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It was a beautiful weekend- complete with sunshine, fencing, and visiting my little woolly mariners!
I was glad to get the chance to go back and get some more photos of the guys-

Edgar:

Chone:

Edgar and Griff:

Also, I’m pleased to announce completion of The Gradient Sweater:

and from the back:

and on me:

That’s the only half-way decent photo we could get of it on me.
Guess I’m photogenically challenged today,,, and though I’m really pleased with how the sweater fits,, I’m kind of concerned about the color change right at the bustline.
Not especially flattering.
Any creative suggestions (that don’t involve reknitting half the garment)?

Many thanks to Donna for the award!

Life is good for many reasons- and here are three new ones!

Meet my new little guys-

Edgar:

Griff:

and Chone (pictured here with his mama):

(Anyone pick up on the naming convention yet?)

And so, onward to the questions!

1. What would your prefect day consist of?

Hanging out at home, working in the garden, spinning and hanging with The Man and our critters.

2. How would you describe yourself if you were an item of clothing?

I’d be a wool sweater, of course. Pullover, shades of natural gray or brown, maybe some cabling, with a turtleneck for extra toastiness.

3. What hobbies are you currently working on?

Spinning, knitting, gardening, etc, etc.

4. Walking in the woods in wellies or bare foot on the beach?

Definitely the woods. I’m not much of a beach person.

5. Have you ever hugged or sang to a tree?

No, but have been known to talk to them. ‘Specially my fruit trees.

6. Growing your own veggies or nipping to the supermarket.

Growing our own.

7. Have you found anyone exciting in your family tree?

Not sure. I’m sure there are some real characters up in the branches,, but probably noone famous (or infamous!)

8. Slap up meal in a posh restaurant or fish ‘n’ chips from the wrapper

Either, depending on the circumstance- but please don’t make me get dressed up!

9. Which element do you most resonate with, Earth, Air, Fire or water?

Earth

10. Do you believe in fairies?

No, but I do believe in gnomes. Love the gnomes.

I’m gonna keep this award going and pass it and the questions on to:

Michelle of Boulderneigh

Jody, aka “Gypsyspinner”

CrazySheepLady of Punkin’s Patch

I was away at camp this weekend.

Well, not exactly camp, but a crafting retreat- in Langley, WA.
Langley is a really neat little laid-back place down on the south end of Whidbey Island.

And this time of year it is really gorgeous with the lilacs, dogwoods and wisteria blooming everywhere you look.
Sorry, I didn’t really think to get any pictures of all that stuff.

But they also have Shetlands down there!
Yes indeed. I do have pictures of them! (of course)

And Wendy Sundquist, who keeps her sheep just outside town was kind enough to let me visit Saturday morning-
Here are some beautiful sunny morning shots of her girls-

That’s Butterscotch. She’s the love-bug of the flock. Comes up for scratches and digs in your pocket for alfalfa pellets. Very sweet sheep.

The other girls were a little more suspicious and standoff-ish.

Was a great way to spend some of Saturday morning!

Then I spend a good part of the day finishing up the gradient sweater.
Here it is posing in the nice little park area where I’d planted myself to work in the sunshine.

and reclining on the lawn furniture

Will have more pics later once I do the finishing. Still have a little edging to do on the neckline, and then tucking the ends in.

Ps. Also picked out a few more lambs on my way down to Whidbey Island on Friday afternoon! They are currently known as Homer, Bart and Bo at Schoonover Farm. Not sure if the names will stick,, but I’m awfully excited about the little guys!

Yes, I’m pretty sure that frogs and ducks are about the only ones enjoying our current weather system.

Rain, rain and more rain.

So, no outside shots today.

The current knitting project was reduced to laying on the living room floor for our photo shoot.
Poor sweater.

But, as you can see, I’m getting back it he groove. If I can keep making steady progress, I figure I’m about a week or so out from completion.

The “if” is the problem.

I’m hitting that point where I start to get distracted by other wools.

Exhibit A:

I think this is suffolk, or suffolk cross. (I’m branching out a little here!) Got a little from my mystery-wool-connection a while back, and hadn’t really done anything with it until now.

Seems like a really good sock wool. Nice and springy. So that’s what I’m doing.
Plain ole vanilla sock pattern.
The wool has a bit of a yellow cast, so they look kinda french vanilla to me.

And since the weather is so cruddy today, I’ll post a couple of pictures from last weekend when the sun was still in residence-

Peonies:

Rhubarb:

Apple:

Rhody: