ram--BLINNN

This "Ramblin' Rows" baby blanket is for my neighbors whose first child will be born at the end of August. Since we know they will be blessed with a precious daughter, pink is the main color of this blanket. Making this, my first Ramblin' Rows, is such fun! I enjoy the color changes and the variety of shapes. It consists of rectangles, large squares, and small squares in garter stitch. Since I'm not a fan of garter, I thought once or thrice about making this pattern. However, it is amazing what a few well placed decreases can do!

This view shows the detail a little better along with the five colors. I am using worsted weight yarn and size eight needles. If you're interested in the pattern, Google Ramblin Rows to locate a place where you can order it. The booklet includes sizes for a lapghan and a full size afghan in addition to the baby ghan.

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in-- behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. ---Psalm 139:1-6

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Saturday Sky

In my bookishness, here are my July reads for the Summer Read-Along. (See button at right.)

A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler tells the tale of a son who breaks with his family's expectations that he will follow tradition and work in the family bank, seek materialistic goals, and live a "mapped" life. He finds personal fulfillment in a simple life of physical labor and deep relationships. As always with Tyler, this is a flowing engaging read.

The Guardian Angel by Mindy Friddle is a satisfying, yet heart-wrenching story of a young woman's fight to keep her family's sagging home. Interwoven with family relationships, the saga leads her to find redemption by redeeming another. Quite a story.

Split Second by David Baldacci and Second Time Around by Mary Higgins Clark are your basic mystery/suspense stories. Not my favorite genre, but OK...I guess.

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Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.

--- e. e. cummings

Saturday Sky Traveling

My Saturday sky photo was taken on July 21 in Dallas. It was an overcast, but very hot and humid day. Looking at the postings of Saturday skies is a unifying experience and a lovely way to indicate our connectedness. Thanks to the originator of this idea. Her button is in the panel to the right.

Beautiful flowering shrubs in Texas.

Oklahoma Sky

Home in beautiful Colorado!

At Coors Field in Denver --- Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals

The scoreboard tells the sad tale of the 6-1 loss to the Cards.Yes, there was knitting! That's coming up in the next post! :)

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Wisdom begins in wonder. --Socrates

Bun

The simplicity of this...

Led me to buy this...

And, Max approves!

This I know: God is on my side. O God, I praise your word. Yes, Lord, I praise your word.

--- Psalm 56:9-11

Sunny Saturday Sky

Clear and sunny!

Wobbly Snake

When I suddenly realized that I don't have a secret pet snake to wear the snake sweater, I decided to use it for the sides, bottom, and handle of my Wobbly Tote!! Ingenious! I had knit it with random striping and stitched down one side across the bottom and up the other side of one rectangle. Then I added the second rectangle and did the same to form the tote. I didn't bind off and left a knitting needle on one end in case I needed to lengthen the strap.


Here it is resting on the hammock after it's birthing. I think it looks like a sad face with a green mole!



After felting, Wobbly is looking happier---although this is the other side of the tote! I used Lamb's Pride bulky and a size 10 1/2 needle. I discovered that I do prefer working with Jo Sharp wool over Lamb's Pride. I used Jo Sharp on the mitered bag that I felted and found it much easier to work with as well as being gentler on the hands.

Happiness is a finished Wobbly Tote! I'm adding industrial strength hook-and-loop for a closure, then sending it off to my sister in San Francisco.

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The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you . . .

---II Peter 3:9a

About My June Books

The Columnist by Jefferey Frank is a short novel--a fictional memoir of a self-important, but influential columnist written with insider's knowledge. Eminently readable and very witty.

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The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn is a frivolous but well-written novel about the pampered New York socialites who eagerly draw blood to get their children enrolled in the most fashionable schools. The story centers on the exploits of a business woman who begins a placement program and discovers just how mean-spirited parents can be!

Courage is being scared to death -- but saddling up anyway.

---John Wayne

The Stalker

It slithers out of the box and searches for me in the night!

What is it?

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We are confronted with insurmountable opportunities. ---Pogo

Saturday Sky Part Deux

Waiting for the Rain

Whizzzzz! BOOM! Bang!

God Bless America

Land that I love

Stand beside her

And guide her

Through the night

With a light

From above

From the mountains

To the prairies

To the oceans

White with foam

God bless America

My home sweet home.

Wishing you a safe and fun-filled 4th of July in the USA.

Saturday Sky One

In the Evening

Challenged

Well, I am appalled at myself!! Really! I fancy myself an avid reader. See all those books there! I read only two! For the Summer Reading Challenge 2006 as shown on a side bar button, I decided to set three books per month as my goal. Doesn't sound like much, I know! However, my thinking was that with teaching a 10-week summer session and doing course development, I probably wouldn't have much time for leisurely reading. So, as you can see, I was not being easy on myself. You can see that, can't you?

Moving right along, the books that I finished are

The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn
and
The Columnist by Jeffrey Frank.

Now, there is this squeaker, which really doesn't qualify in my mind, but here I am mentioning it. I began to read Digging to America by Anne Tyler on May 26, which technically is before the official starting date. I read much of it in June, but I can hear the voices in my head yelling, "No fair!"

So there you have it--the saga of reaching 2/3 of my June book challenge goal. Beware!! On July 1st I'm going to dive into a new book and not come up for air until I have read--and thoroughly enjoyed--at least three books. I am just sayin' .

Goals are dreams with deadlines. --- Diana Scharf Hunt

Secret Emissary Arrives

Buzzy Bee arrived as a special emissary from my SP8 to deliver chocolate covered cream filled wafers for my treat. Such sweetness! Thank you, SP!! Buzzy also serves as a tape measure. He's so talented. I especially appreciated the lovely note that my SP enclosed. Thank you for making my day!

The habit of giving only enhances the desire to give. --Walt Whitman

Wobble Not Waddle!

Here's what I've been knitting of late. Yes, wool! Lambs Pride wool which I knit while seated directly in front of the air conditioner! This is side two for the Wobbly Tote KAL. Check the side bar for the link button.

The perfectly innocent front side

Reality check on the reverse side

I do enjoy intarsia. This is a fun project which will be felted. Side One is posted in a previous entry. The pattern is the same, but done with different color combos. This will be going to live with my sister in San Francisco.

Never position a rock near a hard place. ---Rohan Candappa

What do you see?

Here's a simple meme that I saw at http://www.wbnm.typepad.com . If you're reading this, you're tagged! Take a look around you. Other than your computer, peripherals, a desk/table, and chair--- what are the five things nearest to you right now?

1. A note pad
2. My grading sheet for my online students
3. Post It notes
4. My glasses -- not on my nose, on the desk! :)
5. A coaster (without the usual water bottle at the moment)

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. --- Matthew 11:28-30

Operation Purple Heart

The tote bag arrived today from the maker so I am ready to send it off with the Comfort Ghan to the parents of a 25-year-old Army Staff Sgt. who was killed on November 28, 2004, when his unit was conducting a dismounted patrol and encountered enemy forces using small-arms fire in Ramadi, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Infantry Division, Camp Howze, Korea.

Please remember this family in your prayers.

I assembled the ghan using squares sent by members of Heartmade Blessings. www.heartmadeblessings.org

But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
--- Jeremiah 17:7

Crowns

It was jubilation and praise and Hallelujah and Southern Gospel music when I went to the musical Crowns at the Denver Center Theatre on Saturday.

To quote from the program, "The unique legacy of African American women and their church hats is at the heart of Regina Taylor's gospel-infused musical." The costuming, the more than fabulous hats--their crowns--and musical talent on display makes this an experience of worship as well as seeing an outstanding production. If you have an opportunity to see this play, by all means do!!

Here are some of the sculptures outside the theatre complex. Unfortunately, they were taken with my phone-cam.

The bright light in the background is obscuring the grand view of the mountains. Darn! Trust me, the mountains are there! Really! :)

We're talkin' a hunk-o-man here!!

Wait! There's Mrs. Hunk!!

He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. ---Ps 103:4

Stripping for HMB

Today I've been joining squares to make strips and strips to make a comfort ghan for Heart Made Blessings. Then I need to make a border and a nice finished edging. I haven't quite decided how I will do that yet, though I do know I want a touch of the amethyst in a white border.

I finished reading The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn and must say that the best reading is the last third of the book. This author's wit and clever writing is a joy!

I then started to read The Columnist by Jeffrey Frank. Even though I'm only a few pages into the story, I know already that this is going to an enjoyable read.

We can gather our thoughts, but the Lord gives the right answer. ---Proverbs 16:1

Knocked Down Again

Another virus has taken hold, so I haven't been doing much knitting. I had been working on my Wobbly Tote (see side bar link) until the piece got big enough that I was too warm with all that wool! I am working on a new Comfort ghan for survivors of a soldier who died in the war. (See Heartmade Blessings in side bar.)

Summer semester has begun, so most of my energy goes to teaching time. I am going to do some course development this summer, but haven't been able to concentrate long enough to work on it at all.

I am currently reading The Ivy Chronicles by Karen Quinn, a frivolous but well-written novel about the pampered New York socialites who eagerly draw blood just to get their children enrolled in the most fashionable schools. Gripping, I know!

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.
~~~Henry Ford

Thanks to my SP8!

Receiving the first package in the Secret Pal 8 exchange was exciting! Thanks to my SP for the box of surprises which included Sugar n Cream cotton yarn, DP needle holders, small bird house chimes, a sewing kit, candy, and a few other items. After putting everything away, it hit me! I didn't take a picture! Duh! So, trust me here, the gifts and the clever storage box that held them are very thoughtful items from my delightful SP!

If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes. ---Andrew Carnegie