A couple of shots from my weekend at my grandma’s house. She was away for a few days, so I stayed to take care of her pigs, chickens, turkey, and cats. These were my two favorite shots.

Busy eating heads of romaine lettuce.

After a romp through the mud.

They’re so adorable. Quite affectionate, too. They love to sit there and be scratched behind the ears for hours on end. :)

I tried my hand at dyeing my own yarn this week. I used Kool-Aid! Four packets of cherry, three packets of orange, and seven packets of lemonade. I’m so happy with how it turned out.

I used Knit Picks Bare Peruvian Highland Wool yarn, fingering weight.

Getting started.

Setting out in the sun so the heat can help the color set. The jars were hot to the touch an hour or so later.

After the first dyeing and rinse. The colors were bright and vibrant, but I wanted them a bit deeper, so I dyed them again later that night.

Time for yellow!

The finished product!

I love it. Lovelovelove it! The colors are so bright, vibrant, and cheerful. Plus, it smells amazing.

I decided to name the colorway Fire Swoops, after an accidental photo I took of a bonfire.

I’m making it into socks. :D

Sock cuffs make great hats for cats.

All in all, I’m really pleased with my new yarn. I’m really excited to dye more! I already bought more Kool-Aid (in grape, lemon-lime, and berry blue) for hand dyeing adventures in the future. I’ll probably order some more of that Knit Picks yarn next week.

Taken in the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson, Arizona.

Happy little Saguaro cacti!

Lasting devastating effects of 2003’s Aspen Fire.

SNOW! AIEEEEE!

There are a few more shots over here in my Flickr.

Sorry for a lack in craft or food type entries. I’ve been busy! So I’ll make up for it right now!

I almost have sock #1 done on the pair I’m making for my grandma, which are currently being referred to as the Step Into Spring Socks. I’ve decided to carry the ribbing of the cuff all the way down the foot of the sock to the toe. Coming out beautifully. Here’s a picture I took of the cuff sometime last week:

The cuff is much longer now and I have the heel and gusset done. Just have to finish up the rest of the foot (shouldn’t take me too long) and I’ll be done! And then I’ll start again. Which kind of sucks because I like instant gratification (who doesn’t?) and wearing one sock while I knit the other just doesn’t cut it. Haha!

Earlier this week I made chocolate mint chocolate chip macadamia nut cookies for my famly. They were a HUGE hit and are now gone. Devoured.

I only ate a couple of ‘em. I’m proud of myself.

So I celebrated with a beer. ;)

My parents and I went on a mini road trip today. We went to Saguaro Lake for a picnic and just to get out of the house.

We stopped in Fountain Hills to see the giant fountain on the way home.

It was a gorgeous day. :)

I didn’t finish those Easter socks for my grandma. The most I got done was maybe four or five rows. I was too busy cooking the food for Easter dinner… then eating the Easter dinner… then visiting with family after the Easter dinner… and then cleaning up after the Easter dinner. No time to knit in there at all. Oh, well. I’ll finish them by the end of the week, just in time for my dad to deliver them to her.

So here are those pictures of the finished two toned sock I promised.

The toe is my favorite part, I think. I kind of screwed up on it. I started working the toe decreases before remembering to change the yarn color. Instead of the whole toe being in the contrasting color, only the very tip got it. I was a little disappointed at first, but it grew on me after I grafted the toe.

I should have made the ankle part longer. Much, much longer.

Yes, it needs to be longer.

Despite the length, however, I’m happy with it. I’m looking forward to completing the pair.