Last month I posted an update on my other two main hobbies aside from reading, although I'd like to be able to count a third as well, writing (does this blog count?). Those two are gardening and crochet. And, things have changed a bit since then.
The shawl, the Bernat # 4922, is now about half way through the 21st row, and is into the second ball of yarn, so it's about a third done. I'm already planning on doing two more of these, one in the Spectrum colour range, for which I've already bought the yarn, and one which I saw the yarn (I think it was the Medusa pattern, but I'm not absolutely certain). Despite how slowly it's going, I'm definitely enjoying the project. I'm also eyeing several of the patterns from the Stitch 'n' Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker book, such as the Sweet Pea Shawl and a couple of the jackets for doing sometime in the near future. The title still makes me cringe, but the book itself is great.
The gardens are a bit of a mixed bag however. The two actual garden beds are iffy to say the least. The radishes and beets are coming up well, as are the onions, but of the peas I planted, only one of the plants sprouted. And not even that for the carrots. I don't know if it was the seeds, or if the birds got the rest. I do know that it rained fairly heavily for a day or two after I planted them.
The other reason they're iffy is because they're not getting the daily care that the boxes and pots on my balcony are. That, however seems to be doing pretty well (knock on wood). I've already had a few salads with the lettuce, herbs and swiss chard, and nothing has outright died yet. The tomatoes are starting to bud with flowers. However, if you forget to water for even one day, things wilt rapidly. I'm hoping the lettuce and swiss chard come back tomorrow - and that I was imagining things when I thought I saw a couple of aphids yesterday. Does anyone know of any good methods of dealing with aphids (preferably non-toxic)?
In terms of reading, I seem to be managing about a book a week. Currently, it's The Parafaith War by L.E. Modesitt.
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