A Bit of Frost - but a lot of heat!!

OK - I apologize for being so absent...but with The Man here at last, life is much more interesting and wonderful - what can I say! We've had a great time together - road trips up to some Cascade lakes, checking out pontoon boats and kayaks, and fishing-camping spots, cooking amazing meals together, enjoying the reconfigured patio (including TV for summer baseball games). The weather has been perfect (smokey from local wildfires - one at 100,000 acres!). We've been busy combining our households and finding room for everything. Already house improvement projects have begun - things I've not been able to do are now getting accomplished.  My life is much improved, I'm being spoiled every day and I'm loving every minute of it.

The Garden is growing - despite the frosty night early this week. Luckily it didn't touch the tomatoes - I even ate one standing in the garden the other night - yum. I've had lots of the little grape ones! We've been eating out of it nightly. Beans and corn or coming on next.

I have actually been knitting a little. Doing a lot of planning for Christmas knitting - it's just around the corner and I've got a long ways to go. Trying to find projects that don't require me to think much - it's hard to count when with the knitting ladies on Monday nights...too much conversation! 

We are planning a big 10 day adventure in Montana at the end of the month... fishing and camping and two nights of luxury at Big Sky. Oh I am liking this new life!

Summer time and the livin is easy!

Still a blog slacker....

A knit slacker too by the way. But my garden does grow!!

Been reading a lot too - hanging out on the patio enjoying a little summer. Luckily I was gone this weekend when it poured rain - but my oh my my garden sure liked it. I good rain seems to be much more beneficial than my daily watering. Everything grew noticeably in the two days I was gone. Went to Portland to celebrate Niece Ameila's graduation - fun as always to have the whole family together. The kids did a Tree-to-Tree adventure and my sister and I got very soothing pedicures - thanks sis it was wonderful!

Have been very busy moving things around making room for The Man's stuff, his house is sold and he's moving here...OMG what a new adventure for me. I can hardly wait! After all these years to have this new life before me - pretty incredible!

I haven't been knitting much - too nice outside - but have been slowly working on socks - needed something small to take to Knitting Group. Remember when we all said we'd start Christmas knitting early - right that's not happening. I think about it and that's about all! But really must get started.

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer - send some of the heat our way!

Blog slacker

OK I've been really busy...my veggie garden is planted, I've completely dug up and redone a major flower bed, my lawn patches have been re-seeded, I replaced the inners of my toilet, I've fertilized the lawn, moved tons of plants around and knitted a little and read a little.

I had to take a break from my Dakota Dreams sweater - so I did this....Undergrowth from Knitty. Fast knit with KnitPicks. To the gift basket.
I have started the sleeves for Dakota Dreams - but it's not something I can take to Knitting Group - takes too much concentration, so thinking I'll do some new socks for me....get a head start on the winter. I'm also considering a shawl from Folk Shawls - oh they are so pretty, but maybe not so good for knitting night either. I'll think of something.

She did it!!!

The Nurse

I want to announce to the world how extremely proud I am of my youngest daughter Marianne a.k.a. The Nurse. Next Sunday she will Graduate from the Linfield College-Good Samaritan School of Nursing with her BS in Nursing. (I will post a photo later). She did this -- she got the scholarships, she worked hard, she pulled the all nighters, she worked the 12 hour shifts in her Labor and Delivery Practicum, she had the determination and focus. She had a lot of support from her family - but when it comes right down to it - she did it. She will be a compassionate, respectful and knowledgeable Nurse. She will be the Nurse we all want to have take care of us. I couldn't be more proud! I am blessed with awesome children and now we celebrate The Nurse!

Consequently as I write this I am enjoying an adult beverage and showing off my latest finished object -I used this pattern and the elephant pattern from Kathleen Taylor's Tam It all worked out great!! Just finished it tonight at Stitch n' Bi*ch - a great group.

Have planted my vegetable garden - don't know why because the weather is way below average and it's cold and raining - will the sun shine in Central Oregon again? But I made mini greenhouses out of tires and plastic. Now that's recycling!

I'm a happy camper!

P.S. - after watching SNL the other night (it was one of the best) - I'm hooked on Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory" - what happened to me? Am I 16 again - yep that's it!

Oops....

Isn't this the cutest thing.....Elephants on Parade....gleaned from Dakota Dreams Elephant Tam. Baby sweater for a friend of the Nomads (OMG are they old enough to be having babies?) Only problem is I ran out of yarn - KnitPicks Stroll in Blue Topaz.

This is all that's left and I have another sleeve and the raglan to do. How could I be so stupid? So I've sent the 911 to everyone on Ravelry who has it listed in their stash. Oh this is because KnitPicks is out until August. This will not do!

So am back to this sweater - love it.

Have been trying to get my yard in shape - its a little difficult when we are having "Thunder Snow" seriously I don't think spring is coming to the High Desert. But between the snow, sleet, rain and cold, I've got my yard pretty much cleaned up. Wednesday they say it will be decent - so in goes the veggie garden. The Man requested (!!!!!!) Zucchini, so of course I had to oblige. I'm trying a new approach this year - we discussed raised beds but there isn't time, so I'm going to use the old tires that I've never gotten to the recycle place. Hopefully this will temper the effects of the cooler weather. I got everything tilled so planting is next. Also am totally redoing the front beds - bring on the bark dust. Nothing grows well there anyway so I moved what was left to the back yard where they will get better care.

I've been busy! Tomorrow I'm starting the adventure with Weight Watchers again. I tried the quit smoking business - but the meds just flipped me out, can't take them. So lose some of this extra weight and then try again. Wish me luck. I'm trying to be good to myself! Maybe I should just go buy more yarn??