Mystery solved ,I think

This spring while digging into the compost pile for fertilizer for this years veggie garden Mike  found a little plant growing right in the midst of it. He had no clue as to what it was . He decided to plant it to see what would develop . This is what it looked like after a few weeks , just as the flowers were blooming. He photographed his hand next to the bloom to give an idea of just how large these blooms were . We thought , maybe zucchini or some type of squash .

Well earlier this week the mystery was solved . That looks suspiciously like a pumpkin to me . So far despite an abundance of blooms that's the only pumpkin . Apparently there are male and female flowers on a  vine which depend on honeybees for pollination . Lucky for us that at least one bee was busy in the pumpkin patch . Wish he'd call a couple of friends , I'd like a few more pumpkins .

The baby blanket is on a short time out for bad behavior . I have repeatedly crocheted the same row numerous times , making the same mistake at different points in the row . I'm blaming it on this unbearable heat which has me completely frazzled . I've decided a break in favour of  sock knitting is in order .

Have a good weekend !

Yarning Along on WIP Wednesday

Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

I just can't resist a two for one post. This is for Tami's WIPW and Ginny's Yarn Along . Last weeks book (Shanghai Girls ) has been temporarily put aside because this book was finally in at the library . If I didn't pick it up right away , who knows when I'll see it in again . The book is set in post war Britain and tells the tale of a Polish couple and their son reunited after surviving the second world war and spending those years apart .He ending up in England and helping in the fight against the Germans ; she in Poland and living through the horrors of war . It chronicles how they survived and of their struggle to become a family again . I'm finding it an enjoyable read but not as engaging as I thought it would be . The two main characters have me wondering how they ever got together in the first place . I'm just over half way through hoping that feelings will change by the time I finish reading it .

As for what's on the go , wouldn't you know that the hottest days of the summer find me knitting a baby blanket for my granddaughter Stella's christening in August . It was a surprise request from my DIL Chantal . I searched the net and found an Evelyn Clark old shale crochet blanket , hit the yarn shop and her we are . There are also last weeks grey socks in rotation . I need to finish those by the end of the month .

That's it for today . Head on over to Tami's to see what others are knitting .

Covering all the bases

This post is to be WIP Wednesday , FO Friday (two days early) and Ginny's Yarn Along all rolled into one . With my dismal posting record for this year , I thought that I should strike while the iron is hot , so to speak .

 This is the first time that I'm officially participating in Tami's WIP Wednesday. Last week was all about the dishcloths , this weeks focus is socks . The deadline for the next shipment to The Warm Hands Network is September and I haven't completed nearly as many knitted items as I'd hoped to . The summer is just whipping by so I'd better get a move on .

As for the Yarn Along , another first for me , I've started reading Shanghai Girls by Lisa See . This book has been on my shelf for what seems like forever , every previous attempt at reading it ended with my putting it aside . For whatever reason the story and the characters didn't capture me at the time . This time I've perservered and it's  growing on me . I'm a firm believer in there being a right and a wrong time to be reading a book . If I'm not enjoying it , it's back to the shelf for a later date , maybe. Life's too short ...

We've been having spectacular summer weather for the last couple of weeks . We've been enjoying the pool and are biking almost every day . My behind has finally stopped hurting !  Last Sunday we were invited to a BBQ hosted by some mutual friends of ours and Stef's family . Mason got to try out their pool and got his first swimming lesson from his Nanny . Doesn't he look like a little water baby !

Dishcloth mania

Sometime last week  the last of my knitted dishcloths bit the dust .  I dug into the stash for yarn and hit the ravelry pattern page to find a pattern to knit a new one . Previously I've almost always done just a plain old garter stitch cloth , but that was getting tired and boring to knit .I mean , it's a very nice pattern , but a girl needs a change every so often . I found this super little pattern by Leah Michelle called the Boxy Dishcloth and it has become the new favourite . I'm like the kid with a new toy , I knit one up in double quick time and cast on for another . The plan is to have seven cloths knit by the end of the weekend . I'm working on number six , the first one is already in use . Mike is going off roading with the boys tomorrow , so I'll have a little time to myself . The plan is to finish off the last of the dishcloths and maybe spend a little time outside by the pool with a book and a glass of ice tea . Add in a bike ride and you have a perfect way to spend a summer day .

Have a wonderful weekend !

A berry good day to bake

Years ago I planted a Saskatoon Berry  'stick' and waited many a year before getting any kind of crop . The stick is now about 10 feet tall and provides an abundance of berries . We love them , the taste is kind of like blueberry with a hint of apple , but the robins REALLY love them . The robins are more vigilant than I am and eat them up as fast as they ripen making it darn near impossible for us to get our fair share . On Tuesday evening I  noticed the robins sitting on the fence near the berry bush and thought I'd go see the state of the berries . Sure enough , there was ripe fruit to be had . Mike and I picked about 8 cups , enough for a couple of pies .

Yesterday was pie making day , thanks to some cool and rainy weather . Hence the rather dark photo . Today is pie eating day , just in time for the family dinner . Yummmm....

The moral of the story ?! You snooze you lose !