Red Salamander

We saw a red salamander today in the woods.  Its spots looked golden in the light.

Spent the weekend trying to lose myself, but wherever I went, there I was.

Angel's Rest

Finished these socks for Mom last week and loved knitting them.  Its a quick pattern (Peak Experience from Fiber Trends) and so pretty to me.  The colors of the yarn (Opal) remind me of baseball.  I love Opal.  It doesn't have as much softness as others, but I know these will last for years. 

Three pairs down, three to go for her.  I have a self imposed goal of sorts to finish by October.  It took me 19 days to finish Angel's Rest.  October is quite a while away, but I haven't started a few other projects yet - a hat for a co-worker, Tom's socks of the year, Fall shawl, Aunt Fran's birthday shawl.... and so it goes. 

Doing a sugar roll to check for mites with the bees later!   They seem to be doing really well.  We moved too fast by putting honey supers up and so removed them a couple weeks ago.   Solaris (hive #1) had 60% of the second brood chamber filled out.  We will be able to see how Helious is doing this afternoon.   We got them so late in the season, they are still building their colonies. They've been foraging in the clover and I hate to, but I have to mow the lawn.  

Soft and Drowsy

Soft and drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and dale in slumber sleeping,
Love alone his watch is keeping -
All through the night.

~Old Welsh Air

Baby, its HOT outside!

We were alarmed at dusk this evening to see so many honeybees outside their hives.  Turns out, they seem to be "bearding" - clustering outside to help drop the temperature inside.  Once things get a little cooler, they'll go back inside.

Both hives now have an extra super and two short supers.  I am not sure, but think there is a honeyflow going on.  There are bees zooming absolutely everywhere - in the garden, the trees, and the birdbaths have upwards of 30 bees at a time.   Its like an amusement park in the yard. 

Happy Independence Day!

Stuck in traffic

On our way to see Further, stuck in traffic and working on this cool sock.

Finished Socks

A few pairs of socks I finally finished.

Modified Rib Fantastic Socks from Knitting Socks With Handpainted Yarn, Colinette Jitterbug, color Lagoon:




Elegant Socks from Knitting Traditions, Winter, 2010, Opal.



Rough Weather, from Think Outside the Sox, Cherry Tree Hill Yarn Supersock, color River Run. My first toe-ups that came out right. Beautiful pattern.

Happy Canada Day to our fine neighbors up north!