May 17, 2006
You Just Never Know...
Wednesday Afternoon Update: If you've ended up here from Stephanie's site, here is the latest about the "50 State, 1 District, 10 Provinces and 3 Territories" challenge.
Officially, although there have been some good nibbles on and promises made regarding some of these states, we still need to hear from: Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada accounted for!, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.
Both Hawaii and Washington D.C. have officially moved to the "Done" list. Woo-hoo!
In Canada, we are still looking for Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon Territory. All other provinces are accounted for.
To qualify, a knitted (or crocheted) item must have been at the very least knit (or crocheted) from start to finish in the state, district, province or territory, even if you were only there on vacation. Ideally, it would both be knit and mailed from the same location but the “mailed” part is not a deal breaker.
Eight hours of Red Cross First Aid training and my knees ache, my shoulders hurt, my lips look as if they got vacuum-sucked into a bottle for way too long and, while I still couldn’t save an ant, I’m now so filled with an unhealthy, twitchy paranoia about horrendous, bone-splintering, skin-searing, life-altering accidents that could happen AT ANY MOMENT!, ANYWHERE!, TO ME!, MY CO-WORKERS!, MY FRIENDS!, MY FAMILY!, MY NEIGHBORS!, EVEN COMPLETE STRANGERS! that Monday I drove home like a 90-year old woman. 5mph tops. Which looks particularly stupid when you’re driving a sporty convertible with the top down. I don’t think a single strand of my hair moved the entire way home.
It doesn’t help that, now, whenever any of my co-workers who were in the training with me walk by my office they stagger, clutch their throats, roll their eyes back in their heads and gasp, “Help me, Ryan! Save me!” Buncha clowns.
And I’m still trying to figure out why, in the guidebook, pregnancy and helping a woman give birth was listed under “Tending to Wounds.” Eh?!
The garden tour of which TMK’s beautiful garden was a part, and which was an effort to drum up funds for these folks, was held last weekend, giving us the ultimate, guilt-free excuse to spend the entire day—truly the most beautiful spring day since the Big Bang—outside reading (her), knitting (me), barking (Herself), lounging (all) and chatting up the (disappointingly few) people who dropped by.
After the tour, we hied ourselves over to a potluck hosted by the woman who had organized the tour and her partner (strictly coincidental; not everything we do has to involve "the gays," pinky swear). One of the women is a birding-obsessed (she even gives the Cuzz a run for his money, birdmania-wise) so their yard is designed entirely to entice birds with a myriad of bird feeders, fruit stations, and suet feeders; various water sources from birdbaths to sprinklers to misters; and flowers, shrubs and trees all designed with the shelter and nesting needs of the birds in mind. As a result, the women have now have over 60 types of birds in their very urban yard. In fact, by the end of the night, I had added three birds to my life list: a black headed grosbeak, a chestnut-backed chickadee, and a golden-crowned sparrow. Suh-weet! (Or would that be "Tuh-weet?")
But all of that pales in comparison to the fact that we:
(1) Spent the morning of the next day writing up TMK’s (TMK’s!) life list which, to her utter astonishment, has over 62 birds on it, including the almost extinct California Condor.
(2) Spent the afternoon at a local one of these, and TMK’s yard now has this...
this…
and this:
The results so far: One crow hanging upside down on the suet feeder, decimating the feeder's contents. TMK is pouting greatly.
(3) Spent the evening birdwatching at a local pond and added the violet green swallow to both of our lists. And, bonus!, we saw three of the resident beavers. And, super-bonus!, walked by this beautiful "sun disc" art installation at just the right moment.
All of which is too, too bizarre because, as I've mentioned before, TMK is pee-your-pants terrified of birds and has been ever since she was a child and a large cockatoo got stuck in her hair (which makes me laugh just typing it, which is awful of me, I know).
On the knitting front, I am trying to make something similar to this sweater I knit in September 2004...
but using these colors.
I found Cascade 220 in perfectly matching red, purple, robin's egg blue, mint green, chiffon yellow and peach sherbet, have knit the red ribbing and purple stripe, and am ready to move on to the blue.
So far, so good, although I do have a question for you knitters: My swatch was supposed to be 20 stitches by 26 rows, and came out a very annoying not-quite-perfect 19.5 stitches by a perfect 26 rows. Would you even bother switching to a smaller needle and trying to swatch again (a question which I realize is moot since I've already confessed that I've started knitting the actual sweater)?
nah. I wouldn't use a different needle. I let the water action fix the sweater when it is done.
sounds like you two have been busy up to your eyeballs. I am glad. And the sun disk? breathtaking.
Posted by: anj on May 17, 2006 11:27 AMThat sun disk was amazing. A. MAZE. ING.
On the sweater, how many inches are you going to lose if your gauge stays at 19.5? Are you one of those people who loosen up slightly when you get to the actual project, so might your gauge come out okay anyway, or are you going to tighten up?
That photo of Frankie still makes me laugh. I wouldn't change needle sizes. It's for a kid, right? They grow. If it doesn't fit now, it will next week.
Posted by: Samina on May 17, 2006 12:24 PMI have seen that sun disk a dozen times and thought it was the strangest thing just sitting out there by itself. Now I know why it's there, Seattles own Stonehenge - but in copper, and without the guys in dresses.
Saturday afternoon I was in my front yard and I could have sworn I heard TMK say "Don't dress my dog." I thought I was nuts, but it seems I may have actually heard her all the way in MLT.
Posted by: Elaine on May 17, 2006 12:25 PMWhat the heck is a 'life list'? I've seen it referenced on Cuzzin' Tom's blog too, but still haven't figured out what it is.
Posted by: Kat on May 17, 2006 12:46 PMAw, crows are cool. I will loan you a book that will give you a new appreciation of corvids. And considering TMK's skill at photographing hummingbirds, I can't wait to see her pictures from those feeders.
Posted by: Becca on May 17, 2006 12:56 PMKat, ya' caught me. As I was writing today's entry I even thought, maybe I should mention what I life list is, followed by "Nah." But I was wrong, and you are right. A life list is a list birders use to keep track of all the birds they have ever seen. It can be very detailed including when, where, gender of bird, Latin name of bird, etc., or, like mine and TMK's, just a list of the common names of the birds.
Thank you everyone for your suggestions about the swatch. I think I will just continue to go for it.
Elaine, on the one hand, the photo of Frankie was actually taken a couple of years ago so you might not have heard "Don't dress my dog" in reference to the sweater. HOWEVER, cross my heart, I did suggest to TMK that we put Frankie's "party dress" on her for the people who came by on the tour, but TMK would have none of it. THAT's probably why/when you heard, "Don't dress my dog."
Posted by: Ryan on May 17, 2006 01:10 PMGrrr. Both that chickadee and sparrow would be lifers for me. I mean, ahem, I rejoice in the fact that you saw them! Grrr.
Actually, even I added a bird to my life list today. A gorgeous, singing and preening Cape May Warbler.
Kat, it gets worse. Certain birders keep life lists, a list for North America, the state and county where they live, their yard, their favorite birding haunts, ad infinitum.
I probably shouldn't even say this, but it's not like I have a good reputation to be ruined: my birding friends and I have a running joke about what we call our Shit List. That's a list of every bird we've ever seen, um, let one fly. I don't think any of us actually maintain such a list physically, but whenever we see it, we say, "Ooh, look at that. The Northern-beardless Tyrannulet goes on my Shit List. Quite a squirt for the little guy!" I had an awkward moment the other day questioning my own sanity as I stood alone, cackling on the C&O Canal Towpath, having just added Cerulean Warbler to both my life list *and* the SL simultaneously.
Posted by: Cuzzin Tom on May 17, 2006 01:25 PMCuzzin, you are a sad, sad man. Although this does remind me that one the things owners of convertibles have to remember is NOT to park their cars under trees with the top down.
P.S. The sparrow was actually the more exciting of the two. The yellow streak on the male's head was strikingly bright. The females had no yellow, just a beautiful soft solid gray streak.
Becca, I am a BIG fan of crows and ravens; TMK not so much, even with the new-found appreciation for the birds in her yard.
Posted by: Ryan on May 17, 2006 01:38 PMA Cockatu was trapped in her hair. Really. Oh My God! I would have been utterly terrified. She has my sympathy.
Well at least the bird's in the yard will fly away discreetly when TMK comes near. Nothing like that horrid Cockatu.
I keep meaning to make my life list. Never did think about making a Sh*t list as well, but hey, I'm a bawdy kinda girl, I'll give that a whirl.
Posted by: Bling! on May 17, 2006 01:54 PMI love birdfeeders. And I love birds.
When I was a student at Div School there was this redtailed hawk that used to live on the campus. You could always see him perched in the trees and he would wait until a particularly fat, slow, squirrel would be out and easy prey and then swoop down and get them. I saw him do it once- he caught a particularly fat squirrel that day and flew away screeching with it screaming in his claws. It was the most hair-raising thing I had ever seen.
No your usual "birdfeeder" kinda scene eh?
The picture of that sweater on your dog made me spit on my screen.
It's a lovely sweater, and a gorgeous dog, but somehow, in combination ... not so much.
She looks damned proud of it, though!
Posted by: Rabbitch on May 17, 2006 03:14 PMIs the sweater for Dulaan? If so, don't worry about it -- there will be a child there who will fit it perfectly. If you are knitting it for a particular child, I agree with whoever said that they grow; if it doesn't fit today it will next week. (In other words, I can rationalize just about anything to avoid frogging and reknitting.) Lovely colors, btw.
Posted by: KathytTA on May 17, 2006 03:30 PMI live in Iowa, USA, and I am glad to make something for Dulan. But I don't know what it is or what is needed. Sorry, I'm sort of a hermit - at least many days! So, please tell me what I need to knit and where to send it. E-mail, in case it gets lost from the comment, is auntpollyfor4ATyahooDOTcom. Thanks!
Posted by: Paula on May 17, 2006 04:39 PMCheck, call, care, Ryan!
Did you get to watch the video where the elderly lady sprains her ankle and then hits up on her rescuer for her granddaughter? Love it!
Posted by: Ranger Susie on May 17, 2006 04:53 PMI would switch if I wanted the garment to fit someone in particular. But since you're making it for Dulaan - hell no!
What a great sweater model you have there.
Posted by: Margot on May 17, 2006 05:22 PMDon't change needle sizes. You crazy? I love the list of colors that you allege "perfectly match." Can't wait to see this one. Hee.
Yeah. Frickin' crows. I gave up on the bird feeders. I grow lots of natural food and provide habitat and water, all of which attracts a pretty decent range of birds. I'd like to see more, but I can't stand the crows and the squirrels and other PESTS decimating my loving offerings for the little ones. Not to mention the frickin' mice and rats the feeders also attract.
Posted by: Norma on May 17, 2006 05:27 PMI have a shit list too, but I don't think there are any birds on it...a few doctors, maybe, but no birds...
Posted by: Lee Ann on May 17, 2006 05:32 PMHello! I've just stumbled across your blog via YarnHarlot. I would love to contribute to the Dulaan project. I'm originally from PA, but my item will come from China. (I'm spending this year teaching English and stocking up on high quality/low price wool.)
Posted by: Rachel on May 17, 2006 10:17 PMI will try and get a few items done as well before July 1, from Nevada. I found you from the Yarn Harlots site.
Posted by: Kyrie on May 17, 2006 10:40 PM:raises hand:
Cross Arkansas off the list - I'll send at least one hat/scarf combo. That's all I have knitted so far ('cause I'm a novice knitter), but hopefully will have more to put in the box when it is sent off!
Posted by: Larushka on May 18, 2006 06:28 AMSounds like a day in Heaven!. Birds, beavers, sun disk reflection especially. Love the dog in the sweater. That pic should be a billboard. It would make anyone smile, no matter how bad a day she was having or how sad she was feeling.
Posted by: Beverly on May 18, 2006 08:18 AMOkay, okay. Bear in mind that Wyoming has a smaller population than most moderate-sized midwestern towns, and also that a lot of our knitting output goes to keep local grandkids warm in Wyoming's minus 40 degree weather. However, now that you've got my attention (via Steph the Yarn Harlot), I'll put you on my knitlist for 100 percent Wyoming-knit (and usually Wyoming homespun) articles. Let's see, 43 days and counting? I'd better rope in my knitting granddaughters to the project too!
Wow. Behold the power of The Harlot.
Posted by: Cuzzin Tom on May 18, 2006 11:41 AMCuzzin' Tom and Ryan-
If the 'flying stuff' from the bird, lands on me, which list do I put it on, or is that a third type of life list?
Posted by: Kat on May 18, 2006 12:58 PMI'm trying to give away yarn for Dulaan projects and I have some pink Cascade 220 that would be cute with your colors...
Crows are so smart they MAKE tools. I saw a video of a crow who wanted food tied up in a little bag and put down a tube. All he had to work with was a piece of wire. And I'll be darned if he didn't bend that wire into a U at the end and haul the bag up just like we would. It was great!
Posted by: Laurie on May 18, 2006 03:41 PMPhew! I'm so glad Bobbie in Wyoming spoke up. My Dad and I are road-tripping from OR to PA next week, and I was picturing myself zooming across WY at 75 mph knitting a Dulaan hat... So now I'm looking at Iowa, where the limit is only 70. Maybe I can talk my 81 year old Dad into driving for that stretch (assuming it's not after lunch).
I think if we've got the Harlot canvassing, it should all come together. (BTW, we are driving back through Canada, but not Nunavut, alas.)
Posted by: Carol in Oregon on May 19, 2006 07:06 AMgood news - i have three hats completed and i'm sending them today from montreal - quebec. AND i made contact with a knitter in Prince Edward Island. She thinks she has something already made that she can send. Let's hope so. still working on the northern provinces
Ok, I could have sworn that I left a comment the other day saying that I would knit something for the Dulaan Project, but now I can't remember where I posted it. Anyways, you can go ahead and cross Oklahoma off the list. I'll be making a hat or scarf.
Posted by: Robyn on May 19, 2006 11:14 AM