Long Times, No See.

Sorry I haven't posted at much. Things have just been HAPPENING. My mom is going to be closing on the house soon, and we're overhauling her yard. Eventually it will be lovely, but right now it's a disaster area. I'm knitting, but I'm sort of between things.

And Monday, I start interning at Friends of Chemung River, a nonprofit that recently started in teh Elmira area. I'm really excited to help them out!

Oh, and Warren's been staying with me for a week, which is awesome. Yesterday, we went up to Tanglewood and what did we see? MONOTORPA UNIFLORA.


I love this plant. It's possibly my favorite plant of all time, and I've only seen it once, when I was small. I immediately searched books for what it was, and found an article on it in a very old book on northeastern plant life- the internet didn't really exist for me then.


Back then, it was believed that the plant was saprophytic, but now I guess it's common knowledge that they live off of fungus under trees. Fungus, fungus, fungus... the internet of trees.

Anyway, because of the moist, cool summer these babies were ALL OVER. Everywhere. I'm glad I didn't scare Warren off, because I was really freaking out.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Look at this one! Ah! I'm stepping on one! Oh no, that's a mushroom- HEY, THESE ARE PINKISH!"

Moral of the story: Take a walk, and you'll never know what you see.

Here are some other close encounters of the Natural kind:

Two young bucks :)

A Luna Moth Caterpillar- Look at the bugger!

A lovely ladybug

A Japanese beetle on some Yarrow

Summer.

I felt this point should be recorded. Currently, I'm on the phone with Warren, and he's talking about "How stupid it is that single serving cheese is individually wrapped. It's a waste of plastic."

He used the word secondary packaging.

I was proud.

Anyway, I haven't knit anything worthwhile. I've been trying to make something everyday, but I don't feel that it's very interesting.

Also, I'm going to New York City in a week to be with my dearest Ash. On my birthday. Everyone in my hometown is out of town on my birthday. Warren, my brother, my godmother, my hometown best friend, Christine... it's a popular vacation time I guess.

How's your summer?

A week in PA

So, the past few days I've been Wabu's house near Mt. Pisgah. I love their house for several reasons:

A. It's in the country between two parks, a state and county.
B. They recently remodeled their kitchen, and have a pantry stocked with things that have a high chance of being spoiled before they are used (which, aside from making me a little sad inside, means I have free reign as the items most likely won't be missed.)
C. Their couches are irresistably leather and comfy.
D. They have a small blue car that they don't mind us driving.
E. They sometimes give Wabu money.


So, we went to Corning to the glass museum. This October, Wabu will be 20 and unable to get in for free. Not that we couldn't lie... but, that wouldn't be honest! Anywho.


We also went ATVing on roads near the surrounding farms. We tried to get to the park, but the road was blocked by a tree! Boo.


I also made the most marvellous cupcakes in the history of history. I filled them with chocolate chips and made homemade vanilla icing. Yum!

Anyway, I'm back at home where the wireless is plentiful, and the yarn roams free.

More ends to weave...

... and I don't have a yarn needle. I really don't know where mine went, but they all disappeared when I migrated from Rochester back to Elmira.

Anyway, I really like how these socks came out! I used some Knitpicks Kettle Dyed that my dearest Ashley bought me for Christmas. I saw some bad reveiws of the yarn and got worried, but they were all wrong! This yarn worked out swimmingly, and there was no dye lot problems at all.



Also, I'm making SABLES today... Mango sables. I just tasted the dough before letting it sit in the fridge, and it's SOOOO GOOD. I love mango things. With real mangos inside? Yes.

I'm squeefully proud. I'm also working on some hats with ear flaps for the sweetie and I to wear and be TWINS IN :B (... if he'll wear his...)

Of Cats and Rabbits

Sunday, my sweetie's mother and stepfather rescued a poor little bunny from their barn cats. She lived in a cage and refused to eat anything.

Monday I opened her cage up and she ventured out. She hopped around a little in their sunroom, and I picked some greens from the garden and fed it to her, and she ate three platefuls of dandelions, clover, and timothy (luckily, Warren's family grows Timothy in their fields and gives it to the neighbors.)
She was so cute! After it was obvious she was eating, we decided it would be ok to send her back... only to find that she couldn't use her front leg! Poor Little Rabbit!

Sadly, Little Rabbit died yesterday... Warren's stepfather found her dead. She probably went into shock, or died from her injuries. It's sad, because she seemed to be recovering...

First Day of Summer!

Although summer doesn't start officially for a while, I'm back in my hometown with my family. My dad's house is kind of a wreck, but I think I'm going to clean it up in a while. It seems like everywhere I go gets clean... which is nice.

First, I went to Tanglewood to see Roxy. I took a little walk and found some nice lichens. I wanted to walk some more, but I realized how lonely it is walking alone- after taking walks with all my friends at RIT, being in the woods and being quiet is a little depressing.

I got some awesome pictures though! Check out this sweet foliose thallus, found on an oak (I think) by the teaching pond:
I also found some really nice cyphellae on a lichen just by the parking lot... I didn't put the picture in, though, because it didn't look very impressive small-size.

And, of course, some glamour shots of Roxxors! Isn't she a doll? I got her at a good time, she played around, I cut her nails, and gave her plenty of FerretVite. She was so happy :)

I also made some super sweet iced tea... it's a little weak, but it's very sweet and addictive! I used 5 bags of blueberry tea, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 2 quarts of boiling water. The tea seeped for 10 minutes, and the whole thing took about 2 hours to chill.

I'm having a picnic with my mom tomorrow, so I'll perfect the recipe :)

Where I Produce Some Movie Stars!

So, for my sweetheart's final film project for this quarter, he asked for some puppets! I made these birds in about two weeks, and he added the pipe cleaner faces and rigged them with armature wire.

I'm really proud of my work- perhaps I'll show his project up here when it's finished :)