turtleknits

It was my birthday earlier this month and I got great gifts. Among them was a new camera and so I have been taking hundreds of photos. A close up of the flowers I got from DH and daughter A lovely bowl in which I've planted a few lilies and am looking forward to watching them grow and flower. This is a lovely cream 'Clapotis' scarf which my sister took the trouble to knit for me. Its in lovely baby bamboo yarn and feels really soft.

Happy St Patrick's Day everyone. I've no plans for the day yet, except maybe to take a spin on this lovely Spring morning.I have not been to the St Patrick's Day Parade for years, not since my children were much younger. Spent a lovely morning though in Dublin city yesterday, just browsing and having coffee and lunch. Very pleasant. A few weeks ago I went to the Avoca yarn sale in Avoca Handweavers in Co Wicklow. We had a really lovely day, and lunch with knitting friends. Didn't add too much to the stash this year though. Just some lovely soft brown wool/maybe alpaca mix and this gorgeous pale grey possibly wool or wool mix or maybe cotton/wool. I've no idea what the yarns are , but they are really nice, and I've no idea what I'll do with them. Then the fabric, which feels like a linen/cotton mix, and I hope to make a shirty top with that some time! This scarf I knit for my daughter recently. It started out as a fine knit scarf from some 'jitterbug...

Intermittent blogging for me lately. I've had a very busy time for the last 2 months, and so have not had my mind on blogging. Have been doing some knitting, photos later, but only small projects which is only using tiny pieces from my stash. Thanks to Isobel and Diane who suggested 'flashing your stash' a while ago, I had to look the stash in the eye and feel guilt ridden for having so much and so little time to do anything with it. And then I won and got a cake of beautiful Rowan yarn to add to the stash!!!! My daughter had her debs at the beginning of September, DH graduated with his BA in Psychology, then my Mam took sick and so no knitting much Then on Thursday last, I got my invitation to Ravelry. Oh my God what am I going to do with this? Now fellow bloggers I've copied you all in setting up the blog in the first place and I've really enjoyed it, so I just had to apply also to join Ravelry. Hopefully this will be a smooth ride for me, cos I'm not great ...

On Saturday, my DH ( www.prendoponder.blogspot.com ) (I'm sure he will start blogging again soon now that he has the time) got the results of his Arts degree, which he studied arduously for over a period of 6 years, extracuricularly. And he got a 1st class hons in it too. Well done!!! and Congratulations to you.!!! Yesterday, July 1st was very showery and grey in the afternoon. Spent a lovely morning in the city , having delicious coffee and chocolate and a nice lunch. Then home, intending to sit out in the garden a while, but rain forbade it and so to the couch and some tv. Well a great treat was in store - concert for Diana. While I did not see it all, what I did was really good and uplifting. I really love music. Tom Jones, Bryan Ferry, Take That, P Diddy, Elton John, Rod Stewart were all brilliant. Andrew Lloyd Weber and the excerpts from his many wonderful musicals by artists such as Donny Osmond, Jason Donovan, the new 'Joseph' Lee Mead, Sarah Brightman, Andrei Bocc...

My sister, fellow knitter and absolute dog and animal lover lost her poor dog Sandy to illness on Friday last. If you have the time perhaps you could go on over to her blog www.craftydogs.blogspot.com and leave a word of comfort.

Yesterday, my daughter and youngest child G was 18 years old. No longer a child but now an adult, sitting her Leaving Cert next week. Not a great time for birthday celebrations and party is postponed until July. Her friends also have 18th birthdays around this time so July I think will be party busy for her and them. This is a happy and a sad time. Happy to be finishing her years at school and moving on to other things, but sad to be missing friends who have been together for the last 6 years at this school. While there are plenty of friends, the core group are about 8. The morning started out quietly. Brother was expected over mid morning and her sister is away on holiday. We were just relaxing, having coffee etc, as you do on a Sat morning. G got a phone call about 10.15, early for a teen. She was told to go outside, but there was no one around. We live in a cul de sac with a bend at top of the road. Suddenly around the bend came 7 friends, hands linked across the road, birthday hats...

Monday morning blues or should that be pinks? Why you might ask? Well those gorgeous hats whose pictures I posted yesterday, are now only one! Just discovered that daughter G thinks its been left in the local cinema. Well if I was wondering what project to pick up next........................ Will I knit her another,you might well ask, well I probably will, out of love and care etc and fear she might get one of her colds. So will have a look in the stash for some suitable yarn and if I get all of Monday's planned jobs done who knows but I might just start another 'newsboy cap' from the good ole Stitch n Bitch Nation. That's that off my chest then, and I feel better.