Friday, August 31, 2007

Still no knitting

But there are kitties!

Marble and Granite


Puddles

Marble


More Marble

Granite washing


Granite - stripes and spots


Granite - showing off his orange eyes

Kinneared


Bunny and Granite - is he about to lick .... or bite!

It didn't start out this well


Bunny watching (over) sleeping Granite

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

No knitting possible

I tried working on one of the projects I wanted to have for the KW Fair the other day and was attacked by both Marble and Granite who thought that the yarn should be a play thing for them and to heck with finishing the body of the Celtic Deams/Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed sweater. I will try again on the weekend but might have to resort to locking the cuties in the kitchen.

In any event I will have what I can get done - even unfinished at the show. If you can find me - they have me stuck in the far back corner so you will have to go looking for me. As this is my 5th year, I would have expected a better spot - Grrrr.

I have managed to do some beading and have many stitch markers ready for show - small and medium ones in a variety of semi-precious stones - natural, some reconstituted and some stabilized - all interesting IMHO. I made a Coral and silver necklace for myself too - but the kits were very interested in the bead wire and that was it.

I inaugurated my new light box for photographing stock today - see the Colinette Jitterbug Nearly Solids - photos courtesy of my son Christopher. It was much easier to get the colours right and much easier than fighting with my scanner that consistently reads multiple colours and anything green poorly.

Better I think

Sadly the summer of chamber music has come to an end. Last night's Clarinet Quintets (we played Brahms and Mozart - both fabulous pieces) brought it all to a radiant close. It was truly the summer of Brahms for me - Sextets, Quintets, Piano Quintet and the Clarinet Quintet - all glorious and if you haven't heard them, you are in for a treat if you go and buy CDs of any of them. I think my favourite Brahms is the one I happen to be playing at that moment!


Kittens are well - growing and playing and getting into the kinds of mischief that only a kitten can. Granite on the left and Marble on the right.

How about a weekend of knitting to celebrate Labour Day! Sounds good to me!

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Home additions

Playing with my camera and testing out a new lens to use for close-up product shots

This is my daughter:

Pink miniature roses on my garden table:

David Austin rose - VERRRY close:

Sanguisorba - growing great guns this year:



Beanny/Bunny who until yesterday was the youngest (hnnnnn!)


Puddles who is now the oldest:

And the home additions I was talking about?

Babies - almost 4 months - brothers and now happily ensconced in the kitchen while they get used to the house and us and the menagerie:

Introducing.... Granite:


and Granite's markings:



And his brother ..... Marble:


And Marbles markings:

Cute

No knitting to report - too busy playing with the babies

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Quick post since it has been so long!

Disgustingly long since I blogged last.

Many things - both good and bad have been going on

The good:

Music - much Brahms (both string sextets, both string quintets (like the later one better), clarinet quintet, piano quintet) - definitely the summer of Brahms!

Knitting of socks (Sockittome, some socks of the month - August's and what may be September or October's, some lovely merino from Wilton Rd that was a birthday pressie from Ainslie)

Crocheted beaded necklaces - 2 sizes of seed beads - one with extra dangly bits and one without

Knitted wire with beads and stone chips (lapis - better than chocolate and a lovely blue) - little bracelets which my daughter will finish off for me with a toggle or something

Stitch markers .... many many stitch markers (yes - got a little carried away - but small and pretty)

A week off. Many hours were spent at Home Depot choosing light fixtures and tiles and other assorted house related things, but it was a nice week off

Movies - Becoming Jane - loved it, Bourne Ultimatum - loved it, Ratatouille - cute

Reading Jane Austen - inspired by Becoming Jane to buy (yes I have other copies) a full set of her 6 novels and started reading Sense and Sensibility (must read in publication order after all!). Have about 200 pages left of Bleak House too. Must finish before Labour Day

All good

The bad thing:

We lost our Pumpkin Seed - best cat in all the world and brother to Lollipop (who we lost in June). Probable Pancreatic Cancer or Lymphoma. He is missed by all of us. I was there when he was born and there too at the end. 1988 to 2007 - a good long life for a wonderful fellow.