September 23, 2009
~ good knews ~
Organizing stuff is an activity that provides me with a surprising amount of satisfaction. Some of you may have noticed that I recently re-organized the categories on my blog. While I assume that none of you have been spending your time brainstorming ways in which my blog categories could be improved, I am confident that were you to consider my new categories, you would agree that they serve their function of organizing my posts.
A few weeks ago, I took the opportunity to organize an electronic inventory of my yarn stash, using Ravelry's stash feature. From what I have read on the internet, many knitters have the goal of knitting down their stash... yet in my experience, that is difficult when one does not have a good idea of one's actual yarn inventory. Most of my yarn acquisitions have occurred while passing time on the internet, after becoming excited to work on whatever new project - - not knowing if I have sufficient yarn to complete said project, it has become common for me to execute a convenient online yarn purchase. The result is that I have a lot of yarn. However, with my new electronic stash inventory, I know exactly what and how much yarn I have to use for projects. It is awesome.
Currently, I have several projects on the needles that I am excited to show off. The first is a cabled jacket from Drops that I am working in Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky in Navy. This is a casual and fun project - - and I love the cables. I've been working with fingering and sport weight yarn so much recently that knitting with bulky yarn is a nice change. I haven't worked with many Knit Picks yarns, but have had a good experience so far. The only concern I have with this yarn is how much it bleeds. My hands are always blue after working on this project. Over the weekend, I also did a preliminary wash and block (because I had spilled yogurt all over the project) and was startled by (1) how the water turned dark blue in the wash, and (2) the towel on which I had placed the project to dry developed severe blue stains. Until I'm able to wash all of the excess dye out, this may be a sweater that I will be wearing over a dark colored shirt.
As per my usual, I'm making a number of modifications. They include NOT working so much reverse stockinette stitch on the body, seed stitch border, waist shaping, and a series of braided cables. On Ravelry, I've seen some projects that carry the celtic cabling up through the hood, and I intend to do that as well, as I think it is awesome.
Mitten frenzy has taken hold of me and I am working a pair of stranded mittens. Stranded mittens are fun because of how exciting it is to watch the colorwork develop. I find that the knitting goes by fast because at the end of each round, I am eager to finish the next round to see more of the pattern.
These mittens are inspired by an aquarium and the pattern is my own. I had wanted a pair of mittens with a cute fish design - - with the fish being different shapes and sizes - - and since I was unable to locate a comparable preexisting pattern, I decided to make my own. I've been taking detailed notes on these and I intend to publish a free pattern, which will include the colorwork chart.
The cuff is meant to resemble the bottom of an aquarium, with air bubbles rising to the surface. I had wanted to make the fish appear to be swimming this way and that, with air bubbles circulating around. The thumb employs a gusset, which is my preference for mittens and mirrors the pattern around the cuff.
The light blue yarn is Araucania Ranco Solid, which I also used for my Fishtail Mitts. The darker blue is Koigu Premium Merino.
The other project I'm working on is a pattern I'm taking seriously - - and as such, have re-worked it several times. This is a top down yoked pullover with cables. The yarn is Knit Picks Telemark.
The inspiration for this came from my love of the Owyhees, and in particular some of the weathered ranching corrals I've stumbled upon while mountain biking. I chose the yarn because I wanted something very woolly and with a rustic appearance, to reflect the old and abandoned wooden structures found throughout the public lands of the American West.
I plan on finding a tech editor for this one, as there are enough numbers involved to possibly make me confused. Also, I hope to provide instructions for two sizes - - small and large - - and will be looking for a test knitter or two. If you're interested, drop me a line.
September 20, 2009
~ catch up ~
This morning, despite not feeling my 100% due to a couple of tequila shots the previous night, I got up earlyish and went on a mountain bike ride with Elizabeth. This week, she got set up with clipless pedals and has developed a good quality enthusiasm for becoming a mountain biker. In discussions, we agreed that she needs to develop her legs so as to successfully bike up the mountains. To that end, I decided to take on the role of 'drill sergeant'. This morning we rode up Bogus and did a portion of Corrals. During the ride, I instructed her to put more back into it - - I determined the pace at which we would ride and encouraged her to keep up with me - - and on a couple of occasions on Bogus, I made her shift into a higher gear than what she was inclined to ride and had her exert additional effort. Once we got to the trailhead, she exclaimed that she couldn't believe that she got up there so fast and that now when she goes out she knows that she can ride harder and faster than she's been riding. I felt like a very accomplished drill sergeant. When we got to the spot on Corrals where we decided to turn around, we had a bit of a discussion about crashing - - as I've had a lot of experience in this area, I consider myself an expert on the subject and shared some of my wisdom:
- Most crashes occur when the rider does something stupid; therefore, one should ride skillfully and mindfully.
- When one is afraid of crashing, the chances of doing something stupid and crashing increase exponentially. As such, one should be relaxed, confident, and having fun.
- Most crashes result in only minor physical injuries, but a significant injury to one's confidence may develop.
Elizabeth recently crashed twice in the Military Reserve and was feeling a little nervous about the downhill on this ride. With some coaching, we agreed that she shouldn't be afraid of crashing and she then proceeded to bomb down the hill. At times, she was riding so fast that I had to exert some effort to keep up with her. On the fast section, we topped out at about 20mph and it was evident that Elizabeth was having a blast. I, too, was having a blast.
Last weekend, Josh and I did an awesome mountain bike ride at Bogus. We rode Deer Point, Elk Meadows, Mores Mountain, up some steep trail with switchbacks, and along the Face Trail. The Face was incredibly fun and it really made going up that steep trail worth the exertion. I had such a blast.
In other news, Josh and I have also decided to make war on the goatheads. On Saturday, we went to the Military Reserve and filled up eight large trash bags with goadhead plants. We worked up on the road leading from the dog park to the top of the one hill, at the border of where the goatheads are starting to encroach onto the trails. Once we realized the extent of the problem (and the futility of working in the fall, after the plants have littered the ground with a mind boggling number of goatheads), we decided to focus our efforts on plants that were still green, and still harboring goatheads.
Many of the plants were HUGE. I never before realized the extent of the goathead problem. They cover the hillsides and I would hate for them to get up into the trails. There are several groups that go out and pull goatheads. We're thinking we might join up. The real work to do will be in the springtime, though.
September 14, 2009
~ Fishtail Mitts ~
Pattern: Fishtail Wristwarmers
Yarn: Araucania Ranco Solid in sky blue
Needles: US 1
I was inspired to knit a pair of fingerless mitts after spending many mornings at the office with freezing hands. My hands have always been prone to being cold and clammy even when the temperature is otherwise agreeable, and yet only now do I discover the fingerless mittens solution. Working at the computer is more pleasant with my hands swaddled in wool.
The pattern was simple and straightforward. I made only a few modifications, to include knitting the fishtail stitch pattern all around the mitts (rather than working broken ribbing on the 'underside') as well as working on US 1 in a tigher gauge.
The stitch pattern is from one of the Barbara Walker Treasuries and I noticed that there is another free pattern for fingerless mittens which are virtually identical to these. The only difference I can detect is the garter edging and ribbing.
The yarn is a wool/nylon blend. The label claims that it is sport weight, but it seemed more fingering to me. My gauge was 36 sts = 4" and I used about half a skein. The texture is nice and wooly but not too scratchy, and the semi-solid colors add interest. More emphatically, I totally adore the semi-solid coloring. Because I knit in a tighter gauge, the lace pattern doesn't display quite as much, but the semi-solid coloring makes the mittens pop.
These mitts have served to revitalize my love of mitten knitting - - Now that fall is upon us, I find myself considering mitten patters with greater excitement. Sadly, one of the few local yarn stores remaining in my area has announced that it is set to close and is having a big sale to get rid of its inventory. I took a long lunch break last week to splurge on yarn for mittens - - and I acquired a hefty supply of Koigu and Collinette Jitterbug with the specific intent to make more mittens, both of the fingered and fingerless variety.
At the sale, I also purchased a copy of Japanese Inspired Knits (click for a good review), a book that I have admired from afar for some time. At first glance, the patterns in this book may be underwhelming and strange, but I gained a solid appreciation for them upon consideration of the varied construction techniques. More and more, I find myself drawn to stitch dictionaries and patterns that explore different construction methods. Later this week, I intend to cast on for the carp, which is constructed with diagnol rows of mittered sqares and employs shadow knitting.
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September 6, 2009
~ Saddleback lakes, Sawtooth NRA ~
On Saturday, Josh and I got up at 6:00 a.m. and embarked on a big day trip to Red Fish Lake for a hike in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. The drive was a tad too long for a day trip, but the day was excellent nevertheless. We hiked roughly 2,000 feet to reach Saddleback Lakes, nestled next to Elephant Perch.
When we set out, we didn't have an actual plan for where we wanted to hike. We decided to hit Saddleback after a recommendation from a family who was able to give us directions.
To that end, we hitched a ride on a shuttle boat traveling to the other end of Red Fish lake. From there, we hiked a fairly mild trail for several miles until we came upon this creek crossing.
After this point, the trail was frequently indiscernible, and when it was discernible, looked something like this...
or this... up and up the rocky steepness.
Apparently, the trail ascends over 1,500 feet in about a mile. Scampering up the rocky hillside, climbing over boulders, we were unaware of how high we were ascending until we looked out and over the treetops and saw nose-to-nose with the granite peaks.
Above us was Elephant Perch. The higher we hiked, the closer it got. At some point when I looked up to behold its hugeness, I was overcome with vertigo and stumbled on the steep and rocky terrain.
The first of the Saddleback Lakes was a sight for sore eyes. We were a bit surprised by how small it was, but its clear waters and huge boulders provided us with a lovely place to enjoy our lunch.
After lunch, I reclined on a giant rock and enjoyed the view of the clouds coming over Elephant Perch. Until the day that I climb to its summit, here's a shot of it with my boot.
We then hiked around that lake and came to the second of the Saddleback lakes, this one more magnificent than the first. Here we took photos and laid out on the rocks, listening to the sounds of the water rippling and the wind blowing.
Eventually, we were able to pry ourselves away from the peacefulness and begin the long hard descent. Climbing down was nearly as difficult as climbing up - - if anything, descending required more balance and agility, as well as a set of strong quadriceps.
Hiking down, we were able to gain a better appreciation for how high we had hiked.
When we reached the stream, we decided to run most of the way back in order to get the 3:00 shuttle boat. What took us roughly 45 minutes to hike up, took us about half that time to "run" down. During this trail running, I felt several large blisters forming on my feet, but found that my feet hurt just as much walking as running, so I continued to run. A few times, I almost tripped over the rocks or tree roots along the trail, but in general found my ninja-trail running skills totally awesome.
We then got a ride on a boat going back across to the other side of Red Fish Lake.
Once back, we changed into our swimming suits and spent the next several hours relaxing on the beach. Josh played in the water quite a bit, while I felt more than satisfied to sit on the beach and relax. Eventually, we got some delicious food and enjoyed the live music. Food always tastes especially good after a good physical exertion.
More photos on my photoset
September 4, 2009
~ Grimes Creek fire road ~
Ride: Grimes Creek fire road
Distance: 21.5 miles
Elevation Climbed: 4,000 feet
Average Speed: 8.2 mph
Today I took the day off work and Josh and I rode up the fire road at Grimes Creek - - an excellent ride. The smell of pine was in the air and the spirit of adventure ran through our veins. We have hiked and showshoed up this road several times, but taking the bikes allowed us to travel farther and gain a new appreciation for the area.
Eventually, the road took us to over 5,000 feet in elevation and we rode along the ridge before going along the other side of the mountain and around again.
Below, we were on the ridge, looking over both sides of the mountain. The views were amazing.
And here is a view of the back side of Bogus - - to the right we were able to see Placerville.
During the ascent, it was hotter than we expected. We kept pouring water on ourselves to stay cool. On the descent, however, stormclouds had brewed above us and we experienced a substantial downpour. I had water running down my face in floods, and some of the rain drops were so big that they almost hurt.
At some point on the downhill, I rounded a corner and immediately executed a ninja-response to avoid hitting a large rattlesnake in the road. I rolled within inches of its fangs and then turned around to take a photo. Josh was there as well, and during the few seconds that we snapped this photo, we heard some rustling in the bushes nearby and scampered back onto our bikes, fearing that it was the rattlesnake's even bigger brother rattlesnake.
At the bottom of the mountain, we dipped our toes into Grimes Creek. The water was cool, but not too freezing. We spent several minutes sitting on the rocks and washing the sweat, mud, and sunscreen from our skin. It felt wonderfully refreshing.
It was a much better way to spend the day than going to work. Once we got back into town, we got pizza and beer at the Lucky 13, still dressed in our dirty cycling spandex.
More photos on my photset
September 2, 2009
~ joy riding ~
Regarding yesterday's post, I forgot to mention the outcome of my sleep-facilitating action steps: that for a week and a half, I have been sleeping like a rock. In fact, I can't recall a time when I slept so well. Being back on track with sleeping, I've resumed my morning gym routine this week and it's going better than ever.
Here's a much procrastinated post about a few fun-filled activities.
Part I: Tour de Fat 2009
The other weekend ago was the annual Fat Tire Festival. The event transpired as it typically does: meet friends in silly costumes for a morning bicycle parade through the city streets, go have lunch, return to the festivities for beer, fun, and lots and lots of laughing. I managed to avoid the incredible sunburn of year's past and also made less of a fool of myself (this was the first year that I opted out of drunken silly contest participation).
My "costume" this year featured an unmatching colorful outfit, with a cape and knee highs. Below is the best photo, snapped by Eric. The cape was totally radical, awesome, and amazing. Riding my bicycle along, the cape would flutter and flap behind me. It also served as a good dance-party accessory and shielded me from the sun. Also pictured are Josh, Keith, and David.
Speaking of costumes and Eric, he dressed as Tobias from Arrested Development when he was trying out for Blue Man Group. It was fantastic because he didn't dress as a member of Blue Man Group, nor did he dress as Tobias, but as Tobias trying out for Blue Man Group. Hee!
There were some awesome costumes this year. Unfortunately, my camera ran out of batteries so I took few photos. I did manage to capture a few of the gang of superheros. Our group rode next to theirs for most of the parade. The superman guy on the trike had a boombox in the rear basket, playing Michael Jackson hits. They were also really nice - - at one point, I had exclaimed that I wanted to join the superhero group, Josh responded that I technically wasn't a superhero, even though I had an awesome cape, and the guy dressed up as Wolverine said that they are accepting of all kinds of superheros. It made my day!
After the parade, we went to Donnie Macs in the Linen District for lunch. I had a hot dog and sweet potato fries. Then we returned to the park and spent the next many hours drinking cold beer, playing around on the funky bicycles, and dancing. This event occurred during the last days of my massive insomnia, so I felt delirious for most of the day - - particularly because of the colorful costumes, the beer, and the heat. Around 4:00 (when the event ends), several of us cooled off in the river. Josh and I rode home, drunk and barefoot. It was a fun day.
Part II: Outdoor Adventures
During my insomnia phase, I did not feel comfortable operating my mountain bike. Several weekends ago, Josh and I went out to the Owyhees for an adventure, but it was unsuccessful because I was so exhausted. We did ride far enough to check out a neat rock formation and also rode past a Unabomber-type compound, which made us nervous. Though, I haven't been on a successful ride since Orchard Trail about a month ago. WHICH IS SO WEIRD AND LAME. This Friday, I'm planning on riding with a group of people and I am really excited about it.
I have, however, been on a lot of good hikes. The most recent was this weekend, when Josh and I hiked Mores Mountain up at Bogus. Before that was Corralls with Amy and her pooch, and before that, somewhere with Elizabeth. Hiking with friends is nice because it's more of a social occasion, which was benefitial to me this past month.
These photos are from Mores Mountain. It was so beautiful up there - - my photos of the stunning views and scenery were unremarkable, but I thought these macro shots were okay.
In other news, I've finally gone bananas with the weeding of our little patio space. It is a big undertaking but I decided that the weeds are never going to pull themselves. The result is that there is now adequate room for the flowers that I planted this spring to bloom, and all of my blooming flowers make me happy. I'm excited for next spring - - I've developed a plan for half of the space to be a flower garden, the other half for veggies.
Tomorrow you can expect a knitting update if I can brainstorm sufficient content.
September 1, 2009
~ hanging well ~
Per the obvious, I have not been much in the mood for bloogging.
The main reason for this was that I was not so well for a while. Ever since I was eleven, I have struggled with the depression. When I was a teenager, counselors convinced me that it was "just a phase" and "just part of being a teenager" and that I would eventually grow out of it. Now that I am 29, I have concluded that my counselors were full of poo-poo and shouldn't be allowed to counsel people with depression, because it's not just a phase.
Some weeks ago, Josh gave me a stern talking to the day after I had gone off about how there was no point to anything. Without realizing it, I had sunk to a low place and was wallowing in the despair of being. I took the stern talking to to heart and I'm trying to be better about not letting myself wallow in my own despair.
First of all, I needed to get some sleep. This low point coincided with a period of severe insomnia. For about two weeks, I got on average two hours of sleep a night, and it was not good sleep. My body became so exhausted that my muscles BURNED. Like depression, insomnia is also something that I need to constantly manage. I implemented a number of strategies to improve sleep, most of which involve a more rigorous sleep-friendly bedtime routine as well as just treating myself better. For example, I had a considerable amount of tension and cramping in my muscles all over my body, that I decided to throw down some dollars for an hour long full body massage. It was glorious.
As for the depression specifically, I decided to begin taking a multi-vitamin along with a low dosage of St. John's Wort. I am aware that SJW is not regulated in the US and that there are some risks involved, but a consistent theme in the reputable research is that it is lower cost, has fewer side effects, and can be just as effective for treating moderate depression as prescription anti-depressants. So I decided to give it a try. I am on week three of my trial and I am no longer wallowing in my own despair. Whether this is due to the SJW, the fact that I am sleeping, treating myself better, trying to maintain a more positive outlook, etc., etc., I will never know, but I hypothesize that this combination is beneficial to my wellbeing.
My other sleep-friendly actions include increasing my nightly dosage of melatonin, drinking a glass of milk before bed, and not drinking alcohol within two hours of bedtime. The alcohol before bed thing, I have concluded (based on my own experience) is detrimental to a good night's sleep. Yeah sure, it might help one get to sleep, but then I always wake up really early in the morning and can't fall back asleep. In addition, I downloaded the iRelax application for my iPod Touch and rigged a speaker system next to my bed and have the relaxing sounds of running water playing all night. This app is kinda funny - - the river sounds, to me, sound like running water from a faucet and not a river, which is still relaxing (and surprisingly, it doesn't make me feel like I have to pee all night). The main benefit is a constant sound and I like the running water sound a lot - - before I had a fan running all night, but the running water is nice. Another trick - - some time ago, someone gave me an eye mask thing filled with lavender and a friend recently said that the lavender aroma can also help with the sleep. And seriously, having this thing over my eyes is relaxing and feels nice.
Anyway, I've got loads of photos from various fun to share so I'll have a more typical post in the next few days.
