the legwarmers in action.  She promises to send better pics, but I think you can see that I made them a tad too long.  She still sports them well, in any case. 

And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to download some Flashdance songs and clean my kitchen. 

Love to all!

Fun for me.

What a weekend.   I spent a true Minnesota weekend at a good old hockey tournament.   I know some of you are smirking - Rani?  Rani of Raniknits?  Have you become a full-fledged hockey mom?

Yes.

Yes I have.  And I'm having a marvelous time.

Remember the puff balls from hell?  I managed (barely) to finish enough for the moms.  

The ladies shakin' their pompoms.

Here we have a shot of beautiful Lake Mille Lacs  (pronounced Mill - ACKS).  And we usually don't say "lake" Mille Lacs.  Just Mille Lacs, thank you very much.  It's a famous fishing lake and pretty damn big, too. 

my god, why do we live here?

 
That's an ice road heading out to the hot spots or temporary fishing "villages" that spring up each winter.  You can also use the ice roads for shortcuts across the lake - we can do this on Minnetonka, too if you've got 4-wheel drive and nerves of steel.

Next we have a water tower in the shape of a fishing bobber.

And finally, a very jubilant bunch of hockey players showing off their 5th place consolation trophy to an equally proud and pandamonious crowd of about 11 parents.

Good times, good times.

 My kid is the cute one.  You know - number 11. 

See Grandma?  We won! WE WON!

An eventful game in which Lunker is sent to the penalty box for the first time; a right of passage, so to speak, in the game of hockey.


 I know I know.  You're thinking, "Hey, fun for you.  Boring for me."  So here's the finish.  Airing out the stinking hockey bag and you-know-who crawls in for a nice afternoon nap.

She's sort of camouflaged.

Of course, there is the knitting.  Always the knitting.  The second knee-high is languishing with a high fever and a severe case of Second Sock Syndrome (did Yarn Harlot coin that phrase?).  But my sweet little sweater is moving along.

Happy February.  The Chickadees are singing their spring song! WHIIPEEEEE!

Puff Ball Hell

Somewhere between philanthropy and insanity, I decided to make and donate 15 pairs of "spirit fingers" to my son's hockey team moms.  If you don't know what spirit fingers are, here's the scoop.  You take cheapo gloves and attach pom poms to the ends of the finger in your school colors.   Yeah me.  Fun idea.

The Concrete-Sequential person in me would have calculated yardage and pom pom amounts before deciding to take on the task.

The Abstract-Random person in me, although creative and fun, began pumping out puff balls at an astonishing rate.  Then there was the oops-I-ran-out-of-yarn moment, another trip to the nearest craft store and four more skeins of yarn.  I was at 70 puffs.  Should be close.  Let's do the math. . .

15 pair = 30 gloves

30 x 5 = 150 puff balls needed

Crap.

Better news, I finished ONE knee up sock. 


The puppy ate my Addi Turbo knitting needles (I know - my fault) and tore up the yarn balls.  I had to get out the good old wooden double points to finish, but finish I did.  I only have about an inch on the second sock to finish, but it's taken a back seat to pom pom mania.

Oh, and she chewed up my phone charger, too.  

Have a great weekend!!

Oh, hey there.

Turkeys by the feeder.  Kind of ugly.

I have been awfully quiet on the blogosphere lately.  Like all of us, life gets busy and one has to prioritize.  Of course, this little lady takes the cake.

If anyone out there is thinking about having a baby . . . or another one.  Borrow a puppy for a few days.  You'll get over it.

All is forgiven.  Stella was innocent; she didn't leave the bathroom door open. Of course she'd shred an entire roll of toilet paper.  Wouldn't you?

Momma loves you.

And there has been a wee bit of knitting.  I finished my niece's leg warmers.  They might be too tight and too long, but they're done and so am I.

Knit Picks Felici is soft, but I'm worried a bit about slouchy stretch happenin'.  Love the colors, though.



The other Knit Picks Felici is still being processed into the longest pair of stockings on the planet.  If I don't get them done soon, they will no longer fit my daughter.  And yes, I have been knitting two socks on one pair of addi turbo needles (really, is there any other way?) that have been, by the way, slightly chewed on by Stella Blue and tend to snag the yarn here and there.

I have also been baking.  See?

I read The Help and in it, the author mentions southern caramel cake several times.  I have not rested until I found a version I like.  Here is the link.  The cake is a bit eggy, so I might find a different yellow cake recipe, but the frosting is TO DIE FOR.


Finally, my middle kid, who started skating about a year and a half ago, scored his first goal.  I was poised with the camera throughout the game and managed to ruin the shot because I was screaming and yelling like an idiot.  That blurry white guy is my kid.  (and yes Guinifer, that's EP he scored against mwoo ha ha haaaaaa.  But did Tonka beat EP?  Oh, well.  That's not really important and I can't remember anyway ;-)