NOT JUST ABOUT KNITTING

We haven't done a lot of outdoor things because it has been so darned cold and windy. We are pleased that we don't have to shovel anything and are amazed that although central and northeast US have had so much snow, there has hardly been any on the west coast of Canada and back at home.

On Monday, the one warm and sunny day we golfed at Fort Brown Memorial Golf Course. It is surrounded on three sides by the Rio Grande River and Mexico. On the holes at the periphery, we see the Border Patrol driving by at frequent intervals. This is a sign posted in the pro shop:

After our golf game, we decided to drive to Boca Chica Beach, the southernmost beach in south Texas, We drove and drove through sandy flatlands some of which are quite flooded because of the rain that has fallen here in the Rio Grande Valley. It makes for some good birdwatching. We saw a northern shrike, several great egrets, and osprey, and this crested caracara sitting on a yucca palm that is in bloom.

Tuesday was free breakfast Grand Slam day at Denny's so when we finally got  moving, we headed over there. Of course it was packed with Winter Texans, like us. We agreed to share a table so we'd get seated sooner and ended up sitting with a couple from Winnipeg. They have a mobile home in Weslaco and spend about 5 months there each winter. Grand Slams were all Denny's was serving so your only choice was how you wanted your eggs done and what you wanted to drink. Here was our bill:

 

Indeed the only things we were charged for were our drinks.  Of course, we tipped as if we'd paid for the Grand Slams. The servers did an excellent job of keeping things moving.

The Winnipeggers told us they were going to the Craft Show at the Convention Center so we decided to go, too - there wasn't anything else on our agenda.  The first thing I saw after paying my dollar for admission was a display of knock-off Pandora beads. They claimed they had actual Pandora bracelets but they, too, were clearly fakes. However some of the beads were cute and I bought several - both for me and for gifts.

That night, I started sewing the stars on my purple Icelandic Star sweater. It took several attempts before perfecting the technique, getting all aspects of the stars even as there were no specific instructions. Who would have ever thought embroidering a star would be so tricky? (Hint, go from one point to the adjacent point, each time coming up in the centre beside the previous strand of yarn).

Ta da!

I have decided NOT to stitch stars on the black band above nor on the sleeves or on the bottom band. Enough is enough.

Yesterday was another overcast day so after a seafood lunch we went to the Port Isabel Library. They have only two knitting books in their collection and one that I covet very much, Barbara G. Walker's "Treasury of Knitting Patterns" (c. 1968). The other book is Lily Chin's "The Urban Knitter". They also had one book in the Wallender series that Skip is currently reading - and the only book by that author. Over in the corner is a stuffed bobcat:

Grrrrrauuu!

I am progressing on the Brooklyn Tweed Beaumont tam. I'm using the colours of the beanie. The Mini Alpakka yarn is lovely and soft. 

Here are some closeups of the cuff and star on the  Wicked Witch Mittens (Annemor #10) that I've been knitting. I ran out of white yarn so won't be able to finish them until I get home.

That pretty much brings things up to date. Today it's pouring rain so we'll probably hit the library again - wheeee!