Family (Knitting) Time

we find at Meg Swansen's Knitting Camps.

Sometimes we even bring family with us. I'm not the only one to bring my precious cargo.

Sometimes sisters-in-law (Char and Linda) both knit and come to camp together. A best knitting friend from home, Penny, came, too.

Rollie brought her husband Marty.


Linda and Jim came together, too.

The above photos were taken at Royal Tokyo, where even Russ loved the food!




This year Colleen's husband and daughter both came to camp while also visiting colleges. We just loved Wendy knitting on the couch with Meg. (Colleen gave me permission to post this picture.) Eli is enjoying time with Lucy, Meg and Wendy, too, while getting raffle tickets ready.

On Market Day, Tami brought her Pelerine. (Didn't she do a beautiful job?) Zach was proud to be 'man enough to wear it' and show his mother's work to us. Zach, you are indeed. Thank you, Tami, for consent to use this picture.

Al (our generous 2.75 photographer) and wife Leanne come together as knitters, too.

Cathy and Gwen were roomies the first time during their freshman year of college!

And there are more!

Quickly we knitters bond and love each other with a passion often found only in the most closely knit family members. (Pun intended.)We hug and cry and laugh and share and learn from each other.

Learning...we'll see some of the possibilities in the next post.

I do miss 'you guys'.

(Links are purposely not listed in this post.)

Apples and squash

A little earlier than most years, the apples were ready to process no later than today.

Russ shakes them off the tree with his apple tree hook, into a 5 gallon bucket and then takes the apple peeler/corer to them. There is a mixing bowl for the apples (perfect for a one gallon baggie finished measurement) and a pan for the peels and cores. The peels and cores go into the compost pile.










Because there were 5 yellow zucchini and 2 yellow crookneck squash from Chris and Dan which all needed to be blanched and frozen today, too, it was a hectic few hours.


The pasta pan serves for blanching apples and garnering Russ' favorite beverage, homemade apple juice! There's not much making to it, though. I steam the peeled and cored apples and the steaming water plus apple juice that drips through the inside colander are then cooled and put in water bottles in the fridge. The smaller quart and a half pan on the back burner is the squash blanching pan. Rather than blanching all in a dutch oven, this smaller stainless steel one is just right to pack pint-sized freezer baggies. Today's haul? 5 pints of squash, 5 water bottles of apple juice, 8 gallon baggies of steamed apples.

Yesterday we were talking about how we love the country aspects of our lives. We both wish the Wisconsin farm had still been in the family when we were married. That was the one thing that would have taken us directly to live in Wisconsin. Russ had the experience with cattle while I had rabbit, chicken, horse and sheep experience. The gardens, pastures and fields would have been wonderful in the warmer weather. In the winter? That could have been a problem; but, we'd have overcome it to farm together.

YES!

Remember this mess? At least we knew then that the bumps in the dining room walls were original plaster problems and nothing to do with studs or lathe or the adobe in the lathe.



However, this ordeal has been going on since May 15th. The man has no respect for women, customers' instructions, customers' homes or appropriate behavior.





When DIP (Don the Painter -- middle initial left to your imagination) pulled away, I jumped up and down in the living room and yelled, "YES!" Less than a minute later there was a "YEOWLSS" from the stairs where Nikki had come out of hiding and added his pleasure at the departure. DIP had scared Nikki on purpose at the end of the first week and laughed, thinking it funny, though Nikki, Russ and I did not appreciate that behavior in the least.

Now Russ will be finishing some trim, etc. before school starts the 31st. I will be vaccing (once again --- one and a half hours minimum was required every night to make area habitable where DIP had worked and trod that day.)There are other chores like carpet cleaning and trying to undo thousands of dollars of furniture finish damage and sorting and arranging. Russ and I will be working on this together, though, and we are at our best working together.

Love this!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1205007/Shepherdess-bride-marries-stunning-dress-wool-flock.html

Shawls and Photos

Photographing lace, food, friends, knitting, flowers and a few things I'm not about to mention but you'll see one of below... yes, this is a major part of camp!




Michael is a willing and fine model of this lace beauty.













Marilyn's tribute to Dale Long knit with yarn he gave her at her very first camp is gorgeous and brought wet eyes to us all.








Lucy shows a Feather and Fan shawl, one of several knit in different yarns and needles and patterns. For a while there, it appeared to be a feather and fan year.






Al continued his tradition of taking our group photos and photos of the camp experience as seen through his lens, then these will be converted to DVD for us.












Sometimes the knitting and photography take on a medical theme....

Knitter's Handshake (Salute)

It just wouldn't be camp without seeing the knitter's handshake (salute).

Here's Penny modeling one of Meg's wonderful designs, the Turkish Maple, pp. 50-54 in Meg Swansen's Knitting, Interweave Press, 1999, now sadly OOP.




Meg asks for questions from us to be answered throughout camp, and then illustrates the techniques, if such is appropriate. Here, on one of the four monitors, is a review of kitchenering garter stitch. It really is all about hills and valleys, but sometimes you have to stand on your head to have the texture revealed. (It's not as easy to distinguish the hills and the valleys as one might think.)

And just what is going on with the terminology of 'invisible cast on' or 'provisional cast on'? The last 7-8 years the terminology has been flip-flopping enough to confuse most everybody. Now the definition seems to be back to Mary Thomas' teaching of it decades ago and now seen on www.knittinghelp.com ("Seems" is the operative word, here.)

More exciting, though, is to watching for Cully's designs! He'd devised an icord lattice hat last year and now is working on his second sweater design.


Bridget Rorem brought this purple scarf as her show and tell (also modeled by Cheryl in the picture below). It is an intriguing method of swatching and trying patterns. Later on in 2.75, Bridgie teaches a miniworkshop on making the spider motif. Bridgie conceived of this spider shawl, more appropriately named "After Twilight the Garden Creatures Frolic", in which the spider really does have eight legs (unlike some spider patterns) with Cheryl Oberle's yarn "Gossamer". In this photo, Bridgie and Cheryl are holding it up against the wall to show how well the motifs light up! Amy enjoys the process.



As Cheryl Oberle models the piece, we all get to photograph and touch and admire. Leah and Linda are particularly intrigued here. Bridgie is at the mic explaining about the motifs and part of her design process. I love this 'swatch' concept and the possibilities that can be extended from it.

I am always intrigued by the creative process and how it evolves for each person. Not one of us takes the same thought processes or steps to birth a piece. This shawl has possibilities....





Kauni yarn has been very popular the last several years. Although at one time it was available only through Astrid's Dutch Obsessions in Europe, more LYS's are now carrying it in the USA. Usually we have seen Kauni in just a few sweater designs. But just look at what knitting it into a shawl can become. Wow, Jane, this is a fantastic interpretation of a pattern in "Gathering of Lace". Exactly the same colorway was used by Linda Chism in a sweater that was one of Astrid's patterns. But, the two items hardly even looked related, much less knitted from the same yarn!

OK, too many good knitting vibes are coming through from camp...gotta go now and knit!

We interrupt the wonders of 2.75

to bring the wonders of late 19th century construction when the mortar doesn't adhere to the lathe on the top half of the wall.

It really is July and time for 2.75!

"Good Morning, Campers!" "Good Morning, Cristie" is what we've been waiting to hear and to respond to for 51.5 weeks!

2.75 has begun here in the classroom at the Holiday Inn in Marshfield, Wisconsin with Meg and Cristie ready for the campers' salute, announcements, questions.

Camp officially began Thursday about 3 PM when check in officially starts along with Michael calling us by name and remembering those details from prior years that amaze us all. It was a bit scenic on Central Ave. as it is totally torn up and being repaved, but thanks to an email warning from Michelle and excellent signage, the trek from Hudson's to the Holiday Inn was smooth. It is just wonderful to walk into a convention center lobby and called by name. Then are the hugs with other campers who arrive the same time we do.

Thursday night is the lasagna dinner with all of us so excited. The room is overflowing with excitement. And then, we get to dash into the classroom to claim our seats and start...shopping!



Friday morning finds most of us gathering at Lloie's Kitchen table for breakfast. Breaking the fast it is. Lloie has the best little restaurant, great waitresses and an excellent cookbook published by SHP.





I'd say the empty chair between Russ and Linda's Jim is waiting for you to join us; but, in reality, that's my chair! Colleen had her daughter and husband with her this year as they are college shopping. Daughter is an excellent model of show-and-tell, a great crocheter and knitter, too.







The Kitchen Table always has beautiful flowers out front. With Marshfield reworking its pavement, it is also creating new sidewalks and permanent flower beds between streets and sidewalks. I was not the only one to love the landscaping. Murals are still a landmark on the KT. We love them every year.





Now it's time for some Show and Tell and workshops!

Gee, let's go back to the Dells

I know I'd said we'd go on to Marshfield now, but since I'd gotten the CD from Walgreens in Marshfield (Wal-Mart's machine was still catching up on orders the three days it was down) of the Lower Dells boat trip we took, I'd like to share a few of them.

There are tours by Wisconsin Duck (the land/water vehicle so successful in WW II), jet boat, or two level tour boat. We took the latter on the Lower Dells tour.
Tours start near the hydroelectric plant, a dam that was built in 1909 and is still operational.
(All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.)















Would you think that a tour boat would be able to go through these formations? Watch your answer, as it might just be part of the tour!





Remember last year when Lake Delton broke through its side and the world watched houses collapsing? This shot shows how the area into the Wisconsin River has been repaired but the immediate area has been changed forever.







What might be between these two? Only mosquitoes and other creatures? There might be a sweetheart couple stealing a kiss! The 'tunnel' is seen for only a brief second and a half while passing by, so I was pleased the shutter cooperated.


Trees can grow out of rocks. Here is the proof!

I'd been a little hesitant about a boat tour because I don't have boat experience. One time on the Party Liner in Pittsburgh, a tour on the Potomac, once on Sonny Shores' bass boat, a dinner cruise on the Willow Flowage --- these do not account for a lot of on-water experience. All the tour material stated that reservations were highly suggested. When we got to the window, thinking of touring the next day, the next tour in five minutes was available! It was such a beautiful day that we snapped up the opportunity. Our boat wasn't even half full. Another year might find us on the Upper Dells tour; or, even on a Duck. There were many cars parked on Wisconsin Dells' streets, but tourists weren't buying and the amusement rides that were running were nearly empty.

What I'm doing on my summer vacation....

Gee, do you remember going back to school and having to write about what you did on your summer vacation?




The morning we left the Wisconsin Dells, we ate at Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty. We hear there's another one in Minoqua, as well. We did have an excellent Paul Bunyan experience and recommend this establishment.

We had a good visit with daughter Robyn and her sister Jonnee and others in Wausau.



I'd seen Beth's patterns on Ravelry and I've checked out her yarn store online. Since we were going through Wausau this morning, I wanted to stop. Of course, Russ drove right to it. Wausau was one of his young man haunts. Black Purl is a really nice little shop with friendly knitters (of course). We hope to meet Beth the next time we visit.





We visited with some of Russ' lifelong friends early this afternoon and then went over to niece Marta's. Then went to her son's soccer game this evening, followed by a really fun dinner with Brother Bill.

Tomorrow: Marshfield, here we come!

Wanna see real chaos???

Real living room chaos!




Russ' plan on how to fix a hole in the Armstrong tile ceiling left by a plant hook works!




Back yard retreat is a joy after dealing with chaos.

Catching up a bit

I apologize for not coming to visit with you the last several weeks.



One of Russ' projects was painting the back porch railing. It's so bright and sparkly now!








The partial house renovation continues with the living room being in process now. The photos show furniture in the middle of the room. The ceiling is finished now. Also, the first coat is on the walls. Yes, this green is GONE! Before we left for Camp, the furniture has been placed back against the walls so that there is support for the weight. The last day Painter Don was there (Saturday), he and I had two battles, the second the worst. Hopefully he will return to work on our return with a better attitude. (He was almost successful in slipping out early without finishing that first coat on Saturday.) Hopefully his boombox will stay at home. That music is fine for an hour, but not daily for 6 weeks. Drives me crazy.




Maybe we'll look for some new living room curtains on our way around the mid west!?



Another of Russ' projects was cleaning and repainting the aluminum stove hood. Wow, does it ever look good! Really, it has helped the kitchen so much! And, another kitchen project Russ worked on....yes, another... is that he refinished the kitchen table top. The kitchen is smiling.

Nikki is smiling with all his things in the powder room. This means he has the run of the house all the time while we are gone.

Tawny is Not smiling. When he saw me bring down the suitcase on Saturday, he cried, ran around in circles, and cried some more. Dawn will take good care of Tawny and Nikki, so they will be just fine.

We're in Wisconsin Dells tonight. Russ wanted me to experience some of the Wisconsin River by boat. We did the Lower Dells one hour tour this afternoon. It was such gorgeous weather, we just had to do it today rather than tomorrow. I did take pictures, but they are on a 35mm film, not the digital.

Mr. Oatmeal Nose

is particularly fond of the oatmeal pan, Daddie's oatmeal remnants with a dab of peanut butter on the side and toast crumbs in that 'awful stuff' marketed as dog food. Where's a dog? Tawny sees no dog....

Rain, sheep, tornadoes,hail, flooding

have all been seen in the Pittsburgh viewing area today. The best part of our day
was talking with Amy and these lambs, even though it was raining. (Click to embiggen!)

Since 4 PM there has been torrential rainfall and radar rotation and Doppler indicated tornadoes in eastern Ohio, West Virginia and southwestern PA. There is flooding almost everywhere. Flooding continues and deepens as the Monongahela River flows north from Morgantown, WV area to join the Allegheny River at the Point in Pittsburgh, forming the Ohio. Pittsburgh is a mess; for example, there were some people who were rescued off the tops of their cars. There has been constant local weather TV broadcasting tonight. Right here we have been having rain and some lightning, though our lightning has not been anything like the storm that had over 1500 (yes, fifteen hundred) lightning strikes in Ohio and West Virginia in a five minute time span. That storm and the one following it have tornadic rotation. Other storm cells tonight have also had tornadic rotation. Usually this area gets only 4 or 5 tornado warnings a year and there have been 3 tonight. The Oakland section of Pittsburgh, which includes the University of Pittsburgh, is flooding and seldom has problems. The back parking lot at Monroeville Mall is impassable, totally flooded. There are landslides. Basements flooded. Sewage issues. Residual damage tomorrow will be dramatic. We have been under up to 5 weather warnings simultaneously this evening. It is 10:30 PM as I write this; this kind of training and redevelopment, suspected to continue through the night, seldom occur in this area.

progressing

with the first coat going on the woodwork this muggy, cloudy, some-time rainy day, doesn't this area look a lot different than it did stripped to original red/gold wallpaper and paper wallboard?

soon, soon the furniture can go back into the hallway and entry. curtains and valances can be hung.

it has been a long time since may 15th.

Keeping warm

This fella appreciates warm rocks by the pond as of a few minutes ago.

As long as it prefers bugs to warm-blooded birds and dogs and people, it is welcome here.

Sometimes

flowers and sox just go together.
On the way to take pictures of Russ' sox these beauties are opening right before this week's rain. I never know which color of foxgloves have reseeded.






Single mock orange blossoms perfume the yard with heritage white lilac and rockets and peonies. It's a wonderful time of year.

Peonies are opening in the neighborhood. These I covered with sheets a week ago when there was patchy frost. Peonies are sensitive to frost and they are too lovely to freeze until next year.

The sox? They are toe up on two size 0 24" circulars, inspired by Joyce Williams' KAL. The yarn is a dream to knit, being Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock gifted by Gwen who felt it was time to knit some Russ socks. They are one of a kind millends and Russ doesn't mind one little bit that the skeins are coordinating.

painting

the painting is coming along.

here, painter don is putting final coat on stairwell this morning.

a man of many talents, painter don trimmed some yews out front in preparation of bleaching and repainting the front step entry area after repairing cement steps and repainting them last week.

tomorrow? priming and first coat on inside entry hall.