p.s.

Happy birthday, Caytie!!!

Many mumbling choral singers

Today is the 105th birthday of Theodor Seuss "Dr. Seuss" Geisel!.

As a child, I fell in love with the inventive language in his books. Even today, I still have ample opportunity to enjoy his alliterative powers. Karle Erickson (a name I never thought I'd type into my blog, but that's another story) wrote an oft-used set of choral warmups using the text from Dr. Seuss's A-B-C. "Many mumbling mice" makes multiple manifestations in rehearsals at St. Paul's. I dare say this collection has become a choral classic.

(And a big thank you to Google for pointing this out - so informative, they are.)

Four!

Four years ago I watched with amazement as this little girl peeked out at the big bad world for the first time. "Someday this will all be mine," she thought.

I think she believes that someday is here.

Happy birthday, Kidlet. I love you so big!

An auntie's day

Happy birthday wishes to my little sister (who is also an AWESOME aunt - just check the sticker from Kidlet's card if you need proof).

I love ya, Ness!

.

92 and ready for more

My paternal grandmother's birthday falls at the end of July, and the Norwegian clan gathers each summer at my aunt's home on Forest Lake to celebrate it - and summery goodness. We couldn't have requested a more perfect day for her 92nd birthday party today.

The six eldest great-grandkids were there (my AZ cousin just had her first son two weeks ago), and it was interesting to see how some things never change. My cousins, sister and I frequently ran up and down those spiral stairs as kids ourselves; we have many a photo of our plaid pants and Holly Hobbie sweatshirts posed just like our girls today. Those were the days...

Happy birthday, Grandma!

Dad's the man

Happy birthday, Papa!!

Sol-sol-la-sol-do-ti

(... and it rhymes with Stephanie.)

Happy 40th to our favorite Harlot!

Calorie-free vegan cake - what's not to love?

World Wide Knit In Public Day is upon us, people - get thee out there and make knitters of nations! And when you do, come back and post a message to tell us where you were and with how many other knitters.

ADDENDUM: As I rule this roost, my WWKIPDay story goes on the front page:

Kidlet and I had a beautiful Saturday to do with as we wished, so it was off to the park with lunch (and plenty of sunscreen ‘cuz we needed it!). Much playing on the stuff.We then spied some uniformed men getting ready to start a baseball game in yon adjacent ballpark, so we sauntered over and found a seat to take in a few innings. Methinks this was Kidlet’s first real game as “part of the audience,” according to her. Love it.So this was the site of my personal WWKIPDay observance, with about twenty other “audience” members. And however many people were on each team. And the umps. Coolest moment? Noticing the dedication of the field as we were leaving. You go, girl.

Were I the Harlot

June 14 is The Yarn Harlot's birthday.

It's her 40th birthday.

It's also World Wide Knit in Public Day.

Can you just imagine it - being her, being that day? It's almost too much to bear.

Read here to see what a Harlot does when the planets align for the anniversary of her natal day. I might do the same, when it's my turn to be Stephanie.

Oh, to be in Toronto in June...

The party's over

Today was the final round of birthday hoopla, celebrating at my parents' new house.The little cakes (with the year prominently displayed - thanks a lot, Ness) were filled with fresh fruit, and made by my sister. Very tasty.My knitting arsenal was fortified with several goodies: a cute Lantern Moon ladybug tape measure, More Big Girl Knits, The Field Guide to Knitting, a g.c. for Patternworks catalog, a Clover yarn guide, and the WPI tool (which has been long on my list - squee!).

The card my parents gave me (pictured above right) has a great quote by American knitting maven Elizabeth Zimmermann; her down-to-earth deconstructed approach to knitting coupled with a slightly self-depricating sense of humor makes me laugh often. I leave you with her words tonight:

"Really, all you need to become a good knitter is wool, needles, hands, and slightly below-average intelligence."

This little light of mine

The week of celebration has begun.

I let it shine.
I blew it out.
I ate the cupcake.

Then I took a picture of Kidlet's sweater-in-progress:

pattern: Children's Neckdown Bolero, by Knitting Pure & Simple
main yarn: Adrienne Vitadini Trina (butter)
contrast yarn: RYC Cashsoft Aran (tornado)
needles: KnitPicks Options Harmony interchangeable circular US#8, US#7; Denise interchangeable circular US#8 (40" length for Magic Loop-ing sleeves)

Knit something soft!

A party for Grammy

You know you're at a good birthday party when the cake can double as chocolate pr0n is delicious.

It's terribly handy to have a self-appointed gift assistant at all family birthdays.
After lunch, an overcast but pleasant walk/trike ride.
Happy birthday, Grammy!

Wearin' o' the Purple

Since the observance of St. Patty's Day was Catholic-ly moved to Saturday, today is free to be one thing: Cate's birthday! Yee-haw! One you don't have to share! (She wears purple to claim her day.) Live it up, Caytie.

OK, so a picture was promised yesterday; how about several? Grand BalloonMaster Aaron reigned the post-concert reception with his mad sculpture skills. It's a bit hard to see against the black of his tuxedo jacket, but he has an amazing balloon gear bag. This man means business.His creations of Ariel, Nemo, and Monkey in Tree were a huge hit. (Nemo will become Kidlet's hat tonight. Meema will share.)

Flames

Argh. I've been caught with my camera down, so to speak. I spaced off taking a pic of the LCB last night, and I completely left it at home for a family birthday gathering (I don't think I've done that in, like, forever).

Necessity being the meema of invention, here's a peek at last year's extinguishing feat by today's Birthday Boy - and I'll try to get an actual anno-appropriate photo from J, 'cuz Kidlet did a sweet job assisting with flame control tonight. Try to envision a slightly shorter cake with a tidy haircut on the man...

Happy birthday, Gleonard - have a swell year!

ADDENDUM: Here's this year's Plate of Fire a la J's phonecam...

Landmark, ho!

Day 37 (29) of Blog365.

Happy half century, BrianJ!

Thrice three

Day 33 (25) of Blog365.
Bless me readers, for I have shirked. It's been two days since my last posting.

We've had a flurry of activity surrounding a certain Kidlet's birthday activities. Three years old, events spread over three days - God help us when she turns 16!

... and this is the hat made for the occasion. It's durn cute, but Kidlet had it on for approximately four seconds - long enough for me to see that it does indeed fit, but not long enough for a pic in action.

pattern: Meghan's Braids
source: One Skein Wonders
yarn: Malabrigo Worsted Merino
needles: Brittany US#6 dpn's

Happy Groundhog Day!

Three!

My darling Kidlet turned three this morning. Wow.

I love you so much, sweet girl. Thanks for making me a Meema.

Another one bites the dust

The season of landmark life events continues. J (Kidlet's other mommy) celebrated her big Four-Oh today, and just like Going40 before her, has taken the very round number in stride. Emphasizing the year gone by, Grammy baked large numeric cakes (which narrowly managed to be rescued from the jaws of an inquisitive cocker spaniel with a sweet tooth.)

Kidlet has grown adept in her position as Gift Wrap Removal Assistant; a moonlighting stint as Musical Card Appreciator is also figuring in nicely. As luck would have it, Christmas and J's birthday immediately precede Kidlet's (next week!), so her gift-unwrapping pump is primed and ready for more...

Looky there - the finished Wavy!

Bee is for Leo

Happy Birthday, Fuzz!

p.s. Note what has moved off my needles (finally). Woo-hoo!

got felt?

I typed the title of this post and started giggling (hello, inner 12-year-old child!), but throwing caution to the wind, I'm leaving it. On that note, any stray Googlers who landed here because of the title are going to be sorely disappointed - it's about the fabric.

A look back at my holiday knitting reveals quite a few - nay, many - felted objects. I'm prepared to call it a subconscious theme; you should do the same.

Previous posts o' mine mentioned that Going40 up and Went40 last Friday. To mark the occasion, his partner eWAC and I concocted a crafty display, inspired by this (ironically from a website featured on Going40's own Best of 2007 blog post). After felting many a thrift store sweater, I cut out letters and fashioned loops of Malabrigo yarn (40's fave - see the list again) to a rope of Misti Alpaca Super Chunky yarn and made this garland:

eWAC hung it in their home for Scooter to see on his natal morn, then transported it to the party that evening, where it hung above pictures from 40's childhood.

I really love how it turned out - squishy soft wool at every turn, and a recycled project to boot. What a wonderful world.

The eleventh day of Christmas

I love celebrating a holiday for almost two weeks!

Newsy news: Caytie and Mark with a K have a new son! He was delivered last night at 5:38 (I missed the pool on the gender card). Everyone is well and happy.

Happy Birthday today to Going40! He wears the quatrogenarian mantle well, don't you think?

In all things knitting, I have two more Woolly Nest Ornaments to make for family members. J's Wavy scarf seems not to grow, despite continual knitting - have you ever had a project like that? Frustrating and slightly unmotivating, but I refuse to let a half-knitted item become the boss of me.

Happy knitting!