We all Need a Tree!

I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and after he had just finished a rough first day on the job: a flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient one ton truck refused to start. 

While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. 

As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. 

When opening the door, he underwent an amazing transformation. His face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss. 

Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier. 

'Oh, that's my trouble tree,' he replied 'I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, those troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children.

So I just hang them up on the tree every night when I come home, and ask God to take care of them. Then in the morning I pick them up again.' 

'Funny thing is,' he smiled,' when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there aren't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before.' 

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance. 

We all Need a Tree!

Tech-Editors are Life Savers

I'm thrilled that the draft of my sideways-knit Fair Isle sweater is done.  I'm too tired to figure out how to flip the photo around.  It loaded right-side up everywhere else, so I don't know what's up.  So since it's a sideways sweater it's appropriate.

I spent over 60 hours on the pattern, not counting the creation of the original pattern and knitting the prototype sweater.  Now I have 2 very competent knitting friends reviewing the pattern before it is test-knit.  It will be for sale up on Ravelry under the name of Prairie Gardens Cardigan.

Amble over to My Green Thumb Side and check what's going on in the garden.

Till next time:  There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. (Anaïs Nin)

Everyone is a Graduate--Some Food for Thought

This speech was to a class of graduates but I feel the advice is valid for each and every person.  So I am declaring all of us graduates of a sort.  We graduate each day from some events that teach us life lessons, and, hopefully, regardless of age, wake up each morning with eager faces, looking into the future.  I have always felt that self-centeredness is the root of all evils, both personal, and on every level of existence: in families, schools, communities, governments--any situations where human interaction and interdependence exists.  I also know that the happiest people are those who appear not to be ego-centric.  So I wanted to share this speech with you.

George Saunders Advice to Graduates


Till next time:  this post is my thought for the day.

Let's Declare a National Holiday

I know this should be on my green thumb side, the garden blog, but this special day is so important to me, that I decided to post it here. 

My favorite day of the year--it should be made a national holiday:  First Feed of Fried Green Tomatoes Day, which just happens--this year--to coincide with First Feed of New Potatoes Day. 
First I found just the right 2 tomatoes:

Then I sliced them and seasoned them.

Then I fried them in a butter and canola oil mix and just before serving--a teeny drop of maple syrup on each one.

And the 2-3 bite new baby potatoes, and 7 fresh cucumbers as well as some ripe tomatoes:

Bring on the fireworks!!!


 Till next time:  The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live. (Flora Whittemore)

It's Quiet on the Knitting Front

It's quiet in the knitting department.  I'm working on a log cabin blanket all out of bits and bobs of leftover mystery yarns (all acrylic).  My Master Knitter is taking a hiatus, because the projects need full attention.  I've been dabbling at the pattern of my fair isle style sweater so I can finally publish it.
We're getting a new furnace and AC, so I had to do a lot of re-arranging in the downstairs storage and rumpus room, so the plumber can get in and out.
Add mowing, and endless weeding, and I know where the time goes.
The greenhouse closed at the end of June, and it's mostly cleaned out.  The weeds have grown back in the flower beds.

What's mostly been keeping me busy is illustrated on My Green Thumb side.

Till next time:  Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important. (Janet Lane)

Pooh, Pooh ( well, not Pooh, but Tigger)

Someone on Ravelry was having difficulty with this pattern, and since I had made Tigger about 10 years ago, and having no memory of difficulties with it, (evidenced by no notes on the pattern) I crocheted along with her.  There were a lot of difficulties, even for me, but I'm an analytical person so I was able to cruise through flawlessly (in other words, fudge it--yes, I meant FUDGE).  Kubota Man was quite enamored with Tigger, and suggested I make a few sets of all four characters to put away for those future grandkids and great-grandies.  I'll take that under advisement.  One good thing--Tigger took a lot of yarn and just over one 1-lb bag of stuffing (Next time I'll stuff the body a bit less so one bag will be just right).  So the stash would be reduced.  I had yarn bought for 2 sets way back 10 years ago.

It's raining again I am sooo (not) disappointed about not being able to go outside to pull weeds. 

I've finally decided (after some more requests for the pattern on Ravelry) to work on the pattern for my Prairie Gardens Cardigan.  I want one made sideways like Hillswick Lumber (this is a Ravelry Link, sorry  non-Rav readers).  So on Saturday I ordered the yarn from Jamieson & Smith in the Shetlands.  I filled in the order, and pressed the final "submit" button and was about to go to my e-mail for the confirmation, when the phone rang--my credit card fraud division was inquiring if that transaction was legitimate--love my credit card company.  The order was sent this morning, so I can fondle new yarn in about 2 weeks. ☺☺☺

Till next time:  Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you land among the stars.  (Les Brown)

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.