Blithering Knitiot

Time with the Boys

The place: Easton Mountain
The time: This past weekend
The event: Men's Spring Knitting Retreat organized by Joe and Ted.
Thirty two men gathered from across the country and Canada to knit, spin, teach and share knitting and spinning.  We also shared much laughter, excellent food and stories of our lives.  It's really difficult to express how special and almost magical this past weekend was.  So, I'll give you some photos to share some wonderful memories from some men who knit.

The Guest House at Easton Mountain:

Joe, Scott and Sean knitting during Show & Tell:

More knitting:

One of Ted's shawls.  Ted is a master lace knitter, and I was fortunate to attend a lace knitting workshop run by him.  Maybe someday I, too, can knit something this spectacular:

A beautiful Saturday evening sky:

My favorite pictures from the weekend show exactly what the weekend was about - men getting together and sharing and helping and enjoying the process of knitting.  Sunday morning my friend Van was getting some help from Ted with his very first sweater:

Is that a look of concentration, or what??

The weekend was a very special moment in time, and I think we all walked away with some very wonderful memories, and a sense of community that will always hold an important place in our hearts.

Now, I have some lace knitting to practice.  Have a great night.

Hey

Just a little post to check in and let you know that I'm still alive and kicking.

For Rodger: yes, the trip to NYC was about the concert at Carnegie Hall, and it was magnificent.  The Hall itself is absolutely stunning and the acoustics are amazing.  We had a center balcony box for Mom and myself and my brother and his wife and friends of theirs.  It was also interesting to hear from the band's manager about working behind the scenes with the Carnegie Hall people.  Not as easy as one might think, but I won't comment on their experiences with them...

I've not posted in a while because school and directing the HS musical "She Loves Me" has been taking up much of my time, and well as the new college position I'm undertaking.  These college kids are a riot!  And not only are they coming to me with some talent to work with, they are loving the music I have picked out for them, and are attacking it with great gusto!  It's becoming a highlight of my week!

Other than that, things are just busy and I'm trying very dilligently to find some semblence of balance, which is always difficult for me even when I'm not as busy as I am at the moment.  I'm also trying a little bit to have a social life, and have met a couple of guys that I've had dinner with - which is really all I'm looking for at the moment.  After one of them called me (after two dinners, which is all I thought was going on) to exclaim "I just can't be your boyfriend!  I can't, I can't, I can't!!!!", I'm thinking:

A.) Maybe I'm going about this all wrong,
B.) Maybe I'm giving the wrong impression, or
C.) The issues here aren't mine... 

After a little phone conversation, the answer to THAT one is C.  Oy...  I'll still  go about trying to meet people and see where it goes...

So that's it for now.  Just trying to keep my head above water and trying to figure out what's next.  I'm feeling pretty burned out by it all, and thinking maybe it's time to move on to something new.  Although I haven't a CLUE as to what that might be...

Have a great day.

A Little Trip

Mom & I had a great time in NYC a couple of weeks ago. 

We traveled by train from Utica, because it was easy and really inexpensive.  Union Station is lovely, with lots of marble and long oak benches:

Upon reaching Penn Station, a taxi took us to our hotel, The Wellington.  The location was great - just a block from Carnegie Hall for Bob's concert, and a short walk to the Ambassador Theatre to see Chicago (John Schneider was starring as lawyer Billy Flynn, and it was his first week in the role.  He was actually quite good...).

We did spend some time walking around NYC, and upon a suggestion of a friend, we went to the observation deck of Rockefeller Center.  The views were just terrific!  It was a windy day in the mid 40's, but sunny and bright!

And from below:

And it wouldn't be a trip to NYC without a little time in St. Patrick's Cathedral:

Mom had a great time, and I'm sure we'll be going back in the future.

Hey there!

Happy New year to you all out there in Blog land!  I hope the new year is being kind to you and getting back to work hasn't been too traumatic if you didn't have to work over the holidays. 

I've really got nothing new to report here, life has been very quiet for the past week or so.  The HS musical I'm directing has been cast (not without a little drama, but I guess that's what High School is all about...?), and the actors have been busy memorizing lines (hopefully), and rehearsals will start soon.  Then I will have basically no chances for a social life of any kind for a few weeks (like I had a social life to begin with.  *grin*).  But working with the kids and watching them grow as actors and singers is always a hoot, so it's worth the time spent with them.

I am taking a couple of pesrsonal days to take my Mom to NYC in a couple of weeks.  My Mom has never been to NYC, and we will actually be spending time with a couple of my brothers there.  This man, Bob DeAngelis, a professional Clarinetist from Toronto, is my oldest brother's brother-in-law.  Bob is performing a tribute to Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall, so we thought it was the perfect event to get Mom to NYC!  We heard Bob perform last Spring in Pa. with the Northeast Philharmonic, and it was then that we got the news that Bob will be performing at Carnegie Hall.  So, hotel rooms were reserved, tickets for the event were acquired, and we'll be staying an extra night because Mom wanted to see a Broadway show.  Chicago was the choice, and tickets are now in my grubby little hands!  Oh, and we're taking the train so we don't have to worry about driving or parking in the city.  So, we're good to go!  Mom is VERY excited, and we'll get to see a couple of my brothers and their wives! 

And if you haven't read Mel's blog, a dog named Phoebe needs  our help.  There's a link to the story and how to give if you are able.

That's it for now.  I've been pondering doing a little knitting again, but that's about as far as I got...  LOL!

Home...

..from a little weekend jaunt to New Haven, Ct. with my soap-making friend Maggie and her puppy, Atticus Finch - seeing friends, meeting new people, food and shopping (I did score a couple of skeins of Noro Blossom in a terrific red colorway) and LOTS of rain (which did not dampen our spirits one bit as we walked from store to store in the wind and wetness).  It was a very good weekend in spite of the weather, and has done MUCH to brighten my spirits.  I'm thinking that little trips to New Haven are definitely in the future for me.

Atticus Finch is a terrific little puppy of three months, and spent the day wandering around New Haven either walking on his leash or being carried around in a large handbag, which didn't seem to bother him one bit.  He rode very well in the car, and seemed to be very comfortable wherever he ended up, which for much of the time was behind my head stretched out across my shoulders...

Yes, that is his head and little nose resting between my head and the head rest.  Good thing he only weighs 7 pounds.  He seemed to be quite happy there, and crawled up there every chance he got.

Update: Sorry I left this out, but Atticus is a Lhaso Apso/Schnauzer mix. And yes, adorable as all get out!!   He's a great little guy.

I hope you all had a great weekend...

Rhinebeck

The weather was absolutely incredible, tons of yarn, fiber, sheep and other assorted animals, and thousands of really wonderful people we call "knitters".

The drive Saturday morning was absolutely lovely:

Ravelry members/bloggers were all over the place (wicked crazy, you know?):

A very talented man and his horses:

And a special shot just for Dave:

While chatting with Lars (and watching Lars take many pics of yummy "Man Scenery"), there was a Stephanie sighting:

And for a moment on Satuday afternoon the sky looked a little scary:

A view from behind the Sky Top Motel:

I did come home with a few goodies for myself and a couple of friends that I need to get in the mail in the next couple of days, but the thing I enjoyed the most about the weekend was the people I had the chance to see again, or meet for the first time - Mel and David, Stitchy, Marilyn, Carol, Lars, Devorah, and some local knitters from the Syracuse area that I've come to admire for their talents and senses of humor - Carla (who went to the same high school as I, but she was in 7th grade when I was a senior), Diana and MaryBeth.  I'm sure we'll be getting together for some knitting and libations in the future.   I think a good time was had by all.  Yeah, it really IS all about the people.   

And as if buying a few fiber goods in Rhinebeck wasn't enough, I heard through the Ravelry grapevine today that the yarn store in Skaneateles, NY (Elegant Needles) was having a 20% to 50% off yarn sale starting today, so I just HAD to get my little patoot over there to get some manos del uruguay and Jo Sharp (actually, the Jo Sharp was in bags of 10 balls at, get this, $10 a bag.  I now have 3 of them in my posession...).  The reason for the sale is that the building is having a little construction going on, and the owner has to clear out the inventory that's in her basement.  She's a very persuasive salesman....  And I have a big smile on my face looking at the big bag of yarn next to my chair...

I hope you all had a great start to your week.  I'm feeling a little fatigued, myself....  :-)

Pa. Fiber Festival

Saturday was spent in Northeast Pa. at a small fiber festival that has only been around for 4 years.  The Pennsylvania Endless Mountains Fiber Festival was held at the Harford Fairgrounds.  There were about 50 vendors, sheep dog trials and other various fiber related events.  The entire vendor section took up almost a whole pavillion at the fairgrounds.  What was really nice about this festival was that you could actually walk around and see things because it wasn't innundated with thousands of people (and if you were at Rhinebeck last year, you know exactly what I'm talking about).  The vendors were very friendly and their wares were really nice. 

This is looking from one end of the vendor pavillion to the other:

Something I had never seen or read about before is a spinning tool called the Rakestraw Spinner:

It's just a dowel with a little "paddle" that spins the fiber:

Very cool!  There were also some lovely hats, knitted and felted:

And my favorite hat:

There was lots of roving, bunnies, a couple of llamas, and this little fellow:

And more:

In all, it was a very nice festival!  I did score some lovely alpaca sport weight yarn from "Times Remembered", and some Wool/Mohair blend from "Roclans Yarn, Roving and Raw Fleece" (neither place has a web site, but you can get some info here).  Lovely stuff.  Pics of my little haul to come later this week.

I hope you had a great weekend!  Now it's back to the weekly grind...

A Quick Trip...

I know, I know.  I've not been a very good blogger this summer.  I've not done much knitting at all, so there's really nothing to show.  I've mostly just laid low and had a very quiet exsistance for the past several weeks, which I suppose is something I needed, but makes for a very boring blog.

I did take a little trip to California this past weekend to visit my favorite blonde, Sprite, and to meet a new friend, Duane.  Although the trip involved no fiber, it did entail a little jaunt to Yosemite National Park, shopping in Fresno, and lots of laughter.

The flights to and fro were actually quite good, the only little delay being the take off from San Jose Monday night (20 minutes, which did not screw up the rest of the schedule at all)(and yes, I did take the red-eye flight home, which really was ok, and I did sleep a lot on the plane).  The only thing I found very odd was that when I landed in Devner at 10:30 Monday night, there was absolutely no place to get anything to eat.  Nothing.  Nada.  Does that seem strange, or is it just me?  I'd think that if you have flights coming and going throughout the night at a very large airport, there would be something somewhere to get at least a cup of coffee and a muffin.  Nope.  I did find vending machines quite by accident, but a Coke and a Snickers bar at 11:00 just didn't do it.  And if there was a little shop open throughout the night, don't you think they'd be raking in some money from the red-eye passangers?  Just sayin'.  Anyway....

A couple of shots from Yosemite:

On the way to the airport on Monday we stopped at one of Sprite's favorite places, Casa de Frutos, a HUGE farmers market:

My favorite thing at Casa de Frutos was this 1930's (I think) pick up truck that they used for display:

Another trip to sunny California is now running through my head.  I'll be back.

School starts in a couple of weeks, and I've decided to stay where I am at the moment while I figure out what it is exactly that I want for my next job.  Lots to think about for the future.  And lots of yarn in my stash so I guess I better get my sorry ass in gear and make SOMETHING!!!  LOL. 

I hope you all are enjoying the last weeks of August.  I know I'm looking forwward to fall and Rhinebeck...

Good Morning!

Where has the time gone?  I can't believe it's been so long since I last posted.  Well, actually, I can cause there really hasn't been any knitting going on.  I'm still going to the gym and being abused working with my trainer, Shannon, and things are going very well there.  I'm still liking it and making progress. 

I have been away a little bit.  A long weekend near the New Jersey Shore with friends a couple of weeks ago as a much needed little getaway.  Barnagat Bay:

And then a little touristy spot with lots of little specialty shops and over the shops are rooms to rent like a bed and breakfast:

And a very cool thing about Smithville Inn is that they have beautiful chickens roaming the grounds (I now have pountry pics just like Jessie!  I feel so important!!  LOL!!):

It was a lovely little place. 

I also was able to see a couple of operas at Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, NY, but I'll save that for another time.  I hope you all are staying cool and having a great week!

Saturday Sky

It looks like it's going to be a lovely day.  Sun, warmer temps.  Just lovely. 

This past week was a vacation from school - Spring Break.   I had a little trip to Pennsylvania to see a concert last weekend, visit with brothers I don't see as much as I should, and attend a cultural event all at the same time.  Way cool.

The rest of the week was spent at home doing some spring cleaning, and of course, a couple of day trips to shop.  Well, to add to the yarn stash more than anything else.  Hey, I didn't take a trip, so I figured I could spend a little money on yarn.  I know you knitters/crocheters understand that thinking...   I've also started collecting old knitting pattern books (1930's/'40's) and found some very cool little books.  And a tatting shuttle.  I always wanted to try that, so now begins the search for some tatting resources.  Like I need something else to do when it takes FOREVER to finish a knitting project.  (And no, we won't discuss the Trekking XXL socks I started last summer......)

My friend Maggie and I made a little trip to Skaneateles, NY to a shop I visited last year, called Elegant Needles.  On the way, we passed a HUGE fabric store (called Patchwork - I think??), and hanging under the main sign was a smaller sign that said YARN.  We knew we had to stop there on the way home.  Skaneateles was fun.  I picked up a few balls of NASHUA Wooly Stripes Tweed (Autumn Tweed colorway).  Then walking aroud the town, shopping, having lunch, and starting the trek home. 

About 5 miles outside of Skaneateles was the patchwork shop which we planned on stopping at.  Well, it's freaking HUGE!  And LOTS of yarn.  I came home with some  NORO Kochoran (25% off - the sale ended the day before, but she let me have it at sale price!!!), and some Patagonia Nature Cotton (clearance!!!).  This will be added to the Manos del Uruguay (which I have balled and did a little swatch) and Ironstone Yarn I got earlier in the week at a new shop near Syracuse.  Hey, it's my vacation.....

   
From left to right: Nashua Wooly Stripes Tweed (yep, it's all the same colorway), Ironstone, Patagonia, Noro, and Manos del Uruguay.  Are there projects planned for them?  Well, yeah.  Kinda...  *grin*

School on Monday.  Maybe that's a good thing.  I won't have time to find new yarn shops.....  Have a great weekend!