Dawn Brocco's Life & Design Blog

Worked all day yesterday until after 10 pm on the Gazette and printed it this morning and sent it off to the copy editor.

Today I am working on the Alpaca Boucle cable jacket for the collection. Too hot and humid for the attics again.

Hubby finished putting in the closet doors in our bedroom yesterday - yippee! 10 years of looking at those horrid doors the previous owner put in. But naturally, nothing he ever did was to a standard measurement or size, so re-framing was needed. So, I just need to paint the trim and doors and it'll finally look nice. You see the closet as soon as you enter the room and the old doors were just a visual stab. Visual disharmony really grates on me. I'm ever moving things about, trying to create balance, so that as I move through a room, nothing glares, it all flows.

Before we ever saw this place, I dreamt of it. Well, actually I had 2 dreams of it - one of myself exiting the basement door sweeping the bluestone path that goes from the basement to the driveway and the other was of my standing at the threshold of our previous (first) house, and seeing a large pond right outside the door and hoards of blackbirds swooping though. There was such a happy feeling to that dream and a calming feeling to the first dream, then soon thereafter we discovered this house and soon after that moved here. Every year, spring and autumn, flocks of blackbirds swoop through our lawns and the acre-sized pond is steps from the house.

I've always discovered / been told things in my dreams. One other was a dream about when my daughter would be born. It was to be a Monday, and as I was due the beginning of June, I thought it was to be June 2nd - my maternal grandfather's birthday. Well, the 2nd came and went and I went into false (ha!) labor on that Friday afternoon. So, I thought the dream was off. But she didn't want to be born right away, and finally decided to stop wearing me out Monday at 2:30 in the morning. This was, of course, to be indicative of our entire relationship!

I've had other dreams like this and I also dream of things that hubby is reading in the newspaper, as he gets up earlier than I do. We are very linked, you see.

So, dreams are important to me. I haven't had a dream yet about our next house and that makes me a bit uneasy. If it's meant to be, as this house was, a dream should be forthcoming.

Now, that's not to say I haven't had "house" dreams! I've had tons of dreams about houses with HUGE attics, filled with many rooms, all white and bright, and I walk around them trying to decide how to use all the rooms - all promise and hope and endless options, as I'd expect an attic to represent. I've also had many old house dreams, with tons of dark raised panelling everywhere, very stylish for certain period houses, and old spinning wheels hidden under stairwells (I used to spin). And secret back staircases - very intriguing dreams, but not recent dreams, not since we've decided that it's time we should move. So, to wait and see. Maybe once we start the actual physical house hunting, it will occur.

Am taking photos of the next Gazette issue's designs, and working on all the color/contrast etc adjustments. This can take all day or longer.

Yesterday I did more attic clean out/reboxing, but it got hot early yesterday and is too hot today to go up there, which is fine, as I really need to focus on this issue until it's done and ready to send to the copy editor.

The Phaser is still striping. I've done and checked everything and called the Phaser repair guy up in Albany about it and he went through all the options as well. So it may be clogged print heads. Won't know until at least Monday, as I called the ink manufacturer and they had me sent them a stripe test printout overnight.

The snow peas are on their last legs but the tomato and zucchini plants are booming! Just remembered - gotta go water the lettuce seeds asap.

Been plugging along on the next Gazette issue, and the usual household stuff and errands and last night won Scrabble again from hubby! I'm not good at Monopoly, but am not bad at Scrabble.

It was pouring most all day yesterday, so no photos taken yet, but I see the sun peaking out a bit, so maybe today will be lucky. I can do the sock photos indoors, but the jackets and other garments really take better photos when outdoors. Finding a good background at this time of year can be difficult. The grounds look so much better in winter than mid-summer. But maybe I'll find something decent to hang on the side of the garage as a backdrop, as the light there is really good - and with a digital camera, if the pics don't work, it's no loss.

I have been back up into the attics today, as son-away-at-grad school responded about which things he wants to keep, that I'll need to box up and send to him. Daughter has many more things I'll need to ship, but isn't that typical with girls! He has things in various places, but not huge amounts, so it's just about cleared out. Hubby screwed some 12' long boards to the back staircase so we can slide the heavy boxes down out of the attics to load into the truck to take for recycling and disposal. No point in breaking our backs!

Nothing exciting lately.

Yesterday I washed and rehung some curtains, did the laundry and started the attic attack. Got 1/2 the big attic gone through - breaking down boxes, bagging up stuff to be thrown out and making piles for recycling, contributed mostly by my son's endless binders of school papers, saved from elementary and high school! Then the small attic, which, oddly has the most stuff in it as it's much more easily accessible. The large attic has a winding steep staircase for access, the small attic has 2 accesses, both easier and wider. But it is full - various roofing debris and materials from all hubby's exterior exploits, boxes of tax papers, boxes of wallpaper remnants from the 6 rooms and 2 baths we've papered, more kids' stuff, and boxes of stuff from when we moved here 10 years ago that never got unpacked - as we didn't have a kitchen to put it all into, until recently, and I'm not doing that now, just to repack it up.

So, I gotta order boxes today and those biodegradable peanuts and rebox some of these attic things. I've been sweeping up and dusting off as I make my way through the piles trying to organize what goes, what stays for the future owners (like the wallpapers, window screens, doors we've removed from some rooms etc), what's gonna be sold off or given away, and what we're taking with us.

I did get that lettuce seed planted this morning and am now working on the next Gazette issue. I was hoping to get to take some garment and sock photos today - but it's too cloudy. And the Phaser is giving me light stripes, no matter how many times I do a cleaning of the jets. New ink cubes are coming any day, so I'll just have to wait and tackle that problem again after the ink comes.

Back to good weather, at least for today - yippee! So, finished my 2nd cup of morning coffee and the laundry is in the washer and the printer is humming - patterns for a shop, order forms and booklets to stock up on for some blurbs coming out really soon.

It's also a perfect day to weed the veggie garden and plant that lettuce seed I've been wanting to get in, as it's breezy and cool, so those darn flies and mosquitos shouldn't be able to find me - much!

I've figured out that cable jacket idea and have gotten to the underarms on it, and now need to short row the sleeves on. And later today, I should be able to get to start the Gazette work. The dog is beckoning to be fed, so I've gotta go for now.

Well, it's raining today. Again. Went out and get some errands done, and got those tomato cages I needed.

I started the cabled jacket sample last night, but in the heat and humidity, was not feeling anything like motivated, so only a few rows got done. Not good. Today's not as hot, and at least I don't have to water the garden, but I can't run this behemoth of a printer in the 100% humidity, and, of course, I have things that need printing.

Haven't been making any major inroads into the long list of house-prep projects either, lately. Helped hubby with a little more trim work in the kitchen. But there's no painting to do in this moistness! It also means I can't even *think* about cleaning the carpets or getting up into the attics. So, knitting it is, at least until Sunday, maybe until next Tuesday or so, as rain looks like all we'll be getting for awhile! I also should get the next Gazette issue together and off to the editor, so at least there's 2 things to keep me busy awhile.

Got to Kingston today and got most of the errands done, not all, but my feet gave out in 90 something degree heat!

Found *the* perfect buttons for the 2nd alpaca jacket sample! I had seen them in the JHB catalog, but seeing them in person on the jacket (which I took with me),sealed it. The perfect blend of blue and purple and fanciness - they're called Bead-Dazzle, #30764. They're glass beads on a plastic shank button, so they're not too heavy, washable, but not dry cleanable. Though why anyone would want to dry clean natural-fiber handknits is beyond me, so I don't think that'll be a problem.. A bit pricey at $5 retail for 2 and I needed 6, but, they're perfect!

I also managed in 1 hour to try on about 15 bathing suits total from 2 stores and actually found something that looked good. Also picked up 2 short sleeve tees and some things for hubby, for our house hunting/mini vacation soon. Still need a few more things, but we have awhile yet.

So, now I'm sewing on the buttons and making the crochet loop closures. Just made a little lemon/limeade and iced tea and went to pick more peas. 2 days tops I can go without picking or else they get too large, so I try to do it every day. But the heat is finally getting to them, as it will. Probably just a couple more weeks left for them, then I must say adieu until next spring. I do hate to see the peas vines go. Sure there's tomatoes and zucchini to look forward to, but they have summer written all over them. Peas say spring, and spring is my season.

The lettuce is on it's way out, too, so I gotta plant more - maybe tomorrow morning before it gets hot. I bought a multi-season mix, for the ease and variety.

Thanks, Maus, for your kind offer of help! My work isn't so terrible, it's hubby's that is overwhelming - 3200 sq. ft house with 40 something 6/6 windows to wash, scrape, prime and paint, mostly by himself, with some help from one of my brothers and as much as I can do to help, and a month to get it done, with mostly the use of just his right hand, as his left is still healing from the surgery!

It's an old house, it doesn't request constant attention, it *demands* it! At least that's what hubby heard some guy say on one of those home repair shows, but it's so true! Next house will only be about half as large, 2 people and one, 35 lb dog don't need 3200 square feet! But I'm still trying to find something old enough to have character. We've been spoiled by the sturdiness, charm, and wonderfulness! of a 150+ year old house. If I could, I'd go much older, 1700's to early 1800's, but restored already! These are not in abundance, though, in our price range, where we're looking to move, but ya never know what serendipity will befall the one who is on a quest!

Bag sample 2 is done and drying on the line. Had to put the 2nd jacket outside again today - didn't quite finish drying yesterday, and got the knit shoulder pads sewn in.

Am finishing up its 7 page pattern, then just have to wait for a decent day to start the photos. I say start, as it can take several days, in different locales with different light, to get pics I like.

Was going to get to Kingston today to get the buttons, go to Adams garden center and other errands, but that got put off until tomorrow. I have the last Gazette submission to finish going through and that cable jacket conundrum to solve and get the sample started.

I also need to take down the queen size bed canopy, hand wash it and put it back up damp - as it's all cotton and has shrunk enough already, thank you! But today may not be the best day to do it - as it's not been dry here for awhile now and adding more moisture to the air isn't the best idea. So, another thing to put off, but not forget about.

I have nearly decided to make design compilations of some of my older patterns, and get them organized/grouped and into booklet form. I will then cease offering those particular designs as indie patterns.

When you get to 60 plus designs, 15 Heels and Toes Gazette issues, working on #16, and 4 booklets, working on the 5th, it's a lot of printing for me to do all the time, not to mention printing the wholesale and retail catalogs, as well as Gazette, regular order and wholesale order forms. I'd like to simplify/eliminate! some of the work involved, and leave more time for designing. At least that's the idea!

Oops, 3 days since I've written last!

Been busy working on the Alpaca Boucle jacket pattern. Finished up that last sample, washed it, lightly fulled it, and then of course we've been getting rain nearly every day! It's not raining so far today, at least, though it is overcast, but I've got it out on the line to, hopefully!, finish drying. Still need to get to the fabric store or maybe Amazing Threads, to find buttons to make clasps.

Had a few balls left over from the full bags I need to buy and thought matching fulled bags would be nice. So, I've done 1 sample - drying on the line also - and am working on sample 2.

Last night, also began sketching the last garment for the Alpaca Boucle design collection booklet - a jacket. The idea I sketched, though, may not be sizable to 3 sizes, like the pullover in the collection. I'll have to consider this a bit more. It may just be do-able in 2 sizes - the cable pattern rep is the limiting factor. But, I'll try swatching with varying ndl sizes and see if that makes it more workable.

Actually, I'm really enjoying working with this yarn and I think an afghan would be wonderful in it. Do I have time to design and knit an afghan? Of course not! I really need this collection done asap, as, soon, it'll be Gazette crunch time, when little else will get done.

Still have to put that 2nd coat of paint on the library radiator. Hubby did the mantel for me. Haven't gotten to the wallpaper seams in our bedroom, either. And one of these not-so-hot days, I really need to begin sorting through and tossing out stuff from the 2 attics. Falling behind.

Been knitting feverishly on the alpaca boucle jacket sample. Have the fronts, back and sleeve sections done, and am about to join the shoulders / sleeves, then do the front edging.

I spent an inordinate amount of time yesterday, as well, searching for colored frogs, oriental frog closures that is! I want them in a bluish teal or purple, preferable the blue to stand out against the black border, but only found 1 site that has them. They are much too inexpensive on that site, which makes me wonder about their quality. No closures = no photos done = can't get the pattern out.

Does anyone know of an online source for frogs in other than the usual black or white??? If you do, please email me! The right closures can make a garment's appeal, the wrong ones just leave it wanting.

We've had plenty of rain lately, so I needn't water the veggie garden - good thing - am too busy as it is. The peas are still going strong, the Ronde de Nice zucchini are finally picking up speed and the tomatoes are growing by leaps and bounds.

Wish I had more to write, but pattern and chart checking, pattern writing and knitting await me, as well as laundry, dishes and vacuuming! No time like the present....

Am still finalizing details with hubby on the kitchen reno. This room has certainly been the largest overhaul of all the rooms, even the bathrooms, of which there are 4 full (tho 1 is still gutted). Rooms with plumbing are soooo time and money-intensive to do or redo, but one saves a fortune by doing it all oneself!

The most recent conundrum was the 3 brass edged overhead fixtures that didn't coordinate with the nickel trim of the other elements in the room - the cupboard pulls and knobs as well as the nickel trim on his restored stove. And, of course, bright nickel obviously isn't in vogue, as the home centers have brushed nickel and other metals, but not what we needed. So, what to do? He's tried those metallic paints previously and they don't really look as good as they look on the can cap! So, we decided on a dark blue ground paint covered with a blue speckle paint, then clear coat - just on the metal parts of the 3 lights. Now, not only are they unique, but they co-ordinate perfectly with the speckle blue (like a faux finish) countertop.

When the kitchen is completely done, I'll post photos - we're really quite proud of the project!

I'm up to one front and sleeve front on the 2nd boucle jacket sample I started Monday evening. What's nice about this jacket design is that it's easy to knit - just St st and seed stitch - but the gauge means a size medium is only about a 20-hour investment of knitting time. As look through the newest (Fall) Interweave Knits, and see all the wonderful new designs, I know knitters must have a hard time choosing what to make next.

I certainly don't have any time to knit up other designers' work, though there are many designers whose work I admire and *wish* I had the time to knit up! I always admire those whose direction in knitting is completely different from mine - the fine gauge work of some of the Rowan artists, almost all of Norah Gaughan's cable work, Takle and Kolstad's color designs, and some work of the new and upcoming designers, and more, but always that which is different than my own designing inclinations!

Work awaits!

92 degrees one day, 65 the next! Cool and rainy today and yesterday! Was picking more peas in the rain. Usually the snow peas are well on the way to being all dried up by this time of year, but, the bouts of cool and damp days are keeping them going strong.

We must get to Adam's garden center soon and get supports for the tomatoes. It's been on the to-do list for awhile, but we avoid going there (evenly tho we like the place alot) as it's always so crowded! But, there's no other garden center nearby.

I've gone through 2 Gazette submission patterns so far, one to go, then the real work - putting together the issue! The yarn I ordered from Plymouth Yarns came in yesterday, so I've started the solid color kimono jacket sample. I have other designs plotted out using this shape and construction method - just need more hours in each day!

This morning hubby saw the wild turkeys coming through the lawns again. Early morning (before *I* get up!) seems to be the time the animals wander around, then again at dinnertime. Last time we saw the turkeys there were just 2 adult females (same size) and about 6 or 8 young, but he saw 4 females and a whole slew of young, well on their way to adulthood by now.

So, I dug out the photo of them from a couple years back, for your viewing pleasure!






While I was digging through the piles of photos, I came upon this one, which I've always loved. If you stood on the lawn where the turkeys were and looked to the rear of the property, you get a great view of the pond and rear lawn. There's a sharp bend in the road, and when you come around the bend, you get that view. As the trees are turning, it's about the middle of October, and the watermeal on the pond is *finally* dying back for the year, which you can see scattered along the rear of the pond.

Well we went to see that car show downtown. Walked around about 45 minutes, slowwwly in the 92 degree heat and humidity, with the bottle of water that goes everywhere with us. The show was decent for a small-town show, but the heat melted me. I felt fine until last night, but by bedtime was feeling drained and by this morning I felt like DWO (death warmed over)! I'm a do-er. To feel incapacitated, for any reason, really irks me. But I didn't fight it. I laid on the couch with a cold cloth on my head, after popping 3 Ibuprofen, and waited it out.

But, it's not yet noon and I'm back to my old, hard-working self. Did laundry, dishes, took out the trash, fed the dog, unpacked the groceries hubby bought, stripped the bed, prepped some orders for mailing, straightened my work room up and am prepping a print job, for a shop order.

Last night I finished coming up with shoulder pad instructions for the Ladies' Alpaca Kimono Jacket. It only took about 4 or 5 tries to get it right! The sleeve edging on the jacket took 6 tries to find something I like. Perseverance wins out!

Well, the day awaits and there's lots to do!

Meant to write in last night, but wasn't up to it. I finished that 2nd mitten sample and am reviewing Gazette patterns for the next issue. Writing and editing patterns does not give me much to talk about - not like designing garments does!

I finished that bedroom yesterday, as well, so on to another house project! I do have some wallpaper seams to redo in our bedroom, and painting is looming real soon, as hubby is finishing up what he needs to do before I can paint.

I'm writing patterns today, which can be wearying, so I don't do it in long stretches. I break it up with housework, so at least I get moving around. The sitting is so bad for the health! I need to water the garden after hubby finishes mowing, which means hauling ALL that hose back to the garden from where it is at the pond pump, so he can mow.

Tomorrow is an old car show downtown, which we're gonna go see for awhile. Hubby is a mechanic/engine rebuilder (aka auto machinist) and used to restore muscle cars (in the pre-married to me with children era), He has a project waiting 17 years, for the time and money to continue it, poor guy. There's that mantra coming up again: "Maybe in the next house, hubby will have more time to do what he loves and not just what he has to do."

Owning this old place certainly has expanded his skills, though, so it's not been a loss, by any stretch of the imagination. He can do everything from wiring to plumbing to woodwork, roofing, laying floors, you name it, he's done it. I've stripped layers of wallpaper (as each room was 6-8 layers deep), then rehung each room with him, hauled rocks, shovelled gravel, pulled endless nails and tacks, pulled room size carpets single-handedly out of the house, painted woodwork, walls, steam radiators, and the 65' front porch (every other year), planted trees, bushes, veggies, moved furniture. When we do something we dig in! But it will be nice to see him dig into something he finds vastly more satisfying than old home restoration! Cars are his thing. Wool is mine!

For me, it's a natural high to smell and touch fresh shorn fleece! I loved the rhythm of hand spinning and then loved the rhythm of weaving. I had a great loom - a 45" Rio Grande Walking Loom. Got it as a kit and sold it when we moved here. Should never have sold it - even the kit has gone up astronomically in 10 years, never mind the price of the Cadillac (finished) version.

I meant to weave overshot coverlets, but never got around to it - did lots of area rugs, blankets, kitchen towels, scarves, bath mats. Don't know if I'd ever go back to weaving though - it's such an investment - not just the loom, but all the doodads one needs in order to weave. I like rug hooking too and did a few area rugs in my handspun, naturally-dyed Romney and Lincoln wools, which I still have.

I have graphed designs ready for making up hooked rugs or needlepoint rugs, as I like them alot, too. But I think speed hooking would be the way I'd go. It's not as expensive a craft to buy supplies for. But, it's still one of those *when I can get to it* plans!

Blueberries are in season and I'm in blueberry heaven! Reminds me of that line in "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House", where Myrna Loy tells Cary Grant about the decorator, Bunny Funkhouser, that came to their apartment to talk about redecorating it and said they were "very American, very blueberry pie"! And I woulda thought apple pie would have been it! We still joke about that line "If you ain't eatin' Wham, you ain't eatin' ham!" I simply adore old movies! Beats much of the crud they make these days (except for Spielberg's work and other quality movie-makers).

I finished the Alpaca Boucle jacket last night, and washed it, and the fabric is heavenly!

It's a cozy fabric, and unlike some other alpaca yarns, the bouclé structure looks like it will alleviate any shedding. I love alpaca, but don't like the way it can shed on my other garments, even when knit more snugly than the ballband gauge. I just called Plymouth Yarns and ordered 4 more bags of it so I can get the 2nd sample made and add to what I have for the jacket for the Alpaca Collection booklet. I've chosen the blue and purple tweed for the main color and am betwixt the natural white and the black, as the border color. I wish the black frogs I am using on this sample came in other colors. Anyone know of a source for other-than-black colored frogs?

I will definitely enjoy wearing these jackets come autumn! And the pattern is not difficult, so I hope knitters will also enjoy knitting and wearing it. If you'd like to be apprised of new patterns/kits etc, when they are available on my website, just email me, with the word subscribe in the body, and I'll add you to my website update email list.

I made up another mitten, today, for the collection in the ladies' large size and it is soaking. One more mitten and the jacket, and that covers all the collection garment samples.

I pulled off the painter's tape in that bedroom I've been working on - I let it sit 2 days to make sure it was good and dry. Tomorrow, I'll get the bed out of the smaller attic and dress it. I also did some hand washing (there's *always* hand washing!) and regular laundry, picked peas, and helped hubby with dinner. Should get some exercises in before my shower.

I remembered I have a few seams to redo in our bedroom, as well. But I'll do that tomorrow. I have patterns to work on tonight and Gazette things to work on in the am. It's hot again today and I'll really rather not have to sit at the computer, so I'll see how long I last before it becomes too much, then I'll go start that other large women's mitten sample and sit in the other room where it's a bit cooler.

Almost got the back and back of the 2 sleeves done yesterday on the jacket! Almost, but not quite! But I also finished up the last of the re-seaming on that bedroom wallpaper, washed the woodwork and floor in that room, watered the veggies, weeded the garden and picked peas.

Also searched online for 6" recessed lighting decorative trim kits (ha!). Nice ones we saw in a book that, of course, I can't seem to find anywhere! Also searched for toile wallpaper and toile curtains. I may just keep the kitchen walls cream and insert the pattern into the room via the curtains and placemats, instead of doing the paper, as I *still* need to buy curtains anyway, and we are in a time-crunch. There's 2 pages, both sides, of projects to get done before we list the place. So, adding wallpapering to the list wouldn't be wise.

Waverly has the swags in toile, but not always in the blue, in the stores. There's a shop online I may buy from, instead.

It's hot today - 92 degrees, am working on the super bulky alpaca jacket in no AC, with a washcloth rung out in cold water around my neck.

I need to sit at the computer and work on the next Gazette issue, but my computer/printer room is very warm, as the Xerox Phaser doesn't get turned off. Sitting here too long will give me another headache! Tomorrow should be cooler and less humid, so, hopefully, I can get to finalizing my choices for the issue.

I also have patterns to get into the computer. But at least I got both databases updated yesterday. There's only so much typing I want to do in a given day!

Got the back of the jacket done and one of the shoulder and underarm seams joined (3-needle BO for the shoulder and slip stitch crochet for the underarm). I have some black oriental frogs I may use as closures.

The baby deer were having a good, old time prancing around the house yesterday! They're still spotted and quite frisky. But I haven't seen Mr. Groundhog in awhile, nor the geese...

I have been working on the Alpaca Boucle Jacket, but took a break to check up on some web sites. There's one I've been checking on, now and then, waiting on it's arrival, and that's Classic Elite. Well, fellow knitters, it is UP!

Classic Elite Yarns

A simply elegant site that's easy to use and loads quickly on dial-up. Thank goodness not everyone has forsworn us dial-uppers with Flash and Shockwaves!

Now, Wheelsmith Wools has been down awhile. Get one and lose one, I guess!

Am discussing, with hubby, the final trimmings in our finally renovated kitchen. This kitchen was a horror. An old back porch that was added onto *very* poorly. (We overlooked a lot when we bought this place.) Hubby gutted it, walls, flooring, ceiling, roof needed rebeaming to actually have an angled, not a flat, roof, reroofed, gutter, windows, door, sills, plumbing, wiring...

Then insulation in the crawlspace under, laid tongue and groove pine boards to simulate the old wide board floors and shellacked it, new cupboards, counter top, restored white double oven stove, original, wide, cast iron double sink, where one sink is very deep (boy am I gonna miss that! - so many new sinks are so dinky).

We've decided on blue and white toile wallpaper (do I love toile, but haven't had occasion to get any until now!), just below chair rail height and some matching blue tile to cover the outside of the 42" wide custom oven range hood he built, complete with halogen lights (I married a genius!).

The cupboards are white, with glass-panelled uppers on one wall, blue mottled (small speckle) countertop and that warm shellac color on the floor - very light and airy country or as my Dmom says - Nantucket! Well, what could be better than that! White painted country table and alder ladderback chairs I put together from kits 10 years ago, and lace curtains. When it's done, I'll post photos. We're really pleased with it, as we had to keep all the door and window openings, as well as plumbing pipes where they were, to keep costs down. So I re-designed the layout, as there's 3 doorways and 4 windows in a 15-16' square space, so everyone kept walking through the work triangle. Well, I *fixed* that and rerouted the traffic.

Well, I didn't get both fronts and sleeves done the other day, just one of them. Will get the other done today and start on the back/2 sleeves, as Radley at Amazing Threads had that 40" ckn I needed.

I just picked more snow peas, as it poured last night. I do love pea vines. There's something magical about them. About how the sunlight dapples through them. It takes me away. I'm always wishing I could be small enough to crawl into the middle of the vines and be surrounded by those lovely green vines with little purple flowers that then become peas, especially on a hot, summer day. So, 45 minutes later, I finally pull myself away from jiggling the vines and come inside. I lightly jiggle the vines to see the peas. It's almost an art to find them, as they blend in so perfectly with the green leaves.



While I was out shooting the vines, I got one of the huge, shagbark hickory tree that is the focus of the rear lawn. Boy, when that one dumps its leaves in autumn, it's some pile to shred! It's a lovely, though odd-looking tree. Its bark actually peels off the tree in chunks. Nice shade tree and perfect for a swing, which I get to use every now and then.