Very interesting ideas out in cyberspace today. At Enchanting Juno (enchantingjuno.typepad.com/knit)there was an invigorating post about women/men and the language we use when we talk about/to each other. I graduated from college with an english major (and we all know how useful that was in the workplace!), and I am still fascinated with language. I am a social worker, case manager, and I see everyday the importance of the words we use when we talk to someone or about someone. The push right now in the mental health field is toward the semantics of "recovery" and to stop using phrases such as "mentally ill". If I tell someone often enough that they are mentally ill, they will believe it and be ill. But, if I tell them they are on the way to recovery they can begin to see possibilities for themselves. I have seen words make a difference in people's lives. So, if young women call each other ho casually, is it that far a step before they see themselves that way?


Over at A Few Stitches Short (afewstitchesshort.blogspot.com) Susan had an interesting post about editing blogs and the honesty of it all. Do people really want to read blogs and see warts and all or do they want to be entertained? And can't warts be entertaining? I know I edit my speech to spare people's feelings and I try to be aware of my audience but life is sometimes nasty and dirty and that's just reality. Do we want our blogs to reflect what life is or what we would like it to be? If we focus on the positive in life, will we eventually have a positive impact on the world? I like to think so (thus the title, what you think on grows!).



Enough profundity for the day. And now for a yarn shot. This is a picture of the grey yarn someone gave to me this week and two colorways from my sock yarn of the month club (castleman fibers on etsy). The orange one is so pretty and vibrant. I am not sure which sock pattern will speak to it but I will wait for inspiration. I also have to finish the waving laces socks. Yes, I am still working on them. I am on the toe of the first one and then I have to start number 2. Hopefully it will go quicker than sock one!
I know I take awful photos. I will have to practice more. I also can't figure out how to make the blogs I mentioned links so you can just click on them. My daughter tried to show me but it didn't work. I need to work on my technical skills!

Well, Pete and Katie took their 20 mile bike ride on Saturday. I forgot to take the camera when I went to pick them up (weather wasn't nice enough for a picnic) so here is a photo from a trek through the famed Pinelands of NJ. They are standing on Quaker Bridge and looking out at this. This is one of the most beautiful areas in the state (and country in my humble opinion). When my girls were small, we would celebrate Earth Day (april22) by picking up trash along one of our favorite trails. I used to tell them it was the price we paid for using a public park. They believed me and we would bring home 3 or 4 large bags of trash.

One of my clients gave me a gift today. She gave me 4 balls (100g each) of wool/alpaca blend yarn in a lovely light grey color. She just said "here, this is for you. I know you knit." I was floored and grateful for the gesture. She is an avid thrift store shopper and found a bargain and thought of me. I know that it probably isn't "therapeutic" but I accepted the gift in the spirit in which it was meant.

Oh, and I won a contest! I am so excited because I never win. Michele at knitsane is sending me some beautiful denim blue yarn. Maybe it will work well with my new grey yarn and become a Christmas gift for someone.

No pictures today, just a quick post to say I did my part for World Wide Knit in Public Day. I took the purple sock with me to the mall where we were going to get haircuts . There was a wait so I whipped out my needles and several rows were added to the sock. Although there were folks all around, no one asked what I was doing (or making). I explained to the stylist that it was wwkip day and she laughed. She didn't get it. How sad for her.

The week has flown by and I have very little to show for it. No real progress on any wip and once again I ripped out the waving lace sock. After my daughter broke the bamboo needle, I started the socks on slightly larger metal needles and I think this is finally it. They look good and I don't think they will be so tight. The yarn is superwash wool but it feels like there is more than a little bit of cotton in it. There is very little stretch in it.
I am excited! I am an official member of nj knitters. Woot! Hopefully, I will be able to do some actual knitting this weekend and see some progress. Peter Kevin (my husband) and Kate are planning to ride their bicycles down to Batsto (the photo at the top is the Batsto mansion) and I will be in the clean up vehicle. I will drive down and meet them there with a picnic. The area is a state park. It is a partially restored mining village and it is really beautiful. It sits in the middle of the Pinelands. I think I will drive down and set up a chair and knit while I wait. I love to sit outside and knit. The natural light brings out the colors in the yarns and I like working with them more. Sometimes at night inside, the yarn looks dark.
I have decided that I am a process person and not necessarily a product person. The soothing process of feeling the needles in my hands and the yarn sliding through my fingers gives me more pleasure than seeing a finished item. Although, truth be told, finished objects are nice, too.

I have been working on my opal socks and I don't like how the patterning is coming out. I wonder if I am not getting the crisp patterns in photos because I am using a 2.75 needle instead of a 2.5. Even though I am halfway through one sock, I think I will take it out and try it on the 2.5's when they arrive. I ordered the metal ones and now I have to wait for them, too.

I got my sock yarn of the month club and although my husband calls it "hari krishna sock yarn" I think it is beautiful. It is called "fire" and is a gorgeous yellow/red/orange combination. My oldest daughter has already expressed an interest but I think I will save it for my niece. I think she would love the color.

The weather is too hot for anything but sock knitting. The thought of a sweater or blanket on my lap makes me sweat just thinking about it. I have a good amount of sock yarn and I think I'll be busy for a while.

Well, I had broken one of my 2.50 brittany needles but only needed 4 so I could keep going on the waving laces socks. Until, that is that I asked my daughter to slip them on and make sure they fit (not wanting a repeat of the last pair). They fit but she broke one of my needles and now I have to wait for the replacements to come. I am also going to get some knitpicks metal ones so we won't have this problem in the future. Fortunately, I started a pair of opal self patterning socks in a plain sock so that will keep me busy for the time being.

Yea! We finally got the pool opened and with the hot and humid weather we have been enjoying(?) lately, it is welcome and refreshing.

Well, we got Kate off to the prom and looking beautiful. No makeup as I expected but somehow the look suits her. She is funny and smart and lovely and totally unfussy about herself. I try to help her see how lovely she is but I am, after all, her mother and my opinion does not count. I am in awe of her talents as an artist. I can see things but they get lost between my brain and my hands but Kate makes the images in her head appear magically on the paper. I know she gets that talent from her dad.

Let me tell you a little about her dad, my husband of 25 years. I have never met anyone as totally interested in the world around him as my husband. His curiosity is boundless and he will search for answers to questions and follow trails of information into strange and wonderful places. He is handsome and strong and gentle and loving. He likes computers, he really likes them. He makes me feel beautiful and loved and wanted even after 25 years of ups and downs. He is funny and makes me laugh every day. I am so lucky. I am married to my best friend.

My oldest daughter, El is one of the smartest people I know. She is quiet and keeps to herself. El doesn't like crowds and prefers small groups. She can be wickedly funny and has a unique way of looking at the world. She is tall and blonde and doesn't seem to realize how pretty she is.

And then there is Em, the middle child who doesn't act like a middle child. She has more self confidence and hutzpah than any 12 other people. She is smart and funny and hardworking. She likes to laugh and will do so frequently. Em is also beautiful but will deny it if you tell her.

Do I sound like a broken record? I think I am the luckiest person to have the opportunity to live with such terrific people.

No knitting yet today. As it after 9 I better get to work on the infamous waving lace socks. I am plugging away on them and they are lovely.

Have a good weekend.