As The Yarn Turns

Saturday Sky and a Closing

For today's Saturday Sky we had high temperatures in the 80s (that seems so cool now) and storms, yes actual rain. I was starting to forget what rain was like. This picture was taken around noon, just as the storm was rolling in.

On a sadder note, I found out that our only local yarn store is closing. I didn't go that often because I'm project oriented. I have trouble buying yarn unless I know exactly how I'm going to use it. Sock yarn is easy but anything else is hard. Anyway the store is having a sale to get rid of their stock and I picked up a few things. I kind of wish I had bought more since I won't have a chance to get back. Not that I need it or anything. By the time I got there, I lot of stuff was gone, but I still managed to find a few things. I bought some basic Cascade 220.

The purples are a little more purple than they look here. I also bought another ball of Schaefer Anne for socks.

W.C. Handy week is winding down here. Tonight we went out for dinner and jazz. You can tell it's the end of Handy Week. At this point everyone, especially the restaurant staff, is looking a little tired and frazzled. It's been a fun week though. Here's a final picture of a band at a local Italian restaurant.

Oh, I almost forgot. Crazy for Yarn asked if Eric Essix was the same Eric Essix of our youth. I suck at any entertainment questions. Rick's brain, on the other hand, is filled with entertainment trivia. He mentioned tonight that you might be thinking about David Essex.

by Sydney  |

A Random Walk Through Wednesday

Since there's not much in the way of knitting progress, today has been designated as Random Wednesday.

1. While we were in Atlanta, we visited with our friend Ross who just moved there with his wife Dawn. I hadn't met Dawn before, but it turns out she's a knitter and a blogger too. So while the guys discussed the good ol' days of computing, we talked about knitting. I didn't bring my camera with me, so you'll have to settle for a cell phone picture. That's Dawn on the left and me on the right. Check out her blog though. She's got some nice things there.

2. This week is W.C. Handy Festival week in the Shoals where local restaurants, bars, parks, and other places host live jazz and blues bands. So Rick and I have been trying to catch as much as we can. Last night we went to see Eric Essix at Rosie's Mexican Cantina and had margaritas, chips, Mexican food, and good music. Eric Essix is one of the regulars at the Handy Festival and always draws a big crowd.

3. Handy Week also means long waits. While we were waiting for a table, I was knitting on my sock and listening to the music. A woman sees me knitting, comes up and decides that sock knitting is the perfect portable project. Her current projects are apparently much larger. Another convert is born.

4. I am still working on the Arrowhead Lace Scarf, but it's going slowly too.

5. The Jaywalker sock is going slowly, mostly because I keep pulling my needles out accidentally. My brain must have gotten fried during our recent heat wave.

6. The ferrets are still resting up from the trip to Atlanta. Katie on the other hand has decided we need more loving and has been rubbing on us and purring loudly in the middle of the night. That also may be contributing to number 5 above.

by Sydney  |

Exploring Atlanta and Jaywalker Un-Progress

While we were in Atlanta we spent a day at the Fernbank Science Center. It's a nice little science center that's free to the public. There are a variety of indoor exhibits, a very respectable library, a planetarium, and an observatory. The planetarium has a daily show for children and a show for adults at a reasonable fee. Outside is the forest hiking trail, which was closed for repairs unfortunately. Also outside they have a garden and pond with examples of composting bins. It was a nice little garden. If it hadn't been so hot, I wouldn't mind sitting there a while.

They also had several chicken roaming around the area. These two chicken became quite attached to Rick. While we were walking around outside, they would run up to Rick and then start following him around.

We also got lucky and had a chance to view the sun through special solar telescopes. Now that was impressive.

Just down the street from the Fernbank Science Center is the Fernbank Natural History Museum. We had lunch with the Giganotosaurus and his other dino friends.

I had a chance to play with electricity. (Just pretend you don't see the vacation hair and baggy clothes.)

My favorite exhibit was the special Chocolate exhibit, complete with a chocolate gift store. Even Rick found something he liked there. We had a fun day there.

I didn't get much knitting done while I was in Atlanta though. It's been mostly unknitting. I had started the heel when I decided that the Jaywalker sock was going to be too small. The ribbing is plenty big but the rest of the sock was just too small. So I ripped it back to the ribbing, added some increases, and started the leg again. It knits up quickly so I don't mind it too much.

The ferrets have almost recovered from the trip after having way too much fun. They are truly "new junkies". They love new experiences. We're trying to get back into our routine again.

by Sydney  |