back to normal

while it was positively summer last week, this is really more like it should be in march—bright yellow sunshine sparkling on frost.

yep, we woke up this morning to temperatures in the 20s this morning, brrr. but somehow with all that sun, it’s just doesn’t feel as cold as it would feel at the same temperature in january.

i ran out first thing to see what effect this may have had on the garden. i wasn’t too worried—david had covered the asparagus back up wiht a leafy blanket yesterday afternoon, and the rest of the plants we have out there are pretty frost tolerant.

the collards got nipped along the edges of their leaves, but they’ll be fine

what’s more of a concern is that they are showing signs of bolting and flowering, which i think is bad for the flavor, so i think i’ll cut them later today and cook them up this week. that will be the end of those plants, but soon enough we’ll have more.

the little sprouts seemed to have weathered the dip very nicely; i think last night is the coldest one we expect this week, so if they got through that, they should be safe.

i love the way the sunlight travels right through their colorful stems as if they are made of colored glass.

one of the reasons i put the chard where i did is that its colors will be visible from the street. if i could get squash to grow in a visible spot, i’d be in heaven—i’d love to plant some right at the top of the hill that faces the sidewalk so the vines could cascade down the front hill in summer. maybe i can work on david a bit to get him to come around to the idea—it could mean less mowing on the steepest area of the yard . . .

the early bulb flowers don’t mind this weather at all—i actually think they prefer it to the heat we had last week. these hyacinths are just perfect today; they seem to be flourishing in it.

our first tulips bloomed on friday, too, and the rest of them are sporting buds. looks like we have some of those extravagant double ones, coming in; i can’t wait to see them open up.

the weekend was kind of grueling and centered around non-knitting work, but we did get the fall club in good shape to open signups in may. i got practically no knitting done, except for this nearly-plain stockinette mitt, but at least i got that much done.

for this sample, i added a very subtle detail to the back of the hand that mimics the hand stitching you’d see on fine leather gloves.

it barely shows up here; i’m betting it will be more visible once it’s blocked and the fabric smooths out. if not, it’s back to the drawing board. there’s another one i’m doing that is a type of faggoting; more on that when it’s in the works

and david’s sock continues to grow; it has not been forgotten. i really do add a repeat or so now and then after dinner while we chat; it’s comforting . . .

i have a ton of secret knitting on the needles right now—way too much. but just know that wonderful surprises are coming, becauyse i’m having fun knitting them!

and now it’s time for me to go for a mammogram. i’m taking my knitting; there’s always a wait.