Tricotomania and more

As I was leaving the house at 7:30 this morning, I noticed that the peony was in bloom and made a mental note to photograph it later.

When I returned this evening, I thought maybe I’d missed my chance.

On closer inspection, it appears that I was misremembering the sort of peony I have. This one is just a single flower not one of those blousy ones with lots of petals.

I think it’ll last for a while as there are buds in various stages of tightness. That said, it is awfully hot and sunny.

I’ve been working. Downtown. In a suit. Kind of hard to believe, I know, but this happens sometimes. I have to do it tomorrow, too, but just for the morning. And then again next Monday and Tuesday (in Edmonton, of all places). All in all though, not a bad gig.

So just to keep you happy, I’ll show you some more of the photos I took the other day.

This is my new spinning wheel with a bag of Grafton Fibres beside it and my lovely purple sofa behind it. There is evidence of spinning activity on the bobbins though by the time this was taken a whole skein of yarn had been wound off onto a niddy noddy.

Okay

I haven’t measured wraps per inch or anything but I think this is fine enough to knit socks. Lots of twist for durability but still soft. I intend to knit a swatch before I spin up that other batt.

I realized this morning that it wasn’t just the technical issues that were preventing me from posting photos on the blog. I seem to have some sort of aversion to taking photos. Not sure what that is about but I overcame it this morning and went out and figured out the camera. Took a couple of tries to get useable photos but I have some.

We’ll start with the garden photos. These are a bit of a cheat because I do very little gardening. My partner is big on the vegetables and has deigned to put flowers in the front of the house. He likes flowers better than grass so we expand the beds every year and put more stuff in. There is a longer term plan to put a bigger porch on the front of the house which will also reduce the amount of lawn. Tigger is also into the flower gardening and has been out there watering, deadheading and generally looking after the garden.

First a shot of the bed under the red maple in front of the house. The iris just started to bloom a couple of days ago.

(you know to click for bigger, eh?)

Next the pansies in the bed to the right of the porch as you look at it in the other photo. This particular plant was there in flower before the snow had even completely melted (thereby adding further evidence for the theory that homophobes aren’t very bright — pansies are clearly very tough) and it has been going strong every since. If you look closely there are a couple of miniature roses near it which seem to be completely subdued by the pansy. Must do something about that later in the season.

In the bed to the left of the porch there are several things, the most exciting of which (at this time of year) is a peony. I’m showing it to you in bud today. I’ll post another photo when it is in full bloom.

At the back of the house, my partner dug up all the grass and made raised vegetable beds almost as soon as we moved in. There is a patio right next to the house (where we barbecue and eat in the summer) and he has agreed to plant a few flowers in amongst the veg for visual interest (though at the height of summer, it is pretty green and lush looking). First up the alliums. Sorry the photo is a bit blurry. That is rhubarb behind them. We inherited a bed of rhubarb twice that size and reduced it drastically last year. We still have more than we could possibly use and foist it on folks willy-nilly. The door you see in the background is my neighbours. We have a shared driveway.

Next the strawberries. Lots of blossom which should mean lots of strawberries in a few weeks. Keep your fingers crossed. You can see rasberries in the background, too. And the long green shoots in amongst the strawberries are garlic. Some book recommended that. Who am I to argue. Looks nice.

Next to the strawberries there is some lupin coming out. In this photo you can also see that our biggest weed problem in the paths is actually raspberries. My partner put a physical barrier in quite deep last year but it doesn’t seem to be working.

And finally, a photo of our nemesis (or one of them).

There are a couple of grey ones too. And they like things like peas, corn and even gooseberries. Much throwing of stones and swearing happens around here once stuff starts fruiting.

And that finishes today show. Lots of photos to keep you happy. Photos of yarn and wheel have also been taken. Stay tuned.

It arrived the other day. My computer guy came today and I am now using a brand spanking new iMac. Very pretty. Much smaller footprint on the desk (which, to be frank, just means more desk space to strew papers over). Bigger screen. Nifty features.

And I splashed out and got a new printer/scanner/photocopier thingy, too.

And, best of all, I got an Airport Express with stereo connection kit. This means that I can play iTunes stuff through the regular stereo. In the living room. Hey hey. I’m pretty sure you PC users can’t do that. Okay, I’ll stop gloating now.

The old Ruby iMac has had much of the stuff stripped from it and been configured as a computer for Tigger. Not sure where to put it yet (it is sitting on the kitchen counter which is NOT a good place).

While computer guy was doing stuff with the new machine (which took an inordinately long time because the firmware on the old machine had to be updated so that the doohickey that transfers everything from old to new would work; this is why I hire a computer guy), I spun. Grafton fibres. One whole bobbin, thin with lots of twist. My intention is sock yarn. I’m thinking this is a real possibility. I have plenty for waste as I work out how to get it right but I think I got into the rythm pretty quickly. So I just filled up that bobbin. Must go fill up another one and ply it and see what’s what.

Also knit socks while Tigger played softball. I’m not sure what I was worried about. Most of those kids can’t pay attention long enough to be any good. Alternatively, most of them are experiencing softball exactly as I did as a child and that is NOT good. Tigger had lots of fun though.

Hey, I just noticed that there are new thingamies in the pane where I write these posts. Never had those before. Thought only PC users got them. Ha ha. Maybe my new iMac with its little Intel chip is fooling those Typepad folks into thinking I have a PC. Oh well, much less html to write anyway.

I’ve actually been working for a few days. Out of town. And not reading e-mail. My work involves doing a PowerPoint presentation but I get the client to provide a computer and projector and just bring a little bitty memory key. Much easier.

So I’m catching up on the blog reading last night and come across two that refer to a site that talks about mothering in terms of Myers-Briggs personality types. I have done the proper test or one very like it but I don’t remember the subtleties very well. On this site they just give you broad descriptors of the two ends of each continuum and I had no trouble choosing (but those of you in the middle of any of the continuua might find it tough). I’m the kind of person who is more extrovert than 97% of the folks that take these tests so no problem on the E-I continuum anyway. So here is me…

Your type is: entp —The “Independence” Mother

“When I held my babies, I always faced them outward so they could take in the world.”

Full of energy and confident in her own self-sufficiency and competence, the ENTP mother encourages her children—as a role model and as a teacher—to be independent and confident on their own in the world.

A “big picture” person, she points out options and possibilities along the way. Objective and logical as well, the ENTP wants her children to evaluate their choices and learn from the consequences of their own decisions.

The ENTP mother is resourceful and action-oriented. She likes going places and doing things with her children, exploring all that life has to offer. She is less concerned with rules, routines, and schedules. Introducing her children to new concepts and activities, challenging them, and stimulating their intellectual development are top priorities.

That’s a pretty good description, actually. And probably says a lot about my attraction to unschooling. You can take it here. Thanks to Andrea and Willa for pointing me in that direction.

I also found Willa’s discussion of the relationship between personality type and schools (teachers are predominantly one type and they aren’t the same as mine) very enlightening. Considered in the light of the above, it explains a lot about why we are happier outside of that system. I suspect it also explains a lot about my relationship with my brother (who is a teacher, albeit not a terribly conformist one) than is really healthy to think about for too long.

And totally unrelated (well, maybe not totally) but also found while catching up on Andrea’s posts, this great article she wrote. My only objection is that I don’t think doing all those things would make me a better mom. But that is that ‘independence’ thing. How do they learn to make their own breakfast if you are always up and making it for them?

BTW, there is a box in the front room with a computer in it. Lots of memory (1 gig if I recall) and lots of hard disk space. Also pretty and smaller footprint on the desk leaving more space for me to pile up paper. I’ve e-mailed my tech guy to come sort everything out. A new day with photos and everything may dawn soon. Of course that would mean actually taking the camera out and taking a couple of photos but I might be able to manage that.

This won’t be as detailed as it could because it is late and I’m kind of busy and distracted and going out of town again on Wednesday. But I thought I should fill you in on what happened.

It rained. Really. Rained. A lot. And it was cold. People were buying mittens. So the weather basically sucked.

But I didn’t go for the weather. I went for the people. And they didn’t suck at all.

To get from my house to Contoocook, NH, you only need to use 2 roads (plus a few little windy bits at each end). So you get on the highway near my house and drive east for about 200 km. Turn right (that’s slighly more complicated than it sounds because it is Montreal and there are all kinds of things going off in a bunch of directions and you actually exit off the left side of the highway more than once and the road number changes about 3 or 4 times but it is basically the same road) and then drive south until you get there. We hopped off the highway in Vermont and picked up Norma, too. But she lives right on the highway we were going down anyway.

So that was Friday. Drive to Vermont. Take a break. Drive to New Hampshire. Arrive in time for dinner.

When we walked into Laura’s place, Tigger commented on the number of spinning wheels. She was very happy. And then there were the looms and people promised to teach her to spin. etc. etc. We went out for dinner. Great food. Great conversation. We came back. More conversation. We slept.

Morning. Cate teaches Tigger to spin on a wheel (after breakfast; Cate was fully caffeinated, don’t worry; there are photos on the camera). Laura helps a bit in passing. We leave her to get on with it. She is fine. I start spinning up something Cate brought me just to see how it will be. No one seems to be in a hurry to get off UNTIL I get the andean bracelet on my wrist and am into plying it. Figures. So I give the keys and the kid to Norma and they all head off and Cate and I follow later.

We get to the festival and have no idea where to find them but figure they will turn up. We end up at the Merlin Tree booth where Cate tells me firmly to sit down and try a Hitchhiker wheel. So I do. Some initial frustration and then I get it. It’s going well. (Cate got screamed at by a spindle at the Grafton Fibres booth across the way during this period, necessitating a purchase with a bit of very nice green fibre.) As I’m trying out the wheel some other woman walks up and buys one for cash without even trying it and walks off. I get the feeling that if I want it, I can’t spend all kinds of time mulling it over. I ask about the price and pull out the old credit card. The price is good and made better by the fact that my money is worth something south of the border these days. But I have to leave it there because I have no idea where my car (or car keys) are.

At some point we run into Norma and she gives me the keys and tells me where I might find Tigger. Cate and I wander over there and find evidence of Tigger but no Tigger. Leave her bag. Wander off. We eventually run into her and I take her off to purchase ’stuff to spin’ (which was her big goal). She ends up back at Laura’s booth spinning, demonstrating spindle spinning to passing adults, and finding more stuff for me to buy (notably a spindle that she likes).

Cate enables the purchase of some Romney roving (good for all that spinning we are now going to do on the wheel and whatever) and even a Romney fleece. She offered to split it with me. It is currently in the freezer until I have some time to wash it. Without her assistance I also picked up a couple of Grafton Fibres batts. Rather nice. I am thinking about spinning sock yarn. Do not relieve me of those illusions just yet.

More food. A change of pants. And off we went in the driving rain, driving north. Slowly. Not far up the highway we saw cars in the ditch on both our side and the other side of the road. A warning the SUV drivers seemed not to be heeding.

Tigger did a bit of spinning when we got to Norma’s (having slept in the car). She spun in the morning. She spun when we got home. She spun this morning. She spun this afternoon. All on the spindle (which she was having trouble with before the fair but the combination of spinning all day on the wheel and getting a new spindle seems to have sorted her out). I have spun a bit on the new wheel and am very glad Cate spoke firmly to me and got me to try it.

The only photos taken were of Cate teaching Tigger to spin in the morning. Too wet. And I thank you for the advice about on-line storage but I don’t have enough disk space to load the drivers for the damn card-reader. So no photos yet. Patience. I did order a fancy new machine before going to NH. Hopefully it will arrive soon and my life will be better. In the meantime, I’m leaving town again. To do work. Earn money. (Meet up with friends. Drink beer.)

I’m writing this on Thursday but setting it to post on Friday because I’m afraid some of the information may make people either do housework or feel guilty about not doing housework and I don’t believe in either of those things.

So today (Thursday), Tigger and I cleaned the car. I figured that if folks clean their houses when they have guests then having a guest in the car for a longish journey was a good excuse to clean the car. Also it badly needed it. I think half the grit and salt spread on our streets this winter was on the floor of my car. Tigger actually thought it was a fun idea and had pretty good stamina. She climbed up on the roof to wash up there and then I had her do all the low parts. Then she did the interior windows and some of the wiping down the wipeable parts of the interior. I did the vacuuming and the rest of that wiping. All spiffy and ready to go. Just needs to be filled up before we head off tomorrow morning.

We’re looking forward to meeting up with folks. We plan to buy ’stuff to spin’. Cate is required to enable. I’ve also kind of suggested that Tigger could get spinning help from her as there is something complicated about learning things from your mom (I know, I homeschool, but sometimes the resistance seems to just be on principle). I’m hoping Cate won’t mind.

And even though it might ruin the surprise if Cate checks blogs before she leaves, I now have a functioning digital camera. I have had the camera for a long time but haven’t used it because it doesn’t like OSX and was therefore a pain to download pics from (made worse by the fact that the AC adaptor had got lost and downloading just eats battery charge). So we went into a camera shop recently to possibly buy a camera and the guy says that we probably only need a card reader. On that occasion we didn’t have the camera with us so I went back yesterday with the camera and spent less than $60 getting organized. My camera is lower spec than the lowest thing on the market now but it is probably fine. He showed me all the things I could do (some of which I was unaware of. Macro feature, for example.) sold me a card reader and a new card (the smallest now sold is 128MB, I had an 8MB card). When I got home I plugged in teh charger and charged up the batteries and I’ve got loads of space on that new card. So you can anticipate photos of NH on this here blog.

Of course, now the problem is that my computer is complaining bitterly about how little HD space there is so no card reader software is going on it nor any space hungry photos. I am going to order a new computer (that was in the plan anyway). But there is hope.

Have a great weekend.

The blog reads seem to be dominated by stories of folks packing for Maryland. I’m not. It is too far south for me. Instead I’ll be packing Tigger in the car next weekend and heading off to New Hampshire, stopping in Vermont on the way to pick up Norma. I know it is a small festival but that probably means I’ll see all the vendors and have lots of time to hang with my pals and maybe meet a few new folks. And J. and I have started planning the Rhinebeck roadtrip which might be in danger of becoming the Annual Rhinebeck Roadtrip.

I’m also kind of busy with work this month which is a good thing, I suppose. I love my work so it’s no problem and I get to travel a bit at this time of year. But the change of pace and focus is a bit rough. Tigger is away right now hanging out with her grandparents which means a bunch fewer things to worry about. Procrastination is the order of the day though. And we decided that while she was away we should paint her bedroom. No, it isn’t a surprise. She picked the colours (with a bunch of guidance from me because I want to use curtains we already have). I do love the fact that she is old enough to travel unaccompanied on Via Rail and likes doing big grown-up things like taking 4+ hour train journeys by herself. She also gets to develop her own relationship with her grandparents unmediated by me and whatever issues I have.

Not much knitting has been going on around here. I finished the Bearfoot socks and am quite pleased with them though the weather is now often a bit warm for wool/mohair socks. That led to a little crisis because I don’t seem to have any sock yarn stash. I’ve become quite partial to sock yarn that isn’t available in my LYS — Koigu, Lorna’s Laces, Socks that Rock, Bearfoot — but have only knit with each of these in the past year so haven’t picked up stash of any of them. My LYS does stock Fleece Artist sock yarn and I went off there with high hopes but they’d sold out. The only thing that really tempted me was Regia Silk (which is only 20% silk and rather soft). It only seems to come in conservative solids but there was a nice grey so I got a couple of balls of that.

This gave me the opportunity to try out some stuff from the Schurch book. I’m doing an 8 stitch ribbed lace pattern. The only anxiety was that this yarn seemed a lot thinner than the other stuff I’ve been knitting socks with. I went down to 2 mm needles (my usual is 2.25 mm) and decided I really needed to have 80 stitches around (compared to 60 on the Bearfoot, and 64 on other socks this was a bit scary). I’m doing it toe up for the usual reasons and keep trying it on and it seems to be fine. I think 72 might be a snugger fit (particularly since it is a ribbed pattern) but that would be an odd number of repeats and require me to do something funky with 2 x 4 stitch columns on each side. So I soldier on. If anyone has size 10.5 (European 42) feet that are WIDE (compared to my medium, I think), let me know in case they really are a bit loose.

I’ve also been steadily working on the cardigan. Slowly and steadily, I guess. It is coming along. Relatively mindless. I’m still liking it.

And my spindles finally arrived. They are beautiful. I briefly started on the silk with the smaller one yesterday before dinner guests arrived and must get back to it. I think I might like them. And the silk isn’t too frustrating yet.

Sorry for the dearth of posts lately. I should probably take this opportunity to reflect on homeschooling a bit, particularly since there is a new Country Fair with a secular focus started by a bunch of folks whose opinions I respect and who often say things I find useful and/or thought provoking. But for now, you’ll have to live with this little knitting and spinning update.