Hot Off the Griddle

We had a little snow today.  The timing was perfect, as I finished crocheting this sweater this week.  I followed the Après-Ski Sweater pattern from the January/February 2010 issue of Crochet Today, and used TLC Heathers yarn in Teal.  Most of the sweater is worked in the griddle stitch.  It is nothing more than alternating single and double crochet stitches, but the effect is different from either.  I'm staying toasty warm today!

Hiking Through the Woods on a Snowy Afternoon

In honor of George Washington's birthday, we visited Mount Washington with some friends.  We hiked along the Big Creek Trail, a four-mile loop that crosses three creeks as they cascade between the slopes.

It was not a difficult trail, but D2 lagged far behind Scoot, the compulsive leader.  Our friends were generous with motivation and a few carries.  At one point, Mr. S suggested that D2 try to find the snow dogs.  I think he was referring to his own dogs, who spent most of their time galloping through the snow in the front of the line.  But D2 wasn't interested in going that fast, and doubted the very existence of snow dogs.

The Caterpillar must have overheard their discussion.  Pretty soon we started finding things like this along the trail.  D2 called them snow kitties, and promptly knocked their ears off.  When the Caterpillar heard that, he  sculpted a head with seven ears.  D2 left them alone.  I don't know if the snow art motivated D2's hiking, but Dandelionslayer and I enjoyed watching the Caterpillar exercising his creativity.

D2 caught up enough to add the arms to the Caterpillar's
snow Viking. 

The leaders, crossing another stream.

"Who's that crossing over my bridge?"

This huge boulder, covered with moss and icicles, was next to another bridge.

Once we started going downhill, on the briefly sunnier side, everyone moved faster.  Even Rollo quit whining and ran along with the bigger boys.  Except for a few giggly slips, D2 stayed on his feet until almost the end.  Then, of course, he fell asleep on Dandelionslayer's back.  We all slept well that night.

Quiz

D2:  Dad, do you know what N-O spells?

Dandelionslayer:  No, do you know?

D2:  Yes.  It spells "no."

a minute later...

D2: Dad, do you know what N-O spells?

Dandelionslayer:  No.  Why don't you ask your mother?

D2:  She already knows!

Heartfelt Valentines

We like to make our own Valentine cards around here.  It's just more fun to be creative.  Don't expect any elegant scrapbook papers or sentimental rubber-stamp images from our boys.  They didn't even use the computer this year.  But they had a great time with a new package of construction paper.

Here is Rollo with his fleet of Love Boats.  He recently memorized this folding procedure, so making twenty-two of them was quick work.  It also used twenty-two sheets of the new paper.  Which is what it was for.

Here's Scoot, the minimalist.  He hates to waste paper so much that he refuses to show his work for math problems, or begin new paragraphs on new lines.  He carefully calculated, and cut twenty-five cards from one sheet of construction paper, with inches to spare.  He drew each individually.  He made pretty quick work of it, too, so he could play a computer game Saturday afternoon.  Ah, motivation. 

I think it is safe to say that each will make a unique contribution to their friends' Valentine bins.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Star Treatment

     Ah, the sense of accomplishment!  I've been meaning to install curtains in the room that Scoot and the Caterpillar share since we moved in, of course -- four and a half years ago.  I bought the starry fabric at least one year ago.  But I was not quite sure how to hang it.  They already had ugly old horizontal blinds, but they never opened or closed them.  I wanted them to have an easy way to control light and privacy, and to conserve heat with their huge window.  I found help and inspiration in a library book called The Complete Photo Guide to Window Treatments, edited by Linda Neubauer.  I finally settled on a traverse rod, and found one at Home Depot.  It looked complicated, but it really wasn't too difficult to arrange.  The starry fabric was not quite long enough for the proper folds at the hem and heading, so I found a matching gold striped fabric for the top.  I think it makes the stars look even more regal.  If only the boys would straighten up the rest of the room . . .

Doing Dishes the Man Way