Saori musings

I started this scarf back on the 14th and just thought I'd let it flow out as it would. The warp colors are the colors of a cow pasture that I saw on my way south from the parsonage a couple of weeks back. Blues, greens and golds. It's one of my favorite things about Florida; the endless horizons. I'm always able to get inspiration from the horizons.

So I'm weaving the scarf, using stash yarns, with no particular plan. Then, the other day, I got an invitation to join the Saori weaving group on Ravelry. What is Saori? It is a form of free weaving in which imperfections are welcome. This sounded familiar and upon reading the philosophy, I realized they were talking about wabi-sabi, the Japanese philosophy of finding the beauty in imperfection. I've always been drawn to this philosophy. Imperfection, decay,

And only a couple of weeks ago, I found this little mat that I wove a few years back in much the same way as the scarf I'm working on. No plan... just free weaving with imperfect selvedges. I was Saori before I knew what Saori was I guess.

My sock is coming along. I have started the increase on the heel. I am really enjoying sock knitting.

Beautyberry

Watched the storm over Lake Crescent while slurping Frosties

Inkle done

Fresh off the loom this morning. I like to let my weaving rest for a day before I start finishing. Let me rest too.

Saw my doctor Monday for my 6 week post CK treatment. He said I was doing good and that I will get an MRI at 6 months to see how things are going in the old insane mem"brain". He also told me that he wants me to now put this behind me for a while. I think he is right. And I will try. Besides, I have to see all my other doctors that I've been neglecting. Saw my eye doctor this morning and got my glasses prescription fixed (too strong). Then I'll need to see the dentist ... ugh! Then the "lady doctor" tee hee! Then dermatologist because I live in the sunshine state. I can only take one doctor at a time though.

Last Sunday I made the Lazy Day Casserole. Let me just say that awesome would be a good way to describe this recipe. I modified it a bit, using Uncle John's Pride, Country Smoked Sausage. I also didn't add the fennel bulb, as my store didn't have any. Served it over some wide egg noodles. It was goooooood! And very easy. I like easy.

S.T.E.A.M. on a Sunday

I haven't worked the rigid heddle loom in a while so I thought, what the heck... I could use a scarf for winter. More on that next post. Anyway, I had some left over yarn. Then I got to thinking, what can you do with yarn you don't seem to have any use for? How can you reuse? Experiment time. 

I cut some bits onto the carders and combed them out.

Made some funky, colorful batts!

Which spin into funky, colorful yarn! Groovy! I'm doing a spinning demo for kids in November, so I'm thinking this would make a good STEAM program. Teaching the kids about spinning and recycling and reusing materials. Anyone wanting to do this with their class or group, fear not. You don't have to spend a lot of money with this project. You can substitute wire dog brushes for the cards above and you can make spindles easily and inexpensively. Spindles can be made from CD's or toy wheels.

The sock is coming along. Coming along slower than I'd like but it will get there.

Isn't he cute? Che made him. She was so nervous waiting to hear back about a job she'd applied for that she cranked out a bear in a day. Much faster than her mom...

Remember the muscadine grapes from the last post? Well, here's another yummy thing you can do with these southern grapes

Vacation's end

A brief summery of week 2 of our vacation...

We took a dip in Silver Glen Springs in Ocala Natl. Forest. It was gorgeous and cold! The water, as Jerry likes to remind me at any given opportunity, is a constant 72 degrees, as it is at all of the springs in Florida. So you can either dive right in, suffer the mammalian dive reflex, and have to have your heart jump started again... or, you can go in gradually. I opted for the later.

Once you get used to the cold, the water feels wonderful, especially on a hot day. I floated in the crystal blue water, very blue, and listened as someone on one of the boats on nearby Lake George was playing the Grateful Dead. Home.

We went to the wine festival at the Log Cabin Vineyard in Satsuma. These are muscadine grapes, which are native to the southern United states. They produce a sweet, dessert wine. I bought a bottle of a white wine infused with key lime. Can't wait to try it!

And here the wine goddesses are crushing the grapes. There was also live music. It was a small but nice gathering.

Our neighbor across the street, Mr. Counts (he's a math teacher... no really) brought us over some of his homegrown veggies.

I spent a good part of the vacation knitting and reading. I'm reading this book by Susan Gordon Lydon. It is a really good read about knitting and the healing power of craft in our lives.

Will knit for chocolate

We have been here in N. FL at the parsonage for the past week and heading into a second week here. The weather has been very nice. June and July were definitely the hottest months. It's been warm and dry, in the 80's, in the mornings, hot in the afternoon, and mild evenings. Of course anyone from up north would just think it was hot. But when you've lived in the subtropical mire that is S. FL, you can tell the difference. I'm sitting in the yard now watching a pileated woodpecker inspect a knot hole in the giant oak next door. Pretty close to Heaven for me. And this has been a rough summer, so I'm happy to be home just watching the birds. And now a sandhill crane has just wandered into the yard and is looking at me. Totally unmoved by my presence. The same can't be said for me, however. He is beautiful and very tall.

I had a fun, chocolate filled lesson in sock knitting from my knitting guru Cindy of DelightedHands. I now understand why there is such a cult following for sock knitting. It is very challenging and three dimensional. Cindy taught me Judy's magic cast on  for knitting socks toe up on circular needles. I'm using Patons Kroy Socks FX in Clover Colors on size US 2, 32" circular needles, which Cindy gave me to use as well as a sweater knitting CD, homemade soap, the best brownies you've ever had and M&M's. Well, we needed the M&M's to help us count rows and stitches. No really...

See the little toe emerging? I was reading in my copy of Vogue Knitting that socks are probably the earliest application of knitting, dating back to 1200 AD in Egypt. 

And the fiber fun didn't stop there. Bridget came over from Jax and hung out with us for the day. She brought the crochet blanket she is working on and we hung out knitting, catching up and watching TV. It was a mellow afternoon. 

The other creative offspring surprised us with this cool little fire pit that she made. Good job Che!