Staying Connected

Vacation time! Here we are at our camp in Maine again. We make a summer trip here each year. This year we, together with Marc's sister - who also owns the camp - decided to forego some of life's little luxuries. Specifically TV (which we didn't really care about), a land line phone, and internet connection. And add to that - we use AT&T for our cell phones, and there's no AT&T service here. (Can you hear me now?) So we're completely NOT connected. Which is nice, in a way. So to connect, I must come to the library, which is only open 2 days a week for 5 hours a day. Luckily, they recently installed wireless, which is free and accessible from the parking lot. Last year I would laugh each time I drove by the library - it would be closed and there would be 2-5 cars parked out front. The people in the cars had their computers out, checking email, working, etc. And this year, I'm right in there fighting for a spot!
We went kayaking today on the Sandy River - and got up early to beat the rain, which has now returned after a two day break. It was the girls' first trip, and we went with Marc's aunt, who is a seasoned kayaker up here! We had the most amazing time. Thanks Maddy!And now it looks like more rain off and on for the rest of the week. So tomorrow we may trek in to Freeport - haven't been there for years.

I only brought two projects with me on this vacation. I started Cormorant before I left, and completed the first sleeve. I always start with the back, then the fronts, and then finish up with the sleeves. But several knitters I know do the sleeves first, and you know? I think I like it that way! I cruised on the first one and am well into the second one. The pattern calls for Berroco Ultra Alpaca and Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine. I wanted to make something that was machine washable, so I substituted Vintage Wool for the Ultra Alpaca. A lot of the colors are the same in these two yarns, so it was an easy substitution.

I also started a scarf out of Noro Silk Garden. This scarf is so simple, yet with the two colors of Silk Garden, it just keeps changing. It's really mindless and easy to knit. If you haven't seen this scarf and want to try it, you can see it (and the free pattern) on Brooklyn Tweed's blog.

I am using the Kollage square circular needles and I love them! I'm using a size 7, and when I'm finished the scarf, I'm going to swatch the Vintage Wool on them. I am using size 7 Addis on my sweater, so it will be an interesting experiment to see how different my gauge is on Addi 7's and Kollage 7's. Hmm. Stay tuned.