Over the weekend, LollyKnitting Around turned 6-years old.  There wasn’t much pomp and circumstance since 6 doesn’t command that kind of attention.  That being said, 6 is still pretty good.  I had no predictions and long-term strategies when I started this blog in 2004.   It has grown into a project much bigger than myself, and has served as a link in meeting the most amazing people. 

Many of my peers from those early days of knit blogs have stopped blogging.  Some have even stopped knitting.  Some have turned their creative attentions to something completely new:  other craft endeavors, writing, entrepeneurial pursuits… It’s intriguing to watch these changes over time.

LollyKnitting Around has changed significantly.  My posts used to be very knit-centric and very frequent.  Before Ravelry and Flickr were common, we told each other about a few inches of knit progress.  There was an occasional post on something else, but I felt that it would be betraying people to write about anything else at length considering that “KNITTING” was in the title of the blog.  I don’t necessarily feel this way anymore, which is evidenced by the scores of non-knitting posts. Thankfully, it seems that many of you have done the same thing – the blog becomes a reflection of you, and while it includes knitting, it is also about other things.

I have noticed that blog reading seems to be on a down-swing right now.  Or at least, I notice that in myself.  Unfortunately, I don’t read as many blogs as I used to… but at the same time, many blogs are not as frequently updated.  With my new Twitter fascination, it is mini-blog posts throughout the day… usually more opinionated and banal than the things I share here, but fun all the same.  Do you notice a difference in your blog-reading/blogging habits?

After a bit of exploration, I think I have settled into a pretty happy routine.  The blog is not as frequently updated – and the blog is not all about knitting.  As you know, I blog about what I am interested in.  Sometimes that is knitting, and sometimes it is travel and vegan food.  It seems to be something related to photography for the most part.  You have watched the passion grow and have seen the results.  Photography is a new love, and I would love to do more of it.  As before, travel remains one of my ambitions, and I hope to continue traveling to new places and sharing those details here. 

Sometimes I get ambitious and think about branching out into some new avenues: writing, publishing, exhibiting photographs… and if an opportunity came my way, I wouldn’t turn it down… but the fact remains the same:  this blog brings enjoyment.  There were many days in the past when I considered shutting it down, and I am glad that I reconsidered. 

I don’t thank you all enough ~ please know how much I value your comments and feedback!  After six years I can say that I blog for myself and for my own memories… where in the beginning, I blogged more for the interactions with others and the feedback…  but what a joy it is to know that you are out there reading along! 

Many thanks for traveling along with me!

**Six photos of stones from my travels – a milestone marking each year of the blog:  Photo 1 -The rock stacks “inuksuit” on the bank in Vancouver, BC.  Photo 2 – The stone formations at Joshua Tree National Park, California.  Photo 3 - Rocky Coastline The Ovens Natural Park, Nova Scotia.  Photo 4 – Stones in the snow, Massanutten Mountain, Virginia.  Photo 5 - Incan ashlar stones at Saqsayhuaman, Cusco, Peru.  Photo 6 – Meditation garden and stone labyrinth, Shrine of St. Therese, Juneau, Alaska.

A momentous occasion – the east coast tour of Baby V! 

Live and in person!  Just turned 9 months (on the 28th) and she is full of energy and wiggles.  She’s at that rolly-polly age where everything is new and funny and she gazes around with wide-eyed enthusiasm and discovers new things everyday.  

It was a great joy to spend time with her – as well as with my lovely sister and brother-in-law.

…and when your Auntie Lolly is a librarian and a general book-lover, that means you get lots of books   I picked up some great children’s books at a recent book fair.  Mom and I had plenty of fun with animal sound effects and Baby V stared up at us trying to figure out what was going on!

I was planning to have the baby knit skirt done by her arrival, but I have had very little time for knitting lately… so, once she gets back home, she will have a package waiting.  Mimi can send me a model photo.   Good thing about California weather, she can rock this little skirt for awhile!

PS ~ Planned to call this post “Baby Love”, but I figured you all would have a very different idea of what it was about  

Over a year and no socks in sight… and then the sock bug bit me again right before the Vancouver trip in February.  I finished a cuff on the plane ride out there and knit a few more rows, but just as quickly as it came on, the sock bug went away again.  However, I pressed on.  A few months later, I now have a pretty pair of socks to show for that tenaciousness (heh – yeah 4 months of persistence!)

Canada Socks
Pattern: Canada Socks from Knitting on the Road by Nancy Bush
Yarn: Red and Ivory = Schoeller+Stahl Fortissima /
Gray = Tess Designer Yarns
Needles: Size 0 and 1 US

The socks were a fun mix of stranded colorwork and simple stockinette – two favorite combination.  The yarns work well together.  I altered the pattern’s cuff slightly, choosing a simple ribbed cuff instead of the vikkel braid outlined in the book.

The pattern was fun, and by virtue of the name – I will think of Canada when I wear these socks.  I have seen the east and the west of Canada… now I just have to see some of the in-betweens!

The socks were the final knit in my Stanley Cup Stashbusting knitalong with my friends on the Ravelry Puck This group.  We had about 20 participants (all hockey-loving knitters like myself!) and many projects – from blankets to washcloths and sweaters to socks.  It’s a fun chance to talk about what we are knitting as we cheer on our teams as they play towards the Cup.  Last night, the beautiful Stanley Cup was awarded to the fabulous Chicago Blackhawks team.  They played a great season, and it has been so much fun watching this team build themselves up after many years of abysmal attendance and indifference.  I adopted them as my “Western” team last year, so it was a joy to see them hoist the Cup only one year after my #1 team – the Pittsburgh Penguins – did they very same thing.  Congratulations to the Hawks!  So happy for them!  and happy for hockey in general – great ratings, top tweets on Twitter, and so much promise for the future.  Maybe the best-kept sports secret isn’t really a secret anymore?

So, in this quest for the Cup (and a few days before the playoffs started) I have been on a stashbusting kick – and I have some nice things to show for it!

My results:  1 blanket, 2 garments, 2 scarves and a pair of socks!

April – June 2010

…

Do I win an award for stashbusting?

They may be a little gnarly and not quite the prettiest of the bunch – but they are OUR strawberries!  This is our magical third year, and our little backyard patch has produced a pretty steady stream of these juicy delights.  When Kris and I get home from work, we spend a good hour piddling around in the garden – weeding, harvesting, watching the plants grow.  It’s amazing to see the progress day to day.  We pick our choice ingredients and then go in for dinner.  The best part is when we can make the harvest part of the dinner!  Our most abundant harvest right now is our salad greens - so we have delicious green each night.  This heirloom variety provides yummy diversity (and some laughs at the names of the lettuce – “Amish Deer Tongue”!)  Add some strawberries and a balsamic vinaigrette, and you have an instant meal.  Perfect.

I have been reading like a speed demon – and if you keep up with me on GoodReads, than you know that I have been devouring graphic novels… still loving this genre.  I read the newest Sookie Stackhouse guilty pleasure, Dead in the Family,which left me a little non-plussed, but entertained.  I have plans for much more reading this summer – I am going to the library once a week trading in the ones that I read for the new ones I had on hold! Another book review post will be coming soon.   I should be turning my eyes to the shelves full of books in my house…

Also watching season finales of some favorite television shows, name “LOST” and “Chuck”.  I was happy with both, for the record

The downtime would usually translate to more knitting time, but I haven’t been picking up the needles that much lately.  I am continuing my stashbusting efforts, but it seems like a lot of other things are vying for my time… and winning right now.  I did finish this scarf – a simple garter stitch number that was knit  side-to-side.  I used a wool/alpaca/silk blend (Elsbeth Lavold Silky Flamme).  I am calling it my Tree Bark scarf because of the ripply texture [Ravelry Notebook page].  The yarn has some thick and thin places which adds to the effect.  I threw in a couple of purl rows for some interest.  I like it, and it will be nice this next fall/winter.

I joined a new gym and am enjoying their “theater” room where you can work out on the equipment (ellipticals, treadmills, stair climbers, bikes) while watching a movie on the big screen.  What a novel idea!  They play fun movies too… I just got back from the gym and they were playing Mrs. Doubtfire, which I hadn’t seen since it came out.  So silly that I found myself laughing out loud more than once while on the treadmill!  I have a great friend who goes with me, so it’s fun to have that little standing date together each weekend.

My youngest sister is in town this weekend, and we are all looking forward to the visit from Mimi, Daniel, and Baby V at the end of June.  This coming Monday, my dad leaves for a 4-month assignment in  Juneau, Alaska.  …and you know me well enough to realize that the wheels started turning in my head planning a trip to visit!  We don’t have a date pinned down quite, but we have every intention of going.  Should be a great opportunity to see my dad, and for some amazing photography!

After a good deal of reluctance, I decided to join Twitter.  now I am wondering why in the world I waited so long.  I heard a lecture last week at a work-related conference that extolled this social networking tool and I realized that it could be a good thing… so, I gave it a try this past week.  And yeah, it’s great.  So, if you want to follow me… I am there.  It’s like mini-blog posts!

Kris and I are lucky to have some green space (albeit slightly larger than a postage stamp) surrounding our house, and from the time we moved in in December 2001, we have planned many ourdoor projects that utilize this space:  a small deck and a brick patio, several raised beds, a DIY pond project, a container garden, expanded edibles beds… and this year, realizing that there just wasn’t that much space left (well, we have two doggie girls, and we have to leave them some room to do their business!) we decided to go vertical.

It is still in the experimental stages – Kris and I constructed this box back in April and it still needs some tweaks (specifically when it comes to even distribution of water) but we are getting some nice looking greens growing from it, so it seems to be working on a pretty basic level!  Here’s how we did it:

Kris bought some boards and constructed this case – about 5 feet tall and 2.5 wide – and divided it into three sections.  The backing was left open, but with wooden slats placed about 2 inches apart.  The dividers were placed in at an angle to keep the soil from coming out, and a hole was cut in the middle to insert this wire mesh tube through the middle the case.  The hole is also cut in the top of the case.  We lined the sections with coconut husk fiber and then inserted this mesh tube.  The tube was then filled with river rocks.

A top soil and compost mixture filled in to each section.

Another layer of the coconut husk fiber to cover the soil.  With a razor, we cut small holes into the fiber to insert the seedlings / seeds. 

 Landscape fabric was stapled on top of the frame, and wooden slats were screwed into the frame .  We cut holes in the fabric to match the holes beneath in the cocout fiber.

Seedlings inserted!  then we propped up the frame, and secured it to the fence.  No soil spills!

The seedlings were started indoors awhile before, and we just transplanted them into the vertical frame.  We used the same salad green mixture that we put in the adjacent bed.  The hope is that the plants will grow out and then up, filling in the blank spaces with greens.  We are planning some additional planting in this bed so that we can have a staggered harvest (Kris and I love salad!) 

The only thing we have noticed is that the watering tube (filled with river rocks down the center) does not distribute the water as well to the seedlings on the far right and far left.  The water also tends to flow out the back of the frame.  So, some minor tweaks are needed. 

 This concept of the “living wall” is so amazing to me – mixing function and art.  If you are interested, there is LOTS of fodder online:

• Inspiring Vertical Gardens for Small Spaces, Low Impact Living Blog
• Patrick Blanc’s “Vegetal Walls” – true works of art- so beautiful!
• Ping Mag’s Vertical Gardening: The Art of Organic Architecture
• A simpler and more accessible approach to vertical garden using flower boxes

I want to take this idea and RUN with it…

We tend to focus so much on our edible gardening, but over the weekend, we planted some ornamentals – I got these foxgloves and corabelles at the nursery.  They are a nice addition to the front yard where we have some gladiolas and lilies preparing to bloom.