You're doing it wrong

Some recent landscaping in the lot next to my office building. I'm not sure which tickles me more- that these trees stayed "planted" on the asphalt all summer, or that they refreshed the blacktop around the trees (note the blackened mulch) rather than wait for them to be moved. The trees went through full leafing and flowering cycles happily (?) growing on the pavement. They were finally removed to their final home just before the fall weather started.

Over the top? Me?

Oh yeah! Check out the awesomeness! I finally got some way over the top eyelashes for performances. Aren't they just ridiculous? The spidery ones kind of scare me, but I figured I needed to get a "subtle" pair in case I wasn't feeling all green feather polka dot or barbie doll hair blue. Seriously, these things are humongous. I tried on the blue ones and with my eyes open they fill the entire space from my lashline to my eyebrows. Yet they are surprisingly easy to wear. I was afraid they'd noticeably waft with every blink, but it wasn't any problem. I think they'll need some mega heavy makeup so they don't seem so overpowering. I can't wait to try some in public :)

The socks that never die

So remember that pair of socks I was knitting and FROGGING, and just couldn't get the size right? I bought new, slightly thicker yarn and it was all working beautifully. Knit down to the foot on the left sock, then cast on the right sock for a long car trip. Yes, these socks have definite left & right feet, which are mirror images of each other. After I knit the entire right sock I realize oops! I used the left sock's pattern by mistake. FROGGING! (Unravelling, for you non-knitters) Go back to the Left sock, and decide I should've used a slightly smaller needle (2.5 instead of 2.75) since the sock is slightly too big. Cast on the right sock again using the smaller needle to see how it looks and like it. Guess what my next task is? FROGGING the left sock completely! And restarting AGAIN!!! Astoundingly, I'm still liking the pattern and not minding that I could've knit 4 socks with the number of stitches I've wasted on this pair. In fact, these are going to have to be known as my Tetra-Socks now. Keeping figers crossed they don't turn into Penta-socks.

That pesky 1/2"

I normally make up my own sock patterns, so they are always the correct size. I'm delving into published patterns and twice encountered a problem I'm not sure how to address. My foot circumference is 8.5". One pattern I want to use give sizes for 8" or 9.25", nothing in between. I started the Maelstrom pattern in the 8" size and after a while tried it on to see how it fit. I couldn't stretch it over my heel! I assume that means it's too small, and try the large size, but it's way too big (I feel a bit like Goldilocks now). My gauge is correct, so that's not the answer. I love Cookie A's spiralling asymmetric patterns, but I think it's important to be able to knit the sock in a fitting size, rather than catering to odd sizing just to fit a pattern repeat. Ok, then I decide to knit the Holidazed pattern, which does give multiple sizes, but they are all whole inch sizes, so do I try 8" or 9"? I'm using knitpicks superwash sock yarn rather than the med. weight yarn called for, so I'm going to have use the largest listed pattern size since my gauge is so much finer.

So my foot (like my entire body) is apparently between 2 sizes. The 2-row striped socks were knit on 68 sts. (8.5") fit great. But I also have a pair of stockinette based socks knit on 64 sts. that also fit. I really like Maelstrom and WANT to knit it. But it's not very stretchy, and the 64 sts. for the pattern couldn't fit over my heel. What's the deal? The pattern repeat is 13sts, and it'd be impossible to break that up. But I might be able to tuck a few extra stitches in the pattern by making the 2st ribs into 3 st ribs. It would add 2 sts. per repeat, which would be 10 sts. overall. But that'll obviously change the look of the sock. Hmm...

I can't be the only person with this problem. What do you do? Make socks that are too big and may slouch? Fudge the numbers to make the size right? Skip patterns that don't give correct sizing? Grr! Whine!

Nom nom nom

I've seen some strange things driving on the interstate, but rarely do I have my camera handy to snap a photo. Thankfully I did have it out the day we saw a car eating a tree. Not sure why or how this ended up like this, I can only assume the driver knew what was going on.

Neat Mosquito

Some interesting critters we came across in the garden yesterday morning. An amazing example of Bird's Nest Fungus that I would've missed entirely if I hadn't been weeding intently. The cups were tiny, about a quarter inch each. They're so cool, I wonder why nature thought this would be a good form for this fungus to take.

Our raspberries have about taken over. They've grown so far you have to climb over the grapevines to reach the back side of the bushes. It was fun to pick them, but in an odd way I think I like weeding more. I reached for one berry and encountered a crab spider. I decided it could keep that berry and I'd move onto the next cluster.

Oh what hardship!

I had a bunch of photos on my camera to post, but something happened to my memory card and it fried. I got a new card cheap, but alas lost all the pictures :( If only I could remember what the photos were of, I'd have a chance at retaking them.

The house is still wonderful, and I wanted to share the one photo that made it onto my computer before my camera blitzed. People keep asking me what my commute is like, now that we moved away. It takes me half an hour to drive now, and this is the road I take. Just awful, isn't it? This is about the level of traffic I normally see. The only negative is that the speed limit fluctuates between 60 to 45 when it goes by towns, but everyone drives the speed limit and no one fusses when you suddenly drop to 45. The mountains do rise up more, but with all the trees it was hard to get a clean shot.

On another note, D brought in the mail and said there was a black widow in the mailbox! I'm not happy to hear this. I know we're pretty much in the country and have an excessive amount of bugs and critters, but I don't want to worry about getting a painful poisonous spider bite just checking the mail or moving a piece of wood in the yard :(