Saturday, June 28, 2008

Ready for a break - Really!

More college visiting - more getting ready for guest and now, more bike rides. The last week before a triathlon is usually a good time to de-stress but this one wasn't so easy to get out of. I might not be blogging very much until after the sixth . . .



Cleaning out Youngest Daughter's drawers netted six tee shirts and Youngest Child gave up some jeans. I love cleaning!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Knitters, take this hint!



Knitters, don't work on fuzzy baby blankets when it's 85 degrees F. outside. It makes you very crabby. Oh, maybe it was the driving and college touring I was doing today with Middle Daughter, otherwise known as Miss Non-communicative.

The College of St. Benedict is lovely and has many talented people there but it was a very, very hot day for a tour. And not enough time for knitting. It does seem, however, that St. Joseph, MN would be the perfect place for a yarn store . . .

Here's the first few inches of my Lydia's Lacy Blocks baby blanket.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Knitting without tears



The Minnesota Knitters' Guild is participating in Project Little Lambs, making baby afghans (28 by 32 inches) in machine-washable materials for clients of Cornerstone, an organization that works with victims of domestic abuse. Their goal is to provide 200 afghans this year to the children they serve.

I actually have only ever made one baby blanket so I am looking forward to this project. Mr. Daisy and I made a car run (in his British sports car!) out to Michael's Crafts in order to find some washable yarn and I came up with Lion Brand's Jiffy in Apple Green. I am making the Lydia's Lacy Blocks from the Knit along with Debbie Macomber series. I've had this book for some time - I think I bought it at a Knit Out - but I've never made anything from it. So far, not much produced but it is pretty simple.



The Rosebud hat went to its new owner this week at a baby shower for lovely little Aria Rose. Unfortunately, the matching booties did not. When I went to sew them up - one bootee was a different size than the other! This is why you shouldn't leave your knitting projects in the wild. So, I'll knit up bootee #2 again and then mail them on. Here's a poor shot of bootee #1 - a lonely little footsie!



My Saturday Seven was pretty simple - just sorting out some tired old jeans and tee shirts. The duffel bag is from when my children were young and always needed sports bags. We've got plenty - I am sure someone else can use this more than our family.

I've almost finished Go with the Flow sock #1 - I was totally unable to take a flattering photo - so that will have to wait for another day,

(For some reason, last night's fleeting storms kept me from posting. So, today's blog is simply a bigger and better version!)

Sunday, June 15, 2008

A lazy little update among the roses



Well, I would say that I was living up to the Lazy Daisy name yesterday - but I was actually busy trying to balance the fun and less fun aspects of life at Chez Daisy. Taking time to smell the roses, as it were . . .

First off the bat, Mr. Daisy and I went biking - a lovely 23 miler on a beautiful Minnesota morning. Then, back to reality and cleaning kitchens, sun rooms bathrooms. The Youth Staff here at Chez Daisy are in charge of dusting and vacuuming but I handle the messy stuff - wiping and mopping the kitchen and cleaning the downstairs bath. Upstairs, the teen bathroom is technically cleaning by a member of Teen Staff on a weekly rota but this week's lucky teen was out camping and if I wanted to see something done, I had to do it myself. Adding in the second bathroom, I spent the rest of the day cleaning and wiping.

Then, we had a quick drive out to Camp Rolling Ridges in Hudson, WI, where Oldest Daughter and Youngest Daughter were holding court at a service unit encampment. Most of their troop are high school seniors and they were honored at the end of the day flag ceremony. In fact, so many of the girls are graduating that Youngest Girl is going to take the Juliette Option next year - she's going to become a stand-alone, one girl troop. She likes to say she is becoming a Rogue Girl Scout!

After a lovely camp dinner and a trip to the movies (a silly, Adam Sandler-guy movie in honor of early Father's Day), I was beat and went to bed.



AND, I didn't knit in public. Anywhere. I actually took my Go with the Flow sock to the movie theater (I do knit through previews!) but we were so late and crowded that I didn't take the sock out. I will remedy this today by sitting on my front porch and knitting. All the rain during the past few weeks has really brought my roses out - at least it was good for something!

I did have a little Eureka moment recently when I realized how far out my project list runs and that I better get started knitting in earnest.

The project list includes: a re-knitted sweater for Oldest Daughter, a repaired sweater for my sister, baby sweaters, my husband's Brown Aran, a shawl, a cardigan and some (3) projects from last year. Not to mention the socks . . .



I made my Saturday Seven thanks to Mr. Daisy - he contributed this fax machine from his old office. It's going to a neighbor who needs one.



The boy's clothes are going to Baby Karl - a son of one of my book club's members. Thank goodness, he's just a year or so behind Youngest Child!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

A little late night tom foolery



Originally uploaded by humbledaisy



Earthchicknits has alerted me to a very funny meme going around on
Flickr - and since I finally cleared away some computer work, I thought I'd put it up.

According to E - the concept:

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? (Ellen)
2. What is your favorite food? (reuben sandwiches)
3. What high school did you go to? (Beaver Area High School)
4. What is your favorite color? (blue/green)
5. Who is your celebrity crush? (Keanu Reeves)
6. Favorite drink? (Coke Zero)
7. Dream vacation? (Iceland)
8. Favorite dessert? (toffee ice cream)
9. What you want to be when you grow up? (an archeologist)
10. What do you love most in life? (reading)
11. One Word to describe you. (quiet)
12. Your flickr name (Humbledaisy)

Enjoy and don't forget to make your own!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

A Belated Happy Birthday!




Happy Late Birthday, Mom!

I finished this lovely little neck warmer some time ago but, since my mother sometimes reads my blog, I waited until after her birthday to post a picture. She probably could have used it in Minnesota this week - it was chilly!

This came about when I found a neck warmer pattern written in French. I sent it to my mom (a retired French teacher) to see if she could figure out the knitting abbreviations. BUT she thought I wanted the whole pattern translated. Suffice to say, it was eating up so much of her time that she sent me this pattern in its place. So I made it for her! Very fun and easy to carry around.

Saturday, June 07, 2008

Happy Day!



Congratulations on your big day, Kate!

Tomorrow, more graduation fun. I am already exhausted!

There has been some knitting this week -



Go With the Flow socks were an easy choice for taking to yesterday's Senior Dinner and today's commencement excercises. At home, however, I've been running too fast to get much knitting time. I could actually use more sleeping time!

We did take a break on Friday and went down to Knitter's Palette in Lakeville to participate in their open spinning time. Oldest Daughter and I both took our wheels and it was a lovely experience. Her wheel is rather rickety and she got some great advice for tightening things up. I just enjoyed the company - usually it's just me and the television. I've finished the cormo from last week so I was working on some of the "Oak Lichen" fiber from the Red Star Yarn Company. I only got a little spun but the company was excellent. Perhaps we'll get to another one this month.

I found this week's Saturday Seven in the laundry room - two locker shelves that don't fit my daughters' new school's lockers, two old textbooks, one outdated iron (still works - just old), and two pairs of gym shorts. This week I really need the room so they are already at St. John the Evangelist.



Just a reminder - Knit in Public Day is next Saturday, June 14. What's going to be on your needles?