Bloggable moments

You all are too kind to me--I appreciate the nice comments about the shawl as well as the tips for using the camera. My niece (a photographer at an ad agency) had perhaps the most impertinent suggestion of all : "...well, why don't you read the manual and then just play around with it?". Huh? Come again? This younger generation, they think they have it all figured out. Sheesh!

I have just returned from a 5 day trip to Minneapolis . My trip back home just happened to coincide with a monumental sale of staggering proportions at my fave Twin Cities brick and mortar yarn shop (Miss Thing Linda at Yarnzilla doesn't count as she is mainly doing Internet business), Borealis Yarns. Being a Minneapolis chick all the way, it was a bit of a strain to drive those extra 8 minutes to St. Paul, but it was well worth it as everything in the joint was 20% off. You can see the damage above.(N.B. The Hazel Knits was not purchased in Mpls. but sent to me there. Just trying to manage my deliveries if you know what I mean).

While in St. Paul, I also checked in with my second favorite yarn store, The Yarnery, where I got my grubby little hands on more Hand Maiden Casbah sock yarn. It's official, I am now stalking/hording this stuff. It is luscious and gorgeous and shiny, and possesses that most beguiling of all yarn fetish attributes: it's somewhat hard to get your hands on. Yes, scarcity really does it to me every time and the acquisition machine just kicks into overdrive. "Oh, this is hard to get? I'll take seven, please". Sad, but true.

This blog has gotten so FO-centric recently that I have decided to show a little more WIP action. At a café after my LYS yarn-induced high I cast on for another shawl--the Flower Basket Lace Shawl by Evelyn Clark. I am on a roll with the heavier weight yarn for shawls and wraps, so I am doing it out of an all time favorite dk weight yarn, Debblie Bliss Cashmerino dk. Looove this stuff. The pattern demands attention and is definitely 'shut up I'm counting' material. I find the chart much easier to follow that the written directions, and am curious if this is the case for others as well. The written out directions instantly confuse me and make me feel like I'm in 8th grade doing a math word problem, which is a terrible place to be...

My parents and I paid a visit to my oldest friend on the books, Phil. He and his partner Randy have a farm in Star Valley, Wisconsin. Last fall they acquired a flock of sheep and several guard llamas to boot, so visiting was a must. When we were there he accused me of "...only visiting him to get blog material". Puh-leeze, what is wrong with him? Come on now. We had a fantastic albeit short visit. Above you see a picture of him holding Helen, a bottle-fed blind lamb that spent the entire time he held her suckling on his ear. Helen, many tragic individuals have been there before you, so take a number, sister!



We had a great visit, and my Dad, who has somewhat advanced Alzheimer's, especially enjoyed all the animals on the farm. When you have that disease, uncomplicated interactions are so welcome, and animals can provide that in meaningful ways.


Refreshing cocktails as well as delicious Morel mushrooms were plentiful during our visit. At dinner we heard our first whippoorwill of the season which was truly a thrill. I am so glad I went. You know, for the blog material and all;)