07.04.09
It’s a conspiracy
I’m sure of it. The birds opened the package of sunflower seeds and cracked them open, leaving a pile of the hulls next to the package. So Barb stops by the store one day and gives me a partial package of dwarf sunflower seeds. I know better than to plant them outside. I plant them in peat pots inside and what happens? I go to look at them and find that SOMETHING has neatly dug into the centers of the peatpots and removed the seeds. Okay - if you have a nice suburban home, you might think that mice are squick. I understand that. I don’t like them, but it’s one of the realities of living in an OLD farmhouse in the country. No matter if you try to get rid of them, they do come back 
So, there will be NO sunflowers at our house this year. I am NOT going to try it again.
I didn’t get a chance to pick strawberries for jam this year, but the orchard guy at the corner has cherries so I bought some today. I’ve gotta make sure i have some jars, rings and lids and hopefully in the next couple of days I’ll get more to make some cherry jam. (You didn’t think I wouldn’t have started eating these already, did you?) I found a recipe using Splenda that I think I’ll try. Don’t know why I’m feeling all domestic, but I’ll take advantage of it while I do, I guess.
Yesterday was a paid holiday - WOOT! Got together with Barb and we went gallivanting. Stopped at Village Yarn and Fiber in East Rochester, then popped across the street to Patricia’s Fabrics, Golden Thread, Let’s Bead and the little restaurant for lunch. My only purchase, besides lunch, was the cutest knitted bunny patten from Plymouth Yarns, but saw some great quilt patterns/ideas and was way inspired by the bead store. I fell in love with some Happy Feet yarn (only $6.00/skein, about 190 yds/sk) in color “16″. After ravelling it, though, I’m glad I didn’t get it - didn’t like it’s look so much when it’s all knitted up. They did have a semi-solid green that looked pretty nice too, but heaven knows I have enough sock yarn to keep me busy this summer and then some.
Speaking of socks - the sockotta ones are about 3″ above the heel, so whenever I am ready to stop, I can. I decided I’ll try to persevere and knit as long as I can so I can fold them over. I’m going to learn a 2×2 tubular rib cast off for these too. I have enough yarn for at least another 6-8″ I believe.
The other pair in progress is Paton’s Kroy Strips (Cyan stripes) and are about 4″ down from the top of the cuff. These started with a tubular 1×1 rib cast on and I’ll probably do just 6″ on the leg before starting the heel.
Baby girl is in the area this weekend. Another whirlwind trip, as usual. She arrived at 11 and we met at Panera’s for lunch today. Then I went off to work and she went off to visit friends. She’ll head back “home” tomorrow morning. She brought me a Mother’s Day gift - a cute “mom” mug and some more drink sticks - cran white peach, I think it was. It’s weird adjusting to everything she can’t eat - she’s found that eating gluten free has made her stomach much better. The summer picnic will be interesting - Grandma will be suggesting she eat all kinds of things that she’s found she can’t. I want to be sure she’s got options to eat that day without feeling that she has to explain it all.