July 18, 2008

Waffle Rib Socks


There is nothing as relaxing as tending to the socks growing in a woodland garden.
Pattern: Waffle Rib Socks
Source: Sensational Knitted Socks by Charlene Schurch
Yarn: Tanis Fiber Arts Hand Dyed Yarn
Colorway: Shadow
Stitch Detail:

July 15, 2008

Kitchen Renovation - A Work in Progress


The island has been extended by 27 inches. The new section has been primed white and I am mulling over paint colors and trying to decide whether I will keep the green on the cabinets (which doesn`t show up very well in these photos) or switch to a warm, off-white. Peter, from the kitchen company who originally installed the cabinets, thinks the present green looks very good in the room and has suggested that there are, perhaps, enough white kitchens out there!
The chairs are brown leather and chrome from Backyards and Verandahs. It is so nice to be able to sit in the kitchen now and have lunch, or read the morning paper with coffee, or, as Rachael and I did on Sunday, have a game of Ginny-O at the end of the island! (We lent our original game to a friend, who never returned it. Adam and Isa, in France, found one on Ebay and kindly purchased it and had it sent to us.)


The countertoops are Antique Brown granite from Nova Tile and Marble. They have yet to return to fill and polish the only two seams in the kitchen - on either side of the sink. The granite is beautiful. There is more care involved than with other countertop materials but granite has a `wow`factor that we could not resist.


Undermount sink is a Kindred. We had not intended to install new taps but our three year old Delta set pooped out on us when the plumber tried to re-install them! We have replaced them with Moen taps - the Adeline. They are actually much nicer than the Delta and have the added convenience of a soap dispenser and a hose that moves with far more ease.

July 14, 2008

Clematis Wisley


Clematis Wisley
July is clematis month in the garden.
This clematis shares the deck lattice work with a Canadian Explorer rose, John Cabot.
I was hoping Amy, Hadley, Luke and Chad (in no particular order, mind) would be sitting beside it, having tea or cold beer - having shared the driving and gas expenditure to the Maritimes.

July 13, 2008

Clematis


Three clematis climb an obelisk over the wellhead - Niobe, Duchess of Edinburgh, and Hagley. Niobe is in full bloom this week and Hagley has one pink blossom with the promise of many more to come. The Duchess of Edinburgh has, alas, never bloomed - perhaps because I cut it back each winter in order to weave a balsam wreath around the obelisk. The Duchess belongs to pruning group B in the world of clematis and likes to bloom on old wood.

July 08, 2008

Distressed But Chic


Our first concrete birdbath was scheduled for the garbage but, as each week passed, it never quite made it down to the street for pickup. The basin has a pie shaped section missing and the pedestal is crumbling at the base. But in the spirit of environmental goodness, I decided to set it among the shrubs and birdfeeders (and not to far from the working bird bath) and place a basket of flowers on it. And Voila!, as Lucy Darling would say, a star garden feature is born.

July 07, 2008

Summer Socks



Pattern: Embossed Leaves Socks
Designer: Mona Schmidt
Yarn: Chameleon Colorworks Bambino
Colorway: Ruby
I modified the pattern slightly by knitting a Partridge Eye heel flap.