This post is a bit about my current knitting and the happenings in a life spent at home during a Florida summer.

It’s summer in Florida, and that always means two things for sure: Afternoon thunderstorms, and hurricanes on the horizon. Hurricane season picks up in another month, but the afternoon storms are here. The ditches fill, power goes out, the cable goes out (along with the AC) and I sit and wonder – Maybe getting an automatic generator IS a good way to spend my meager savings.

Yesterday a lightning bolt hit close by and the power was out for a couple hours. So what did I spend my time doing? Knitting, of course! There was just enough light, once the storm clouds passed, to see my brownish yarn on my green needles (not a good combo). I finished knitting my son’s watchcap.

Homemade Granola For Healthy Snacking

Yesterday, before the power went out, I baked up some granola. It’s been a while since I made granola, but it’s been on my mind. All this sitting around makes me munch, so it may as well be healthy munching.

If you are interested, here is how I made mine: Mix the oats (2-3 cups), nuts, coconut, sunflower seeds, etc., with oil (coconut) and sweetener (honey and / or real maple syrup), then bake for 20 minutes at 300 degrees, stirring halfway through. After it bakes to a crispy brownness, mix in dried apricots, cranberries, and raisins, or any dried fruit. Store tightly covered and eat within a few weeks.

It is yummy. I eat it on my Greek yogurt too.

Knitting Little Quick Baby Hats

Also, in the knitting department, I have been having fun knitting little baby hats for my BBF’s new granddaughter. She (the new baby) lives in California, but I was told it gets cold there, so why not send hats? I made up these little hats, and didn’t like the first one. Tiny hats use very little yarn, so if the end result is not that great, move on and do another. I knit these with 9 inch circular needles, until the top, where I needed DPNs.

Gardening and Bird Watching

I do have a job, and I spend a lot of time in my bedroom at the computer doing that job, and I can see the bird feeder just outside my window. Birds in Florida don’t need to be fed, but with the green spaces being torn out right and left, maybe they need a little help. Plus, I love watching birds. This is a leftover habit from living in New Hampshire when I fed birds all winter.

As far as vegetable gardening in Florida goes, my fingers are crossed that something will grow well enough to give me fresh veggies. It is unlikely. I let my straggly garden grow because the birds love to hop around in there in search of bugs and worms. I have one little squirrel who eats the seeds as well.

Fair Isle Graph Book Gift to Myself

I’ve been wanting the Shetlander’s Fair Isle Graph Book for a while, but it’s out of stock in many places. I broke down and ordered from the UK, and spent more than I would have liked, but I now have this book which is full of old (1940’s) colorwork knitter’s graphs.

This book is pretty cool. Some of the graph pages show through behind my yarn photo below. I can’t wait to get started on a new Fair Isle project and try out these old designs.

I do love the Rauma, and Jamieson & Smith wool for knitting fun colorwork patterns. The yarn was bought for mittens, but I never used it for mittens, only for hats. (See Katie’s Kep) Then I found a good place, with good prices, to order the wool, and added to my stash. (If you buy this type of yarn, check out Fairlight Fibers.)

Since I have given up knitting shawls or socks, for the time being, I’m not buying “sock yarn”, except when I come across a beautiful hand-spun. The striped baby hat, in my photo above, was knit with pink and yellow (two different skeins) handspun.

Newly Ordered Yarn

I’m still not a connoisseur of yarns, and sometimes it’s hit or miss. My list of favorite yarns is growing, but that only happens when I take risks and try new yarn.

Yes, I still order yarn, but this yarn has a purpose. I am getting a head start on Christmas gifts, which will mostly be … hats! Big surprise.

• Quince & Co. Lark (worsted) – Knitting the Skiff Watchcap and not too sure about this yarn. Review to come. (I already knit the Skiff Beanie)
• The Fibre Company “Acadia” – hasn’t arrived yet.

What About You?

I’d love to hear what you are up to while sitting around at home – if you are. Are you controlling your yarn purchases better than I am? Have you begun Christmas knitting projects? Would you share your own favorite yarns list here? What have you knit lately? Have you spent some time organizing that stash?

Thanks for reading.