Butterfly Garden

Last weekend I saw a spectacular production of a rare opera in Spanish; of the romance languages, French and Italian are the ones where you find most opera.  Florencia en el Amazones has a minimal cast (one comment at the afterparty was that there are the same number as on The Minnow) and is more than a little fantastical which this production embraced.  I am sorry there were only two performances.

Seed packets were given out at the cast party.

I managed to finish the Science Fiction Book Club's assignment before Wednesday's meeting and definitely am enjoying this group.  A wide range of ages and viewpoints and the discussion is lively.

This also means I have completed seven books and according to the tracker I am six books ahead of schedule, and 39% finished with my challenge reading of eighteen books.  I already have the one for next month, and the month following, so should remain well ahead on this year's challenge.

I am rather proud of this week's cheese soufflé:

Fiberuary - Week 1

I learned of this challenge late in the day, but still on February 1st, so jumped into the swarm:

The creator addressed going forward with the event even though energy might best be directed elsewhere:

These are my first week responses:

Day 1 - Hi!

I realize it's funny that somebody who modeled as a child hates being photographed, but here I am.  Since I learned of this very late and hadn't planned, I decided I needed to show that I knit and crochet.  Hat is one of my basic hats that lives in a coat pocket and is worn often; sweater is the one I test-crocheted last year.  A bit itchy but very warm - handdyed yarn, of course.

Day 2 - Looking Forward

For me, this means project planning.  Top Row: A skein of Miss Babs Neon Tweed in "Franklin" for a carry-along project; Miss Babs Tarte in "Franklin" paired with Destination Yarns First Class Silk in "Sainte-Chappelle" for a shawl; and three assorted DK weight hanks from UP North Yarns with the remainder of a DK hank from Forbidden Fiber that will be either a really big shawl or a small cardigan, or a bigger one if I add some more hanks.  Bottom Row: Destination Yarns' "Paris" minis set for a Tour Eiffel inspired shawl, and a couple hanks from Fiberlady for another simple top.

Day 3 - Monday Morning

I finished the hat this morning.  Not as simple as most of my "Zoom hats" or mindless knitting projects because of the overall ribbing.  I used doubled sock yarn leftovers, 90 stitches on US#3 needles in a 3x3 ribbing, then changed to 9x9 ribbing and US#5 needles for the body.  I really like how the decreases came together at the top.  Other project is one of the current ones that seems to work colour-wise and which I also did a little bit of this morning.

Day 4 - Inspiration

These two men are inspiring for ways outside of knitting - for being good and kind, for encouraging children to read and to be compassionate and thoughtful.  Since they are wearing sweaters, and it is National Sweater Day, I thought I'd include a couple sweaters that are inspiration for ones I want to make someday: a heavily cabled one that Franklin Habit is knitting, and one of Mick Aston's:

Yes, someday I will collect lots of little bits of yarn, or just use a pile of miniskeins, and knit something like this one.

Day 5 - Work in Progress

No wonder I am feeling overwhelmed!  Left-to-right:  My "car scarf", garter stitch with Red Heart "Americana", to work on while waiting.  Corner-to-Corner blanket piece of Caron "Latte Cakes".  Garter stitch scarf knit of two colourways with transitional changes, to match a hat of same.  Below, that, my "pocket hat" or "Zoom hat", a basic beanie on a circular needle that takes no attention and can be worked anywhere, including audience, dentist, and book club.  All four of these are destined for charity.  Next is a mitten in progress, which I need to finish and get the second one finished, hopefully this weekend.  Next to that my DFW Fiber Fest 2024 shawl, maybe a UFO given how much time has passed, but it is almost done so I am bringing it out for Finishing February.  Finally, the cardigan I started out of some thick-thin wool I purchased in Argentina, and decided I may as well do something simple, plus I want a cardigan.  I may use some plain yarn for the border - or not.

Day 6 - A Pop of Colour

This yarn is a bright pop of colour and it's not even mine!  A friend asked me to pick up a couple things for her at DFW Fiber Fest last year.  She is just learning how to make granny squares, because crocheting is difficult for her, and really wanted the Whimzee Stitches bags.  She also wanted the neon yarn braid, which is blacklight reactive.  The last item is one I picked up at the Carolina Fiber Fest and it's electric purple with a splash of pink - very similar to her hair colour.

Day 7 - Mood Booster

A beautiful sunny and warm day, with clear skies, is enough of a mood booster especially in February!  Let's add some yarn - a "Rainbow Ambrosia" hank on an incredibly soft base from Always Be Kind Yarn.  The dyer supports LGBTQ+ and anti-suicide organizations, and is really supportive of the fiber community and the LGBTQ+ community and individuals.  The other is some handspun from Knitting Lagniappe, somebody I know in the DFW area who is an amazing person.  I've really enjoyed knitting her yarns in the past.  Unfortunately work didn't allow me time to sit in the sun and wind up yarn, or knit, but just looking at them and petting the yarn is a mood booster.

I missed it.

I found out after supper that the first Saturday in February is supposed to be Ice Cream for Breakfast Day.  I wonder if I can catch up tomorrow?  Sandra Boynton recommends using other Saturdays to practice.

As many people know, IT HAS BEEN A WEEK! and medicinal ice cream (or something) is probably what many people need right now.

Work was very busy, going to end of month stuff.  Today I did the usual Saturday of helping my father organize things, and my mother reorganizing things, and made a cheese soufflé which wasn't as tall as the last couple but tasted very good.  As my mother says, that's the important part.

I've done some knitting, but not much, and have too many partly-done things around so I am feeling a bit overwhelmed.  I need to focus and finish a couple, at least.

It is also Imbolc today.

Yet more rerouting.

I made it to Dallas, and had adventures, and came home, but the return was re-routed due to storms.  At least I got to see the show I really wanted to see, and it was FANTASTIC.  Plus I saw a LOT of friends.

This included travels on Saturday to Fiberlady, where I dropped off the two Sleepy Kittens I knitted:

No yarn acquired, a good accomplishment!  Then to a local yarn group, which had been rescheduled from two weeks ago.  There was a "please take it box" and all I took is a mittens pattern.

I made good progress on the sweater, and started but left there a garter-stitch scarf that I will pick up and finish on a future trip:

It doesn't look like much - top-down raglan.

Before going, I'd finished four crocheted banners, making up patterns, and as you can see, two need a bit of blocking to be triangular instead of shell-shaped:

Sunday was return travel, and I had carefully scheduled so I would be at the airport (arriving a bit early for my flight) for my cinema class, then get on the plane.  Except that the flight was delayed.  And delayed.  And delayed.  And moved to another gate..........

At that point, I would miss the connection, so I spoke to a gate agent who reticketed me (and managed to get my checked bag to match!) which would get me home much later - but home!  So I got some gelato, and did some work, and one flight taken, worked a bit more on the long layover, second flight watched the playoff game, and finally got home quite late last night.

Masks (I didn't write on Friday's) from the trip:

Sunday's - Bessie Coleman.

Appropriate for "The Shakespeare Conspiracy"

Cora and Enzo.

 We've had two winter storms drop snow (and a bit of ice) in North Carolina.  When Cora came through two weeks ago, my trip to Dallas was scrubbed.

Yes, it doesn't look like much, especially to a Northerner.
But this came across from Dallas and the South cannot handle it.

The airline offered rescheduling at no charge, so I reticketed for the coming weekend.  Two of the theatre tickets couldn't be rescheduled for this weekend, so friends used them, and were happy to see the shows.  One ticket could be reissued and I will see that show this weekend.  I may also get to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra concert.  A yarn group I've dropped in at in the past was supposed to meet that weekend and also rescheduled to this one, so I'll join them for a bit on Saturday.

Last night we had Enzo, leaving only 1.5-2" here, unlike the 7+ inches in Alabama and 8 inches in Louisiana.  People were ice-skating and having snowball fights on Bourbon Street.

How it started.  Fat snowflakes last night.

In this morning's light, an unusual sight (here).

Hard to see the numbers in the photo, but it's 
under 2 inches, close to 1.5 inches.
This is one of my solar walkway lights.

Again, not too much snow, but there is ice beneath it, and temperatures are not supposed to go above freezing until tomorrow afternoon.  Many things are closed through today, or services and events cancelled.  I am working from home - as usual!

I wanted to make a wee snowperson, but the snow is dry and doesn't pack well, so my attempts fell apart quickly.  I cleared off the solar panels on my walkway lights and gave up the idea of making anything fun from this snow.

Gifted and Grifted.

I went to three fiber people groups this week.  On Monday, the Triangle Fiber Guild met, and in the meeting reminder we were told that the topic was planning for Carolina Fiber Fest and the beginning of making triangles for banners to decorate the guild's display and information table.  I decided to take a box of leftover bits, mostly from a friend's holiday knitting of facecloths, because I have less use for cotton yarn.  The person who was supposed to bring yarn didn't attend, so my box was welcomed and well-rifled by the end of the meeting.

On Wednesday it was Yarn Buddies at the community center.  Somebody who couldn't come in the evening is moving and sent a pile of books and yarn with a friend.  At the end of the evening, the others decided that I should take the remaining books and leaflets:

Also, the remaining yarn:

I've turned some of it into pennants, along with some of the cotton yarn that people didn't select:

I also finished a hat this week.  All still need to have ends
run in - and there are a lot on the sock yarn beanie.

Next up, I am going to try to crochet a pennant.  The pattern is only for knitting, but should be easy to convert.  This shows the group is not only knitters.

On Thursday I went to the Twisted Threads Fiber Arts Guild.  It was a show-and-share of fibers, and since I didn't take any and my wheel is out of commission, I came away without anything new.  I wound some yarn while I was there, to make something for myself, likely a shawl.

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And for the Grifting:  Somebody I knew in Connecticut, whom I supported through his formal conversion to Judaism (which he said was a 'reversion' because he found Jewish persons in his family's history), then we drifted apart, asked if I could help him get to California to visit a seriously ill cousin.  He told me the ticket cost $400 but he has only $200.  I've helped people get on flights in the past, when I can due to my flight credits, so I said yes, and asked which part of California.  Of course, it's Los Angeles, which has been under wildfires and flights can be questionable, or full of relief workers.  I pointed out that this might be complications.

However the fires have died down and he found out the cousin is at home (still very ill) and which airport is closest.  I checked and flights this week - of course, short notice! - are closer to $1,000 for that airport.  Maybe another would be cheaper, but he wants to get to the one closest to her.

I had a rough night of berating myself for agreeing to help before I knew the true cost.  And it's the second time for him, although the other was a much cheaper ticket.  As a rule, I limit people to one gift ticket, but I know how much family means to him since his mother died and he's not sure about his father.  (I met his parents during the conversion process, and attended his mother's memorial.)  So he managed to talk me out of a second ticket, and I tossed most of the night dealing with my responses.

Part of it is that he hasn't been in personal contact for most of the last two years, and when I scrolled back, the last message I have was when he was on the trip for the first ticket.  He has mentioned me in some public posts, but checking I saw that he hasn't responded to mine.  I think he's one of the people I've left on my feed out of inertia, or sympathy, and I just let myself get suckered.

This morning, I sent him a message that I would live up to my side of the bargain, because I am a woman of honour, but that it is the absolute last time.  Late in the day, he replied "Fair" and we've tried to connect to finalize his plans.  What he doesn't know is that once this is over, I don't care how much he claims I mean to him personally - I'm blocking him.

Advent-ually Finished.

The shawl is done, except for running in the fifty-something ends:

I may block it, just by patting and stretching the edges and corners even after washing, so it dries in shape.  But since it's for office wear, I don't care about them being perfect.  This measured about 16"x64" folded, but when I held the shawl up it stretched well over my head.  It wraps about me very nicely, stretching to 17"-18" wide.  The bands alternate between seed stitch and a moss stitch variation.

Also in the photo is the "pocket hat" I finished, leftover sock yarn on US#1 and US#2 needles, 120 stitches around, and it fits my head.  Going into the charity box.

I went to the Science Fiction Book Club at the library and enjoyed the discussion, so I plan to make it a regular thing.  I've found the next book in an online version and also on paper in local bookshops, and will be looking for the other two in the trilogy.

Winter Storm Cora came through Dallas and here, dumping snow and ice and rescheduling my planned visit of this week to the end of the month.  Luckily friends could use the two theater tickets that I couldn't reschedule, and enjoyed the shows.

Chanukah Yarning.

I purchased a couple of "Channukah Advents" from an indie dyer; while Advent is a Christian thing, these follow the same plan of having wrapped packages that you open each night:

I'd purchased one from the dyer last year, a leftover, and had forgotten to open it, so did that one on each night as well:

This year I bought one each in the fingering and DK weights; last year's is fingering weight.  Each year she provided 100 grams of yarn, but in two different ways.  I also bought some additional yarns, optional add-ons in full-sized skeins:

Plus the dyer includes some extras each year, some in the packages and some in the box:

You can see the other goodies in the package photo.
She made a point of saying that these are made of clay.

 

Each night I opened the numbered package.  For the 2023 set, on two nights the package included two miniskeins, for a total of ten, plus a stitch marker one night.  For the 2024 set, the odd-numbered nights included stitch markers:

There is one of the progress keepers in the 2023 set,
with "2023" on the back instead of "24".

One of the double nights
for 2023.

The other double for 2023.

  

  

Closeup of the 2024 stitch marker.

  

These are the two extra 20 grams skeins I received in the 2024 boxes:

So these are the boxes for each year, and each weight, fingering or DK:

The dyer created two additional colourways, one on a yak/silk blend base, and the other on a sparkle base.  You could add these to your order, and I did!

 

She also sold the "yarn mops" she used to clean up dye and wipe her hands, and I purchased one of those for each of the two extra nights.  That is the skein at the top of Night 9 and on the right for Night 10.  You may notice that the two skeins for Night 9 are different weights; those are the last two she had.  I think I found a shawl pattern that will let me use them together.

I don't know what I will make from these sets, especially as the nights are very different plus I have boxes in different weights.  Because I decided that "dry January" will involve no yarn buying, I won't get more of the sets - these are plenty of yarn just as they are!

Two years ago I bought a Hannukah set from Olive and Two Ewe, and I took photos but forgot to post about it:

The theme is "tea" and not every day included yarn.
Some days had teapot stitch markers, needle stoppers,
or a tea bag rest and mug mat and sachets of tea.

I've been thinking about what to do with the yarns, selected a pattern, but didn't get started.  The very bright pink bothered me because it seems out of place with the others by its intensity.  While looking for ideas for this year found a pattern that I like better for these yarns, and it appears to need only four of the miniskeins so I am leaving out the intense pink.  I cast on New Year's Day, as my First New Project of 2025, and also a 'me' project:

Just the first four rows (yes, using some of the teapot stitch markers) as I am focusing on the Office Advent Shawl.

Stripe #18 is a bit narrow because the yarn tangled in one of
the wheels of my desk chair. On to the dark orange!
Also the "pocket hat" in progress, continuing to grow.

And re-reading "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" in preparation for the library's SciFi Book Club meeting on Wednesday.  This will be my fourth book finished in January!