Orchids and Rosa's number 2

Yesterday my husband and I went to an orchid farm fairly close by.  It was fascinating to hear about how they grow, which ones need sun and which ones need more darkness.  The orchid was a gift for someone he works with.  I wish my photography skills were better, I should have taken my really good camera. 

 The owners had several different greenhouses filled with plants.

Some hanging and some in pots.  Some flowers bloom twice a year and some only once.

These gorgeous orchids had a very large flower and hung in the air from what looked like nothing, no pot or soil, just roots sticking out every which way.

The lighting was strange in the greenhouses so picture taking was not ideal, but you get an idea of how beautiful they are.

  
Mr. Peacock also lives on the premisses.  He had just put down his beautiful finery before I could get my camera out.  He doesn't like his picture taken apparently, because as soon as I got my camera out he turned around and walked away.

 Rosa's Sleeveless Cardi number 2 is complete.  Before you all go crazy on my knitting speed this is a very easy, and very fast knit.  Once you are past the sleeves you just keep knitting, and knitting, and knitting.  Caroline was thrilled to see the outside today, it is overcast and dreary out, so there was not going to be a photo shoot inside the house.

This is a bit wider and longer than my first one, I added about 34 stitches to the neckline and about 45 rows to the body of the sweater.  I also went up to a size 10 needle.  The pattern calls for bulky yarn and a size 11 needle neither of which I used. It think this will be worn more for cooler weather over a long sleeved shirt.

This was made with Noro Silk Garden yarn.  My love/hate affair with Noro continues.  I think with this expensive of yarn I should not have random joins in the middle of a skein, and should I really be picking out plant matter from the yarn as I knit?  I vow not to buy Noro again, ever, and then the color combinations lure me back, time and time again.  Before this purchase I haven't bought any Noro in a long time so at least I am trying to stick to my guns on this one.

Finished project 15, with a total of 6,520 yards used so far this year.  

I read the best book a few weeks ago, The Last Summer by Judith Kinghorn.  If you like history and Downton Abbey you will love it.  I was riveted and seriously could not put it down.

If you like reading don't forget to pop by and catch up reading Legends of Aeternus 
by my favorite 16 year old author.  I promise you will be impressed by this lovely young woman's writing skills.  She is the daughter of one of my favorite bloggers, Mrs D Crochets, etc.

Shari at Kashmere Kisses is having a great give away.  Shari has a lovely, beautiful and peaceful blog and she makes incredible things, you will be amazed.  But be sure not to put your name in the drawing because I want the bunny she made and is giving away, and the less people who enter the better my chances are.

And my very dear, dear friend Sitichy McFloss is having a doily CAL and a KAL.  You can join in at her blog.  I am trying to hold steady and not succumb but I am weakening, I can tell you after seeing the KAL pattern, I am weakening.

What have you been up to this weekend?