Riches

 We went to a florist last week and I was really impressed, but I have flowers to pick from my garden.

 Finished my Malabrigo yarn with a lovely Milo vest. It is about an 18 month size which should suit an August gift for a first birthday. The mom is a knitter so working with this fabulous yarn is not a concern.

 Monday (and the one before that) found me so knocked down. First it was a cold and then a stomach bug that wanted revenge. I'm not used to that. Slept part of each hour last Monday. Hope tomorrow is better because my Monday and Tuesday are packed with appointments.

 Tonight I will work on my Shetland Pi shawl. It has been too hot to handle sticky yarn. I doubled the stitches to 576 and added the second colour, Blue Lovat.

 What's in your notions pouch? I love these threads. This is one of my bags I carry in a larger project bag. 

 Started the sleeves on my featherweight. I am afraid of ruining this sweater. Switched to double points because the cable on the magic loop was upsetting the fragile Merino Silk. I'm happy knitting the first 9 inches straight, but then I have to pay attention and make notes as I decrease so I can have two sleeves the same. I may just knit them at the same time. I have enough dpns, but the thought of all those needles clacking bothers me.

I told myself, the next time I see the giant pom pom maker, I'm buying it. Fun will ensue.

 

Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. I challenge all Canadians to be part of the circle. Our church is finally doing some conversations with the Sto:lo Nation across the street, but it is on Pipe Band evenings. Want to catch up.

Found this willow tree growing next to our Luckakuck River. Nothing is going to stop it!

The grass is already so tall! This will be second cut. It loved the hot weather and the rain, too.

Had a lovely lunch with friends up in Cultus Lake. What a blessing to be surrounded by good friends, good food and such a rich, green space.

Making Spring

 It has been, off and on, quite lovely here in the Fraser Valley. The ducks have settled in to the banks of the river and our wood is green and leafed out.

My favourite, and our Provincial flower, the dogwood here is heavy from the rains.

 But I can enjoy the morning sun from our newly opened sunroom off the kitchen. It is north facing, but we get light from an east window as well. This room will continue to change as my office gets bookshelves and I sew a cushion for the window seat. I'd like a round library table, but that is under discussion.

When I can't face the complexities of my other knitting, my sock square blanket welcomes me with comforting 31 stitch mitred squares. 

Last weekend I rode my bike to the library. A favourite escapade. But the tires were quite flat at first and the books to return very heavy. It was a much easier ride on the way home.

 We celebrated the first birthday of Rosalie, the daughter of one of our favourite knitters. I whole heartedly recommend the  Entrechat pattern. Such a treat to be able to gift a fine yarn like Malabrigo. And I whipped up a pair of bloomers from a Craftsy pattern. What a fun little girl and a lovely family.

The season of lilacs is unpredictable, but they are staying around longer this year. I picked some from the house and they weren't even damaged by the rain. It smells so much better than the ambient scent of manure that is being spread on the fields.

The Leo sweater. Sigh. It was a big task to take the sleeve off. I measured the arm hole and decided to cast on 2 sizes smaller and then fudge up to the medium, just one size smaller.

Here is the new sleeve on top of the old. Such a mistake to keep sewing in the sleeve when there was so much fabric it puffed. D doesn't want to look like Princess Diana. My friend suggested that shoulder pads could be a quick fix.

So I cast on the second sleeve when I found the first fit. I needed to keep the increases the same. These coilless pins are great. I counted out the number of increases and had them on the beginning of row marker. But there was lots of comparing one to the other.

They are now both blocked and ready to be sewn in. But it's not as if they will go bad while I finish another baby knit and work on my pi shawl.

At the bottom of my garden, I have a lot of plants that were given to me by friends and I cherish their memories. I have offered to share some of them with other gardeners as they could use another dividing. But the right time will come.

For now, I am enjoying the making of this spring.