Clee-op, clee-op, clee-op

go my tennies in the dryer as I begin to catch up on the last month's activities!



Ravelympics ended with the closing ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympics. That happened when we were starting our trek. Although I wasn't able to even begin to compete in my third event, the flyingcamelspin (spinning), I did win three awards! This first one was a very big surprise as it is an award for being a co-captain of the team SHPknitters!



Ah, the giantslalomghan event medal is for finishing Beth's afghan. We delivered it to her in person! She really loved it. She also thought that her son might just borrow it permanently for his apartment! Haven't heard if the afghan is still outside Austin or in College Station. Grin.




WIP's (Works In Progress) Dancing Ravelympics award comes with my completing a BSJ for charity. Knitting the collar onto it was a new technique for me. This little sweater just looks so much more 'finished' with its collar. Since this was knit in February, our record-breaking snowiest month, the colors came through in fine form to cheer me through that horrible weather mess.



These shots are the finished items that won the Ravelympics medals!




I miss being able to watch good television (the Olympics) every night rather than the 'entertainment' decided by network executives or the news and weather (also too much NBC entertainment) channels.

On Saturday, February 27th at 9:30 AM after seeing that the roads were finally clear because of a dry slot between storms overnight AND despite 14" on the level spots and mountainous drifts/plowed snow, Russ asked if we could be ready to go by 2 PM instead of 8 AM on Sunday? We still had to grocery shop for critter goodies, finish laundry, finish packing, catch the sitter up on things due to this kind of weather....

But the prognostications were 1-3 more inches of snow Saturday. The last two storms of 24" and 8" started out being predicted at 1-3".


Oh. My.


We left at 1:50 PM. On the road again only as far as Columbus; but, that's far enough to get out of the worst of this particular storm!

Sun-day, indeed

It was the first day of Spring. 72 degrees here in Cooperdale. Warm, clear skies brought out the Spring flowers in abundance!'



Crocus spread their cheer as the lilac leaf buds burst forth.






The 'early' daffodils bought last Fall opened first this day against the foundation.







Russ rototilled three rows of the garden where I planted white Swiss chard, sugar snap peas and carrots. Never have I been able to plant garden rows this early!







Russ was so pleased to be able to work in the garage this day.



Real thoughts of Spring included checking the oil in the mower, blowing off winter porch grunge with the leaf blower and working at the garage work bench.

We are so happy with this wonderful weather turn since three weeks ago there were 6 foot snow piles, 14 inches of snow and more snow on the way!

I haven't forgotten about sharing our wonderful trip.

The Green Sweater is growing!

St. Paddy's Day & 3417 miles

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Although some of my heritage is Irish, it's the orange Irish, rather than the green Irish. This year we are so grateful to be seeing green that we are celebrating Mother Nature wearing her green!


Look! The Green Sweater is lying on green grass! After all that snow, green grass has been highly anticipated. The Green Sweater has also been highly anticipated. Last night I swatched for it and it is coming out on gauge with a #6 Kollage square needle purchased in OKC at Gourmet Yarn Co.









Yesterday some of the maples started budding out, too!!! And today a rock iris is sharing the love.








Also at Gourmet Yarn with Russ, Linda and Jim, I bought a skein of Plymouth Yarn's Fantasy Naturale, 100% mercerized cotton. I finished a dishcloth in it in the Waterfall pattern p. 159 of Barbara Walker's blue Treasury. The cloth is light, cheery, Spring-like. It's the feeling we've needed along with bright sunshine, blue skies and today's 60 degree temperatures.



As a hint for what's to come as I'll blog about our trip of 3417 miles, here's a friend of mine who lives near Jacksonville, Alabama. Can you believe those huge eyes and long eyelashes on this cria?