Coming up roses (a knitting post... honest!)

You might not think it, but I have been knitting.

I realized the other day that, since I cast off the Garden Gate socks (June 1), I had no socks on the needles. I'd caked up my Vanellope yarn before Chicago, but I never got a chance to cast on. So I rectified that little situation on the weekend

 

 Just a simple three-one rib - a nice contrast to the other thing I've cast on for...

A brand new shawl design. It took a few false starts, but I've finally got it going the way I want it to. The shaping is based on the shaping in Auburn Wave.

It's hard to see, but there are little beads winking about in there. They are almost the same shade as the peachy tone of the yarn, but they will show a lot better on blocking. I wanted to use some gold beads for a little more contrast, but I'm trying to use up stuff  in the stash and I didn't have quite enough, so peach it was.

This pattern is going to be part of an e-book project I'm working on - I'll share details at a later date,  but I'm using Solo Cat and the colour is Gilded Rose. 

And speaking of roses

The pink ones are even more magnificent in full bloom. And the white ones have gone crazy

That's five blooms on one stem with more buds ready to burst open. Here's a full view of the two bushes - I can't wait to see what they are going to do next year when they are more established!

And you may notice something small at the bottom of that photo

It's a half-dead mini rose from Dad's garden that I'm trying to save. I'm not holding out much hope - I killed the mini rose I bought last year  - but we'll see what happens.

And to those who were amazed that the cats don't chase the rabbits.... well Tux and Peno could care less. But Rocky.... Rocky does chase them. But only after a good long while spent crouched in pounce position, wiggling his butt. And the second he moves that bunny is gone.

Attack of the bunbuns

Yup. We are in full-force bunny heaven here again...

Seems like every time I turn around, there's a bunny booting from underfoot. Taking out the garbage, checking on the roses, watering the lilies - it doesn't matter - there's a bunny around somewhere.

Sunday morning, I was quietly eating my Eggos and a watching out the back door. Bunbun and the birds were diligently munching up all the seed on the ground (the feeder was empty and I hadn't been out to fill it yet). Then all of a sudden, Bunbun 2 bursts out from the bushes and the backyard exploded with doves and sparrows and poor Bunbun 1 heading off in all directions.

I watched Bunbun 2 chase Bunbun 1 around for a few minutes, but it was killing Rocky to watch and not be out there, so I opened the door....

"I'm gonna catch the bunny! I'm going to catch the bunny!"

"Rocky, you are never going to catch that rabbit. You are too fat ant too slow. And that rabbit knows it."

"You boys are missing out on all the good grass. We promised we were going to puke it up on the blonde guy's pillow... remember?"

And we've got a new player in the daily drama of Chez Wandering Cat Backyard.

Gracky the Grackle! This guy likes to swoop down from the trees and sit on the fence and squawk at me and the cats until we go inside so he can raid the feeder.

The fun never ends!

Summer love

This is my favourite time of the year - just as summer is setting in. The world is warm and sunny, but not stiflingly humid as it is in July and August. The days are warm and the nights are cool with the air conditioning off and the windows open.  Everything planted in spring is beginning to flourish. And there are strawberries on every corner...

These came from a road-side stand (another great summer thing - top down Sunday drives!) but when I was a kid, Mom would pack us up and we'd head to a pick-your-own farm. A few short hours of easy labour later (not to mention a belly full of berries eaten in the field) and the truck was loaded up and smelling like sweet berries.

Once home, we'd sit on the porch and remove all the greens and a few days later, jam production began! (To this day I still cannot eat store bought jam - totally spoiled!) Life is a little more hectic now, so there won't be any picking, but Mom and I do have plans to pick up a couple of flats and get jamming next weekend.

In the meantime, I spent the afternoon out back with Tux.

 He enjoyed a slice of shade, while I indulged in another summer tradition

...arranging flowers stolen from the side of the road. When I was a kid we were always pulling over to pick something - lilacs, daisies, orange lilies...

These will look just perfect on our country table, don't you think?

So - what do you love about summer?

FO: Auburn Wave

Auburn wave is all blocked! I grabbed a couple of quick selfies while I was out back with the boys this afternoon.

This was a really easy pattern - great TV knitting. And it's one of those patterns that proves that knitting doesn't have to be complicated to be lovely.

I used about two and a half balls of Crystal Palace Mini Mochi. The colourway is Ice Wine. I have a love hate relationship with Mini Mochi. I love the colour combos and the long colour runs. But the spinning isn't the best  - the yarns has a tendency to drift apart easily. I didn't find any in these balls, but previous ones I've had were full of knots, throwing off the colour sequence. It's a nice yarn for shawls - very soft - but I wouldn't want to use it for anything that gets more wear. Even though it has nylon in it, it just doesn't seem that strong. Not to mention, singly plys that aren't tightly spun pill easily.

It worked out well for this project. And to answer a question from a few posts ago - yep - this is the shape the ends up in - no manipulation necessary. I didn't even really need to block it, but it opened up the lace a little more.

Thar she blooms!

 Yes! The roses have finally bloomed!

 And you can smell the white ones as soon as you step outside the door.

 It's such a simple thing, but it makes me so very happy. I've wanted roses for such a long time.

 The pink ones are just as pretty, though they don't smell nearly as nice.

 But that's okay. They have nice long stems which make them perfect for cutting and bringing inside.

Oh, and Auburn wave is done and on the blocking board. FO post will follow shortly. For now I'm off to the dye studio. There's some bare Twinkle Cat calling my name.

Waving

As I mentioned, Auburn wave is nearing the end. I'm hoping to finish it up tonight.

Last night after work, while the furry kids were enjoying their evening excusion, I settled on the back step with it and got a few more rows done. This week has been pretty hectic, so there hasn't been as much knitting as I would like. It was nice to take a few moments and just chill with it.

Yes, my legs are still that white - I can run around all summer
bare-legged and they will still be that white in September...

And yes, that's pretty much what Rocky does when he goes out. He yowls, and yowls and yowls to be out - and once he gets there, he flops. Oh, he'll try to catch Bunbun if he comes by, and he spends five minutes chewing on the lawn so he can spew it up later, but mostly, he sits.

Tux isn't much better...

... of course after losing a leg, I think he's earned the right...

And Peno just does Peno stuff...

"Tux says there are no monsters out here, but I don't believe him..."

Which mostly entails eating the lawn as well, and eyeing the birds with distrust. The ears cocked back is because somethign flew over her head and she's sure it wants to eat her. She usually lasts about 10 minutes before running back inside.

But heaven forbid I don't let them out when I get home from work...

Anyway, Auburn Wave is looking good...

Fat cat included for scale

 ...and with any luck, you'll be seeing an FO post this weekend.

"I am not fat... I'm just big boned..."

Tournament of roses

I know you guys are probably hankering for some knitting content (there will be some soon - Auburn Wave is on the final ball), but it's still all about the gardens here.

It's been rainy, so the roses haven't opened as quickly as I'd hoped,

Almost there...

You may remember that alongside this pretty little bush, I'd planted some Cana Lillies. I'd actually forgotten about them until the other day when I thought "Hey, I should be seeing some greenery by now..." and I wasn't. In fact, I couldn't even see the nubs of the top of the bulbs any more. So I did a little digging, and sure enough - the bulbs have gone AWOL - all seven on them (and they were quite large). I'm guessing Mr Squirrel got them.

And I'm more than a little sad about that. They were given to my by my late grandfather's girlfriend during my last visit with him. But - C'est la vie.

I consoled myself by picking up another rose bush at the garden centre

 It fills the space quite nicely I think.

The new one is a lovely pink called "Tournament of Roses". The white one is "White Lightnin'" and there was one in full bloom at the garden centre - it smelled absolutely divine - I can't wait!

I checked on the seedlings I planted the other day and they looked quite perky, so there may be some hope for them yet!

This is the Echinacea!

Tux can't wait for everything to bloom!