Author Archives: Queen Bee Knits

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About Queen Bee Knits

Living in Maine, knitting, baking and loving my family. Please be kind!

Are You Going to (Common Ground) Fair? Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme … For Fun!

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Prize Winning Posies

A great weekend with my knitting buddy, Kelly. She arrived in Bangor on Friday night … just in time for a lobster dinner at the lake and it was good!

Saturday, despite the dreary and wet weather report, we decided to chance it and head to the Common Ground Country Fair (MOFGA) in Unity. N. took the truck for his Saturday morning visit to the Transfer Station and then we hit the road – Ethel the GPS, plugged in and working hard to direct us!

The fair was excellent! And it only drizzled a little bit – enough to be bothersome for a very (very!) short while. We had such a great time and I ran into two people that I know – feels like I’m almost a native Mainer!

Here are the highlights:

Yarn! Yarn! Yarn!

Yarn! Yarn! Yarn! The displays were amazing and spread all over the fairgrounds. I bought a couple of gifts to be given on birthdays coming up. Top colorful purple/yellow/green (like Mardi Gras?) and the ivory yarns are DK weight merino and alpaca blends, very reasonably priced, from Oasis Farm Fiber Mill in Otisfield, Maine. The pale pastels yarn is from Good Karma Farm in their sea foam color way. I love the colors of this yarn and it’s a wool and alpaca blend from Belfast, Maine. I had to visit every booth at the fair (yes, I mean “every”) to decide just which ones I was taking home (since I’ve still got a few from last year that I didn’t knit yet.)

The Fiber Tent was very interesting. We touched almost every single bag of fleece. We both want to learn how to process the wool all the way from animal to knitting needles. We ogled a few spinning wheels and the Wednesday Spinners in action.

Is Your Mama a Llama? Check out that underbite!

We viewed a bunch of critters … bunnies, chickens, a very noisy guinea hen, the most beautiful turkey (Best in Show!) with copper and iridescent feathers – a truly gorgeous bird! We saw the sheep, goats, horses, a couple of llamas and oxen.

Blue Ribbon Butts!

Veggies and flowers and preserved food, oh my!

Wall of Pretty Pickles, etc.

There was a tomato that looked like a duck and lots and lots of pretty flowers, beans, beets, pumpkins, gourds, squash, beets, radishes, onions, leeks, quilts, knitting (I may have to enter next year!), potatoes, pumpkins large and small … phew! I need to take a breath!

Tomatoes are Ducky!

 

Bee-Utiful!

Beans, Beans They're Good for Your Heart!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had such a great time. We drank organic blueberry soda, ate stir fried organic veggies, some vegetable curry, pad thai, and for dessert a blueberry cheesecake cone (if you’ve never seen or heard of this, it’s worth a look for one!) The food area was simply amazing … if the day were a bit longer, we could have eaten more!

I found a really special poster from their 1998 fair … it’s un-BEE-lievably fun for this Queen Bee! It will be framed and hung in my Atelier! I’d love to show you a picture of it but it’s all wrapped up and waiting to travel!

I have only touched on a tiny corner of the iceberg (so to speak) and there was so much more to see and experience but I’ve not got the time here. Suffice it to say that while our feet and legs and hips hurt, our hearts and tummies were full and our souls were fed. It’s a great weekend, and a wonderful place to spend an hour or a whole day – next year, I’m taking my knitting and will sit and watch the people! Good for a family fun day, a girls day out or just about any “reason.”

We had a wonderful time at the Fair!

 

Self-fulfillment

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I have a very wise sister.

Daily, she sends me a text message with something to think about and often something I need to “hear”.

Today she sent this:

“If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never truly be fulfilled.”

Yup, absolutely. I know it’s true in my heart. So, why do I still look to others for their approval? Why does it matter? I know that I am still working on it – and that’s a good thing. I will get there. Some days are better than others. And today, I’ll be thinking about how I can help me to feel more fulfilled all by myself.

Gone knitting!

Getting it Done – a Lazy Sunday

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I planned to do nothing today. It was a bit grey and dreary … a lazy kind of Sunday.

Porch View - Grey-ish Sunday

I woke up late, had my coffee (soon it will be tea in the morning and no coffee but that’s a whole other story) and a rather sad looking pumpkin scone with the texture of a muffin, really. Then went outside because N. was going to mow the lawn … and I decided to weed the little perennial garden that we added by the big rock outside the front door. During the month of August, it went to heck and really needed some TLC!

We’ve been collecting the bits and pieces of scrap metal left behind by the railroad workers who’ve been upgrading the train tracks behind the house. And I decided that my garden needed to be edged with railroad spikes. I love it – and it’s so appropriate for this house that is so close to the tracks! (And we’ve still got a bucket and then some of pieces of metal for N. to practice soldering with!) A little bit of mulch and it will be done. Yippee! What do you think?

"Rock" Garden

After doing nothing this morning, I made a pumpkin pie. I thought I bought a can of pumpkin but it was organic pumpkin pie filling … and the recipe on the back of the can didn’t ask for any sugar so the pie needs a bit more sugar but it’s OK with some homemade coconut ice cream on the side!

We took the dogs for a walk down the street and chatted with neighbors and then I got to sit and knit a bit with a lovely cup of tea on the side porch.

So, for having planned to do nothing done today, I feel like I accomplished a little bit!

PS – We have been working on repainting the front screen door and the fence that surrounds the garbage cans. Though we didn’t do any painting today, we nearly have it done and it looks so much better! Now, on to the back of the house (or the wood shed or the bedroom door and window or …) Here’s the “before” … “after” pictures when we’re completely done!

Before #2

Before

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gone knitting!

Blooming Marvelous – Knitted Garden in the UK

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O. M. G. !!!

You’ve got to see this one! My art teacher friend sent me a link to a friend of a friend’s blog and it is simply incredible. Awesome, actually. To think that a community of knitters and crocheters got together and created this beauty is … well … O. M. G.!!! I particularly love the beehive and bees (imagine that!) Look very closely at Lucy’s photographs … there are all sorts of critters hiding everywhere! Fabulous! This made my day!

Here’s a link to the whole blooming article (tee hee!): Click HERE!

Gone knitting!

In Consideration of the Wooly Bear

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I was walking some dog poop up the driveway in the poop shovel this morning and practically tripped over this guy (or gal!). Well, I didn’t exactly “trip” over it, but I nearly stepped on it and since I was carrying a shovel full of … well, you know … I tried hard NOT to step on it and nearly dumped the “load” (so to speak) all over the driveway.

I was thinking, though, these guys have a difficult life, don’t they? As I was standing over it with my camera (and every time my camera made a noise, the caterpillar stopped moving … but it never curled itself into a ball) I was watching it navigate the grass and rocks and other detritus that is part of the Maine landscape and was realizing that it’s kind of similar to me climbing a mountain but I don’t have to worry about somebody stepping on me or picking me up to play with me! What a brave creature to come out of its bed daily and climb mountains (even though by my eyes, they’re pint-sized mountains), taking the risk of being stepped on by who-knows-what because just about anything’s bigger than he/she is!

My next thought was about people and, more specifically, me. I always considered myself NOT to be a risk-taker. I think I’m changing that perception, though. I’ve left an unhappy and unfulfilling marriage, a comfortable home and community to live somewhere new where nothing was certain (and it’s still not on some days). That was very brave! I’m learning and re-learning daily and hitting bumps in the road on occasion – sometimes taking those bumps in stride and sometimes, not so much! I’m like the Wooly Bear!

I guess the moral of the story, if there is one, is that I’m stretching just like the Wooly Bear caterpillar, and while I am so in awe of how brave he/she is, I could take a little time to consider (and be proud of) how brave I am, too! In this big adventure called life, I’m stretching and growing and it’s all good.

Gone knitting!

 

Rainy Day Purples? (A Shade Different from Rainy Day Blues)

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So, last night was my knitting group and it was good to be back. And despite today’s rain, my “sinus thing” is feeling better and I’m feeling better, too.

One of the reasons that I love knitting is the people that I’ve met. They’re such a diverse group – elderly religious women to outwardly gay men and everything in between. And I’ve loved them all! It’s a group of people who share a passion for fiber and for making things with their hands. You can’t do it on the cheap, it’s simply not possible – it’s an investment of time and money – but perhaps the real reason we all do it is for the community. The knitters. The people. Sitting and visiting for a couple of hours with busy hands. Helping each other with challenges of the fiber kind as well as those we meet in life.

Last night JoAnne was telling about meeting one of our other “girls” at the grocery store. She was stressed about a family matter and was being “bossed” by her relatives. JoAnne, in her fabulously direct way that women seem to get as they get older said, “they can all wait while you take care of you!” The best advice to a great person who wants to do for others.

Wonderful Betty helped me turn the heel on the two-socks-on-one-needle-socks-from-H@#$! Yippee! I’m not sure I really will ever try this again or that I would be able to repeat it. BUT, I have a concept of how it’s done and have learned something new in the process. I think I’m happy knitting one sock at a time and not having them matchy matchy. LOL!

So, now I have the following projects on the needles:

  • Two socks on one needle (that used to be from H#$%) with the heels turned.
  • Socks (magic loop … one at a time, thank you very much!) for my boy – in black.
  • Hexipuffs for my Beekeepers Quilt (seven down, three gazillion to go!)
  • Cambridge Shawl (version 4 … I think I’ve got it right. Next time, I won’t over think it!)

    Cambridge Shawl - WIP

  • Celebration sock #1 is finished but I’ve yet to start sock #2.

And I need to find something fabulous to make for Aunt Judy’s 70th birthday party in October! Lace scarf? Bella mittens? Fingerless gloves? We’ll see what I can find. And my niece’s baby turns one in October so I’ll have to make him something! So many projects and so little time! 😉

For now, I’m so grateful for my knitting friends who I’ve met along the way … all of you … you know who you are. I need to put my computer down, pick up my fraidy-cat dog who’s afraid of the thunder outside. Bless his little heart!

Gone comforting!

 

Contemplating “Alone-ness”

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Yesterday, I was sitting in my Maine office. Working. I was the only one here (well, the dogs were here) as N. had gone sailing. It was easy to imagine that I was the only person living on the lake … with the exception of a couple of boaters who were likely not lake dwellers (at least not in my imagination.) Oddly enough, he was thinking the same sort of thoughts out on the lake in his boat …

After the “season” ends, the lake changes. It’s so quiet that you can hear the rain showers coming down the lake or over the house. When was the last time you could actually hear the rain falling? I heard it yesterday.

I finished the hats that I was knitting. All of them. You’ll not see a photo of the hat sent to Stockings for Soldiers because I forgot to take one before it was packed up and shipped off. Suffice it to say that their pattern was VERY basic (translated in Queen Bee language, it was boring!) BUT it will keep a soldier’s head warm. I used Plymouth Yarn’s Galway worsted in  color 10 (navy blue.) I like this wool and have used it before. The price is moderate and it’s soft and good to work with. I included a note to the soldier (I hope they’ll send it along) thanking him or her for serving our country, etc.

New on my needles is the Cambridge Shawl. I’m using Cascade Yarns Cascade 220 Heathers in color 2450 (a medium purple.) I’ve already been challenged by this patter more than once:

Provisional Cast On - Right Side

Provisional Cast On - Wrong Side

Challenge #1 – Provisional Cast On. I am not sure that I’ve ever succeeded in using a provisional cast on. Probably because I don’t know how to crochet. BUT with a bit of tutoring on the internet, I’ve learned a single crochet which was enough to finish the baby hat edge and make a 25 or so stitch chain to use to provisionally cast on 22 stitches.

I’m thrilled and amazed to see that when you get it right, there is a right side and a wrong side just as they say in the directions. Phew!

Challenge #2 – Short Rows. I’ve done short rows before with the wrap and turn method. I figured that I could use the same method here but the pattern suggests using a different method with yarn overs. I knitted the first 18 (or so) rows and was pleased to see that the ruffles were starting to look like ruffles and upon admiring my work, I realized that there, in the middle of the ruffle on one side, was a HUGE mistake … I had totally done the wrong row somewhere. So, what’s a knitter to do? I frogged it and started over again. This time, I’m slipping the first stitch of each row so that edges look a little bit prettier… but I managed to get back to the point where I was forced to frog.

What I frogged.

I’m happy to still know that I don’t know it all yet. I like learning new things and I know it’s good for my brain to be challenged by the counting and reasoning. While I don’t always get it right the first time, I am happy to know that I can get it eventually.

Gone knitting!

Lake Living – Part of the Reason I love Maine

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Fuzzy Caterpillar - It Must be Fall!

This morning my nose was freezing cold when I woke up. I was even cold last night under a down comforter. Good sleeping weather.

The main reason, though, that I love it here is the nature. When I was up reading (and sniffling) last night, I could hear the loons calling. I love that sound – and somehow it makes you feel like you’re not alone.

This morning, I was sitting in the sun on the porch and watched a king fisher catch two fish … well, I didn’t exactly watch the darned bird – it was way to speedy for me! I saw it flash back up to the roof of the front porch after I heard the splash (twice!) and there was definitely something in it’s beak. They have a unique call so I knew it was on the roof above me but even as I watched, it moved more quickly than my eyes!

And last night on our cruise, we watched a couple of flocks of sea gulls over the lake. I’ve seen them flock over the ocean but never on the lake … well, at least I’ve not noticed it before. They were eating bugs. I didn’t know they ate bugs. Learn something new all the time!

Right now as I type this, a loon is fishing in front of the house … the wonders of nature!

We’re endeavoring to eat more vegetables and more locally. Here is lunch today …

Local tomatoes, basil from our garden, Maine-made mozzarella and freshly baked baguette from the Green Spot in Waterville. Delicious!

Going to watch the lake!

Duck, Duck …

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The sun is out today and I’m typing on my favorite desk in my favorite office … my lap is my desk and the front porch is my office. We have a new family of ducks who have been coming by to visit … and get a little bit of bread from me! 🙂

Listening to President Obama’s speech at the University of Richmond while I blog. In the sun! Just having the sun out makes my attitude so much better. I’ve finished the two baby hats that I’ve been working on and they’re really cute. I wish I had a doll or a stuffed animal to put them on for photographs. Neither my hand nor my yarn spool makes a great baby face! Regardless, they’ve turned out well.

Hat #1 is the Aviatrix Hat from Justine Turner (and a free download on Ravelry.) I knit this hat in Plymouth Yarn’s Baby Alpaca DK (colorway 753) in a wonderful grey-blue color. I love it! There are two buttons on the hat so that when baby’s chinny-chin-chin gets all pudgy and kissable, mom can loosen the strap and it will still fit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hat #2 is Garnstudio’s Dropps Bonnet in Rib in Alpaca . It’s such a cute hat and I know it’s going to grow well with the baby as the 3×3 rib is really stretchy. The reason I really like this hat is that it goes over baby’s head like a hood – and they can’t pull it off! I knit this with Reynolds Revue 100% Merino wool in (color 1431) a raisin color – it’s a pretty brownish wine color (in these photos it looks way more pink than in real life!)  that I think will be very “in” this year since it’s an organic color and found in nature. The only “issue” I have with this hat is, I think, the nature of merino wool in that it shows all the increases around the bottom of the hat. Fortunately, it will be under the baby’s jacket but it’s still aggravating for me to be able to see the “irregularity” of the stitches.

I’m having a really proud moment, though, because I tried something that I’ve never done before. (Although, my knitting friend Bob in Ohio did it for me once several years ago.) Anyway, after reviewing several videos, I did a single crochet edging around the opening of the hat and it looks great! I wish I had a doll or a stuffed animal here that I could put the hat on to show it off better … hope my new mom will send me a photo of baby in the hat and for the meantime, my photos on my antique spool will have to do. That’s life!

I found a really quick baby mittens pattern to send along with the hats … without having to knit a thumb gusset, it’s a really quick knit and very quick, indeed!

I’ve been thinking that I need to design and knit up a case for my new computer … cabled? or patterned? lined? unlined? We’ll see what I come up with. I have some really cool yarn that I bought out in northern California in December that has some cat hair in it … and pretty sparkly blue, too. I think that will be my yarn choice! I also have the “Kate Middleton” shawl that I bought some new yarn for. I’ll let you know what I decide!

So, from my porch office with the breezes blowing gently … gone knitting!