Houston, We Have a Problem

Help! A stitch has fallen and it can't get up!



One of my greatest knitting fears has been realized. I dropped a stitch during a cable and kept going, blissfully unaware of it for a couple of rows. I figure I have a couple of options for fixing it, none of which thrill me. I could try to fix it in place. Or I could tink several rows. The problem with fixing it in place is that I don't have a clue how to bring up that stitch and rearrange all the yarn overs and decreases. The problem with tinking is that I have to deal with unknitting the yarn overs on the purl rows.

Can any of you more experienced knitters offer some advice before I mess this up beyond repair?

In happier news, on Friday my friend Keith told me a story that almost made me swoon. His wife had lunch with a friend who was helping clean out the house of one her relatives who had recently passed away and who was apparently a knitter. She had (you might want to sit down for this) 52 large black trash bags of yarn. There were also a number of unfinished projects, still on the needles, neatly stored in bags with the yarn and pattern. No, I don't know what kind of yarn it was. In my imagination, I think of the most beautiful yarn possible: soft wools in luscious colors, beautiful silk blends, luxurious novelties; in short, all the types of yarn I want to own and work with. In reality, all the yarn could have been bad acrylic. The family donated the entire stash to a charity, which I don't think I'd be able to do (unless all the yarn was bad acrylic).

Shrooming
The mushroom hunt today was a little less than successful. We found (thanks to Sunil and Susan) a grand total of four little morels:



Tom and I found zero morels; I found one false morel (which you don't want to eat because they are poisonous). Susan graciously let us keep the whole haul, and they are now soaking in salt water to get all of the tiny bugs out. Tonight's dinner will be grilled asparagus, chicken prepared in some way, sauteed morels, new potatoes, pain rustique, and a salad. And ice cream for dessert, of course.

Hunting morels is a lot about the process. If you want immediate gratification, morel hunting is not for you. But if you like taking a walk in the woods, slowing down, and really looking at what's in front of you, the process can be very rewarding. Box turtles, butterflies, birds, brightly colored centipedes, wood spiders, wild flowers, and maybe even the elusive morel reveal themselves. It's a time for slowing down, and being aware of nature, which we so often are not these days.

So, in the spirit of Earth Day (which was yesterday), try to get outside and take a walk in nature. It doesn't have to be in the wilds; go to your local park. Slow down and absorb your surroundings. See how many birds, wild flowers, trees, and animals you can identify. Revel in feeling the sun, or wind, or rain on your face. And above all, enjoy!