Just a little cool --

OK, this is NOT a recent picture. No, the truth is, as I write I understand it's about -19f. Nineteen degrees below zero. Some years ago a wicked, evil malingerer invented something called "Wind Chill". What that means is, if you're standing outside, naked, and it's really cold out - and there's a breeze, then no matter the temperature, it feels as though it were colder.

(Of course, if you're standing outside naked, no matter where you are, I suspect the wind is not going to be your worst problem.) But it just sounds so dramatic to use that figure, and of course you WHISPER "wind chill", so when someone says "How cold is it there?" you can reply "Well, actually, it's forty-five degrees below zero wind chill." Much more dramatic, you must agree.

But I thought a nice warm view of apple blossoms might cheer up those of you reading from other parts of the country. For OUR part, when it's this cold we Wisconsinites begin to acknowledge the temperature. We might say: "Gee, it's getting cooler!" or "Hmmm, if the mercury drops a few more degrees we may have to get out our winter coats!" Or...."Oh good, seems like all my handknit stuff will get some wear after all!"

Speaking of which - no pictures yet, but I've finished the stripey pink-and-black cap for Dawn, so I'll get a picture of it with the mittens, a nice little set.

And NEWS FLASH! I think my knittin' mojo is back; for some reason I remembered this and decided I really wanted to try one. It looked a) practical in this weather; b) interesting to knit; c) NOTHING like a Dr Who scarf....so I got out some very pretty variegated yarn found in the bottom of a knitting basket in the den and cast on.

And knit one. Like, in an afternoon, start to finish. It buttons at the back of the neck and I literally sewed on a button and wore it just THAT quick. Talk about a satisfying project! In fact, I loved making it so much that I whipped up another one today, in Dawn's hot-pink acrylic, and I'll give it to her with the striped cap and matching mittens as a sort of extra. I believe I'll whomp me up a couple more, too - I'm remembering all kinds of delicious little morsels of yarn lurking in various stash bins. I'm NOT a fast knitter, so this was quite the treat. I'll do a very knitterly post with all kinds of pictures of FO and WIP and so on.

And now - a reference to a blog I read regularly, just because I think it's such fun. (Now - the truth is, see the blogs I have on my sidebar list? I read those every day, and truth to tell, I read them - and a few others - daily after looking at Cute Overload and I Can Has Cheezburger; I'm not putting a link to those but you can find them on autopilot I'm sure. (As a real English Snob the latter gave me a start - but believe it or not I've come to actually ENJOY "lolcat-speak"....what would my journalist Dad have to say?)

Anyway, the blog I'm mentioning here is The Pioneer Woman 's blog. This isn't an advert or anything, but I just really enjoy Ree's posts, and she isn't even a knitter! What she is is very funny, a sophisticated "urbanite" who gave up an elegant high-fashion life in (I think) Los Angeles and became a ranch wife on a (I think) Kansas cattle ranch with real cowboys. No worries that she'll read this - so let's just go ahead and say "Kansas".

Hers is a very professional-type blog, in sections: "Confessions" (the plain ol' blog part, always illustrated with brilliant photos); "Cooking", in which she puts incredible recipes with LITERAL minute-by-minute photos of each step (BRILLIANT) and then a section on "Photography" at which she excels and shares info for people who know that an f-stop isn't one of the holes on a soprano recorder - and "Homeschooling", which she does with her own "punks" and lists all manner of rescources, ideas, &c.

Even if all you do is look at the pictures you'll be uplifted. I've tried a couple of her recipes (to rave reviews) and admired her four beautiful children ("the punks"). She has a lot of photo resources, like wild mustangs in her front yard, very attractive folks around her and a real knack with the old camera.

Yep, I'm suggesting you wander over for a (very pleasurable) wander around, even though apparently she is NOT a knitter. (No surprise, I have no idea how she accomplishes everything she DOES in a day!) If nothing else, check out the recent pictures of her basset hound, Charlie. Side-splitting. The whole thing is just good, old-fashioned ENTERTAINMENT.

And now, being as it's 2:00 am, I'm going to weave in the ends of the pink "Calorimetry" and sew a button on so it'll be ready for a photo shoot tomorrow.....and then I'm creeping in under the sheet, two blankets, feather tick and two cats. You've heard of "Three Dog Nights"? Well, "Two Cat Nights" are even colder. But when I'm all snorgled down in deep under all the layers it's all I can do to not downright SQUEAL in delight.
And so, for night and until the morrow -- Good Night!