It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain

This Winter Girl has been loving the spring this year.  I am not sure why.  Some of those brain circuits that science can't figure out are probably connected to an appreciation of the renewal of warmth, food sources, and resumption of commerce between tribes.

Tribes?  Yes!  New Hampshire Sheep and Wool stares us in the face this weekend.  My tribes will be there in all their fiber frenzies.  I, of course, will be calm, quiet, cool. 

That coolness will come when Gayle shows me a tubular cast on like Eunny's (on Youtube) that somehow doesn't end up with an odd number of stitches.  I'm not linking to the video because it lies.  Eunny blithely knits through the instruction, and ends up with nineteen stitches on her needle, and not the twenty she seemed to be promising.

Techknitter explains why this happens (December 7, 2008 post).  I understand.  But I need 56 stitches for my K1 P1 in-the-round Grant Park Pullover sweater cuff.  I'll try Fluffbuff's method.  I may be the only knitter on the planet who can spend an entire WEEK casting on for the sleeve of a sweater, without success.  I am simply grateful that Cascade 220 is so forgiving of endless knitting and ripping.  Wool!  Nothing beats it.

But spring is as spring does.  I was seduced by Berroco Linen Jeans and this pattern.  I have use for a summery, flippy, casual evening cardigan like this.  I swatched with one skein, hit gauge spot-on, had no hand aching from the yarn, and ordered enough skeins for the pattern.  It is a fun knit so far. (One sleeve is done.)

Walking through the Boston Public Garden yesterday left me shivering.  The rain was without mercy.  Cold.  Wet.  Soaked.  An umbrella and a rainjacket were no defense against the relentless open faucet of springtime.  

I found satisfactory compensation. 

These two old Kwanzan cherries have been growing together for decades.  They look like two octogenarians leaning on each other for comfort and support.   One cannot tell where the two end or begin.  Each year, they require a wire to support heavy, sagging branches, as humans require canes with age.  Winter storms damage other branches, and spring amputations save the life of the tree.  No one can tell whether the Druids or their spirits still stay with the trees.  But I see the souls of these ancient stalwarts every spring when they bloom. 

The swans (Romeo and Juliet) were back in the pond at the Public Garden yesterday.  White echoed white.

Tradition dictates a Victorian style planting of this public space.  Beds of tulip monochromes are followed by annual monocultures that reflect the seasons.  I admire the spectacle.

I can't wait to see the Fiber Faithful on Saturday!  Next post will have a modest show and tell of fiber, finished spinning, a Smooshy sock, and whatever other dragons I manage to slay over the weekend.

Comments

[Carrie]

*swoon* Those flowers are stunning...

[Paula]

Beautiful flowers. Can't wait to see you on Saturday!

[Carole]

See you Saturday! Marcy and I have discussed it and we're doing the usual meet up in the picnic area at lunch time. :-)

[Lynn]

Flowers. Fiber. Friends. Spring really is a lovely, lovely time of year. See you Saturday!

[Caroline M]

That is a lovely flippy cardigan, ideal for those summer evenings. You won't be seeing me at the weekend because I am off on my holidays, lazing in the pool, doing no housework, all the usual sort of thing. Have fun, slay dragons if you feel the need.

[bev]

Love the pattern. It will look great on you! So lucky that you have another fiber orgy to attend. I need to get a car so I can do fiber fest crawls. Flowers are a wonder of spring that seems to get ones senses into over-drive.

[margene]

Give everyone a hug from me! I might be the only knitter left who refuses to do the tubular cast on. Are the tulips really that white?

[claudia]

I'll look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

[Kim]

It has been such a beautiful spring, hasn't it?

I look forward to seeing you this weekend!

[Melissa G]

This spring the late storm killed the crabapple blossoms (but now I have no apples in the fall), however, we do have some lilacs to enjoy. Have a great weekend!

[Marcia]

Ho, ho.....my very first New Hampshire Sheep and Wool! After having Barb's spin-in and the CTSW snatched away from me, I DESERVE this day (Sat only) with sheeps and peeps! And, tulip beds should be monochromatic! In fact, I think it's a law.

[Teyani]

how fun that you already have one sleeve knit up!
love the cherry trees - and the analogy.
We've had severe spring rains here too - hoping for a bit of sun this weekend so that I might tackle planting some of the posies I've been accumulating.

[elizabeth]

I love that sweater! I'm so jealous of your fiber fun!

[Chris]

Oh, I like that sweater for you! And the druid talk. And the BPG! I've only been there once, post blooms. I need to go back.

See you Saturday!!

[gayle]

I know several tubular cast-ons. My favorite is the one where you always end up with the number of stitches you want! 8)
That's a nifty sweater! Is the yarn soft and drapey, or stiff? Somehow I always expect linen to be something that will stand up by itself...
See you Saturday!

[Anne]

Have a wonderful time this weekend!

I miss the spring flowering trees and shrubs most of all out here in the west. Thanks for the pics!

[Carol Cousins-Tyler]

Hope you have a wonderful time at the festival! Wish I could go, but being out of work doesn't leave a lot of extra money for fun things like yarn festivals. Enjoy your friends and find some wonderful yarn/roving. Carol

[Maia]

Have a great time! Say hi to Gayle for me.

[vanessa]

thanks for the eye candy :-)

[Mona]

What beautiful flowers! I haven't visited the garden yet this spring. I did spend some time recently playing with different methods to create a tubular cast on for a 1x1 rib. I blogged about my favorite method here: http://dyedreams.blogspot.com/2009/03/tubular-cast-on-in-round-for-socks.html
Check it out if you need another view of the process.