Pensive Frog

Get ready for color overload! This week’s Wanderlust Friday takes us to the Ile de Re, as chronicled at Yarnstorm. The only question in my mind, can two weeks spent is such a glorious place be enough? This post includes photos of the pastries to be enjoyed on the island, and is [...]

If I had to pick a song to call my “theme tune“, I’d have to pick Mah Na Mah Na. This is a great theme tune, because it can be altered to fit any situation. For example, when baking a batch of banana bread, I twirl about the kitchen singing “Ba na na [...]

Today I learned that one of my favorite books, Atonement by Ian McEwan has been made into a movie. Normally that’s a bad thing, but the film is getting all sorts of acclaim and perhaps it will be a good one. If you have any interest in reading the book, do it before [...]

It’s been scarf season for a few weeks already (and not just in my chilly office). What better way to celebrate than with some free scarf patterns?
Nicole offers up yet another great pattern, the Not-Quite-Straight Scarf. This looks like a great scarf to knit while watching the season premiere of Friday Night Lights [...]

This is a little old, but earlier this year I was fascinated by Jessica’s tales of travels in India posted at Yarnmonster. This post is one of my favorites, because it describes the highs and lows of traveling in India. I think I could definitely get into the food, scenery, and shopping, but [...]

Some more free sock patterns I’ve come across recently, for your enjoyment (and to remind myself later)!
Nicole’s 9 to 5 socks feature delicate pseudocabling. I especially like the way the pseudocable extends the length of the heel.
Maia’s toe-up Banana Blossom socks are worked on size 3 needles, and have a large, geometric [...]

Have you heard about the latest news in color preference research? Apparently, women are “hard wired” to prefer pink, because back in the day, being attuned to notice pink objects helped caveladies find the most luscious berries. Men prefer blue because cavedudes who bathed in crystal blue streams got the most cavelady action. [...]

This week’s Wanderlust Friday is decidedly food-oriented - another winning post from David Lebovitz - a list of 10 insanely delicious things to eat in Paris.
I’ve traveled to France exactly once, in the early spring of 1996. I was spending my junior year studying abroad at the University of Sussex, and although [...]

I can’t decide if the jewelry sold at this Etsy shop is awesome or scary. We’ve seen things coated in resin before - as in those popular bottlecap magnets. I’ve never seen insects suspended in resin until now. A dozen dead ladybugs, trapped forever in resin. Even though the ladybugs [...]

Are there any sock fiends out there? Oh, I know who you are.
Here are a few random free sock patterns I’ve found that you may like:
Cider Moon Saucy socks, similar to Cookie’s Monkey socks (still working on those, btw!) but featuring an eye of partridge heel - so exciting!
Mean Girl’s Arch-shaped socks look interesting [...]

You be the judge.
I also like this one. Don’t laugh - it’s immature.
And if you can’t afford a purebred dog, how about this instead? His name is Rowdy. Just don’t expect him to fetch.

If there’s an explanation for this, I don’t want to hear it.

I’ve thought about having “theme” days for this blog, something to add structure to my postings. And to help me post more regularly. While my temptation is to give EVERY day a theme, I’ll start small with Wanderlust Fridays. I’ve been reading accounts of glorious vacations all over the blogosphere, usually with [...]

A few weeks ago I saw the ultimate deal on Piperlime - the newish online shoe store from the folks that brought us the Gap. Anywho, I saw these awesome kneehigh faux leather boots IN MY SIZE for $19.99, marked down from $80. Add free shipping to the mix and I pounced like [...]

The great thing about going on vacation with a new camera and fancy tripod is that you come home with 1134 pictures! That’s also the bad thing about vacation with a new camera Well, I finally got it together to make a public album of a few pictures from my trip to [...]

Looking for some cocktail party conversation starters? Well here ya go.
Didja ever wonder what happened to Charlotte Church? That sweet, classical singer with the “voice of an angel” has changed a bit since I last thought of her way back in 1998. She’s turned to pop music, and blasphemy.
Wicked. And Tiffany [...]

Holy moly, my office is cold! It’s a beautiful 75 degrees outside, and a chilly 43 inside. OK, I may exaggerate. I don’t work in an actual meat locker. I know many of you must have the same problem, and as knitters (and crocheters, she added grudgingly) you must have come [...]