Pony

I'm overdue with posting and will eventually catch up with old stuff.  In the meantime, I wanted to share that Abi finally got her first pony ride - and just barely.

We spent Saturday seeking out Geocaches en route to New Hamburg, then lunch at Meme's (nom nom), then a few more in that area, then decided we would indeed run out to the Wellesley Apple Butter and Cheese festival in time for things to be wrapping up.  Watched some model boats racing. Hopped on a tractor-wagon ride. Passed pony rides in progress and hopped off the wagon at the next stop, only to walk back to the pony rides to find the  circle they walk in dismantled and the horses being loaded up. It was very sad, for us.  Abi was quite distraught following her building excitement for her first pony ride, finally.  Fortunately, a kind woman looked over and saw her, the pony had to be unloaded anyhow to rearrange the horses inside, and Abi got a special pony ride around the parking lot.  She smiled and enjoyed it, but later voiced her disappointment that she couldn't ride a bigger horse! That kid! I don't even think the bigger horses were saddled for rides.  The last time she was at a stable, where older friends of her ride, he was informed she couldn't ride until she was 4. I think she's eagerly awaiting her birthday in the spring and I suspect we'll be taking her to the stables shortly after. Let's hope they don't pull out a pony...

It was a full day of geocaching stops.  We took a few photos with this tree that Abi wanted to climb.

Mystery KAL - Tread Softly

I am truly excited to be hosting my first mystery KAL.  Some of my family in Winnipeg might remember one of the lace projects I was playing with. That design has been named Tread Softly.  After much play I have all the charts ready and in order.  I've swatched and tested. I've moved things. I've created new designs, I've charted existing patterns (that were all written out and sometimes wrongly... and written to be worked flat anyhow so needed modifications), I've modified patterns... and I'm ready. And excited.
It's like going back to school...
which I'm not doing.
For the first September in 25 years.
This gives me something to do.  Something to facilitate.  To focus on.  To share.
Within minutes of posting the pattern and saying if anyone might be interested to leave a comment and I'd figure out the best form of hosting the KAL, there were several responses. Eager responses.  Then more and more. So I created a group in Ravelry. Made up a banner and such things. Wrote out more descriptions. Started discussion threads. 'Pimped' it out a little in my favourite discussion forums with other lace knitters...

If any of you are interested in joining, the first clue will be release on Tuesday.  Check out the pattern link above. You'll need to join Ravelry to join the KAL, but I'll post progress here too if you just want to be a voyeur.

I'm also very excited because I'm working it in my favourite yarn! Waterloo Wools Montague.  Lindsey custom dyed the yarn for my project at my request and we made a fair trade for the shawl I knit her. Yeah, remember that wine-inspired shawl I was working on in Winnipeg? It was 'supposed' to need about 600 yds of yarn.  I had 2" left of an 840yd skein.  I was the pattern tester. And this is why we test patterns :)  I didn't mind. I love to knit. I got yarn.