Summer Changes to Fall.

Virginia creeper

In response to a statement about the colors starting to change, daughter recently inquired what leaves are the first to change. She hasn't lived up North since the late 1990s and wanted a refresher. 

The most obvious leaves springing to mind are the Poplar and Maple. Although other more subtle changes are apparent. Goldenrod, asters, Virginia creeper, sumac. All the lovely colors of fall.

Enjoy these images from our travels last weekend. (more on the next page) We're off to play with paint.

The Benefits of Organic Gardening. Garden Lessons.

I'm convinced our garden harvest lasts so much longer than the neighbors because we don't put poison on anything. While most area gardeners are putting their gardens to bed for the season, we are still harvesting our crop. Zucchini, summer squash and regular tomatoes are almost at an end. Yet the yellow grape tomatoes and heirloom Cherokee Purple tomatoes are still filled with green, growing tomatoes.

One of the rutabagas in the raised bed is almost as large as a soccer ball. Two basil plants are still going strong and only one of the peppers has turned red. The carrots... Ooh, lah lah!!! Dozens of sweet, finger-length carrots await their harvest. We've been thinning them out for several weeks and enjoying the baby carrots for snacks. We still have cabbage and swiss chard to harvest. The purple cabbages did much better than the green.

I'd show you the thumb-sized raspberries we pulled from the vines yesterday, but someone ate them all before we finished harvesting.

We plant marigolds and other flowers with our vegetables to attract bees and repel harmful insects. We use grass clippings from the lawn to mulch the raised beds for moisture retention. Our in-ground beds were amended with black cow, perlite, vermiculite and peat, then tilled to a depth of at least 12 inches and covered with landscaping material. Where possible, natural ground cover (in our case mint and buttercup) has been allowed to grow freely between vegetables to deter weed growth and help retain moisture. All planting areas are fed compost, peat and black cow yearly.

Easy dinner

Our dinner last night was simple. We picked up some real BBQ chicken on our way through Roulette. Boiled up a few 'taters. Heated some beans. Sliced some tomatoes and plucked a little basil and parsley. Yum, yum, yum!

Nothing beats fresh from garden to table. This year the grape tomatoes are so sweet they taste like candy.

Yesterday's leftovers will make a two great meals today. Cold beans on toast for lunch. Later tonight we'll have shredded chicken baked with fresh basil, tomatoes, garlic and dill. More than likely served over a bed of brown rice fried with onions, peppers and sliced carrots. A nice healthy meal.

We've learned a lot this year in the garden. 

Basil does well in raised beds with full sun as long as they're pinched back and temperatures are in the 70s with regular periods of rain (or watering). Once temperatures reach the 90s for an extended period, you may as well harvest the entire plant.

Basil planted in shade on the southwest side matures at a later date thus extending the harvest.

Swiss chard does well planted from seed with morning shade and afternoon sun.

Squash does not do well in shallow raised beds.

Zucchini does surprisingly well in both full and partial sun.

Fall planted onions get big. (We'll try fall-planted garlic this year.)

Strawberry plants don't do much the first year except throw runners.

Mint does not do well when planted with zucchini. The zucchini takes over.

The kohlrabi is HUGE. It takes as much space as zucchini. When planted in west-facing raised beds with partial shade it does well. With full-sun -- not so much.

I leave you on this damp, chilly morning to bake zucchini bread, stir up some potato salad and dream of next year's garden. Y'all enjoy your day.

Blessed be.

Friday Night Fright.

Off-leash field. Pretty, isn't it?

The pup has been restless ever since I got home from work tonight. He went on alert about ten minutes ago after pacing back and forth from back door to master bath and back again. I wasn't too concerned until the cat came in from the bath with him and were both staring at the back door.

Crud.

Pulling on jeans... throwing on hoodie... slipping on shoes... leashing Bandit (just in case).

Throwing on the outside lights. Front and back (just in case). Nope. Not really chicken. Folks, I can confirm from personal experience that there's bear in them there woods!

Out the door we went.Walked the perimeter. Driveway side to back of house. Behind the shed and raised beds. Hearing the same 'yip' 'yip' we've been hearing every time we've spotted the fox and a few times when we've only seen sign.

More on the fox here. (You can skip it if you want to know how fright night ends before I tell you this little snippet. Scroll to the next bold text.)

So the fox... I suspect it's a female in heat or a young 'un on it's own for the first time. Bandit has been rather unruly on the leash of late and that's unlike him unless another dog is around. He's also been rubbing his nose in the scent. Know what I mean, Vern?

We've been spotting sign on the trail for a while and actually watched it cross our paths twice. Once at the crack of dawn down before you get to the big river bend. It started across the trail in front of us. Froze still in mid-stride when I hissed for Bandit to stay. Looked us right in the eye and nonchalantly turned and headed back from whence he came.

The second time was closer to home. Bandit had tried to tell me something was down over the bank, but I pulled him away (skunks seem to be migrating right now and who needs that?) We were headed down to the river bend, but at the last minute I had second thoughts about going that way. It was a fairly nice morning and I thought bone-head would enjoy a little off-leash time. We usually stay on-leash on the trail because you never know who or what is going to come up behind you. This area could probably be considered country suburban. Even here people seem content sticking to the mainstream. Anyway, we've only ever run into one other person off-trail and had plenty of warning they were coming up on us.

Anyway...

We had just turned back around to climb the hill to an open field where he can run without fear of running into game or other people. At least, not after the sun has risen. And there it was. Trotting gracefully across the trail, down into the brush. So beautiful.

Where was the camera? BOTH TIMES? You guessed it. At home on it's little hook. All snuggled down in it's carrying case. *sigh*

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

So we hear this 'yip-yip'. Then silence. Two heartbeats later the tree frogs begin their chorus anew. Hmmmm....

We head toward the north side of the house and Bandit freezes. Staring at the arborvitae hedgerow from whence the bear raiding party arrived in days gone by.

What fun.

So now the questions is: Do I go toward the hedgerow and let the dog do his thing every twenty feet? Or do we keep heading around the north side of the house?

Yep! Hedgerow it is.

Nothing in the hedgerow, but Bandit is scenting the air, walking "on guard" and looking toward the old railroad bed down the road a bit. We walk the perimeter of the front lawn. Around the apple trees, down the drive and back. All this time, he is looking at the same place. Nose raised to the air. Allowing me to lead him, but watching the same spot.

Now, keep in mind that I live in the suburbs and that there are streetlights. Knowing that main street is a short hop away, we walk a short piece down the road. Bandit lets his guard down when we get to a certain point. I figure our aggressive move has scared off whatever he was smelling.

We turn back around. Get not even ten feet down the road back toward the house and he plants his feet and points his muzzle at something along the treeline a few feet away.

Crud.

IMHO, "leave it" is one of the best commands ever. I'm so glad I taught it to him.

We backed away and came inside. But I was too keyed up to go back to reading, so I thought I'd share my little adventure with you. We'll wait until morning to see what kind of tracks are on the other side of the tree line. If there are any there at all.

I've yet to see fox tracks. Have you? Perhaps we'll take a look down by the river.

Finally Friday. 18 September 2015

Our morning hike today was greeted by layers of fog gently rising from the valleys. Unfortunately, there are too many power lines in the neighborhood to capture decent images. This is the best shot from the morning.

What a pleasant way to start the day!

Here's hoping it's a good one for all.

Blessed be.

Sunday: A traditional day of rest. 13 September 2015.

Although Fall doesn't officially start until September 23rd, yesterday's much needed all-day rainstorm stripped enough leaves from the poplars to freckle the trail. Our morning walk featured a plethora of goldenrod reverently bowing their heads in thanks of the moisture. Isn't it amazing how quickly the earth can change? First a long, dry hot spell causes the plants to start to die back. Then cooler temperatures and bit of rainfall cause a sudden surge growth.

Don't you just love the changing colors?

The high temperature today is expected to reach a mere 60 degrees Fahrenheit. With humidity levels at 84%, that's a bit too cold for this hothouse flower - even with layers and wool socks. Our Sunday morning hike has been postponed until the sun breaks through the clouds.

Here's hoping y'all make the most of your day!

Blessed be.

A rare sight...

A rare sight in the boro is an apple tree that has apples. Most of those that made it through the late frost are located along steams leading up to and including the Tunungwant Creek.

We are using this rainy weekend for a much needed down time. Y'all have a pleasant weekend.

We'll catch up with you again on Monday.

Blessed be.

That magic hour.

You may or may not know that I have a German Shepherd. Or perhaps, more truthfully, a German Shepherd has me. What can I say? I love the pup. We go for walks/hikes every day. It keeps us both healthy, active and connected to nature. Although, I could do without so much connecting with the mosquitoes. Dang bloodsuckers!

Tonight on our walk we hit the time of day some call the 'magic hour'. Against a backdrop of growing shadow, the goldenrod and asters scattered along the trail seemed to almost glow of their own accord. We stopped for a bit on the way back to the house to watch the clouds race each other across the sky.

Feeling lucky tonight to live in such a beautiful area.

The image shown above was taken a few days ago after a thunderstorm rolled over the hills into the next valley.

I'm not sure why I'm so fond of storm clouds and sunsets. I have several paintings of storms that I'll be finishing up this fall/winter. It's easier to create when I'm not pressured to do so. Does anyone else out there have that problem?

For now, it's off to curl up with a good book. Terry Brooks' The High Druid's Blade, in case you're wondering. 

Y'all have a great evening!

Labor Day. Long post warning!!!

While the intention was to re-open the Etsy shop this weekend, I decided mental health was more important than the possibility of earning money and took a road trip to visit old friends instead.


Posted here are two of the lovely vistas we were fortunate enough to behold. The first was taken looking over the mountains that surround the quaint village of Morris, PA. The second is one of the many pastoral views coming into Wellsboro, PA. Shumway Hill area.

On other matters...

Since April, most of my free time has been spent working. Both at my regular 40-hour a week job and making items to sell as "Petunia Magpie" at a local festival. Even break- and lunch-times at work were spent crocheting baby items.

Our first event this year...

Springs first event was a disaster. More money was spent than made. Sad. Upsetting. Disheartening. Depressing enough that I decided to concentrate on only doing one more festival for the entire year.

Perhaps not the best decision, but life perpetually offers other challenges that make some decisions seem almost prescient in hindsight. *sigh*

Then came time for the only festival of choice. Why that festival? Well... First and foremost because the town was so very welcoming! Local folks took the time to stop by and visit a spell, offering words of encouragement. Encouragement is always appreciated. Plus, I actually made a few dollars there last year -- and had fun doing it!

The last few weeks leading up to the event were very stressful. Family, work and relationship issues, mostly. This scene from Dead Poet's Society (starting at about 24 seconds in) kinda shows the internal mantra from those days. Yeah. "Gotta Do More. Gotta Be More."

Setting priorities...
A few days before festival I had a talk with the mirror.

Happy Labor Day from Petunia Magpie!

The normal work table has been taken over by harvested dill, basil and live "citronella" geranium.

A lovely combination of scents, indeed!

Sunrise - 25 April 2015.

This was the view from the kitchen window glimpsed at 6:15 a.m. today while scooping coffee into the pot. Simply gorgeous. Sets a positive tone for the whole day.

Like many others with a Monday through Friday job, Saturday is 'Catch up on Chores' day. Only today the chores are doubled due to the imminent arrival of company. Deep cleaning. *sigh* 

Yet here I sit sipping a cuppa coffee. Watching a cardinal at the backyard feeder. Thinking about this blog. When all I really want to do today is paint. Here is a watercolor in progress. Same scene. Different day and angle. 

Perhaps the chores will go quickly and the creator in me can be appeased.

Y'all enjoy your Saturday. Remember to take some time to enjoy the beauty around you.

Moments ago...

Heading home from our evening stroll, we had the pleasure of watching some buzzards hunting. Four big birds in all.

Their arrival was predicted by a noticeable lack of birdsong. The black-capped Chickadees that normally greet us with a two-tone whistle remained silent.

Those buzzards may be ugly up close, but up there... floating gracefully on the thermals... leaning into overlapping circles moving from southeast toward the setting sun. Lifting two or three feathers to bank a turn. Three birds making small circles in the same general direction. The fourth bird making a larger circle; swooping close to the tree line near the outskirts of town. Hoping to get lucky with a stray finch or mole, no doubt. Had it been warmer outside we would have watched them drift out of sight.

Better than any show on TV. Used to be called "reality".

Guess where the camera was?!

The picture above was taken yesterday. The majority of that white stuff remains on the ground today. April 24, 2015.

Y'all have a great night. Good times. Happy thoughts. Sweet dreams.

Sunday: A traditional day of rest. March 15, 2015

This week brought a thaw of sorts to the area. Above freezing. Snow melting. Sun shining. Yet this gray, dreary rain-filled sky has dampened resolve envisioned earlier in the week. Although the "boil advisory" has been lifted for this area, we prefer to drink spring water over town water with all its chemical additives. Yesterday we gathered our empty bottles and headed up the hill to the closest spring.

Doesn't the water coming out of the pipe look cool in this photo? Water is one of the things I struggle with when I paint. Yet I keep trying in hope that one day the method will "click" and I'll be able to paint my masterpiece. [it's been in my head since the 70s, but i don't have the skill to complete it yet]

A dozen gallons of water later, we headed over to Kinzua Bridge to see if we could see anything besides the fog. Visibility wasn't too bad. We'd be driving along through pea-soupy fog and pop over a rise to an open area then back down into the thick of it.

The shoulder of the road is very soft this time of year so we had to stop almost in the middle of the road to get this photo. Perhaps one day our timing will be good enough that we'll be able to capture a train crossing over. Passing underneath always gives me claustrophobic thoughts (it's not very wide).

It's funny how little things can make you happy or sad. Someone has put up "posted" signs on either side of the road leading to the park. Yellow signs on the left (the newer signs) and white signs on the right of the road. No hunting, fishing or trespassing. Quite a contrast to the wooden "Hunt Safely" signs of the state game lands that surround Kinzua Bridge.

There are also a few log-truck signs beside the road that I don't remember from years past. The memory is  the first thing to go, right? I wonder how many city folks who visit the area every summer know how important the logging industry is to the local economy.

Not many folks were out on the roads in the fog. When we reached the park a few cars were about even though the construction begun last fall is surrounded by chain-link fence prohibiting access to the bridge area. We went round the circle and parked along the shoulder by entry to the RV parking area thinking we could hike a bit in the back. The trail was traveled, but rough going so we didn't stay long.

Bandit posed nicely for this photo, my favorite from the day. I thought it was cool how the leaves show on the trail.

This morning we woke to a light dusting of snow on the stairs. Currently it's snowing sideways. Good day to be snug and warm inside.

In the current project queue are a scarf, baby booties, baby toys, uploading photos and descriptions to the shop, planting vegetable seeds and hiking with the dog.

Sunday, 8 March 2015. Daylight Savings Time.

Almost like magic, the sunshine arrives as the clocks spring ahead to Daylight Savings Time.

Encouraged by sunshine and the promise of warmer weather, my faithful companion and I headed out for a breath of fresh air hoping to capture a few images along the way.

We were greeted with fresh snowmobile tracks effectively breaking up the ice-encrusted pathway that crunch-crunch-crunch'd under yaktrak-covered, insulated boots. For a hundred yards my spirits were lifted by the almost clock-like sounds and I allowed my thoughts to drift as my eyes drank in the brightness enfolding me.

Glancing ahead to the patiently-waiting pup in a playful posture, I moved from the broken ground to the smooth edge of the path knowing the easier footing would mean we could travel further in less time. After weeks of very little exercise, both of us need to stretch out and get our hearts pumping.

Then the sun came out in earnest. Blue sky with fluffy white clouds appeared before us.

It was at this point the smell of musk hit us. The breeze had shifted and wafted it directly to our nostrils. Bandit's snout raised in the air to catch from whence it came; looking at me from the corner of his eye as if to ask, "Can I get it, Mama?" . Feeling like a big, old meanie I motioned for him to go ahead. He obediently moved forward down the line. Had he persisted the spoken command 'leave it' would have been sufficient to urge him on his way. He's a good, well-trained dog... for me anyway. 

Currently, the danger of hiking off trail lies in the drifted snow buried under a layer of ice. Even when you know the lay of the land it's treacherous. After two days of freezing rain and sleet on top of a week of heavy snowfall, the resulting crust has covered drifts that both he and I have had unpleasant personal experiences with. The surface is strong enough to withstand the weight of quick passage, yet when you pause and the distribution of weight concentrates in one place the ice cracks, dropping you several feet into powdery, sand-like snow that is difficult to escape. [I sank hip-deep in the back yard by taking one step too many off the shoveled path.] Very dangerous off-trail conditions for both man and beast.

I have a fairly good idea what kind of animal has been 'scenting' on the trail and am actually glad to see the occasional paw prints. Rabbits are a scourge to local gardens and I'm among those who welcome a predator to the neighborhood. Nature will take care of overpopulation when allowed to do so. Hopefully no one will call the game warden to set out traps. [We're convinced that BootZee's broken leg was from a trap. Hard way for him to come live with me, but he has a warm, loving home now and that's what matters.]

Yesterday temperatures hovered near freezing. A pleasant change from the sub-zero polar vortex of February. We hoofed it to the river bend to see if there was an ice jam like there was last year. We found a pretty scene, but no plates of ice gathered at the turn. Apparently the Spring thaw has yet to begin.


I hope you've enjoyed the scenery I've shared with you today. Also hope you can get outside and breathe some fresh air yourselves. Make the best of it, folks! Blessed be.

Sunday: An Actual Day of Rest. March 1, 2015.

This is a picture taken along the a local trail when Bandit and I took a longer than normal winter walk yesterday afternoon. We were celebrating the fact that all the snow from the roads had melted and the temperature had risen to 21 degrees.

Still plenty of snow in the woods. Bandit enjoys rolling around in it. It does my heart good to watch him frolic around off-leash. Bouncing from back-to-front legs in that typical doggie posture that invites me to join him in his favorite game: Keep Away. The snow underfoot is still too slippery to engage the playful child in me; age has a way of making you aware of your limitations -- whether you want to or not. His second favorite game is sniffing the bunny prints - amusing in themselves because they resemble bunnies.

Do you remember the old saying, "If March comes in like a lion it will go out like a lamb."? [A bit of false weather lore that Granola always quoted in March... one of the many 'old time' sayings I miss hearing simply because it was she who said it.] When the front door swung open at 6:30 this morning, a fresh three-inch deep powder greeted us from the deck. It's been snowing ever since. The local weatherman predicts 6-8 inches of "accumulation" [their gentle euphemism for the four-letter white stuff] during the next 12 hours.

I'm rejoicing because Monday is my 'late day' at work and I don't have to be there until 10:30 a.m. and the roads will be cleared by then. AND I don't have anywhere I need to go today. Not having to drive in this stuff is always a good thing.

After having a combination of P/T jobs for the last year, I find myself re-learning the rhythm of a F/T Monday through Friday employment. Although sales floor level retail kept the bills paid and food in our bellies, required flexible work hours meant that most weekends were spent fulfilling someone else's dream (bottom line) rather than my own.

Yes. Money makes things easier. Yet interests closer to the heart would be those that bring beauty or comfort to the world.

Today I'm feeling blessed that I have had two days off in a row. That I like both the company I work for and the people I work with. After working there for a month I STILL feel like I hit the job lottery. That's a blessing in itself.

Today I'm kicking back and relaxing. A master of science fiction calls to me from the Dune Series pages. The God Emperor Leto is getting a new Duncan Idaho soon. Ah... to have an imagination as creative as the great Frank Herbert.

With that I bid you 'Adieu'. Blessed be.

Button Inspired Mobile Phone Covers. A Personal Note: Winter in Northwestern Pennsylvania.

As can be expected after a couple dozen pair, I got bored with crocheting baby booties and turned my hand to other projects.

One current project is cell phone covers inspired by my button jar. I LOVE collecting buttons and these are a few from the button stash.

The mobile phone cover pattern is from Lily® Sugar’n Cream® and is very simple. As usual, changing the size of the hook or yarn or tension will change the size of the finished product.

Work In Progress. Crocodile Stitch Booties.

Call it being on a roll or stuck in a rut, but lately baby booties are all that seems to be getting made in this house. To the left is pictured yesterday morning's worktable with the most recent batch of Crocodile Stitch Booties made with Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable yarn in the 'Parrot' and 'Echo' colorways.

The great thing about this yarn in addition to its durability is an incredibly soft texture. While working with it over the last week I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't dry out my hands like acrylic yarns tend to do. 

Today at about 5 pm I'll be giving away a pair of the completed booties via the Petunia Magpie Facebook page. YES FREE!!!! Simply 'like' and 'comment' to be entered in the drawing. Here are pictures of the four choices. Not on Facebook? Comment here on the blog which pair you'd like to win and you'll be included in the drawing.

Crocodile Stitch Booties. Pattern Adaption. Free Booties.

Here are photos of completed Crocodile Stitch Booties made using the free pattern.

The first pair shown was made using Bernat Baby Coordinates in soft mauve. The second pair (the detail picture) was crocheted using Caron Simply Soft in white. **

I followed the pattern for the soft mauve pair and you'll see it has only three rows of the "crocodile stitch" even though most of the images on the net (the ones with the three little buttons on the side) have had five rows of the pattern.

Although the pattern gauge is correct, you can see from the photos that, in the newborn size anyway, three rows of the pattern looks "balanced" whereas four rows would make the booties seem a bit top-heavy. imho

They really are cute, but after making so many of the Galilee Booties I think my preference is for the booties with the defined footprint.

It's all a matter of personal preference really.
 
TIP for DIY: When you come to the second row of "V" stitches and are crocheting through the "chain stitch" AND the stitch behind it will give a more finished look to the project.

The take-away from this project so far is the confidence to adapt the pattern so that it combines the  Galilee Booties with upper crocodile stitch portion of the free pattern.

Would you like a pair of the booties shown in the photo (size 3-6 months)? Petunia Magpie is looking for volunteers to 'test' the pattern to make sure it fits. If you'd like to have a chance at being one of our volunteer product testers, hop over to our Facebook page and comment which color you'd like. If you are selected you'll need to provide us your mailing address and agree to take a picture of your baby wearing the item so we can share it with others (and learn from your feedback).

Y'all have a great day.

Blessed be.


* The Bernat and Caron links will take you over to see the products on the Mary Maxim website. They not only came up in the top of the results when I googled the product, I have long-standing personal experiences and good memories of this company. It's where my grandma [RIP, sweet lady] purchased patterns for afghans and sweaters she made so many in the family. Patterns I inherited from her. Classic designs never seem to go out of style, do they?

If you're a crafter while you're there you may want to check out their patterns. They even have some FREE patterns that are pretty awesome (tested and re-tested for accuracy and coherence). I forgot to turn on my pop-up blocker and was prompted to enter my email to receive their promotional emails for a chance at their WEEKLY $50 drawing. Eh - I'm feeling pretty lucky today so I entered. I can always opt-out at a later date, right?

Finally Friday. Panama/Cloche. Forest Reflections Shawl.

Panama/Cloche Paid Pattern

You may have previously read about the Panama/Cloche hat crocheted using the free pattern and how after making a hat I purchased a paid version of the pattern in hopes of obtaining a better result.

Am not entirely happy with either the paid pattern or the way it's developing. Mostly because I'm an old lady and working with the super-fine yarn and size C hook that this pattern calls for is a little more delicate than these eyes with "multi-focal" goggles can handle.

Part of the pattern problem is its inaccuracies. For example, there's a difference between "standing double crochet" and a plain old double crochet. A standing double crochet is generally used when changing colors. A double crochet... well, you use it when the pattern tells you to. Why on Earth you would even write 'standing double crochet' when you mean 'double crochet' is beyond my comprehension. Fortunately the pattern maker (NOT designer) was able to quickly respond with proper terminology.

Another part of the problem is gauge -- my fault entirely. In my haste to get the project underway I exercised bad judgement rather than caution. First by not making a pattern swatch. Second by using a larger than necessary hook. (C versus E).

Plus the yarn itself is smaller than the pattern calls for. When I started the project my reasoning ran along the lines of "surely two strands of lace-weight yarn will equal one strand of super-fine weight." Uhmmm: NOT. But the yarn is pretty, has a nice hand and is easy to work with.

The gauge is just off.

Anyway, the gauge problem can't be immediately be remedied as I have no super-fine yarn in The Closet of Doom. The photo shown is merely a visual reference of how the purchased pattern is starting to shape up using a double strand of Harmony lace weight yarn by JoJoland* in the color they call "Lavender Fields".

Obviously, until I can get some disposable income and make the journey to JoAnn's to purchase said yarn, this project is on hold.

In the interim I'm working on Crocodile Stitch Booties using a free crochet pattern which you can find here.

On that note I'm signing off for the time being. Y'all have a great Friday!

 * A note about the purple Harmony yarn. It's such a beautiful color that when I saw it in a friend's shop I couldn't keep from buying it. Soft to the touch. A pleasure to work with both when knitting and crocheting. I know it's country of origin is China. Normally I try to limit purchases from that region to essential items only ( for humanitarian reasons, of course ). Consider this the exception to the rule. Two small balls are all that remain from the skeins I purchased to make a shawl from the Forest Reflections pattern in the Summer 2010 issue of Interweave Crochet. Shown unblocked while I decide whether or not to add fringe.

Work In Progress.

You've probably seen this photo on various social media. Absolutely darling hats with a link that takes you over to "whoot" or wherever to download a free pattern which in turn takes you to another link which in turn takes you to another link.... Well, you get the idea.

It took literally HOURS to locate the pattern and although the pictures don't match these the pattern is the same. I found one version of the free pattern without flowers and a pattern-to-purchase with the flowers for $8.99 (OUCH).

Doesn't sound like much, but right now $8.99 for a pattern isn't in the budget. So... I downloaded the free pattern and set to work.

An Honor Bestowed!

Friday's are always special in this house (it's date night), but this Friday is extra special. This morning's surprise was to wake up and find that four of the project photos I've uploaded to Ravelry have been chosen for a "Featured Photo" on the pattern page.

It's really an easy pattern and I like how pretty it worked up. The photos don't really do it justice.

If you'd like to take a look for yourself here's a link to the page: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tulip-baby-bonnet

Mine are the photos with the "Hope4TheBest" caption (my user name).

Feeling rather blessed.

Y'all have a great weekend!

New Items on Petunia Magpie: The Etsy Shop.

BootZee King of the Counter-Jungle

This is BootZee. Not a very original name, but hey - it's a better name than what his former owner called him. "Jinxie, because he's always getting stuck in a door or hurt in some other way." Hmmmm.... Yes. BootZee is a rescue. Probably between eight to ten years old. Tuxedo cat that sheds, sheds, sheds. Gets up on the counter when he wants. Is afraid of the dog even though the dog has never even tried to hurt him. I don't particularly like him up on the counter, but quite frankly I don't have the energy to chase him off. I love him anyway. He is a cuddle-kitty and I enjoy him climbing on my lap in the evenings.

Yep, here is now. Sitting proud as he can be under the plant lamp pretending he's King of the Jungle. I think he's mad because I moved all the sprouting plants out of his reach and he won't be able to have his way with them. [i.e., i gotz some re-plantin' ta do]. I've been placing plants in high traffic areas in an attempt to convince myself that spring is right around the corner. ONLY 59 DAYS!

The wood-man was kind enough to start a fire in the woodstove when he dropped off this month's load of wood. The roaring fire and all the green plants in prominent places are helping keep the SAD at bay.

On to other matters....

Patterns: Free or Purchased?

The Morning Work Table. Check out that basket of booties!

For the last few days I've been looking for small projects that crochet up quickly. How quickly? Say an hour or less.

Preferably easy projects that don't require a lot of thought. [i.e., that can be made while watching TV or a movie.] Twenty to thirty lines for the entire pattern.

With so many choices available it's hard to narrow the search enough to come up with viable results. I DO have a few "go to" sites. Google, Ravelry, Pinterest, Etsy and CrochetPatternCentral. Searching for free narrows the search results, but if you're like me you're likely to follow that rabbit down the hole. Sometimes it can take days of research to find a worthy project.

Meatless Monday. A Healthy Breakfast.

It's 2015 and like many others with New Year's resolutions healthier eating is a goal this year.

This morning's repast was a cup of old fashioned oatmeal cooked down with a chopped Macintosh apple then sprinkled with two teaspoons each of raisins and brown sugar.

Along with a half cup of orange juice that's 341 calories (thank you SparkPeople for your free calorie counter).

YES. I count calories. I also look at the ratio of protein, carbohydrates and fat content of the food I eat. It's one of the ways to maintain a healthy BMI. Along with eating as close to the earth as possible. Fresh fruits and veggies whenever possible (in season or on sale). Frozen fruit and veggies are the next choice. Organic when it's in the budget. Home-canned as much as possible.

Are you eating healthier this year?