standing still

I've been feeling a little under the weather since Wednesday and when not scouring the internet for interesting pictures and ideas, I took some pictures in the yard, worked on some knitting projects, watched the season finale of Lost (!) and am just generally laying around and drinking lots of tea.
I am working on this baby blanket for Dagny, who I haven't seen in a whole week! I hope to see her again soon.
I'm also almost finished with this crazy collar/scarf type thing. The model on the left is wearing it in different colors. I used this gorgeous hand-dyed orange yarn and probably spent way too much money on it- but whatevs, you only live once! The pom-poms came out gigantic and are kind of funny. They are a combo of the orange yarn and another yummy cream colored textured yarn. After making the first pom pom, I realized the cream yarn is really too nice to use as a pom pom and it's cool texture gets lost because all you see are the ends- but that's what I bought it for, and I will have some left over to knit into something cool looking! I just have to attach the poms and put the finishing touches on this.
Now onto the garden, I planted a lot of veggies in pots because I haven't finished digging up a space in the lawn for a garden in the yard. Plus, the things I did plant in the ground: broccoli, zucchini, peas-- are all becoming lunch for our neighborhood posse of groundhogs-- who literally hop the fence to get into our yard. I used to think they were cute but now they anger me!!!!!
Here are some highlights from the veggies in pots.
These are beets:

These are swiss chard:


and chives:
I also have lettuce, parsley and baby cantaloupe-- but you get the idea. My goal is to transform the backyard into a lush garden with veggies and flowers. It's kind of slow going at the moment-- but I have grand ideas!!!

Here is Phase I though!

This is the before pic--- crazy overgrown and dangerous cactus patch, a tangled mess of prickles, weeds and grasses. This is a little space just behind the deck--


and after: Those yucca or century plants (whichever they are) are going to go too-- they are just a bitch to pull out! I came home from work one day and fueled by a little bit of angst at the boyfriend, I pulled the whole mess out myself-- there is still a big pile of cacti in the yard waiting to go into the trash bin.
Anyhoo-- I am envisioning some lillies along the back and sedums amongst those rocks (more artfully arranged of course) for this space.

oh happy day oh rainy day

I am listening to a concert by My Morning Jacket streaming off of NPR. Honey (hi Honey!!) introduced me to them a while back and then, I had the pleasure of seeing them live with Wilco at the Albright Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo NY in what was the first Rockin at the Knox concert and it was Rockin my friends-- I was proud that it happened in my city.
Sadly, I haven't listened to too much music of late. Living with a musician makes it difficult because his studio is the living room and when he's playing the piano or writing music that takes up all sound space. But, I can't say I'm complaining since he's quite entertaining whilst working things out at the piano.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I'm baking some chocolate chip cookies right now. I used the brand spankin new Sunbeam mixer my Mom got me for Hannukah!! It's a champ! yum.
I went to Knit One today to get moral support on ripping back my dress one panel so that it isn't gigantic anymore. I think it's gonna work. While I was there I found a great little book for 13 bucks so I bought myself another book present. It has very fun looking chunky knits in bright colors. That pink wrap sweater is calling my name.