I've been tagged

I got tagged by terby

1.) What was I doing ten years ago?
In 1998 I had two boys in high school. I was in my 18th year working for Kaiser Hawaii as a Family doc.

2) What are five (non-work) things on my to-do list for today:
organize a bit of my mess
knit on my River Forest Gansey
finish this meme:)
clean my fireplace
Shop for my retirement present. So far I've thought about new TV, fireplace screen, laptop, rewiring my patio and lighting, table for dining room, step tansu. Currently fireplace screen is winning, but rewiring the patio is coming in a close second.


3) Snacks I enjoy:
- chocolate
- nuts
- strawberries

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
- pay off my mortgage and fix up the house!
- get my sons set up in their own places
- travel in my private jet
- donate to help feed and educate others
- I'd buy a little yarn;)

5) Places I have lived:
Hawaii, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky

6) Jobs I have had:
Emergency Room registrar. Yup I had to ask bleeding, drunk and laboring people if they had insurance. It was better then working in the collection department though.
Family Physician, Kaiser
General Chemistry teaching assistant
pineapple packer, Dole Cannery (I only lasted two weeks)

7) Peeps I want to know more about:
sunflowerfairyknits
eklectika
theknittedbrow
lilikoiknits
yarnoverpullthrough

That Hat

How many of you out there in blogland watch a movie and get sidetracked by a knit? I was very distracted by a beret in blue that starred in The Wind That Shakes the Barley.
It's a bit hard to see. It has a nubbin on the top and a garter hem. I have more Ultra Alpaca crying out to be this hat. Sigh. Well see. The movie itself was set in the 1920s in Ireland. Brothers are caught in a conflict I still don't quite understand. It was sad.

I was totally surprised on Sunday with a "graduation" party as I like to call it.. I mean really surprised! I would have dressed better and worn some make up if I'd known. It was an awesome brunch with tons of flowers and best of all, I didn't have to make any speeches. I haven't had this many leis since I graduated from high school. There's no turning back now!

Ultra Totoro

Night shot in the box
A couple more are on Flickr
More photos for the beadlizard





Posing with epidendrums.

Saturday Sky Haiku

A moon rise surprise
Peaceful moments here then gone
Golden memory

Stash busting that eyelash yarn, Straw Lei

I used some cording I had laying around, but Isabelle used 3/8 inch grograin ribbon.
She also recommend the McDoogle (aka golden arches) straw because it is sturdy and wide enough to thread the grograin through.
I used the tube part of my fabric tube turner which I have misplaced since making the leis, and so the demo shows a drinking straw.

	Cut the ribbon longer then you want the lei to be and thread it throught he straw. Tape the end down to the straw. Tie the end of the yarns to the straw Isa used two, I used three.
	Grasp the knot and the straw and start winding the yarn around. Do not let the yarn wind over the previous wrap. Wrap so the loops are consistent, but lax enough to slide down the straw.
	Push the wraps down firmly toward the knotted end.
	When the straw is filled up, push the packed wraps on to the ribbon.

Repeat all the steps until your lei is as long as you want.

To finish, Isabelle (blogless) threads the ends of the grograin ribbin through shells and a
kukui nut,
and the wearer ties the ends into a bow to wear. I tied my ends together and the wearer slips the lei over their head. A ribbon bow can be tied on.

Seems to me that this can be done over elastic and made into hair thingies. I'm sure it´s been done:)


Ben Franklin Hawaii has nice instructions for a straw lei with beads.

Top Down Cardigan, FO

Pattern: Neck Down Shaped Cardigan #241 by Diane Soucy. Published by Pure and Simple.
Yarn: Berocco Ultra Alpaca, about 5.5 skeins.
Needles: 6s and 4s.
Mods: none

This is an easy pattern of mostly stockinette which was welcome humdrum. It' top down so the lack of seaming is a real plus. The raglan is not the best for my round shoulders, especially viewing from the back, but I love the top down idea. The yarn is very soft and fun to knit with. The color is called tanzanite. The sweater is very warm so I don't know how much wear it will get, but it is so comfy.

One month and 12 days until my retirement date. Getting all the paperwork done is annoying. I'm trying to focus on my mantra, "Grace, Gratitude and Acknowledgment" and soon:


I went to see Ironman last night with my sons. I enjoyed the action, story, acting and best of all the special effects.

Of Turtles and Alpaca

Blogless Michelle is on turtle patrol on the North Shore. The turtles come to a particular beach to bask in the sun and her job is share information about the turtles and prevent the busloads of tourists from getting too close and tormenting them. I brought my knitting, but knit not a stitch. Instead I lay in the sun, floated in the water and the time went by.




The green sea turtle is fully protected under both the federal Endangered Species Act and under Hawaii state law

In total disregard of my personal mandate to buy no more yarn, I got a sh*tload of ultra alpaca from Webs. But hey, it's soft and somewhat fluffy and I don't care if its not practical for Hawaii and that summer is on the way.


So I cast on for Pure and Simple's Neck Down Shaped Cardigan. I'm leaving out the shaping.

Not Scarlet, FO

My lovely nieces are modeling for me. On the left Christine is modeling the $4 Tommy Bahama silk dress I got at the thrift store. On the right is Jennifer modeling the sleeveless tank.





Pattern: Scarlet Woman Sleeveless Tank, by pieknits
Yarn: Jo Sharp Soho Summer DK, 5 balls for the XS small
Mods: just an unintentional boo boo in following the rib pattern. I did all left twists up the 6 stitches.

The pattern doesn't show up much in the photo on the black. It was a fun, fast knit, and both my sister and niece who tried it on said the yarn felt very good. Since it was cotton, I didn't block the pieces before sewing up the shoulder an side seams, but steamed it a bit before crocheting the neck and armhole edge. I quite happy with the size of the armholes and neck. I think it can be made longer for a taller person.

Hanging Around my Bathroom

While doing my residency in Lexington, Ky, I was fascinated by Shakertown. According to wikipedia, the Shakers, were a Protestant religious denomination officially called The United Society of Believers in Christ's Second Appearing, originated in Manchester, England in 1772 under the leadership of Mother Ann Lee, who moved the nine-person group to New York in 1774. The colony in Kentucky was a one of 19. The group believed in celibacy and many of the members were orphans. I guess this zero population growth eventually led to extinction. What fascinated me was the simplicity of the life, which is reflected in the furnishings. I love the shaker pegs and have to thank my ex for humoring me and making a bunch of these for my bathroom, sewing room and laundry room. The Shakers hung up all their furniture on these pegs and this made housekeeping and floor washing much more efficent. Apparently they did a lot of cleaning. I hang up my buckets, my thread boxes, clothes, treasures, bag ladies ready for more plastic bags and all kinds of other stuff on them.


Opal gave me some very colorful yarn and I took a break from my two black projects Scarlet Tank and Koigu socks. Blogless Michelle was appalled by the colors although I think it matches her scarf.
The bag really was just random stitches and then a cord mixed together some very old cotton red and blue yarn I found in my closet. I think it will make a great bag to keep plastic grocery sacks it because it can grow larger then a baskeball! It went home with Opal.
I want to thank Megan for the bead book. There are some cute projects in there and I hope to get my bauble making mojo going.
Sandy had an interesting discussion about Sue Monk's Mermaid Chair that I stumbled on. I got the next book on her list, but it's really fat and I wonder if I'll finish it in time. If not it can go on the shelf with all the other books I plan to read after I retire. Reading is on my list.


I hit my 3rd Blogiversary on April Fool's Day. I am so grateful for the great community of real and imaginary friends. The inspirations and the stories are priceless. Thanks!

Random thoughts while treading water

At 3 months, 14 hours to retirement, I think a lot about saying goodbye to a 27+year career. Having a virus also makes me grumpy and somewhat negative. Maybe it's time to take those blues CDs out of my car, heh. And now that my Pakucho is done, what next? So I decided to take Kim up on doing the Random thoughts meme. Everyone who happens by this post is also invited:)

5 Random Thoughts
1. Really, I don't need a $200+ knitting book, even if it is Alice Starmore's Aran Knitting. It's pure indulgence and there are more worthy causes.
2. I think about that 35 year old man who died suddenly of a brain aneurysm. He was a patient assigned to me by the health plan who(m?) I never met. He was single. Who was he? I will not miss worrying about patients at 3 in the morning or on holidays and weekends after I retire but no doubt I will still think about them. I still think about Mr. H from medical school days.
3. I want so much to knit the red Fleece Artist Marina. I just don't think anyone I know, including me will wear a tube scarf.
4. Is there a secret to cooking pancakes? Why do mine cook too fast or too slow, heh. I'll have to get my sister, master pancake maker to share her secrets.
5. I think about all kinds of other hats I might try on in the next chapter of my life...librarian, prison doctor, etsy store keeper, substitute teaching. All dreams so far. I have no experience in retail. I suspect there are a million other jobs I never even heard of. It constantly amazes me at how small my world is.

Hmmm, I just remembered, I gave up thinking for 2008...I'm supposed to be living in the NOW. So much for resolutions. But then again, maybe random thoughts are not the same as thinking. I think I'll just let the mystery be.

Pakucho Treasure, just about FO

Pattern: Centerpiece Treasure Afghan, Lion Brand Pattern
Yarn: Pakucho Organic Cotton 6 colors, about 2 skeins each
Needles: Knitpicks Options, size 9
Mods: Finished up with a picot bind-off. With the last color, I knit one row, then purled one row the did the picot bind-off, casting on two and binding off. I think that last purled row cut down on the curling.
I have yet to block or wash this thing. It's not quite a square or circle, and small like the the baby it's for. The yarn is very cushy. The stockinette is just the thing for mindless knitting while catching up on the netflicks.

Nautie, FO

Pattern: Nautie from Knitty (ooh just noticed the Spring issue is up)
Yarn: The last of the Classic Merino Peacock
Mods: I knit the face directly on the body, by picking up the bumps behind the bind off row so I could avoid seaming. Instead of casting off on the face I knit two together and used the last 3 stitches to knit the first tentacle. I have yet to make a eye as I can't locate my white felt so I cheated and used pelon for the photo shoot.

This strange critter is a fun, fast project. I don't know what to knit next. The Jo Sharp Soho I got for Cherry just isn't speaking to me. I wanted to do IKs Flutter sleeve cardigan, but the gauge was way off. Maybe the yarn really wants to be Cherry. I have reservations about the neck line, but may just make it for one of my tiny relatives.

The Totoro were a little disappointed that there wasn't a Peacock Totoro, but have let it go and moved on, heh.

My Lillehammer

Pattern: Cider Moon, Lillehammer
Yarn: Cascade 220 scraps and left over peacock Paton's Classic Merino
Needles: Size 5 circular/DPs

The Feral Knitter suggested I try holding both colors of yarn in my left hand when I complained about what a poor thrower I was so I watched a couple of you tube videos and off I went. This method of fer-alling suits me better:) Thanks Janine!

I had difficulty with the first row so I used a different method for it, doing one color at time. I was thinking this made the first row curl, but after reading about it discovered this is faq! A twisted German cast on was suggested, so I watched the you tube of this and will have to try it next time around.

I ran out of cream at the top and substituted peacock and so I have a big blob of it on top. It is a bit habit forming, but hard on my hands for now. I'm sure to run out of the peacock classic merino soon, but maybe there is enough for a Totoro:)

Bar Harbor Shell Bag, FFO (finally finished object)

Pattern: Knitting Dream's Bar Harbor Shell Bag
Yarn: Lamb's Pride worsted, 2 sk khaki, 1 sk pine shadows, 1 sk onyx.
Light felted to preserved stitch definition
Mods: I cast on 7 stitches for the strap and did 3 st attached i-cord on both sides to make a wider strap.

The lining was challenge. I used two layer Timtex on the bottom and one layer of thickest sew in interfacing which was not as stiff as I was hoping. I thought adding the lining would stiffen it more, but it still is a little flimsy. My bag came out tall instead of inverted bell shape, stands alone, and all in all I'm quite happy with it. I may make one of those removable pocket things for the inside.

On another front, it finally happened. I knit a hat that actually fits me. Hah. Miracles do happen. I give you heart hat, top down beanie, in Peacock Classic Merino.

Wednesday Sunset

This portion of tonight's sunset was so fleeting. A real wow moment.

The lining for Bar Harbor Shell Bag is proving challenging, as is the closure. I found a lovely button to use,but the loop I used was too thick. Sigh, I feel more i-cord knitting coming on.

Oatmeal Nut Scones

I adapted the scone recipe from Joy of Cooking to use the stuff my friends Margaret and Betty had in their kitchen. I love scones, I like them sweet and buttery and I like them to have oatmeal and whole grain flour. I need that fiber to counteract the sugar, don't you know;)

scones
Originally uploaded by acornbud

1 cup coarsely ground oatmeal
3/4 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2-3 teaspoon orange or lemon zest
2 eggs sl. beaten
1/3 c milk
1/4 c butter
1/4 c chopped almonds

Mix the eggs and milk together. Add the ground oatmeal and allow to set while preparing the dry ingredients.
Mix the flower, sugar and baking powder together. Cut in the butter until the size of small peas. (a pastry cutter, two knives or a food processor all work well!)
Mix everything together gently until just well blended. (other nuts work just as well). Add a teaspoon of vanilla if you like. If the dough is too wet make drop scones, about 6. If it is drier, shape into a 6 inch round and cut into wedges. Sprinkle sugar crystals or brush with egg wash if you like.
Bake 400 deg, 12-15 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet. A lot depends on your oven.

To make glaze, start with 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Add lemon juice or Grand Marnier or maple syrup, and mix until it is smooth and flows slowly from a spoon. Apply to scone as soon as it comes out of the oven.


I think the flour can be replaced by ground nuts. I may try it.

Madrona, Part 2, the Stash Additions: A Mosaic says a thousand words, or All that glitters is not Koigu

The Market place at Madrona had a lot of great vendors. I walked through once or twice every day and found new things.


1. koiguheaven, 2. Fair Isling on Blue Moon, 3. assortment, 4. Knitting Languages, 5. Black Water Abbey Marilyn, 6. Red, 7. FleeceArtist Green, 8. STR LW

My plan was to enhance the reds in my stash. The reds include Fleece Artist Marina (oh so soft!), STR LW in black and red, and Black Water Abbey worsted. The Marilyn pattern was knit up in this red it was love at first sight.


It was tempting to fill my bags at the Koigu Wall, but I managed to hold myself back, remembering I had some already in stash at home, so I bought the red, for project Spectrum, and some sensible black.

The regrets...the cashmere/silk scarf kit, the Fair Isle Bag Kit, the Kitty Kat shawl pin, Shibui, the Rowan books...it goes on. Sigh. I'll just have to save up for another time.
Question. If I paid my Visa bill twice and now I have a credit balance, is it money I already spent? Hmmmm...guilt free Amazon shopping! Creative budgeting?

Madrona, Part 1, The Classes

My first Madrona Fiber Retreat was a lot of fun. I started off with a visit with my sister who lives in Tacoma. I fed her squirrels (her hubby says they are rodents) but being from a place with no squirrels makes us both go ga ga over them. She had a bowl of claybabies which intrigued me as well. She dug them up herself. The socks became my first FO of the trip and were gifted to her for her BD. Yarn-Koigu, size 1 shortie clovers, pattern open cable rib from Sensational Knitted Socks. Her petite snowbells bloomed while I was there. Lucky me!

The Retreat was held in the Hotel Murano which is undergoing renovations. We shared the space with hard hats. My room was very new and the bed was most confortable. I loved the glass canoes hanging in the lobby.

I took 4 classes. Kakishibu, or persimmon dyeing taught by Chris Conrad was most interesting. What really interested me was the fact that mordants are not needed. Even more interesting I learned that the dye is made from tiny green persimmons which are pressed for the juice. The juice is then fermented for 3-5 years! Who made this process up?
I'm showing some of the class projects made my some of the very talented ladies there as mine were not as dramatic, heh.

I also took Fun Funky Beads taught by Darla Fanton. The beads are felted on to a styrofoam ball. All that stabbing with the needles was quite therapeutic.

The two other classes I took were Beginning I-cord taught by Margaret Radcliffe where I learned some handy i-cord techniques such a a bag handle and starting a top down beanie with i-cord with no run away DPs, and Beyond Finishing taught by Sue Ewen, in which I learned to knit curly cues and such.

Another FO was Koolhaas hat, in Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed. It's a bit large even for my big headed son, but a very fun and addicting knit indeed. I used size 8 unknown circulars. 7s would have been better.


I really enjoyed sitting in the lobby watching some very incredible knits walk by and talking with all the talented and friendly knitters, especially Norma. I'm so thrilled to have met some Feral Knitters, Janine who had an impressive and colorful pile of yarn for her Fair Isle color class and Weebug as she got out and I got in the slowest elevators in the world;)

My sister picked me up for dinner every night so I missed the evening group sessions and my opportunity to meet knitting celebrities, sigh. If I have a chance to go again, I will plan for them.

I won a door prize though, which is great since I lost 40 of my yarn stash dollars at the Emerald Queen Casino.

Bagus interuptus

The Bar Harbor Shell Bag will just have to wait until I come back from Madrona. At least it dried completely in rainy cool Nuuanu. As it was drying I thought it would make a lovely bucket to have besides my knitting chair. Anything to avoid making lining, heh.

I'm looking forward to getting away from the hell hole work for awhile and dye with persimmons.

Of Watercress, Hat and Lilikoi

The cool weather has been very good for the watercress. Most of the watercress on Oahu is grown on a farm in Aiea, Sumida Farm. My mom used to make namool which I never cared for growing up,or watercress soup with abalone, but now makes salad using the wilted lettuce salad dressing.


2 bunches watercress
3 strips of bacon, chopped and fried crispy
1/4 c. vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon brown sugar.

After frying the bacon, remove bits and set aside. Add the rest of the ingredients to the oil and heat to boiling. Pour over the chopped watercress and toss with the bacon. For the "fat free" variation, use the precooked bacon bits and therefore no grease. It is fine with the veggie "bacon" bits, too.


A little small project, Utopia Hat from http://smariek.blogspot.com is a free pattern. She shares them on her Yahoo group.
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash
Needles: size 8

I love the way the cables come together at the top. The cables are fun and the project is very quick to make.



Megan herself, shows us how a Lilikoi Knits and wears the Bar Harbor Shell Bag turban style. She allowed a photo modeling it if I promised to stop weaving in ends. The group vote was that I don't have to weave them in if I'm going to felt the thing! Hmmm. Food for thought, but scary to me...all those what ifs.