So much fiber, so little time

Crazy first day of summer

Yesterday, my new computer arrived. Unfortunately, the warehouse sent it to Geneva, about 45 miles northwest of here, instead of calling me to pick it up. A kindly gentleman from the research facility phoned me to let me know, and we arranged for it to travel back to Ithaca with the grad students who drive a ginormous van back and forth. We successfully transferred the box to me, but by the time I got home from feeding the horses, it was late and I wasn't in the mood to start the setup.

So I got to work today running a backup on the old and hooking up the new, and both machines cooperated magnificently, bless their little Mac hearts. By 3:30 or so this afternoon, I had the last major piece re-installed. Suddenly, the weather radio began to bleep with a severe thunderstorm warning. OK, fine, even though I have a UPS, I shut down the computer. Ten minutes later, the radio bleeps again with a friggin' tornado warning. I tossed the cats into carriers, put on shoes, grabbed my wallet, keys, and checkbook, put a leash on Cookie and headed for the (windowless) bathroom, all the while swearing because I'd be bloody pissed if a tornado ate my brand new computer!

It took about 40 minutes for the worst to pass. We were lucky because the wind wasn't too bad, but apparently several spotters reported a tornado a few miles to the northwest.

Ooh, ooh, today I got official written confirmation, as in a contract to sign, that the lace stole will be in the upcoming More One Skein Wonders in November.

Oh crap, the NOAA radio just went off again with another severe thunderstorm warning. Hope it's the last of the day ...

A movie for spinners?

There's a New Zealand horror/comedy movie going slowly into wider release called Black Sheep. The IMDB taglines had me rolling on the floor:

Get ready for the Violence of the Lambs!

Get the flock out of here!

There are 40 million sheep in New Zealand... and they're pissed off!

A new breed of comedy horror

The sheep on this farm have turned to the baaaaaad side

Itty Bitty Bambi

This is the first fawn I've seen this year - the does haven't let them wander much before now. This little fella tiptoed into the backyard, so I ran out with the camera and 300mm lens. The pictures are tolerably focused for a long lens handheld or balanced on a rubber garbage can.

Instinct is fascinating. Every time I moved, s/he went flat down on the ground, as at left. When I stayed still for a while, its head came up.

Lacy Zigzag socks

Before launching into the next shawl design, I decided to take a break with a pair of socks. The yarn is Schaefer Anne and the stitch pattern is a lacy rib I found in one of the Bäuerliches Stricken books. (The dish towel in the background is one I wove probably about 15 years ago. Can't beat the 8/2 cotton warp and 8/2 slub weft for durability!)

I thought about writing up the pattern, but on some philosophical level, I don't actually believe in sock patterns. After all, it's just a tube with a bend in it. Do the math to fit the foot :)

The new shawl has taken nebulous form: I've worked out the construction in my head and just need to swatch and then specifically chart the bits. I'm pretty excited about the design, because I solved a niggling detail that has always bothered my inner geek and because I think the final shape will look spectacular.

Yesterday's veggie haul was a good 'un. We got scallions, leeks, red lettuce, kale, spinach, radishes and something else I'm forgetting. I made a leek and potato soup last night with the leftover bits of chard and spring garlic. Yum!

Don't tell Jeeves, but he's going to the vet for his annual checkup tomorrow. The cat carrier is already out with the door opened, which makes it so much easier to do a "scoop and run". Fortunately, the recommended vaccination schedule for the shots he gets has changed to once every three years, so at least he won't have to deal with needles.

Color me confused

Why does the DVD of Shirley Valentine have "US English" and "UK English" audio tracks? For that matter, why has BBC America starting putting closed captioning notices at the beginning of programs? Have the knuckle-dragging mouth breathers suddenly begun watching UK programming? Huh?

Shiny happy veggies

Today was our first pickup from the CSA. Yum! We got lettuce, Swiss chard, spinach, radishes, spring garlic, scallions and rhubarb, and we may get sugar snap peas next week if they're ready. I have all the rhubarb because I'm willing to cook it, and I think I'll probably make either a rhubarb or strawberry-rhubarb fool. Must buy sugar first, though :)