Blog Fodder

Well, since I have been sick, there isn't much to post on the blog.
Well, not much besides that it is... Lychee Season!
Whee! I love fresh lychees.

Now - the first time I had lychees was last summer when my dear Mother-in-law bought me some, before then all I had had was the canned kind in the syrup. The canned kind are too sweet and overwhelming that way.

But fresh lychees are much better. It is like eating sweet flowers in grape form or something. I love them. They were also the favorite of Emperor Li Longji's favorite concubine Yang Yuhuan. Just for a little Chinese history lesson.

If you want 5 tips for making the best lychee martini, I did the research for you - click HERE.

You just peel them, and eat, although watchout for the seed inside. You can't eat it - it is slightly poisonous... and it would crack a tooth.

I took some pictures of a lychee I ate.. It was more on the redder side than it looks here... Hey - I told you it was a slow day here... eating lychees is better than blowing my nose which is the only other thing I've done today!!

SOCKS ARRIVED!!

Oh my goodness. I am so happy that Susan's Super Socks finally arrived. I was really starting to get worried that they would never get there (not that I couldn't re-knit them, but wouldn't that be such a bummer?)

I'm enclosing two pictures here of the socks sans feet. Susan has such delicate feet, and let's just say there was no way my big clodhoppers could model these. But she modeled them like crazy on her blog (no one can ask anything more from a person who receives something one has made than the enthusiasm level you had about the project while making it!!)

She posted a fantastic blog entry about them, so go over there and see what they look like on her actual feet.
Susan's Blog Post

Her Incredibly Fun Cats are in on the great fun as well.

I'm so relieved they got there. (the socks not the cats).


What are the details?
These are my first completed pair of socks made out of sock yarn.
Pattern: Madder Ribbed Socks from "Knitting Vintage Socks" by Nancy Bush
Heel: Dutch Heel
Toe: Pointed Toe
Yarn: Socks that Rock
Color: Ruby Slippers
Needle: size 1 (2 circulars) from Knitpicks
Note: The pattern says to leave 3 inches for the toe, but my toe only took 2 inches so I had to go back, rip out and re-knit the 1st sock




Isn't it interesting the way the purple pooled at the bottom of the ankle area? It did it on both socks (although one slightly more than the other) so it looks kinda cool.

One awesome technical thing is that I learned how to correct a mistake in stockingette and also how to pick up stitches while knitting these socks. I admit, before these socks, I used to just frog (rip back) all the way to wherever the mistake was and start knitting again. But now I know how to drop a stitch on purpose and then pick it back up again in pattern. I have to say to all of you out there who are scared (like I was) to try it... just try it!! Worst that can happen is you'll have to frog anyway back to that point.

What else is new with me? Ugh I am going to stay home sick today - I feel miserable - Sore throat, achy head. What the heck? It is summer! No one is supposed to get sick in the summer! Ugh I am heading back to bed.

No News Is maybe not good news?

Hey all, Not much going on here. I was hoping to have been able to post some handknit pictures... but even though I sent Susan something Priority Mail I guess it hasn't gotten there yet. I think I am going to start using something other than the US Postal service... I have been very disappointed as of late in how long things take to get places... It is certainly not as fast as they say.

Other than that things are good. H. went to a Diehards meeting. The Diehards (not the British military group) are a group of people that love Vanguard and investing in index funds. Since learning about them and their methods from this book, H. has been quite a fan of the group. He paid his money to go to this meeting a long time ago, so we weren't able to go to my Uncle John's 60th Birthday.

So wish my Uncle a happy belated birthday.

well I better get going to work. Have a fantastic day!

Back from the Finger lakes

We went to the finger lakes this weekend - up in Bristol, New York for this:

Meg and Travis got married. Megan was one of Harland's buds in college.

It was a really beautiful day, and they got married on a hilltop overlooking Canandaigua Lake.
This is the view from a small park about a mile down the road from the wedding:

Beautiful.


Here's us mucking up the view:

We had a really nice time, we stayed at a beautiful and wonderful Bed & Breakfast. It was romantic and the innkeeper, Sheryl was really super nice. It was hands down the best bed and breakfast we've been to. If you are ever in the area, you should check out the 1795 Acorn Inn I can't say enough good things about it.



The area is well known for its vineyards.



We also went to see the northern side of Canandiagua Lake... and took a tour of the NY Wine and Culinary Center. At the Wine and Culinary Center, we tasted several area wines including rhubarb wine (although it was crazy sweet - like juice).