Step by step

Today was the day....

I got all laced up and took Aggie the shopping cart out for her first real spin. I took her for a test run last week... but this was the first time I'd be hauling her back with a full load of groceries.

In the end, it wasn't quite a full load. Knowing you have to haul them all the way home on only your own power makes you think twice about how much you buy. At least 1/3 of my list didn't get bought because I didn't absolutely need it right then.And when I do need it, another trip is just that much more exercise. And the icecream I wanted to buy? Well it's just too warm to walk home with it.

If this trend continues, I may just have a skinnier butt and a fatter wallet!


Of course, that means not stopping for  a frozen raspberry lemonade each time...

But to celebrate the inaugural voyage... I thought it was in order.

Close.. but not close enough

The first sleeve on April is done. It's a touch on the wide side for my liking and for the style of the sweater, but I can live with it. If I ever make the pattern again (unlikely considering the issues with it) I'd definitely cast on less at the start to make them narrower.

But now, I have two cardigans, each with one sleeve done, and I've run into a serious case of second sleeve syndrome. I just don't want to work on either of them; Sherlock because the sleeve is so long and boring; and April because, even after I finish the second sleeve, it's still not going to be finished. I still have to pick up stitches and knit the bands. With that looming ahead of me, it's just not giving me that "C'mon... you've almost got a finished sweater!!!" drive....

Maybe if I stare at those pretty little lace flowers some more

And maybe if I get those sparkly buttons ordered.....

Golden beauty

My poor Mellow Yellow rose...  it's had a tough go. It had buds when I brought first brought it home, but but between lawn service and whatever creature was raiding the bird feeder, it lost them all before they could bloom. And of all the roses, it seemed to struggle the most with pests. It's poor leaves were badly bug-eaten. Mid-july, it finally seemed to be perking up, and over the last few weeks, it's really started to fill out. And finally,

 There are seven buds in fact. It will be quite spectacular when they all bloom I think.

And Queen Elizabeth is almost ready to bloom again. The flowers lighten quite a bit as it blooms, but I love the deep dark pink of the buds.

The Black-Eyed Susans never seem to stop blooming. In fact, I've even cut flowers for vases... for Mom, and coworkers, and myself... the plant just keeps going. And while the daisies have stopped flowering, you can see the Echinacea has stepped up.

The bees really love this one! Especially the bumblers!

The cooler summer hasn't been as kind to the tomatoes... they are nice and bushy, but last year they were much taller  - and had a lot more fruit. Oh well, we are still getting a nice nibble.

The blackberries haven't been nibbled completely yet... and they are very bright red now, though still very hard. Shouldn't be long before they get all dark and juicy.

And look!

I figured the raspberries were all done, (I hadn't expected much with them being so new) but each plant has a couple of new bunches like this! If I can get them before the birds, I'll have a decent haul for the first year!

Undine: A KAL

Okay knitters... get out your needles, choose your yarn, and get your Undine on

No, no... not that kind....

This kind...

That's right - we're hosting an Undine KAL.  It's going to be a pretty relaxed KAL.. who wants stress as the summer winds down?

Here's Da Rulz:

• KAL runs from now until October 31, 2015 (so there's plenty of time if you can't start right away.)
• Every pair you make gives you one entry into the prize draw. (so make lots!)
• You can use any yarn, but if you use Wandering Cat Yarn, you get an extra entry. (If you don't have any at the moment, use to code UNDINE15 at checkout in the shop and save 15% - code is valid until August 31/15).
• Tag your projects in ravelry with UndineKAL
• I'll also start up a thread in our Ravelry group, stop by and share pics and progress!

Prizes

• We will will do one grand prize that will consist of yarn, a Kitten Kaboodle Project bag, and other goodies.
• For every 10 entrants we get, we will add another prize.

 So jump right in.... the water is just fine!

Get your copy of the pattern here! It's free!

Coffee time

My Butterfly bush has grown several new leaves and bud spikes, and although she's not got as much bug damage as before, she still seems to be struggling to actually flower. I'd get one or two little blooms, then the whole spike would die off, barely flowering at all.

I did a little reading, and apparently, Butterfly bushes like nitrogen and leftover coffee grounds are an inexpensive way to add it to your garden. There's just one problem... I don't drink coffee, and Dave drinks instant (it's cheap and he's not picky)...

Mom to the rescue again

I asked her very nicely, and she's been saving all the used coffee pods from her Kuerig for me. On the weekend, I set to emptying them all out

All in all, there were 45 pods and it took me about half and hour, but it resulted in a big dish full of grounds.

Hopefully that will give the Butterfly bush the lift she needs... at the very least, that corner of the garden smells pretty good now.

Moving right along

On Saturday I got the body done on April (totally helped the the fact that it's cropped)

And as you can see - I've got a good start on the sleeve. Compared to Sherlock, this sleeve seems to by flying - especially strange considering it's lighter than Sherlock - but I guess the lace is just more engaging then plain ol' stocknit.

I'm hoping to have this one wrapped up by the end of the month (if not sooner)... so that means I better start looking into buttons. I'm seriously considering something sparkly...

Purloined!

It's a good thing I grabbed that ripe raspberry when I had a chance... because just two days later, all the rest were nibbled off

And over on the blackberry bush

They aren't even ripe yet! Definitely the work of the birds. Oh well - hopefully next year there will be enough for all of us.

And look who's growing up?

Little baby bunbun - still smaller than Mom and Dad, but no more baby bunny face. I surprised him (well really - he surprised me!) when I was picking tomatoes the other day.  He's still wary, but not as much as he was when he was really small. He just chilled out from the safety of the tomatoes and kept an eye on the cats.