Objects of My Affection

I forgot to show you how the tomatoes held up while we were away.



It's a jungle out there -- but there are signs that some of the bigger fruits are going to ripen. I expect I'll be hovering over them til the first frost! Enough of that, you're probably bored with the garden anyway.

This blurry blob of approximately 1 yard of yarn is what I had left after binding off the Tuscany shawl yesterday.









I wasn't surprised that it looked like a total blob (photo to left) because I've seen other knitters' lace photos and I didn't expect to be charmed by simply getting the thing off the needles.










Once I began to get it blocked out, complete with ends darned but not clipped as per the various tutorials I found on line (Eunny Jang's was great -- I found the link on Ravelry of course) ....
I will confess to an absolutely overwhelming feeling of "wow, I actually made this!" Of course, I can see a couple of places where it isn't totally perfect (and I sure hope I haven't inadvertently photographed them for all of you to admire too) but I am really pleased with the way it turned out, and I am totally hooked on lace knitting now. I hope the recipient of this shawl will wear it in exotic locales and send pictures!

Here are 4 oz of lovely soft white Corriedale and 1 oz of dyed Corriedale from Grafton Fibers (oh, do I love their stuff -- can you say Darn Pretty Needles??) in an unbelievably gorgeous mix of purples and blues. I wish the colors would show up in the photo but it is thundering/raining again so I can't go back outside to try a do-over. Both purchased at Wool Away on Railroad Street in St. Johnsbury, a fine LYS.

D#1 has stuck to her decision and will swim this fall with the advanced practice group.

I am resisting the temptation to start making lists of what I have and have not accomplished this summer -- but cannot resist the addition of one more summer reading recommendation. If you haven't yet run across The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Barrows and Annie Shaffer, there are still a few official days of summer left.