False Starts

 I should be out mowing the lawn right now before the rain starts, but felt like touching base with the blogosphere first.  I'm in the middle of a long weekend, and have been knitting while trying to get over a little stomach bug.


I promised myself that when I finished something, I could start knitting a lace shawl, so I when I finished the cable socks--all but the binding off-- and finished the top part of the faux isle socks, I pulled out the lovely variegated tencel and the Lace Style book.  I've started this shawl in the tencel a few times, and have had a lot of trouble with it.  I can't see the variations in the stitches, so I constantly lose my way in the pattern.  I've tried blocking it off with stitch markers, but it just hasn't helped, especially where the Lily of the Valley bumps are concerned.  They're made by knitting five stitches in one stitch on the right side, and purling all five stitches together on the wrong side.  After reverse knitting one section five times over last night, I threw the thing in a bag and gave up.
  In the cool light of the morning, I reassessed the situation.  Wouldn't that tencel make something else less complicated still beautiful?  Like a simple lace scarf?  Gloves?  Anything but this shawl?  But I really want to knit a lace shawl.  I have a 2-3 pound cone of angora that's been begging for a project.  It's tightly spun and WHITE!  It's much easier to see patterns in white than in dark colors!
  So, this morning, armed with hot coffee, citronella candles on the front porch and my faithful dog by my side, I started the shawl over, in the angora.  Ah, blissful peace!  Happy knitting is mine!  I am on the third row of the lace pattern, my first row of the Lily of the Valley bumps successfully done.  I love the feel of the angora, and the texture it's creating.
  Tell me faithful readers, especially those of you who spin:  If the yarn says "Angora," is it goat or rabbit?  Just wondering...

  The end of the workweek found another false start.  The dessert pictured started out as honey cheesecake, which was ousted because it wouldn't go with port.  The group was having a port tasting, and wanted something chocolate-y.  I suggested the milk chocolate hazelnut crunch bar, which I think they thought was a candy bar kind of thing and not "fancy" enough.  So I suggested a flight of chocolates, white, milk and dark.  The sommelier said no white chocolate, so this is what I came up with.  The arrow points the direction the diner should eat it in, because the flavors get more intense as he/she moves down the plate.  It's milk chocolate pot de creme with caramel chocolate ganache on a dark chocolate cookie, the unwanted milk chocolate hazelnut crunch and a chunk of flourless chocolate cake dunked in dark ganache.  I hope it was fancy enough!
  The storm approaches and my lawn needs mowing.  Have a lovely weekend!