I was right. Today there are leaves unfurled on the trees and they are growing thickly enough to block my view of both Mt Hood and the river.

All is not lost, though. This is the view from the parking lot roof.

True, I’m not up there all that frequently during the day. And I’m seldom up there when it’s still both light enough to see and clear.

But on the infrequent occasions that I get to view Mt St Helens… what a magnificent sight. Our mountains have such presence. They just stand there against the sky, right in your face. Hills with attitude.

I finished the socks for Tangle and cast on for the Embossed Leaves Socks from the Winter ’05 Interweave Knits. Except I’m knitting them toe-up. I know someone else who also knit this pattern toe-up, and I really liked the way that the leaves grew up instead of down.

I continue to work on the lace leave scarf also.

But today I forgot to grab my knitting on the way out the door, and I’ve felt lost all day. Ack!

Here’s a little proof that spring really is here: my dogwood is blooming.

That might not seem like a big deal to those of you whose dogwoods put on an abundant display every year. My dogwood blooms only sparsely and sporadically. That it has chosen to bloom this year, I will take as a sign of good things to come!

It’s supposed to be in the high 70s today, with lots of sunshine. That’s what I think of as perfect weather.

I hope all of you can find a way to get out in it and enjoy! And if the weather in your part of the world isn’t quite as nice, then here’s looking at better days ahead.

I know if you use your imagination you can see it. Right there. Between the trees.

It’s probably the last glimpse of Mt. Hood I will have from my window at work until the leaves are gone again in autumn. Today is too overcast and hazy for Hood to show up at all. And by next week the trees will have leafed out and blocked the view.

It was nice while it lasted.

Crappy picture courtesy of my cell phone.

Yes, I’ve been knitting. I’ve been working on the Alina socks. I’ve turned the heels and started up the ankles. The colors pooled in interesting stripes on the foot. I can’t tell yet what they will do on the ankle. The stitch pattern is different, so the colors will not look like the foot. Interestingly enough, the socks remained identical twins until just before the heels, when they suddenly became fraternal. I have no explanation for this.

I haven’t decided what to do with the cashmere silk scarf yet. I’m leaning towards a modification of Backyard Leaves by Annie Modesitt in Scarf Style. But I haven’t really made up my mind yet. I probably need to do some more swatching, although that didn’t help last time.

Thank you to those who have commented and made suggestions.

Bus stations are such interesting places in the middle of the night, aren’t they? You can see from the expression on #1 Son’s face that he certainly thinks so.

We sat in the waiting room with all of the other bus riders and those there to see them off. And we waited.

#1 Son is off to hook up with a band he is touring with. He started later than the rest of the tour because he needed to finish recording with his other band. He purchased his own bus ticket over the internet. I skipped reminding him that he always gives me a bad time when I do that. (Mom, why don’t you just go there and buy it? Why do you have to do everything on your computer?) It was he that chose a 12:15 AM departure time. Midnight bus stations being such fascinating places, and all.

I do not send him off without the proper equipment. See? Down on the floor between his right foot and the guitar case? Alpaca fair isle fingerless gloves. His hands, at least, will be warm.

#1 Son will be gone for almost a month. He will be back for about three weeks and then turn around to do it again.

My house is very quiet.

I have heard from him. He made it to his destination and hooked up with the rest of the tour. Tonight they play Sacramento.

It was very cold driving home from the bus station last night.

The garden thinks it is spring even though the weather has turned so cold and rainy. Even so, the trillium is trying to bloom.

Sometimes I think the garden looks only at the calendar. Other times I am sure it is the warmth or the returning light. I hear the song birds out looking for dates. But it seems like a cold, wet world to bring little ones into. I want to tell them to wait a week, or maybe two.

I am knitting. I am working on a scarf pattern. Pics tomorrow if I get anything worked out that I like.

Sharp-eyed readers will note that there are two items crossed off the things to do list! I don’t recall ever finishing two things in one day before. It was a very good day!

First up are the replacement Fair Isle fingerless gloves for #1 Son.

I finished the last finger in the morning and then wove the ends in while waiting for my oil to be changed. There was another woman in the waiting area also knitting. I think she was working on a pair of socks, but since she was very heads-down with her pattern I didn’t want to intrude.

Next we have the Beehive Cabled Sockapalooza Socks. I finished these up while watching a little TV on Saturday night. (Don’t I lead an exciting life?)

I just love these socks. The finished product is so soft and cushy. And I love the cables and the heel and the toe and the bind-off. It’s one of those finished objects that I look at and have a hard time believing that it actually came off my needles.

If my sock pal doesn’t like them, I will take them back in a heartbeat!

The particulars about both projects can be found on their own permanent project pages. You can get there via the link in the right side-bar, the FO-2006 gallery, or by clicking on the links in this post.

Happy birthday to you!

And many more!

And which birthday is this, brother dear? How many years? Can you remember???

oh…. should I have wrapped this cake up in black? 😆