IT'S BEEN HOW LONG SINCE MY LAST POST

Boy have a lot to write about swaps received, my garden, yarn obtained and even a new swap entered. I hadn't even answered the last two SP 12 weekly questions which I will in a separate post.

I can't believe it is NOT only September BUT the middle of September already, it is getting dark now early, the weather has really cooled down, the leaves are turning color. AND I have been soooo neglectful writing on my blog.

Here is a photo taken August 31 out in the back of my townhouse. You should see the color of this tree now. Remember that ever growing Sweet 100 cherry tomato plant of mine. It seems to be still growing. Can you believe this photo? It is at least 8' here and this was taken August 27. It is now about 9" and the top branch is leaning over since I have nothing to stake it to. I have had to tie it up in three directions to keep it upright.
AND yes there are tomatoes on it now. Most are still green but each day I am finding more and more red ones. I hop the weather continues to be nice so the rest of them turn from green to red.

Finally my large tomatoes are also turning red. Well one is anyway and it is already Sept 14. What a late season. I have lots of blossoms NOW of all times and there are a few more tomatoes.
I am NOT going to have any beets from the seeds that I planted late but I will have beet greens and Swiss chard. YUMMY. Even though I didn't have my own beets my friend gave me a lot of beets from her garden. I made beet soup, ate some, shared some and froze some from the first batch of beets I was given. Then I got a hugh second batch and made pickled beets. How many beets were in the second batch? Check for yourself. Can you see who also is checking out those HOT just cooked beets?Only 1/2 the jars had to be resealed and then of them I had 1/2 jar left over which I put in the fridge and one jar again didn't reseal. Those have since been eaten. As good as they were the others should be better after they sit awhile. HMMM YUMMY These pickled beets are made from my prize winning recipe . I have been very busy cooking up a storm. I froze a large aluminum container with about 30 cabbage rolls for my open house house warming party Saturday. I also froze three smaller containers containing seven cabbage rolls each for meals later on and froze another 12 cabbage rolls just as they were without any topping.

I felt like I needed comfort food one night and made a hugh meat loaf. I had some for dinner and froze five containers of individual meal portions leaving enough for four sandwiches. AND if that wasn't enough I also made stew and had it for dinner twice and froze all the rest in individual meal portions. I just love having a freezer.

Last week I went to a friend's for dinner and she asked if I would make rice pudding which I did and is now all gone. BOO HOO I am going to make some more for my party and also brownies, chicken drumettes, Mediterranean salad, and maybe a green salad. Yes other are also bringing food to the party and they are bringing their knitting!!!! Between eating and knitting there will be no idle hands.

Knitting Goodness

I received my 2nd weluvknitting package. Funny how it only took two days for her package to get to me and nine days for mine to get to her???? The postal system is really strange. I received some lovely treats.

My partner Allison made this cross stitch bookmark for me.
August 24 was our KNIT OUT. How exciting it was. The weather was nice. the day were fun, there was lots of knitters to talk to and I won a prize. The first time in all the five or so years I have been going to it. I won a lovely project bag with the groups logo on it hand crafted by one of our members. I should scotch guard it.
We had a destashing of our yarns also. I brought a lot of yarns I wanted to get rid of and came home with almost as much as I took. Here are photos of the yarn that found their way into my bag.

Two skeins of this lovely King Cole mohair

Three skeins of a very pale blue Paton's Divine.
Five skeins of pure white Paton's Divine.
Two skeins and a little bit of Sidar Kool Kidz chunky.
Three skeins (one pound) of pink mills ends.
One skein of Bernat Handicrafter cotton yarn in cream.
One skein of Bernat Handicrafter pink and white variegated cotton yarn.

I have my partner in the Big Bag KAL and Swap. I have my yarn chosen but I need to finish the Ruby Tulips bag I am working on first. It is almost done and the needles I am using for that bag I need for the big bag. I am knitting the Ruby Tulips bag in black not gold as in the ravelry photo. That photo is taken right off the magazine. I am just finding some of my Denise needle tips are not holding on the cords. ARRGGHHHHH!!!!! I want to order the handle that is shown on the bag when I have some extra money. It comes from England and is very unique with the clasp on the side and not the top. As for ordering from England there is some lovely lace weight yarn I want to order also to knit a shawl with. The yarn is hand spun silk and fine goat down. That is what how the pattern describes the yarn and it comes from DT Craft & Design in England. You can see the shawl in the July Simply Knitting magazine. It looks so delicate.

I also have started on my MS4 KAL. I am using yarn from my stash. I originally received it in a swap. It just says it is Rubi + Lana. It is 2ply and it is red and the beads are a metallic dusty pink. I am only on row 7 of the first clue as I had to get new beads once I got a new 3.75mm circular needle and a tiny crochet hook to put the beads on the yarn with. I purchased an Addi Lace Turbo. I didn't have time to get Knit Picks needles.

I now have leaned a new way to add beads using a crochet hook and am learning how to read a chart. It is taking me a very long time and I even enlarged the print. I don't think it is very difficult but I don't want to make a mistake and have to swim at the pond with this. With every other row different I can't seem to memorize anything so it is taking me a while.

I am still working on my Clapotis Shawl but it was put aside in August to work on a few other items with time deadlines. AND when I went looking for my needle to cast on the stitches for the mystery shawl so it would be started on a slightly larger needle I could only find one tip of the Denise in the size I was looking for. Where was the other? It was on the Clapotis Shawl cords. In other words I have been knitting the shawl with two different size tips. I will just continue as I have been doing and it will be the same throught almost as if I planned to do it that way.

I finished a second project for the ravelymypics and made it to the podium. I now need to see if I can get the ravelrympic pin. I completed my 3/2 rib socks using the Flat Feet I got my my secret pal in my first package and with the little left over I am planning on knitting socks for my Solara. We will be twins with matching socks.

I was very concerned because of the curly yarn and the stitches that seemed to be uneven after I knit it but after its bath it bloomed very nicely and are very comfortable.

I also finished the Striped Rose bag and brought it over to my friend's friend. She just loved it. I put the flowers on it differently and it doesn't have a flap like the first one.

Oh and for the book Dead Sleep by Greg Iles I took a lot of liberties and knit my cat Solara in the sink. It didn't come out so great and I may try to knit it again but here it is. I did it in only a few days and now I know what I may be able to do to improve it. Please don't laugh, you will hurt Solara's feeling if you do.
I have been keeping myself quite occupied. I am knitting away on the Ruby Tulip Bag which will be felted so I can start on the big bag, knitting socks for Solara, my project for the book read in Aug called Plains Crazy, my Clapotis shawl, and MS4 KAL. Also, I am trying to finish straightening out my place and preparing food for my party on Saturday. I also have to deliver some Avon on Friday. It should arrive on Thursday and I will pack it and get it ready and deliver what I can on Friday so I can get the rest of my groceries for the party. I also have to mail out a birthday gift which unfortunately is going to arrive a little late.

I can't knit anything without my furchild checking it out to see if she wants it.
AND she loves wool and felted items.