Today is a bank holiday and Bob is off, so I took a day off too. We worked in our garden.
It may not look like much, but it’s ours. I don’t have a before shot, but it looked something like this:
This is the other side of the garden we haven’t gotten to yet. Basically we cleaned up trash, dug up weeds, and moved gravel. I also moved the mint, blackberry, and lemon balm from the front of the house.
Our garden architecture is a mishmash of breeze blocks, concrete, and ancient limestone pillars, like these two that have been made into steps. We don’t think they are tombstones, but they may have been gate posts. We have two more hanging out at the top of the garden looking for a new purpose. You can see them in the first pic if you look closely.
My Christmas cactus is blooming. I thought this made a good segue into knitting content.
My Shetland tweed throw is almost done. I need to finish the last repeat and then icord an edge all the way around. I would like to try to squeeze one more repeat in as I still have two full and two partial balls left. That may be cutting it close, though.
I’m enjoying the colors on my Barley Light hat.
Trans Rights Are Human Rights sock is coming along. One more blue stripe and I will start the heel flap.
Top down increasing on Franca. Round and round we go!
And here’s another pic of Barley Light. I couldn’t decide which one to use.
How are your WIPs coming along?
Snakes & Cranes 
Your projects all look so beautiful! I can’t comment more as you’ve inspired me to go pick up my knitting!
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Thank you! Hooray for knitting!
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Everything looks fantastic! Are you going to plant some bulbs in your garden for spring? We put in some tulips. I should have bought more because come spring I’ll wish I had:)
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My friend Marjorie gave me some tulip bulbs. I planted them in the front garden and something has been digging them up and eating them. 😞
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I’ll bet it’s squirrels. We have to sneak ours into the ground when the squirrels aren’t looking;)
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And thank you! I can’t wait to see your tulips!
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I’m not the sure how much of a gardener you are, but I feel the need to warn you about mint, lemon balm and blackberry…these are all potential thugs in the garden and perhaps that’s why you’ve moved them…but you say move…not remove…if they aren’t contained by a deep wall then they will spread everywhere and become a challenge to kill. There’s a joke that the opposite to someone being green fingered is that they killed mint. It can crack open pots in its desire to spread everywhere! Lemon balm is similar. Blackberry I think it depends on the variety.
Anyhoo, warning over…I love your projects, every one of them. The yarn choices are great. I started Strathcona Sweater yesterday afternoon and did some his evening and I kid you not I am ready to do the arms and ribbing at the bottom hem! 15mm (US19) needles could now be my favourite way to knit everything hahaha! I could probably knit a pair of socks in a couple of hours with them 😂
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Wow, that’s fast! I can’t wait to see your Strathcona. I’ve been gardening a long time and I’ve grown lots of mint and lemon balm. Although this is my first cultivated blackberry that my boys gave me for Mother’s Day a couple of years ago. I’ve got them off in their own section of the garden, although the deer had nearly polished off the mint and blackberry. I was relieved they are still alive. They avoid the lemon balm for some reason. I guess they don’t like the smell. Bob says it smells like lemon pledge, although the only reason I grow it is for his tea.
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Ok sounds like you are up on things then. My ex husband planted a herb garden and within 2 years the whole garden was over run with mint and lemon balm. I helped him cut it all back to put on the market but I’m sure whoever bought it will have had a nightmare getting rid of it. At least it smells and tastes fabulous.
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They make lovely tea!
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Although I really should say tisane.
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Oh I love the throw. You are close and I love the hat . Those colors are just great.
As for the yard/gardens we have had a big year. Then we had a tornado in disguise come through yesterday and we had a full 3 hours of raking, burning broken downed branches and cleaning gutters. We are thankful nothing big happened. It was wild, however
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Oh no! Glad you didn’t have too much damage.
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You have gotten so much accomplished! I am having a sluggish week, not very restful nights lately.
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Me neither. I can’t seem to recover from the time change. I hope you get a good night’s sleep soon!
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Interrupted sleep again last night, but I slept like a cook in between and feel much better today. Helps too, that it will be a lazy day!
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Rock, I meant!
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I hate to break it to you, but I do believe you have a Thanksgiving cactus on your hands. The segments are serrated not rounded. I know. I’m a geek. Mine is in full bloom too!!
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Thanks! I didn’t know there was a difference!
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I love your garden area! So much potential – I can’t wait to see what you do with it! We used to have luck keeping bulbs safe by planting them and putting a layer of chicken wire or similar over them at some point between the top of the bulbs and the surface. All your knitting projects are looking great! That is interesting looking construction on the Franca 🙂
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So many projects, so much progress! Great going on the garden as well – I’m looking forward to your updates on its transformation.
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Your Barley Light hat is looking gorgeous!
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Thanks!
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Your cactus is abundant. I had to Google Christmas cactus vs Thanksgiving cactus; now I need to look at mine from Trader Joe’s (last year).
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And I like your Shetland throw.
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