Why We Can Never Return to Mason Michigan and Birthday Socks

Happy Birthday Bob!!

Many many years ago a cute brown eyed baby boy was born in Mason, Michigan. His family moved to Battle Creek and Mason was forgotten until 32 years later when he married a woman who was living at Michigan State University in Lansing. Me.

We went to the Ingham County County Courthouse for our marriage license. The Ingham County County Courthouse is in - - - Mason, Michigan, population ~ 5,000. We got lost going and returning, but it was a pretty drive.

Anyone familiar with the song The Three Bells? It starts out with the first ringing of the bells when little Jimmy Brown is born "in a village hidden deep in the valley", followed by the second ringing of the bells when Jimmy Brown is married, followed by the third ringing of the bells when Jimmy Brown dies.

That is the song that popped onto our lips during our Bob's second visit to Mason, Michigan. We agreed there would never be a third visit.

Of course, there are birthday socks.


Bob likes his socks thick and heavy. He wears them like slippers walking around the house, so I knit them with Opal, the most indestructible sock yarn I've ever encountered.

This pair (above) is Opal 6 ply in one of the Rainforest colorways knit along with a strand of Slackford Studio Stalwart Sock in Dorothy's destiny, a bright Kelly green.



This is also a 6 ply Opal Rainforest colorway knit along with a strand of Slackford Studio Stalwart Sock in Steelyarn Blue.

The combined yarn created a heavy worsted weight. Both pair were knit with #5 needles on 48 stitches in a basic k3p1 rib.

October If, Young Phoebe, and Sedum

It's October 2. If I cheat a little and back date this post to October 1, I might be inspired to post every day in October. At least one picture.

No promise, no pressure. Only if it's a pleasure, and I'm thinking it might be.


The migrating birds have all abandoned SW Michigan for warmer climates now.

The young Phoebes were among the last to go. Until a few days ago they were still practicing their dart-out-and-catch-a-bug skills from the tops of the bluebird nest boxes.

Now the flying bugs can safely enjoy the time until the first hard frost, which could happen any time now.

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With hosta eating deer overpopulating our property, I've been experimenting with various kinds of sedum to fill in a few of the garden gaps.

The deer don't touch them, they multiply rapidly, they don't require much care, and they don't seem to mind if they don't get much sun. I admire their spirit as they try for an autumn bloom while the falling leaves are attempting to bury them.

New Balcony for the Birds

The balcony where I feed the birds off a large plank needed some paint. Maybe you noticed? Maybe you wondered, "Why doesn't that woman do something with that rusty railing?"

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The balcony had numerous other problems - like a rotten floor and rotten support posts.

Last week we had the entire thing torn down and replaced.

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The contractor who did it is also a bird lover. He had no problem with our request to make sure the phoebes could get in and out of their nesting spot under the floor and he topped the new railing with a seven inch wide shelf for feeding dozens of cardinals and other birds.

These two Goldfinches were the first to try out the new feeder after the sawing and pounding ended. The one on the left looks like a recent fledgling still developing his wings. The one on the right is molting into his olive winter coloring.

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It's always fun to see the frumpy adolescent cardinals. This guy is too young to remember the old board. I've almost forgotten it as well.

Super Surgilator Isn't Surging

4 years ago, September 23, 2006, I wrote this post praising my washing machine . . .



I've owned this Whirlpool washer since we moved here in 1991 and I'm sure I've washed thousands of loads of laundry in it.**

Last week for the very first time I noticed that there are raised letters (they don't show in this picture) on top of the agitator spelling out

SUPER SURGILATOR.

Imagine a conference room full of marketing types brainstorming names for their agitator and coming up with that. Hear the laughter?

As evidenced by the fact that Whirlpool washers are still being sold with Super Surgilators today, 15 years later (Yes really. I Googled it.), the name must be a marketing success story.

I give the Super Surgilator an A+. It gets the clothes clean in hard water, has an impressive repair record, and now that I've finally seen the writing on the agitator it's good for a chuckle every time I do a load of wash.

**Doubt the thousands? I thought it sounded a bit much, so I did the math.

15 years X 52 weeks = 780 weeks
780 weeks X 5 loads a week (average) = 3,900 loads of laundry

Fast Forward to September, 2010 . . .

Super Surgilator is broken. Instead of surging, all it does is wobble around a little. Not even enough to make suds.

The repair man is coming tomorrow. I've been pricing new washers and am hoping a service call will take care of the problem. I miss my Surgilator. And I'm running out of clean underwear.

Scarf and Sky Socks

There has been some knitting. Simple, mindless knitting with soothing soft yarn reminding me how knitting can be a pleasure.

First I finished the scarf with the gift yarn from Brother Dave's Karen.


Pattern: One-Row Scarf by the Yarn Harlot.

Yarn: Cherry Hill Alpaca Handspun. DK weight.

Color: Mystic.

Needles: US #8.


The Yarn Harlot designed this scarf for handspun. It's easy. The texture accentuates the softness of the yarn and there's no curling at the edges.

I declare it to be perfect scarf pattern and I'll be using it again and again.

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Pattern: Basic cuff down sock on 60 stitches. k5p1 ribbing.

Yarn: Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio. 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon 4 Ply Fingering Weight Sock Yarn.

Color: Skydive.

Needles: Options 2.50mm circulars.

Gauge: 8 stitches/inch, 10 rows/inch in stockinette.

Meetup with Dorothy and Bill

Dorothy, who blogs at Missouri Star, and I have been online friends for over five years. She and her husband Bill live on Whitby Island in Washington.

All this time we've tossed around the idea of getting together someday, but it never worked out - until today. Dorothy and Bill are doing a cross country motor trip and today we met in Kalamazoo for lunch.



Dorothy is even nicer in person than she is on her blog. Lunch was over way too quick. I hope we can meet again when there's more time to chat.



Doesn't Bill look like he's having fun with his new toy/iPad?

It's the first one I've seen in person and I have to admit I was impressed. It's a very useful, fun toy.

Simple Woman's Daybook for September 7

These writing prompts are available from Simple Woman's Daybook where each Tuesday we're invited to join in celebrating the beauty of everyday moments around us.

FOR TODAY September 7, 2010 ...

Outside my window...



The hummingbirds are busy at the feeder. In another week they'll be starting their long trip back South.

I am thankful for...



A package from Brother Dave's SO Karen. It contained kind, encouraging words, a beautiful silk Lantern Moon knitting needle storage roll, and a skein of wonderful soft soothing alpaca. Most of all, it contained love.

From the kitchen...
It's time for some grocery shopping, but we have plenty of the most important thing - dog food.

I am wearing...
Jeans and a Monette Trumpet tee.

I am creating...



It didn't take long for my new alpaca to tell me it wanted to be a soft, caressing scarf.

I am going...
To get more alpaca to knit. I love the way it feels in my hands.

I am reading...
Just finished listening to the new Stone Barrington book, Lucid Intervals by Stuart Woods. Funny and entertaining. My only complaint about these books - they're over too soon.

I am hoping...
For a minimum amount of snow this coming winter.

I am hearing...
Dire predictions about the coming winter.

Around the house...



According to an Old Wives's Tale, if you see acorns falling by Labor Day (that's yesterday in the US - the day this picture was taken) it's an early sign of a long and cold winter ahead.

We have acorns everywhere and they're still falling. This does not bode well for my hopes of a minimum amount of snow this coming winter.

One of my favorite things...




A few plans for the rest of the week:
Aqua Arthritis class, lunch with a friend, getting my exhaust system replaced, getting my washing machine repaired, grocery shopping, lab work for DH Bob, mowing, weeding, housework, buying more alpaca.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...


Waiting for a ride?

Chat Back for September 4

Answering questions from comments and email.

Judy S. asked . . .

I wonder where the third bird went? Do the parents tend to such things?

And Lynn asked . . .

So what happens to the birds that don't make it? Do the parents get them out of the nest?

And Jean asked . . .

Did the parent birds remove the little ones who did not survive?

Yes, the parents take the dead chicks far away from the nest and leave them.

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Judy S. asked . . .

How long before they fledge?

The chicks are in the nest 17-18 days before fledging.

When they fledge they're strong enough to move themselves with their wings, but not able to flutter more than a few feet at a time. The parents help them out of the nest and herd them into woods. There they finish maturing and learn to find their own food.

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Snowbird commented on this post . . .

I love butterflies and I hope you can post some pictures of the Monarchs.

This is the only clear Monarch picture I've been able to get so far. Butterflies are even worse than birds about staying in one place long enough for me to get a good focus.

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Judy S. commented on this post . . .

Your pool sounds wonderful; ours is often freezing for water aerobics, and it's hard to go.

My Aqua Arthritis pool is in a large sports medicine and orthopedic surgery rehab building. It's so warm I doubt it would be good for aerobics, lap swimming, or any activity that raises the body temperature.

I used to swim laps at Western Michigan University's pool and it was much colder. Getting in was a shock, but the cooler water was just right once the lap swimming was underway.

Monday Miscellany for August 30

While not blogging I've been doing some thinking about this blog. Sparing you all my introspection and angst, I'll jump right to my conclusion:

Even though I'm not knitting right now, I want to keep the blog active. I plan to update at least once a week with pictures and events I want to preserve.

So, jumping right in with a list of totally unrelated catch-up items . . .



When we bought this house nineteen years ago, there were butterflies everywhere. Swallowtails, monarchs, and many others. There were so many it was almost impossible to drive down the road without hitting one.

The past decade the butterflies have been very scarce and I miss them.

For several years now I've been watching a large patch of milkweed at the edge of the pond. Milkweed is the only plant monarchs will use to reproduce.

This year a few monarchs found the patch, laid their eggs, and the caterpillars are happily gobbling down the milkweed leaves. I'm so pleased.

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It's goldenrod season. The plants are about five feet tall and have overgrown everything else in the back three acres.

Beautiful, but it always makes me a little sad because it means summer is almost over.

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In the hot weather Glory likes to go in the creek multiple times a day. In previous years she has ended up with a smelly skin infection from sitting around wet all day.

This year the groomer suggested we "cut her down", and we did. ("We" means the groomer did the cutting and DH and I paid the bill.)

Glory is cooler and smells better. We wish we'd started this years ago.

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Granddaughter Sydney also got a hair cut recently. She has an awesome head of natural curls.

Anybody remember Sydney as a baby? She's five years old now, has lost three baby teeth, and is four feet tall.

Sydney, along with her Mom and Dad, is coming to visit in October. I haven't seen her in over a year and am very excited about this.

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I've been going to Aqua Arthritis twice a week. An hour of stretching and gentle movement in a ninety degree pool. Although I don't have severe arthritis, I do have flexibility challenges. And the hour in the heated pool is better than a tranquilizer for worry and frayed nerves.

Heaven for Dogs?

A few weeks ago our local paper ran an feature article asking if our pets go to heaven. For those of us who love our dogs, this is an important question and I clipped out a few of my favorite answers to share.

Billy Graham said . . .

God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he'll be there.

Do animals have spirits that live on after death like humans do? I think so, yes. Jesus came to redeem the entire world - and that, in my mind, means everybody and everything. So why not the four-legged creations sent as our companions?

Martin Luther said . . .

Be thou comforted little dog. Thou too in resurrection shall have a little golden tail.

John Wesley, the 18th century Anglican cleric who was co-founder of Methodism, believed . . .

in the general resurrection and that animals would be resurrected and would be sentient beings and that they would be able to reason and relate.

I'm glad I'm Wesleyan, not Lutheran. There's going to be lots of tail wagging to great me in heaven and I prefer fur tails to golden tails.

Baby Bluebirds Day 12

They are old enough to act like wild birds now. They can't fly yet, but when faced with a human invader, they hurry to the corner of the nest box and try to hide.

When I worked a corporate bluebird trail, this is the age the Kalamazoo Nature Center would band the chicks.

The two survivors of the excessive heat and mosquitoes are both female. Read what you want to into that.

I wish these little ones a happy bluebird life with many bright sunny days of freedom outside the box.

Baby Bluebirds Days 6, 8, and 10

This has been a week of extreme heat and humidity. There's been occasional light rain which steams up off the ground to create more humidity while not lowering the temperature at all.

It's way too hot and not the right time of year for nesting bluebirds. But they did it anyway.

6 Days Old . . .



Three of the four chicks are still alive.

The chick with the open beak is not as developed as the other two. I'm guessing it's not going to be strong enough to make it through the heat. Maybe none of them are.

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8 Days Old . . .



The hatchlings are old enough to be freaked out when a human opens their nest box.

Two are growing pin feathers and looking strong. The weak one (front right) is looking doubtful for survival.

A few days ago when I opened the box the adult male was on the nest with his wings spread over the chicks. To keep them cool? To keep the mosquitoes off? The mosquitoes are so thick this summer I can hardly stand to be outside and the naked little birds are an easy blood feast.

I always knock on the box before opening it to give the adults a chance to fly out if they’re inside. Dad bluebird wasn’t moving off that nest. I shut the box and left as quick as I could get the flap down.

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10 Days Old . . .



And then there were two.

These two have been through the worse in weather and mosquitoes. Their feathers are quickly growing in and they will likely live to fledge.




Here's a close up of the emerging wing feathers.

In just three more days these little ones will have enough wing to practice being airborn by jumping up and down in the nest box. After day 12, I won't open the box again to keep them from jumping out prematurely. Their first flight into reality should only be initiated and monitored by their parents.

I'm guessing they'll be very happy to get out of that hot box.

Chat Back for August 8

Answering questions from comments and email.

Marie asked . . .

Will you knit each pair of sleeves simultaneously?

Occasionally I do, but usually I don't. I only do it when I'm sure there isn't going to be a sleeve fitting challenge. I frequently frog sleeves to get a better fit.

Even for simple sleeves I need to recalculate the decreases - or increases if I'm knitting bottom up - because I have shorter than normal pattern length arms.

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Judy S. wrote . . .

Great robin photo; I hope she hangs in there.....

The robin nest in the front yard was abandoned. I think the eggs got cooked in the heat.

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Judy S. asked . . .

Have you read the Mrs. Pollifax mysteries....they're fun!

And Jean asked . . .

Have you ever read the Mrs. Pollifax mysteries? They are a light read and well written, reminds me of Miss Marple.

Not yet, but I'm looking forward to doing so. Thanks for the suggestion.

The first in the series, The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax, isn't available at my usual library, but I've located it at the Paw Paw Library and will picking it up next time I'm in Paw Paw.

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Alwen wrote . . .

It's hard to take pictures when you're smacking mosquitoes!

A week or so ago the number of mosquitoes went back to normal for a few days. Last week we had another hatch and it's almost impossible to be outdoors again.

Some days I find myself wondering what it would be like to live in the city with closed windows and air conditioning and a hired dog walker. I probably wouldn't like it, but it might make for a nice vacation.

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Alwen wrote . . .

I would call your blackberries black raspberries (hollow in the center when you pick them). I have those and what I call blackberries (the center stays in when you pick them).

Yes, the stalk I called a blackberry here is a raspberry. A wimpy stalk with wimpy thorns compared to the real blackberries that make up most of the wicked stalks in our field.

Alwen, who lives nearby in SW Michigan, posted blackberry tutorial in this Thorny Post.

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Then Judy S. wrote . . .

I put some WA blackberries on my blog for you....

Check out Judy's post here.



My thickest canes are only a half inch in diameter. Washington blackberries with the one inch canes put my blackberries to shame.

My blackberry thorns draw blood and grab my clothing, but eventually I can get free and win the fight. I don't think I could win a fight with Judy's thorns.

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Dorothy wrote . . .

I also agree that it's probably way too hot to be thinking of knitting cardigans. Perhaps a nice sock would be in order.

Oh, I agree.

This is a skein of Stalwart Sock from Slackford Studio that I won in a contest. It came without a label, but I think the color is Skydive. I picked out an interesting basketweave pattern for it, not realizing it was going to make such pretty stripes. By the time the ribbings were knit, I knew Skydive just wanted to be a plain sock.

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Shirley asked . . .

I love the hummingbird photo. Is it a Ruby-throated hummer?

Yes it is. Ruby Throated Hummingbirds are the only ones that range in SW Michigan.

It's amusing to see them perched on the power lines like the big birds. They look like a little bump sitting up there.

Late Summer Bluebird Hatch

I was doubtful these eggs would survive sitting in a nestbox in the sun with most days hitting ninety degrees or more. But they did. Wednesday evening the chicks were rolling out of the eggs.

The first one out, on the left, is looking for his/her first meal.

The second one out, in the back, is uncurling.

The third one out, on the right, is still folded in the shape of his/her egg.

And there's one more blue egg to hatch.

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By late Thursday morning, all four chicks are out and being fed. Mom Bluebird doesn't need to worry they're going to get chilled.

That's a third little beak behind the two obvious beaks. The fourth is face down on the right.

The first few days of post egg life, the hatchlings will open their beaks when I open the box. They know someone is there and they hope it's with food.

Hard to believe in less than three weeks they'll have feathers and leave the nest. I never tire of the miracle.

Simple Woman's Daybook for August 3

These writing prompts are available from Simple Woman's Daybook where each Tuesday we're invited to join in celebrating the beauty of everyday moments around us.

FOR TODAY August 3, 2010 ...

Outside my window...



The evening temperature is 87 degrees and the humidity is dripping.

I am thankful for...
Ice cream.

From the kitchen...
It's too hot to be in the kitchen.

I am wearing...
Denim shorts and a blue stripped tee.

I am creating...
Last week I finished a sleeve for the navy blue cardigan I'm knitting and don't like the way it fits into the sweater body. Since I knit to both stitch and row gauge and followed the pattern without variation, I found this annoying and have stopped knitting completely in protest.

I'm sure this will all get resolved when the weather cools off a little.

I am going...
To "Aqua Arthritis" in an 89 degree pool tomorrow. A class "suitable for easing and unloading those aching joints while enhancing your individual fitness level."

It sounds wonderful. Will it live up to expectations?

I am reading...
Just finished "Murder Makes Waves", a Southern Sisters Mystery by Anne George.

These mysteries are well written with likeable characters and plenty of un-forced humor so they're actually funny. The mysteries are well plotted, but the books are so much fun to read I'd read them even if there wasn't a mystery.

Highly recommended. And thanks to Sherilan for suggesting I read them.

I am hoping...
For a break in the non-stop political ads and phone calls after the primary today. No doubt there will be another obnoxious glut for the November election.

I am hearing...
Quiet except for the oxygen concentrator.

Around the house...
Glory and Pappy got groomed today and they are napping.

Sunny couldn't go to the groomer because she has non-infectious tracheobronchitis caused by allergies. Late last week she couldn't stop coughing and gagging. She's on good drugs and getting better. There was hardly any coughing today.

Bob is reading a Reginald Hill mystery and I'm writing this post.

One of my favorite things...




Woodpeckers. We have many. This is a little Downy.

SW Michiganders who build beautiful cedar homes in the country are constantly at war with woodpeckers, and the woodpeckers win. Always.

We live in brick house.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Wednesday: Aqua Arthritis, grocery shopping, library.
Thursday: Airlink coming for oxygen concentrator maintenance. Bob needs blood draw.
Friday: Aqua Arthritis.

I'm hoping for some rain so I can mow without creating a dust cloud. If it hasn't rained by the weekend, dust cloud it will be.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Wednesday Wings - Late Summer Bluebird Nest

The first bluebird nests of the season in spring normally have five eggs. With late season nests like this one my bluebirds have always stopped at four.

So four it is. As of tomorrow they're one week into the incubation period. Hatching will be on or about Thursday, August 5.

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Mama Bluebird takes the occasional break on the power lines.

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Daddy Bluebird proudly sits on the nest box happy that he doesn't have to sit on those eggs for two weeks.

Monday Miscellany for July 26

This may look like a pretty cloud, but it's actually the humidity boiling up in SW Michigan.

It's been very very hot and humid for the past few weeks. Today high was in the mid 80s and it felt like a cool spell. 90s returning mid week.

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When I hear the word "frontier", I think about Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier, an old Disney series from my childhood when Walt Disney was still alive and TV was black and white.

So imagine my concern when we received a letter last week informing us that as of July 1 (a little late with notification, don't ya think?) Frontier, "more than just a communications provider, we're a conversation company", was my new land line telephone service provider. It was the first time I'd ever heard of Frontier.

After a little investigation it appears Verizon has sold our middle of nowhere, antique and inadequate phone lines to Frontier who "wants to bring high speed internet to rural America." Well, that's us. Bring it on.

Seriously, has anyone ever heard of Frontier? Could this possibly be worse than what Verizon was doing for us?

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One of the advantages of aging is not having to go the polls and stand in line to vote. Anyone 60 and over can get an absentee ballot and vote at home in leisure. I love my absentee ballots and have the August 3 primary version sitting here by my side.

In Michigan we have a governorship up for grabs with so many candidates it's difficult to keep them straight for those of us who aren't serious political followers.

As soon as I get this posted, I'm going to look up a few candidates online and get the ballot marked.

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Judy S. left a comment on blackberries:

Your blackberries must be gentler than ours are! Ours have the most wicked thorns and are not to be messed with. We often joke that they form the infra-structure of our state.......

If Judy's blackberries are nastier than ours, she's in serious trouble!

Ours have the ability to sense human warmth, grab the human to draw blood on bare skin and snag clothing where the human tried to protect itself. Unless the clothing is leather, a blackberry thorn can do both at the same time - pierce and snag the clothing and draw blood under the clothing.

This time of year, the blackberry stalks are arching over the mowed paths where the dogs and I walk. Before I mow the paths again, I need to go out dressed in armor and prune them back or they will attack me and the tractor.

And, even wearing armor I know they're going to get me.

Summertime Blues

I keep looking for reader comments and haven't been getting any. Is that because I haven't posted in eight days?

It's the middle of an exceptionally hot summer here in SW Michigan. Day after day of temps in the 90s with high humidity, occasionally just enough rain to make steam, and a bumper crop of mosquitoes.

I haven't been knitting. The dogs and I take short walks without the camera. They're sweat and swat walks.



The hostas are chewed. These former beauties are/were three feet from the house.

The deer know they can outrun anything that lives here, so they're not shy about walking up to the porch for the good stuff.

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On a happier blue note, a bluebird couple decided it's not too hot for some bluebird love.

They needed a nest in a hurry so they built a dainty grass bluebird nest over the top of a partial wren stick nest.

The second half of July is extremely late in the summer for a bluebird nesting. I'm hoping the eggs don't cook before they hatch.

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I walked out without the dogs this morning so I could sweat and swat and snap a picture.

Daddy bluebird obliged by posing on nearby mullein while mom bluebird lay the second egg.