Discovery!

It's easier to crochet (as long as the project is small) with a cat in your lap than it is to knit so encumbered.

Since Alyssa and Alexis are going to be moving in with me in the next week or so, I've been moving some things out of the 'loom room' - principally the loom, which is now in the back room along with the knitting machines, sewing machine, drum carder and other fiber processing equipment, and the laundry equipment. I came across a canvas bag there with a bunch of balls of yarn and neatly-labeled crocheted swatches. They were from my attempt about a year and a half ago to teach some Girl Scouts and their mothers to crochet. (I am not a teacher!) There was also a Crochet Today magazine, which had an article about the 'Caps to the Capital' campaign, with a simple pattern for crocheted baby caps. I made four of them yesterday and have done two so far today. Yes, I know the campaign is over, but I'll find some place to donate them. Anyway, that's when I made the aforementioned discovery. Ginger likes to lie on my lap (and sometimes play with my yarn) while I knit, but that is really annoying. However, her being on my lap was not a problem when crocheting such a small project.

The 'loom room' will be Lexi's room. She'll have to put up with all of my craft books and magazines being in there - there is no place else that I can put those shelves. She and I moved her cot in there last night, so she slept there. My room looks bigger without her cot in it. This morning we decided that the bookshelves holding coned thread can be placed along a short wall in my bedroom. She'll help me move them when she gets home this afternoon. That will make space for a piece of furniture she has for books and toys. We'll get it all figured out eventually.

Gardening
These pictures are the ones I tried to upload last week, but couldn't. The lilac is now completely finished blooming. It's still an attractive bush for the rest of the year, just doesn't look like a giant bouquet.

Probably no one else takes pictures of dandelions, but I think they're pretty - cheerful. The hosta, of course, will not bloom for a couple of months, but it is growing well.

The dogwood is losing its petals - the ground is almost white around it.

The iris will continue to bloom for a while, and there are clumps of it in other parts of the yard that are just now beginning to bloom.

This is the only bleeding heart that I have. I really want it to spread.

I've been outside for about half an hour this morning, mostly weeding, but I did spray some Roundup in a protected corner. There's more area I want to spray, but it's too breezy.

While I was looking for things in the shed, I found the two canvas chairs with arms that I thought had been 'lost' - borrowed by Alyssa and Andy and not returned. I'm glad to find them.

Quilt Show Luncheon

Last week was the annual quilt show and contest in Paducah of the American Quilters Society (their museum there is really worth a visit if you're in the area). My church, Grace Episcopal, has been serving a lunch on Friday during 'quilt week' for the past twenty years. Two years ago I helped serve, but this year I only attended. My college friend Jerene came from California for the show, and I met her and her two aunts (from central KY) at the luncheon. It was really nice to spend some time with her and catch up on what's going on in our lives.