Trick or treat

Muppet Personality Test

You Are Dr. Bunsen Honeydew

You take the title "mad scientist" to the extreme -with very scary things coming out of your lab. And you've invented some pretty cool things, from a banana sharpener to a robot politician. But while you're busy turning gold into cottage cheese, you need to watch out for poor little Beaker! "Oh, that's very naughty, Beaker! Now you eat these paper clips this minute."

The Muppet Personality Test

Fire Relief Drive

I've had a crazy week working toward meeting deadlines. But at least the wildfires haven't been close to us. For that we're extremely thankful.


The 11 o'clock news says 14 of the wildfires are under control, but 9 are still blazing. Over 500,000 (half a million) folks are evacuated. These folks have been living in football stadiums, race tracks, in tents if they're lucky - standing in line for the basic necessities of life. On top of just trying to survive, they are waiting for news on whether or not they still have a home. I know how they feel after the evacuation of the Crown Fire in 2004. It's horrific.


The American Red Cross is helping but they need money. I've dropped my donation off. Can you help? Go to American Red Cross Press Room for information on how to donate money. Even a little amount will go far in providing food and water.



Let Americans help Americans.

(Images borrowed from the web.)

Wordless Wednesday (Getting A Closer Look)

Woman of the Sioux

Yesterday's Wordless Wednesday was a picture of a lithograph that hangs on a wall in my living room. The painting is entitled Woman of the Sioux. The artist is Howard Terpning.

I first spotted "Woman of the Sioux" in an art gallery in Carmel California almost 25 years ago. She spoke to me and I fell hard for this piece of art. Since I couldn't afford the price at that time, I grabbed a flyer from the gallery and held on to it. About 2 years after that, I managed to have the funds to purchase a lithograph and have her framed. She's had a plan of honor in my living room for a little over 20 years. I love her.

Since then, I've collected two more by Mr Terpning.

"Last Rays of Sun"

"Grandfather Speaks"

I would dearly love to have "Hope Springs Eternal - Ghost Dance"



but I would need to build a new wall in my house for it - no more wall space!

P.S. I'm knitting but nothing I can show. Drats!

Wordless Wednesday

Interesting use for ssk and k2tog

A current knitting project has given me new inspiration using ssk and k2tog. (For the nonknitting visitors, that's "slip, slip, knit" and "knit 2 together").

Typically these decreases are used to shape knitting. The designer of the pattern I'm working on used it for decorative stitching.



I love it!

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A little knitting eye candy....errrr....eye pumpkin?

New gadget alert!

Every extra minute of the day is being spent knitting on loom. Nothing I can show you (oh what a tease!) - it's for a special project, ya know? ;-)

But I just have to mention these crochet hooks that caught my eye at Michaels last night whilst I wandered around the yarn aisles before teaching a Knifty Knitter class.



These crochet hooks have lights! Plus they're on sale at JoAnn's - here.

Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are one of my favorite birds. Not only do I enjoy watching them hover at the feeder, but I've including them in some bead work.



And so, when I found this hummingbird dishcloth pattern, I had to knit it. ;-)

October is national popcorn month

Interesting trivia:

• Compared to most snack foods, popcorn is low in calories. Air-popped popcorn has only 31 calories per cup. Oil-popped is only 55 per cup.



• Popcorn is a type of maize (or corn), a member of the grass family, and is scientifically known as Zea mays everta.

• Popcorn is a whole grain. It is made up of three components: the germ, endosperm, and pericarp (also know as the hull).

• Popcorn needs between 13.5-14% moisture to pop.

• Most U.S. popcorn is grown in the Midwest, primarily in Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri.



• The peak period for popcorn sales for home consumption is in the fall.

• Popping popcorn is one of the number one uses for microwave ovens. Most microwave ovens have a “popcorn” control button.

• How high popcorn kernels can pop? Up to 3 feet in the air.

...and.....

• A-MAIZing is a yarn that is 100% corn. Check it out here.

P.S. I have been knitting. Hopefully I'll have something finished that I can blog about!