I'm Baaaack!

I didn't mean to be gone for more than three weeks but since I spent two of those weeks in Texas, I don't feel so bad about that!

There wasn't a whole lot of knitting done during that time. My trip included vacation time -- camping on the Texas Gulf coast and visiting my sister in San Antonio -- and a conference in Austin.

We camped for two nights at Goose Island State Park, near Rockport, and spent most of one day on the beach in Port Aransas.  It was a gorgeous day -- sunny, about 85, windy --and the water, which during the summer is frequently a little too warm, was the perfect temperature.  The day was also just right for sunburn.  It didn't seem hot, and our spray-on sunscreen apparently blew right away.  I had stripes of sunburn on the my right arm and leg, and both shins.  But it was worth it.  Port Aransas is one of my favorite places - a beach town with absolutely no pretense, a beach you can drive on, and great seafood.

The big new tent, replacing the rather raggedy old pop-up camper.

A pelican, greeting the ferry as it arrives in Port Aransas.

A flock of pelicans, looking for lunch.  We saw more pelicans on this trip than ever before.

My niece, helping to deflate the self-inflating air mattresses (which inflate a lot easier than they deflate).

Unfortunately, I have no good pictures of the San Antonio part of the trip or of the conference.  I think I was too busy having fun!

Next time:  knitting!

Finally!

Larkin is finished and blocking/drying!  It's very pretty and it's going to be hard to give away.

I didn't pin it out to block - I just sort of stretched it out on the floor.  True blocking would have fixed that little ruffle at the edges, but since I doubt the recipients of this blanket - the parents of a new baby girl - will have time to do anything more than throw it in the washer and dryer, severe blocking seemed unnecessary.

 

I used about 8 and a half skeins of Knit Picks Comfy Sport in Whisker.  I really like this yarn - it's a cotton/acrylic blend.  It's a little splitty but not so much so to be really annoying.  It's nice and soft and machine washable/dryable.  I'm sure I'll use it again.

I had planned on casting on immediately for Myrtle, but..... I didn't!  Last week I was in Madison for a conference and had just enough time to visit one yarn shop, The Knitting Tree. I was looking for a sagey green sock yarn to use for Pea Vines by Anne Hansen, but as soon as I saw the Dream in Color Smooshy in Cloud Jungle, I knew that was the yarn.  That swatch-picture doesn't do it justice, but it's better than I could do.  At first, the color reminded me of the old-fashioned green/brown army fatigues, but then I noticed the rosy smudges.  It's just gorgeous.


ETA: Okay - I tried taking a photo with my iPhone - and it turned out closer in color than they one I took with my camera!

I cast on for the medium size last night - Pea Vines is worked from the bottom up, which means it gets smaller and smaller.  I've never knit a shawl this way, but I have to say, it's kind of fun!  The casting on was a bit tedious, but it's not nearly as many stitches as you would have for a full-size, lace-weight shawl.

Next week I travel again - first to San Antonio to see my sister, then to Austin for a conference.  There may be more yarn shops in my future!