The beat goes on

The Yarn Harlot sometimes offers up pictures of pretty wool or knitting to distract her readers from some harsh reality or funky foible, and I do so here now. Look! A pretty little forget-me-not for Eye Candy Friday so you'll forget that I'm supposed to be working on some bright orange socks for Summer of Socks that are back in the frog pond again.

When does dogged determination become brick-wall-hitting? I haven't had a sock success in a couple of months. When I said earlier that knitalongs are the kiss of death to my projects, I wasn't kidding! And yesterday the postman brought a package from Knitpicks containing two skeins of Gloss in Cocoa for the Emperor's next socks (plus two big hanks of cream-colored laceweight that I'm not talking about). It's confusing.

Sometimes I look at this blog and wonder what the heck it is I'm doing. With all of the war, famine, pestilence, and other stuff going on in the world, can it be true that all I can find to write about is yarn, knitting, flowers, bunnies, boats, and things that won't cure cancer or bring about justice to the earth? I have to say that I do read feminist and political blogs, and I have some pretty strong opinions about stuff that goes on. I have a very visible job in a publicly-viewed institution and I do big things that affect the future, but remember, I don't want to talk about my job. So at Orchard Ranch, it's peaceful and quiet, and it's a space where all I have to worry about is making stuff.

Back to my knitting... I'm proud to say that I've mastered Emily Ocker's Crochet Cast-On for circular shawl knitting, only because I've done it about ten times in the last few days. The good part is that I'm becoming comfortable with laceweight yarn which has always stymied me in the past. Sock yarn seems huge now when I try to knit with it. So what's my problem?? Dunno, but I'll try to get one on the needles again tonight after work. The Emperor and I are meeting a colleague and her husband after work, and I plan to have a margarita. Maybe that will help!

There's a chance I might be going to Italy later this year for business. I have no idea what to expect! However, I promise to get at least one example of eye candy for the blog, if I get to go.