Or should I say woodchucks and squirrels?
It’s been a crazy couple of weeks around here, so I’m going to give you a nice pictoral of the action in lieu of a yarn update this week.
First, we had this:
I built these steps this spring, and have shown them to you before. This day, there was a HUGE pile of dirt on them. Uh, that isn’t supposed to be there! Closer inspection reveals this:
Plus an amazingly bad smell. We have a mamma and baby woodchucks (or groundhogs) that roam in the woods, but have decided to start looking for a good place to hibernate this winter. Under my flower garden is out, no matter how cute and furry you are. I tried to catch a picture of the culprit, but she is quite quick for all her chubbiness. I am a bit concerned that they are doing this so early…are we in for a doosey this year?
To add to the animal insanity, my kids went out to play on the trampoline, and were greeted by this mess:
This was done in various degrees to all 4 net supports, and there are little claw marks all up and down them. We pieced the foam back together and wrapped in thick black tape. Hasn’t happened again. I’m guessing it was squirrels being rather frisky. It might have been a full moon, too…..
Such unexpected interruptions have become the norm around here, so I’m going with the flow. We have doctors appointments and testing to be done (Mr. Tiger has strange headaches), and we don’t know what will be found. This is why I’m glad that my yarn business is so forgiving. I’ve dyed a ton of yarn in the last few weeks and got them most up on the site, and have a bit still laid back to post. I love being able to easily rearrange my schedule and support my husband.
I’m still shipping promptly, and scarf season has started. I’ll be dyeing this week for sure…the first shipment of Opposites Attract Sock Club go out on next Friday.
Anyway, to keep myself busy in the car and in waiting rooms, I’m started more serious hand knitting.
Here’s the finished version of that handspun scarf I was working on:
And then I visited the local library, and found Sally Melville’s book about the Knit Stitch. Within it is a pattern for the Einstein Coat, and I must have it. Well, most of it. No bat wings for me, so I’m going to make the pattern more complicated and do set in sleeves. I can chart it easily with the software I have for my knitting machines, so it should work out well. I chose this Cascade yarn called Victor.
The color is ‘sand’. I didn’t read the description on Webs very well, and was surprised to find my superwash merino had 30% acrylic in it. Oops. It is still pretty soft, and I know it will improve with washing, as most acrylics do. I’m nearly finished with the first skein, and at this rate I’ll be done with the skirt portion of the coat in about a month. Maybe we need more doctors appointments? (Kidding!) I’m not real impressed with the claims of great stitch definition due to the yarn being cabled. It seems to me that it just makes the yarn splitty. If I like the coat when I’m done, I’m considering spinning for the next one. Yes, it is boring doing garter stitch all the time, but relaxing and unstressful, too. Nothing wrong with mindless knitting!
