Saturday, June 27, 2020

Wild and Crazy

Where was I? Oh yes, last Monday my vintage 2013 computer started typing magenta letters and the battery wouldn't charge. I masked up, packed wipes for sanitizing, and visited Computer Hardware, the local Apple affiliate. I had the new machine home less than 24 hours when the pull-down from the battery icon indicated the machine needed a new battery. Back I went. Three days later, the new laptop with a new battery and desktop is performing well. The service in that local store is excellent.

This morning I have been watching young house finches learn to navigate the feeder. There is a clutch of three little ones with tiny tufts of down sticking out from their heads. They wait for the Mama to feed them rather than brave a perch on the feeder suspended from a shepherd's crook. I wonder if the slight movement of landing and take-off deters them or if the darn thing looks odd to them. Now and then one of them twists her body sideways to look at the feeder.

I continue to knit along. This scrappy shawl is a little crazy. I took out one light lavender section and faded some darker scraps up to the solid periwinkle. I hope to remember some of the stitch patterns the next time I set off to knit a scrappy shawl. 

I reknit this cowl and like it much better. Sometimes gauge in a small project really does matter. Once the pattern was set-up, the knitting was intuitive. Knitting a large cable-looking pattern without cabling was fun.


I cast on a baby sweater. A young woman who grew up in the neighborhood is having her first baby. This simple pullover practically knits itself. I bought a mini skein of bright lime green for stripes but then discovered it wasn't superwash. I didn't read the tag very well. The main color is a superwash yarn. I pulled the white superwash out of my stash for the stripes. It seemed silly to knit stripes from a non-superwash.


Last year I thought I planted some low-growing coreopsis in the front yard. This might have been another tag I didn't read carefully. Last Spring seems like so long ago. This year the flowers are taller and a bit wild and gangly. I might dig them up and put them somewhere else this fall or I might leave them and call them wildflowers. I like wildflowers. Our approach to landscaping, if it can even be called that, is easy care, drought resistant, and informal. They fit right in to our less than manicured front yard.

How did we get to the last weekend in June? That seems wild and crazy to me too. Wherever you are, I hope the weekend brings you some bright summer hours.




10 comments:

  1. The baby sweater is adorable.

    I learned the superwash/non-superwash problem with my scrappy blanket. Apparently some of the yarn wasn't superwash and it felted a bit. All in all it isn't a big deal, but I wish it hadn't done that. Bugger!

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  2. I love your knitting and your landscaping. THe orange flowers look like some here in our neighborhood that are so bright and cheerful. I love them. That sweater for the baby is so cute. So glad you were able to get your new computer set up and working properly. We bought a new computer right after Christmas last year, so we were all set for quarantine and working and teaching from home. I do use my 2015 Macbook for blogging and love it. Enjoy the rest of June and I will stop by for a visit again soon.

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  3. Isn't it sad that 2013 for a computer is considered "vintage"? I wish things lasted longer.

    I have recently learned that not all superwash is created equal. I knit my daughter a log cabin blanket using all superwash sock yarn scraps, but as we've washed it, parts of it have started felting. The good news is that the sock yarn I use most often hasn't, so I know it's a reliable yarn now!

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  4. I'm glad that your technology issues were resolved without too many frustrations (although I kind of like the idea of magenta letters). I'm limping along with a 2012 laptop and I really should replace it before I'm forced to. I think it was smart to stick with superwash and I like your crazy scrappy shawl. Hope you're enjoying the last weekend of wild and crazy June!

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  5. I am glad your technology issues were so easily solved! I love that striped baby sweater! (and your scrappy shawl!)

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  6. I have a love/hate relationship with my computer....love it when it works fine, don't want to mess with it when it doesn't!!! Glad yours was resolved quickly. Love the shawl....great scrappy look...how lucky to have so many odds and ends that blend so well together!!!

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  7. I love new computers!! I must say you had excellent service. Love all the knitting and the beautiful days in which to photograph your projects.

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  8. Glad you could solve your computer woes so easily and quickly! Lovely knitting as always. We are hearing so many baby wrens! We have two (we think) nests in two different birdhouses in our apple tree. Gosh they are vocal! Add to that the sound of the catbirds scolding Tyg and it is a rather noisy concert.

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  9. Every once in a while, we just need to bite the bullet and go all in for fresh technology! I'm so glad your tech issues were (fairly) easily addressed, and that you're Back in Business! I love coreopsis -- but they do tend to get a bit leggy. That always suits me, though, as I'm an easy-care, let-it-go kind of gardener! Enjoy your day!

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  10. I am going to be looking for a retirement computer soon. Not looking forward to that process since it will likely need to be an online shopping experience. You have also reminded me that I need to think about knitting a baby sweater this summer.

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