Followers a question?

Greetings to those who stop by and leave messages! 

My question to you all is I am not sure how to leave you a reply.  A message comes into my email and I reply that way when you have left a message.  is anyone getting these replies? Is there a way (I obviously don't know about) I can reply to your comment on my blog page? Below the comment you left me?

I see this on some peoples blog that use blogger.  Any ideas/help/tips would be wonderful!

Thanks!

PS---WE HAVE SNOW!

Birds Eat and Eat and Eat (A read from memory lane)

My sister sent me a great Birthday package filled with fun and yummy goodies.  One treat that was an enjoyable read down memory lane was: Birds Eat and Eat and Eat by Roma Gans and Illustrated by Ed Emberley.

This book is from first grade.  I remember reading it and looking through the pictures endlessly.  We made the bird feeder that is described in the book.  My mom always had bird feeders and her bird book was right on the kitchen table for most of my life.

This book was purchased through the school's Weekly Reader Book Club.  Any of you remember that newsprint flyer?   Kids still love these flyers and ordering books

this way today.  I know as I retired from the classroom this spring and kids still looked forward to ordering books. On the author's page, I found it interesting that she wrote a book titled Common Sense in Teaching Reading.  I googled this title and found a copy which I placed on hold! I am sure this book reflects a completely different approach in reading!

I know we have missed the boat in the American classroom when it comes to teaching reading.  Part of the reason I left teaching is all the TESTING! The constant farming of data on other peoples children-TESTING TESTING TESTING TESTING TESTING TESTING TESTING TESTING!  Reading is not about words per minute!

Reading is the love of adventures, learning, exploring, meeting new friends between the covers of a book.  Reading is a hot cup of tea or choco on a stormy day while cuddled up with a great book.  Reading is a hammock with a hot summer breeze and endless words bring you one adventure after the next. 


Reading has nothing what-so-ever to do with constant monitoring of a young developing reader!

I love this drawing as the character has on a wonderful Aran sweater! He/she is looking out through the leaves full of interest and wonder.  Will, the birds come, is my little bird feeder going to work?  I have always loved ink drawings may this love started with this book?

I sat down with Birds Eat and Eat and Eat with a nice new cup, filled with a new tea, and my new favorite delicious treat called Packaroons!

     

Knitting the Telja Sweater & Tundra Update

Three projects on the needles!  Right now the focus is a Lopi for a KAL at The Woolly Thistle.  I love Lopi yoke sweater designs.  All the colorwork added to a rather very simple design has always intrigued me.  I casted on the Telja Sweater which is a design from Jennifer Steingass.  I am knitting this sweater up in Léttlopi yarn which I have not knitted with this weight of Lopi yarn before.  I knitted up both sleeves first and did a provisional cast-on.  I plan to pick up those stitches and knit a hem to finish them.

The body has been a bit of a challenge!  I originally did a provisional cast-on which for over 220+ sts is a pain in the butt!  I then followed the colorwork pattern which I was thinking I should change but I pushed on through it.  Once I was done with the lower body colorwork, I put the body of the sweater on two needles to check the fit. I do this all the time no matter what!  This saves a lot of frustration later if you know your sweater is going to fit once done!  I put the body on two needles to see how this sweater is fitting! UGH!!!!!!!

I knew it was going to be too large!  Dang, it all!  Why is it I often don't listen to my gut feelings when knitting? I swear, I make more work than is ever needed when I ignore these little snippets of instinct!  I slammed on the knitting needle brakes and frogged all this work.  I totally readjusted my sizing and the design of the pattern. As many of you know I am a huge fan of Elizabeth Zimmermann and her EPS (EZ's Percentage System). 

EPS (from Wikipedia)

Zimmermann devised her "EPS" (Elizabeth's Percentage System) calculation for sizing garments based on gauge and desired body circumference.^[6] Her "EPS" is still widely used by designers: it consists of a mathematical formula to determine how many stitches to cast on for a sweater, given that the sleeves and body are usually proportionate no matter what yarn or gauge is used. EPS can be found in her books that are sold through the family-run business Schoolhouse Press.

Once I frogged out my work, I went right back to my gut instincts!  I quickly crunched the numbers again with EPS method.  Casted my new amount of stitches back on my needles with a Knit2, Purl2 rib.  I made several mistakes in the colorwork over and over again after knitting five rounds of gray!  All signs that I should have stopped long ago!  I removed the colorwork again and the five rounds of gray that went with this design. I did knit the five rounds of gray on the sleeves and I liked that look there, but I found on the body since I am not following the design it just looked off-ish. 

Low and behold all the color work for the body is now done! I only did two rounds of the gray to help tie in the design work. Everything is now spot on!  I can just knit mindlessly around in circles until I get to the where I will be joining up the arms.

Tundra Update! 

October 10th we saw heavy wet snowflakes mixed in with rain!  For me, this is always a great sign to know Mother Nature is doing her job and teasing me with a bit of the white stuff.

October 12th we are closing in on single digit daylight hours. I love this time of the year as we move into darkness with the hunkering down feeling for the arrival of winter.

The tundra always has some wonderful play on light.  I was biking last Thursday and was able to watch this play on light through the clouds and across the tundra.

Little Miss Tally sums up her day of beach walks, and a tundra walk . . . ah, bliss time to rest after dinner.

Thanks for stopping by!