30 July 2010

For here or to go?

Monitor Peak, Windom Peak, Sunlight Spire, Sunlight Peak, Vestal Peak, Mount Eolus and Arrow Peak in the Weminuche WildernessA friend recently asked me about some Weminuche Wilderness pictures he found in a magazine. Our families combined have created many adventures (and photos!) together over the last decade. When we get together, rivers are crossed, trails are hiked and mountains are climbed. Conversations with him always make me drool. I always find myself fantasizing about what we'll be doing next.

I've ventured into the Weminuche three times but have not climbed or thoroughly explored there, where a trio of remote 14ers and a ton of jewel 13ers await. We talked about doing a 14er or two in August. The level of excitement was audibly rising, and everyone within earshot could hear us bubble as we made tentative plans.

Another friend was listening. This particular friend loves to be included in conversations, even when the language seems foreign.

When he heard us talking about doing a 14er, he excitedly offered, "I'll do a 14er with you!"

Surprised beyond words because this friend doesn't get outdoors much, ever, we assured him we'd pick the easiest 14er in the state, and we'd stay with him the entire way. We couldn't believe we were going to get him outside enjoying nature!

"What is a 14er?" he suspiciously asked.

"A 14,000-foot tall mountain," we replied in unison.

"How far up is that?" he queried.

"About 7 or 8 thousand feet from Denver," I replied.

A very long and uncomfortable pause ensued.

"That's okay. You two go without me," he said, slowly rolling his eyeballs off his cheeks and back into his head after recapturing his breath.

Turns out he thought a 14er was a new sandwich.

Dig in!

29 July 2010

My new bike!

My New Bike
First Test Ride
When I Grow Up, I Want to be Just Like You!
What do I want with a thread bicycle that can never climb a mountain??? It's going to hang on my Christmas tree along with all those snowflakes I've made!

27 July 2010

Wordless Wednesday

roses
day lily
torch lily
iris
lupine
pentstemon
bindweed
garden visitor
creepy crawly
critter

Let the Monster Socks Begin!

monster sock detailI've been getting a lot of questions about the sock pattern I use, so I decided it's high time I share the not-so-secret details.

About a year ago I bought "Crochet Today! Quick & Easy Gifts 2009," which includes Amy O'Neill Houck's Step-by-Step Socks (Ravelry link). I wore out the magazine carrying it around in my commute bag last winter while working on my first couple pairs of socks. I finally got wise and made a working copy of the pattern and now carry that with me in my bag. The pattern is memorized now, plus I've made a number of modifications (see notes below), but I still have the pattern in my bag for quick reference, just in case.

sunset Noro socksThe pattern is now available online free after being featured on "Knit & Crochet Today." You must log in to Knit & Crochet Today in order to access the free patterns, but that's free, too. The Step-by-Step Socks pattern is located in Episode 205, listed as Crochet Heart & Sole Socks.

I have never knit a pair of socks; turning a heel scares me, but I do intend to learn the process one day. I did, however, grow up knitting slippers from a pattern I made up in my head. I garter stitched a long rectangle, ran the tail through all the loops on the needle at the end and pulled tight, then used the tail to close the toe section and another piece of yarn to sew up the heel. Everyone I knew received a pair of handknit slippers from me for Christmas back then.

I also freeformed a bunch of baby slippers in crochet back then. I couldn't afford patterns, so I made up design as I went, often using my baby sister's feet as a size guide.

Last year I experienced a bear-making craze, and I designed the feet much the same as those baby slippers I worked up as a teenager. While shopping for bear yarn and thread, I kept seeing beautiful shades of sock yarn, and I kept imagining how beautiful socks would be if crocheted instead of knitted. Sock yarn typically is striped to accommodate rows of knitting, so crochet dramatically alters the striping pattern.

I explored a few different free crochet sock patterns available online but didn't find anything that appealed to me until I picked up that "Quick and Easy Gifts" magazine last fall. I made my third pair for the Ravelympics and by that time was hooked. Literally. I'm now working on pair number nine! (I've made a preliminary list of 15 people (so far) who need Christmas presents from me this year, and so I must finish 30 socks before my annual time bandit Photoshopping service project begins in November.)

sock yarn leftoversSometime last spring, I learned about Monster Socks. Sock knitters use sock yarn leftovers in socks with wild stripe patterns -- none of the yarn matches, and sometimes the colors don't even go together. The more random and wild, the better.

I was hooked all over again. I'd been using my leftovers to make bears, lizards, bunnies, hearts and even snowflakes, but Monster Socks looked so downright striking, I began saving the odds and ends to make my first pair.

That first pair finally came to life last week, and I'm even more addicted to sock yarn and sock crochet now than ever before. I may make all the rest of my gift socks this way because they are so unique and so... well, to me, eye-popping gorgeous! I can't imagine ever getting tired of making "Franken Socks" because no two pairs are alike. From my hook, not even two socks are alike!

monster sock in progressThis first pair reminds me of an afghan I made of leftovers back in high school. I grew up in a small town that didn't have a lot of fancy yarn choices. The first time I ever saw variegated yarn, I was in love. To me, the blending of the changing colors was magical. I bought one skein of every colorway I could get my hands on. The colors didn't all look so good together, so I worked solid black rows in between. My grandmother kept that afghan on the foot of her bed until the day she died. Every time I visited, she would tell me how beautiful that afghan was and how much she loved just looking at it.

I've read in several places about fiber artists being crushed when a handmade gift they've made turns up in a thrift shop (or used as a dog toy) a few weeks later. I've read many soothing, comforting comments to such situations, and I've read a few snarky remarks that make my hair stand on end.

The bottom line seems to be: Know your recipient. Don't give something you've made to someone who does not appreciate handmade. And if you do, remember it is a gift, and what the recipient does with it is up to the recipient. Ouch. But helpful advice.

Monster Socks and Yarn Bombing in Downtown DenverKnowing some of the socks I've crafted this year may wind up in a thrift shop or homeless or domestic violence shelter ruffles my feathers a bit, but the love and adoration that goes into every single pair doesn't diminish just because the socks travel a bit further than I intend. Hopefully whoever wears these socks after this coming December will taste the heartfelt emotion woven deeply into the fabric. And maybe they'll even feel my passion for color in the bright hues I've used!

My Step-by-Step Socks Modifications

I use a size B hook instead of C, as most of the sock yarn I use is a little finer than Heart and Sole sock yarn. I start by chaining 12 instead of 10 and adjust the number of V-stitches and linked double crochet accordingly. I also work the increases on the toe section into the third stitch instead of the second stitch on about the third and sixth rows to keep the toe section perfectly formed and not crooked (because single crochet in the round migrates clockwise). I make my socks a little longer than the anklets shown in the pattern, and I increase the number of V-stitches as needed to accommodate calf size. I really don't like crocheted ribbing at all, so I knit my cuffs on size 3 double pointed needles by picking up a multiple of four stitches on the final row of crochet on the ankle/calf section, typically six knit stitches for every five crochet stitches. I work a classic knit 2/purl 2 rib for an inch and a half before binding off. My latest obsession is to work the toe, heel and cuff in a different (solid color) yarn than the body of the sock. This helps preserve the fancy sock yarn that sometimes comes in smaller skeins/hanks and also assures I have more leftovers at the end!

First Complete Monster SocksOh, and knot-tying and tail-weaving began to be very tedious on the first Monster Sock after about four rows of color changes. I performed a bit of accidental research on Ravelry and found this useful tip that works for crochet as well as knit. I'm using it now for every join I do in every yarn project. When I'm alternating a main color every other row, I don't even bother to cut that yarn. I just carry it across the next row with one wrap on the inside of the sock, same technique used for intarsia knitting.

My Personal Sock Tips

My favorite sock yarns are Kureyon, ONline and Cascade Heritage. Noro and Wisdom yarns are not machine washable, but Crystal Palace, Cascade, Red Heart, Opal, Deborah Norville, Fly Designs and Kroy can be machine washed. This should factor into gift-giving planning as much as color and size. Also, some people have trouble wearing wool, even when it has nylon or other fibers mixed in to make it less scratchy. Poems by Wisdom is just about the prettiest yarn I've ever seen, but it splits like crazy as it is crocheted or knitted. It seems to hold together just fine when the project is done. The yarn splitting during construction is annoying enough to keep me at a distance.

As a cyclist wannabe, I LOVE wool because it holds in heat during cold weather, and thin wool created especially for summer breathes well and wicks moisture. Bamboo and alpaca are the softest of all the fibers I've tried, and cotton typically stays wet once you sweat in it or endure a rain storm.

Pretty in PinkAcrylic yarn should never be used when making socks, scarves, hats or any other wearable gift for active-duty military. Acrylic burns and in the process adheres to skin. Wool, cotton, alpaca, bamboo and other natural fibers smolder themselves out.


When leftovers are too short to complete a sock row, make tiny animals! I promise, the finished product will make you smile!sock yarn heaven

26 July 2010

Snowflake Monday

Another spoke flake, because I've had bicycle on the brain (and rear end) almost all spring and summer long.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Another Spoke Flake

Finished Size: 5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 4 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or foil, cellophane tape, glue, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Instructions

Ch 6, sl st into 1st ch OR make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 8 (counts as 1 dc and ch 5), *dc in ring, ch 10, dc in ring, ch 5; repeat from * around 4 times; dc in ring, ch 5, dtr in 3rd ch of starting ch 8. Leave magic circle opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 2: Ch 1, 1 sc in space below, *ch 3, 1 sc in next ch 5 loop, ch 15, sc in 9th ch from hook, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, 1 sc in each of next 3 ch, sc in same ch 5 loop, [ch 3, sc in next ch 10 loop, ch 15, sc in 4th ch from hook, ch 8, sl st in sc, ch 4, sl st in sc, sc in next ch, hdc in next ch, dc in next ch, tr in next ch, dtr in next ch, dc in next ch, hdc in next ch, 1 sc in each of next 3 ch], sc in ch 10 loop; repeat from * around 5 times; repeat [ ] 1 time; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Tape wax paper or foil to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or foil.

Mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or foil. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

23 July 2010

Bunny Stew

PiercePierce Chilling in the GardenMeet Pierce. He came with the house. The neighbors tried for a couple of years before we moved in to trap Pierce and relocate him. The neighbors' dogs wanted to get in on the act, too, only they were more interested in permanently changing Pierce's molecular structure. That's how Pierce acquired the ear modification, hence the name.

We didn't mind Pierce nibbling on our grass. He stayed out of our way, and we stayed out of his.

Suddenly, a second bunny began munching on the grass. AND the flowers. The two bunnies were inseperable. Now we were worried. Well, perhaps perturbed is a better word. One plus one in bunny speak means way more than than two, and we did not want our home to become the bunny soup kitchen.

The Girlfriend in the GardenWe set traps. The pair, however, eluded us. We just couldn't catch them. And yet, six weeks later, still no babies.

We returned from Ride the Rockies to find Pierce and The Girlfriend making themselves at home in my veggie garden. Flattened flowers made me angry; corn stalks chewed to the soil and trampled onions pushed me completely over the edge. I was ready to throw Pierce and his girlfriend into a pot of boiling water, along with whatever remained of my garden.

Pierce DinerWe arrived home one evening not long after chasing the bunnies out of the garden to find Pierce and The Girlfriend frolicking in the front yard. The Girlfriend was trying to nurse. And Pierce kicked fiercely to keep the old-enough-to-be-weened baby away.

I'd always thought Pierce was a boy because there were no babies we knew of. So much for logic.

We seized the opportunity to fortify the fence and gates, but I expect Pierce and offspring will find a way to get back in.

"You wanted to live on the edge of civilization," The Lizard reminded me.

Yes, I did. And I still do.

But I don't want to share my veggies!!!
NOT for bunny consumption!

22 July 2010

Oops, I did it again...

Pretty in PinkI must be crazy.

I signed up for yet one more bike ride this year.

This one's less than 50 miles, but it involves 7,000 feet of climbing. In a day. And a short section of dirt road. Oh, well, my road bike is part mountain bike now, right? I can do this, right?

Ever since I found out there are 14ers (mountains reaching 14,000 feet or higher), I've wanted to ride up Pikes Peak instead of hike it -- because there's a road. But bicycles have been forbidden.

Until now.

So here I go again. I must be nuts.
Pikes Peak Sunrise from Garden of the Gods

20 July 2010

Afterthoughts

Busy BeeHave you ever been hit in the face by a bee at 34 mph?

My cheek caused the demise of three bees, two during Ride the Rockies, and one during the MS-150. Not the kind of thing you plan for or expect, but it happens.

RtR pin collection
Once, back in the days of dinosaurs, before cell phones, email and digital cameras, I was en route to a newspaper assignment in a neighboring city when I decided my rear view mirror needed adjustment. I stuck my hand out the open window (because I didn't have air conditioning back then) to adjust the mirror (because nothing was electric way back then) just as a bird in flight decided to check out the density of my powder blue 1976 Ford Maverick (which had been a fleet car for several years before morphing into my first motorized wheels).

Ouch.

Luckily, bees don't hurt quite as much at 34 mph as birds at 55 mph (yes, this was WAY before today's speed limits!).

This year's Ride the Rockies left a little more wear and tear on my behind than my Ford Maverick ever did. Trying to ride to work four days after the biggest ride of my life for Colorado's annual Ride to Work Day was excruciating! Fortunately, everything healed up just enough for me to finish the MS-150 the following weekend. And then squeeze in two more days of commuting so I could log my first ever 1,000-mile month badge. They give those to Girl Scouts, right? And mine should be coming in the mail soon. Right?

Initially, I was so excited by the accomplishment of clearing four digits in one month, a whole third of my 2010 goal in just 30 days (!!!), I thought maybe I could do it again in July. And August! Wowie!!! My entire 2010 goal in three months! Wouldn't that be cool!?!

One bean for Lizard, one bean for meAfter all, 1,000 miles is just 30 miles per day. My commute is twice that. So I could ride every other day.

Complications arose. First, weather. Not that I mind riding in rain and wind. I have the proper attire. Sitting atop a rolling lightning rod when black clouds hover isn't my idea of healthy physical activity. Same dilemma stung me July 4 when I wanted to shoot fireworks. Dang it! Tripods, too, double as lightning rods!

Second, The Lizard is competing in two races this month. I can't ride those two Saturdays. That's not a complaint, though. I love to get pictures of him at his best when I'm not feeling exhausted, strained, tired, weak, humbled, worn out, bushed, beat and possibly saddle sore to boot.

Third, my yard and garden were neglected since about March, and if I want to have edible food from my own backyard this autumn, I need to put some time in there. Difficult to do when I pedal away with headlamp at 4:45 a.m. and then don’t get home until 7:30 or 8 p.m.

Fourth, Christmas is just five months away. I have a ton of presents to finish making. I can’t do that on the bike.

Blue Lakes Wildflowers Gone CrazyDoes it sound like I’m making excuses? I truly was supercharged when I finished that 1,000th mile last month. The Lizard called to ask if I wanted to be picked up at Mile 15, which would be the exact amount I needed. I was pedaling into a 20-25 mph headwind. I could do the whole 30 miles, all the way home, and I’d have 1,015 miles during the month of June. I would be home at about 8 p.m. I would be exhausted. And I wouldn’t have time to do anything but water the garden, eat and collapse into bed.

“YES! Please! Pick me up Qdoba, which should be exactly 15 miles, and I’ll buy you dinner!”

My odometer read 44.8 when I pulled into Qdoba. (I’d done 30 miles that morning.) I pedaled back a tenth of a mile, then turned back into the headwind and returned to Qdoba, where a marvelous naked queso burrito awaited!

my first monster sockI seriously wanted another 1,000 miles. Repeating the fete this month and again next month would have been like turning into Super Woman for someone like me. But reasons Number 1 through 4 above are real, and I can get a whole lot more wildflower photos hiking than biking. So the saddle gets a bit of a reprieve now.

I have no intention to quit riding. I do not want to lose what I have built up. Maybe I can do 1,000 miles in a month again another time, when I don’t have other elements of life getting pushed aside.

There’s also the issue of the crippled bike. When I first realized my derailleur had bit the dust, I thought I would have to buy a new bike. I thought I had no choice whatsoever in the matter. That hurt like crazy.

my bike shopThe bike runs okay with a mountain bike derailleur, and I could tolerate another 1,000 miles on it if I had to. But I don’t have to. And that, perhaps, is the best part of NOT riding another 1,000 miles in 31 days or less. I HAD to finish Ride the Rockies. In my mind, I’d paid for those miles. Not just with money, but with training. Months of training. To give up or quit would mean I’d wasted all the hours I invested through a springtime of not always favorable weather. I earned those miles. And now, I have pedaled those miles. They are mine. No one can ever take them away from me!

So what about the bike? Does my future hold a new shiny steed?

Nope. I’ve decided to take The Lizard up on his offer to completely rebuild the bike and turn it into a 10-speed this winter when we get back on the trainers. Next spring, it will be like a whole new bike, but without the price tag! And when something goes wrong with the derailleur, the cassette, the chain, the hubs... whatever, I'll be able to get parts. Well, unless bike manufacturers quit making 10-speeds and force us all to upgrade once again...

Best of all, my reborn and rebuilt bike will be fully equipped with seven years of some of the most wonderful memories of my life. Just try to buy that in any bike shop!
The Lizard's bike shop

19 July 2010

Snowflake Monday

I didn't come up with the name for this flake. When I was writing the pattern, I wrote, "6 points and 6 flower picots." At the time, that was as good at it gets.

Reader Amanda said the points reminded her of a gothic church. Reader Brenda in snowy Minnesota suggested Gothic Daisy. I think both of them deserve credit for a great snowflake name when I was coming up dry!

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: 5.75 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 4 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or foil, cellophane tape, glue, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Gothic Daisy Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: 24 sc in ring. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.

Round 2: Sc in 1st sc, *ch 12, sk 1 sc and sc in next sc; repeat from * around 10 more times for a total of 11 petals, ch 5, 1 trtr into starting sc to form 12th petal.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 3: 1 sc in petal, *ch 3, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 5, sc in 5th ch from hook, ch 6, sl st in sc, ch 4, sl st in sc, ch 3, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, sc in next petal, ch 12, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch, 1 sc in each of next 2 ch, 1 hdc in each of next 2 ch, trtr in next ch, ch 4, sc in next petal; repeat from * around 5 times, sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

Mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

16 July 2010

No Respect

Atop Mount Princeton with C-RodIt was bound to happen.

"You rode 522 miles in 7 days?!? I can't believe that! You really did that?!?"

"Yes."

"Did you hear that? Can you believe that? She rode 522 miles in 7 days!!!"

"Yeah, she did Ride the Rockies. It's fully supported. It's no big deal."

No respect!!!

The King of No RespectMy blood boiled. Then a couple of names I don't like to think much less say popped into my head. I ignored the comment and continued the discussion, pretending not to be hurt and insulted. Deep inside, I couldn't understand what would make someone feel the need to belittle the accomplishment of another.

Seemed like a great start to what could be an awesome blog post, but then I got stuck. I couldn't think what to write next. I wanted to end on a humorous note, but I couldn't think of one. After writing a replay of the conversation, I was angry all over again!

So I let The Lizard read over my shoulder what I'd written. He'd been as offended as me when he first heard about the comment. "Let's see YOU do 522 miles in 7 days, Mr. Tough Guy!"

I would add, "When's the last time YOU rode 1,000 miles in one month, EVER?"

Respectable SummitMr. Tough Guy does the Copper Triangle every year. That's it. He gets bored if he rides more than three times a year. So he does just one organized ride. Fully supported. 70 miles. One day. Did I mention, "fully supported"? Look at all those rest stops!!! (I fully support the mission of the Davis Phinney Foundation and am not in any way slamming the Copper Triangle. I'm simply poking fun at one clueless rider...)

During the 522 miles of my Ride the Rockies, "fully supported" by ONE variety of fruit and a tray of animal crackers every 22 miles or so, along with vendors who charged $6 or $7 for food such as fajitas, Thai noodles, hamburgers and other choices that just don't sound appealing to me during an 80-mile ride, I carried my own food. I ate scrambled egg and cheese burritos or pancakes at the first aid station each morning. I ate bananas when they were available (generally every three rest stops). On the final day, I ate pretzels twice. Everything else I ate the entire 522 miles was food I carried in my pack or in my jersey pocket.

During the 266 miles of training I did during June and the 742 miles of training I did during May, there were no "fully supported" rest stops. That prepared me for Elephant Rock, Ride the Rockies and the MS-150 and sticking with my diabetic eating habits. I assure you, every day, fully supported or not, was a very big deal to me because I worked hard to be ready.

Full of Hot AirAnd yet, no respect. No respect at all from Mr. Tough Guy!

Now the thoughtless comment has had more time to sink in, and emotions are a little stronger, even for The Lizard.

"Write this in your blog post," The Lizard directed with a glimmer in his eye. "Write: I told my husband about the comment, and he took matters into his own hands. Sammy got a joyride and had a wonderful dinner."

"Sammy" is the rattlesnake we recently found occupying an outcropping of rocks outside our garage. Sammy's now been relocated to a canyon with no human inhabitants. That doesn't stop The Lizard from making frequent promises about what havoc he will encourage our former reptile resident to wreak.

When someone cuts us off in traffic, The Lizard promises to hide Sammy in the rude driver's vehicle. When something in politics gets us rattled, The Lizard vows to send Sammy to D.C. (I should write a book about that!!!) When we pick up garbage others have callously left behind, The Lizard schemes ways to booby trap trash slobs with a once neighborhood creepy crawler.

I wonder if we could find Sammy now if we tried. Wouldn't it be fun to drop him off in a certain unsuspecting person's mailbox?

Heh, heh, heh. No respect. None at all!Bite Me!
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