The dark brown “yarn” at the top of the picture is about a half ounce of Blue Faced Leicester roving that was gifted to me by an internet friend.  The yarn on the spindle is variegated Jacob roving purchased at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival last weekend (picture-laden post coming).  I was at first drafting with my left hand and controlling the spindle with my right; after watching a couple of Youtube videos I decided to try switching hands and that has worked out better.   My initial effort varied between worsted and super-bulky after I plied it back on itself; the Jacob is better but still inconsistent; it goes from heavy fingering to worsted.  My goal is to get consistent fingering-weight singles.

And yes, I remember that I promised a rant about First Holy Communion and Prom.  Next post, I promise.

The relevant post is right here, so you don’t even have to go look.

And I’ve made this a sticky post, to remind you every time you visit until the voting is closed.

All I can promise you if I win, is more of the same Church Belligerent Militant that I do, even if not very regularly.

I have another little rant, about prom dresses and First Holy Communion, but I’ll save that for later.

Despite the rain, it was a well-attended gathering and there were people there of all ages and walks of life, from grandparents to little kids, business owners to passers-by.  The checs’ signs were photographed by many in attendance, including the local NBC affiliate’s reporter.

Not so for some people. An online friend recently posted the following images, which I find greatly offensive, as an example of the avatars that some active Ravelry users find amusing:

This person identifies herself in her profile as:

“Raptor Mary, mother of Jesusaurus Rex”

These things ought to offend anyone who professes to be a Christian. They are especially offensive to me, a Catholic, because they mock Christ our Savior, His Sacred Heart, His Blessed Mother the Theotokos, and show incredible disrespect towards the Vicar of Christ Pope Benedict XVI.

I am glad to be gone from Ravelry. If this is the kind of behavior and images that are welcome and encouraged there, then the only reason for me to be there would be for me to vocally and continually protest this blasphemy.

Please join me in praying for the conversion of the Ravelry site owners, and for the conversion of this Ravelry user and those like her.

The wild rose has leaves; the rhubarb has leaves the size of salad plates; and all of my perennial herbs except the rosemary – that would be thyme, oregano, parsley, sage, chives and lavender – have new growth.

I’m going to have to cut my grass soon, but first I’m going to make some MacGyver-ized lawn aerators for my kids to stomp around with, to poke holes in the sod and hopefully improve the health of my grass a bit.  Here’s what I’m going to do:

Cut a pair of thin boards (I’m going to use leftover pine floorboards, but any easily-sawn thin lumber would do OK) each a couple of inches longer than the shoes of the person who will be using the aerators.  Use a skinny bit and drill several holes right through the boards; these are the pilot holes so the nails don’t split the lumber.  (From five to eight per board, depending on the size of the board) Then drive regular old sinkers, 10- or 12-penny size, through the pilot holes out the bottom of the board.  To use, tie the boards securely but not too snugly to the shoe, and stomp around your yard with abandon.

So there you have it – the garden report and an easy way to aerate your lawn for spring.  I’ll post pictures soon.

Lest you think I jest, have a look at the online bulletin for this parish; go to page 2 and check out the box on the right-hand side, it’s the second event listed for Monday, March 29.  Click here for the pdf bulletin.

Charity prevents me from commenting further; although you, dear reader, are welcome to speculate at will in the comments.