Yeah for Google!

Just a little search for coconut candy and I found what I was looking for. (See post below if you are totally confused).

A Little Knitting

I'm still working on the sweater below and it is slowly coming along. I just feel it is going to be too large. I swatched about 3 times, and because my yarn is bulkier than the suggested yarn, I went from a size 6 needle down to a 3, and then still went down a pattern size. The swatch seemed fine, and the length of the sweater seems fine, but the width just seems too large. Ughh!
Very frustrating. I don't have her measurements, but knew her size and was going by that. I may take it into a store and hold it up to another girl's sweater in her size and see how it compares. I hate to keep going and then it not work.

















I'm also knitting a blanket for a sweet little 2 year old. I didn't want it to look too babyish, so I chose this pattern. I haven't knitted with large needles in a long time and had forgotten how fast it goes and how easy to correct mistakes. Nice for a change! Ever since I started the blanket it has reminded me of something. I kept thinking it was ice cream, but just now as I downloaded the picture I know what it is. Remember a coconut candy with brown and pink stripes? I'm going to have to see if I can find a picture to compare!

Autumn Potpourri

Pyracantha is taking over the side of my house, but I love these berries! Another beautiful sign of fall.
















I love the Sedum too. Not quite as flashy, but beautiful in its own way.

















Yesterday we went to the annual Autumn Potpourri, held by our county Historical Society. They have restored the old courthouse and clerk's office, which used to be located here out in the country. Years ago they moved the courthouse to the town of Chatham, but we are lucky that this area was saved. It's a beautiful place and this is a well-attended annual event. Members of the historical society are dressed in period costumes and love to tell the history of these old buildings. There are crafts, (I saw some knitting) cider making, blacksmiths, musket shooting, apple butter making, molasses, home made brooms, and of course lots of food.



This is the old Clerk's office - tiny inside, but served the purpose in its time.



















Bands were playing.....







Crafts were plentiful..........
















Muskets were demonstrated........















And food was very popular as you can see........

Can you see the mountains in the background of this picture? (Click on pictures to see better)Some years it is cold and rainy, but yesterday was a blue-sky day.

Beautiful Fall Day

After a gloomy, rainy, cool week we weren't sure what to expect when we drove to Norfolk yesterday to visit son, DIL and granddaughters. We had a little rain when we first got there and went out to the boats our son now is assigned to but by the time we left the sun was popping out and it turned out to be a beautiful day. We came home to rain again last night, but that was okay. Here are a couple of pictures of the L-CAC's our son is assigned to. They carry tanks, trucks, equipment and marines from ship to shore when out at sea.

One of our reasons for going was to take B a flute. She is a new 6th grader and playing flute in band and one of my co-workers (thanks Peggy) has twin girls who played flute and just happened to have a flute to sell. We couldn't forget N - she got a new trike! I got this at the etoys sale last week and planned for it to be a birthday or Christmas present, but decided this time of year was much better for a riding toy. Her feet don't quite reach the pedals yet, but she can scoot it, push it, or her favorite, open the seat and put toys in and out of the storage area underneath. She loved that part.

B demonstrating her new flute for us.

After our trip to the Navy base, we drove to Virginia Beach and ate a great barbecue lunch at Beach Bully's (apparently a local favorite). Now, what should I order today?

Then we went to the VA Beach Farmer's Market and visited the pumpkin patch.

You can see here the clouds are still hanging around.

If you could guess a pumpkin's weight within 1/4 lb. you got it free. One of the ones we bought was 17.5 lbs and son had guessed it at 17.8. How close!

We ended the day with ice cream at a local dairy which has a store at the farmer's market and declicious hand made ice cream. Miss N just plopped herself in the middle of the table and was fed by everybody. A great day!

Friday Night

I love Friday night. I certainly don't hate my life during the week, but sometimes I feel I am wishing my life away from weekend to weekend. Ever feel that way? It wasn't a very exciting week. Went to work, came home, went to work, came home. Throw in meals, dishes, laundry and that seems to be it. Wait...that's always my life!

Monday night knitting was a highlight. We had a big group of 12 and there were some beautiful FO's and WIP's.

Work is somewhat stressful right now. Adding to that my husband's place of work (because of hurricanes and gas prices) is planning to shut down 5-6 weeks sporadically from now till Christmas to use up some inventory. Uggh!

On a brighter note - the weather is beautiful - 70's and blue skies. Fall is really in the air. I make an effort to get out each afternoon if nothing but to walk around the yard!

I have managed to knit some on granddaughter's sweater this week, but a row or two at a time doesn't make much progress - maybe this weekend I can speed it up a bit. I'm also still practicing my continental knitting so I'm not quite up to speed there either.

Tomorrow I'm getting up bright and early to go with a neighbor to a big sale at our local E-Toys shipping warehouse. It is supposed to have great prices so I'm hoping to find some birthday and Christmas presents. It opens at 7:00 and we are going at 6:30 - and I'm not a morning person, especially on weekends so this will be a challenge!

Finished Sock

One finished sock - one to go. The yarn is Jojoland Melody, the pattern - Lacy Mock Cable Socks. I made the top a little shorter than the pattern just because I like a short top. This was my first sock using the magic loop method and now probably won't ever go back!

Quilts

I don't quilt and haven't ever had the desire, but my grandmother and my husband's grandmother were quilters so I have a lot of quilts and they are treasures. Most of the quilts are patchwork, using scraps of fabric, but a few were "planned patterns" like Sunbonnet Sue below.

These were not just for exhibit, but were well used so some of these are worn as you can see.






The boy version of Sunbonnet Sue - whatever it is called.

This is one of the well-worn quilts. I remember this on my bed when I was a little girl.

My mother quilted years ago, but later only made baby quilts that she could hold in her lap and quilt. This is her last quilt and you can see is not finished. It is not a pieced quilt, but a printed quilt top. I would like to try to finish it one of these days! We'll see.

Someone had written my grandmother's name on this quilt and it says, made by Nezzie Travis in the early 30'th (I think they meant 30's)

One of my favorites - Wedding Ring