Oh, my, it's June!!!

the beauty after the storm ................... then the FLOOD!!!!!

rainbow in Iowa City after Condo meeting June 11, 2008

Tuscan Rose in tuscan pot ~
tomatoes in tuscan pot on front porch

i have seriously been neglecting my blog! BUT, i HAVE been knitting obsessively (as my DH would tell you!) ~ i am trying to make a selection of baby sweaters to sell at my g'kids' school's St.Nicholas Mart in December ~ i've been gifting them to susan/teresa's 'mother' friends and received many nice compliments, so i figured 'why not?' ~ i also have 2 close knitting friends now that i socialize with: jackie & cindy ~ so now i will not be a knitter 'alone' ~ i still love my back deck for knitting so i can watch the fountains, birds, ducks, rabbits, etc in the neighborhood ~ this pic is the Knitting Daily post i made yesterday re: using the "it's in the bag" w/2 balls to make 2 baby sweater sleeves on 1 circular...(to prevent one from being too short!) ~ it worked beautifully! ~ & i received a really nice comment back!
my cousin, Mark, is a chaplain in Iraq and received a high honor! my sisters, pat & deb, are going in w/me to send his troop a box of 'requested' jerky! i pray he can come home soon ~ his wife, catherine, is suffering thru cancer treatments... another friend's son, dan, found out he can retire from the military in august as planned ~ & of course, the midwest is reeling from the Great Flood of 2008!!! cedar rapids, iowa city, etc are beginning the cleanup...so much in ruin! the mississippi now is in flood mode...the saga continues...

this is NOT something i really want to include from my past ~ my sister deb sent it because it shows flood damage to 12AveSW bldg (1 block from Cedar River) in Cedar Rapids where my grandfather, Deda, first worked (in curved doorway on right) for Western Fraternal Life Association (insurance) when we were little kids ~ and yrs later i(+my 1st husband) operated a bar in the left side(doorway)... past history i'd like to forget ~ the entire bldg may have to be demolished...???

now back to my knitting.......

my 1st try at 'dreadlocks' on a child size 'rasta' hat from annieModesitt's pattern!
baby shrug in 'bambi' colorway from DebbieBliss pattern 'Baby Picchu' from Berrocco free patterns!
this is my 'one arm longer!' raglan that prompted the KD post on 2 sleeves/1 circ!!!
Preemie Sleeper Sack #1 from Bernat Softee
Preemie Sleeper Sack #2 from Bernat Softee
'Provence' #3 for baby S. (family pic at Cattleyard Regina bb game)
Watercolor Bolero 2T from Caron Simply Soft - i LOVE the colors!!
Evan's (in red) last soccer game in June...his baseball was suspended indefinitely due to the flooded City Park in Iowa City... Ethan still plays at the Cattleyard

May...knits and more!!!

Evan 1st Communion w/Father Jeff May 3, 2008






Henry 1st communion w/Father Mike April 2008

Baseball season is here!!! Ethan swings at the plate at City Park tourney May 3-4, 2008

Lace Leaf shawl from Colinette Jitterbug Toscana sock yarn April 2008

Provence lace cardigan from Classic Elite Yarn site 6-9mo Caron Simply Soft May 2008

Lace Leaf shawl b4 blocking

Sweetheart ruffled db strand(green & white) Bernat Baby Softee 3-6mo from Rainbow Knits for Kids book May 2008

3rd Sirdar lace May 2008 Bernat Baby Softee pearl buttons May 2008

started my 1st shawl - Lace Leaf by Evelyn Clark April 2008

Picot-edged Tulip lace started in Mesa (March) sewn together May 2008 ~ Bernat Baby Softee 3-6mo Daddy's Little Girl book

Knitting, knitting, knitting everyday!!!

Sirdar lacey bonnet to accompany the sweater (Caron Simply Soft) finished April 15, 2008 w/icord ties #5 needles

Watercolor worsted acrylic (RedHeart) made up in a 2nd garter stitch (Beribboned) pattern using 10.5 needles...3T (28" chest) for my gd Greta!

Caron Simply Soft in garter stitch (Beribboned) baby sweater pattern using #9 needles...2T finished April 12, '08

this is the 2nd lacey Sirdar sweater set (hat finished 4-15-08) just like Monica's outfit!

pastel cotton 'Petal' dishcloths that i made in Mesa (march'08)...could be used as baby dresser doilies

this is Monica in her lacey sweater/hat set i made her for her birth! she has finally grown into it! her mom, Sheri, says she gets lots of compliments on it! i was so glad she wore it to the Regina music program so i could take this pic of her April 6, '08.

Birthday Jewelry-Making!

Alison at her bench @ Museum of Art in Mesa!

'3rd hand'

heating up the back

sawing the edges

rasping the back

burnishing the stone

2nd polish w/rouge

Gaspiite stone from Australia! This is the ring Alison made me for my birthday today! Thank you Alison!!!

Harmonica Band!!!

Nostalgics Trio + One provided entertainment at Fiesta Village March 5, 2008...I had never heard a harmonica band and loved their music! I visited w/them after...these are serious musical instruments!!
modulating harmonica








& expensive gold harmonica








world's 'tiniest' harmonica
and he played it for me!!








plus his stone covered harmonica
the Chicago drummer said I was a 'knit'wit!!!

bass harmonica - just like rhythm/blues!!








The Armed Forces medley and Maleguena were my fav!

MESA at last!!!

These pics should be a contrast to the snow pics!

"Play Ball!" statues in front of Hohokam Park in Mesa...
Reniassance Theatre provides the Star Spangled Banner...

Derrek Lee @ bat!!!

Feb ICE~SNOW~COLD~and 'Robin'!!

We have truly had the Winter of '08!

Several blizzards left 6-10"

My neighbors will marvel at the size of this icicle!!!

A 'well-endowed' robin sat on the tree branch today, then perched on St.Francis' head for a respite! (in Feb below zero)

Ethan's BB tournament...

Ethan's Regina 4th grade BB team @ tournament in WestBranch
Feb 2, 2008

Regina won the tourney w/medals!

Ethan

Ethan's cheering section:

Evan, Ethan,

mom-Teresa, Gma Sandy,
Gma Bev, GGmaWilliams,

Papa Terry, Gpa Terry, dad-Chris

(cousin Henry-not pictured)

G'ma & Greta to exercise class!!

G'ma Linda took Greta to her 1st 'gym' class earlier in Jan!! This is the 'jungle party room' mural where b-day parties happen!! We went around the gym circuit and Greta jumped in the 'pit' 3 times!! She is growing up so fast!!

Golf Club covers...

I made golf club covers for my son-in-laws since they both golf seriously. As more gsons start playing golf more seriously, I'm sure I will be making more of these~~ 'Spiral Rib' pattern from the web.

end of 2007 ... a very good year!

Character...