Stamina...where did you go?

I can't imagine that a measly flu-like bug would leave me sooo worn out, but it has.

So instead of knitting and crocheting, I find myself being really intrigued by the tiny house movement...

Wow.  I thought I was the only freak that wasn't interested in owning a Mcmansion.  Having lived in some smaller spaces, I find it really isn't a hardship at all.  So much less to clean, and one really has to frequently assess how much (or little) clutter they can stand.

Isn't it lovely?

I've kind of taken a liking to this house plan here.  The Loring house is a similar façade, but I really prefer the staircase option provided by B-53.  A really nice, traditional look, no?

Would definitely like to add this to the book collection!

We did check out this great book from the library, which was reviewed here.  Too bad the book isn't in front of me now as I saw quite a few cute, adaptable plans.

We do have a super cute travel trailer that we've kinda been fixing up.  Sadly, it's begun to leak somewhere around this large window.  The previous owner confessed that it did leak around the sink, but that turned out to be a cracked "T" joint.  The Ponderer worked on the roof, but I swear the leak is somewhere in the wall or around the window itself.

Views of the dining/kitchen area.  You can see the place where the heater goes.

We've camped (dry) in it before and really, really like it.  We've yet to test the hot water heater, but everything else works pretty well, after replacing the wall heater.  We've not done a whole lot to it, save new coats of paint, and a really good cleaning.

The Ponderer reclining on the couch/bed area.

I did sew new curtains and cushion covers.  Then we tie-dyed them.  THAT was fun.  The mattress cushion was really rather interesting and yet infuriating to sew up.  I ended up just making a copy of the original cover, so I could make better usage of the yardage.   And my sanity.

The camper would definitely prove to be a challenge to live in full time.  I do love my crafty stuff, and would never be able to store all my supplies in a space that small.  I really love this space, but I also like a space that is better rooted to the ground.  Like on a foundation.  Tornadoes, doncha know.

So, when I can convince my stamina that it's in its best interest to hang out with me for a while, I'll have to see what I can further pare down.  And dream of teeny tiny houses.

Here's

something to smile at while convalescing:

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　すごいいですね。

I tell you,

being sick just plain sucks...

My goodness...

I think there used to be a blog here, right?

I managed to get whatever bug is floating around...I'm still coughing like an old Ford truck, but at least I know I'm alive.  I think.  I actually left the house today to do a little shopping for my mom, and I can't believe how wiped out I got just pushing a cart around.  You'd think that I would have had a lot of extra time to get a super amount of knitting done, but sadly, I wasn't able to do much.  Not snagging extra opportunity to knit=really friggin' sick.

But I did manage to get a little knitting done...

one more tier should make the foot just right in length

pretty good looking heel, there

you know I can't wait to weave all those ends in, right?

So you can see that I managed to make it around the heel with out jacking it up too badly. Yay.  I think one more tier for the foot and it'll be time to shape a toe.  A small toe, at that.  Oh, yeah and a cuff, too. And drat, another whole sock.  Kinda makes you wish that people were monopeds--right?

So....

 I frogged out the heel cup that I knitted the other day.  I'm done sulking about it, and picked it back up.

So Ms Heel, we meet again.

I had forgotten to not pick up the stitches along the sides of the stretchy hexagons, and did it anyways.  So I'm trying it again...I think I may have got it right.  But I'm not weaving in any ends until I'm sure.

There's the gap that I should have left the other day...

Wish me luck with that one, eh?

 The Ponderer decided to put the feeder back on the bee hive.  While the sisters ARE growing in numbers, the weather has been soo poopy for flower production, he feared that the hive would lose strength and dwindle away.

The Ponderer feeding the sisters

These girls seem really even tempered...they hardly need any smoke to get some work done.  Of course they fly up and around him as he works, they don't really seem all that interested in stinging.

Today we found them lounging on their front porch again.  which is a great thing to be doing when it's hot.

Some of the girls hanging around

And now it's time for a quick dip in the pool...

I got nuthin'

I was sooo pumped about the hexagon sock, I really was.  I happily knitted along, making the smooth hexes for the back of the heel.  Then knitting the bottom of the heel.  As I went to pick up for the sides, I realized I had done it wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

So out it came.  And I'm starting again...tomorrow.

The buzz from the bees...and other stuff...

The sisters seem to tolerate the heat better than we...although it was a little disconcerting to see them lounging on their porch.

The Ponderer found the queen rather uneventfully, thank goodness, as brood production seems to be kind of slow....maybe it's the heat.

So far no honey production in the supers that were added a week or two ago...maybe we should consider putting food in the upper super again.

This year I'm sure is going to be another hard one for the sisters...last year most bee keepers that we talked to remarked about how very poor honey flows were.  Perhaps this year will be a ditto.  I just hope we can keep them alive and healthy until next spring.  

I got kind of brave and slowly eased my way down to get within 8 feet of the hive...these bees seem really rather docile.  Not one bothered to greet me.  Next time I'll scoot a little closer.  Our camera doesn't take near as nice a close up pic as Senior's camera.

In other news....

The hexagon sock is progressing nicely now; I'm ready to begin the heel portion.  I think I understand which hexes to pick up around to turn the heel...that's going to be fun!

For those who celebrate the 4th, I hope it's a fun and safe one!

Round and round...

go the hexagons in this sock.  I'm working the third tier.  I decided to go ahead and knit the third tier after all.  I slipped the cuff on my leg and I think it's going to be fine with it.

The Koigu really rocks this pattern, eh?


Here's a pic of my little gardening companion, Ollie.  He's such a sweetie, even as he trips me up.  I swear I can walk No. Where. without him weaving around my legs.  I told myself I wouldn't get attached to him, but how could you not?

Monday's mish-mash

So we actually got a little rain late last night!  Boy was I surprised to hear thunder...I had thought i was hearing fireworks, but then I noticed flashes of light accompanying the booms.  Cool!  We need every drop.  I think we got right around 1/10 of an inch...and just a tee tad more this afternoon.

The garden hasn't quite burnt up yet, and almost looks good from this angle...but I bet I'll be waiting until fall to finish the wattle fence at this point.  It's still too friggin' hot to do much else but complain about the heat! LOL

The crook-neck squash has completely over run its allotted space.  Didn't plan for that much expansion!

The slicing tomato's are finally beginning to show some color. Yippee!

And it looks like the sweet potatoes might recover from the ground hog's taste testing.


And on the knitting front, I've picked up another old WIP from the marooned basket.  These are Hexagon Socks from the Think Outside the Sox book.  I really enjoy working on these, but when I started them, it was too distracting to look at the pattern and listen to doctors. And keep Dad from falling out of bed.

The yarn is Koigu 424 lot 44.  I've got three skeins, and I wonder how much of it I'll use.  I've heard these are yarn eaters, and I'm thinking of shortening the leg.  I've got really stubby legs and long socks just look......wrong on me.

I love this construction, and hope to get these finished before ANOTHER year goes by.

Hmmmm...

Just wondering when the heat is going to loosen its grip on us...Hopefully sooner rather than later.

Really missing this right now...

The garden is nearly burned up, and I can't decide whether to pull everything out and wait for August, or keep on watering and hoping the plants can make it through.  Harvests are poor now, because of the stress that they're enduring.  Very tempted to begin rain dances in earnest for some relief.  Hopefully the fall garden we're planning will be much more productive.


The Girls are really feeling the heat as well...although they don't quite get the notion that the really cold bottle is there for them to lean on, not threaten their existence.  Glad that chickens are suspicious little biddies, but yeesh...at least they accept the fan.


I hear that if you burn fern fronds, it will rain....I must test this theory, and soon.