Snow, Snow, and More Snow

A 3-5 inch snowfall prediction turned into a 5-8 inch prediction this morning.  After the snow started falling a couple hours earlier than expected, and heavier than expected, the prediction was changed to 8-12 inches total accumulation by tomorrow midday.  We currently have about 6 inches of wet, heavy snow.  And it is still coming down hard.  I bet we exceed the 12 inches.

Here's what it looked like around 5:00 pm after I got home from work.  

If you click the photo below and look at the front porch, you'll see the accumulation at that point.

I'll take more photos tomorrow for comparison.

After taking these pictures, I shoveled the driveway.  Since Kristin is driving now and we have a car for her to use, I had to shovel practically the entire pad.  My arms are aching now!  A nice glass of wine later should help.

Kristin is bummed that her school's Winter Formal is cancelled for tomorrow evening. 

I finished Blake's scarf just in time.  Here he is striking a pose.  I'll have to add a photo with his hat.  Next project is his gloves.

Time to sign off now and figure out dinner.  See you tomorrow!

Making Progress

The two knitting projects I'm actively working on are coming along.  Blake's scarf is about 2/3 complete.  I'm well into the second skein of merino.  Because of the 2x2 ribbing, it will end up being a skinny scarf, but he likes it that way.  I hope to have it done this week.  Too bad I didn't make it in time for this weekend.  It is frigid!  But winter isn't even half over yet, so I'm sure he'll get plenty of use from it this year.

Here's a close up. 

The baby blanket I'm making for a friend is coming along.  I'm getting to the slow, long rows.  I have about 35 more rows before I start decreasing.  I feel my progress is good.  My friend told me Wednesday that her doctor will induce on March 29 if she doesn't go into labor before then.  Plenty of time!

I've decided that it is best to have two active projects.  It keeps things a littlel more interesting.  However, these two projects are both very basic.  I have a couple projects in mind that I want to start.  Once I get things moved along on these I'll be able to start others.  I plan to cast on Blake's gloves for the Ravelympics.  I've never made gloves or mittens, but since I've done socks I don't think it will be too difficult.   As long as I finish up the scarf before then, things will be good.

Earlier this month I posted a note about trouble at work.  I heard a rumor that the person who I'm having difficulty with was leaving.  This week I got confirmation that he will be signing off the project mid-February.  He is a consultant so the chances of ever having to deal with him again are very slim.  I'm counting the days!!

I have discovered a blog that I absolutely love.  It isn't a knitting blog, but a blog about another favorite hobby of mine: cooking.  Check out Annie's Eats.  All of her food looks absolutely yummy.   I want to try her Oatmeal Buttermilk Wheat Bread this weekend.  I have most of the ingredients, except the buttermilk.  I quick trip to the grocery will take care of that.  She also has a recipe for soft pretzels which I'll have to try.  Who doesn't love pretzels.

Not Boeuf Bourguignon But Still Yummy

Just finished watching 'Julie and Julia'. It seems that Julia Child's premier recipe was Boeuf Bourguignon. I'm not attempting that at the moment, but we are having beef stew for dinner. Maybe someday I'll try her recipe just to see how it compares.

My sister Patty gifted everyone in the family with knitted items. Blake got a hat that he absolutely loves. It covers his ears so it keeps him warm when he walks home from school. And he said he likes the teal blue color. The other day he asked me if I could make a pair of gloves and a scarf to go with it. He specifically wanted me to match the color. Since the hat was made from Patty's homespun, I wasn't sure I'd be able to find anything to match. Luckily, Knitter's Mercantile had a few things that I thought might work.

For the scarf I'm combining a strand of Plymouth Yarn Suri Merino in color 2283 (teal) with a strand of Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine in color 1293 (brown). I'm doing a 3x3 rib over 27 stitches on size 8 needles. I think it'll will match nicely.

The gloves will be made from Classic Elite Yarns Alpaca Sox in color 1831 (teal) stranded with the Ultra Alpaca left over from the scarf.  I'll have to make a gauge swatch since I'm combining yarns.  I've never made gloves before.  We'll see how stitching in the round over a small number of stitches goes.