Tag Archives: praying mantises

Irish dancing, under a natty boh sun.

Posted on September 13, 2008 by Dawn

Before I get to  the other stuff I mentioned last post… let me tell you of today’s adventure.

We set out in the gnomemobile… and I am NOT KIDDING!

LOOK!

I am not even making this up!  We were cruising down gnomegarden road and I notice it there clinging for dear life.  It was all ruffled and crazy looking.  We had to pull over and find it a new home.  Then we drove into the city with the girls wondering if it was going to be OKAY so far from our yard. ” Can we stop here on the way back and if it is still there take it home?”   Mmmmmn, no, we have plenty.  It is starting to get a little weird.  Maybe it is the prayer flags out front making them feel all homey.  As long as they stick to their own species on the eating each other issue.

We like the Irish dancing.  The girls’ school was performing and we went to be supportive an fly our Irish heritage flag.

It was hot as ALL-GET-OUT today. After much cooler weather lately, we were not prepared for it.  The big Natty Boh in the sky was burning down like a supernova.  The festival was down at the Canton waterfront park.  It was a really great time.  The girls had their first ever funnel cake.

There was great music.  Irish-wares vendors, and many, many Guinness drinkers.

Here is a little movie of the dancing.

The Maryland Irish Festival is NOV 7-9 at the fairgrounds.  We are looking forward to that.

The art and dogs tomorrow.

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knitty calculations– now with more, more, more mantises!

Posted on September 13, 2008 by Dawn

Back to knitting news.  For the family in fact.

I am working on those lovely sproingy-patterned socks for Knitty Spring Forward . It is a really fun pattern, looks great, is easy enough to remember, but has enough going on pattern-wise to be a fun knit :)

Marigold, per usual is a experiencing crafty-schizophrenia.  The weaving is to the side now and we’re back to knitting.  She is knitting her first circular-knitting project,  A hat.  She is planning to make a LOT of hats.  She wants to jazz’em up too– viking hats, egg hats, wig hats.  It ought to be good!  We have found this site so helpful for calculations.  Many helpful tools there, including the ever daunting ” how to knit a bust dart”.  I don’t think we’ll need that for her hats– but still good to know it’s there.

Still with the mantises.  Went to grab the doorknob the other morning and almost got a handful of THIS.

I mean, WOW.  Look at the size of that thing!

And there have been more– on the kitchen window… ” Look Mama here’s one and it still has it’s head.”

And THAT folks, is good for the garden.

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Meals for hard times….

Posted on September 9, 2008 by Dawn

Coming along just fine here….

There is actually a website with info on this subject– if you ever find yourself in a really dire money week.  I tried really hard to stick to our budget, which was right along these grim lines– but then had a little money come in, and caved.  Actually bought more food and gas!!  ( Thank you Jim!)  30 days is helping and being a good experience nonetheless.  The kids and I are talking,  and processing so much the purchases we make, and want to make.  And it’s haaaaard! :)   I am baking a lot more, and planning what we eat ahead of time.  And if we HAD the money, we would have saved a whole lot!  It’s going well, all in all.

This is what was waiting outside the back door this am.  Rosie said ” Some kinda BIG BUG is on the wall out here!”  Indeed.

This time of year is sooooo insect-y.  I call it “that spider time of year”, because it seems like the basement is one big web just waiting for us to venture down for some basement-crap retrieval.  Not as bad as Aragog’s nest, but pretty creepy.  Next door– Erin has paranormal events like Lucille–her crazy wunderdog-zooming airborne into a tree to eat a cicada.  She did.  I hear it was loud going down.   WIld Kingdom, I tell you.  Lest you forget about the mantid’s favorite meal for hard times– check out this vid.

Our couple are persevering through thunder and rain.  All appears peaceful between them thus far.  I keep looking out my window to see if the cannibalism ritual has started.  Funny, Jim declared today “talk like a cannibal day” before breakfast today… I don’t think we had even discovered the young lovers yet. :)   He’ll have to comment a few phrases for us.  I googled it and only got some vague reference to Jay and silent Bob. Go figure.

Lastly, I had to pick up Ms. Marigold sick from school today.  While I have been posting this, who knew she was throwing a sick-day tea party??!!

That’s Chamomile tea and YOU GUESSED IT!  Green tapioca with birthday candles and a little gold baby jesus in the middle!

Erin, you ae NOT allowed to comment on the pudding.  In any way.

In the next 24 hours, ACTUAL KNITTING CONTENT  AAAAAANNNNNND an ETSY update!  Until then happy green day, and don’t loose your head.

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