Ride 'em Cowgirls

I have started some new projects to get me rejuvinated.  I think the open projects list was bogging me down.  So I thought, "If I could do anything I wanted...(and what is stopping me, by the way? Who really even cares, I'd like to know?),  I'd start something else that I want to start and quit worrying about not finishing that which is not finished." A small, chin-up head gesture works here.

So here is a new attempt at a lace style shawlette.  A different pattern than before.  It is actually a bit more challenging in that, I completed the stockinette part and am now actually working the lace pattern. 

I also will start several other things soon. I am so happy about this.  ; )  I just want to feel better about the shawl I messed up last week.  Its the old "get back up on the horse" thing. But this time, the life line will be used, dang-it!

Pray for Rain

In Texas, as in many parts of the US and the world, we are having a drought.  No rain for a long time and none in sight.  The farmers are in trouble and the firefighters are exhausted.  All of our reservoirs are either mud puddles or dust bowls. About 70 percent of Texas rangeland and pastures are classified as in very poor condition, which means there has been complete or near complete crop failure or there’s no food for grazing livestock. The crop and livestock losses could be the worst the state has seen (AP-Lubbock, TX). Cotton, Corn and Beef are the biggest hit and with Texas as a world provider of these, the results will be devastating. And, get this, Black Bears are coming into townships and raiding everything from dumpsters to bird feeders in far west Texas and northern New Mexico.

We are praying for rain.  I've never received so many e-mails from my friends and acquaintances calling for rain prayers.  The Comanche Nation (native Americans from the Comancheria tribe) are having rain dances.

I didn't realize that there is actually an Intensity Scale for drought conditions.  I knew there was one for rain-fall because I grew up on the Gulf Coast of the US. 

This is what it looks like:


Texas is the 2nd largest state in the US, 2nd only to Alaska (which resides in the great white north, north of Canada).  But the interesting thing is, Texas has no natural lakes.  That's it, zero, nada, none...all of the water we use is dammed from rivers and made into reservoirs. Texas is the only state that was a republic before joining the union; the only state that can fly its flag as high as the US flag; and the only state that can legally secede from the union. Famous Kentuckians/Tennesseans like Jim Bowie and Davey Crockett died here in San Antonio at the Alamo fighting Mexico for Texas freedom in 1836. Unfortunately, they lost. Only women and a slave named Joe survived and were set free by Santa Anna, the Mexican general.

(in case you're interested in the Alamo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo)

Forecast, 109F:

Oh and I forgot to mention, the water we do get tastes like mud and algae...eek! So when they say "water rationing", we say, "ok."

So please, pray for rain.  I'm going to start a new knit lace shawl. Wish me luck...

Transitional Period

August is my month to prepare for another transition, job-wise, that is.  I've been on a strict diet and have lost 13 pounds already.  This is so I can get back into "work" clothes since I really can't afford to buy new ones. 

I've also been trying to finish up my open projects, clean out junky drawers, work on CPE (continuing professional education credits) to maintain my CPA license, etc.  I still need to clean out my closet, yuk.

So I had 10 projects open.  I completed one and frogged two.  That should be my new mantra:  Knit one, Frog two.  So here is the one successful project, my Affliction Ford racing socks. "If everything was more like NASCAR, everything would be more awesome..."

  

These go well with my husbands DeWalt Ford Racing socks which are "DeWalt" yellow and black.  We put them on on Sunday's and watch NASCAR racing.  We cheer for Matt Kenseth (#17).  I'm sure we look crazy in shorts and socks.  Especially since it is 108F outside with no relief in sight:

I had to frog my lace shawlette.  I was so disappointed.  I made a critical error and just couldn't recover from it. The yarn got all snagged and gnarly.  So I'll start another with more experience next time. The sad part is, I really hadn't started the lace pattern part yet.  I was still working on the stockinette part.  If I had used the "lifeline" method I learned on the scarf, this would all be worry-free. 

The other item that I frogged was a panel sweater.  Years ago I bought a knitting machine and I thought I'd play around with it.  I put cotton yarn on it and made several panels and then put the panels together.  Its is so shapeless and droopy.  Not really worth the effort.  I think I wasted more yarn than I used.

On the non-knitting side, I made myself four really nice project bags from Fern patterned Batiks:

These turned out really great and they keep the cat from snagging the yarn while I work.  Happy Knitting to you all!