Field Day or Sitting Day depending on who you are

So today was a field day picnic day at my school.  It was great.  I was in charge of calling for parent volunteers.  I hate the telephone.  (Oddly enough I was a telephone operator for a few summers.)  When I was getting ready to place the calls for request for help, I sort of felt like a really bad telemarketer.

Hi, this is sophanne from school, no there's no problem with your kid, I was wondering if you'd like to spend one of your last "kid-free" days running a station for our field day.  It will be hot outside and there will be many loud and over-stimulated kids there, what say?

After the first few calls, I realized that most parents like their kids, like seeing them have fun, and are more than happy to be called to help.  Some came that I hadn't even called because it's just what parents sometimes do.  I was overwhelmed and humbled by their willingness to be helpful.  It was great.  Go Awesome Parents!  You Rock!

And then... please tell me what kind of physed teacher comes to a field day, sets up his lawn chair and sits on his arse in the shade all day.  Because if you tell me (in words I can use), I'll tell him.  I may have to back off on the bantering with Chicken Bob because I am certain that that sort of bantering is unhealthy when you really mean it.

After getting everything set up in the morning, my duty was "face painting concierge"- making sure that everyone who wanted to got painted and didn't spend the day waiting in line.  What fun it was to watch the joy at the transformations!

That Ann Budd...

Not only does she do all of the math for you, she sends you nice messages when you do one of her patterns- this is the second one I've gotten after posting one of her/my projects on ravelry.

In unblocked news...

The top green ones are in some alpaca purchased on San Juan Island several summers ago.  The patter, not shown clearly due to lack of blocking is José Gralike's Long Tall Chunky Cabled Mittens.  I love this pattern- no mods, great thumb directions.

The green on the left is another pair of Susie Roger's Susie's Reading Mitts done in some Knitpiks Capra.

The blue pair on the right  was made using Ann Budd's Basic Mitten Pattern and some Berrocco Alpaca.

Lately, when in doubt about what to knit, I generally try to reduce the stash and make mittens.  I've been tossing them aside for future give-away.  If I have enough by December maybe the family will get mittens instead of hats!

Acadian

Why yes, this is a knitting blog- it just takes so long to get me to block things.

I have also been playing with photoshop which is why there is nothing to give you an idea of the size.  It's about 4 feet long.   It's Acadian Shawl by Melisa McCurley and is a free ravelry download. 

I used Elsbeth Lavold Silky wool- about 2 skeins. and did several extra pattern repeats for a longer scarf-like thing.  I was going to block it to stretch it to 5 or 6 feet (and probably could  have) but didn't have the space or the patience.  Given the nature of the yarn, I'm thinking that once the curling ends settle down after blocking (silky wool is good like that) I may block it again to stretch it out if it doesn't do so naturally. 

It's knit from end to end, increasing and decreasing on the ends and the only thing I would change if I were to do it again is to make a wider band of garter stitch to be sure that there weren't folding ends.  

Save the rocks

Today some kids are going on a field trip to the Meadowcroft Rockshelter.  I visited the site and found that it's a historical field trip with many valuable attractions.  That did not stop me from imagining it as a sort of "wildlife sanctuary for wounded rocks," as in-

My rock has been hit by a bb gun, can you save it so it will fly again?

and

Each rock has its own living quarters with a comfortable cot and daily massages.

or

See that pile of rocks over there?  Those are the ones that didn't make it.

Blueberry and some sweetness

Last week Mr. Sophanne and I had a conversation about what to plant in the garden.  We agreed on cucumbers, tomatoes (regular and cherry), green peppers and maybe some beans.  Those are garden things that we will eat.  As we tried to figure out what else to plant, he said "How about blueberries?"  I told him that blueberries grew on bushes.

Today I had to stop at the local greenhouse to pick up a hanging basket and Lo and Be Whole, what was there but 3 year old blueberry bushes.

It's in a big biggish pot and will need a big biggish hole so I told Mr. Sophanne it was a present for him so that he would be the planter of blueberries.  The greenhouse lady said that shavings of Irish Spring keep the deer away but I'm thinking we might consider planting it within the walls of the garden.  

The sweetness part is a school story, shared here as much so that I'll remember as it is to entertain blogreaders.

4 fifth grade girls were in my room at recess today, choosing my space over outdoor recess.  They "played around" on instruments for a while.  I left them alone, knowing that it's to easy to interfere with my adult mind in the happy play of kids.

At some point they began to "play" concert.  All four lined up.  The entered the instrument area together and sat behind their instruments.  One stood in front as the conductor with a makeshift baton.  Then they played one of the xylophone pieces that they knew in canon.   Each time they did it they would become a little more professional.  One was scolded (by her peers) for speaking too soon at the end of the piece.  It's not over yet, don't talk in the show.  I could hear them in the walking in area saying This time it's the real time, right?  This time it's the really real time.  They took their bows at the end and quietly exited the instrument area.

I was in the room the whole time, again it was all I could do not to try to "add to" or "make better" their play.  At the end of recess they said, "Mrs. Sophanne, tomorrow can we do our show for you after we practice a few times?"  Then they remembered that tomorrow was field trip day and expressed their disappointment.  I assured them that I'd been watching all along.

I felt like I had been a observing guest in the "Secret Garden" of girls who are 10.  It felt so magical.

Don't skip the vegetables

I snapped this photo at almost 9:00 this evening- it stinks, I know it.  What you still might be able to see though is that the left side has been "picked" and the right side has been "massaged."  It's a new gardening technique that I'm all about.  O.k., not really but that's a little bit what it feels like.

Mr. Sophanne picked the whole area yesterday.  I spent some time breaking up the big chunks of dirt and removing the weeds.  Come to find it's really my favorite part of having the garden-the same was true last year.  Sitting on blanket, gloves in the dirt, counting worms, and massaging earth.  I am very tempted to save a corner of this little patch to just keep around to work at.  Maybe even in the middle.

The thing is- when I first sat down to do it I did so with great intention and plans for "success and completion."  I was going to get all of those green pieces that Mr. Sophanne laboriously dug up.  After a few minutes, I realized that wasn't going to happen and it didn't have to.  What a relief and then what a relaxing moment to just be sitting and playing in the dirt.  I highly recommend it.

Sheep and Fiber 2012

Things I haven't seen before

Making flowers with Nan.  She uses recycled wool, dyes it and makes these spectacular creations.  They aren't felted- but perhaps made of felt?

At first glance, this appears to be just a smiley lady winding yarn, but look closer.  Her ball winder is on her lap attached to a cutting board!  Holy pure genius batman!

Things that suck me in every time but I refrain

Alpaca Bears

What I actually came home with

Two skeins of sock yarn from two different vendors, a yarn bowl, a wallet and some peaches (from the nearby farmer's market)  I figure if the yarn bowl isn't the dream I imagine it to be, it will still hold fresh fruit.)  Bonus points for playing "spot the seltzer bottle"