Behind....

I'm a bit behind in my blogging.  I might catch up now that I've gotten some major things done.  I don't know that anyone cares or reads this any more, it's mostly crickets around here.

The garden is alternately growing and dieing.  Some of the plants haven't handled the heat well and some are past bearing. But the tomatoes are going gangbusters.  I'll have to post some pictures soon. I picked a full colander of tomatoes last night, mostly Roma's but a few blue tomatoes too.  I have cucumbers that need to be made into relish as well.  Ah yes, food processing time is upon us and it's a race to see who wins, the rot and mold or the canner and freezer.  I feel like I'm way behind this year but I'm not sure why.

I did some sewing for myself- three or four skirts and two dresses.  Pictures maybe in the future. I've been gone this last weekend to my church convention and was trying to get the sewing done before then.  I was moderately successful.  I still have fabric that I wanted to make up, but it's still usable for another day.  I can relax a little about it since I don't have a deadline to meet now.

I have been baking zucchini bread for  convention too- something like 18 loaves, I saved two for myself.  It has been a lovely treat but I still have a LOT of zucchini to use up.  The zucchini got away from my mom while we were in Yellowstone and I got 5 HUGE ones from her.  I've used two.  I also have quite a bit coming out of my garden that needs to be used before it spoils.  I'm contemplating cookies tonight.  We've used an applesauce cookie recipe and substituted zucchini with good success in the past.

I'm looking forward to Labor day both because it's a day away from work and because Candy is flying in with the boys to spend the weekend.  It will be fun to have that time with them.  The state fair is occurring that weekend but I'm afraid it might be a bit much for the boys.  But it's an option.  There is also Lively Park, which has a water slide and wave pool as well as a children's pool.  Again, it might be a bit much.  The zoo and the coast might be fun but Candy is flying to avoid long periods of time in the car with the children so these may not be viable options. We really should investigate low cost options but I'm not very good at coming up with kid friendly stuff- not having kids and all.  I'm open to options.  Lukas is five and PJ is 15 months.  We can also just stay home and let the kids play in the yard. Do you have any ideas?

I have to say...I'm DONE with Summer!  I'm ready for fall and even winter.  It's time to start any Christmas knitting I'm going to do.  I think I'm going to do the Radiance shawl for my SIL (Ravelry link) in, UGH, black silk.  She can't handle animal fibers (yes, I know this might also qualify as an animal fiber but it doesn't have the itch factor) so this silk was what I could find in black, and she specifically requested black.  Black, in artificial light, is difficult I'm told. I haven't tried it yet but I'm a little worried.  I'm trying to finish up my Freya shawl  (Ravelry link) first but I've reached the point where there are 840 stitches per row and growing and I have at least 12 rows left maybe an additional 21 if it isn't long enough yet.  That's, at least, 33 hours of work left.  I might have to put it aside unfinished in order to get other things done but that really goes against everything I want.  The Radiance shawl is the only thing I'm committed to for Christmas.  Last year I didn't plan to knit anything but I did knit one shawl, also for my SIL.  What can I say, she is a great receiver of knitted items.  She loves, uses, and takes good care of them. 

By the way, an knit worthy recipient is one who loves the gift, understands it's value, takes care of it, and uses it.  S/he also doesn't assume that s/he is entitled to my knitting. This entry by the Yarn Harlot, sums it all up quite nicely.   My Nephew took himself off the list when he complained that the hat was too big and tossed it aside. It was a slouchy hat, it was supposed to be big but even if it was too big, there was never even a thank you or a question about if I could do anything to make it smaller so he could wear it.  My niece took herself off when she never said thank you.  My sister took herself off when she packed the shawl and baby blankets away never to be used because they were too nice.  I've never attempted anything for my BIL; this actually says more about the way I feel about him than anything else.  Actually, my sister and her entire family are off my gift giving list because they never even let us know they've received gifts.  I send gift cards to Amazon, which lets me know they've been delivered.  My brother is in California and it's too hot for knitwear, his wife is a freezecat  and See above, so she still gets knitted stuff. Dad doesn't wear the socks I knit and I haven't tried to make anything else for him other than hats and he will wear only one hat until it is in pieces.  No sense in stocking up there. Mom has multiple shawls, scarfs, socks, and a pair of gloves. She has a hard time figuring out how to wear it all.That covers the immediate family.   My cousin and her mother seem to like what I make, but have minimal use for most of it. Lukas loves anything that Auntie Kristin knits, but I'm not sure what to knit for him next.   He steals everything I knit for anyone in the family so he is a worthy recipient also. (Candy and the rest of the family are probably worthy too, they just never get to use their own knits!) it's nice to have them back in the Pacific NorthWet where they can use knitted items.  Californians don't have much use for hand knits.    So... I really don't have too many approved recipients for my knitted goods.  I hope that doesn't make me seem selfish or judgmental but it's a lot of work and if it isn't appreciated, I'd rather direct that work towards someone that WILL appreciate it. Which should mean I can knit for myself more often.  We'll see how that really goes.

The reality is that life takes a lot of time away from my knitting.  The house takes far more time than my apartment ever did, something I don't think I truly understood before buying my house.  Work takes a lot of oomph out of my enthusiasm and energy. And really, after 11 hours at work or on the road, there just isn't much time left.  I did discover these last three weeks that knitting is rather important to me- I don't stay very well centered if I don't have some down time to knit.  I just get wound up tighter and tighter until I'm ready to explode.  I'm still working on finding the balance.  But right now, I'm ready to cuddle in under a blanket and knit the nights away.  It's still a little warm for the blanket but I'm hoping that the knitting will happen anyway.