Meet Marigold

The doll I made for the Earth Day silent auction fundraiser at Z's school. She came out perfectly. The bad news. The boys and I have fallen in love with her. I guess I will just have to make another girl doll for around here. Someone for Pokey to hang out with I guess.

Matzah? Here have mine...

And here is my favorite food made from matzah (I think) Fasta-than-Pasta Matzoh Farfel Bake (we call it Matzah Pasta around here for the sake of brevity)

Z likes it.

Missing my mojo + Passover

Still life with Matzo (and some toddler detritus)

Ah Passover. Starting whenever DH can help take the kids off my hands on Sunday, I will be working like a madwoman to prepare our house for Passover. I admit that we aren't all that good about kashrut during the rest of the year. We eat out and even occasionally bring food in (although we don't eat it on our regular dishes), but we are extra strict during Passover. We (OK I) clean the house and especially the kitchen top to bottom, change out all the dishes, pots, flatware, appliances to our Passover versions (stored in boxes in the garage throughout the year) But this year I am so unprepared. Sure, I have my shopping done (all but produce which is another Sunday outing to the Farmer's market) but I have done no cleaning, I've not really made menus, (although I have some from years past that I will rely heavily on) I've not even taken the boxes out of storage yet. So I guess I'm going to be stuck doing it all on Sunday/Monday day before 1st seder Monday night. It just feels pointless to start the cleaning when I can't completely enforce the no eating in the rest of the house rule because the toddler who shall remain nameless has ways... if you know what I mean. So best to remove all offending food from the house at once rather then having to repeat the work. So I'm working on making sure that laundry and ironing and other things that are not holiday cleaning related get done.

Which brings me back to my mojo. I don't know if it is that I am tired and burned out from lack of me time or just the weight of impending work holding me down, or my concerns about Z and school (which I may or may not mention another time), but I am having the most difficult time accomplishing any creative work at all. I haven't even made progress on my sock that is remaining. I forced myself through 10 rows of a 20 row repeat on the lace pattern the other day and there was no pleasure in it. When I realized it was a chore I put it away. No sense in working on an enjoyable diversion that I'm not enjoying.

I really am feeling the call of my sewing machine and also hand sewing, but I'm overwhelmed by the task. I don't have much confidence in my skills, although I know the right way most times, I don't have the skills in my hands to accomplish what I want to do. I have a bit of embroidery that I finished a while ago (A challah cover) that I haven't backed because I am stumped on how to proceed. I feel paralyzed by it. I even bought a beautiful batik to back it with, but I can't figure out how I want to attach it. Should I do a light batting? Use a binding? Fringe? Some other edging? Here's a picture of the work with the backing fabric to the side:

Anyway, I'm open to suggestions if anyone has any.

I have been out in the garden trying to make things grow and worked hard to get a vegetable garden going this past Sunday. I love watching it grow, but I have no real idea what I'm diong and I fear I'm taking out my inexperience on poor defenseless plants. LOL

Skipping Stones

Or at least trying. Sometimes it is hard to believe he is already 6 and not tiny anymore. He made cornbread by himself yesterday (from a mix, but still...) ::sigh::

Remember the Sock Bandit?

He has moved on to new territory (Must be the dearth of socks being actively knitted around here) Today he hit this:



Our lovely chocolate banana cake. And no, the bananas do not make it healthy. He was washing potatoes at the sink and I had turned around to cut the potatoes at the island when I hear mumbling through eating. And I knew...

Here is the guilty party -

Sleeper

Look who was way too tired to skip his nap this afternoon. I just wish he had taken it when I tried to get him down 2 1/2 hours before. A nap right before dinner screws up bedtime everytime. But it does make for an adorable photo!

Spring is Coming

And so our seasonal table evolves. I've moved the main table to the entryway since B is starting to enjoy it as well. I realized that my Mother Earth tends to look like a doll version of me, which was totally unintended, but I suppose apropos? I find it fitting, therefore, that I'm not crazy about how she looks. I like her moss stitch shawl though...



I love this little dandelion flower child. Finally I found a good use for that heinous yellow yarn. :)

Z didn't want to totally lose a seasonal table from his room though, so I have a smaller one still in there.

My little menace

Here I am subjecting you to cell phone pictures again, but it is all I had on me right before I had to run to spot B before he got any higher. He can climb this whole thing by himself, but he likes me to be there to spot him for the last few rungs before the platform. I like me to be there for that too. ::gulp::

The time change has been kicking my butt, plus there is the added bonus of DH going through a particularly vicious allergic reaction that has left him itchy over the whole of his body and ready to completely lose it, especially since nothing seems to be easing the itch. Yesterday he finally got a prescription for something that, while it knocked him out for the entire day, seems to have eased the itch and accompanying freak out quite a bit. I don't suppose it hurts that the allergy medicine also has an anti-anxiety component... It is better then him keeping me up all night like the couple of itchy nights prior.

I have some nature table goodies that I have made (just some flower children) but I just haven't gotten around to taking photos of them yet. Soon...

A little bit of everything

Yesterday, King Z and his trusty squire B outfitted themselves to head out among the people. Of course, B's costume lasted about the amount of time from the moment he brought the playsilks to me to be tied on and then about 1 picture after I ran for the camera. He is 2 after all...



Today, all is not as lovely in the kingdom. Z is home from school with a tummy bug, the 3rd to hit the house in a week. I have had my fill of cleaning up middle of the night... well, you know.

As for knitting, good progress is being made on the Waving Lace socks, which I have apparently completely lifted from She Knits Shizknits. Just remember, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!



And then there is the Cable Rib sock for DS.



I am very concerned that I will not have enough yarn for sock #2, and yet I don't know what to do about that. Usually I have plenty of yarn for a pair of socks from a 50g ball for him, but this pattern is using up more then I usually use for him. I can't decide whether I should rip it out or just press on and hope for the best. Logically, I say rip it out, but I can't seem to bring myself to do it yet, so they sit untouched. I've considered purchasing a coordinating solid to do the toes in. but I honestly don't know if that will buy me enough yarn to bother with.

And last, since I'm stealing from Shizknits anyway today, I'll borrow her Love Thursday to add some of the things I am loving this Thursday:

-The Cassingle for I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) When this showed up on How I Met Your Mother last week, I laughed until I cried because that very same cassingle is basically stuck in my tape player in the car. Because the minute we get in both boys are begging me to turn it on and repeat it over and over until I insist on at least taking the repeat off so that it can flip over to Better Days on the other side. And Marshall is right, it does come around again. Oh, and did I mention I'm Gonna Be is my ringtone...

- On a related note, B singing along at the top of his lungs to the Da da da parts of I'm Gonna Be.

- tomatoes on toast and a latte from my trusty espresso maker in my Bluth Company mug. Thanks hon!



- B running around the house holding the newest root baby in his hand and occasionally stopping to give it a kiss.

- Z and I working our way through the latest Little House book (On the Banks of plum Creek) although he is reading on ahead of me. At least he still wants to read it with me too.

- I almost forgot - the Spring Knitty!

Happy 2nd Birthday B!

Our friends invited us over to share B's birthday with them today since DH wasn't able to be here and, as always happens, I brought my camera, but completely forgot about it and so I have no photographic evidence of cake and celebration. But it was there. Honest! :)

We'll have a bigger celebration later in the week when Daddy can share it with us, but today B got a couple of little presents, a giant spillproof bubble dispenser and some equally giant sidewalk chalk. They were met with much pleasure and immediate play as you can see.

I can't believe my tiny little 10 1/2lb newborn has become this almost 40lb toddler who runs and talks and can be silly and immensely strong willed and dearly loves "The Tale of the Little Little Old Woman." Who announces "Fi Tuck" with every siren he hears, and he can hear them from quite a ways. Who will gladly stay in the alley for 40 minutes while the garbage truck makes his rounds up and down the alley twice without ever losing interest. Who tries to do every single thing his brother does like a little shadow. Who can sing BNL songs so that I can recognize them! And who visits every single plant every morning and tenderly touches their leaves to say hello and who would be devastated to not wish the worms in the composter a good morning.

I love you B.

Soccer and Purim

Ez had his 1st soccer game today. All in all, I'd say it was a wash. I think I may keep him away from about half of the games (after I talk with DH of course). Even though the Spring season is supposed to be completely pressure free - not even specific team jerseys or numbers and especially no scoring - the parents are still a bit nuts. Screaming their heads off at 6 year olds to score, including at Z by name! Z was all upset and close to tears much of the time because it was all too much. I like the practice time, much more laid back and gives a taste of team play without the pressure, but the games are too much and no one (read coaches or officials) said word one to the parents. All in all, it wasn't worth being late to the local synagogue's Purim Carnival for.

And these are the Shaloch Manos baskets we got this year. Well after they had been heavily raided that is! But I wanted to get a shot of them before they were all gone for posterity and to say a public thanks to those who gave them to us. Thanks!

So I've been gone a few days

But to be fair, I was flattened by the stomach flu. Oh man, I was really tired Wednesday night and so I went to bed early and by Thursday I felt like I had been hit by a truck. But my DH had pity on me and took over with the boys and let me go to bed early and by Friday I felt like a new woman.

Thursday night Z had his 1st soccer practice and got his uniform. So far his favorite thing seems to be running full tilt and then flopping on the ground flat on his back. Here's him in his uniform:



And in the interest of equal time a profile of B - the very tough to get shot on a toddler!



Speaking of B, the sock bandit hit again. Apparently, a tired just getting over being sick mom isn't paying much attention and forgets to put the knitting up high. Serves me right. So I had to put this back on needles this morning. *sigh* I can't say that I wasn't warned though.

Back to the needles

I took a break after the trellis scarf was finished and B attacked my cable rib sock. I just didn't have the heart to face it again after have gotten the stitches back on already once. So I started work on a new doll for the nature table - Mother Nature:

She isn't quite finished yet. She still needs her mobcap, although I can't find the material I cut out for it. So I just did what I could. I'm also planning on replacing the apron when I find a more suitable fabric. I just cut out a small square from a ruined pair of khakis as a placeholder apron. And of course she has auburn hair because Dh was opposed to her having grey hair since he pictures mother nature as younger and more like a mom and less like a grandmother. Fair enough. Now I just need to make the root children and we can set up the early spring nature table.

Sock of doom

And that was enough time away from the knitting to reinvigorate me to face the sock of doom. I got it back on needles, but the row that I saved has a few glitches in it that I couldn't seem to fix, so I just sucked it up to learning curve. I finished another repeat of the cable pattern and then moved on to do a repeat of the lace pattern on these:

And, because he saw me taking other pictures, B needed to get in on the picture taking action. He ran into the room and plastered on his "I'm taking a picture now" smile. And how could I refuse this:

The Architect and his creation

Here is his magnum opus. At least from this weekend.





And here is the artist himself. Surly and all. LOL

True Crime Story

The Victim



A Cabled sock on size 1 needles with just turned heel and a few rounds of decreases done. Attacked twice in two days.

The Repeat Offender



B "The Hands" Woolfairy.

Known Aliases: "The Baby"; "Fingers"

M.O.: Finding the knitting basket no matter how high and pulling the needles out so he can put the sock around his wrist.

Authorities have warned all sock knitters in the vicinity to place their active knitting in a place unreachable by this sock grabber. No, not there, higher. Trust me.

King Cake and Mardi Gras

For many years of my growing up life (2nd-10th grade) I lived in the suburbs of New Orleans. I went to school either in New Orleans or at the border of it for much of that time. And so, even though I no longer observe Ash Wednesday or Lent or Easter (since I am now Jewish), I do at least acknowledge Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras never seemed like a religious festival. Well, how can weeks of parades with people on floats tossing beads, doubloons, plastic cups and trinkets really be considered religious? LOL I can't really celebrate that part of it with just our small household though.

Anyway, each Friday in the 3 weeks to a month preceding Mardi Gras, we would have a King Cake party in school. Whoever got the baby was required to bring in the cake for the next week. In all those years, I don't believe I ever had a homemade king cake. They were ubiquitous in the New Orleans area. Most of the time we would mostly get either grocery store cakes or McKenzie's, occasionally Gambino's, and rarely we would get the King Cake from Tastee Donuts - hands down the best IMO, although native New Orleanians would pummel me with plastic babies for dissing the traditional favorite McKenzie's even though they went out of business a few years ago. Although I understand that Tastee Donuts purchased the McKenzie's recipe and will be carrying on the tradition. Who knew King Cake could be so political?

Anyway, a store bought king cake in this SoCal neck of the woods was not happening. I called around quite a bit and at every bakery I called , when I asked if they had King Cake for Mardi Gras, I was universally met with "what?" So I pulled out my old "Louisiana Entertains" cookbook -the one from the 1984 Louisiana World's Fair- and I made a king cake. Of course it was huge, so I packed the boys and their dinners up along with the king cake and brought them all down to DH's office where there were people to share with. The boys got to see their Daddy, eat their dinner, have a cake midweek(!) and then the little one fell asleep on the way home. I'd say it was 5 hours of baking well spent. And now I know why they are usually store bought (although this one was delicious if I do say so myself)

In an amusing aside, nearly everyone at DH's office either said or gave a look that said "what kind of a cake is that?"

FO report: Trellis Scarf

FO Report: Trellis Scarf, Interweave Knits Spring '06

Started 11/04/06, finished 02/19/07

Yarn: Knitpicks Baby Alpaca (exactly what the pattern called for courtesy of Sheree)

Review: The minute I saw this pattern I knew I wanted to make it. At the time, I wasn't ready to do it, but my knitting has taken a dramatic leap forward this year, and so I knew I was finally ready to tackle it. The 7 into 5 stitches were abit tricky at first, but they really weren't anything to really stress about once I figured out the rhythm to them (and the whole rest of the pattern as well) The pattern was very easy to read and figure out and the charts were clear as a bell.

I loved knitting it, but I'm not sure the scarf is me. We'll see I suppose.

In other news, look what I bought and am now trying to figure out:



I bought the Louet drop spindle starter kit. It had the spindle plus a 1/2 pound of roving in delicious jewel tones. Of course Z insists that he is the expert and I should give the kit to him so that he can show me how it is done. wow, one spinning demonstration in kindergarten and he is the go-to guy for spinning. Actually, what's funny is that every time he gets his hands on some unspun wool (and it happens relatively often around here) he finger spins it into little bits of yarn that I then find throughout the house. So maybe he isn't all that far off.

Now I have to figure out drafting. I keep pulling apart the roving.

Gnome!

Look who has come to live in our garden. OK house, he's just visiting the garden...

Ignorance truly is Bliss

Years ago (OK about 4 years ago) I went to my first bag sale at my LYS. That was before I really had any idea about what I was doing. That is clear when you meet one of the very few items in my yarn stash. (ETA: maybe this is why I am so reluctant to stash yarn) And here is my biggest yarn newbie mistake ever. $40+ (maybe way more I can't fully remember) and about 19 balls (or about 1600 yards) of this -

Trendsetter Bliss



When I bought it I thought. "Oh what a cute nubby yarn. That'll make a fantastic sweater." Ah the naivete. It is so nubby next to the thin parts that it looks like a gigantic mess when it is knitted. I even paired it with some cotton glace in the hopes that double stranding would help. Now maybe if I double stranded it with the exact shade of yellow. But with a complementary color it just seems like 2 yarns stuck together. and knitted. At least it can be knitted that way. Trying to use it on it's own is just an exercise in futility. This is the most inappropriately named yarn ever.

I need a stash swap. Maybe someone else can use this.

And some obligatory shots of the boys. (for Dad!! And grandparents!!)

Project Spectrum, worms and Valentines

I have some intentional and unintentional Project Spectrum Knitting. First the intentional:



I frogged the other socks and recast on these - the Cable Rib Socks from Favorite Socks. I had to stop at this point until I was able to pick up size 1 dpns (which I did today) It isn't easy to see the cable (although looking at this photo, it isn't impossible either) and what is most important is that Z likes them and they are for him.

The unintentional is this Trellis Scarf from IK that I put aside at the end of November when I didn't finish it in time for Lacevember. I went on to work on holiday and birthday projects and now I am back and as luck would have it, it fits perfectly in with the Project Spectrum color palette. I have 5 more repeats and then the ending repeat and I am done. So, I should be able to finish it this coming week. I can only manage one 16 row repeat per night and then I move on to other knitting.



Next is a gratuitous cute shot of B in Z's bicycle helmet:



And then Z hard at work on his Valentine's Day cards. I love this picture. BTW, do you see my awesome Crayola Caddy on the table? DH got that for me 2 Hanukkahs ago because he remembered that I had always wanted one. He searched the globe for one (apparently they don't have them in the US anymore) and finally located one in Australia. Isn't he the absolute best!!!!



Oh yeah, and the worms. We finally got a worm composter this weekend (after years of wanting one!) and I got it all set up today with worms and I can't wait to watch them eat all of our fruit and veggie waste! Yay worms!

Transient knitting

This grew another 2 inches last night and was relegated to the frog pond this morning when I realized it would in no way resemble a sock that would fit my 6yo. The downside of knitting such a big and special thing for B is that I have never knit a sweater for Z, nor do I have a particular one planned for or budgeted for in the next few months. I'm not saying it won't happen, but I don't have a specific plan for it. So I am going to knit the Cable Rib Socks from the new Favorite Socks book. Of course I need to buy a new cable needle (mine is for mid weight fabrics) and some size 1 dpns as well. I also need some size 3 dpns for a project for myself (which will give me all the dpn basic sizes US1 through 10 1/2) I'm sure I could just use the 5th dpn as my cable needle, but it is a little long for that. Eeek. An actual project with a cable needle besides practice swatches.

I planted our blackberry bush in the small planter in the back today. We are all excited at the prospect of our own blackberries. I remember as a child picking blackberries with my cousins in rural Louisiana and eating ourselves absolutely ill on them and bringing back buckets for my aunt to make jams and blackberry wine with. I've never had blackberry wine...

We're off to the park this afternoon (after I put some Lentil Walnut Pate into the fridge to chill)

FO Report: Big Digger Sweater

FO Report: "Big Digger Sweater"

Started 1/10/07, finished 02/04/07

Pattern: "Big Digger Sweater" size 4/5 from Handknits for Kids by Lucinda Guy

Yarn: Rowan Cotton Glace (exactly what the pattern called for)

Review: This actually was a fairly easy pattern to follow. It did require another full ball of the navy blue yarn more then the pattern called for however. The red barely made it. In terms of fit, I knit this too big for my little guy because I wasn't sure how the pattern would make up (running small etc.) and I wanted to be sure he would get some wear out of it, especially since he is wearing 3T and 4T clothes nowadays. Since it is cotton, it is good for almost year round use here near the ocean. I am concerned however that the arms are only a little long and the body seems extraordinarily large. That's a wait and see sort of thing, isn't it.

The intarsia wasn't nearly as bad as I was worried about it being. I'm actually up for it again whenever a pattern I am interested comes my way.

As an added bonus, this is my 1st entry for this year's Project Spectrum. Although I haven't seen anyone else using navy blue yet. I'm leaning toward a pair of socks for my next project. I have some blue and green variegated sock yarn I've been holding on to for a few years now that I think I am ready to knit. And then on to a sweater for Z I think.

The busiest day all month

So Z goes in this morning to have 3 teeth removed. One of them is loose and would be coming out soon anyway, but he has an abscess above all 3 of them (3 separate abscesses) and so they need to come out. I'm actually kind of sad about it, but we have known this was likely coming at some point down the road. He's pretty scared, but I'm sure he'll be fine. Maybe a little hysteria at first, but ultimately fine.

Yesterday was incredibly busy. Z had a field trip to a butterfly preserve. The butterflies migrate along the coast here and there are a few places they stop along that migration. So Z's class drove 45 minutes to go to see one of these places. And, as only a 6 year old boy can, when I asked how it was, he told me "Yeah, it was okay. They were all in clumps on the ground. It was too long and boring."

B and I had our own road trip yesterday. I had a doctor's appt at the only (so far as I know) anthroposophical doctor in the area and had to drive 2 hours to get there (and 3 hours back. because I drove into LA to buy kosher sausage and eat lunch at RFD. Their lentil walnut pate is awesome!) I got some homeopathics and I had the opportunity to be seen and heard, and that was really nice. I've been feeling spiritually and creatively blocked lately and I don't really know how to express that to anyone in general. It feels like something I made up almost, and yet he heard me and got me and has put it into my treatment plan.

Funny thing about being blocked. I'm feeling so blocked that I can't seem to patch Z's jeans because I don't have a specific reference to follow. I have tried 4 different patching ideas and I have had to struggle to get them and when I work to execute them, they just aren't working on the holes. I also sewed an apron that was completely uninspired. At least the fabric was cute. I also bought some adorable fabric for Z and I am completely stumped as to what to do with it - and it is panel fabric! It lends itself to several specific uses, but I can't manage to come up with even one.

Anyway, DH finally made it home for me to go to knit night and so I leave and get to Peet's to get a caramel latte (definitely on my love Thursday!) and get a call to hurry back home because the baby has pooped in the tub! So I head back home, and it turns out DH just panicked because he had it all under control when I got there. But by the time we got it all settled, it really was too late to head back out to knit night, and besides, they are having a Superbowl alternative party on Sunday, and I am so going. I have a sweater to finish (Sleeve 2 is on the needles about 1/3 of the way done and sleeve 1 is done.) And I think I fell asleep around 11. I was watching the stuff on the DVR from earlier that evening while I knitted and finally had to put the knitting down because I was drifting off and that was it.