Who Ordered Rain?

I didn't order rain, I wanted to play outside today weeding out a lot of the wild violets that have invaded the garden, filling the birdfeeders, stuff like that.  I did get the birdbath and fountain cleaned and refilled before the rain came, I feel good about that.  But now even if it doesn't rain again I'm going to have wet shoes.  I suppose I could wear my Crocs or garden clogs but it seems a bit nippy to go sockless...  I'll have to ponder the dilemma.

I tried to snap a photo of the mama or papa chickadee going into the little birdhouse right outside the kitchen window but they're too fast.  I did notice that the ferns under the birdhouse are unfurling.

I took more lilac pictures.  Of course, I did. Who wouldn't?  Look how gorgeous they are.  Maybe you can "smell" them in this one.


Yesterday afternoon it got unbusy at work so I could seam up the shoulders, then read and reread (and reread) the collar knitting directions for the Red Marl sweater.  It finally dawned on me that you pick up the stitches you held when you knit the back, then you cast on more stitches at the beginning of the rows (according to the pattern directions) and knit it unconnected to the neck opening.  I had envisioned picking up stitches as I went along and it was hard to get that out of my head.  Finally the last line telling you to sew the collar pieces to the neck opening penetrated my foggy brain.  (Oh! that's how you do it!)  So I put the held stitches back on the needle and off I went.  The collar is simple to make and quite clever construction.  It's k1,p1 rib and it will be deepest at the center back and then taper down to overlap at the base of the neck opening closed by a big, interesting button making a neat shawl collar.  

May 12--Bill Westheimer, CP.1029.X.  Computers are taking over, Jen wrote in her journal.  It was a paper book, a real old-fashioned notebook with hard covers and lined pages.  She used a wood and graphite pencil to write in it, one she sharpened with a pink Hello Kitty! sharpener she found in a bin at the local thrift shop.  She had an online journal just like everyone else did but all she wrote there were carefully edited stories about her garden or the sky.  She wrote nothing personal, no opinions, nothing that could be termed radical, nothing that could be turned against her in any way.  Better to keep your thoughts to yourself.  Better go around like the rest of the beige and lifeless populace.

I guess the lawn mowers won't come today.  Did I tell you we decided to hire them?  I'm calling it "economic stimulus" instead of "laziness."  And the stove controls are going to be installed tomorrow so no more "arcing and sparking" in the kitchen.  Yay!  Oh, and I ordered another loom off etsy.  I'm not sure it's for yarn and the seller isn't either because it's in a sealed box, but it looks cool and it was only five bucks.  Can't wait until it arrives.
--Barbara