On the other hand, yard work does cause me pain.� My oldest son, gem that he is, has recently moved back home in between jobs.� He arrived full of energy and willing to help in the yard.� I’ve given him a list but after the initial burst of energy I’m finding he works better with some input/help from us.�

So yesterday I suggested we go by our local landscaping company, also known as Snoozie Shavings, to pick some dirty fines and gorilla bark for the vegetable garden.�

He work for 2 hours straight unloading his truck of soil.� Then I started on the gorilla bark and did that all by myself.� He came out and finished up for me because I was wasted.

The garden is starting to look better.� I love having a great garden.� I enjoy looking outside seeing everything in it’s place but I do hate the work that goes into it.� So today is resting day, we were going to start putting in the dining room floor but I don’t think I have the energy/desire to do that!

On to knitting….yesterday I completed 3 more pair of socks.� The count is now 38 completed, 22 to go.� The Shawl is comming along nicely with 5 repeats complete.� I finally got the hang of how those yarn overs and nibs works so I feel much more confident in my ability to complete this on time.�

Thank goodness it’s misting today�or I would have to go back outside to face the reality I am out of shape and over 50!�

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OK all you backyard gardeners, It’s planting day.� So today get out your spring seeds and get your hand’s dirty.� Since the weather has been so nice I’ve decided to get things started and try to get a jump on the garden.� I’m behind in my usual chores but here goes.

Starting with May first, I plant 24 lettuce plants.� I plant Red Sails and get all my seeds from here

http://www.territorial-seed.com/stores/1/index.cfm�� Territorial Seeds

At the�first of every month until October, I do the same.� That way I always have fresh lettuce ready to go and usually harvest the last out of the greenhouse in November.

Pumpkins I usually start on Easter by planting seeds in hollowed out chicken eggs.� I kind of forgot to do that this year so I’ll start them now.� By starting your pumpkins now, they will be ready to harvest in October.

Basil, as I said in a previous blog, plant basil on Good Friday.� Yes I didn’t get to that either so it will go in the ground today.� I use seed tape because the seeds are evenly spaced and it is easier.� You can get them from here:� Park Seeds

http://www.parkseed.com/

Carrots, yup, I plant these in the greenhouse and some outside.� I use either carrot tape or� pelletized carrots.� They are so small my arthritic fingers have trouble picking them up. If we don’t get a lot of rain they should do OK outside but I have to remember to water them sometimes twice a day in the greenhouse.

Something new this year is Edamame or soy beans.� My kids love them so I thought I would try growing some.� They go in now with the sugar snap peas.� I found these at Renee’s Garden.� She has great stuff that is kind of off the beaten path.� Her link is :http://www.reneesgarden.com/�� Last year I planted her multi-colored green beans. What fun to see different colored string beans growing in the same plot.

Potatoes – I has a lot of volunteers so I didn’t plant on St. Patrick day but I did purchase some Red Pontiacs and Russets at Del Cur Co-Op over the weekend so they will go in now for a second crop.

And finally, Walla Walla Onions.� Usually these are really expensive but my DH found them also at Del Cur for $1 a bunch of 25.� Can you believe that?�

Flowers, I’m really trying to have a cutting flower garden this year if I can keep those pesky slugs and snails at bay.� The good news is we seem to have a bumper crop of frogs (I guess a lot of those polly wogs I found and transplanted into the pond took!)� Frogs eat slug babies so that should help.

Well, happy gardening and put on your sun screen!

A knotty mess I know that I must have faith it will turn out beautifully when it is blocked.� I’m into the second pattern and I only have 23 more to go.� I figure if I can do a pattern a day I will get it complete by the wedding.

Note the new profile picture on the left?� Those are made from Knit Picks Simple Stripes.

http://www.knitpicks.com/yarns/itemid_5420113/yarn_display.aspx

You can’t beat the price on this yarn.� It is $2.99 per skein.� You can make 2 pairs adults socks from 3 skeins.� Of course it is superwash and wears beautifully.� They are my new favorite socks…at least until I complete another pair.� In order to avoid terrible yarn accidents with the socks I make on the Legare, I HAVE to test drive any new yarn I use by wearing a pair for a day, washing and drying to see how much they felt/shrink….at least that is my story and I’m sticking to it!

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Pumpkin, being a boy, has been very understanding in the fact that Cookie, a girl, think He is her Mother.� CATS!

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On to knitting….Here is the progress yesterday.� 2 pairs for a customer, 2 pairs completed for sale and 2 pairs on the machine.� So the count to date is….

Pairs completed� 33

Pairs to go!� 27

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It fits very well and will provide that little bit of protection during the wedding which will be outside.� No, those mouse ears are not part of the wedding attire!

The lace for the wedding shawl is comming along.� After frogging the first attempt, I’ve started over and am much happier.��Darn if you don’t actually have to count stitches so the thing comes out right.� I’ve discovered stitch markers can keep track of what I’m doing.� Imagine that!

I’m off to the sock machine.� Mood today���

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It being Saturday and the sun is shining and I have Little League Pictures, a Little League Game and yard�work to do, I won’t be getting to any socks today!� Here is the count to date.

Total Pairs of socks made��since March 15th����������54

which breaks down to��31 for sale, 23 sold to customers.�

Next week all will be back to normal with the kids in school and DH back to work.� I should be able to crank some out.� My goal for next week is 8 pairs.�

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I should get that done today so I can start on the lace.� This pattern was kind of ‘made up’ as I went.� I took the example from an adult sized bolero Karen made, adapted it with the ‘Betty Sweater’ and guess what?��

It fits!�

I’m amazed I winged something and it actually worked.� I can’t wait to block it.

Those of you keeping track, with the 3 pairs socks I made yesterday I have (drum roll!)

28 pairs to make by May 26th.

My DH has been on vacation this week with the agreement (?) that he would help me in the yard.� Here is what he has been doing….�he is trying to put together our youngest son’s birthday present.

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But I realize this beautiful spring morning I am guilty on all counts.�

1.� Guilty of purchasing yarn I have no project for,

2.� Guilty of thinking about knitting while sitting in a coffee shop with my DH. We went 15 minutes without talking….If this is a sample of what retirement will be like….I’ll be knitting alot.

3.� Guilty of having 5+ projects in the works, 3 of which I really don’t want to complete.� I probably could take them down to Perfect Yarn and they might knit on them..Hmmmm.

4.� Guilty of feeling very good about the fact I can knit a pair of socks on my sock machine in 37 minutes.� It takes almost as much time to close the toe as it does to knit the sock.�

Finally I am guilty of stealing my kids easter egg dying kits to dye this roving.� I can hardly wait to see how it spins up.

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This is the sleeve to the youngest’s (see her in the background trying to look invisible?) bolero.�� I got pretty far with this even though I could only knit during recesses.

This is what I got done this weekend…..4 pairs of socks.� The sock count is 31 pair remaining.�

Gee, what is that in the background?�

SUN

Yes, sun comming down from the sky.� Amazing and to think I had to spend the day in court.�

I know we need lots of rain to keep these big trees growing but I want to put in my garden and I cannot as long as the ground is so saturated.� The pond is briming and over-running it’s edge, the Koi are hiding and the weeds are growing.� See what I mean?� No this picture isn’t fuzzy, it is�� (picture deleted from archives)

RAINING!

I�started he youngest’s chub last night.� She needs something to wear over her Flower Girl dress because it is sleeveless.� I’m using Heirloom, Breeze from The Australian Yarn Company .� It will look like this (picture deleted from archives)…actually is won’t, the yarn I’m using is off-white, it won’t be fuzzy and it will be shorter…..but you get the idea.

I spent this early morning looking at my new book “Inspired Cables”.� I love new books and this one is a doozie!� It has beautiful patterns but the best part is all the directions are in either charts or written instructions.� I can hardly wait to make the very last sweater in the book but I have to finish the Chub first and decide what’s for dinner this week and clean house and plant peas and carrots and do laundry and worry about finding an outfit to wear for the wedding and…..Oh drat!

So, I’m off the the sock machine.� I have 3 pairs to make today because I picked up another couple or orders from The Perfect Yarn yesterday.� Happy Easter and stay dry!