Emptyknitster

While on rainy Melita Island this past weekend, I did a lot of knitting in front of the fire at the lodge. Elizabeth was right, the Pi Shawl is a great traveling project...  I am half done with an entire month before her birthday, yea! I've also been working on the Pirate's sweater since we got back home. The pocket is finished and I'm now knitting a sleeve.  The "Summer of the Clean House" continues, I started on the familyroom in the basement today and will have it finished tomorrow. Although I thought that it was only cleaning and no mucking out, I managed to fill yet another box with rummage! I'm on the down hillside of this major cleaning frenzy - only a library, workout room, and two bedrooms to go!

Hubby and I traveled across the state to celebrate the 4th. Flathead Lake has long been a draw for many Montanians during the summer months. This year the weather has been cool and rainy, so the holiday was rather quiet. I painted benches and the porch of the lodge while Hubby helped Roger complete the new and improved showers - all 7 of them. Much better that the tarp walls of past years. Although I saw osprey, ducks, and woodpeckers, the photos were blurry or too far away... It's been so wet in the state that there are mushrooms growing on trees!   Our scouts will be safe this summer with the stellar staff ever watching for danger! God Bless America!

Mom used to make a great three bean salad in the summer, but, I think it was just a little of this and a little of that. I couldn't find the recipe anywhere! So I was at a loss when Hubby bought a Costco roasted chicken. I found this WINNER on the web and wanted to share. It's an easy and delicious fix for a potluck or family supper.   Bean Salad 10 servings 289 calories per serving Ingredients     * 1 (14.5 ounce) can green beans, drained     * 1 (14.5 ounce) can wax beans, drained     * 1 (15.25 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained     * 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained     * 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained     * 1 red onion, chopped     * 1 green bell pepper, chopped     * 3/4 cup red wine vinegar     * 3/4 cup white sugar     * 3/4 cup vegetable oil     * 3/4 teaspoon ground dry mustard ...

Hubby is working today and even though the forecast was for 90 degrees it is cool, cloudy, with thunder/lightning and showers traveling through. A perfect day to just do exactly what I want to do! A little of this and a little of that but mostly KNITTING! The pirate needs a new sweater.....no matter what his mom tells him it always ends up on the boy backwards - with the skull on his chest. So, this Gramma thinks that he needs a new sweater with skulls all the way around!   The Pi Shawl is in Elizabeth Zimmerman's book Knitter's Almanac for July, I just couldn't wait another day to start! The yarn is fragile as Jared stated in his blog but his remedy also works, just overlap the broken yarn several inches and keep right on knitting! And now, back to work....Happy Knitting!

I've been quietly working on another Wallaby. I enjoyed knitting the last striped baby sweater. There was plenty of the orange variegated left so I made another for a little girl that didn't receive one last Christmas. Yet another version of the Wallaby is on the needles right now!   Pattern: Wonderful Wallaby - this one has a  pocket Yarn: Plymouth Encore Color: Ecru, Orange variegated Amount: 3 skeins Ecru, 1 skein Orange Needles: 8 US (even on the ribbing) The summer is slip, slipping away. I'm enjoying it so much, I don't even know what day it is! The turkeys also think they have it made, enjoying a walk-about, and shade from the warm sunshine.... I received my unspun Icelandic yarn from Schoolhouse Press yesterday and will start the Pi Shawl in memory of EZ's 100th birthday on July 1st. I bought the yarn on brooklyntweed's recommendation, it seems a little fragile but how can I go wrong with those two knitting forces behind me?  It is going to be a ...

I woke up this morning, and had a cup of coffee while watching the sunrise... Hubby and I started into town for some more tornado pictures, but quickly caught these little guys carefully crossing the road..... (I promise no more Metra/Tornado shots after this.....)    I turned slightly west of the Metra and couldn't let this shot go untaken - priceless... I much prefer Mother Nature's quiet beauty!

Before Hubby went to work this morning we got up and went into town to take a look at the tornado damage. The Metra may be totally ruined, not only is the roof gone but the east side of the building is gone.  Bits and pieces are strewn everywhere... The above photo is where Fastbreak once stood.  News reporters say that the tornado hovered over the Metra for about 15 minutes rather than moving on. I had always thought that a tornado moved quickly and fast! Amazingly no one was injured by this tornado, had there been an event at the Metra, or the tornado hit a subdivision rather than the fairgrounds, there would have been many injuries. Yesterday the airport measured 2.25 inches of rain and in places golf ball size hail. A fellow teacher had a car out in the hail and now has many dents, and will have to replace tail lights and windshield! The current forecast is for storms in the afternoon and evening -  as strong or stronger than yesterday.