Socks, Socks, Socks

This is our fourth summer in this house and the garden is finally coming together. The irises are coming up and even blooming. It appears all the lillies made it through our harsh winter and even the peonie I planted last year has a bud!

The Ravelry Challenges: As I mentioned last time, I signed up for yet another Ravelry Challenge the 52 Pair Plunge III. Here is my first entry. It's the Dead Simple Lace Socks from Socks from the Toe Up by Wendy Johnson and it's in my own Sheepish Sock Yarn from my Etsy shop. The new dyelot in the shop is called Viola. These took 220 yards which brings my total for the Limenviolet Sock Yarn Marathon to 5198 yards since February 1 or 2.95 miles. These socks are also my entry for The Great Sock Off of 2009 challenge.

52 Books in 52 Weeks: Fortunately, I had to travel this past week, which means I have the chance to listen to audiobooks in the car. Plus, I read a lot in the motel room. Book 25: The Ghostway by Tony Hillerman. I think this may have been one of the first Tony Hillerman books I ever read. This was a pleasant return and revisit with a very young Jim Chee. Book 26: Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. This is the fictional account of Calliope Stephanides. As many of you know, Calliope is the muse of epic poetry and this is the story of her/his own epic journey through puberity as a hermaphrodite. Book 27: A Fatal Grace: A Three Pines Mystery by Louise Penny. This is the second entry in the Three Pines Mysteries and this time Armand Gamache investigates the eletrocution of an unliked woman at a curling match. Highly recommended.

Off the Machine: I finally finished quilting and binding the Tessilating Kitties quilt. It hangs proudly in my hallway. I did leave the final border off and I'm pleased with the results.

On the Machine: I now have the Bug Jar Quilt on the quilting and I've already starting quilting. Right now I'm just going around the jars and critters in black to stabilize it. I need to be out of town for a few days and my rather large cats like to nap on quilts in progress, so I need to get them stabilized right away.