Numbers, Camping, and Sock Progress

I went camping over the long weekend (Sunday to Tuesday is a weird weekend, but it works for me) and came home to insane blog stats:


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Behold the power of the Harlot, who mentioned me on Monday. One thousand seven hundred seventeen page loads for my wee little blog. I about fell out of my chair onto my mosquito bites from the shock.

So, let me extend the hand of welcome to everyone who is new. Hello! I hope you have enjoyed browsing the pattern post and I hope you enjoy making fruit hats for babies, if that is your aim. My blog is normally a little more organized, but my mind is in ten different directions just now and I've let the housework go a little. Just move those wedding books aside if you'd like to sit down. In about a month or so everything will be cleaned right up, so bear with me in the interim, if you would. Thank you.

Camping is way fun when it's camping that takes you away from wedding planning. We went to Wyalusing State Park in Wisconsin with some friends, and the drive up was blissfully un-traffic-y and included such vistas as:


Windmills! These lovely things are set up along the very rural highway and turn wind into power, which is a beautiful sight. There are some along I-39 in Illinois as well (some folks think they're ugly and don't want them around. What's uglier--windmills or a poisoned planet unfit to support life? That's what I thought.)

The first night of camping was full of celebratory drinks and interpretive dance around the fire, as our good friends Jeremy & Beth got engaged the day before we got there. The second day began slowly, but turned into a 10-mile hike for some of us. That was amazing and difficult and bug-filled and fun.

The puppy on Margaret's lap is Cash, and he belongs to Jeremy. He hiked at least 18 miles, what with all the running ahead to scout out the terrain and running back to do a head count of his people every 20 minutes. He was great fun to have around, and extremely calm when we had to dig a tick out of his groin area. Good dog.

I also brought the sock camping, and it enjoyed itself. Even when the huge raging 10-minute storm came up (which took us by surprise. We thought it was 20-50 miles away it was in reality a mere 5 minutes from torrential downpour. In our defense, it was a very fast-moving storm.) the sock took everything in stride and remained calm. I have begun the heel flap.

Progress continues to be made, and confidence continues to expand. I may start on that lovely Koigu over the honeymoon. Or not.

A parting shot of a charming little fern encountered on the epic hike, for my Mom, who loves ferns.