Happy Heathen Rites of Spring!

Today is the first day of Spring! 

It started a little before 8 am here. Today is the Spring Equinox (also called the Vernal Equinox), from an astronomical standpoint. That means that the sun is directly above the equator today, and the day and night are equal. Find out more in the link to Wikipedia.

I'm looking forward to more sun, warmer temperatures, and lots of sneezing, coughing and exhaustion from tree pollen.

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There was just so much to talk about yesterday that I either omitted things or found them later. So, here goes a try at getting the rest up here. This is mostly short items, but a lot of them.

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This is the United Nations International Year of Natural Fiber! I didn't know anyone else was celebrating what I have ever since 1988, when I learned to spin! Unfortunately, they plan to stop celebrating it at the end of the year, not go right on like I will. With any luck, this will make the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival the best ever this year!

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I got a comment on yesterday's post!

Thanks Jo for all of your excellent posts...and not just the ones about what I'm up to with you. You are an outstanding writer and artist and my life would be so much poorer of an experience if not for meeting you that August day in College Park in 1976!

John, I really would have missed out if I hadn't met you, too. Never in my life have I known anyone who is so supportive of the creative people around him, and I'm honored to be one of them. Everyone around you does better work and gets opportunities that they never would have had if not for you.

And you're really the best friend ever, right up there with my Mom and Holly as the best friends of my entire life. 

I wouldn't have had the chance to do the covers for the Steve Canyon DVDs if not for you. And I wouldn't have a computer if not for you. Yes, thanks Laura, I haven't forgotten that you gave me the computer, but you wouldn't have known I needed or wanted one if not for John.

I never would have had a chance to work on movies if not for you, and I never would have had my own IMdB page, either.

And I haven't even mentioned what a fabulous artist you are. And that's only a small part of your creativity. How many people have dreamed of making movies and creating special effects? How many people have dreamt of bringing back a wonderful series like Steve Canyon? How many have done it? 

You did it!

You are the best!

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Just because you aren't John, doesn't mean you can't comment on my blog, you know. I love comments, and might even answer yours!

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I found a great tutorial on how to do applied I-cord! I'm going to add it to my sidebar so you (and I) can find it again! 

There was time that this tutorial would have driven me crazy and I'd have had a hard time doing it, but since I found Knit Picks needles, I've discovered that the sharp points they have make picking up stitches easy without a crochet hook. I just insert the left needle in the place I want to pick up the stitch, and then knit it! Easy as that! I love Knit Picks needles! So, if you have trouble picking up stitches the way she shows, you might try needles with sharper points or inserting the left needle and then knitting as a way of picking up a stitch.

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The new Knitty has an unbelievable lace shawl called shipwreck in it! I am absolutely in love with this pattern! There's another triangle called the Aeolian Shawl that I thought was very pretty until I saw Shipwreck. Among the other patterns that are so beautiful are Ripple, and many more neat patterns and especially Fit + Float, a beautiful lace scarf that gets lacier at the ends until the ruffle.

I'm really going to have to make the Shipwreck shawl! I'm already thinking about changing some of the center patterns, but I love the big net-look edging! And the iridescent beads are just perfect on it! I like the hearts, too, but I think it needs starfish on it somewhere. The leaves in the third pattern out from the center look like seaweed, and I can't bear to remove the hearts, so I guess the stars would have to be in the very center. I'd rather have them where the leaves are, though. But look at that border! It looks like a net, but it also looks like water washing up on the beach in that photo, and when worn. I love it!

Oh, I have to do this!

Get the pattern on Knitty!

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Science fiction is pretty thin on TV tonight unless you're into Battlestar Galactica. If you are, we're already in the middle of a BG extravaganza. Today, the SciFi Channel is actually the All-Battlestar-Galactica-all-the-time channel.

Who is the last Cylon? Who cares?

I liked the original BG, and I really wanted to like the new BG. 

I loved the original Starbuck. And I really wanted to love the new Starbuck. I like Katee Sackhoff, and if you take away Starbuck's viper, and give her a T-34, she's me. So, I really, really, really wanted to like her and the show, but it all went wrong for me somehow.

And I just couldn't, no matter how much I tried.

So, for those of you (like John) who love the show, don't let me be a wet blanket, this is your day, enjoy!

Other than that, we do have a new episode of Dollhouse, and it promises to be a good one.

Have a great Spring!

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PS--The Yarn Harlot is making Battlestar Galactica socks!

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Another PS--You should really watch this even if you're not a fiber artist and/or don't like sheep!

These people made art out of sheep, and it's SO funny! You'll love it!