Feeling hot hot hot

Ugh, how hot is it ? Too hot for me. I had great plans to sort the garden this afternoon, its a complete mess, I am not blessed with green fingers. However we've at least managed a sunflower this year. In my cumulative 29 years of parenthood (12+10+7) never before have we managed to keep a sunflower alive long enough to see it flower. Its rather bedraggled looking, but it is DEFinitely a SuNfLoWeR! Oh happy day! Not a parental failure after all!!

I've had these petunias (I think, I get a bit muddled with my bedding plants) for ages now, I really need to actually plant them. And yes that is a strawberry plant next to them. Also unplanted. It has produced a strawberry, but the snails got to it first. Pah. I bought a couple of strawberry plants, courgette plants and a mini red pepper plant a while back. Is it too late to plant them properly now ? Will they do much ?

But still I buy stuff to plant up, mainly as they keep getting them in at Asda, and I always give in to the temptation. I have managed to plant up a few and keep them watered on the front porch at least.

But the garden had to take a back seat today as we've been at the school summer fayre this afternoon. As usual it was a great social afternoon of meeting almost every school parent that you know, and having 3 children attend, and having worked there, I know a fair few! Lots of chit-chat and laughter, the Little People can wander around sort of doing their own thing, winning stupid amounts of sweets and hanging out with their friends. Traditionally the Yr5 children (age 9-10) run their own stalls. Bounce a ping-pong ball into a jar, win a sweet. Hit a target with a nerf gun, win a sweet. Spin the spinner, guess where it will land, win a sweet. Are you seeing the theme here ?

Little Miss and her friend were on the "tennis ball challenge" stall (I've stickered friend's face out for courtesy) and her job was provision of tennis racquets, so she took ours along. When I say "ours" I mean mine and hubby's from when we were at school. They are wooden and look like something out of a museum. The game invoved various challenges including "hit the ball with the racquet and try and aim through one of these holes" - in the piece of cardboard they were holding up. Surprisingly noone got a black eye or a broken nose.

Back home now I have a large glass of pink lemonade (my new find at Sainsbury's, oh my it is sooooo refreshingly lemony) and I'm watching Wimbledon (new balls please!) and doing a bit more of Little Man's mentor's present. I think I mentioned in my last post that she's a lovely calm, gentle lady, and is the perfect sort of unflappable, even-keeled personality to deal with an autistic boy. I've noticed she wears very muted tones - soft yellows, greys and blues, and this Araucania yarn is just perfect for her.

I decided to make a version of the "Strawberry Lace Scarf" from the book Crochet Noro.

Crochet Noro was one of the first crochet books I bought, and it is really gorgeous. Often it can be hard to find patterns for items that really showcase colour-changing yarns, but this book is full of great ideas. 

I didn't have enough yarn to make the full width (I MUST learn to either buy more of a yarn or none at all) so I am doing a half width instead. In the picture below you can just see the "strawberry" pattern emerging. The pattern isn't especially tricky, but its an 8-row repeat and I just can't seem to keep it all in my head. Thankfully the pattern has a chart so I'm glancing at that as I go along. 

I've almost used the first skein, and I reckon that so far the scarf is about half the length it needs to be, so with 1 skein remaining, it's looking like it will work out really well. I love using up just the right amount and having no yarn left, do you know what I mean ? I haven't made my mind up about the fringeing. The pattern calls for a very light at least 4-ply if not lace weight yarn. I'm using more of a DK weight, with a 5.5mm hook. I'm not sure if a DK weight fringe would over-power the delicate pattern ? Any thoughts people ? 

The scarf is looking a bit dishevelled at the minute but I know that a really good block will transform it. Can't wait for that bit! Happy weekend everyone :)

xxxxx