Goosies!

This is what it's like to live in the migration line- twice a year we see it. Last night I was lucky enough to have a camera handy.

Wanna hear what 10k geese all talking at once sounds like?

We could hear them inside the house. They're still here today, but they'll move on soon.

After while, crocodile...

Sit down...

Are you sat?

I've been knitting...

I know, whoda thunk? But I have proof.

 The Kristie Lee socks, colorway named after my friend Kris, who dyed the sock blank when she was here in October.

 The Jane Liz socks, colorway named after another friend, who wasn't in New Jersey when I dyed the yarn in my workshop.

 The Katie Mittens. Katie also wasn't in New Jersey. I love how the colors progress.

There was just enough of the Katie yarn left to do accent stripes in another pair of mittens.

But even more shocking than knitting, I've been doing some crocheting!

A friend posted this pic on my Facebook page, #1 because she knows adorable when she sees it, and #2, she thought I might be interested in making them.

My good friend Google provided the pattern link, which I posted on Facebook. I really wasn't interested in making those specific booties, but other friends were.

Though I wasn't interested in making those booties, because, you know, I don't crochet very much, the stitch intrigued me. And it kept intrigueing me, until I gave in yesterday and swatched...

 The written stitch pattern that I found wasn't very good- it left out steps and was, in general, confusing, so I'm not going to link to it (or name the author). I was able to figure it out pretty well on my own, and there are You Tube videos for the stitch. My Crocodile Scales aren't staggered, but still, they came out well.

The scales are heavy and time consuming, but oh so cute. I decided to work 3 rows of 6 scales for a mitten cuff, then I sewed the cuff together, and picked up 48 sts and finished knitting the mitten in my usual way.

I'm delighted. And after I finish the mate, I'm going to try some more scaley designs.

Oh the yarn- it's Decadent Fibers Cookie Dough in the Salsa colorway- wool and mohair. Totally yummy.

Pretty Pictures

Some of the recent Photo a Day Challenge Pics

 September 11 Hero: my son, the cancer survivor

 September 12: Frame

 September 9: Eerie (the door kept opening by itself)

September 8: Feet

 Oct. 12: Construction

 Oct 15: Fountain

 Oct 16: Wheel

 Oct 17: Fruit

 Oct 19: Letters

 Oct 24: Weather

Oct 8: Angle

 Nov. 4: Women

 Nov 5: Well-worn book

 Nov. 7: Tool

and finally Nov 1: Me, between age 5-20. This is 4th grade

Thursday Tab- Lowe 1958- Million Dollar Dolls

... and how!

P.S. Lowe used the silhouettes of these dolls in reprints for decades

For my US readers

That is all.

Biltmore, The Last. Also Grove Park Inn

I still have company and haven't been online much (things will get back to normal soon, I promise). But here are some more pretty Biltmore pics, plus a few from Grove Park Inn.

 Most of the foliage was gone, but here and there, we saw some color.

 This archway is at the far end of the Biltmore front lawn. It fronts the road that you have to drive past to get to the Winery. It's set up specifically for the Big Reveal of the house.

 I had never seen this turtle fountain before.

 I just like this shot.

 I'd never noticed these guardians before either.

 They're pretty stern looking.

 More color.

 It was too cold to get out and wander the Mum Garden, but I love how the design and color changes every year. I want socks in these colors.

 The Vanderbilt Crest, down in the tunnel leading to the winery.

 I like tunnels for some reason.

 We also stopped in at The Grove Park Inn, which is chock full of Art Deco splendor.

 You can't tell in this shot, but it was snowing rather heavily, which worried me since I had to fly out the next morning (too bad I didn't know that it didn't matter, I could have enjoyed the pretty flakes).

 The lobby of Grove Park has two huge fireplaces. This one was lit, and we were able to sit in rocking chairs in front of it and warm up (well, more likely, broil, but it felt good for a bit since it was very damp and cold outside).

 The view from the Grove Park veranda is stunning.

 Some day, I would like to stay there. After I win the lottery.

 They were putting up Christmas decorations while we gawked.

I do love transoms.

Okay, that's about it for trip pics (until late December, when we go to Portland). Now, it's back to work.