Summer Projects

Early summer brings many high hopes of gardens, outside projects, and, hopefully, much time to knit smallish projects. This year is no exception in that I have many, many projects that want doing.

We started out the growing season literally under water (or at least part of the back yard was). Since then, we've had so little rain that the ground is literally like concrete. Even the well-established perennials are looking a little sorry. Luckily, I can lower my standards pretty quickly so I am only pulling large, ugly weeds. As far as green, growing things, the only things that really need regular watering are the peppers, tomatoes and a couple of pots on the patio.

The large summer project was getting the garage organized. I'm happy to say that it is done. All walls are painted, have pegboard installed, the floor is painted, everything has been sorted, put away and our vehicles are back in the garage. The only item that needs doing is to paint the people door. My arm/hand needs a break from painting, so it can wait a week or so.

We've been looking for a couple of years for outside chairs as our old ones were getting a bit ratty-looking. After awhile, the darn things just will not clean up properly. DH finally found some folding chairs, which we wanted badly (much easier to store in winter). They're a nice brown fabric type. However, this meant that the picnic table was now the wrong color (it was blue) and so was the umbrella (it was kind of gray & blue). More paint to the rescue...the table has been painted and the top "fauxed". The umbrella even got a few coats of paint.

I'm still so angry that I could put the responsible someone's leg in a trap just so they know what they do. I really don't object to people hunting and fishing if they do so responsibly. I do, however, really object to trapping. Our blog "spokes kitty", Bubba, had a run-in with a trap recently. He has recovered nicely, although is now short a back leg. It's a really quite amazing how quickly he has adapted. I will refrain from taking pictures until his fur has grown back a bit more. I really do try to respect our critters dignity, although it is mighty hard some days!

The show season is fully underway. DD rode in her first equitation/pleasure show last month and did quite well. It was also Sugar's first show. She placed 5th in two classes.

She continues to barrel race and pole bend. The evening I took this picture, it was quite warm and humid. Nobody was moving that quickly!

As far as knitting and spinning goes, there has been little progress on much of anything. Some progress, just not much. I've spun a bit more white superwash for a future project. I've knitted a bit on the latest traveling sock (almost to the toe on the first one), turned the heel on the reticulated socks and plug away at knitting a tote bag.

Since it appears that we're just not going to get much rain this year, which cuts way down on gardening chores, it's looking like there will be more knitting time available. I should start making some real progress on all those started projects...