Still Here

I have neglected this space of late -- not because of any dearth of images, items to report, or lack of interest on my part, but simply because I have been working just about non-stop since my last post. Even this lovely holiday weekend has been intruded upon by thoughts like "shouldn't you actually be getting a jump on your comments?"



So to distract you from that horrid reality, I give you some of R's most recent photos, taken at the pond behind D#2's school. I love the egret with the fish --

Recently, Younger Daughter and one of my advisees made these creatures below:

Today I got to see my brothers and their families, which was lovely. It doesn't happen enough. I can't show any of the pictures yet, though. It's a secret.

Last Sunday, one of the nicest people I've ever had the good fortune to know died of the cumulative effects of leukemia and the aggressive treatment measures she and her partner chose to try. She was diagnosed last spring, tried chemo etc., had a bone marrow transplant in January, but when the leukemia cells came back in April she just could not continue to fight. Her son graduated from college on Saturday and was able to be with her at the end, the next day. She was a thoughtful scholar, a good writer, and a steadfast friend. My circle of friends is much diminished by her loss.

And this is what I'm going to do for the next hour instead of working:

Quickly ...

This Queensland Sugar Rush leaped into my hands when I was last at Stitch House. I think it wants to be the Tiger Eye Lace Scarf ... right now I'm using size 6 needles and that seems about right. This yarn is a little splitty but it is SO soft and delicious, and I love the color. So I just won't make too many mistakes (says the knitter/math teacher who had to rip out the first repeat of this thing three times because she apparently can't COUNT ...).

I did finally finish the socks I started in the dark on the bus home from the New England Prep School Swim championships ...

and here's my friend with her very first FO, a scarf in Sunshine Yarns' Edward...
Doesn't she look proud of herself? Welcome to the dark side, I say.

Here are a few other things I know: the summer swim meet season begins next weekend and continues in a whirlwind until the end of July, I am woefully disorganized as far as summer plans go, the Red Sox should play the Yankees and only the Yankees this season, and I need a foolproof way to keep Tessie from gnawing on everything in sight, including all of the humans in the house. (She has many chew toys of various sorts but it isn't always enough)

May? It's May?

Look at these delightful heart-shaped leaves, above. The catsura is delighted that spring is here!
Below, a packet of butterfly/hummingbird seed mix that I dumped into the planter in a fit of wishful thinking has now germinated ...

Here are a few pumpkin seedlings beginning to think about growing.

And a hyacinth, rescued from a potful of forced bulbs ....

So I guess it really is spring! I have been knitting spring, too -- I am currently obsessed with flower washcloths in dyed Blue Sky cotton, about the softest cotton I've ever used.



When I was at Stitch House the other day with my friend and her baby, I bought some more, one skein in an deeper orange-y colorway and one in cream. I'm using the Rebecca Mercier pattern from last year's pattern-a-day calendar and circular size 7s. I also bought some Queensland Sugar Rush in a silvery purple -- YUM! This might turn into a Tiger Eyes scarf.

I don't mean to ignore the fact that I've ignored the blog of late. Things have been, as my students would say, mad busy. But I'm thinking about some fun things to do this summer, and today I got some non-school reading when we went to our newly-renovated, newly-reopened town library.