A Shapely Tank

Knitting news: I just finished this tank pattern. I found 10 skeins of Knit Picks at the thrift store for $4.99 (total!) and I just couldn't resist.

It doesn't look too shapely as my model is much smaller than me, but you get the idea.

Also complete, another pair of socks for me mum, 'cept I forgot to take a photo before I sent them. So you'll have to image a lacey pair of cream coloured socks. Did you? Did you imagine? Good.

Now I'm onto a crochet project. I do things backwards here; I pick up yarn in my stash and try to figure out what to make with it. It took me about 3 days of looking through books and browsing until I figured out what I wanted to make. I've got a cone of white cotton and I'm making a matinee sweater - I figure if I run out of yarn, I can just make the sleeves shorter. And after I'm done, I may even dye it. Or, I'll frog it and make something else - one just never knows.

Work has been busy, busy, busy so I haven't being doing much else. I know - booooorrrrrrring!

Also, it's too cold for me to be in the garden so I haven't been out there either. Come on Sun - shine, shine, shine!

Backyard Birding

Isn't he sweet? This is a little goldfinch that comes to our feeders and sits in the trees singing sweet little songs. It's like having a little wild canary. We've been getting much pleasure out of our bird feeders and have been enjoying a flock of siskins, plus juncos and some chickadees. The rufous hummingbird swings by a couple times a day. All in all I think we're up to about 14 different kinds of birds, but the gold finch is one of my favourites. Here is a purple finch:

But with the good, comes the bad - we don't particularly like the starlings and jays at our feeders and the squirrels are not welcome but all are persistent. That's why we feed only seeds for the siskins and finches because then the seeds are very small. Squirrels can be outsmarted but they have a lot more time than I do!

Just popping in to say "hi" and to share this video with you.

I hope you like it - to me it's more about the herding dogs than anything else - I'm a sucker for a good dog story.

Intermission

Has this ever happened to you? Something that you once enjoyed just didn't tickle your fancy anymore?

For example - my love of coffee. I started drinking coffee in my teens and for years I drank a lot of it during the day in the office - maybe 5 - 8 cups daily. But, once I left the corporate office for the home office, it didn't appeal to me anymore. I don't think the two are related necessarily though, but there were times when the smell of coffee was completely disgusting. I did have the odd cup of decaf, usually after a restaurant dinner, over the the years but that was about it. Until recently. I'm not exactly sure how it came up, but we bought a french press. And some Tim Horton's coffee. And yum! I can't get enough of it! I love it again. Isn't that strange?

But also strange is my lack of interest for Blog Land. I know. I'm sorry to say it. I just don't feel like writing or updating it like I once did. I don't have the desire to read as many other blogs as I once did either - but please don't take it personally though, it's just me. I know that millions of blogs are started each day around the world and that millions of blogs are abandoned each day too and I had hoped that I wouldn't be a quitter, but after 3 years, I'm not so sure. Maybe I just need a break - not as long as my 8 year coffee phase, maybe just a couple of weeks? It's a big risk, I could lose all my faithful readers but I'm hoping you won't forget about me and will check back in when I get my mojo back. Don't forget about me, 'kay?

And so it begins

Today was a beautiful sunny and warm (20 degrees C ) day. And after so many cold and rainy days, 20 feels warm. In another month or two, twenty degrees will feel cold (well at least to me).

So it was time to start the garden clean up today. Sweeping the driveway and the walk to the front door, pruning back the ivy and other plants that have run amok and removing leaves from the flower beds. Oh don't get me wrong, I'm far from being done. Actually, like housework, I really don't think gardening can ever be "done". I put in several hours but I know not to push it, otherwise I'll be sore for too many days and what good would that do me? Besides, according to the forecast, we have 3 more days of this kind of weather coming up so I can continue the clean up. Oh and by the way, yesterday's dog meeting went really well. We love the breed even more! We just have to wait for the dam to come in heat, which is supposed to be any day now. Hurry up and wait!

A blog about a dog

Today is an exciting day for us. We've been talking to a dog breeder who's expecting her dam to go into heat any day now. If all goes as planned, we'd have a puppy by July.

So now you're wondering why today would be exciting, right? Well the breeder has set up a meeting with a 2 year old dog from her last litter, so we have the chance to meet a 'sister' of the dog we'll get as the dam and sire will be the same.

We're all very excited in this house today, wish us luck!

Here is a gallery of the breed.

Last time I bought groceries, I thought I'd pick up a couple bunches of daffodils as mine weren't quite ready yet - oh boy was I glad that I did - look at this loverly assortment! It's on my desk while I work all day and they sure smell good.

I gotta remember to buy myself flowers more often (if someone else won't).

Also, in case you think I totally slacked off this month - I did finish a pair of socks for my mom. She picked the pattern and the yarn and I think they'll fit her well except maybe the top which is a bit tight - even thought I ripped it out twice. It seems whenever you get this type of stitch pattern it really tightens things up. I hope you don't mind socks that are bit slouchy mom.

That's all I got for now.

Are you an April Fool?

I never liked practical jokes and so I'm not one for setting up others for April Fools, there are some things I don't mind though. For example, if you log into Craftster today, you will see that everyone's avatar has been changed to 1970's style macrame or crochet images. That's a fun April Fools tradition that I look forward to.

But some of the things that Martha Stewart has posted, just aren't my cup of tea - fake milk, coloured tap water, bouillon cubes in the shower*. Nah. I guess I'm a spoil sport.

Let me know if you've seen a clever April Fools joke, or website (I'm taking a very passive approach aren't I?)

* ok the 'Soup Shower' is actually from Scrubs. But I'm sure it inspired someone to do it today.