life with a chronic disease and a really big yarn stash
The Ash Tree Presents…
August has finally arrived; the worst of the heat is almost over and the monsoon is right around the corner. The cicadas are buzzing in the cottonwood trees, and there are birds everywhere. Trees love August here in Colorado; more water and cooler temperatures. My ash tree, beautiful, pampered (he gets an injection every spring to protect him from emerald ash borers, a particularly nasty tree parasite) and greatly loved (well, he provides afternoon shade and is totally rocking his last prune job), is the star of today’s main events. Take it away ash tree!!
The Solaris Shawl is done! Look at the great play of colors against my trunk…The colors of the edging really show off the texture of my bark, don’t you think?and the drape of the leading edge?… just too stunning against my leaves. My owner seems to be pleased with the final product. I tried to convince her to leave me yarn bombed in the shawl, but for some reason she took it off… something about showing it off tomorrow to her knitting group. Whatever. Unless they have ash bark (see what I did there…) it won’t look as nice on them. Just as the day was cooling off this truck pulled up in my shade. Oh, oh. She didn’t seem too happy about this.Yep. This happened. She is now set up with oxygen-to-go. I hope this means she will be spending more time outside with me. The roses kind of miss her.
Notes:
The shawl is Solaris by Melanie Berg. My notes on Ravelry are here.
Ash trees do come in female and male varieties. My tree is a male. How fun is that?
That oxygen bottle comes with a stylish backpack to carry it in. I’m over feeling upset and will be rocking the new look the next time I head out for groceries.
They didn’t have the right size oxygen bottle to give me, so tomorrow the truck is coming back. I may not make it to knitting after all. <sigh>
I learned to knit brioche stitch tonight. It was surprisingly easy. Must be all the oxygen.
I weave, knit and read in Aurora, Colorado where my garden lives. I have 2 sons, a knitting daughter-in-law, a grandson and two exceptionally spoiled kittens. In 2014 I was diagnosed with a serious rare autoimmune disease called systemic sclerosis along with Sjogren's Disease and fibromyalgia.
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16 thoughts on “The Ash Tree Presents…”
What a fun post! I absolutely love trees. It’s one reason we moved to Tennessee so that we’d have them everywhere around us. I had no idea you could tell which was a male and which a female in the kind that have both. That’s fascinating! Your shawl is lovely. The red-maroon spectrum against the gray is just stunning! And how about you?! All the things you’ve had going on, and you learned a new knitting technique! Can’t wait to see what you do with it! 🙂
You can tell the difference with the flowers. The males are producing pollen, and since it is carried by wind, there are no petals. Female trees make seeds.
I’m making a cowl. In a few more rows I’ll be able to take a picture.
Love the shawl! Fun post today. I hope that the extra oxygen usage will have you feeling better soon. I hope it gets delivered with enough time for you to make it to your knitting group though.
The shawl is gorgeous! I love the colors. I also am happy you are injecting your beautiful tree. Is the borer present in your area? We have been invaded here. My ex has 27 acres with a lot of ash trees. Over the last 10 years, I have helped him removes invasive species to make room for new trees. It is not unusual for him to plant 400 trees in the spring.
Wow. I find taking care of this one is expensive. 🙂 We do have ash bores here, and this tree does have evidence of infestation. The emerald bores are in the state, so I’m doing the set I can to protect this big guy. He gets better looking every year. 🙂
It is very expensive. Injecting the ash on Bill’s property is cost prohibitive. He has the borer and it has infected many trees. His land management is going to become more complicated, as the trees die and the shady places get sunny. It will bring on more buckthorn, honeysuckle and other invasive species.
Ugh. Well, he’s your ex. Do you want some of my spiky purple Darwin plant? Although, that is too mean to inflict on anyone. 🙂
Hopefully, you’ll make your knitting group so you can show your beautiful shawl.
Glad you were able to make it! It was no question the shawl was going to be a hit. Iwant to learn brioche. Maybe after I destash by finishing up some projects.
You Tube is a wonderful thing. I sat at the computer with my knitting and after seeing a few videos I was ready to go. The written directions were clear in the pattern, and the videos were the reassurance I needed to know I was doing it right. It’s actually easy once you catch on. I’m doing 2 color brioche which also helps as you can see what you are doing.
Beautiful shawl. Oh yeah, the O2 is familiar. Mom had one just like it! Lots of fun and games.
What’s your next project?
I started the pink kiddie shawl, but will have to put it up. Have grandkids for the weekend.
Thank you! That means a lot. 🙂 The ash tree thanks you too. I’m thinking of getting him a “face” and hanging knitted decorations from him. What do you think?
Yarn, Books & Roses 
What a fun post! I absolutely love trees. It’s one reason we moved to Tennessee so that we’d have them everywhere around us. I had no idea you could tell which was a male and which a female in the kind that have both. That’s fascinating! Your shawl is lovely. The red-maroon spectrum against the gray is just stunning! And how about you?! All the things you’ve had going on, and you learned a new knitting technique! Can’t wait to see what you do with it! 🙂
You can tell the difference with the flowers. The males are producing pollen, and since it is carried by wind, there are no petals. Female trees make seeds.
I’m making a cowl. In a few more rows I’ll be able to take a picture.
Love the shawl! Fun post today. I hope that the extra oxygen usage will have you feeling better soon. I hope it gets delivered with enough time for you to make it to your knitting group though.
I was on oxygen all day yesterday and I do feel better. I rescheduled the tank delivery and went to knitting . The shawl was a hit. 🙂
The shawl is gorgeous! I love the colors. I also am happy you are injecting your beautiful tree. Is the borer present in your area? We have been invaded here. My ex has 27 acres with a lot of ash trees. Over the last 10 years, I have helped him removes invasive species to make room for new trees. It is not unusual for him to plant 400 trees in the spring.
Wow. I find taking care of this one is expensive. 🙂 We do have ash bores here, and this tree does have evidence of infestation. The emerald bores are in the state, so I’m doing the set I can to protect this big guy. He gets better looking every year. 🙂
It is very expensive. Injecting the ash on Bill’s property is cost prohibitive. He has the borer and it has infected many trees. His land management is going to become more complicated, as the trees die and the shady places get sunny. It will bring on more buckthorn, honeysuckle and other invasive species.
Ugh. Well, he’s your ex. Do you want some of my spiky purple Darwin plant? Although, that is too mean to inflict on anyone. 🙂
Hopefully, you’ll make your knitting group so you can show your beautiful shawl.
I made it! The shawl was a hit and I started on a brioche stitch cowl that is coming out cute.
Glad you were able to make it! It was no question the shawl was going to be a hit. Iwant to learn brioche. Maybe after I destash by finishing up some projects.
You Tube is a wonderful thing. I sat at the computer with my knitting and after seeing a few videos I was ready to go. The written directions were clear in the pattern, and the videos were the reassurance I needed to know I was doing it right. It’s actually easy once you catch on. I’m doing 2 color brioche which also helps as you can see what you are doing.
Beautiful shawl. Oh yeah, the O2 is familiar. Mom had one just like it! Lots of fun and games.
What’s your next project?
I started the pink kiddie shawl, but will have to put it up. Have grandkids for the weekend.
I cast on a new shawl!
Fun post! I love that shawl and must add it to my queue 😀. Glad that oxygen is making you feel better! I love reading your blog!!!
Thank you! That means a lot. 🙂 The ash tree thanks you too. I’m thinking of getting him a “face” and hanging knitted decorations from him. What do you think?