Bellathena's Blog

Boom!

2012-01-26T18:27:00.000-05:00

And the paper whites are on their way...

Yarn, Snow, Dogs, Scarf

2012-01-24T20:43:00.000-05:00

First, my Van Gogh sock yarn came today. Eight different patterns with the colors pulled from eight different Van Gogh paintings. Do you see the Starry Night one?

We had snow last week, but it's all but gone now. Today was 52 degrees F. Tomorrow, even the little lingering mounds will melt, I suspect. It's supposed to get up into the upper 40's.

The little gargoyle on my garden wall needed a scarf!

Here's a cautionary tale: I left one of my reusable grocery bags by the front door, meaning to put it back in the trunk of my car. Today, my husband came home, and it was around Athena's neck! She was not a happy Boston. After all, she gets upset when another dog wears a sweater! This must have really upset her, the poor thing. So I guess the moral of the story is, don't leave these things around the house if you have a dog.

Lastly, here's the scarf I've been working on. It's Noro Silk Garden knit in 2 different colorways. You switch yarns every 2 rows, and carry it up the side. It's the pattern from Brooklyn Tweed's blog, which I have linked to in the past. It's fun to watch it change as you knit.

Oh, one more picture. Bloom update....

Soon!

Personal Progress During a Game

2012-01-22T20:20:00.000-05:00

Though the Ravens lost miserably to the Patriots at the very end, I managed to knit an entire (mostly purple) cowl to go with my purple coat. I will wear the purple proudly tomorrow to work. (Note: I bought this coat because I liked the way it fit. It just happens to be purple, which is Ravens color.)

I am not a big fan of my neck, therefore you will not see above the cowl. I had a birthday yesterday, and this girl has the right NOT to show her age on this blog.

The girls were not impressed with the game, either. Though when the refs blew their whistle, Bella did bark a few times.

Athena slept through most of it, keeping Daddy warm. Notice Bella above Athena. They both like to stretch out with Dad.

My Next Big Project

2012-01-20T19:12:00.000-05:00

After spending my evening with a bunch of yarny/knitty types, I decided to make this purchase at the yarn shop last night.

My next purchase is a book that has many patterns with the same idea. Mine will be low-key, and as figure flattering as possible.

You can see a slide-show of the many possibilities by CLICKING HERE

Stay tuned! I still have other projects to finish first.

Someone Needs to Keep Me Away From the Internet.

2012-01-17T19:37:00.000-05:00

I have a little extra money from Christmas, and I have made some interesting purchases these last few weeks. I bought this book last year and wrote a post about it...

I still argue that this is a must-have book for me. Interestingly enough, I have not knit ONE SINGLE THING from this book. So what did I do a few days ago?

Why, I bought the companion book, of course!!

Because you never know when you may be asked to knit up a sardine.

Or a slug.

Or any of these various creatures and woodsy things...

This little bird...come on!! Can you blame me?

And these...

Ok, not completely sure about these..

When I showed the book to my husband, he said, "Cool! Do they have a stinkbug pattern?" Such a comedian, that one.

Anyway, I think it's another must-have book for my shelf.

In other news, I caught the yarn bug BIG TIME the other night when I received an email from Simplysockyarn.com, stating that they are selling the collection of Opal Van Gogh sock yarns together! I could not resist. Eight yarns, with colors pulled from eight of Van Gogh's works. How could I not?!

Seriously, do you blame me?

knitting and Other Things

2012-01-15T11:23:00.001-05:00

First, I finished a sock yesterday. I was hoping to finish the pair and be able to give them to the recipient before today's Baltimore Ravens game. She is a big fan, and the playoff game starts in about 2 hours. Not gonna happen. I missed the big birthday date too, so with any luck, the Ravens will win today and she can wear them for the next big game.

I love this pattern. Here's a close-up..

Still can't make it out? GO HERE to see a pair I knit a few years back. The pattern is more defined on that pair. Are you a knitter, and want the pattern? It's Tidal Wave by Deby Lake, and can be found HERE

On to other things. My amaryllis decided to grow outside the box this time, and is looking much healthier. As posted previously, it started to grow inside the box, and actually bloomed a very weak flower. I trimmed that bit off and planted the stubborn thing

Stay tuned for the blossom in a few days.

Outside, it's freezing. The pond has ice and I haven't seen a frog in a while. Although one 70 degree day did bring out a frog in December!

Bad picture, but trust me...he's there on the rock and it was late December.

The warm weather from a few weeks ago also brought out the Snowdrops early. I have pictures of these blooms on from previous years, taken in late February. Today they're out there blooming in the sun in frigid conditions! Stay warm, readers. See you tomorrow.

Today

2012-01-07T18:45:00.000-05:00

First, some knitting-related pictures...

Just finished these. They're like a party for your feet, aren't they? I'll be wearing these on dreary days to remind me of blue skies and happy colors.

Next up on the needles? A pair of socks knit in my last skein of "Ravens Rule" colorway by Shalamar Yarns. They are for a very special Ravens fan for a very special day. Readers who can guess who that may be...MUM'S THE WORD.

We went down to Virginia today to take my mother-in-law out to lunch and give her her Christmas gifts. Sadly, the fruitcake was never inflated, so no picture. But I did take some really random pictures, like this one above. My mother-in-law says that these pigeons have been perching on these wires for years. She used to count them when my father-in-law stopped at this light. I thought that they made a pretty picture through the windshield as we waited for the light to turn green.

We took her out to Old Town Alexandria, VA for Spanish Tapas. This fountain was on the wall in the restaurant. Pretty, yes?

The Masonic Temple on the hill as we were leaving. Kind of an interesting building.

I've posted pictures of this woman's shelf outside of her door at the retirement community where my M-I-L lives. This time she had crocheted owls. She also knits decorations.

Going home through D.C. with the sun behind us.

Now we're back home, and I've got to start those socks!

Started Without Me

2012-01-03T19:21:00.001-05:00

If you follow this blog, you know that I usually get an amaryllis lily around this time of year, and post pictures of it in bloom. Here's last year's beauty:

This year, I bought one around mid-December, as I always do. I opened up the box yesterday, to start the thing in some soil. I found this:

This impatient plant decided to start blooming in the dark box, housed in my dark basement! That's chutzpah! I planted it anyway, and we'll see how it does.

Stay tuned for future progress (or lack thereof..)

A New Beginning

2012-01-02T10:55:00.000-05:00

Every year on January 1st, I take down the Christmas tree. It's my way of bringing on a new beginning, and to start the year fresh. It's always a bittersweet experience to pack away each object that holds a special memory. I always do this job alone. The only difference this year, is that I did it on January 2nd.

Ready for the boxes

See you next Christmas, new tree. You served us well.

We had Moxie the Grand-dog for 10 days while my daughter and boyfriend were in Germany. She came home last night, and took Moxie back to her house. I'll miss the little pup, and the strange way she liked to get a drink of water. Not to mention the way she managed to get into anything that she could reach, and still melt my heart by curling up on my lap. We'll see her soon, but this stay was a good time for all.

My brother, sister-in-law and nephew came for three days. They brought me a veritable Christmas tree of rosemary! Isn't it beautiful? And it smells heavenly. I'll be using this in cooking, and it will be planted outside in the spring.

We had a whirlwind tour of Ellicott City, and had plenty of family time. It was a short visit, but very sweet. You can catch his account of the visit on his blog HERE.

I managed to finish a scarf for my nephew while they were here. For some dumb reason, I forgot to take a picture! CLICK HERE for the pattern that I used. You can imagine the awesome results of Noro Silk Garden and this pattern.

My daughter brought gifts from Germany, and hit it out of the park with her purchases. If you have never tried REAL gumi bears, you are missing something. They are nothing like the chewy tasteless kind from America.

German chocolates. These will be consumed by the husband, as Weight Watchers has once again called my name.

And last but not least, SOCK YARN! She managed to find a yarn shop (Ok, she stumbled upon one by chance) and enter with boyfriend and boyfriend's brother in tow, and buy me marvelous yarn. What a girl.

Here's to new beginnings, and a Happy New Year to you all!

There Are Good Santas and Bad Santas..

2011-12-30T18:24:00.000-05:00

Good Santas:

My (mostly vintage) Santa mug collection, photographed on Christmas.

My Santa mug collection, photographed after Thursday's trip to Main Street Ellicott City, and going through the antique stores with my brother and family. Hmmmm....Seems that I brought home some friends..

Bad Santa:

This was spotted on my way home from work. His bum says "Happy Holidays". Bad Santa! Give yourself a lump of coal for that one! I would give you one, but I'm laughing too hard.

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-25T08:30:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to all of my readers and blogging friends! Thank you for reading and commenting throughout this past year. And if you don't celebrate Christmas, thank you for following along with me and letting me share my world.

Moxie

2011-12-24T07:44:00.001-05:00

My daughter went to Germany with her boyfriend for Christmas. His brother is over there working, so they have a place to stay, while traveling and sightseeing during the day.
We are taking care of Moxie, the Grand-dog. She is full of energy and fits right into the mayhem with Bella and Athena.

Last night, we had friends over. I put them on the other side of the door while we ate. Here's a quick video of Moxie's reaction to this banishment....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PIBUsPiZ-M

What's New?

2011-12-22T07:37:00.001-05:00

Like many around me, I have been crazy busy in preparation for Christmas. I've also managed to work on my extra bedroom/knitting room..

The green/blue theme started with the afghan I knitted this past year. I went with that color scheme. The room was already painted blue.

A dresser and baskets full of yarn. Who could ask for anything more?

A place to put my knitting books and other things.

It's a work in progress, but I love it so far.

I've also made a mess of these ornaments for my knitting pals.

Hope the holidays are keeping you all happy and not under too much stress.

Here's a little stress reliever..

It's as tasty as the real thing! (and less calories.)

More pictures to come, after my mother-in-law opens it and we blow it up.

Night Quite The Night Before..

2011-12-11T20:57:00.000-05:00

The doggies were nestled, all snug in their beds,

As visions of Snausages danced in their heads..

Hi, All!

2011-12-10T15:02:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone! It's December! How about that?

Well, Thanksgiving is here and gone. The new pan worked beautifully, and cleaned up to a sparkling shine. Two words: Barkeeper's Friend. It's non-abrasive and cleans up anything. That's your tip for the day.

Thanksgiving was great. We had a group of six this year: Five family, and one friend. The food and company was warm and wonderful. The the game of Mille Bournes was quite riveting.

That's Moxie, the grand dog, working on the bone. Not sure where Athena was. Moxie loves to come over and chew on unfamiliar bones. At this point Bella was too tired to contest it.

Thanksgiving is exhausting to humans and dogs. That's Athena's rump. Here's a better view...

Now on to December. The tree was uncooperative this year, no matter how the husband plugged and unplugged and jiggle wires. Off to the dump for this one,....

And on to Home Depot for a new one...

Voila! Merry (puggy) Christmas!

Pre-Thanksgiving Mayhem and Happiness

2011-11-23T20:46:00.000-05:00

Hey, Bella!

Yes, I'm talking to you, Bella.

Do you happen to know what happened to my bag of marshmallows that I bought for the sweet potato casserole tomorrow?

Seriously, Bella. It looks like they were gnawed on by a pack of weasels. And no. I will not believe you if you try to use that story as your alibi.

"But Mom....you left them on the kitchen table. What was I supposed to do? The temptation was just too much!!"

How can I not forgive that sweet face. Not to mention, her tail was going a mile a minute when I picked up the bag. A diversion tactic that works on me.

On to better news...

It seems that I make a Thanksgiving meal every year. I like to spend all day making everyone's favorites. Each year the guest list changes. Once I had 18. Last year I had 9 I think. This year we're having 6 people. This is the third year that I've used this roaster. Most of the time, I have to put a foil lip around the sides to hold the turkey in. I took it out of it's box tonight and decided that this roasting pan has seen its last meal in this house. Scrub as I might, I just can't use this thing. Sooo..

I went to the mall and found the Cadillac of roasters on sale!!

Isn't it beautiful? I don't think I'll ever throw this one out, but I will hand it down one day.

And it will fit the biggest turkey that I can buy! Hmmm..better go see if it fits in my oven...

Stay tuned tomorrow! And have yourself a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families.

P.S.- Anyone want a cheap worn roaster? It would make a handy litter box! ;)

Margaret's Adventures in Grocery Shopping

2011-11-21T22:15:00.000-05:00

I didn't even know that dragons liked fruit.

15 Things to Catch You Up

2011-11-15T19:21:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted since Halloween, which was 15 days ago. I will now post 15 things to get you up to date on this here blog.

1. I finished these Christmas socks. I have already worn them. I don't care that it's not yet Thanksgiving. I love these socks.

2. I started this scarf. It's for a gentleman in his 90's who is a relative of a friend. I have heard stories about this uncle for years now, and feel like I know him (even though I have never met him). So I am knitting him a scarf. It's knit in wool and alpaca, using my mother's vintage needles. Quite frankly, it looks better in person.

3. It is unseasonably warm here in Maryland. I personally like it. It seems to be more like the norm in the last few years, for it to be warm this late in the year.. I guess pretty soon I'm going to have to call it "seasonably warm".

4. Because of the warmth, the ticks are everywhere. I keep pulling them off of Bella. Guess I'll have to give her a flea/tick treatment this month.

5. I have discovered a new show that I like, and have watched all the available episodes on Hulu. "New Girl". Check it out if you haven't already.

6. When you are between Halloween and Christmas, and you own a shop in Ellicott City where you dress up in appropriate costume for the holidays and blow bubbles on the sidewalk, you have to pick a theme. A wizard seems appropriate.

7. These are still cursing the houses in Maryland, including mine. Stinkbugs. Grrrrrr....

8. I finally got my new floor.

9. The warm weather brought out a big old mantis by my front door.

10. I have begun Christmas shopping.

11. I have finally given in to the fact that my husband is a better cook than I am. This was after a particularly good dish of shrimp marinara.

12. I sat with my mouth open at work today, staring at the calendar. It hit me that Thanksgiving is next week.

13. I have found a really nice group of knitters to meet and knit with. They have taken me in as one of their group, and I've really enjoyed their company. Not to mention, they like to go out to eat after knit night.

14. My son has moved out and I am left with an extra empty room. Why haven't I started on my dream knitting room? My son has moved out and I am left with an extra empty room. Kinda blue about that, but I'll adjust. Takes time.

15. I have missed this blog! I hope that you have too, if you're still there. Hope you all have been well. See you soon.

Halloween

2011-10-31T12:54:00.001-04:00

As promised, here is a picture of my husband's handy work...

Ol' Jack seems to have an eye issue. I tried to go back to the archives for a comparison. Turns out that I never posted a picture of my husband's Jack 'O Lantern before this year. He was a little more creative than previous years, but the theme is pretty much the same.

Here's my contribution. Roasted seeds with sea salt and Trader Joe's Everyday Seasoning. Recipe: Clean the seeds off and dry them. Spread them on a cookie sheet. Spray them with canola oil cooking spray. Sprinkle sea salt and any seasoning that you like. Cook in 300 degree oven for about 45 min. to an hour.

Cool and munch.

Today is a day off for me, so the morning schedule is a little different. Before I could make the bed, the Knucklehead Sisters jumped under the covers for a nap. As I lifted the quilt, it occurred to me that they looked a little scary...

Maybe?? Just a little?....
Ok then, how about a couple pictures from the graveyard in Lewes, DE.

Or maybe this open window in an old building in Baltimore?..
See which one I mean? This building was abandoned and mostly boarded up. Yet, a white curtain still blew slowly in the breeze in the top window...Who was living up there? Or were they living at all?....

Happy Halloween to you all, readers!

Too Early For The White Stuff

2011-10-30T12:43:00.000-04:00

You may have heard that we had some of this yesterday. I was not impressed. I could do without the white stuff. Maybe on Christmas Eve, but that's all I want this year. I think that I'll be disappointed.

Argh. Snow on my lantanas.

The Knucklehead Sisters were not impressed. Outside "duties" were done swiftly, so that they could return to the warm dry house.

Athena Streeeetches to see the falling snow. Notice the melted snowflakes on her back.

Getting Bella to "go" outside is a challenge when there is any kind of precipitation. She needs lots of bribes in the form of treats. A food-driven dog, that one is.

In more Fall related news, the husband managed to pick out the perfect pumpkin. I let him do the carving. I roast the seeds. His goal every year is to carve a scary face of his own design. It looks pretty much the same every year. I will post a picture tomorrow. If you are interested, you can go trough my archives from last year, and compare.

The snowy weather brought out the knitting bug in me. I finally finished this throw. You can GO HERE to see how it came about.

Here's the basket weave pattern up close. I plan on making one of my little extra bedrooms into a knitting room. I am slowly collecting things in the same color scheme and one day will have the perfect room. Until then, this throw gets put away.

After yesterday's snow, I woke up this morning to frost. There is a fleeting moment in the early morning when the sun shines on the glistening frost before it melts away. I was lucky enough to capture that moment this morning..

Later, when the frost was gone, a woolly visitor showed up.

Have a great day, readers! Tomorrow's Halloween!!

New York Saturday Evening: Where's the Bus?!

2011-10-18T19:03:00.001-04:00

Ok, so a few more pictures...

For lunch, my group of four went to a deli. One of us ordered a turkey club. It was big enough to feed all of us! Look at the size of this thing! Needless to say, she did not finish it.

I had a bagel with Nova lox, cream cheese, onion, capers, tomato and lettuce. I was a happy girl. When in a New York deli, I can think of nothing more appropriate to order. Except maybe tongue or pastrami. I like my lox, thank you.

Soo...After lunch, we went to SoHo and I did a little early Christmas shopping. Mostly, we just took in the sights of the city, which was more fun than anything. We were told that we had to be back on the bus by 6:30, because it was leaving at 6:45. We took a cab back to Times Square and arrived by 5:00 or so. We had plenty of time to eat dinner. We chose a restaurant that was right next to where the bus was to be. Perfect planning. We were proud of ourselves. So we ate at the pub. Here's a picture of my New York cheesecake. (When in Rome..)

We noticed that while we were eating, lots of sirens and flashing lights were streaming by outside the pub. We paid the bill and went out to meet the bus around 6:20. We were met by this..

Police vans lined the block. Groups of 8-10 policemen were walking up towards Times Square. See those white things on their belts? (click big) Those are plastic handcuffs. Each officer had about a dozen. And many had their billy clubs out. They were getting ready for something big.

Oh yeah, I forgot....NO BUS.

So we waited for a while at our designated spot, and most of our bus passengers were there. There was a lot of confusion and cell phone calls. We figured out that the bus was blocks away, because Occupy Wall Street had taken over Times Square, making it impossible for any bus to make it there.

I must say that the feeling that night was a little unnerving. Any time you have a large police presence and thousands of emotional people, you have the opportunity for disaster. But we wove through and around the crowd, and made our way up a few blocks to where the bus was supposed to have moved. NO BUS. More calls were made, and we finally found the bus 2 blocks over from the second destination. I have never felt more relieved to be on a bus in my life. The ride home was quiet (except for the movie playing) and I think I fell asleep a couple of times. I never made it to church in the morning. In fact, I slept until noon! It was an exciting time, and it was interesting to see a little glimpse of history being made.

I heard the next day on the news that there were thousands of protesters, and there were some injuries and arrests made. I didn't see any violence. People seemed to be peaceful, playing musical instruments, and chanting and waving signs. I guess there are always going to be those people who take it to the next level.

Oops..

2011-10-18T07:22:00.002-04:00

Was going to post last night, but went to bed early. I'll be back tonight. See you then.
Enjoy your day!

NYC For the Day

2011-10-16T18:41:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I took a charter bus up with a bunch of people to New York City for the day. I was there to see the sights and do a little shopping. I have been to NYC several times in my life. I've been there with my family to visit relatives as a kid.

I even stayed there with a youth orchestra on tour during the summer of 1979.

I have taken this type of whirlwind bus trip three times now. I know how it works- see what you want to see and do what you want to do, but make it back to the bus on time!

We left at 7:00 AM. It's about a 3 1/2 hour drive. Here's the Susquehanna in the morning.

There's nothing like seeing the New York skyline as you approach the city. You can't help but feel excited.

Times Square in the morning. Yes, Margaret got all "touristy" with camera. I have no shame.

Thought that this was a neat piece of art outside the Fashion Center.

The next two are pictures of an open air street market in SoHo..

Occupy Wall Street protesters entered SoHo in the afternoon. We specifically stayed away from the Memorial and the financial district to avoid the protesters. Hundreds came through SoHo anyway.

They were peaceful, but loud. Lots of chanting about the 99%. I noticed police presence all over the city.

Here are some dragon heads in Pearl River market..

An interesting chair in SoHo..

I'll leave you today with a yarny bike cozy. No, not my next project.

We had a great time. I did learn that I should have kept my old concert shirts from the '70's. I was going to buy one for my son in a vintage shop in SoHo until I saw the price: over $300.00!

Tomorrow: A few more pictures, and "Where the heck is the bus?!"(Chaos and confusion).

Carpet Removal Produces A Time Capsule

2011-10-11T23:38:00.001-04:00

We are getting new flooring in our family room. We pulled up the carpet in anticipation of the installation which was supposed to occur almost 4 weeks ago. We are still waiting. Under the old carpet, is linoleum from oh...I'd say 1962 maybe? I don't know for sure, because it was way before our time in this house. But it's the stuff that we've been living with for the last 4 weeks. You can imagine just how lovely it looks. Every thing that was in this room has been moved to hallways, other rooms, etc. Everything else is on my dining room table, among other places. My house, in a word, is in chaos.

But I have a roof over my head, so who cares that I have to weave my way through the displaced stuff to sit down anywhere? This too, shall pass. I will not go into the long story as to why I still don't have a new floor. It involves moisture levels, flooring compounds, and misunderstood transactions. Not a particularly interesting story, however frustrating it may be to us.

But this is not what I really wanted to write about. What really amazed me about removing the rug, was the collection of things that we found lodged under the baseboard radiator behind where the sofa was. It was a time capsule of my life as a parent.

Item one:

When my kids were babies, they loved these plastic links made by Discovery Toys. You could form a chain or play with them separately. They were big enough not to be a choking hazard. I used to attach one end of a chain to the grocery cart handle and the other to a toy. The kid couldn't drop the toy. This one has to be at least 22 years old. Can that be right?!

Items two and three:

When my son was older, he loved his Nerf dart gun. Everyone and everything got hit with one of these foam darts. And that foam duck was part of a menagerie of animals that stuck to the bathtub and the tile walls during bath time long ago.

Item four:

A rainbow/killer whale pencil, probably lost behind the sofa during my daughter's homework days. I don't think that we owned a standard yellow pencil in the 90's.

Item five:

Lots of people like to give me frogs, no matter how unfroglike they may be. Forgive me if you are the one who gave me this "frog". I don't ever remember receiving it.

Item six:

THIS frog, on the other hand, sat next to our computer for years. I always wondered what happened to it. It was bought in Ellicott City at the Nature Nook, which has since burned down. You'll be happy to know that he is returning to the computer desk.

Item seven:

Last but not least, a light stick from Christina Aguilera's 2000 tour concert. A co-worker won tickets from a radio station, and gave them to me. My daughter didn't really want to go, but I told her it would at least be a well-produced show, if nothing else. She was 13 at the time, and was not really into the girly pop. The opening act was Destiny's Child with lead singer Beyonce, who was just coming on the scene. We went and had a pretty good time.

So that's my time capsule. As I picked up each little item, memories came flooding back. I guess that's what happens after your kids grow up. All it takes is a carpet to bring back the memories. Have you found anything that brings a memory back to you?

Where have I been?

2011-10-09T17:46:00.004-04:00

Well, well..Here it is October. Where have I been? Well, let's see....I've spent plenty of time on Facebook and Pinterest lately and have neglected this here blog. What? You have never heard of Pinterest? It's a great site for anyone who likes design, DIY, crafts, cooking, fashion...you name it. You create your own "pinboards" and "pin" sites to it. I must admit I have a slight addiction to it at this point.

Last weekend, the husband and I went to the Fells Point festival in Baltimore. Fells Point is an old historical district on the water. It's full of funky shops and taverns with names like, "The Horse You Came In On". Yes- there is a yarn shop called "A Good Yarn". I did not partake in any yarny purchases this trip. We had a family member with us that prevented us from indoor shopping..

Bella came with us and made many friends, both human and canine. I believe this was Stella (in the pink).

This big boy was Enzo. He was at least 30 pounds of Boston. He was so calm, unlike Athena. His mom was a writer and performer. She wrote a children's book about recycling, and visits schools with Enzo, dressed as "Recycle Lady". She was an interesting person.

The festival had lots of music, crafts, food and art for sale. My daughter sold some of her prints and some candles.

This is an old police station in Fells Point. I'm not sure, but I don't think the city uses it for anything any more. But if you're a TV buff, you may recognize it. They used the exterior in the show, "Homicide", which was filmed in Baltimore.

Gotta love Fells Point.

Fells Point is known for its cobblestone streets. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my best friend was pregnant as well. She delivered her daughter five days before I delivered Katie. To speed things up, she threatened to take me down to Fells Point and drive the car on the cobblestones to put me into labor! I think that she was kidding....

Last but not least, I thought that I'd show you these HUGE needles that I bought. A woman at the yarn shop said they're like knitting with turkey basters. She's right.

And what good are ginormous needles without yarn that looks like rope? This scarf takes less than an hour to knit.

See you later. Enjoy your week. I'll try to come back sooner than last time!
FYI...If you want a very brief history of Fells Point, CLICK HERE.

A Study of a Scary Barn

2011-09-28T06:13:00.001-04:00

On our way to Lewes, DE, we drove by an old barn. I mentioned that it would make a good subject for some pictures due to its creepy factor. My husband agreed, and pulled into the overgrown gravel drive on our way back to the hotel. Clearly, this was a place that has not been used or inhabited by anyone for a long time. I got out and took some pictures...

Are you as creeped out as I was when I took these? Mind you, my husband did not leave the car.

No zombie farmers crashing through the corn field, thank goodness. The only things active were the pigeons and my imagination.

Then my husband suggested (from the car, mind you) that I go around the other side of the barn (out of the sight of the car) and get some pictures. After all, that side was "much cooler". Translation: slightly terrifying to this photographer who has never liked abandoned buildings. I took about 3 steps through the foot long grass, and explained that I couldn't do it, because I didn't want to get bitten up by ticks and other bugs (not to mention zombie farmer vampires).

So we parked across the street, and I used my zoom lens to take some more pictures..

So what do you think? Has my husband's love of old scary movies gotten to me? Or do you think this place is creepy too? Which choice below best describes this old abandoned barn?
1 Creepy
2. Quaint
3. Rustic
4. A good place to build future condos
5. Nice pigeon sanctuary
6. Nice zombie and/or vampire sanctuary

A Missed Adventure in Yarn

2011-09-27T06:36:00.002-04:00

When we arrived in Lewes, my husband noticed something directly across from our parking space. The Force is strong in this one. I have trained him well...

The angels began to sing. The heavens opened up. It was one of the most warm, inviting yarn shops that I've ever seen. Right there in Lewes.

Suddenly the sound of an angels choir was replaced by a needle scratching across a record. It was 10:00 on a Saturday, and it wasn't open.

Here's a tip to the owners of Ginger Moon: Post your hours on your door. Post your hours on your website. Post them somewhere. We walked around town (see previous post) and came back after over an hour. Still not open. Had you posted your hours, this knitter from out of town with yarn money to burn would have had lunch, walked around some more, and waited for you to open your doors. I can only assume that your hours are "flexible", due to the relaxed attitude of this sleepy little beach town. But it ended up in a lost sale.

Instead, we drove 45 minutes in the other direction to my old reliable favorite:

Sea Needles (love the name) has a great selection of sock yarn. They have lots of hard to find self-striping yarn as well as solids. I didn't spend a fortune, but I did buy three skeins of nice self-striping and some needles.

I bought this lovely "Christmas" yarn by Regia, only to come home and find out that it's actually called World Ball Color. They have several colorways, all dedicated to countries and cities and their national colors. This one is "Rome". Red, white and green for the Italian flag. That's OK. It's still going to be a Christmas sock in my mind. I think the contrast of the gray and black make it a fantastic colorway.

I also bought these two lovelies in Fall colors. They had a sock knit up in the yarn on the right. That's what sold me.

The one on the right should knit up in Fare Isle fashion. The hint of aqua is a nice touch, I think.

I also bought these size 1 circular needles with which to knit. They aren't my beloved Addi Turbo's, but they are pretty nice.

Next post: The scaarry barn....

Lewes

2011-09-26T09:46:00.003-04:00

On Saturday, the husband and I drove from Rehoboth to a little town called Lewes. It's probably best known for it's ferry terminal. The Cape May-Lewes ferry crosses 17 miles of the Deleware Bay from Cape May, NJ to Lewes DE. On a Saturday this time of year, it travels back and forth ten times. We couldn't easily drive into the terminal for pictures, so if you want to learn more or see a video, GO HERE.

So, Lewes.....

Lewes (pronounced like the name Lewis) was a Dutch settlement, founded in 1631. History oozes from this place... from the dutch architecture, to a house with a cannonball still lodged in its foundation from the war of 1812. Oh yes, and the cannons that defended its shores in 1812...

The little harbor is beautiful.

Some Dutch architecture..

We walked by an old Episcopal church, which had an old grave yard surrounding it. There were brochures and graves marked by numbers, which told you about the different historical graves. The oldest grave was of a woman born in 1631, who died in 1707...

Her name was Margret Huling, wife of James.

It was a beautiful, solemn place.

Just outside the main part of town, was this wind turbine..

I have seen wind turbines before, but never this humongous! I don't know if this picture does it justice, but this thing was really impressive.

In Lewes, there are lots of little shops to explore. It's a pretty progressive town and there are lots of fun artsy shops and places to eat. We were there to explore and sightsee.

Tommorow- Missed opportunity in Lewes.

My Mini-Vacation

2011-09-25T15:11:00.000-04:00

Hello, readers! Long time no blog, eh? My only excuse is that I've had limited access to the internet due to home improvement projects. But the modem is hooked back up, so I thought I'd check in with some beachy pictures from my Mini-vacation to the beach.

The husband and I celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary by going down to Rehoboth Beach for a few days. If you've read this blog for a while, you know that this is one of my favorite get-aways.

It was the perfect time of year to go. It wasn't crowded at all, yet almost all of the shops and restaurants were open.

The flowers were blooming like crazy! No one told them that Fall had arrived.

Dolle's: A Rehoboth landmark.

That's it for now. I'll post more through the week. Tomorrow- The town of Lewes, DE. Full history and other things. I'll also post about the scariest barn you've ever seen, some yarny purchases, and more. Hope you all have been well. See you soon!

Critters and Yarn

2011-09-15T19:38:00.001-04:00

Tonight I took the Knucklehead Sisters to the vet for vaccines and nail trims. If you had ever witnessed my dogs' behavior at the vet's, right now you would be saying, "Kudos, Margaret! Bravo! You truly are Saint Margaret, for your patience and bravery!" Let's just say there was QUITE a bit of mayhem and foolishness going on. When discussing Bella's nail trim (which was done in another room, not witnessed by me), I saw a quick glance from the vet to the vet tech, which told me all did not go smoothly.

They're back home now, as you can see. Bella's exhausted, and Athena chooses not to look at me. It's a wonder we got home without an accident.(And I mean a "doggie accident" and a traffic accident!)

What else is new?...

Well, I found THIS in among my marigolds. (click picture to make it bigger) It's over a foot, maybe 2 feet. The bad news: they shed when they grow bigger...

Watch out, frogs.

In knitting news, I have started the throw that goes in my living room. Here is the gorgeous Athena modeling with it. Can't believe she stood still for that long!

It's going to be in the 40's tonight, they say! Hello Fall! Hope you have nice weather where you are!

Moving Tribute

2011-09-11T13:18:00.002-04:00

Let Me Wring Out My Laptop...

2011-09-09T18:29:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted. While Irene gave us a small nudge, it seems that Lee snuck up behind us and knocked us for a loop! My basement flooded, and the semi-new flooring in my sunroom goes "squish squish" around the edges when you walk on it. And Main Street Ellicott City, one of my favorite places to shop?...

It was a mess. But the good news is that the shops are back open. There was a wall collapse in a parking lot that took out six cars, but at least the water subsided.

I will post again soon with knitting progress, and something that does not have to do with floods.

Bye, Irene

2011-08-28T08:26:00.002-04:00

In preparation for Irene, we did what any Marylander would do. We hunkered down, and....

....we ate crabs with some friends. Notice: As I took this picture, the mallet (which was propped against the beer bottle) fell down. I caught it mid-air! Cool trick, huh?

Here at Chez Bellathena, we had a little damage, but not too bad. We also have power, which is not the case for some in my neighborhood.

Our maple lost a big branch. Had it fallen the other way, it would have ripped the electric wires from our house. This happened once in an ice storm about 10 years ago.

The basement? Dry as a bone! Woo Hoo!

One observation: I did notice that before the storm, when it was calm and quiet, every kind of bird known to man came to my feeder to stock up. Seriously, I had goldfinches, cardinals, purple finches, nuthatches, catbirds, a woodpecker, and lots of chickadees. On the ground below were squirrels and mourning doves. It was a feeding frenzy. I've seen these kinds of birds at my feeder before. Just not all at once! Guess they knew something was coming.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

2011-08-26T10:57:00.001-04:00

I have taken Wednesday, Thursday,and Friday off this week for a little R and R. The husband isn't off. It's just me. I tried to plan a day trip with my daughter to the beach for some shopping, but A. She couldn't make it, and B. Irene is forcing mandatory evacuations from the coastal towns. So, what have I been doing?

I've done a little knitting. I plan to finish these socks by tomorrow. Then I want to start a throw for the sofa. Trying to bring out the red in the sofa cushion..

Just have to find the right pattern. The yarn is cotton, so that I can wash it. (Don't worry, I have more skeins.)

Yesterday was spent shopping in preparation for Irene. We may be hit pretty hard. I am ready for a power outage, thanks to Costco. These things are really bright! The battery life is 66 hours, so I can get a lot of knitting done if need be.

I've charged up my Nook, so I'll have something to read. It's back-lit, so I don't need light.

I spent this morning in the basement, making sure that every thing is elevated in case of flooding. We've been in this house for over 20 years, and this basement has flooded twice. Both times were caused by coastal storms.

As you can see, the Knucklehead Sisters are just beside themselves with worry over this hurricane. Actually, they are beside each other at the moment. Come to think of it, Bella always looks a little worried with that furrowed brow. I can assure you that she's calm and collected.

Here's hoping that wherever you are, you don't get hit by Irene.

Meet The Flickers

2011-08-22T16:29:00.001-04:00

I had a family of four flickers in my yard yesterday. The thunderstorms came though and softened up the ground. This made for some good eatin' for the flickers. After reading up on them, I learned that they like ants and other insects from the ground.

Flickers are a type of woodpecker. They have beautiful colors of yellow, brown and a red V on the back of their heads. They're about the size of a blue jay, maybe a little bigger.

They have a black "bib" on their chest, and the males have a black "mustache".

The one on the left kept feeding the one on the right. Or maybe it was vice-versa. Hard to tell. They both look too grown up to be beak fed, if you ask me!

This one on the right looked much more like a baby to me.

This one was pecking away at the old railroad ties that border one of our gardens. Must have been something tasty living in it.

Yes, that's me snapping pictures of you!

Simpler Times

2011-08-21T12:14:00.005-04:00

I am a nostalgia freak. I have read books and blogs on places in Baltimore that no longer exist, except in my memory. I hold on to things from my childhood. I can spend hours looking at old photos of a simpler life.

After all, who wouldn't want to go back (even temporarily) to a time when empty boxes and sticks magically turn into boats and oars an a rough sea? I was quite the adventurer, even in a dress.

That's me in the middle. Jimmy and Maureen are the other two. Maureen was my best friend until 5th grade, when she moved away. Her brother Jimmy was an absolute expert on monsters. He collected bubble gum cards from Outer Limits and Twilight Zone. He knew all there was about every monster out there, and was happy to go through his card collection with you. He wasn't at all afraid of monsters. He was fascinated by them. For this, I thought that he was pretty brave.

That jungle gym in the background got a lot of use. It turned into lots of things...a house, a fort, a castle. Amazingly, no one was ever hurt. I can remember the first time that I was brave enough to hang upside down on it. It was thrilling to let go with my hands and hang by my knees. After a few years when my brother and I were older, we walked it down to the neighbor's house, who had a much younger family. I wonder what happened to it after that?

Well, that's my trip down memory lane for today. Back to the present: laundry and maybe a little knitting.

Ninja Mantis

2011-08-17T17:59:00.000-04:00

This morning, when I took the Knucklehead Sisters out for their morning constitutional, I found a praying mantis on my back steps. There it sat...perfectly still..in this strange position. I wondered if it was in some sort of martial arts trance or something..

It never moved. All through my breakfast, shower, morning rituals...

It was gone when I got home from work, though.

When it sat there in strike position, I half-expected to hear a little "Hieeeeeeeyyyaa!" and feel a little Karate chop to my toe.

A certain Ralph Macchio film came to mind..

Good News!

2011-08-12T18:32:00.000-04:00

First good news: About twice a year in the summertime, I have a craving for a hot dog. It's when we're cooking out, and others are enjoying one. I have learned to ignore this craving for the last 20 years or so, because the nitrites in the dogs give me a migraine. Not the pounding pain kind. The ocular kind..Basically, I lose about half of my sight for about half an hour, then it's followed by "the sparklies" and dull head pain. Not fun.

But this year, I actually enjoyed a hot dog at my last family cook out! Why? Because my friend Oscar decided to create these..

Honestly, if you gave me a blind taste test (no pun intended) I don't think I'd be able to tell these from the original. (Except that whole sight-losing thing..)

Second good news:

DONE!

Tree Frogs

2011-08-10T07:39:00.000-04:00

Some new babies have arrived in my garden by the pond..

They're no bigger than the nail on your pinky finger. Cute, aren't they?

A good friend came by and snuck this into my garden too. Isn't it cute?
Have a good day, readers!

I Just Wanna Buy This Bowl.

2011-08-07T06:48:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, before I went to the bridal shower, I stopped by major department store to pick up a gift off of the bride's registry. At the counter, I took out my debit card.

"Do you want to open a Ma@#'s card?"

"No thank you."

"You sure about that? You'll save an additional 15%.."

"No, really. But thanks."

Click click on the register...."What is your zip code?"

I stopped by the candle store that rhymes with hankie to pick up my favorite scented candle. I had dropped my new one and wanted to replace it. At the counter, I began to pay..

"Do you get our coupons?"

"Urrr..Yeah, I think I do.."

"Do you want to give me your email so that you can get deals mailed to you online?"

"Ummm...no, but thanks.."

"Ok, what's your phone number? I'll make sure that you get our coupons mailed..."

Of course, I needed a gift bag, tissue paper, card, etc. for the gift. So, I stopped by the card store.

Again, up at the counter..

"Can I have your email so that I can register you into our savers club?"

SIGH....."No, thanks.."

What happened to the time when you went into a store, picked out the merchandise, and bought it? You used whatever method that YOU chose to pay for it, and you didn't have to "friend" anyone with your online information, or give out your number as if you were setting up a date? The only personal contact you made with the person behind the counter was to exchange a "Have a nice day".

One Down, One To Go

2011-08-06T19:15:00.000-04:00

This afternoon I attended a lovely bridal shower. It was a good time with some nice people, and we were all entertained by a very busy 13-month-old in a pink dress who is quite possibly the cutest thing on this planet right now.

What else is up? Well, I finished this...

No matter how hard I try, there are always Bella-pug hairs on my knitting.

These are truly "Gold Toe" socks!

Knitting and Oddities

2011-07-31T13:17:00.002-04:00

I finally picked up the needles yesterday, and started a sock. The pattern is (no purl) Monkey by Cookie A. I love the yarn- Footprints by Blue Ridge Yarn. Colorway: Rock Climbing. A lovely combo of teal, navy and gold. A little darker than this picture presents...

I know, it's kind of in the Autumn color group, but I need some new socks for this Fall. I bought the yarn at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. I will definitely need to go back to the Blue Ridge booth next year. With the yarn, comes a mini-hank of gold for the heels and toes.

I mentioned yesterday that my husband was off looking to buy a new "toy". Turns out he's still shopping, but I will show you as soon as he makes a decision. Not an impulse buyer, that one.

I will let you in on the big secret. Yesterday, as he left the house, he told me he was going to go see a man about a bouzouki. Don't know what that is? Neither did I. CLICK HERE for the answer.

Correction: I have been informed by my husband that he is looking at Irish bouzoukis. Apparently there is a difference.

My Bloomin' Livingroom

2011-07-30T13:08:00.000-04:00

My husband went to a big box store yesterday for some supplies for the house. He stumbled upon a big orchid sale in the garden department. He came home with three gorgeous plants. Now my favorite room in the house got a whole lot cheerier!

The afternoon sun yesterday added some drama.

I just love this last one. The "design" on the petals look like something man-made to me. Like Morse code or ink spots.

Hope this brightened your day. My husband is off looking to buy a new "toy". If he buys it, I'll post a picture tomorrow. I plan on starting a new sock today sometime. Pics of that to come, too. It's been a month since I've picked up the needles!

Substitute

2011-07-24T13:51:00.000-04:00

I have a hummingbird feeder. I bought it at a garden center, and the box touted the words "World's Best Hummingbird Feeder". I have not seen one hummingbird since I've hung it up. I even mixed up and used their "World's Best Hummingbird Food" when I filled it.

So today, I saw what could be considered the "poor man's version" of the hummingbird. I was pleased to see a hummingbird moth at my pond today. They remind me of past summers spent on the eastern shore at my Grandmother's house. She used to get these on her butterfly bush. For those who don't like bugs, look away at my close-ups of this amazing moth (and a few other buggy friends)

These moths mimic the movement and shape of a hummingbird very well. They even have a "feather" tail. They have a long proboscis that stays curled up when not in use. They stretch it out to suck the nectar from the flowers. See it? Below, here it is curled up...

I love the clear inset of the wings. It makes me smile!

Dragonflies kept careful watch of the pond today.

File this last one in the "Everyone's gotta eat" file..

Hope you all have a marvelous day, and get out to see the world around you.

Payback

2011-07-18T19:36:00.000-04:00

As promised, Gerry took her new Orioles socks out to the old ball game.

And she emailed me the pictures to prove it. This was what I asked for in return for knitting them for her. She did a great job, and withstood the looks from others around her by modeling them in the stadium.

Good job, Gerry!

She also took a picture of the scoreboard. As Gerry said, "Unfortunately, the socks didn't bring the Orioles luck."

Great pictures, Gerry. Thanks!

Artscape 2

2011-07-17T19:29:00.000-04:00

Today, I'll show you more art, and very interesting people. Lots of creativity!

This statue is a permanent fixture.

This doesn't look like much, but it was a cool exhibit. These speakers were solar powered, and each one emitted a different tone now and then. There were probably 20 of these speakers set up, the group created a chorus of solar-powered tones.

Industrial fire ant.

Among all of the crazy cars was this little number. It's a car like the ones that will be running the Baltimore Grand Prix in the future. It will prove to be an exciting race through Baltimore.

Now, on to the people..

The last pictures are the buildings of MICA. I love the use of glass, and especially like the look of the glass against a beautiful Summer sky.

Have good week, readers. Tomorrow: A guest photographer.

Artscape

2011-07-16T20:07:00.000-04:00

Artscape is the nation's largest outdoor arts festival. It's in Baltimore, and takes up blocks around MICA(Maryland Institute College of Art). Today we spent the afternoon there. You can see aaaallll sorts of creative people roaming around, there's an art car contest/parade, and plenty of artists selling their wares. They also have several stages of music set up. The large stage brings in national talent. Today, I'll show you some art cars and some of the art. Tomorrow, maybe some people and other stuff.

Kind of an interesting goth-mobile.

Hmmm..skulls and happy daisies...an interesting choice.

Now on to some of the art..

You can pick up a stick and play this owl. Many did.

You could walk through this tall metal grass and the breeze would cause it to make metallic music.

A cage full of interesting animals.

There was a lot more traditional art and sculpture and ceramics. The streets were lined with tents full of artists and their creations. Even some knitting!

It was a fun day full of "eye candy". Lots and lots to see. I'll show you more tomorrow.

What's the Buzz?

2011-07-14T18:49:00.000-04:00

..Tell me what's-a happenin'...

Sorry, just had a 70's rock opera flash back. Speaking of buzz...

Lots of these around the pond.

Aaand off he goes..

Knitting progress has come to a screeching halt. I just can't motivate myself with wool when the heat index is 100+. Maybe I should take a tip from my blog friend Dee, and knit a cotton dish cloth.

I've tried to start socks with this yarn shown above 3 times now. Just keep frogging it back. (Speaking of frogs, can you find one in this picture? When I took it, I didn't even see him!)

Isn't this yarn cake holder cool? It spins smoothly, like a lazy Susan as you knit, unwinding the yarn. I participated in a swap on Ravelry, and my swap partner made this on a lathe! I feel so lucky to have received it.

Now on to sunflowers (or lack thereof)...

I did save one surviving sunflower out of the bunch. It's only about the size of a quarter, but it's a trooper. I am amazed how nature works. All of those sunflower buds were munched off by the deer, and the stalks have started to sprout new buds..

We can only hope for the best, readers.

Good thing this guy's low to the ground. He only munches on the clover and such.

Have a good Friday tomorrow, readers!

Next post- Artscape! Google it!

A Moment of Serenity

2011-07-07T19:05:00.001-04:00

Last weekend, I picked up my father from the retirement community where he lives. The grounds are lovely. It's like a college campus for seniors. Before it was a retirement community, it was a Seminary college for the Roman Catholic Church. The community is not owned by the Catholic church, but they did keep many of the original buildings, and have built many more as well. The old part includes a chapel that was built in the 1860's. The dome inside is beautiful. The mosaic was brought over piece by piece from Italy.

When I was in high school, and the place was still a Seminary, I played in a chamber orchestra in this chapel. In all my years of playing, I have never experienced better accoustics. I will never forget playing Ave Maria while visiting nuns snuck in the back pews and sung along in latin. It was like a beautiful dream.

I went there to take pictures of the far-off Baltimore skyline, but it was too hazy. Instead, I took pictures of the chapel and the community garden that's run by residents. Next visit, I'm going to try to get into the chapel for some pictures.

As always, you can click on the pictures to make them bigger. Enjoy...

They still use the chapel for Catholic mass, but also for special services of other denominations for residents.

Hope you liked the pictures.

(No Longer) Super Secret Knitting Project

2011-07-05T11:00:00.001-04:00

After the baseball season started, my friend Gerry mentioned to me that she would love some Baltimore Orioles socks. She's a loyal fan through thick and thin, and goes to games every season. My first reaction was that no one wants to wear warm wooly hand-knitted socks during hot Maryland baseball season. "I would wear them", Gerry said.

I then explained that I have looked for yarn in the past, and could not find Oriole colors. This was true. In the fall, you can find orange and black stripe for halloween, but it is very hard to find orange,black and white yarn.

Enter Lovelyarns. When I was at the Hon Fest a few weeks back, I overheard a woman tell her friend, "Don't let me forget to stop by the yarn shop." I asked her where it was, and walked a block up the street to this wonderful shop.

One of the many endearing things about this shop is that they carry lots of yarns from local dyers. I found an entire shelf of yarn from Snallygaster Fibers from Baltimore. The colorways were all named after Baltimore places and things.

And what do you think I found?..

Yup. Sock yarn. In Orioles colors.

The colorway knit up in wild and crazy stripes. I was not bored knitting these!

Gerry is not one to take something without paying back. She's nice like that. So if you read this Gerry- In return, I want a picture of the socks being worn in the stadium with our beloved O's in the background! Please email said picture to me, so that I can post it here on the blog. Enjoy your socks, Hon!

A Parade on The Fourth.

2011-07-04T19:38:00.001-04:00

There's nothing like a hometown parade on the 4th of July. It was a scorcher, and the parade seemed to go a little bit too long for my liking, but we went and had a good time seeing old friends and tapping our feet to the marching bands.

Some highlights...

Charm City Roller Derby queens

Captain D-fense. A Ravens celebrity.

It's becoming increasingly harder to find interesting pictures at this parade. It seems that every year, the same people show up. Hope you had a good Fourth!

Sunday Outside and Two Tired Pooches

2011-07-03T12:27:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow: Fourth of July home town parade.

Tuesday: Super Secret Knitting Project revealed.

Gone In The Night.

2011-07-02T09:59:00.001-04:00

Remember this?...

Well, keep that memory. Because that's all that's left.

The view out my kitchen window this morning.

Not everyone is effected by the loss. Chippy's morning visits to the feeder have not stopped.

My husband's response? "Poor deer must be hungry." My

suspicions are growing.

Super Secret Knitting Project

2011-06-30T22:00:00.001-04:00

I'm working on a super secret knitting project. Why so super secret? Because the recipient is a reader of this blog. I will be showing you soon. Until then, here is a clue that will get you nowhere but is fun to look at....

Sunflower Update

2011-06-29T22:22:00.000-04:00

I thought that I'd show you the progress that the self-planted

sunflowers have made.

As I told you on a previous post, some of the sunflowers in the bird

feeder dropped down and started to grow into plants. They've really

sprouted up lately, so let's get a glimpse...

Wow, they really have gro....

Um....where are the flowers?

Yikes!!!

Well readers, it looks like the neighborhood deer have decided that sunflower buds are a delicacy. Why do I suspect deer? Because not one stalk is bent over, so the culprit must be pretty tall. And I don't think it was the husband getting his revenge because of all those years of sunflower planting failure. He has better taste in cuisine. These were munched, for sure.

But never fear, readers. There is one left! The tallest one remains. It's as tall as the feeder now, and hopefully too tall to be a midnight deer snack.

So let's all root for the last of the sunflowers! May it bloom in peace!

Perspective.

2011-06-27T18:47:00.003-04:00

Sometimes things look a little different....

....from another angle. I'm not sure how I did this. I can say that it tasted good.

Or so the birthday girl told me. Her dog wanted in on the feast, too, but settled for dog food.

We had quite a crabby feast, Maryland style.

The leftover crabs were picked and put into soup today.

Here's hoping that you all had a good weekend, too.

Weekend By The Pond

2011-06-25T11:13:00.000-04:00

Sunflowers

2011-06-18T17:24:00.000-04:00

Every other year or so, my husband buys packs of sunflower seeds for planting. In the spring, he plants them all over the yard and in the flower beds. And every year they decide not to come up. I don't know if the squirrels dig them up or the rabbits eat the sprouts, but only one year did we actually get some sunflowers. And even then, out a hundred seeds, we had maybe 4.

My bird feeder in the back yard is almost always filled. I fill it with only one thing- black oil sunflower seeds. They bring in the birds of all colors and feathers, and they also do a job that apparently my husband can't master.

They grow!

So my husband has decided not to mow under the feeder for a little while.

It looks like it won't be too much longer.

Enjoy your weekend, readers!

3 Knit in 6 Days for 5 People.

2011-06-15T18:13:00.002-04:00

Does a future project ever sneak up on you? Just when you think you have plenty of time, there it is. You have six days. This was me last week.

I needed three projects done for a double baby shower at work, and I needed them fast. To be fair, I did start earlier. But after getting through about 1/5 of the first baby blanket, I found out that 2 other shower guests were having relatives (and one on their own) make blankets. While you can always use another blanket when you have babies, I figured I'd take another tack. So I ripped out the blanket, and started..

Sweaters.

These two were made for the first Mom. She's having twins!

The second Mom is having a boy. I knitted them in six days, for the shower we had this past Monday. This, I believe is a personal knitting record. The good news was that it takes less knitting to knit up a sweater than it does a blanket. Of course, you have a lot of ends to weave in, and buttons to sew on, but all in all, it was enjoyable. Even if I was "under the gun."

Back to Honfest, hon.

2011-06-11T16:19:00.001-04:00

The hubby and I went to Honfest today in Baltimore. It's an annual festival that is exclusive to Baltimore, because that's the only place that has true Hons. If you want to read about it, or watch the video to hear the hons speak in Bawlmerese, go here.

Three generations of Hons.

The copyright and branding of the word Hon is a bone of contention among some Baltimoreans in Hampden.

Signs written in Bawlmerese.

Blue haired Hon lady

A pageant of mini-Hons.

Among all the hons, there was a gaggle of Lucy's.

See ya later, hon!

I'm Still Here!

2011-06-05T20:57:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I surf the blogosphere, looking at blogs that I haven't seen. It's amazing how many of them have a post that starts something like, "it's been so long! I haven't blogged in ages!" or "I'm still here".

I vowed long ago not to be one of those people. Yet, I have slacked off on the blogging. So here I am on a lovely Sunday night letting you know that I haven't forgotten my loyal readers. All 3 1/2 of you. Since I really have no big news or pictures, I'll tell you a story.

In the 60's, my father worked for a defense contractor. One of his co-workers grew up in Maine, and suggested that my father take his family on vacation in his native state. He even suggested that we rent one of his family's empty houses for the Summer. So, off we went in the Plymouth, from Maryland to Maine. We had a few stops on the way: learning about early American history and seeing the House of Seven Gables from Hawthorne's novel. Kind of a learning trip, like Sarah Palin's family. Only without the bus, reporters, and the never-ending proclamation of indecision. but I digress.

When we got to Maine, we were met by the co-worker's father. He met us at the end of the mainland with his outboard motor boat to take us to the island. Yes, the house was on an island. The house was one of maybe four houses on the island, which was nine miles around. The man who ferried us over was a lobster fisherman who lived in one of the other houses with his wife. The house next to us was the summer home of a 90 year old woman who took a bus from California every Summer to stay in her house.

I have a lot of memories from this two-week vacation, but first I must tell you that we had no electricity, and had a pump at the kitchen sink, which pumped in spring water that tasted like iron. It is truly amazing that my parents were Ok with this set-up. They were both avid readers, and reading by oil lamp didn't seem that far-fetched, but let's just say that they were not the outdoorsy type. As a matter of fact, I looking back, I am absolutely dumbfounded that they were completely Ok with.....the outhouse.

I may come back to this island on this blog, and tell you some more stories. But I will leave you with this one. We were on this island on July 20th, 1969. This is when Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. Where were you when this happened? (provided that you were born) I was eleven years old. I can tell you that I was in a smoke-filled sea-beaten house full of lobster fisherman and their wives, watching it on a TV run by a generator. And looking back, I wouldn't have had it any other way.

Two Down

2011-05-25T23:28:00.000-04:00

Two to go!

My second unfinished project is now finished. One more sweater and an afghan, and I'll be able to start a new project. This boat neck sweater goes to my daughter.

One Down

2011-05-24T06:41:00.002-04:00

Yesterday's post was about three different projects that are sitting on my needles, waiting to be finished. I made a plan to get them all done by June 10th..

Actually, if you count the afghan that I started, I had four projects to finish. But that was yesterday. Today, I get to show you my first finished project on the list..

I finished these last night. I knit from the end of the cuff to the toe on sock number two. Done. Finished. On to my next project. I'm going to push the goal date to June 30th. I think I'm going to need it!

SABLE

2011-05-23T16:31:00.000-04:00

I was looking at knitting related things on the internet the other day, and came across a website that sells silver pendants and charms. They had yarn and needle charms, and other things. One of them was a flat circle of silver, with the word SABLE inscribed in the middle. I wondered if sable fur was the newest fiber in the knitting world (hope not!). When I looked at the description of the pendant, I realized that this is an acronym for something most knitters can relate to..

Stash Abundance Beyond Life Expectancy.

Yes, I can relate. I could knit well into the next several centuries with my stash, at the rate that I'm knitting. So, I'd better get cracking!

I have three (yes, three) unfinished projects on the needles. I am the type who has always tried to keep my projects to a single one, but things happen. So...My challenge is to finish all three and post them by June 10th. Wish me luck. I'm pretty sure that I can post one of them in the next few days.

Then I'll start working on that SABLE in the basement.

Sunday: The Day Moxie Comes To Visit

2011-05-15T19:37:00.000-04:00

Today was a good day to garden by the pond. I pulled some weeds, and added a few plants. This plant was already in the ground from last year.

I did put in a few hibiscus plants. They just say "Summer" to me, more than any other flower.

While the husband was tinkering with the pool, he found some tree frogs in the skimmer. Do you remember Dr Seuss's Star-Belly Sneeches? These are Star-Back Tree Frogs, I guess! It's dusk now, and I can hear them singing in droves with the windows open. May is their month.

Not sure why one has a greenish hue and these guys are grey. Aren't they nice, though?

In the afternoon, Moxie came with her "parents" (my daughter and boyfriend) and caused mayhem throughout the house. There were mad dashes of dogs from one floor to the other. This picture was taken in a calm moment.

Has anyone read the book "The Bone Collector"? I haven't, but I'm beginning to wonder if it wasn't written with my dogs in mind. They managed to bring up every bone in the house when Moxie was here!

Here is the Queen Bone Collector herself.

After Moxie's departure, there were loud snores and some sofa hogging.

Across the room, Bella added snores in stereo.

Have a good Monday tomorrow, readers!

Back in the Bloggin' Saddle

2011-05-14T18:23:00.001-04:00

Well, I was busy the past week and then Blogger went down for a little while, so it's been a little bit since I've posted. In my last post, I said I'd show you my loot from the MSWF.

I stood in a line that would rival the line at Disney for Space Mountain, but it was for needles. Specifically, Signature needles. They are truly wonderful to knit with. I already had a pair of their straight needles, but my goal was to get some circulars. I bought three. It was the biggest purchase of the day.

I did buy some yarn, of course. Sock yarn from Dancing Leaf Farm.

I liked this sock yarn from Blue Ridge Farm, because it came with a mini-skein for the heels and toes.

I bought these pewter buttons from a man from New York. I gave him my credit card, and he said he only took cash or check. I started to put them back, and he said, "That's Ok. Just write down your name and address and send me a check when you get home." I looked at him, and blinked. REALLY?! Yes, he was that trusting. He said he'd been doing shows for years and has never had someone fail to send him a check. So I took my buttons home, and I've sent my check off with a thank you note.

In other news, here's a pretty Cecropia moth that landed on my house the other morning. It was so beautiful, I had take some photos. He made me late for work, but it was worth it. A few years back, I posted a humorous story about my Uncle John and the Cecropia moth. You can read it HERE

Have a good weekend, readers!

Sheep Galore

2011-05-10T22:41:00.001-04:00

As promised, here are some sheepy pictures that I took at MSWF...

"Does this outfit make me look fat?"

Who knew they made sheep onesies! Perhaps he should try vertical stripes next time.

You want to let us in on that joke?

We will refrain from the obvious puns in poor taste. Make up your own, but keep them to yourself please. Oh! I've got one.....

What are you lookin' at?

Last but not least: merino sheep. My favorite wool to knit with. So soft. I've never seen it on the sheep before. By the time I get it, it's colorful and spun up. I love the way the fleece parts down the middle, and curls at the ends.

See?

Tomorrow: What I bought at the festival. And it's not all yarn.

And no....I did not buy a sheep onesie.

A Very Fibery Weekend

2011-05-08T21:26:00.001-04:00

This was the weekend for the annual Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival. As usual, yours truly drove over to the fairgrounds and dropped some serious money on some fiber and a few sticks. (yarn and needles, that is..)

Early Saturday morning we all filed in like...well,...sheep, and had a fine sunny day of fun with fiber. This is the ultimate festival for people interested in the fiber arts. They also have sheep judging, shearing contests, food, crafts,book signings and a sheepdog herding demonstration.

Oh, yeah. And some alpacas.

For the spinners, there was plenty of fleece for sale...

And lots of spinning wheels...

There was extreme felting...

And extreme knitting...

There were several men in kilts..

And lots of women in really fine hand-knitted garments...

Next time, I'll show you more of these...

And show you what I bought.

See you soon! I'll be baa-baaaaaaaack.

New Neighbor

2011-05-06T07:30:00.000-04:00

I went to a huge craft fair up in a small town by the Maryland mountains last fall. I blogged about it, and here's one of the things that I bought..

I bought this gourd that was turned into a birdhouse, thinking that I would give it away as a gift. On second thought, I hung it in my maple tree in the back yard about a month ago. It sat there and looked like a big ugly ornament until about a week ago.

That's when I noticed small sticks coming out of the hole.

Guess I've got a new neighbor.

She let me take pictures from afar, but when I moved the chair closer, she let me know it. She's small, but boy, she's got a voice on her!

So, birding friends..Want to venture a guess as to what kind of bird this is? My goal is to gain her trust and be able to get better pictures on a future post.

While taking these pictures early this morning, I heard a rustle to the left of my lawn chair. I whipped my camera around and got only one picture before the herd of eight took off.

Have a good Friday, readers! There will be fibery pictures posted this weekend! And maybe a sheep or two.

One Question for the Duchess' daughter....

2011-04-29T18:54:00.000-04:00

Whhyyyyyyy????!!!!!!

Finish This Title: "Mack and Myer.....

2011-04-28T17:50:00.001-04:00

Do you remember?

.....For Hire"

We had a drainage problem out in the parking lot today at work. Because of all the rain, the water backed up into the parking lot, causing a small river. A truck rolled up with flashing light on it, and two men got out. They did a lot of standing around, looking at the drain and talking. Every once in a while, they poked the drain with a stick. In my head, I heard myself say, "Who are these guys? Mack and Myer for Hire?" Then I started thinking. How well do I remember this 60's TV show? I couldn't remember who the actors were, or even what they looked like. All that I could remember was that they acquired odd jobs every episode, and managed to screw up somehow.

So, I came home and looked on Wikipedia...You can CLICK HERE and read about this show. I was pretty small in 1964, so I guess I caught the re-runs.

You can watch a ten minute episode if you CLICK HERE.

Do you remember this show?

A Walk In The Park

2011-04-26T07:21:00.004-04:00

Here is a glimpse of my walk yesterday..

When I got back from a long walk in the park, I had another walk with the Knucklehead Sisters.

No...More...Sugar!!!

2011-04-25T12:35:00.001-04:00

Too much of these.....

Are making me feel like this....

I'm off for a walk in the park. Pictures tomorrow.

Happy New Year

2011-04-17T16:06:00.000-04:00

Today was the Thai New Year Celebration at the Bhuddist Temple a few miles south of me. We went last year, and decide to return this year. It's an interesting day, where you can have a big bowl of Good Luck Soup, mango sticky rice, and if you want, be blessed by a monk. We partook in the soup and rice, but were spectators for the monk celebrations. There are also lots of booths set up with food and things to buy. The proceeds go to the monks, who rely on donations to live.

The orchid booth was gorgeous.

Mmmmm...mango sticky rice. If you've never had this dessert, you really ought to try it! It's a staple on a Thai restaurant's menu.

Thai iced bubble tea. It kind of tastes like chai tea, but has "bubbles" of chewy tapioca on the bottom. You either like it or you don't. I happen to think it's good.

Bhuddists pour holy water on this statue to help them stay healthy. They poured it on the area of the body that gives them trouble. In other words, this person must have a bad shoulder.

Procession of monks accepting donations.

Lovely Thai ladies.

Food donations for the monks. They rely on these donations to eat until next year's celebration.

Finally, inside the beautiful temple.

And that's my Sunday afternoon! What did you do?

Great Blue Herons

2011-04-16T12:33:00.000-04:00

I got a tip from a friend that there's a place not far from me where you can see 20-30 Great Blue Heron nests in the trees. It was not an easy shoot. First of all, you have to pull over on an exit ramp to the highway, risk life and limb to get to the other side, and shoot pictures from pretty far away. But I was up for the challenge!

Click on the pictures, and you'll see some herons standing in some of the nests. It was amazing to see. There were 4 or 5 trees with 5 or 6 nests in each tree. I had no idea that they were communal birds.

My goal is to find a place to park and get a better picture of these guys before the leaves grow on the trees and hide them all. It won't be today, though. It's pouring down rain. Hope you have a good Saturday, readers.

In Knitting News..

2011-04-13T21:50:00.000-04:00

The small green sweater is coming along. It looks a little "bunchy" right now, but trust me. It'll all work out in the end. At least that's what they tell me..

When I am not working the decreases on the top of the sweater (which takes lots of concentration: decreases before arm are every such-and-such rows, and after the arm are every other, then the combo changes for a few rows...Man, it feels like rocket science. Or maybe I'm just daft.) I am working on a simple pair of socks. This yarn has a small percentage of silk in it. The yarn is super soft.

These days, a yarn has to be something special and different for me to buy it. (Translation: I have a LOT of sock yarn.) A friend took me to a restaurant over the weekend. When I came out, lo and behold! There was a yarn shop across the street! The heavens opened up and there was a chorus of angels singing (OK, maybe not, but I was really surprised and happy!!). Anyway, I bought this sock yarn, dyed especially for the shop.

Can't say I've ever seen sock yarn with flecks of color like this. And the jewel tones are pretty, too.

That's it for today. Soon I'll have some pictures from around my area to show you. I found two places for some great shots. Just gotta find the time and the daylight to take them.

Have a good rest of the week, readers.

Chippy Was Quite Busy Today..

2011-04-10T20:23:00.004-04:00

He spent a lot of time filling up those cheeks and diving off the feeder on to the ground.

Good Times

2011-04-09T10:20:00.000-04:00

Everybody's happy when Margaret puts the peanuts out!

Everybody, that is, with a mouth big enough to hold a peanut. Sorry, Mr. Cardinal. Better stick to the feeder full of sunflower seeds.

E.C. Part Two

2011-04-04T19:45:00.003-04:00

Welcome back to Ellicott City. I left off yesterday with views mostly from the top of Main Street. Here are a few more. This white house with the blue awnings is Teriguel's, a really good French restaurant. I have been lucky enough to eat here a few times through the years. I have been the guest of a paying customer more times that I have paid for my meal. It is a great place to have a Company party, or a family dinner.

There used to be an old fire house right on Main Street. They built a new one a few miles away. The old one became a wine shop. This is who greets you before entering. He was a friendly old boy. I gave him a few pats.

Across the street and up a little way is a log house that was built in 1780. It was on some land a few blocks down. When the owners of the land didn't want it on their property, the Historical Society moved it piece by piece, and restored it. At one time, ELEVEN people lived in this one-room house! It had a loft, but it must have been very close quarters. There's a man and woman out front in historical costume who will give you a little tour and history lesson when it's open. Notice that the woman is spinning yarn on a wheel. Of course I had to talk to her for a while.

Ok, time to make our way down..

This area is called Tiber Park. It consists of a few park benches and a bridge over the Tiber. Behind are antique stores and a restaurant. I'm pretty sure that the gray building used to be stables way back when.

I posted pictures before of this shop. It's called "Discoveries" and they put out dresses in colors to match the holidays or seasons. I guess this is Spring?

Looks like the owner of the Forget-Me-Not Factory is having a serious conversation with a man in a red shirt. Let's get a little closer..

Armed with two bubble-guns and dressed in a bunny suit. His sunglasses looked like spotted Easter eggs! Guess he's not so serious after all! Like the dresses at discoveries, this owner dresses to match the holidays. I've seen him as a Leprechaun, Father Christmas, and a patriot among others. His wife stays inside behind the counter dressed like she's at a Renaissance fair. It's three floors of fun. One floor has a rock wall (see previous post) that's full of vines and all sorts of gnomes and fairies perched on the crevices. It's a great place to bring a kid. Or me.

Lastly, here's the railroad bridge crossing Main Street at the bottom. I was lucky to catch a picture of a train coming through. I have been stuck at the light under this bridge before. It's quite loud to have a train rumbling over your head!

Hope you like my little tour of one of my favorite places.

Ellicott City Revisited

2011-04-03T22:02:00.002-04:00

Today was another mild sunny day, so the husband and I went to Main Street, Ellicott City for lunch and to look around. If you've visited this blog before, you may have seen other posts from this locale. I go there often.

Behind Main Street, there are lots of old houses perched way atop the steep hills. How would you like to walk those steps every day?

Sometimes the back of the buildings on Main Street are more interesting than their fronts. Look at the angle on this one. Also, see the metal beam at the bottom of the buliding?

It's there for a very good reason. It holds it up from the rushing water underneath. Lots of the buildings in Ellicott City are built on top of water. The Tiber River runs through Main Street, ending up in the larger Patapsco River.

There are walls of rock on one side of the Street. Many shops on that side have a back wall of natural rock. The buildings were built with basically three sides, using the rock as the fourth side.

Brick sidewalks are simply built to accomodate these large rock formations.

Here's a view of Main Street from the top of the hill. The street winds down to a bridge that crosses the Patapsco River. If you click big, you can see the old flour mill in the distance, which is on the other side of the river. There's an old railroad bridge that crosses at the bottom of Main Street. We'll get down there on tomorrow's post..

We had lunch at Johnny's, which I highly recommend. Johnny himself will come out of the kitchen and greet you. He has the best creme brulee I think that I've ever had. Sadly, I was too full from lunch to have some today. (I know..I can hardly believe it myself!)

Many locals are upset over this. The local bakery shut down and corporate America is moving in. This is a first on Main Street, which is full of individual shops with shop owners being the ones behind the counter helping you. I've known several by first name. The times, they are a-changin'.

I loved these tea pots out on a shop porch.

This is the window of a brand new shop. It opened two days ago. Sweet Elizabeth Jane is its name, and it's filled with vintage stuff, girly things, and home furnishings. Good luck to them. I hope they thrive here. Otherwise we may be looking at a Micky-D's or something...

If you go into this grocery, you'll swear that you stepped back in time.

Tune in tomorrow for part 2 of a trip down Main Street, Ellicott City!

Ahhh...Much Better.

2011-04-02T15:54:00.001-04:00

I'm not sure what happened when I checked my guage on the last attempt at this, but it was just waaayyy too small. I went up in needle size (up THREE sizes, actually!) and it's so much better. No more crowded stitches and stiff fabric. It drapes perfectly. In other words, the knitting in the last post was ripped out and I started over and ended up with this. And now Margaret is a happy knitter.

I was just outside to take some yard pictures, and I realized that the sun is out! This is a good thing. We haven't seen it in a while.

Now, if we could just have some 70 degree days, I'll be content.

Even after losing half of the red bud tree, the other upright half has sprouted buds. I was wondering if it would, after the trauma it endured.

Inside, I am enduring loud puppy snores. How they managed to make this work without conflict, I'll never know.

Enjoy your Saturday, readers!