Just ducky

Hello, Internets!

I have had some adventures.

I went to a baseball game. My team did not win, but I got to see some fireworks as well as Quackerjack, my favorite badass mascot:

You don't mess around with Jack

He acts all sweet around the kids (and the couples getting engaged, another thing I got to witness!) but this is one truly attitudinal duck. He will waggle his tailfeathers at the opposing team in a most insulting manner, and he expects them to thank him for the privilege. Now if only the rest of the team could pick up on that attitude…

There’s been actual, honest to goodness ducks around here, too. Don’t believe me?

Leaves are delicious

My Sister the Teacher does a Duck Unit with her second graders every year in June. They adopt duck eggs from a local farm, and watch the ducks hatch and grow in order to learn important facts about life cycles. All three eggs hatched healthy ducks this year, so unlike years past we are not having to dive into the toughest lessons right away. Instead we get to enjoy the ducks being fluffy and adorable for a few more days, until they go home with their new adopted families.

Make way for ducklings

I can’t stand the cute. I just can’t stand it.

In between all of that, I made some socks.

Summer Socks

Summery, yes? My usual top-down/heel-flap stockinette, from my carefully hoarded stash of Knitpicks Dancing. This colorway is Ballet. They are not exactly difficult, these socks. I could knit my “usual” sock recipe in my sleep at this point. (Actually. I am pretty sure some of these socks were knit in my sleep.)

They make me very happy anyway.

Tune in later, when we play a fun new game called I Ran Out Of Yarn For This Shawl I’m Working On And I’m In Denial But While I Work On That Please Help Me Figure Out What Color Would Work Best To Finish The Border. First I have to finish gnashing my teeth and shaking my fist at the universe, but that shouldn’t take too long.

Read up on Revival

Last weekend I visited Melissa and we hung out and drank some Austrian beer (oh, Gösser, I am so glad to have made your acquaintance again) and watched some hockey and some movies and some television. (I introduced her to last year’s awesome Star Trek reboot; she has been introducing me to Six Feet Under. We are equally pleased with both things.) We toured the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and climbed through all sorts of old train cars. We drank a lot of coffee and created some delicious blue-cheese-and-mushroom stuffed bison burgers for the One Local Summer challenge. I’d link you but Melissa hasn’t written them up on her blog yet. Tsk.

Anyway. It was a lovely weekend and it revived my spirits, so it was only fitting that I ask Melissa to help me photograph my Revival Socks.

REVIVAL
Revival Socks by missy

Project: Revival Socks, by Glenna C
Yarn: Green Mountain Spinnery Spinnery Sock Art-Forest, in an unnamed blue color
Needles: US2.5/3.0mm
Notes: I LOVE THESE SOCKS.

Seriously. Look at these socks.

Revival socks 2 by missy

(Also that spectacular photograph!) So Glenna has a knack for twisted stitches, and she uses them perfectly in this pattern. It’s not hard to knit at all: the pattern has a great rhythm that is very easy to grok and once you get the hang of it you won’t need to look at the chart again. I had so much fun knitting them up I was sorry when I grafted the second toe. However, I am also looking forward to wearing them, so I have gotten over that.

If you’re looking for a pattern to learn twisted stitches on, I think this would be a great choice. And if you want to recapture your sock mojo? Also, great choice. Glenna’s brilliant and I am very glad she keeps making up designs for me to knit. (Wait, what? She’s not just doing it for me? I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you say that.)

In short? Knit these socks. You will not be sorry.

And now, back to watching the World Cup. USA/England just wrapped up, and was that not an awesome game? This is going to be the best month of football ever.