Folklore and Phenology Friday, Feb 5,2010

I'm going to keep a weekly accounting of phenological events (events of nature that I observe) and post them on Fridays with timely bits of gardening or weather lore.  My Grandma Carter always liked to keep a 3 year diary and would note the weather on signifigant days, the date of bloomings, and the like.  For my garden's sake I'll try to be meticulous with plantings and insect arrivals.

Last week a very large flock of robins arrived on Friday and stripped the berries from the holly tree.  The next day all the berries and robins were gone.  I guess they were destined for northern climates.  They looked really fat.

"Go to the winter woods: listen there, look, watch, and “the dead months” will give you a subtler

secret than any you have yet found in the forest."

- Fiona Macleod, Where the Forest Murmurs

Here in Farmington it was cloudy on Feb 2, Groundhog Day.  That's supposed to mean we won't have 6 more weeks of winter.  The blanket of snow makes me doubtful.

If the sun shines on Groundhog Day;

Half the fuel and half the hay.

2nd & 3rd Big Fat Stockings

Only one more to go.  Next one is blue.  If I'm not too sick of making these maybe I'll make the momma one out of all the left-over colors.

I tried an afterthought heal with the green one and I think I like it best but with a rounded rounded toe.  Also on the top cuff I prefer adding a purl row between the braids because it lays flatter and looks full.  You know what they say... 4th one's a charm.

My Parents Were Awesome, too.

I've been having fun looking at the blog http://myparentswereawesome.tumblr.com/ .  I also just got a scanner.  Here's a glimpse of how awesome my folks were before we kids dragged them down.

And here's Mom still smokin' after 3 kids ages 3,5 &6. 

She was young so it took longer for us to break her. 

Dad on horseback.

Here is brother Wes on the motorcycle that started their first real married fight.  Dad bought it without first asking Mom  when money was tight.  Mom ended up liking it and she rode it to work every day.  If you see Grandma Carter, don't tell her.  Mom still hasn't fessed up to owning it.

Ravelympics- still in trials

I've joined Team Toasted Ravioli for the knitting olympics on Ravelry.  Since we're a St. Louis team we chose toasted ravioli as our mascot and  preferred snack choice.  Isn't the logo adorable?  See the arches in the rings? I love it. Thank you Scrappygurl.  We are supposed to challenge ourselves so I may be knitting a dog sweater.  Or try to spin enough wool for a complete project.  Or try to spin cotton at all.  We have until the start of the games to decide.  If I decide to throw in WIP (work in progress) it has to be something I haven't touched in a month.  Not much of a challenge there.  I've got a stack of earflap hats that have been missing the 2nd earflap for a year! 

Big Fat Stocking for next year

Jill saw the stockings I made for Wes's kids last year and wants some for her kids next year. Pink for Abbi, purple for Miah, blue for Chrissy, and green for Isabella. I'm going to add either their initials or names on each one when I'm done.

Christmas knitting wrap-up

I made this hat & scarf/mitten set for my neice Rachel. The mittens are the ends of the scarf. I made up the pattern as I went along.

I made this six foot scarf for my neice Sarah. It's a knitted seed stitch with crochet border.

This is a drawstring backpack for my neice Isabella. Also made up design as I went along. Simple bag with I-cord through buttonholes across top. Embroidered after.

Christmas in Branson

Went to Silver Dollar City for lights & funnel cake.

Six small children opening gifts on Christmas morn was a mess!

Wes took this with timer. Every child is looking at the camera with no person behind it. The baby is even waving to it! A Christmas miracle.