Lazy & Hazy Saturday

Well - it is...hazy...well, actually, it's smoky! According to the news, there was a big brush fire way down near the Outer Banks. Somehow the smoke from the fire has managed to drift up into Central Virginia. It's very hazy & smoky outside - looks like it should be very humid..well it kind of is, but not as bad as it looks. When I look outside, I feel lazy already and I haven't exerted any energy at all today - sigh.
Anyway, I've been up for awhile...knitting a little....cruising the web a little. Through Ravelry, I stumbled onto C*EYE*BER Fiber Yarns. They have yarns for the cause - the Barak Obama cause - so, being a good "knitocrat" I ordered some! Here are some photos from their website.

One is called "Yes We Can". Looks like socks to me!



The other is called "Fired Up" - I think it will be a lacy inauguration scarf!


Well at least I've done my bit to stimulate the economy!

Today is Knit in Public day. I don't know where I'll knit. Some of us thought we'd go to the local Ben Franklin, but no one had time to organize it. After I go and workout (ugh) I'll call Janice & see where we're going...probably On the Lamb in Staunton.

Speaking of Janice, she suggested I go down a needle size on the Anniversary Shawl using the Alpaca Cloud from Knit Picks. I think I'll give it a try.

KIP Day photos to come - Knit On!

A little knitting & a lot of work

I'm up to my ears organizing-or trying to organize the summer school session at our high school. This is one of my practicum projects for my administrative endorsement. I asked if I could get a little experience in another school because I've only ever worked and taught in our elementary school. Here's what I had in mind - I go to the high school - shuffle through some papers....MAYBE dig into some SOL-related information...MAYBE help code discipline stuff for the state reports - but I ended up organizing summer school. Not only organizing it, but serving as the administrator during the two week session. I feel a little weird about that. I welcome the challenge, but feel sort of like I've been taken off my tricycle and put on a motorcycle...without a helmet -YIKES!

Anyway, between this project - which I thought would be small, but is H-U-G-E - and my two class projects - which I'm working on...I promise - I've had just a little time to knit. Last night for example....I got home from class about 8:30 & was too tired to start working on literature stuff, so I knitted this little swatch instead. (almost poked my eye out a couple of times)

This is for Renee Leverington's Anniversary shawl. I might start it after June 30....you know - when everything is due & will be done. Here it is June 10th....20 more days & I might actually finish - Keep your fingers crossed & say some prayers, please!

Yarn - yarn - everywhere!

Whoa - what a haul! I kind of went on a yarn splurge recently and ordered yarn from all over the place and guess what? It all came TODAY! Yep - the yarn Gods smiled and the planets all lined up and the post office hung onto everything and shoved it all into our mailbox on the very same day! What a great Friday surprise! So with further delay - here's what I'm adding to my stash as of right now:

From The Yarn and Fiber Company in Windham, New Hampshire here's Lace Wool in Orchard:

From Penny Rose Yarns at her etsy.com store, here are two sock yarns -

Mountain Mama

...and Sylvia

From Astrid's Dutch Obsessions in the Netherlands, here's some Evilla lace that I've been coveting for a few months...yummy long color-ways! (she also included a yummy little cookie!)

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...and finally, here are two skeins of hand-spun given to me by Stephanie (the spinner!) and Wanda and the wonderful Head Start kids at my school. I'm not going to teach them music next year, so to wish me well, they gave me this very special gift (along with some cute little knitty-knacks!) I'm so touched! I think I'll make some fingerless gloves with it...they will be lovely! Just as soon as I'm done with this darned project, maybe I'll find a little more time to sit and knit a bit.
Here's hoping!

Action research project room

Action research project room
Originally uploaded by ckknitter

Oh - one last thing - I've been disturbed by all the unsettled weather going on around the States recently. In fact, DH called last night from near his sister's house and said that there had been tornado nearby - in Virginia! We're not really used to such goings on around here. I can relate to all of this however - with temperatures heating up and severe tornado-producing storms rolling through - I think that describes my life EXACTLY right now. For example, this photo of all the debris surrounding my AR project - due in less than a month & also another project due in less than a month & also high school summer session to figure out...I need a LOW PRESSURE system to move in and stay! PLEASE!

I know it will all work out, I just haven't figured out how yet. Could someone please tell me? Please?

Jojoland Harmony

Jojoland Harmony
Originally uploaded by ckknitter

Here's some gorgeous new yarn - Jojoland Harmony. I wonder what it will become? Maybe the Spring Garden Shawl from Goddess Knits? Maybe one of the Evelyn Clark shawls in my Ravelry queue? Only time will tell - and guess what? There's more lace yarn on the way! I also ordered some beautiful Evila Lace - It has really l-o-n-g color changes, so knits up into really beautiful stripes shawls. I have to work on getting my tension right with the lace-weight. That will give me a reason to do a practice swatch soon, I guess! Stay tuned for more new yarn updates.

Pam's Clapotis scarf

P6020009_edited
Originally uploaded by ckknitter

Here's the scarf I'm making for my grad advisor, Pam. It's a modified clapotis made from Regia Bamboo. Love ripping out those stitches!

Too scarey to start to finish

Here sits my action research project.



I have to actually sit down and open my files and begin. If I begin, I will finish. I know I will. I also have to finish organizing summer school at my school and at the high school and moving my stuff from one room to my new room...and complete another small project for another class, also due on June 30....and then there are the reflections from my last three classes which are due by the 30th, also....and boy, would it be nice to sit and knit a little, too...or go to visit m-i-l or spend the day on the river or sitting by a lake somewhere. I know it will all get done...can someone please tell me how?