Imagine, I could blog something...

Really it hasn't been conducive to blogging around here, unless you're a canine bent on doing a new thing every day for 100 days.

Teach Yourself Visually Circular Knitting has a COVER!

That is always a very good sign - it makes things seem more real somehow. We are doing some last-minute editing but they assure me that we're on time for a May 11th debut. I don't think I've ever known of a book that launched on time before. I know mine have not.

I am going to New York in a week to teach at Lion Studio, and I am very excited about it! I love the city! I am bringing my daughter along with her friend Mooch. They can see the sights while I teach on Sunday. Girl's birthday is in there somewhere, so it's a birthday present of sorts. If you are in New York, I'd love to meet you - come and learn how to knit socks 2-at-a-Time from the toes up on Sunday March 27th!

I have been working on some patterns.

The Blueberry Peak socks still have no photos to accompany the finished pattern which I find frustrating, but circumstances have conspired against me of late. Now I have a backlog -

I designed these two cowls using Artyarns Cashmere Glitter and Ensemble Glitter, but I need models to wear them also. The good news is that I have models, possibly, for Thursday.

I also did a swatch for a project for someone's book. I love the yarn. It is Valley Yarns Charlemont, the same as the Blueberry Peak socks.

The pattern... you will have to just wait and see. But I like it a lot.

Aside from all this knitting stuff (!), it is spring on the farm and that means busy. The weather has not been cooperative at times, but things are moving ahead anyway. For example, chicks come this week, the first round of meat birds. Layers come next month. Somewhere in there I need to cull the old hens and reduce the number of roosters. Culling is not my favorite job, but it is essential to maintaining a healthy flock. The new birds we got to lay for us will be healthier and better if the older girls who are not in lay are gone. They are not wasted - they make great soup stock and fricassee. But choosing who stays and who goes it difficult work.

Seedlings can be planted soon, which is always a hopeful sign. After this very long and snowy winter it will be good to see signs of life. There is not yet much outside. The snow is still thick nearly everywhere. There is melting around the barn, and the birds have been out more of late. But the cooler parts of the yard are still white and cold. There is rain tomorrow, and I can hope that it washes away some more. I will be glad to see the last of winter. Peas are always planted on the first day of spring, and I doubt I will be able to get to the box they belong in by then.

Soon it will be summer and things will be in full swing again. I miss my deck and Saturday afternoons more than anything I think. The brook behind me and the chickens wandering the yard. I will be glad to have that back.

I am going to do a give-away in May to celebrate the launching of this new book of mine and a new website with a shopping cart and downloadable patterns. There will be yarn and books and bags and things. Stay tuned for more details!