Deb on the Web

And those photos

By having another day I actually have a couple more photos to add to this post.
Let's talk garden first--I thought I'd gotten a photo of my peas ready to climb up the trellis (nice that no one pulled it down last year) and one of the just planted pansies.  But alas you will have to use your imagination.  Here instead are the starts that now reside in different parts of the garden. 
I just love violas and pansies.  I add a few in as plants and started some seeds.  In the starting to pop up from last year category the chervil is coming right along.  I love a bit in salads and it's always good sauteed with a little butter over cheese ravioli.  The parsley, marjoram, sage and thyme also survived the massive amounts of snow we've had this year.  Look at this poor rosemary It had so much snow piled on it!  It is mainly alive just flat.
One bright spot of Spring in the house as it really poured the last couple days

And on to knitting--
Here is the finished stole (not finished in 7 days, but 10 wasn't bad) This is a gift for a very helpful Italian friend.  I loved knitting with the Woolen Rabbit lace weight and the drop stitch pattern was fun (although I highly recommend addy turbo lace needles), but I just don't think I would ever wear this stole myself.  The drop stitches kept catching on my ring and had to be worked back into the pattern.  Luckily my friend is not a big jewelry wearer.
This was the next project on the dock A hat pattern (Windward) from Going Straight--knitted hats.  That is a ravelry link--here is the download link  Yep, the entire book was downloaded.  I love that idea--I've only been printing the patterns as I make them and I love that I can print the written portion and not the charted pages.  Yarn is Lime and Violet Sasquatch in "Cha Cha".  That has been sitting in my stash awaiting the perfect project for over a year.  Here is a close up of the pattern  All the patterns in this book are knit side to side on straight needles.  Here are some progress shots This was started with a provisional cast on for grafting at the end.  Here she is waiting to be grafted.  This is a gift for a friend that recently found out she has breast cancer.  These are her colors, but I realized part way through the pick was more than appropriate.  I wanted this to be a light Spring hat, but I do think it might look better with a heavier yarn. 
Also slated to get finished before we leave town (5 days woooo!) is the main portion of the Icelandic shawl The white section will be finished soon (decreases by 8 st every other row).  I will leave it there for a while as you then pick up along the outside edge for the final portion.  The pattern stitches have given me all kind of ideas for other knits.
I came back into town this morning to a perfect in plane knit project!  My first installment has arrived for the The Verve sock yarn from Unique Sheep is really Springy!  The pattern is perfect for a multi-color project and I love that there is a separate sock key chain project as well:)  That is in the Leili yarn from the ladies.  In addition to the projects there are needle protectors (in socks of course) and you might spy a few jelly bellies sneaking in (to my mouth).

Enough for today!

A New Path...take 2

I really hate when I have an almost finished blog post freeze up and then disappear.  grrr

As I was saying earlier today...I am unemployed!  Without a job!  With an abundance of knitting time!  With a messy house and time to clean it (that part doesn't thrill me).  Basically, the husband and I had to acknowledge that the stress of two restaurants along with family matters and other health concerns was just too much.  Our partners over at Nostrana have been very gracious in buying us out and we are now back to one restaurant--Gino's.
And along the whole new path idea we are going to head over to Italy next month to research a new business idea.  If things work out we will be moving over for the summer!  Five months in Tuscany doesn't sound too stressful!
In the meantime there are all kinds of house cleaning and fixing projects to get finished.  My MIL dropped off something earlier and I thought she might fall over from looking at the mess!
We really took it easy this weekend (last week was looooong).  My dad has gone to visit my brother and we headed up to our mountain house.  I spent the weekend watching season 1 of 30 Rock and knitting these Kureyon slippers for the husband.  They are definitely taking their sweet time about felting!  How I wish I had a top loading washer for these moments.  The pattern is Fiber Trends "felted clogs".  A great pattern.  Perfect for a weekend knit!
Here is a work in progress photo of the Icelandic shawl I love how the colors look together.  The will be beautiful when finished!  Which will be a while still...
Off to listen to Michael Pollan tonight with my mom.  I haven't purchased his new book yet so this was a great opportunity as the ticket price includes In Defense of Food.  I have read most of what he has written, but have never heard him speak.  You can expect a review tomorrow.
Yes, I will have more blog time now:)

New blogs to me

I do love reading the daily chum!  In fact it has gotten me in trouble ($$) more than ten times once.  Today they led me to this interesting idea--Having someone knit socks for you out of your own yarn.  I don't know that I would do it, but as I look at my yarn pile it is something to contemplate;)

And Valentine's Day is coming up!  I see all sorts of ideas coming from this cute pattern.

And the not new to me but haven't read in a long time:
You know when there is an entirely new blog design it's been too long in between visits.
The last time I checked in with Kerrie baby #3 was in swaddling!  Now she has a yarn store and those kids are looking adorable and grown!
I don't remember why I stopped checking in here.  I love her photos and patterns.

Oh and if you can't remember on your own I will remind you--never knit lace while watching an action packing movie (War).  I spent the day tinking the Icelandic Shawl.  As much as I am loving Jagger spun yarn it doesn't like the re-knit (gets a little fuzzy and unravely).

My poor little daddy

I will only show one of these painful photos.  He can't list his arm to see what's going on so we took some pics today and also took off the bandages to see how he was healing.  He is healing well, but ow!!  There are a few cracked ribs to add to that broken arm.
I've taken the rest of the week off to help take care of dad.  This morning I started this project for napping.  I have wanted to knit this ever since Knitting Daily offered it.  Sarah's Yarn offers this Jagger Maine line kit which makes it very affordable.  I hadn't worked with Jagger spun before.  I really am enjoying it.
I'm also enjoying spending time with my dad and being able to help him as he has helped me way to many times in my life:)