Springtime: Socks, Swallowtails, and Bears

So let me just preface this by saying that yes, I suck.  I hath not blogged in weeks and weeks.  I doth suck in great muchness.  Of this I am sure.

This time, it's not even just that I have nothing to say.  I have actually knitted.  Finished things.  Even blocked them.  There are photographs.  But the computer and the camera and the USB cable are not to be in the same place at the same time before midnight.  It just means trading blogging for sleep.  And here we are.

I made a swallowtail shawl.  Looky.

Jager Farm icelandic laceweight (this time not handspun; I bought it dyed and spun at Rhinebeck).

I also made my best pair of socks EVAH.  64 stitches on 0s, slip-stitch flap heel, short row toe.  They fit perfectly.  I've made lots of socks that fit okay, but these fit GREAT.  LOVE.

Oh yeah, trekking 110 (I think).  You know, the one that's that color.

(Now if I could just make a perfectly fitting sweater, because while perfectly fitting socks are an utter joy, you know, they don't really "pop" the outfit.)

In other news:

BLEGGER!  Chez mama (about 25 minutes east of Cummington, near Northampton), May 26, after the festival.  Email me at mama (at) mamacate (dot) com for directions, and if I have never met or spoken to you, tell me someone we both know or direct me to your blog.  Just safety stuff, you know.  But really, come, come!

Speaking of festabals, I'm going to NH!  Sans kids!  Rilly!  V. v. excited in case you couldn't tell.  It still might fall through, and I've been given injunctions against strong drink and staying out late (presumably the part about loose women went without saying, but then again think about who I'll be seeing there).  But I suddenly get to go, and that's kinda nice.

Another thing.

De bears.

It's that bear time of year here in lovely Florence ("uptown" in local parlance).  A mama bear and the three cutest cubs you could possibly imagine spent the afternoon, overnight, and the next morning in our backyard.  As moms of multiples, we could totally relate to her.

The photos are not that great.  I got better video, but dude, if I waited till I had time to remember how to download that, and find all the cables, well, you'd never hear from me.

Here's mom giving the kids a five-minute warning that it was almost time to get out of the tree.  They were more inclined to listen than my kids.  Hmm.

See them coming down there?  And seriously, sorry for the bad pictures (click to biggify--I cropped them so you can kind of see something).  Can you see that they look like teddy bears?  I mean, moving, breathing teddy bears (with a 1,000 pound mama who'd kick your ass if you tried to hug them, granted).  It was cool though.

I'm pretty sure it wasn't the same bear from last time.  That one was taller, browner, and I think he was a guy.  This was of course, a mama, round and black.  She even nursed them in the backyard.  Awww.

More socks over here.  When I stood up the sock-in-progress fell on the dog, who was way too tired to do anything about it.  I thought it was a good photo op.

And speaking of photo ops, the fred flinstone socks I made in January and never photographed because they were shy, well they have emerged from their undisclosed location and were willing to pose for the blog.

Anyway, maybe the bears will come join us for the blegger.  Who knows?  I'm going to suggest no camping in the backyard, just in case.

Comments

[Mel]

Fun, fun, and fun. I wish I could make it to NH, but I'm gonna be working. I was looking at Cummington, as I *could* make a day trip Saturday, but we really, really need to head Downeast to work on pinning down a wedding venue, especially since I only have time to do that once every three weeks. *sigh* I so totally want to actually hang out more than just the usual fly-by at Rhinebeck, though.

[Carole]

You're coming to NH? I'll actually get to see My Cate? Hoo and also Ray!

[Laurie]

YES. It will be wonderful to see you in NH. I'm up for the blegger. You can threaten the misbehaviorists with the backyard seats.

Swallowtail is lust-worthy. I didn't see that color there. Wah.

[Judy]

Cate, it has been forever. It will be great to see you both times. Come see me bldg #2 NH. I probably won't get out much. And the blegger?? love it.

[elisa]

I am *so* glad to hear that you'll be at NH! I was contenting myself with the idea that AT LEAST I'd see you in a couple of weeks, but it's awesome to know that I'll get to see you TOMORROW! Woot! and Woot!

[Manise]

AWESOME! One more sleep! And then again in Cummington? Fantastic!

[Bookish Wendy]

Sophia and I will be at NH! Yay.... MA S&Wool is still up in the air...

[joy]

love the bear pictures!

[Kat with a K]

Awwww, widdle teddy bears! So cute! And the shawl is lovely.

Will you be in NH on Sunday? I hope I hope? I assume you've heard about the gathering-for-lunch plan? And the enable-me-to-buy-lots-now-that-school's-done plan? :)

[Amanda]

Swallowtail is gorgeous! I just finished one, my first lace project!

I have what you'll probably think is a silly question - we're going to Disney the first 2 weeks of June (with a 3-year-old - yikes!) and I am trying to find a pair of comfy shoes (my Nikes aren't cutting it - barely made it through a day of MDSW without serious issues!) So I was wondering, what shoes did you wander around Disney in, and were they comfy? Thanks!

[Risa]

Swallowtail is gorgeous. I love that Jager Farm stuff. Nothing beats a perfectly fitting pair of socks.

I can so relate to mama bear with her multiples. Nice to know hers respond better than mine do.

Have a fab time at NH!

[Katy]

Lovely, lovely shawl. And the socks are nice, too!
Can't make it to NH--rats. Probably can't make it to your blegger--rats. (Will have small children in tow.) Maybe we can meet up when Stephanie comes to town?
Cute bears. My new coworker, who is from NYC, was driving through Florence last week when she saw a big old bear lumbering into Look Park. She freaked out & called the police! lol

[Lee Ann]

The shawl is gorgeous, and dude, you done gone and lost weight or something...I'd be willing to bet a smaller size in the jeans would pop the outfit even more :-)

I can't come to the blegger, which is nicely positioned the day after my 40th birthday, and would have been a hell of a way to celebrate...because I shall be performing, dahlink. I.e., fighting serious stage fright and hoping the hell I don't fall on my face, yo. Man, why'd y'all have to schedule all the best parties on that weekend? Mope mope mope...dammit, dude, I miss you...

New Hampshire is when? I lost that post-it :-)

[Lucia]

You do not suck. You are AWESOME. Top 5 reasons Cate is awesome:
- The splendor of the shawl.
- Bears. OMG. So cool.
- NH. See you there.
- Socks of awesomeness.
- Blegger. I'll be there. I think.
(You will note that these are not numbered. That's because I couldn't decide how to number them. Each is, in its own right, sufficient reason.)

64 sts, in Trekking, on size 0s? How did you do that? Awesome.

[Kristen]

last minute plans means I'll be in NH as well - too bad the kids won't be there (as keeping an eye on them might help keep my credit cards in check...).

(um, I think (hope?) it goes without saying that I'll be there for the blegger...)

[JoVE]

As I recall you went to NH without the kids last year, too. Hope it is warmer but pack hats and mitts, just in case. Oh and a change of pants. Have a great time.

The bears are great though I bet it creates more complications in terms of letting dogs and kids out into to the back yard.

[Crafting Jen]

I'll be at NH - it's easy for me, I only live an hour down the road from the festival.

Blogger's meet-up on Saturday. Noon, outside the Roby Building, facing the Goat Barn. Consult the map in your program book. :)

[Kathy]

First, you do NOT suck. Love the shawl -- looks terrific. I'll be at NH on Sunday for Mother's Day, rather than tomorrow (tomorrow is all-soccer, all day). Have fun!! And all set for the blegger -- looking forward to it.

[The Feminist Mafia]

Sounds like we'll miss each other at NH, since I'll be there on Sunday. And Little Man's birthday is the 27th, so no blegger for this mama. How about you drive east for another conference and I'll walk you around Cambridge, feed you, help scour LBookSs, and talk your ear off. And we'll forget to knit. Fun times.

Happy Mother's Day!

[Sneaksleep]

Wow! Bears in Florence? I don't remember ever seeing any in the woods around college. But then again, it's been longer than I'd like to admit since I used to walk in those woods, so maybe things have changed, or maybe Florence is just special.

Swallowtail looks amazing!! Perfect for Spring, too. Sorry I won't be able to make it up there--already have a getaway planned with Taz. I'll toast to you and all the other wonderful peeps though!

[Ruth]

Good to see / read you again! Cute bears - we have loads in Whistler - they are pretty much habituated to humans, so we see them all the time - the resort manages garbage well, we try not to get too cozy with them, they try not to get too cozy with us, everyone's happy. Except it's hard to forget that they could take you out with one swipe of those massive paws if they changed their mind about the well-behaved thing.

[melissaknits]

Cannot wait for NH Sunday, a Mother's Day tradition even if only half a day this year. Taking kid and meeting friend and planning to shop my little mommy butt right off.
The bears and I have a love hate thing. I love to look at them, but hate that they are so entranced by my chicken's feeders that they commit mayhem. It's a toughie.
I also suck. Read? yes. Write? no.
Strong drink and late nights with loose women. Hmmm...sounds like my plans for Rhinebeck.

[naomi]

Such cute bears! And the shawl is lovely.

[Liz]

I /hope/ to be at the blegger, but the drive home after (combined with the fact that I have not yet mentioned Cummington to my darling other half) might make it impossible. But I'm still cautiously optimistic.

[Beth S.]

Holy moley, the bears are back! The cubs are awfully cute... but I wouldn't want them to get too close (yikes!)

Your Swallowtail is a vision of loveliness! :-) How'd you get it so big? Yours looks like a proper shawl, whereas mine feels more scarf-like. Hmm.

Hope to see you at NH! I think we're going, but it's still sort of up in the air.