Alien Gonads

Now there's a headline to catch your attention, don't you think? Dusty and I walked out along the bay in the glorious sun and warm autumn air this morning and came upon these pods. I saw something similar at the Farmer's Market last month, fresh and green, and they were on a stalk. People were walking around with them looking like they'd won a prize. Let me tell you, I don't think I'd let them in my house. The ones we saw today grow on vines, but they are golden colored, oval, slightly fuzzy, and the right size. They grow singly which is what leads me to think they're alien (because mammals' gonads come in pairs, you know). We saw a few on the ground, walked a bit, saw a few more draped over some low weeds, and then shazam! there was a tree full of them. We kept our eyes peeled for extraterrestrials but all we saw was a turkey running down the path in the distance. It looked plenty odd but not otherworldly. One of the testicles, uh, gonads, um, pods I looked closely at had a seed in it. I brought the seed home and plan to plant it next spring. So if you come by next summer and the house is covered with vines and lime green "pods", drive right on by. For your own safety, flee!





I remembered last week that I promised the daughter of a friend that I'd knit her an earflap hat for winter. Naturally I can't find any more yarn to match the fingerless mitts I made her last spring, but I found some chunky, fuzzy yarn in pink and purple that'll do just fine. I cast on yesterday morning and got through the crown increases before I decided that it was too little somehow. I started to slide the circular needle out and it sproinged out to the size I was hoping it'd be, so I whipped out a skinny DPN, caught the loose stitches and coaxed them back onto the needle. Whew. I'm using the old faithful Thorpe pattern and plan to use the dark purple solid I bought for the garter section and then edge it with the variegated. And I'll probably have enough yarn left to whip her up some matching mitts. A smart person would make her brother a hat too, and I will to preserve sanity in the family. Their family, not mine. It's too late to hope for sanity here. Way too late.


Durwood had the brilliant idea to grill some goat chops last night. I did and they were deelicious! Next time we'll marinate them so they're a bit tenderer but they were very tasty. Aren't they cute?