Friday, November 21, 2014

Finished! It only took me 5 years.

A project like this only happens once in a lifetime.  I used leftover yarn from a 3 year stretch that I like to refer to as the "Sock Vortex"  The "sock vortex" is a time in every knitter's life when they knit their first pair of socks, inevitably become obsessed and start only knitting socks.   Do keep in mind though that this is only my cotton sock yarn.  So perhaps a second once in a lifetime project will embark shortly.

 The blanket is a series of modular hexagons knit together.  The shape of the hexagon inhibits the blanket to be perfectly square or rectangular.  But who said they have to be.  I quite like my extra wide coffin shaped concoction.
And I think the boys do too.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Mushrooming

Last year Josh and I dabbled in a bit a foraging.  Encouraged by our walks through the woods we decided to try our hand at mushrooming.  And to my astonishment the forest had so much to offer and not just in the way of fungi.  Every weekend I found myself obsessively drawn to the parks.  I bought both a Minnesota and Wisconsin state park pass and began exploring.  A wild rush would overcome me when I spotted a mushroom.  Could I eat it?  Are the gills forked, decurrent, attached?  What color is the spore print?   I learned so much and still have a lifetime of learning ahead of me.  Here are a few of my favorites.   Until next year...
 Chicken of the Woods
 Chantarelle-easily my favorite mushroom to forage.  The scent of apricot is overwhelmingly lovely.
 Coral Mushroom-one of my first successful edibles.  Peppery and fragrant.
Puffballs.
 Gem Studded Puffballs
 Giant Puffballs-this whopper weighed in a 5.5lbs
 Hedgehogs
 Shaggy Manes-the gills on this beauty are so tightly spaced that they appear to have none at all.
 Aborted Entoloma and Honey Mushrooms-where you find one you are likely to find others.
 Chaga

And my biggest prize; a gorgeous Maitake.