March 20, 2006
Attack of the Killer Tuteurs
On sunny days, especially those first few gloriously warm and bright days of spring, TMK barrels out the front door as if she has a jet-powered rocket-pack strapped to her back. It goes something like this: 8:00am—she wakes up. 8:01am—she’s outside, weeding. There is no stopping her; she becomes the Ultimate, Focused Gardening Juggernaut and nothing else, not me, not food, not water, not Frankie, not the end of the world as we know it, registers on her radar. Over the years, I’ve reconciled myself to the fact that nothing I have to offer will entice her inside, that the sun is, effectively, “the other woman,” and that I could never hope to bitch-slap a ball of molten lava that is 900,000 miles in diameter and whose inner core burns at 10 million degrees.
Since TMK recently learned that her yard has been picked to be part of a local gardeners’ yard tour, things have gotten markedly worse, with this weekend’s gardening activities bordering on the extreme.
Knowing that I had lost her to “the other woman” for the weekend, I went about my lonely, scorned-woman’s business. On Saturday, I went home and then to the store. We’re talking a total of two hours, tops. When I arrived back at her house, this greeted me in the front yard:
Yes, in less than two hours (in one hour, to hear her tell it), she had built a tuteur and installed it to hold up her local hummingbirds’ favorite fly-by dining spot, the honeysuckle vine.
On Sunday, I went to a Dulaan Knit-In (more about that later) and when I came home, this greeted me in the back yard:
Because of the way these wooden structures just keep appearing, I’ve now developed tuteurphobia, the fear that a wood trellis will suddenly plow up from under the ground, beneath my feet, tossing me a mile and rendering me unconscious.
It could happen.
This weekend I went to a small Dulaan Knit-In, hosted by Neighbor Melinda, she who lent TMK her Louet.
I never cease to marvel at how knitters who are complete strangers can, in ten minutes, feel like old friends. While I knew Melinda and Elaine, Dorothy and Nancy were new to me—but, hey, whutevuh. With the aid of some hot tea and lovely cookies and snacks, in no time at all we were chatting up a storm.
I think my favorite part of the Knit-In was the moment when I realized everyone, including me, was knitting a Cloud Hat—except for Melinda who was, however, knitting a Cloud Sweater!
A couple of pictures of the things we brought for Dulaan:
(P.S. Denise in Kent wanted to know which Vogue the Dulaan article would be in. Denise, it'll be in the Spring issue which, according to Vogue Knitting's web site, will be on sale March 28.)
LMAO - you live in the Land of Ridiculous Bridges, and you're scared of a little wooden trellis? They do look sturdy, but really, compared to Gertie and the floating concrete, how bad could they be?
Too bad you aren't ladies of leisure with summer and winter homes - our growing season in Tucson is from about October to April. TMK could weed to her heart's content, all year long.
Oops, sorry Ryan.
I want some frickin' tuteurs! Not fair.
And what a coinkidink! I just finished (just two minutes ago) composing an email to JoVE thanking her for the yarn she sent me. She sent a boatload of mohair blend, and I said that I might be making a mohair child's hoody. What I specifically was thinking was a "Cloud" sweater.
Posted by: Norma on March 20, 2006 01:22 PMNorma,
If you can use a power drill, tape measure and a saw you can build a tuteur! The flat trellis is exceptionally simple (took an half-hour). And it's extremely satisfying when you're finished! Interested? TMK
Well next time that 'other woman' comes a callin', you just call us up and we'll have Thai. Or something. We'll pick something TMK hates and you love. Then everyone's happy. N'est pas?
Posted by: Bling! on March 20, 2006 01:35 PMI LOVE Garden Tours. Congratulations! I am impressed; it has always been my dream to be invited to be part of a garden tour. The judges would have to be blind though, for that to happen. Good Luck, TMK, don't let the pressure get to you.
Carrie, Seattle growing season is September to July. Everything but the most tenacious weeds takes the month of August off for the dry season. Other than that, it is weeding and mowing year round.
Posted by: Dorothy on March 20, 2006 01:38 PMThere are worse things to lose your woman to than a garden. Just think if someone that obsessed started to spin!
Oops.
Sorry.
Um, nevermind.
Posted by: Rabbitch on March 20, 2006 01:57 PMBling!, I have the perfect idea. The next time "the other woman" comes for a visit, you, your honey and I will go out for Indian food. THAT'LL show TMK!
Carrie, you can't pick your phobias! ;-)
Norma, Melinda's Cloud sweater is cute. From what I can remember (how quickly I forget in 24 hours), it was gray mohair combined with gray worsted wool, and knit top down, and then the sleeves were/will be added on.
Dorothy, so glad you left the URL of your new blog. Go read, everyone!
Posted by: Ryan on March 20, 2006 02:05 PMBeautiful! Maybe the first day of spring are when the Tuteurs bloom? And lovely items for Dulaan, as always.
Happy Ostara! :)
Posted by: moiraeknits on March 20, 2006 03:58 PMI want a back yard...and then some tuteurs! Can I borrow TMK once we move? ;-)
Posted by: Kathy on March 20, 2006 04:19 PMNot only is the sun big and hot, it's also ~93 million miles away. That'd take a boarding house reach and then some!
Don't despair, you know the weather up there (ooh that rhymed) that sun'll be gone soon.
Lovely pics of hats, glorious hats!
Oh, my - is this what it feels like to be famous(grin)? Thanks for the heads up on the Vogue issue; I'll be watching for it.
Those tuteurs are fab! I sure need someone like TMK to spruce up my yard, it is soooo lacking in personality. Sorry you have become a "gardening widow" -- but hey, didn't TMK weed your dahlia bed recently? So it's not all bad. :)
Neat pile o' Dulaan hats, too. Who knit that green & purple (chullo?) Very cute! I tried working on an original (Estonian inspired) hat design last weekend but it flopped. Wah. Maybe the Knitting Goddess will smile on me next time...
Posted by: Denise in Kent, WA on March 21, 2006 08:12 AMDenise, our very own Elaine (PinkPurlGrrl) knit the green and purple chullo. She used the chullo pattern from knitty.com. And, yeah, TMK did weed my dahlia bed recently. I was hoping no one would remember that and I could just go on kvetching with impunity.
Posted by: Ryan on March 21, 2006 08:21 AMI cast on a Dulaan hat yesterday! Nothing flashy, just teal Galway heather. But I've started!
Posted by: CarolineF on March 21, 2006 09:11 AMI got my Vogue in the mail yesterday! The article is fab, though they split it into two pages and stuck a big advertising thing in the middle... :(
Posted by: Susan on March 21, 2006 09:44 AMI think my yard needs some serious tutering, it's failing in every subject.
No, I really couldn't help myself.
Posted by: Elaine on March 21, 2006 11:49 AMI read, "Attack of the Killer Uterus".
Tuteurs are better. Way better.
:P
We want a Tuteur Tutorial!
We want a Tuteur Tutorial!
We want a Tuteur Tutorial!
I read the Vogue article yesterday at a LYS! It was awesome! I am frantically knitting things to send to F.I.R.E. by the deadline! Thanks!
Posted by: Olivia on March 22, 2006 11:46 AM