Valiant Return!

I am back, and I couldn't be happier about my decision to stay for 2 weeks in Ithaca. Sarah, whose futon I had been co-opting, might disagree with you, but for me, nothing could have possibly been more regenerative after a hellish year than spending time doing nothing with people I have missed desperately.

Ithaca, for those of you who are not familiar, is in the Finger Lakes region of central New York. It is an idyllic place in the middle of nowhere which is home to Cornell University and Ithaca College. Because of this, it is a very cosmopolitan place (if you could call hippies cosmopolitan) in the middle of very rural New York. Most people when I told them I went to school in New York immediately assume New York City. What other reason would one go to New York anyway? After I explain about not being in the city, their next question is inevitably, "Why?"

Well, folks, here's your "why":

Watkins Glen State Park

My question is, "Why not?" And, frankly, I'd take this view over New York City any day of the week. This is just one of the hundreds of incredible waterfalls I've seen in my 4 years in Ithaca. I went to Ithaca College and graduated with a degree in music. The campus is up on South Hill and overlooks Lake Cayuga. You can hardly be anywhere on campus without seeing the lake. My apartment last year had a lake view. It was on the top floor, and was also on the top of a hill, so we tore the curtains off the windows so we could see the lake 24 hours a day. At night, the lights snaking around the lake look like a swan.

Before I left, I asked my friend Sarah if her new cat, Maverick, knew how to behave around yarn. You know I wasn't about to spend 2 weeks without some yarn and needles, especially with my LYS within walking distance. She said she thought he did, and that she had yarn out around the house and that he didn't bother it. Well, here's my first attemt to photograph the ball of Moutain Colors Bearfoot that I wound:

And the second:


Notice the intent look on his face, and the way his paw is ever so delicately placed near the free end. We had words, he and I. It turns out that he does know how to behave around yarn, as long as it's not moving. If it's moving and attached to 4 dpns, well, it's nearly irresistable. We finally reached an agreement. When I was knitting, he pretended not to notice, and Sarah's Jaywalkers got finished with only minor incidents along the way. I don't have a pic of the finished Jaywalkers. Whoops. Here's what I remember.

Jaywalkers by Grumperina

Yarn: Mountain Colors Bearfoot (I forget the colorway)

Needles: size 0 dpns

Mods: Just shortened the top of the sock by about an inch. This would have been perfect for me and my voluptuous calves, but could have probably followed the pattern for Sarah.

And that stash that I swore I didn't have?

Um, yeah, about that.... I seem to be developing a little yarn stash. Sock yarn stash to be exact. My LYS, Homespun, was having a sale because of the Ithaca Festival. Everything was 20% off. I decided that this would be a good time to do my Christmas shopping.

3 skeins Brown Sheep Wildfoote in Camel.

Destined to become a pair of Gentleman's Shooting Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush for my Dad

1 ball Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Aran in #416 to become Dashing for my brother

1 skein Moutain Colors Bearfoot in Rosehip to become (probably) another pair of Jaywalkers for my mom (since the last pair were so cool)

This last skein of Moutain Colors Bearfoot in Mountain Twilight is mine, all mine, you can't have it, my precious.

I had to show you that last skein because you absolutely cannot beat the colors and feel of this yarn. My pics do not do it justice. Someday I'm going to be able to take non-crappy photos. They are so rich and saturated. The colors have this amazing blend - subtle but unmistakable. And the yarn is soft enough to make you want to sleep with it at night.

The rest of the yarn is not earmarked yet, and that's ok. I'll save it for when I'm between projects and in need of some palate cleansing.

And for those of you who were wondering how Thermal is going? I finished the body before I left, and I tried it on. It's going to fit like a dream.

Now if I can only lose the 7 pounds I put on with all the celebrating that's been going on lately...