Revived

I knuckled down today and finished the second sleeve of the Whitfield jacket. Perhaps I put a bit too much knuckle into it, because a tendon on the back of my right hand is a bit achy. Don't tell Carson Demers. I really paid attention in the class he taught at the Sock Summit about knitting ergonomics. I've got the theory down -- I'm just having trouble with the application.

I needed to get back to the jacket, after having been cheating on it for a while with the Samantha dress. I find it a bit uncomfortable to switch back and forth between projects, and it took me a few hours to get back into the groove with the larger needles. But I plowed through and finished the second sleeve today, listening to the light rain that's been falling off and on. The pitter-patter has even been masking the dull roar created by the Austin City Limits Music Festival, which is taking place about a mile from my house. So now it's time to do a little blocking. Hoping to get to that tomorrow.

A nice side-effect of the return of the rains is a spring-like early fall. Drought-tolerant plants that have merely, well, tolerated the last eighteen arid months are desperately trying to make up for lost time and get a little action in before the winter. Below are some examples that I photographed during a gap in the rain today. From left to right are some Fall Aster, Mexican Sage and a white crape myrtle from my front yard, and a Belinda's Dream Rose from the back.



I'm amazed at how the yard has transformed from dusty gray-ish green and brown to vibrant green and bright blossoms in just a few weeks. Glad all these things got this last hurrah.