Sundara Stash

I had some luck in the February updates.

Another idea from Sandy

Sandy had a fun photo meme on her blog yesterday, which she found on KT's blog so I thought I would try it out.

I love how mine turned out.

Here are the questions:


a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd's mosaic maker.


The Questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name



1. Saint Mary's Church (Where John F. Kennedy Married Jacqueline Bouvier), 2. Fried Ipswich Clam Bellies, 3. Brownsburg High School, 4. Blue plums, 5. Hugh Laurie, 6. The Almighty Sugar-Rimmed Lemon Drop, 7. Scotland - 2006 - '05 May - 143 - Isle of Skye, 8. Creme Brule, 9. three_wise_women, 10. candid child, 11. Stronger, 12. Oh, my dog


This was a fun meme. For some reason I cannot figure out how to blog directly from Flickr, so the links do not work.

Thanks Sandy and KT! Any day I get to spend time searching for pictures of Hugh Laurie is a good day!

MA Sheep and Wool Festival 2008

On Saturday, a good friend and I drove to Cummington for the Massachusetts Sheep and Woolcraft Fair. It was a perfect day for a drive, which was good, as I missed exit 4 (I believe we were discussing our love for the shows Buffy and Angel at the time and were too involved to notice the exit) and also exit 3 which meant we had to drive all the way to exit 2 before being able to turn around and go back. The joys of the Mass Pike. It only added another 40 miles or so to the trip. But the weather being lovely, and the conversation scintillating, we managed to arrive in good spirits eager to windowshop as we both had vowed that we had enough yarn already.

Yeah, that never works.

Of course, I took no pictures at the festival, because, um, well, I was busy looking at everything. I did see two adorable Border Collie puppies the very first thing, and was sorely tempted to bring one home. I miss having a dog. But I resisted, and good thing too, because the poor dog would have been lonely. I have two cats, and they don't mind that I'm gone 10 hours at a time, but a dog would. So, first temptation resisted.

I like the smaller festivals. Don't get me wrong, I adore the excitement of Rhinebeck, but I always feel like I cannot possibly see it all there, and the smaller festivals, like NH Sheep and Wool and the Cummington event, offer a lovely array of goods to peruse. We wandered through the barns and found Sliver Moon Farm's booth. There my resistance to temptation ended. A certain lovely someone blogged about her purchase of their yarn last October and I've been lusting after this yarn for ever since.




So, I bought it. Ahem. Smoky Plum, fingering weight superwash wool and it is really beautiful. The shop also had the most glorious knitted wrap on display, made from this yarn, of which I have no pictures, unfortunately and there was no pattern available, but my hope is to knit something very similar to that wrap. Possibly the Sampler Shawl from Folk Shawls. (Ravelry link)




Two pictures of the haul from Cummington, because why post one picture, when you have two? They are all Sliver Moon yarns. In the middle is the Smoky Plum and on top is a skein of laceweight called Granite that is the most gorgeous blue gray. I couldn't leave it behind. The other fingering weight is called Grape Ice and it is as lovely as the Smoky Plum. Since I couldn't decide between the two, I brought both home. So much for will power.

And one more picture of the yarn with Manny. Oooooh, ahhhhhh! Isn't he cute?



My final purchase of the day and one of the sweetest. MMMmMmMmMm maple sugar and maple cream. Yep, no will power at all.

Memorial Day Meme

Sandy posted this meme on her blog, and tagged all her readers. So here I go:

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

My husband and I went to Scotland for our 20th anniversary. It was a beautifully planned trip, Scotland was amazing. I loved it. But it was also when I realized my marriage was in deep trouble, by virtue of my husband not really talking to me, at least not like we used to converse. I kept trying to engage his attention, but could not. He seemed almost exasperated with me. It was scary, and about to get scarier.

I had a 15 year old and a 12 year old, and both were exceedingly busy with sports and ballet and school. There was no time for me time. But I loved all the hub bub. Truly I did. I kinda miss it now.

I weighed a lot less back then, but we won't go into that.

2. What are 5 things on my to-do list today?

One, clear off patio from debris from trees so I can sit out and enjoy summer. (done) Two, plant annuals in beds. (done) Three, buy more plants, because I never ever buy enough the first time through. (done) Four, laundry. Always laundry at the end of a holiday. (done, almost. Needs folding) 5. Knit on shawl. (did 5 rows)

3. Snacks I enjoy:

Microwave popcorn, ice cream, cheese and crackers, Kashi Go Lean bars, chocolate (dark), and Trader Joe's Italian Sodas. Ice cream is my favorite though. Yum!(see about line above about weight)


4. Places I’ve lived:

Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Tennessee again, Minnesota, Upper Michigan, Minnesota again, Ohio, and now Massachusetts. Lots of movin' in my life as a wife.


5. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:


Well, first, I would pay off my family's debt. I mean my mom's and sisters' and brothers' and set up trust funds for my kids and nieces and nephews. And I would get some things fixed around the house. I kind of like my house, but it could use some maintenance. And I would hire a sexy lawn guy, cause I'm freakin' tired after planting all my flowers today.

Then I would want to set up a foundation that would provide low or no interest loans to people in need. And have support for them in the way of educating them about running businesses, making investments, and succeeding in taking care of themselves. I would want to use the money to empower them.

Thanks for the meme Sandy, it was fun!

E is for Eureka! (or Manny being Manny)

Hmmmm, I think this is where she hides it.



Now to just pry this open.



Just a little bit further.



Is that it?



EUREKA!!!



Now to kill the package.



Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

E is for Ecstasy too!

D is for Done!

I have a finished object to blog for you!!! I am so far behind in the ABC along, I thought I would use this post to fill in for D for which I could not think of an good entry anyway. Dog was already done and I thought about Dragon for a bit, but, well, lagged on that as well. So, you get an FO. Hmmm. Maybe I should have used it for F instead.

I am finally done with That Little Scarf, my first Anne Hanson pattern. I love how this turned out. It was a real pleasure to knit and I'm certain I will make this again.

I love the way Anne's patterns have the line by line instructions as well as charted instructions. Everything is clear and easy to figure out.






The yarn is from The Woolen Rabbit, her Opulence Silk blend. It is a perfect yarn for this pattern.

I have never blocked a piece before which tells you something about the types of things I knit. Blocking is amazing. I loved the scarf before I blocked it, but it became quite another creature after blocking. It is smooth and soft and the morning glory pattern shows very well.

I feel pretty pleased with myself.

In another fit of creativity, I made these for a work event on Tuesday. I was extremely proud of these as well. (and they were gone pretty quickly.)

Now that's a great idea!

Check out the story in the Boston Globe today about two young men who are doing something pretty interesting. They have formed the Typo Eradication Advancement League. and are now traveling around the country, seeking to correct what signage errors they can. Ha ha! What a fun idea!

Haven't we all noticed the incorrect use of an apostrophe, or the misspelling of a word, in a public sign and wanted to fix it? Or am I the only one with that particular, um, attribute? Well, these two young men are doing what they can to eradicate poor use of punctuation and grammar. And see the country at the same time. Smart guys!