Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Showing Stripes

Columbus Day is a good day for assessing the tomato patch. While tending it yesterday, I found bits of a cast-off snakeskin, pictured with a state quarter for ::cough:: scale. All this summer (alas, never when a camera was handy) I kept seeing a perfectly enormous striped garter snake, almost three feet (0.9 m) long, and now I sorta have proof of its existence.

Snakeskin

I also picked some tomatoes – neither as many nor as nice as this time last year, but a decent haul for mid-October. If the warm weather holds, I figure on picking about this much every few days for another couple weeks. If not, oh well.

Columbus Day harvest

My Rhinebeck sweater is right on track: back, front, and one sleeve done. I'm loving it. Here's the vast expanse o' stockinette view.

Rhinebeck sweater

With this much finished, I can tell the armscyes are not quite right, so I'm going to rework them after I finish the second sleeve. While I'm at it, I'll lower the neckline just a bit, too. The pattern is very well written, but Kureyon knits into a fabric with a firmer hand than many worsted-weight yarns and the mods will accommodate that. If I don't get the drape I want, I'll use a different yarn for the collar and possibly the button bands.

I'm hoping to finish the second sleeve tomorrow evening, October 15, during the third and final presidential debate, which will be moderated by Bob Schieffer at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY.

Part of me thinks Long Island isn't that far from Exit 151 and the weather is quite mild, wouldn't it be fun to stand around outside waving a sign? The university does seem prepared for guests.

Campaign stunts meter


However, the prospect of a protracted sojourn on the Long Island Expressway, aka the World's Longest Parking Lot, dissuades me. Guess I'll stay home, keep an eye on the campaign stunts meter, and stick to my knitting.

8 comments:

Bezzie said...

They're here!! You've reminded me of another reason I can't stand Palin. She went and picked THAT for our quarter. There were many, many, many more unique and more meaningful designs. I believe she overrode the popular vote by Alaskans and chose that design instead. Bah!

But how cool! A snake!!

Tola said...

my daughter's science classroom has a corn snake that she has grown attached to. a few days ago he shed his skin. "He just slipped right out of it!" when her teacher goes for surgery soon, she will be in charge of feeding the snake his weekly micicle (frozen mouse). i told her she is *not* allowed to bring him home on the weekends.

Kim said...

I'll be looking for you at Rhinebeck in your Noro finery. And that snake skin is so cool!

Alotta.knittin said...

Ditto what Kim said. I'll be looking for you too! My first time at Rhinebeck. Can't wait!

Nancy said...

Your snakeskin is much cooler than the cicada shells littering my yard! Keep on knittin' ;o)

CrazyFiberLady said...

I'm with both Kim and Nancy. I'll be looking for that noro goodness this weekend... and snakeskin is way better than cicada shells.

I could do without sitting on the worlds' longest parking lot myself. I nearly went to Hofstra for undergrad and the thought of driving out to LI all the time (and being soooo close to my evil grandma) kind of soured me to the school. I'll be watching the debate from the comfort of my home with Kauni on my lap.

Daniele said...

The colors are gorgeous! Can't wait to see your new Rhinebeck sweater!

I'm avoiding the snake skin!! We live in the country although I hardly ever see any. My husband, on the other hand, can't walk out the door without them falling in his lap! :)

Anonymous said...

JK-- what a fabulous blog. I live roundabout Exit 150, but sometimes take 148. No snakes where I live-- but a couple of tomatoes, too.