Peonies and Lotus Blossoms

I love me my Peonies!

So my second peony bush bloomed on Tuesday, just like I thought. Then these horrible storms started coming through with "Nickel-sized hail". Well you know I just HAD to run outside and cut the two blossoms that had already opened so they didn't get ruined buy the rain!!

Wednesday morning, here's what I saw out my window. So, beautiful!! And the color in the shot below is true to their actual color. I know it looks like I just cut out paper flowers and laid them on the bush what with the way my camera handled the color changes and all...I don't know the variety so I can't help there but it's got a kind of spoiled fruit smell about it. Despite its beautiful color, I can't help but wish it smelled good, too. But the pale pink one (yes, there was only one) smells heavenly and spicy!

Lotus Blossoms

I also figured that since this is primarily a knitting blog that I should show you all (y'all, for short) some "knit stuff".

Voila the Lotus Blossom Tank! The color is truer in the above pic than in the pic below. I'm seriously thinking about doing this again if it fits nicely. I'm pretty sure it's going to fit properly because I'm on gauge and I measured around my (ahem) lower middle and even on the smaller needle for the main body, the width should be perfect. Since they have you start up one needle size, the width should be even a little roomy for the first 9 rows (about midway up the first repeat). If it fits nicely, I'm hoping to wear it to our god child's christening in S. Carolina in Early July. I'm not so sure about the no sleeves thing tho.... I don't really want my lily white wings flapping in the air-conditioned breeze. Maybe a wrap too? Oh yeah, and if it's even the teeniest bit tight around the bustages, I'm going to rip back and do short rows.

If you squint, you can see the lotus blossoms here, below. I'm on the third repeat and for the largest size it takes about 1 ball per repeat.
I really like the way this cotton works up, so I just picked up a whole bunch of Sonata Cotton on sale from Elann.com in Coffee Bean, Light Turquoise and Silver Sage. I got 20, 10 and 20 hanks respectively. I'm hoping that this will be enough for a tank (plain) and maybe a cardigan sweater set, but I'm guessing that I'm going to have to order more. (Yeah, and I'm going to knit these when??) My guessis that one of the three colors I won't like so very much and I'll be able to send it back and buy enough cotton to make one sweater set in all the same color.

Oh, and just so's you don't think that I've completely dropped the ball on that beautiful Alice Starmore Inishmore, I'm still waiting on the yarn from Webs. They told me it would be about two more weeks since it was a special order..... boy, the things we will endure just to get yummy yarn for less than sticker price!

Yeah, and Lady E, she's still on the needles too. I love, love, love, the way she looks and I'll be so excited to wear her when she's finished, but man... can we say Boooooorrrrriinnnngggg? Every time I look into my knitting bag I see her smiling face and I reach for a different project. Bleah. Must finish Lady E before the guilt becomes all consuming!