Calming Down, Life Goes On

Like I said, in the previous post, I was nervous but didn't know if I needed to be.  If all I did was react emotionally, and not practically, and didn't make adjustments, then, surely, I needed to be nervous.  So I made my calls, looked at my planting plans, decided to work on efficiency, and set my determination to grow the best plants at a fair price to the customers and to us.
With that new mind-set, we will continue next year.
This greenhouse season hasn't been as good as previous ones--not because of the new business to the south of us, but because of the weather--late, cold spring, late frosts, then almost daily rains.  The recent couple of years of heavy winds has taken a toll on our hanging basket sales--they were the most beautiful  we have ever had (lots of sunlight during those cold winter days), but the sales were down.  Since I am of the firm belief that these winds are now part of our  climate, I plan to reduce the number of hanging baskets. Otherwise, not much will change in our planting plans.

Since this is not my garden/greenhouse blog, now I'll get back to the other activity that I love:  knitting.

There's not much to say.  Been very busy with non-knitting activities.

Kubota Man's store-bought socks are binding his legs (he's not complaining but it makes me choke), so I decided (you may have noticed that I have not made him even one knitted project since I've been blogging--poor dear) to bump him to the top of my knitting queue and whip up 4 pairs of socks.  These are from Briggs and Little Durasport.  The finished ones are the color Denim, then there will be gray, oatmeal and forest green.  He will think Hell has frozen over.

This pattern is from B&L, and is a really good-fitting sock, snug but not tight.  Not bulky since it is called Sportsweight, but is really a thick fingering--and I knit it with smaller needles for snugness.  I love this denim color--I think there is a sweater or vest in my future with this yarn.

I'm working on a cardigan, but no progress photos, have finished the Fair Isle Wristlet project for the Master Knitter Program.  In progress is an Argyle sock  and a self-designed vest in sportsweight, all for that program.  My goal is to try to finish this level of the program by the end of July, but at worst, by September.  The swatches are all done, but every so often I re-examine a swatch and re-do it.  The intensive written work is all finished.  My ending sentence in the 2500 word knitting report is my crediting Kubota Man's support for my knitting since when I told him my extensive stash has great R-value (knitters know that means Recreational value), but he inferred that meant it has great insulation value, so he is convinced we save on heating costs, hence supports my knitting.
I am doing well on my yarn diet.  I have such a beautiful collection of yarns that I no longer can justify purchases till I have made a significant dent in my stashed yarns.  I still like them all, even want to make the projects that they were intended for--so no selling or donating with my stash.
Just for a lark, I started a shawl using yarn from stash, and when the cardigan is finished, I will do a lovely shawl KAL on Ravelry--also from stash.

I almost forgot to introduce you to two new members of our family:  Kubota Man II, and Kubota Mom II.  A friend of ours received a robot vacuum cleaner for Christmas.  She thinks it's just the cat's meow and can't stop singing its praises.  So, when it came on sale, I bought KM II--I named it after him, because that's the only way he will vacuum every day.  We tell it to clean--it cleans, then goes home to its docking station to re-charge--all I have to do is empty the collecting bin and make sure the hair and yarn (you didn't see this coming, did you?) is cleaned out, and take the dust buster to the filter.  It senses the dirtier spots and vacuums in circles over those spots.  Meet KM II:

 Since the house has two large distinct areas, KM said I should get another one for the bedroom/hallway wing.  It was a really good deal at Costco--that one came with two complete sets of replacement brushes, 3 extra filters, and a better brush cleaner to remove hair and, yup--yarn.  Meet Kubota Mom II (because that's the only way I will vacuum every day).  Kubota Man even suggested getting another one for the kitchen-dining area, but I am definitely still fit enough to get out a broom and dust pan.  Plus, I'm running out of names.

Till next time:  Courage is being afraid, but going on anyhow.

Catching Up and Still Puzzled

I'll start off with great news. My Baby (26 yrs. old) just got engaged to a sweet young man from Fiji, who is a chef. The wedding is tentatively Labor Day weekend 2010, although they are considering the $$$ advantages of waiting till 2011. She already knows what dress she wants, but since Mom (moi) likes to make wedding dresses, we are going to the bridal shop next week to see if I can copy it. We will keep you updated on these developments. She wants to get married outside at home (which means all the ugly flower beds will have to be cleaned for sure next year.)
Next item on the agenda: the pictures and updates as to what kept me busy2 weeks ago, as per previous blog:
1. Yellow Socks : Mystery Sock pattern for the Sock Challenge on Ravelry. Started Sept 2, Finished Sept 27.














2. Second Pair of Socks: Seaweed by WendyJohnston, also for the Sock Challenge.














3. My nephew's Kilt Hose--I am using these for one of the October Sock Challenge socks: Men's Socks.















4. Honeycomb Sweater #4 in black. I am almost finished the last piece: only the assembly and neck/button/buttonhole band left to do.















5. All the decks are stained. Only the balusters (slats) left to screw on. Will do this when all the cleanup in the garden and the tree nursery are finished. I think maybe Friday I'll get this done. After we go to the dump again. Notice that the flower pots are all gone.















I love the redwood stain, but couldn't face the prospect of that much red on the deck floor, so I chose a more sandy version. For the rails I used up some old semi-transparent, but prefer the look of solid stain, so, for the under-parts I bought solid stain and I will re-do the rails next year.















6. The swing sets are gone. The old play fort is gone. In their place, due to the damaged trees from the storm, I planted 4 Fat Albert Blue Spruces. They will nicely screen off the damaged part, but maybe not in my lifetime.















My Current preoccupation: The Renovations

Here is the new floor--the kitchen/dining area, adjoining laundry room and the main bathroom. It is a high-end lino, but when Daughter #2 came over--she being a porcelain tile advocate--she thought they were tiles. She was so impressed with the excellent grouting. Only when she got down to check the grouting, she realized they were not tiles. The floor is deeply textured like slate. It is a very matte finish--very slip-proof. We really like it.















See the end wall (dining area as seen from the kitchen).--These are my color samples done in primer. I am strongly leaning towards the sage green on the right, since I want this to be the main color in all the common areas of the house. I'm having trouble with what to do with the trim. I want the trim to be ivory--that's a given. I will put fairly wide crown mouldings around the ceiling. I would like to stack mouldings and make the windows look like in older houses, but I don't want to do this to the doors. I don't know if I can get away with that. Also, we have such lovely oak passage doors to the bedrooms, that I don't want to paint or replace them. Right now all the trim is mahogany stained to match the oak cupboards. I don't know how it would look to paint the trim and leave the doors wooden. And I want to widen the baseboards and paint them also. No rush. We can live without the trim and baseboards finished. Before I finally choose the color, I am going to the city tomorrow to choose the ceramic tiles. Perhaps they will suggest a color.
The dated "country" look knick-knacks will likely be packed away.















This is the wall of oak cupboards on the left side of the dining area. I'm toying with the idea of (assuming that the sage green is a go) using a rich chestnut brown in the space where the plates are hanging. These plates will stay, because I love them, and because they were a Christmas gift from Daughter #2 the first or second year she was away from home. I'd like to paint the bi-fold closet door the same color as the wall, so it disappears, but none of the other doors are going to be painted, so I don't know....















Since we had to remove the toilet in the main bathroom, and it sits inside its own alcove, and the length of baseboard that fits behind the toilet can't be inserted with the toilet in place, I bought the paint for the bathroom and painted the alcove, and also did the baseboards in the alcove. I will post these pics next time. Scary thing: On Wednesday, I'll have to cut 3/8" off the bottom of the passage door, since new underlay was needed and the new lino is very thick. Lots of Painter's tape to prevent the wood splitting, and a brand new skil-saw blade. Kubota Man has already set up the sawhorses.
Tomorrow's Agenda: Go to the city, meet with the Custom Cabinet Saleslady (we are making a second kitchen downstairs for canning and for extra cooking for family gatherings --4 or 5 times a year, about 30 people come over). Also a visit to the LYS, since I don't think I'll have enough yarn for the kilt hose, and I want some teal alpaca yarn to make my OWN honeycomb sweater. Then groceries--for our Thanksgiving this Sunday. And lastly, lots of building materials: the suspended ceiling for the downstairs kitchen, the crown moulding for the upstairs, the ceramic tiles, some more paint for the bathroom, and some millwork samples so I can play with the window design and possibly the door trim.

Till next time: Sweater, n.: a garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly. (from Chicken Soup for the Soul Like Mother, Like Daughter)

New Blog; New Book

Am I excited!!! My new book Sock Innovations by Cookie A just arrived. What a gem. Well written directions. I immediately got started on a pair of socks--difficult choice, I want to make them all NOW. Then I discovered that I don't like knitting socks with stitch patterns in them. All my previous socks, the almost-100 pairs, have been plain-knit self-patterning socks; mindless, watching TV, quick turnabout, sense of accomplishment.

But I LOVE the socks, and I think my girls are also ready for something more exotic, so I shall persevere. (Of course, for the first pair I had to choose a pattern that could not be easily memorized). Will keep you posted. I don't mind charted patterns at all, and I love lace knitting, so I don't expect difficulties. Will have to keep a plain sock going at the same time for when I watch "House" and " Bones".

Am I excited again!!! My other blog "Weed it and Reap" is up and running. The reason for this move is that it is (or will be sometime soon) spring, and our greenhouse, then the garden, will occupy so much of my time that I will not likely have much knitting news to share. So, in order not to bore the non-gardening knitters, or the non-knitting gardeners, I decided to garden on one blog and knit on another. The site needs some work, but it's available.

Printing off the income tax tonight; assembling tonight; UGGH! writing the cheques tonight. ANOTHER THING OFF MY LIST OF THINGS TO DO!

New things on my to-do list? Alterations on a wedding gown, a flower girl dress, a mother-of-the bride dress and 3 bridesmaids' dresses. Wedding on May 23.

Till next time: We are "Just Mum" to our children. To our grandchildren we are possessed of magic, having lived in a time before time began. (M.R.G.)