Monster Mishaps and some Dolphins

I finished my first monster last night and I have nothing to show you.  You see I made it from Lion Brand Yarn Baby's First and it did not turn out well.  I really don't like the yarn, it splits so easily.  I tried to free form it, and let me just say I am not an artist in any way, shape or form.  And well , there was one big problem.  While free forming the arms yesterday, I realized they looked a bit like a male anatomy part.  Yes, I said it.  Well after that thought was in my head I couldn't get it out.  Even after I crocheted a thumb on it.   You bet, my mind is in the gutter.  I took it to knitting today and it did not come home with me.  One of my knitting friends thought it was so hysterical she begged me for it, what could I do?  I couldn't give it to a baby that is for sure.  So I have no picture of monster number 1, you can use your imagination. Even though monster number 1 did not turn out, I am sticking to my word and will have another 9 squares completed on my vest before monster number 2 gets started.

 My youngest and I had a Friday field trip to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium today.  Located just a hop, skip and a jump from Clearwater Beach.  This lovely young man above is Nicolas the baby of the aquarium.  We got to watch the trainers working with him and it was so much fun.  He seemed to be so happy and appeared to love the interaction.  The Marine Center is the home to many marine animals that can not survive in the wild anymore.  The ones that can be rehabilitated are kept in other areas, away from humans.  There is an ICU, and surgery rooms.  It really is an amazing place. 

 The Clearwater Marine Center is home to Winter the famous dolphin of the movie A Dolphin's Tale.  Winter lost her tail when it became tangled in  a crab trap rope.  She was found in this area and was rushed to the Marine Center where her tail had to be amputated.  Winter was very small and very ill when she arrived, she was quickly adopted by another Dolphin Panama.  Winter has a prosthetic devise that helps her swim like a dolphin, she wears it several hours a day.  When it is not on she swims more like a fish, which was causing her back to deteriorate.  She also meets with disabled children and war veterans who have had amputations.  Story after story is in our local paper about how Winter has had such a positive affect on these people.  You can learn more at Seewinter.com

  The center also rehabs turtles  and otters.  One turtle we saw had  paralysis of his hind legs.  His behind just floated on top of the water.  I could not get a picture of him as he was outside and in the shade of the tank.

 I can't remember the dolphin's name above, but I do remember the story about him.  He was stranded and got severe sun burns, you can see the scars above.  Volunteers had to hold him in the water for days, it was very touch and go for a while.

One of the otters was hit by a car trying to cross the road.  Partially paralyzed he can't go back in the wild.  So he lives here educating all of us.  Look what was in his area, a crocheted blanket!!!  Even the otter is feeling the crochet love.

Happy Weekend.

This Vest is Going to Kill Me......

The lovely vest I am crocheting from the winter version of Interweave Crochet may do me in.  I mean it!  The gorgeous pattern by Judith L. Swartz called Abelia Jacket caught my eye right away.  I went all over looking for the yarn and finally found something at Knit n' Knibble in Tampa.  Gosh they are so nice at that store.  So helpful and friendly.  Anyway I may have taken a short break from this sweater/vest when I went on my trip, and of course there was the dishcloth madness.  

 I spent my weekend in a mad crochet square craze.  I am now at the 90 square mark with 63 to go.  And I have to admit I can not make another one for a while.  They are beautiful, and the yarn is lovely, I just can't take it anymore.

 Each square takes me about 21 minutes to make.  That includes attaching and sewing in the ends.  I know I am a crazy woman, (for many reasons) but timing myself sounded like fun to break up the monotony of this project.  That is 1890 minutes spent on this vest so far, 1890 minutes equals 31.5 hours.  Oh my!  And I am not even close to being done.  So I have made a deal with myself, I can have a bit of fun if I do 9 squares between fun projects.  

 What could be more fun than some monsters?  I have 4 great nieces and a nephew on my side and 2 great nieces on my husbands side.  I think they all need a monster don't you?  And in true Meredith fashion I have to make all of them a monster, not just make one monster.  One monster equals 9 squares on the vest, sounds simple enough.

 Last Friday afternoon my youngest and I took a quick walk on Honeymoon Island in Dunedin, Fl.  Love this beach.  Usually I walk where there is beautiful sand and the view is spectacular.  But on Friday we decided to go to the north end of the beach where it is rocky and very rustic.  Much more natural.

 There are far fewer people here so you can walk, and talk, and enjoy the quiet.

The clouds were rolling in for a night of thunderstorms.  They were so beautiful.

This week we may pop on down to the Clearwater Aquarium the home of Winter the famous dolphin who lost his tail.  Did you see A Dolphin's Tale?  The movie was a very fictionalized version of Winters's story.  But yes he did lose his tail because  he was caught in the rope of a crab trap, when he was a baby.  He had to have his tail amputated, and has been fit with various prosthetic tails to help him swim.  He helps disabled children and war veterans with visits every day.  It is an amazing story.  We have been several times to visit but not for a while.  I think we are due.

How was your weekend?

A Wonderful Gift

 

Right before I left on my relaxing trip to the beach I entered a lovely giveaway from The White Bench.  Monica is a very gifted artist and photographer.  I joked with her that when I got back from my trip I fully expected for there to be a message on my blog that I had won.  Guess what?  There was!!!!!!

 If you have read my blog for any length of time you know I don't win giveaways.  I jut don't, so I was just tickled to death that I won one, especially this one.

 Monica lives in Italy, and her gift as an artist is so special.  Can you even imagine making your living from your art?  Or living in beautiful Italy?

 Inside my package was this beautiful cloth heart with a sweet button and this little embossed ceramic circle with the word "ocean" on it.  Lovely, lovely, lovely.

 Monica's work is published just about everywhere.  And to think I am the owner of this amazing watercolor, wow, it just blows my mind.  This picture is just soooooo beautiful.  The detail is gorgeous.  Thanks you so much Monica.  You just made my day.

I have been feeling a bit glum lately so this package came at just the right time.  I am still battling this cold, it is really sticking around and it feeling like any energy I can muster is quickly drained away.  I have been blowing, and blowing my nose.  And then I had a thought, last year at this time I also had a cold that would not go away.

 Is it possible that the cold is there but I may also have allergies? 

 And if I have allergies it may be these beautiful gardenia's that are surrounding my house and inside my kitchen! 

I could be making myself stay sick!!!!  With the flowers I love more than anything!!!

Bummer.

Ripple Washcloth Drag!

As usual I took the ripple washcloth thing a bit too far.  I made ten washcloths in one week and I have had enough.  By the time I was done with number ten, I was wishing myself far, far away from this project.

 Four variegated red ones for my kitchen.

 Four blues for my friend Lynda for Mother's Day.

 Two bright ones for another special friend.

 On Friday I took my youngest for a short hike in Booker Creek Preserve.  This is an 8,000 acre preserve that house all sorts of wildlife in the middle of a very populated county.  The back end of the preserve almost butts up to my house so we see a lot of deer, wild turkeys, a bobcat or two and some coyotes. I once saw a small Florida Panther, not full grown yet.  It went walking right in my backyard.  I did a double take as this is a very rare sighting.  But sure enough, it looked at me, I looked at it and it ran off into the woods behind my house.  Yikes!!! Thank goodness my Max was totally oblivious to the whole experience.

 Next week we may explore some hikes at the beach.

You know I have to include a gardenia shot.  The are so beautiful.

Hope your Sunday is restful and beautiful where ever you are.

Ripple Washcloth Madness

 I think I have gone mad, actually a little crochet ripple mad.  I have been resisting the ripple for a long, long time.  I love to see it, I love that you are all obsessed with it and I was not.  Until recently I have held firm and steady, and I have not taken the plunge.  Well that is until I made a visit to one of my favorite blogs, Cozy Things.  You see Kristen made ripple washcloths and towels instead of a big blanket.  She tempted me with the beauty and simplicity of the project, and again I have to state it wasn't a big blanket, which I do not have the time or energy for.  Kristen is an amazing crocheter, knitter and crafter.  Her blog is a delight, go and give her a visit, I promise you will be amazed, too.

 You can get a lot or rippling done when you are sitting on you behind all weekend with a nasty cold.  I used your basic Sugar and Cream Cotton yarn.  I just chained 39 and went to town.  I didn't change colors I let the yarn do all the fun work for me.  I am making two more of the cloths above for a little Mother's Day present for my friend Lynda.

The reddish ones are for me.  They look great in my kitchen.  I looked at several ripple patterns, and ended up using the famous Lucy's of Attic24.  I had to give it a few tries as I simply was not reading all of the directions, seems I never learn that lesson.  The only thing I changed was to adjust the pattern slightly so it wasn't so wide.  Simple, easy, fun.

What are you up to today?

15, A Cold and Happy Easter

I finished my lovely ocean inspired shawl.  Want to take a look?

 I didn't knit a lot while on my vacation, I seemed to be emerged in books instead.  So this week I took some time to finish this shawl.  Gazing at the yarn it reminded me how very beautiful the water was at Turks and Caicos.  The yarn is Three Irish Girls, Wexford Merino Silk.  It is specially dyed for A Good Yarn, my favorite yarn store in Sarasota.  The colorway is called Gulf of Mexico.  I live near the gulf and believe me our water isn't quite this beautiful, but is sure is further south.

 A simple drop stitch pattern really shows off the beauty of the yarn.  The shawl ended up being approximately 16 inches wide and 62 inches long.  I haven't decide on fringe yet, I'll wait on that a bit.  Cast on 55 stitches on size 11 needles and away you go!  Knit 7 rows in garter stitch.  On the 8th row knit the first and last stitch, each stitch in between in wrapped three times.  The wrap is easily dropped on the next row as you knit.  Easy Peasy.

 Notice anything special in the photo above?  My gardenia's are blooming about 5 weeks early.  I have never had gardenia's for Easter, they usually bloom around Mother's Day.  I was a bit shocked to see them blooming already.

 I promise not to have fifty trillion pictures of gardenia's this year.  But they are so beautiful and the smell is divine.  That is if I could smell them.  My oldest came home from our trip with a bad cold.  He has now passed it on to his brother and myself.  We are miserable.  It has settled in my lungs like all colds do.  I am coughing so much my back and ribs hurt.  I had to sleep in my family room last night so I wouldn't disturb the whole house.  My youngest has a sore throat and looks horrible.  So I am taking it easy this weekend and enjoying some baseball.  (Yeah for Carlos Pena on his grand slam, at his first at bat back as a Ray! Against the Yankee's no less!!!!)

And of course celebrating a bit of Easter.  I didn't decorate this year so this bunny will have to do.

Hope you all have  a wonderful weekend, celebrating Spring, Easter, or just Life!

Calling All Readers

Today we have no pictures, no knitting or crochet.  I have been busy getting caught up from a week away, cleaning, laundry, weeding and more cleaning.  Work, paperwork and more paperwork. Getting my youngest back into the swing of home school and getting my oldest over the cold/flu.  What I am craving now is a good read.  I lost myself in so many wonderful books on my trip I need to read and so far I haven't seemed to find the right book.  So I am asking for some recommendations from all of you.  Have you read anything wonderful lately?