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Thursday, June 9, 2011

"We're Havin' a Heat Wave..."

....a miserable heat wave ....



     I feel really really bad for all the people in this region without air conditioning. I know there are a lot of un-airconditioned rowhouses in Baltimore City, and I can't imagine how people cope with 100 degree weather and no A/C. It's nearly impossible to make the temperature bearable in a home that doesn't have windows on all four sides, especially when the humidity is so high. There's little relief to be had, unless someone opens a fire hydrant. Do people still do that? When I was a little, I remember seeing pictures of happy kids in grimy New York neighborhoods playing in open hydrants.

     I remember going to the World War II memorial in D.C. when it opened up in 2004, and seeing scores of local children playing in the big pool. It wasn't what the designers had in mind, I'm sure, but I liked to think the ghosts of all those veterans would have smiled to see all the children splashing and swimming there, enjoying a hot day. I wonder if they still allow that, or if that was just something they allowed on the opening weekend? It sure wasn't a sober, reflective atmosphere, but it was a joyous one. (Stock footage below)



    I am fortunate enough to have air conditioning, even though it's set on a miserly 81. I don't think I could pick up a skein of wool if it were any hotter.

    I finished the Thursday socks:

I actually wore them one morning, but they're put up now until it cools off again. This pattern was super easy; eight repeating rows, four of which were knit all the way across. I still have four pairs of socks to knit from the kit.

And I immediately cast on another pair (not from the Knit Picks kit, though!) Butterfly garden socks, from Sock Yarn One-Skein Wonders (I cannot love this book enough!) They're just above the (c)ankle, and have a lovely butterfly pattern front and back. I pulled it back several rows, twice, because I messed up while watching Bones and trying to follow a pattern.

Okay, I wasn't watching Bones. I don't like her character, I think she's snotty and mean. I was watching the handsome FBI guy ;-)



I have been spinning this lovely orange Corriedale on spindles, but gave up and put it on the wheel. Corriedale just zooms along!I hope to have this knitted into something special by the time cold weather comes back around.



On another note: Who is participating in the Tour de Fleece? I'm seriously considering it this year. I've never done so before. How do I get on a team?







And now, the garden, which is thriving in the heat:

I've got an heirloom tomato coming along nicely...

I know it's silly to post pictures like this, but I always get SO EXCITED to see my plants producing, especially if I raised them from seedlings. That first bloom, then the fruit ... it's like magic every time.
Juliet tomatoes, which are my favorite of all...I grow these every year. I love them. They're salad tomatoes, about the size of a small roma, but brighter red.


The first 8-Ball squash -- see it there? Not even as big as a golf ball. They're just like zucchini, only round. I've got another squash but I knocked off the label from the seedling container and I don't remember what it is. Probably a pattypan. Fun to grow, but a head-scratcher when time to cook.

And, ripening raspberries. I'll bet one is ready to eat today. I better get out there and look.



 I have to show this off -- my elephant ears are finally coming up!

I have a fondness for this plant. When I was growing up, my grandmother lived in southwestern Louisiana  and she had huge elephant ears growing around the culvert in the front yard. Those things were bigger than I was. I grow them every year now, even though they don't come back after winter. I have such fond memories of grandma's house!



Time to go do some spinning!


Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

18 comments:

  1. Lovely projects. There is a Rav group for the tour de fleece then you can see the big list of teams and join whichever one(s) you fancy. It is my first year this year and am looking forward to it, lots of spinning planned!

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  2. Love the garden pics! And the socks!

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  3. It's been really hot here in MI too. We don't have air but a least we can open our windows.

    I've joined the Team of Wonder for the Tour de Fleece and will be spinning a couple of my Suri fleeces. We'd love you have you join us.

    Happy Fiber Arts Friday!

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  4. Super cute socks! I love the orange Corriedale, it's good to hear you say that it is spinning nicely...I have 7 lbs of raw Corriedale fleece in my basement that I'll be scouring over the summer and I need something to motivate me to get it done. Good luck with the Tour de Fleece, I'll be on vacation one week of the Tour so will have lots of time to spin, on the porch of a little cabin in the woods.

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  5. btw, I have lots of Jacob fleece if you'd like another bit to spin.

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  6. You are a fast knitter their lady! Love the latest slippers! I'm with you, super glad to have ac, but would prefer to have the weather comfortable enough to have the windows open. Happy spinning, great projects as always!

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  7. I so love that orange Corriedale! Can't wait to see it all spun and being used in a project. I vote for a shawl. :)

    Btw, if I had a garden as wonderful as yours I'd want to show it off too!

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  8. Love your lace socks! they are so much fun to knit,, and even more fun to wear.

    Good luck coping with the heat. Last year our AC went out during a heat wave and we were miserable, especially at night. How we get spoiled with life's little luxuries!

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  9. Re: Tour de Fleece. Andrea is hosting the Team of Wonder again this year. Chime in here:
    http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/tour-de-fleece/topics/1682065

    I think a few of the FAF regulars have joined up... including me. ;-)

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  10. BTW, I'm having total garden envy and still love orange. :)

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  11. hmmm...tour de fleece? Well, you asked the right gal. Join the Team of Wonder! Did you see my blog post about our team? Check it out...join the fun!

    http://wonderwhyalpacafarm.blogspot.com/2011/06/tour-de-fleece-2011-alpaca-fiber-lovin.html

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  12. I pm'd you on Ravelry about the TdF. I joined the Team of Wonder, too. (And 4 other teams-eek!)

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  13. Okay, I joined the following:
    Team Kromski
    Team Trindle
    Team of Wonder
    Team Bring Me a Shrubbery.

    Hee hee!

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  14. So much eye candy in this post -- beautiful socks, awesome spinning, cute pets, thriving plants!

    I lived on the top floor of an unairconditioned B-more row house for 4 years when I was in my early 20s. I had a room size A/C unit which could just barely keep the smallest room comfortable if I kept the door closed & the shades drawn. Of course, leaving the bedroom for the kitchen or bathroom was pretty awful. I am overheated just thinking about it. (Same apt -- landlord turned the heat off in the winter between midnight & 6:30 a.m. -- yes, I got up for work at 6, how did you guess?)

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  15. I love all the pictures, garden ones included. Perhaps that is just because I love vegetable gardens almost as much as knitting! Your socks are really great, and I love the orange.

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  16. Wow your garden is blooming! And your socks look so cute and dinky :)
    Our weather cant make up it's mind, what it wants to do!
    Oh and a car boot sale is, just a big field full of cars, selling there junk from there boots Lolita will take a picture of the setup next time I go, it's just like a big jumble sell..do you have anything like this where you are? Would also love to see a picture of your teapot collection sometime!

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  17. Even on opening day of the WWII monument, people were not supposed to be in the pool. Now they have signs up as well, though it doesn't stop people from dipping their feet in... Love the garden pics - you've spurred me to pause in working and go water!

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