Claudia — Page 918

Keeping the Egg Cozy

April 19, 2017 at 9:18 am by Claudia

After nearly throwing in the towel yesterday, I finished the egg cozy. There was a period where I thought I had done something wrong when I was knitting the head, but I knew I had followed the instructions exactly. I stuffed it with polyfill. Then I’d pull out some of the polyfill. Then I’d try and shape it. It was driving me nuts.

Finally, this morning, I stared at it again and thought: What the heck? See what happens.

And here we are.

His eyes remind me of Monty the Cow’s eyes. Sort of wide-eyed and innocent.

I really have no egg cups that are a solid color, at least none that would fit this cozy, so I turned one of the Prague egg cups around. That works.

The Brits talk about “wadding” – whether it’s to stuff a little animal like this or a layer in a quilt. I used polyfill, which proved to be frustrating because it automatically fills the space and doesn’t allow for a lot of shaping. I think I would like to try something different next time. British readers: what do you recommend?

As it was, I pulled some of the polyfill out this morning and did my best to shape the head like the one in the pattern. But it’s different.

I choose to think of it as ‘unique.’

When I finished it, I immediately had the thought: That’s that. I’ve done it. No more.

But upon reflection, the second time would be easier, right? So I may try it again – this time with a striped sweater. Since I had done absolutely no knitting for at least 8 or 9 years, I thought I’d go with a solid color on my first try.

Name? Because you know I have to name everything. Suggestions are welcome. Also, I keep saying ‘he’ because that’s my immediate reaction. But is he a ‘he?’

I went shoe shopping yesterday. Don’t ask. Very frustrating. I need very comfortable shoes and I need to try them out on site. That eliminates ordering on the internet. I need arch support. One foot is slightly larger than the other. And on and on. I do have some shoes on hand, but I wanted something a bit more elegant. I’ll go out again – maybe tomorrow. But if I don’t find something tomorrow, I will go with what I have.

The state of the coffee table. This was taken just after I had finished a piece of apple pie. By the way, the magazine you see – Living the Country Life? Expensive, for one. And after I had read at least two articles that featured country folk who kill their livestock; in these cases, lambs and cows, I tossed it.

No can do.

The photography is beautiful and it’s nicely done…but I can’t go there.

Today? Maybe a bit more yard work. Maybe a bit more mowing. And recycling, because I didn’t do it last week as I had promised.

Toss out any suggestions you have as to a name for the bunny.

Oh, just learned this bit of news: My friend, who is the Artistic Director of a regional theater on the West Coast and is of Asian descent just said that someone called the box office and asked if he was a U.S. citizen. What have we become?

For the record he was born and raised in West Virginia.

Happy Wednesday.

Investigating

April 18, 2017 at 10:06 am by Claudia

The wind has died down, thank goodness. We had about three days of it, which is three days too long for yours truly. Today is coolish and sunny and still. Good.

I moseyed around the property yesterday as I checked on new growth. Everything is taking off. I haven’t yet cleaned out the area around the peonies, but I see the red stems coming out of the ground.

Two of these beauties were dining on some clover in the lawn. They were very small – maybe an inch and a half to two inches wide? I thought they were moths, but my investigation (I use that word loosely) tells me they may be Painted Lady butterflies. They migrate from Mexico to Canada in the spring. I’m going to settle on Painted Lady unless someone has more information?

The maple right outside the kitchen door is leafing out. Huzzah! The big sugar maple always takes a bit longer, but it’s on its way.

Yarrow in the big garden bed. I love those delicate, lacy leaves.

The hyacinths are so beautiful. I found these bulbs – mystery bulbs to me – when I created another garden bed on the side of the house. I didn’t know it they were viable, but I took a chance and planted them here in the big garden bed. I was so delighted when I realized they were hyacinths!

I found another crabapple tree in the middle of an area of brambles which is close to our property line but very near to the kitchen window. There were so many brambles that I didn’t dare try to get close to it, so I ran inside for my new lens.

After almost 12 years here, I still find surprises. It’s a nice sized tree, so I imagine I’ve somehow missed it because it’s in an area that I usually leave to itself. Brambles and I don’t get along, though I have to do some trimming today. Wish me luck.

There’s also a baby tree springing up right outside the kitchen window – that’s what sent me outside yesterday. I saw two little flowers blooming and knew I had to investigate. That little sapling led me to the bigger tree.

If I have misidentified this, let me know. There is another crabapple that I’ve spoken of on the other side of the property, down near the street. I see that it’s budding and here’s my quandary: that crabapple has a pinkish color of unopened flower bud and when the flowers finally open, you can see traces of the pink on the back of the petals. I don’t see that with these flowers. But I’ve searched and searched and the only possibility I can settle on is…crabapple.

Once things start taking off in the gardens and on the property, there’s always something new to investigate! Maybe instead of Nancy Drew, I should invent a character named Nancy Grew…

Happy Tuesday.

Low-Key is Just Fine With Me

April 17, 2017 at 10:09 am by Claudia

A low-key day yesterday – just me, myself and I.

Since I was so pooped from the air conditioner/mowing saga on Saturday, I took the opportunity to relax. It was very, very warm outside and, as seems to be the case when it gets too warm too early, the winds picked up in the late afternoon, getting stronger and stronger until a storm finally came through.

Now it’s twenty degrees cooler.

I watched my man Fred Astaire in Easter Parade on TCM. I own the movie, but love it when I come upon it unexpectedly. Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Ann Miller, Peter Lawford – wonderful cast, beautiful Irving Berlin songs, “Steppin Out With My Baby” – what could be better?

The blue jay that kept squawking at the mourning doves. From his perch in this tree behind the kitchen, he had a perfect view of the birdbath.

The maples are budding.

I saw this bag at my local yarn shop. It’s made by the same company that made my new pencil bag – they’re out of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. I thought it would be perfect for Mabel the Featherweight. Even though I made a cover for Mabel, because of the way it’s made, dust creeps in at the sides of the cover. I don’t want to put Mabel back in her original case because, like most Featherweight cases, it is musty after years of being stowed in someone’s attic.

Isn’t it cute? I’d secretly love an aqua sewing machine, but I already have two sewing machines, so I think I have to let that idea go.

The bunny egg cozy so far:

Body and arms. I’m using tiny needles – number 2 – and have to keep looking up how to execute a stitch or an increase or a decrease because I haven’t knitted in a long time. My bunny will be white, simply because that’s what was available at Michael’s. I wasn’t about to use expensive yarn for this experiment!

Anastasia opens a week from today. Yesterday, while HGTV was on as background noise when I was knitting, I heard the opening notes to Journey to the Past and my head shot up. Yay! It was the commercial for Anastasia, which has just started airing. Christy’s glorious voice singing and very simple and powerful – I’m very proud to have been a small part of this show. And it is a small part, given how much goes into producing a big musical. I’ll be going to the opening and I think I’ll try to book a hotel room in the city for Monday night.

Speaking of HGTV, despite my unhappiness with most of the programming, I do have a fondness for Erin and Ben, the couple behind Home Town. I’ve read Erin’s blog for years, so I’ve been pulling for them as this opportunity came their way. They’re just so genuine – not an ounce of slickness or artifice – and I really like the fact that Erin’s decorating style honors the house they are rehabbing and isn’t something she imposes on the house, if you know what I mean.

Okay. At some point this week, I have to find shoes to wear for opening night and when you’re someone who lives in sneakers and hates heels, that is a challenge.

Happy Monday.

Keeping the Egg Cozy

Investigating

Low-Key is Just Fine With Me

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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