Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Yellowness and knitting
After my yellowish September square, knitting has not been very yellow at all. Last bits of summer flowers, however, provide us with a bit of the Project Spectrum colour of the month.
The knitting might not be really yellow, but it is almost every other colour! Green, purple, pink, turquoise, brown...
This is the fan shawl I started some time ago (hmm, in January, it seems!). This will be super stunning, I am sure!
Perhaps it will be done this coming weekend, and I will spread it out
and the sun will shine and we will all sigh and admire it.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
A bit of excitement
Once upon a time, I grew a big, tall avocado plant. It continued on, putting out a few leaves, dropping a few leaves, getting taller and crazier looking.
I had another pit, and just shoved it in the dirt without starting it in water. Then, the other day, in a lame attempt to force the tall plant to do something, I cut its top off. I think there was one leaf.
So I was pleased to notice that the neglected second pit has exerted itself to put out a little stick!
The much taller stick seems to have some proto-leaves at its top, too, so we may see some action there, or I may have discouraged it too much. I'll get a picture, if anything really develops!
And that's all the news from us.
I had another pit, and just shoved it in the dirt without starting it in water. Then, the other day, in a lame attempt to force the tall plant to do something, I cut its top off. I think there was one leaf.
So I was pleased to notice that the neglected second pit has exerted itself to put out a little stick!
The much taller stick seems to have some proto-leaves at its top, too, so we may see some action there, or I may have discouraged it too much. I'll get a picture, if anything really develops!
And that's all the news from us.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
I saw three movies
(Added after I checked my links: If you click on a picture, you get that horrible black background with picture thing. To get back to the blog, you don't click the back arrow, but you have to X out the picture page: top right-hand corner. Oh, change....)
The Toronto International Film Festival, or TIFF to us insiders, is a big annual film fest. Lots and lots of movies, movie stars all over the place (so I hear, anyways)... and I usually just let it pass me by. (My dentist's receptionist literally bumped into Sylvester Stallone one year, or so she says!)
This time around, a friend had some extra tickets. She had got a packet of 20 vouchers for shows that start before 5 pm, but this year her kids are not just both up the street at daycare as they were last year, but one is at school over heeeeere and one is in daycare up theeeeeere and what with dropping off and picking up and, I assume, making a stab at doing her regular job, she had some extra vouchers she couldn't use.
Wednesday, I saw Peace, Love and Misunderstanding, a movie with Jane Fonda, directed by Bruce Beresford. You will hear more about this one! It takes place in Woodstock NY and is full of hippy rainbows and drums and rallies. Lucky for us, Jane Fonda has a blog, so you can see some pictures. Fun fun fun. The actors were great, including Elizabeth Olsen and the other newbie kids. Catherine Keener was brilliant as well, as the conservative lawyer daughter of the Jane Fonda character.
Thursday I was back in line to see Jeff, who Lives at Home. Again, funny, charming, exciting, with the brilliant Susan Sarandon as the mom of Jeff and his slightly more socially capable brother. Jeff goes in search of his destiny, and a buddy movie/comedy/family angst movie follows. Wow, said I, that was great!
Then, Friday: it's hard not to use the word "climax" for Hysteria. It was the best of the three, for sheer enjoyment and fun. Who wants a troubling movie at 11 in the morning? Not me.
Next year, I might just get more tickets! Or maybe volunteer! Anyways, I am keen!
And I must tell you about my in-line knitting project! Clearly, standing in line for an hour before each movie gave me lots of time, but I was standing in line, so there was no pattern-reading or colour-changing or cable-making. Circular needle, simple pattern, stash yarn.
It was to be a big circular cowl/scarf, like the Gaptastic, but maybe not so huge. But right at the very beginning, I made a fatal error: "join, taking care stitches are not twisted." This is what happens if your stitches are twisted but you keep on knitting without realising:
I kind of wonder how it will look if I do keep going. I think I will not take it off the needles just yet, but keep it in hand in case I'm looking for ... a scarf with a twist in it!
I made my friend a loaf of banana bread, but maybe she deserves a scarf... Too bad I couldn't finish this one for her, in line!
The Toronto International Film Festival, or TIFF to us insiders, is a big annual film fest. Lots and lots of movies, movie stars all over the place (so I hear, anyways)... and I usually just let it pass me by. (My dentist's receptionist literally bumped into Sylvester Stallone one year, or so she says!)
This time around, a friend had some extra tickets. She had got a packet of 20 vouchers for shows that start before 5 pm, but this year her kids are not just both up the street at daycare as they were last year, but one is at school over heeeeere and one is in daycare up theeeeeere and what with dropping off and picking up and, I assume, making a stab at doing her regular job, she had some extra vouchers she couldn't use.
Wednesday, I saw Peace, Love and Misunderstanding, a movie with Jane Fonda, directed by Bruce Beresford. You will hear more about this one! It takes place in Woodstock NY and is full of hippy rainbows and drums and rallies. Lucky for us, Jane Fonda has a blog, so you can see some pictures. Fun fun fun. The actors were great, including Elizabeth Olsen and the other newbie kids. Catherine Keener was brilliant as well, as the conservative lawyer daughter of the Jane Fonda character.
 |
| Guess what? It has a happy ending. |
Thursday I was back in line to see Jeff, who Lives at Home. Again, funny, charming, exciting, with the brilliant Susan Sarandon as the mom of Jeff and his slightly more socially capable brother. Jeff goes in search of his destiny, and a buddy movie/comedy/family angst movie follows. Wow, said I, that was great!
 |
| Jeff gets the phone call that sets the day in motion. |
Then, Friday: it's hard not to use the word "climax" for Hysteria. It was the best of the three, for sheer enjoyment and fun. Who wants a troubling movie at 11 in the morning? Not me.
 |
| Costume drama, romantic comedy, walk in the park. |
Next year, I might just get more tickets! Or maybe volunteer! Anyways, I am keen!
And I must tell you about my in-line knitting project! Clearly, standing in line for an hour before each movie gave me lots of time, but I was standing in line, so there was no pattern-reading or colour-changing or cable-making. Circular needle, simple pattern, stash yarn.
It was to be a big circular cowl/scarf, like the Gaptastic, but maybe not so huge. But right at the very beginning, I made a fatal error: "join, taking care stitches are not twisted." This is what happens if your stitches are twisted but you keep on knitting without realising:
I kind of wonder how it will look if I do keep going. I think I will not take it off the needles just yet, but keep it in hand in case I'm looking for ... a scarf with a twist in it!
I made my friend a loaf of banana bread, but maybe she deserves a scarf... Too bad I couldn't finish this one for her, in line!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Oh, ohhh, ohhhhhh
Saw this movie today at the film festival.
Oh, yesssss.
It was so funny.
(Oh, why doesn't it fit on my page nicely?)
A real feel-good movie. Coming soon, one hopes, to a theatre near you.
Oh, yesssss.
It was so funny.
(Oh, why doesn't it fit on my page nicely?)
A real feel-good movie. Coming soon, one hopes, to a theatre near you.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Some colours
Yellow: Spot the free-range egg! Shocking, isn't it. I think I'm sold on free-range!
Pink: These ladies were waiting at the corner for the light to change, so they could continue their End Cancer walk, 60 km over two days! I loved the big hat. There were a few women all wearing them, but I couldn't jostle around to get them all in a picture.
My knitting these days is continuing very colourful. I will attempt a photo when the sun comes out. The days are definitely fall-ish here now. It's only two or three weeks till we start toying with the idea of turning the furnace on.
Pink: These ladies were waiting at the corner for the light to change, so they could continue their End Cancer walk, 60 km over two days! I loved the big hat. There were a few women all wearing them, but I couldn't jostle around to get them all in a picture.
My knitting these days is continuing very colourful. I will attempt a photo when the sun comes out. The days are definitely fall-ish here now. It's only two or three weeks till we start toying with the idea of turning the furnace on.
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
September square, right on schedule
(ooh, using the new blogger interface, quite sleek looking!)
Here is the September square, a Lizard Ridge.
I found this much more involved than I had thought! First, I had to add stitches to the edges to make it as wide as the others, and then I had visions of the edge half-bubbles getting all wonky, but of course, if one just thinks a moment, and continues to work 3 stitches in garter stitch at the edge, all works out just fine.
Yeah, and I ran out of green in an awkward place.
The second light-bulb moment came when I actually read the instructions for picking up the "wrap & turn" stitches.
The lower bit shows my "just do it" interpretation of how to knit them, with the long wraps showing, and above you can see that if you follow the instructions, it looks much better! Now I know for next time! (If only I could figure out how to put those arrows and lines on my photos, that would be good, too!)
Now, back to our regular scheduled programming till the October square appears. I am just sorting myself out now that the kids have gone back to school, so who knows what (or where) the next project will be, but I'll get things settled any day now!
Here is the September square, a Lizard Ridge.
I found this much more involved than I had thought! First, I had to add stitches to the edges to make it as wide as the others, and then I had visions of the edge half-bubbles getting all wonky, but of course, if one just thinks a moment, and continues to work 3 stitches in garter stitch at the edge, all works out just fine.
Yeah, and I ran out of green in an awkward place.
The second light-bulb moment came when I actually read the instructions for picking up the "wrap & turn" stitches.
The lower bit shows my "just do it" interpretation of how to knit them, with the long wraps showing, and above you can see that if you follow the instructions, it looks much better! Now I know for next time! (If only I could figure out how to put those arrows and lines on my photos, that would be good, too!)
 |
| The whole lot, so far! Things will be stretched and squished and it will all fit! |
Sunday, September 04, 2011
Friday, September 02, 2011
Drumroll, please
I got Arthur to pick a winner, and the paper he turned over said:
Melissa!
This is highly appropriate, since I recently won something on her blog! Send me your address, and I will pop this lovely yarn in the mail to you!
In other news, the airshow is on here in Toronto. Perhaps I have complained about it before. It is very loud, what with planes whooshing overhead, and they have one day of practice (today) and then three days of show. We can hear it all, though they tend to fly quite a bit south of us at the lakeshore, so we can't see it!
Other than covering our ears, we have a pretty busy and fun weekend planned, before school starts on Tuesday! Oh, I will be pleased to get back to the routine! Whatever the routine turns out to be, this year.
Melissa!
This is highly appropriate, since I recently won something on her blog! Send me your address, and I will pop this lovely yarn in the mail to you!
In other news, the airshow is on here in Toronto. Perhaps I have complained about it before. It is very loud, what with planes whooshing overhead, and they have one day of practice (today) and then three days of show. We can hear it all, though they tend to fly quite a bit south of us at the lakeshore, so we can't see it!
Other than covering our ears, we have a pretty busy and fun weekend planned, before school starts on Tuesday! Oh, I will be pleased to get back to the routine! Whatever the routine turns out to be, this year.
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