Some knitting, but mostly not . . .

I'm still working on the black scarf (I only work on it during commuting), and it's still not done, and it's still black, and I still can't get a good picture of it because . . . it's black. So you'll just have to wait to see it until it's off the needles.

In the meantime, I have cast on for this, but since it's to be a gift for someone who reads this blog, I can't talk about it.



I'm not even going to say what yarn that is (and those colors aren't accurate because I Picasa'd them) to throw the recipient off). By the way, if you're looking for an easy to use photo editing and organizing software, Picasa is a particularly good one; and it's free. Nate, from Tekology loaded it for me last September and I've been using ever since.

I'm getting geared up to spin in Artisan's Village at the Oregon State Fair next month. I emailed to Woolland Woolworks asking for some fiber samples last week, then this little box of goodies arrived on my doorstep this week:



A bag of silk cocoons, some raw cotton still in bolls, and some flax! I've got some uncombed wool locks, some kid mohair locks, and some samples of sea silk and bamboo yarns from my stash, as well. I want to set up some sort of display to use while I'm there to talk about the different fibers and how they are prepared and processed for spinning. Time to hit the library and the Internet so I can talk knowledgeably about this stuff! And, I need to get the Country Craftsman spit-shined, oiled, and fitted with a new drive band.

Speaking of craftsman, here's what I got to look at most of Saturday:



ToolMan spent the better part of Saturday morning up on a ladder drilling holes in the house, dropping tools, and cursing. All in preparation for installing a retractable awning on our deck. The time estimated in the instructions was 2 hours. Approximately 4 hours after starting, we had to make a trip to Lowe's for a ratchet, because really . . . what kind of DIY project does not entail having to buy more tools in the middle of the job?

He says that's not his best side. Even after 20 years, I still think it's not bad . . . .

Thankfully, most of Saturday was cool and cloudy. But by the time we had purchased the ratchet and returned home, it was less than 30 minutes later the whole job was done. ToolMan could hardly wait to crank that baby out and have a beer under it.

That's wisteria growing up the stair rails; we planted Audrey 3 years ago and now it's a weekly job of pruning to keep it on the outside of the rail so it doesn't reach out and grab you as you go down.

Not having learned our lesson with the wisteria, we planted a trumpet vine on the fence last year. It's blooming like crazy this year and the hummingbirds have finally discovered it.

We bought this last year at Max and Hildy's, just before they closed. It's a variety that was found growing wild on Catalina Island; it isn't the usual red trumpet vine, the buds are orange with yellow tips and it blooms a more orange than red but the hummers seem to like it anyway.

And ToolMan wasn't the only one who bought some goodies at Lowe's. I came home with these for ToolMan's next project:

At least this won't require the ladder and dropping tools. But I'm not taking bets on the cursing.