It's A Woodpecker Day!

Or as my brothers' Boy Scout patrol flag said one year, Wood Pecker Day.  (hey, they were about twelve years old, that kind of humor's big then)  I glanced out and saw Mr. Woodpecker on the suet enjoying a morning snack.  Suddenly a black and white streak flashed by and another woodpecker, Mrs. Woodpecker this time, landed on the seed feeder.  Pretty soon they were on opposite sides of the suet feeder but before I got the camera set he flew off.  Guess he wasn't in the mood to share today.

I got July Men's Chemo Hat #1 done yesterday at work.  I just need to weave in the tails and it's ready for a head.  This Lion Microspun yarn is very soft but not very stretchy and it splits easily, but I think I'll alternate using what I have of it and the Soft Yarn I have for these hats.  When I run out then I'll see about finding something else that's soft but machine wash and dry for chemo hats.  I love the colors though and I'm happy to say the yarn isn't discontinued.  (usually that's the case when I find a yarn I like)

I knit with wire!  We all knit with wire!  Twenty-five people turned out for the BLKG meeting in St. James Park last night to learn how to knit with wire.  The knitting's pretty much the same but there were a few changes particular to the medium--like you can't tension the wire through your fingers like you do with yarn yarn--and you have to tug the knitting away from the needle every once in a while so that the stitches form and you can see what you're doing.  We had varying degrees of traumatic wire tangling around the circle but AT was a calming help with her trusty cardboard tube that she used to recoil the misbehaving wire and get the project back on track.  Our kits even included a little dowel so that when we're done knitting we'll have a shawl pin ready to use.  Thanks, AT, that was very thoughtful.  I pawed around downstairs last night after I got home and found a whole plastic shoe box of beads and pearls that are just begging to be strung on wire and knitted into... things.  Heh heh heh.  *rubs hands together*  Now I need some wire of the right gauge.  I see a trip to JoAnn's, Hancock, or Michaels' in my future--maybe all three.  (now, where are those flyers with the coupons...)

Today's featured flower is another Stargazer lily that opened this morning.  I think it looks absolutely perfect and I am thrilled to see there are buds yet to open.  And there's a whole big plant next to it that hasn't opened even one flower yet.  Eeeee!  Lilies!

July 11--Fra Carnevale, The Birth of the Virgin.  They all just stood around waiting, like extras in a cast-of-thousands movie.  "Do something," Rae shouted, "do something, anything, even if it's wrong.  Don't stand around in the way like a herd of baboons."  She turned and started to storm away but a voice stopped her.  "Actually, Rae," said Dorinda, "a group of baboons is a troop, only hoofed ungulates are in herds."  Rae turned on her heel, arms stiff at her sides, hands balled into fists.  "Dory, I swear I'll knock you into next week if you say one more pedantic word.  Carry something, clean something, go boil water, I don't care but get out of the way."  Dorinda sniffed, then said to her sister-in-law standing beside her, "Well, really, a person should be precise" but she gathered up an armful of soiled linens and went to put them in the washer.

Now that's dialog.  I think I'm going to go play with wire and shiny beads and eat jalapeno cheddar bread toast.  It's my day off and I can do what I want, at least until time to go to Friday Night Knitting.  Tee hee.  Some days I love my life.  Toodle-oo!
--Barbara