Garden close-ups

 Iceland poppy

 Peach Foxglove

 Blue Anemone

 Mauve Delphinium

 Blanket flower

 Double-bloom Susans

 Chicago Peace

 Marigold

 Pincushion plant

Sedum

Friday Felines

Many of you have commented your amazement at my ability to train my cats to stay in the yard. Though I have to admit... when you perpetually adopt cats who are terrified of everything, boundaries are a lot easier to enforce.

This one...

 ...has no fear whatsoever. He's also stubborn and determined.

He thinks the whole world is his playground.

 And is keen to run after anything that moves.

He's also fast and loves to run out under feet.

So it's a good thing he looks so cute in his pretty red harness.

 

I don't think he'll be free from it any time soon.

Birthday boy!

Guess who's turning 2?

Can you believe it?

With that face, he's more like our perpetually cranky old man.

He even yells at things (cats, squirrels, birds, raccoons, possums) that dare to enter his yard!

But despite that face, he's actually a very sweet little cat... just on his terms only!

Happy Birthday Rupert!

How did that happen?

Yup... that is a finished sock. Already. Now... I know it seems like it, but it didn't happen over night. The picture you saw yesterday was actually taken on Sunday afternoon. Sunday night, I did the heel (for which I found a nice coordinating Jungle Cat left over from another project). Monday I had two 2.5 hour train trips to work through the foot, and Monday night it didn't take long to finish that toe.

Still that's pretty darn fast for a sock in my books!

Jaywalking to Netherfield

With Cascading Leaves completed, I needed to get a new pair on the needles. It was time to get back to my On The Go designs... but... as I mentioned yesterday, my laptop had crapped out on me... and that's where all my charts live!!!

The laptop was fixed by Monday morning, but I needed train knitting before then! I couldn't wait for it to be fixed so I went stash diving..

... and came up with this skein of Twisted Fibre Arts Kabam (Merino/Bamboo) in Netherfield. The colours remind me of  school trips to the apple orchard in the fall (I can still recall the smell of apples and dew!), so I decided  I'm going to knit up a second pair for the I ❤ Fall KAL.

I cast on Saturday and planted to do just a few rows then put it away for train knitting...

But a few episodes of Supernatural later, and I had a whole sock cuff! I'm knitting Jaywalker again. It's a great pattern to show off Twisted's creative gradient/splatter stripe.

The last pair of Jaywalkers I made turned out a touch to big to me, so I gave them to Mom. For this pair, cast on a few less stitches (68 instead of 72) and modified the pattern accordingly.

 It's looking like it will be perfect this time around!

Monday in the Empire

My laptop crapped out on me Friday night and I have to say....

It's amazing how much you can get done when you don't have electronic distractions. This is the first front for the Empire Line Cardigan. Admittedly, it was already half done, but I was really able to focus on the second half and it just flew!

It needs a good blocking (and colour is no where near accurate - took picture on my phone because I can't find the USB cable to connect my SLR to the desktop) but it feels really good to see it finished. Just one more front and two sleeves to go!

FO: Cascading Leaves

Hello October! I am ready!

Friday I finished up the Cascading Leaves socks. And I LOVE them!

This was a really fun, fast pattern. I love eight to 10 row repeats for socks (this one is eight), because they always seem to fly.  I think it's because you want to finish out the repeat before putting the sock away.

This particular pattern as lovely texture too - with just a bit of lace.

I used Alley Cat in "Deadfall" and I just love the result. There's so many little flecks of pretty fall colours, but it all blends so well.

And with our heat wave over and the cooler weather blowing through, these are definitely going to get some good use.

A big thankyou for Dee and Vera for hosting the I ❤ Fall KAL!