Catching Up

Though I've titled this post catching up, I've yet to do any such thing. Today, I woke up at 4, fed and walked my crew, then went back to bed. I got up at 9 though and promptly jumped into the day.

The first thing I did since it was supposed to be a glorious (by glorious read sweltering. I know, some people are never happy) 80 degrees, was get some dying work done.

I mixed up the Kool-aid and got to it. While we're on this subject, I have never been a Kool-Aid kid myself, but the new Peach Mango stuff smelled amazing as I got it added to the roving. After I got the bowl mixed, and the pans all looped up and soaking I put them on the top of Bob's black Toyota 4-Runner to soak up the sun's rays.

Of course as I'm taking pictures the cute mail man shows up. Keep in mind, I haven't showered yet, my hair is all akimbo and I'm wearing my slippers. Oh well... He still thinks our dogs are cute, and I'm not doing anything other than admiring so I guess no harm no foul.

As for "Sun Dying", it's been a different dying experience. The Peach Mango seems to have acted as a kettle dye, and the "painted" ones seem to have sucked up all available dye and needed minimal rinsing. Literally, this evening I only had to do two runs through cold water and there wasn't a bit of dye leakage. I even plugged the white plastic utility sink to confirm a lack of color leaching. And hey, I hate the worry of accidentally felting roving in the rinsing so I'll work with it.  But the Peach Mango, I had to do several rinses though it wasn't color I was getting, but a cloudiness. It was like the fake sweeteners added to Kool-Aid were running off. The resulting fiber though, is a lovely cantaloup. I can't wait to spin it up.

The plan for the cantaloup is to to spin two separate bobbins and ply. The blue/purple and green/purple will also be spun up as a separate bobbin apiece and plied. This is hopefully going to be my "travel" spinning project for quiet campsite evenings for Junes trip to Zion, Grand Canyon, and Bryce Canyon/Escalante Grand Staircase National Parks. I'm so excited! We have all the campgrounds, rafting trips and other reservations made and we plan on picking up Stefani in Salt Lake City. I even got a dog sitter!


But, enough on that... That's for another day.

After I got the dye a baking, I had to take pictures of the garden that has decided that spring is here for sure.

One of Bob's Iris's is blooming! And the remaining Salvia in the foreground.

Lamb's Ear. I actually lost one of these and a Salvia this winter, of all hardy plants, but I'm sure the boys peeing on them constantly didn't help.

Clematis, the one in the backyard is already over my head.

Then it was out for a bike ride with the boys, to the yarn store just because, before heading out into the county for a dog training session with a bored Australian Shepherd.


Now I stand here thinking I should be knitting.  I have more neck gators for Bob's family for Christmas to get done. Last night before bed I did get the first three blocked.

Blogger has decided the rest of today,s pictures will be sideways... Lovely. You get the idea though.

And this evening with the freshly dyed and drying fiber, the last one I finished is blocking.

This one, despite taking the longest to come with an idea and execute, is my favorite. There has been so many projects out tehre recently in linen stitch I decided to try it out. And I have to say, once you get it in your head to stop just short of actually purling, it's nice. I did this one in the round and despite it looking like color work, it's not.

Truly. I just did three different colors and how the linen stitch laid them out it made it look like it was fancy color work weaving. LOVING IT! And it's a nice thick piece and used up the left over blue and purple from the above mentioned cowls. Can't ask for more.

AS for Mother's Day, the call home went well and I'm hopeful my mom may come to visit in October. As it stands now we're looking at picking her up on our way home from the Tao;s wool and fiber festival as we swing through Carlsbad Caverns and the rest of New Mexico.

For Bob's mom I made a couple pies that Bob promised I'd do.

A Lemon Meringue for her and a Chocolate cream for Bob. The chocolate cream didn't like being disturbed so by the time we got to his sister's house over rough gravel roads and many a cattle guard it was more of chocolate soup in a crust, but was still tasty. Bob pointed out that jello pudding in a crust with whip cream is how he makes it and it's serviceable, but as you can probably tell, I'd be horrified to serve anything from a Jello box. It's just me. I know how to cook so if I'm told I'm to make pies, I make pies. Though I did buy store bought frozen gluten free crusts. Next time I'll suck it up and stay up until two making my own crusts if need be. Damn Celiacs. As it was I was up until one. I've never made Lemon Meringue before but I have to say, I did good. My two lemons were about an 8th of a cup shy on juice so I added a little extra rind zest and mmmmhm. I've forgotten how much I like lemon meringue.

What's a cattle guard I here you say? Well...

Photo from vintage whimsy blog found at http://daisiesandandelions.blogspot.com/

This is a nice one. As you can imagine, hell on a chocolate cream pie in a hot car. It was Bob's car... Kidding, it was in the cooler with the other one so the mess was contained.

Anyway, I should get to it and move the sprinklers again before settling in with more knitting and a good audiobook.

G'Night,
Q.