On the (Bumpy) Road Again

On the road again
Just can't wait to get on the road again
Bump, bump, bump OOOPS!

Road trip to Connecticut. Visited a friend. Looked forward to 3 hours there and 3 hours back of knitting. On a bus.

I'm an easily distracted and awkward knitter under the best of conditions. But the bumpy highways of NYS and CT just aren't made for smooth bus travel and smooth knitting.

I tried and quickly put the knitting away.

What did I do instead?

Read a book I'm not crazy about. This review says it for me.

Also, watched the scenery.

































Finally, took my cue from this sign and drifted off to snooze-land for a few miles.





One more thing. I wish I had gotten a better picture--but, do you see what I saw in my friend's backyard?!

J is for

Jury duty!



I report next week.

New York City's five boroughs are also five separate counties -- Manhattan is New York County.

Big city--lots of crimes and lawsuits. So we have five trial courthouses (Supreme Court is NYS's name for the trial court or the district court.)

No, I won't be gasping for breath while running up the steps of the Law and Order courthouse.

And I won't be questioned for any trials involving murderers or drug dealers. The courthouse I'll be reporting to tries civil cases and is a modern blah, bland box of a building.

Since so many people are summoned for jury duty in NY County, a person can sit for an entire day without ever being called for voir dire. Boring!

In the past, I've read, done crossword puzzles, eavesdropped, stared into space. Didn't knit then. This is the first time that I'll want to knit in the jury assembly room.

Hmmmmm. . . but are knitting needles allowed?

The information for NY County jurors states, "Weapons or dangerous instruments of any kind are prohibited from court buildings."

Well that's as clear as Rockefeller Center during the holiday season.

So I checked things out in Ravelry and other Manhattan jurors report that they've been able to bring knitting needles into the courthouse. YAY!

Now the question is--what to bring? Lace shawl? Stockinette socks? More homework swatches? Cast on something new? All of the above?

I can't decide! Will this indecision as to what knitting to bring disqualify me as a juror?

The Whatever Cloth

All week, I've been knitting:



Mason Dixon Ballband Dishcloths.

I prefer to call them the Whatever Cloths. Dishcloth. Washcloth. Hot Pad. Dusting Rag. Swiffer Thingie.

Yarn: Provence
Colors: Good question! Maybe Palest Peri and Summer Wheat?

Finished just in time to gift them to a knitter friend!

I is for

Irish Knits.

My mother was a talented knitter.

Of all the things she made--and she made many, many things--I think her (and my) favorite were the Irish knits.

There are probably still people wearing the Irish knit sweaters my Mom made for church raffles. And her cozy Irish knit afghans are most likely still being enjoyed by families.

My Mom is no longer with us, but, I continue to enjoy her Irish knits:







Best of all, some of my Mom's Aran yarn from Ireland is in my stash and her pattern books still inspire.

Farms, Fiber n' Fotos

Lurking inside this city gal is an Inner Fiber Farmer. I adore reading blogs about sheep, llamas, alpacas and I positively swoon during lambing season.

So it's no surprise that I eagerly awaited the publication of Shear Spirit. Written by Joan Tapper and photographed by Gale Zucker, this book profiles and shows photos from ten fiber farms. Patterns that showcase the yarns are also in the book.

It's a gorgeous book where I can totally dream about my parallel universe Fiber Farm life.

Monday, my favorite LYS had a very special event:

Gale Zucker--the extraordinary photographer of Shear Spirit:



AND

Nanney Kennedy of Meadowcroft Farms--one of the farms profiled in the book.



Look at her luscious yarns:





A Knitting Diva was there and working on the Lace Ribbon Scarf



Did any of Nanney's yarn follow me home? But, of course!

H is for

HOMEWORK

for the Knitters Connection classes I'll be taking in June.

Since I have 13 swatches to knit for the classes, I had visions of finishing. . . uh. . . beginning them on the plane to Columbus, Ohio. Not a pretty picture of yarn, needles, stitch markers getting scattered all over the cabin. Plus, you just know I'd forget the instructions and there'd be an emergency visit to a yarn shop for supplies.

I don't want to be that person.

So--I began the homework. It did cross my mind, "Gee, it's only April. . . I have plenty of time." But I know how slippery time can be.

6 finished:


And I have another one on the needles --so, I'm halfway done.

I've Been Working on the Railroad

This song has been going through my head for the past few days--only with different words:

I've been knitting on the railroad
All the live-long day.
I've been knitting on the railroad
Just to pass the time away.

Don't you hear the whistle blowing,
Rise up so early in the morn;
Don't you hear the captain shouting,
"Mary, knit your shawl!"

I'll be spending a long weekend in Boston. The Marathon. My niece is running. It's her 4th. I'm getting there via Amtrak and have the shawl packed and ready to go.

Run. Run. Run. Knit. Knit. Knit.