Knitting is all well and good, but *you haven't finished Harry Potter*!!!!!!!

Sounds like a super fun time! Enjoy a child free weekend. Perhaps bring along some new socks?

Waving to you from the Ottawa area...Have a great time...rest relax and knit

This sounds like another job for socks.

Around here we have these signs that I find endlessly amusing. They say, "If attached by a bear or mountain lion, fight back." I like to keep this saying close to my heart, even when I'm not hiking or camping. It has proven useful here at the office.

Have a great time! Maybe you could finish Harry Potter also?

Okay, I said attached. I meant attacked. Although, attached takes it to a whole new level.

Have a wonderful time! Kid Free? Dude!!!!!!! Are you sure there will be knitting time? I mean I know there is always time to knit . . . but kid free in the woods . . . that just might win out over the yarn!

Snape and Lupin elope at the end, and Harry decides Ginny's a bit much for him and runs off with Luna.

Oh wait, that's just the ending I hoped for. Sigh.

I loved the socks, and showed them to my DS. He only wants black, grey or navy socks. But absolutely NO CABLES. I once knitted navy regia silk socks with a tiny cable, and he was furious (like 17year olds can get - I think you can relate to that). Now I will knit your beautifull socks for me. That will teach him.
Love your stole also - have fun with it when you come back, and knit another interesting sock in the woods.

Oooh, have tons of fun daughter-free time! But holy heck, hurry up and finish Harry Potter, would ya?

I won't betray my utter nerdiness by telling you that I not only read book 7 in one day (as per usual for new HP books) but have also read all seven back to back since then!

Have a great time! Nothing makes home more luxurious than a good camping trip!

Free as a pair of birds--Have a good time. Don't forget to take bug repelent and flashlight to read Harry with. Safe journey and thanks for posting

Better you than me. MY idea of camping is a four-star hotel.

I'm with you on the MS3 design. The asymmetry caused momentary palpitations, but I figured I had signed up for a mystery design and I was sticking with it.

But I wouldn't take it camping. Well, MY camping -- yes. Real camping -- no.

Have fun without the kids! Socks are small and portable or a hat.

You are hard-core with the camping! ::admires:: Have a lovely time!

A southern good ol' boy friend of mine from college says "Campin' is a Holiday Inn without cable" I have to agree,but have fun! Maybe there will not be time for knitting what with the soul searching talks by firelight, the nature, the close ness of the tent. Ahem. I'll leave the rest to your imagination.

Happy camping!

It is one of my life's dreams to see a moose in the wild. Honestly.

I also vote for Harry Potter socks... did you see the Fred And George socks at Quietish? (link is http://www.rosemarywaits.com/2007/05/10/fred-and-george-socks/ ) Have more fun camping then I did last weekend... 4 kids (including the Autistic one, oye!) and my Mom, 48 hours, and a whole case of beer.

At least I enjoyed the beer.

Sooooo, going camping is your excuse not to work on the Gansey? :)

Sounds like sock knitting is the answer -- lightweight, simple, can get wet. And you can pack fewer socks because you'll wear the new ones home. Have a great time!

Sounds like a great time! Spur of the moment trips are my favorite.
Your shawl is gorgeous! I can't wait to see how it turns out

Have a blast! Enjoy Algonquin park! My Brother in law camps there all the time, and he loves it. I haven't been camping since I was just a wee one, but I remember blatently refusing to go in the outhouse.
;)
K

Fun! Camping! Simple socks that you can do with out good lighting, and another pair or two that you can knit during daylight hours... If there is time of course. Have a great time. Looking forward to your visit to Seattle on the 14th!

Knit on!

I'm not even going to address the HP issue b/c I am in absolute shock and horror that you are only half way through. You clearly have much more will power than I will ever possess as I was unable to stop myself from reading it clear through to the end.

OK, now that I've said that I have a question for you. I am embarking on my first mystery KAL and my first true lace project - the secret of the stole by Nautical Knitter. (come join us if you'd like - sign ups are through October 4th and the first clue comes out October 5th!). Anyhow, she is suggesting beads. What size did you use on your MS3? I tried to get size 8 beads but I couldn't get my crochet hook through them and so I ended up with size 6s but they seem so . . . . well, big?

Thanks and enjoy your time away with Joe. I'm sure it will be socks that you take with you.

My husband and I discovered Algonquin completely at random on one of our pick-a-direction-and-drive road trips. We camped, swam, canoed & portaged, and generally had a wonderful time, before moving on to explore the wilds of downtown Toronto. Going back for some real back country camping out there is still on our wish list. Have a great time!

OK, Harlot fans, 'fess up: How many of you clicked on the green letters to follow the link to the colour green Steph was talking about... only to realise it was the letters themselves?

Just me?

OK.

Have a good holiday.

Have a wonderful time Steph, but do take some kind of GPS tracking device with you. We are always reading about people getting lost in the woods around here and I'm in South Carolina!
And we don't even have much in the bear department.

I admire your "no frills" camping. My idea of roughing it, is when the motorhome's ice maker isn't working!

Green with envy over your weekend plans - but I'd be swiping Mr. Motorcycles headlamp thing for knitting because the campfire & my skills don't jive.

I sure could use a good back to nature camp - sans teenagers would even be better.

I have a deal with my husband - no knitting on the trail. Thankfully, it's a two hour drive to the trailhead! Have fun!

Don't forget the water filter. We couldn't find the bright orange trowel this last time. You knit so fast, I hesitate to give my suggestions: dishrag, sock, maybe a scarf?

Sounds like the perfect trip for those light up needles! really need to get me some of those!

Sounds like a good time to haul out your Baruffa Laceweight. Even the needles are lighter at that gauge.

I always take sock knitting on my backpacking trips. One of my best memories is sitting next to the coal burning stove (the Kiwis treat their hikers right) in the hiking shelter in the Southern Alps watching it pour down rain, and finishing a pair of wool socks hiking socks. Oh did they feel nice.

I totally sense some serious sock knitting :-)
Enjoy the camping....and count me jealous, that is my idea of a perfect weekend.

Have so much fun - I'm jealous! I almost always bring socks on my backpacking trips because of their excellent portability and the fact that they are usually made with sensible (read: not super expensive) yarn. Good luck picking a project - that's always the hardest part of packing for me! :)

And Marin, I clicked too. ;)

Enjoy your weekend! No kids--woo hoo!

Hi! I admire your perseverence concerning MS#3. I came to a grinding halt when my beads took a vacation of their own and had to be replaced. This allowed my way too much time to think (not to mention having the mystery spoiled) and now I have no idea what i would like to do with it. I keep having all these wild ideas using the design elements given, and then sometimes I think I should just frog it all. Decisions, decisions...

Have fun in the wilds. Lucky you - going daughterless.

By the way, does oldest start going to some sort of advanced education this fall or is there something about the educational system up north I am not remembering?

I *have* seen a moose in the wild...it walked across the road while I drove my car towards it. Too kewl. It was a rather large juvenile. Did you know moose have a 75 mile territory?

PS I live in the northwoods...

Love camping and everything that goes with it-except the no bathroom thing. I am not good at peeing outside-and since pooping would be out of the question-I develope camper's cramp. I have tried to do the above 2 things-but with little success. I always end up peeing down my leg. I hate to admit this because it is probably "not done" but I usually have to exit the canoe and pee in the river.
But to you who have no issues with the no bathroom thing, I say-Have a great time this weekend. Hope you see a Moose, bear and wolf. The wolf alone makes my weekend.

Camping is great. Have a good time. I'm knitting the Mystery Stole 3, as written, only without beads. Lace alone was an adventure. =D

You haven't finished HP? Don't bother - I'll just tell you the end: the butler did it. :) Happy camping!

I'd say dishrags or a hat. Both could be put to use if you needed them. Plus, I just knit a hat the other night because I couldn't wait any longer for fall. I don't want to be the only one on the fall knitting bandwagon. What do you say? Hop on....

Have a great quickie (I know - it sounded rude in my head too) and enjoy the child-free time! My honey and I are off to the cottage this weekend, beer, fishing, knitting, building some drawers, swimming, whatever.

Marin and Ashpags - I checked too!
Chris S

I heartily recommend socks for camping knitting. See my blog and you will see how happy I was to have knitting with me in the canoe. And Harry Potter? Definitely a good read. I envy those folks who can savor the book instead of racing through it at the speed of light!

Oh man.....first a Juno visit and now backcountry canoe camping? The jealousy is beginning to get the best of me. :)

Can't wait to hear what you decide to take camping...that's always a struggle (and a source of some contention with my partner!)...

Ohh sounds just like my kind of weekend! Have FUN!!! Oh and knitting by headlamp is encouraged! I do it now at home when watching movies that way there's not glare on the TV :)

If I had no kids for a weekend, there'd be longies not quickies and extra amenities not less; to each his own - have a great time & hopefully no dunkings!!

It also has to be something deer wouldn't want to nibble on!
Algonquin is an amazing park. Can't wait to see your photos (a camera doesn't weight THAT much).

Bring some socks. :) Have fun! (Remember the bug spray!)

omg! it's the friday afternoon of a long weekend and you haven't left yet! Hee Hee! Don't forget the knitting for the loooong car ride sitting on the 400. I live in Bracebridge so wave on your way by.

Wouldn't Harry Potter be too heavy to carry around in your backpack?

Are those beads in the non-border section at the end of your Clue 4? Are they really supposed to be there?

They're lovely and charming, of course, as all beads in knitting are. I applaud your chutzpah in modifying a mystery pattern as you go along. (Please disregard this if those are merely tricks of the light.)

Have a grand time, you lucky knitter--it sounds like it will be wonderful!

Last time I camped in Algonquin, our site was raided by a sow and her 2 cubs. Nothing gets the adrenalin pumping like being separated by mere canvas from a 500 pound mama.

No worries though - I am sure you will have a good time! :D
(ok maybe I shouldn't have told you that story. Algonquin is a very very nice place and there are no bears there. None. )

Lucky you! Sounds like lots of fun. Quite the opposite of your getaway, we're off to spend a 2 hour one way road trip to my mom's small home without air conditioning, to celebrate our allllmost 9 year old's birthday and Labor Day. Not quite the wide open cool spaces you'll be basking in ;)

Happy camping! Have a great long weekend.

Talk about transparent -- like you didn't know we'd all be urging you to take socks along. Like otherwise you'd be taking, what, a Kaffe Fassett Carpet Jacket?

But thank you for improving my weekend -- picturing what you're doing (though I assume this isn't the canoe you said weighs more than Original Sin) while I stroll through the Meijer Sculpture Gardens or sit on the deck with knitting and a glass of wine will intensify my pleasures. And I'll take all the intensification I can get, because Notre Dame has CLASSES on Monday! Outraged, c'est moi.

Free of a teenager...that's my kind of vacation. (But you really should take the sock.)
I hope you get to photograph a moose. We don't have moose in midwest suburbia.Have fun!

Have fun at Algonquin but watch for crazed squirrels seeking revenge.

Marin-- I clicked, too. Couldn't figure out why the link didn't work.

Steph-- have a lovely weekend. My husband flat refuses to go camping, so we compromise. Instead of high-end chain hotels, which would be his first choice, we stay at modest mom-and-pop joints.

I'll be hiding in my air-conditioned house all weekend, waiting for the tourists to go home. I'll celebrate Tuesday, maybe with a hike or a trip to the beach.

your camping trip sounds divinely perfect - oh, I would love to see a moose in the wild! seen some bears in the Adirondacks, some a-knockin' on the tent, some a-crawlin' in the lean-to. this summer we were too busy to get out and do any 'real' camping. as a contrast, this weekend we are going 'camping' in the Adirondacks - you know, the 'rustic cabin' with a sauna, fully furnished, etc. etc. hopefully we'll get in some good canoing and kayaking. As far as Harry P - not a word! But let us know when you are done. I haven't really been able to talk about it for fear of ruining the ending for someone else! No one I know has finished it yet except me! I'm burstin'!

Now that's the kind of camping I would love to do again.

I was going to tell you Harry Potter ended with - "the butler did it" but someone else beat me to the punch so I'll tell you the real ending. Harry discovers knitting and saves the world with his needles and hand dyed (squirrel free) wool.

Have fun in the back-country. May I suggest something in linen? It gets softer with every washing ;~>

Yay for holiday weekends! Hope the knitting doesn't get too wet ;)

LOL! You really ARE camping! I laugh at myself when I say we are going camping (which we are tomorrow through til Monday) because we have a camper on a campground. Electricity, water, bathroom, television (just three snowy channels). Not really any different than being at home.

Have fun camping. It is nice that before you spiral into the craziness of your publishing deadline you can find a bit of couple time! Enjoy your adventure in the woods...and if you don't get much knitting done, we will understand. [nudge, nudge, wink, wink]

That's my favorite kind of camping, minus the bears, of course. Have a wonderful time! (It's also good to know that someone else besides me hasn't finished reading HP7.)

"Clearly, the gansey is out."

Hmmm. I'm surprised Rams didn't accuse you of planning this camping trip to get out of finishing the gansey. But the other two haven't commented yet, so there's still time.:-)

Have fun, sweetie! And, uh, don't go near the mama moose. I speak from experience.

Sounds like socks to me.

Happy trails.

Isn't it amazing how much you appreciate time together when you're the parents of teenagers? My husband and I LIVE for the stolen moments without them; almost like trysts! As a matter of fact we're sneaking off alone this weekend too! Although we're going to a B&B instead of wilderness camping. Have lots of fun!

I wish you better weather than I had three weeks ago. I don't rough it quite as much as you, but there's just something about getting out with nothing between you and nature (except your clothes)(or not).

your new cable sock pattern would be lovely in white.

Have fun camping!!! Oh, and I found you on Wikipedia!!! Yes, I'm a hopeless Wikipediaist. Or whatever ya wanna call me... :D

Have a wonderful time in Algonquin, and take lots of pictures. Hopefully you'll see a cow moose and calf, and get to take some pictures to show us. But if we don't see any, we'll know you never made it out of the tent. That would be okay too. Not that I'm visualizing this or anything. Hem.

So it sounds like you'll be bringing a sock? :-)

The end of H.P. is a complete shocker. Harry meets up with some door-to-door evangelists, gives up wizardry in favor of Bible college, and is hired by the Bush administration.

But seriously. That's my kind of camping. I've brought socks on almost every backpacking or canoeing trip because they are lightwieght, dunkable, made of superwash yarn and by the time you're finished, you need a clean pair of socks anyway and you're damn glad to have them. 'Specially if it's cold and rainy.

Right now I am trying to envision you and Joe portaging a canoe together. Bet you like the downhill side better, eh?

You're going on a trip? Without kids? With socks to knit?

*whimper* Take me.

I'd say bring the Harry Potter but that would sink the freakin canoe. Have a great time, don't get eaten by bears. 'K???

That sound like so much fun. Enjoy your weekend away. I voet for socks (in a zip lock bag)

And as for the ending of HP - it was sheer perfection. Luna and Hermione discovered they had a special kind of love for each other, Snape and Umbridge opened a bohemian art center in Vermont after being stripped of their powers, and Grawp became Prime Minister of Britain. Cause he could do no worse, yeah?

Well, if weight matters then you certainly won't be packing Deathly Hallows, will you? Hurry up and finish when you get back. Because if you blog about knitting AND The Chosen One it just might very well be blog nirvana for this gal.

You know, at the end of Harry Potterrrr...... I'm not going to do it to you. Though it would be amazingly fun. I'm not evil like that. A squirrel will start stealing my stash or something.

It's all about Snape. <3

Well, if it needs to meet those 3 qualifications, it sounds like sock knitting!

I am camping this weekend, too! Though we are only roughing it in the sense that we will be sleeping in a tent, but no hiking/canoeing in necessary...

So, socks it is. Does knitting in the wilderness count as daredevil knitting? Just wondering. Seriously though, you are going to be alone in the woods with your husband and you really think you will knit?!

You haven't been married that long!!

You two have a very different notion of romance then I do. Hope you have a blast and just to be contrary, why not knit up a nice Harry Potter scarf? You might need it before the weekend is out.

I read this entry as "lots of beers, moose and no amenities at all". I don't know what that says about me.

Sounds like a great time! Got ticks? Or maybe Lyme isn't an issue that far north? Those were the days...

I saw a moose yesterday when I was at work, alone in the woods. A good-sized mature bull moose. I was talking to a friend about it today, and I said, "It's so funny, the way a moose will stand 'behind' a tree and stretch its head sideways a little bit to peek at you, while you do the same. Two big, ungainly creatures, each pretending to be concealed by a tree." He immediately said, "Not exactly. They're 'big.' We're 'ungainly.'"

Have a blast, Steph and Joe!

:) quinn

This is my kind of camping. It seems to bring out the beast in more ways than just the local wildlife. I'm sure you and Joe know what I mean. Go at it you two!

clearly! sounds like only sock knitting will do . . .

Guess you won't be taking Harry Potter along, either, huh?

Sounds like all the makings of a great getaway to me. Enjoy!

RE: Harry Potter -

To quote Doctor Who:

"Wait 'til you read book seven.....I criiiieddd...."

My 16 year old spoiled the end for me by internet snooping (the little snot!) don't let anyone do it to you.

I'd tell you to take Harry Potter with you, but that sucker is heavy.

Happy time-away-from-kids and happy knitting!

Also, I want yarn the color that your camera feels the mystery stole should be - so pretty!

Seriously, Steph, you have GOT to finish Harry Potter. I can't believe it's taken you this long. Not that I recommend leaving all knitting behind until you finish it...well, maybe I do. Read Harry. Read it.

Have a great time at Algonquin! We stayed at a bricks and mortar place with wonderful food a few years ago. (I'm a weenie.) It's so beautiful. A local resident was staying there too, and she said that Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have a place near there. Wonder if Goldie knits....

LOL. Kurt and Goldie's place is not exactly 'near' Algonquin, but I guess, if you've come from LA, then you're nearer than you are far.
It's been a long time since I've done wilderness canoeing. Miss it! We were just north/west of Sudbury (near Elliot Lake, which I always thought was MUCH more north), and saw NO wildlife, except chipmunks and squirrels, which we have here too.
Next year, hopefully, I'm going on a canoe trip to either the Yukon, or NWT, organized by a couple near Orangeville (where I'm at). You should come! We could freak them out with our knitting!

My knitting is appalling this summer (I don't even want to talk about my lame and pathetic attempts at MS3)but I did manage to read all 7 Harry Potters inside a month - those things are addictive!
I'm just back from 2 weeks at the cottage/camping with my kidlets and am exhausted. I've packed them off to papa's for the long weekend with huge relief. Have a great time at Algonquin - one day I'll be able to do that again...

My daughter and I were in London, England the week following the release of the new Harry Potter book. Travelling on the Underground, almost every other person in the carriage was engrossed in reading same. Just before getting off at her stop, a woman blurted-out the book's ending. Comments?

Weekend away without kids is the perfect time to read Harry Potter, oh wait....weight matters. scrap that. Have a good trip!

It's my first time posting - I just had to tell Jan - there is a special place in hell reserved for people like that woman!

Steph - Have a wonderful time camping with your husband.

That would be too funny if you woke up to see the city squirrel's country cousins getting revenge on your knitting.

Enjoy the kid-free knitting! A nice light pair of socks sound perfect! And don't feel bad about not finishing Harry Potter. I haven't read any of them.

My boys bought some halogen headlamps that would be great for knitting while camping.. purchased at Canadian Tire

Backwoods camping? Humorous writings? Passionate knitting? Methinks the spirit of E.Z. has inhabited you!

::snerk:: Nope, Marin, you're not the only one. I clicked, *then* hovered, just to make sure! LOL.

Have a great time, Stephanie! *Real* camping...sounds lovely. Although I can just imagine me trying to do it now. It is to laugh. I'd probably wouldn't be able to get out of the sleeping bag in the mornings because all my joints were frozen. Or would need a crane; the mechanical kind. [g] Aside from sock knitting, you could also take a drop spindle and some roving; spinning fine for sock yarn and Navajo plying would be neat. Don't forget to watch out for those swimming, canoe-chasing moose!

The stole is so lovely. Have a great weekend.

I'm going camping too. But the kind where there are bathrooms and showers. Still, it's rough enough for me! I'm leaving my knitting at home though. Afraid to let my yarn get mucky. You're brave to bring it along!

And I thought I had it hard packing for a weekend with the MIL. Wine, wine, wine and socks to knit while she never stops talking. Not that I'm bitter.

Barb

That's beautiful and I love the actual color. Have a great time this weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing you and hearing you talk on the 15th of Sept. here in L.A.

Enjoy Algonquin! I haven't been in 30 years, but always loved our visits. Moose, beaver, eagles. The lakes were always so clear and quiet, and I remember how peaceful it was just to stop paddling for a moment and listen to the water on the canoe and the birdsongs from the trees. Lovely.
Don't forget something to read aloud to Joe in case he feels like paddling you around like Cleopatra on her barge!
Also, don't forget the TP and camp shovel.

Hope you relax completely. Breathe and breathe and breathe.

Like Madeline (above) I am thinking that you are sounding more and more like EZ herself - canoeing, camping, knitting... She always did a variety of stuff out there in the wild. I can't quite picture you dealing with Christmas fiddle-faddle by the campfire, however. Enjoy!

The Fred and George socks get my vote as well.
Good on you, avoiding the Harry Potter spoilers! I did, too, and now that I have finished it, I am so glad I did. Although, I never expected Dr. Phil to show up.
Katherine

This is a reply to Jan. Not really? And did she live to get off the tube??? I would have killed her. Seriously! I would have!

No spoiler here, but I thought that HP7 is a wonderfully written story and quite worthy of being the capstone of the series. Enjoy the book, and the camping trip. I'm jealous.

So, it's socks then? I MIGHT be able to knit a sock by campfire. . . more likely for me it would be a scarf.

I too clicked the letters.

Girl, YOU'VE GOT TO FINISH THE BOOK!!!!

Have loads of fun. I love camping minus the lack of a real toilet. (maybe that's because I lived without a real toilet for six years. Let me tell you, an outhouse in February in Wisconsin in blinking COLD!!!)

I'm not finished Harry Potter either - only half way through, and taking my time, but loving it.

Have a nice time!

OOoo, I love Algonquin Park. Did the canoeing, camping, portaging thing many years ago. Don't forget to pack the bug dope and lots of it. The trip would have been perfect if not for the flaming red welt of black fly bites on my back just above the waistband, which I managed to acquire during the portaging. The scarring lasted over a year! I imagine this time of year the mosquitos must be big enough to carry a little one like you clear away. Maybe you should tie a safety line to Joe. *Grin*

I am so jealous! I want to go camping. I hope you have a great time.

two words: superwash. socks.

P>S> have a romantic awesome fabulous time.

okay, I can't believe you're going to take knitting with you. Not because I disagree with it's necessity, but because I've been on the kind of camping trip where you have to hike in, and I'm the type of girl who partway through the hike (note: my husband is fond of mountains) is wondering why we need food. or tent poles. or a camera.

Yeah, I'm a wimp. I vote for a sock. Or a baby bootie.

Lee Ann, honey, it's more than my life is worth to bug Steph about the gansey too much this close to the writing deadline. She knows where I live and how to get here. Which isn't to say I won't bust her if there's no spinning on Tuesday.

Rams, petal, your idea of what to do this weekend (sans classes on Monday) sounds lovely and civilized and I shall join you in it. I've already done my bit to uphold the noble Canadian tradition of portaging this summer.

Enjoy your canoeing and camping! Sock knitting is perfect camping knitting. When we canoed several weeks ago I started to wonder though if a sock on wooden needles that fell into the water would float.

Hmmmm, no running water, no electricity, no bathroom. OK. But will you have the all-important Internet access ???? Just kidding.
Enjoy your 'roughing it' mini-vacation.

Socks? Underwear? Something fun, since you can't switch projects on the trail.

I went on a 10-day Scout trip in the Boundary Waters when I was sixteen. It was utterly amazing and I expect Algonquin might be about the same. Enjoy your trip!

Me= very jealous of your trip. We're thinking of going there in the summer of next year, but we'll be toting at least 2 kids and a dog.

There has got to be some sort of International Deadline beyond which the official policy toward those who haven't finished HP #7 becomes "Tough noogies," when plot points cease to be "spoilers" and become common knowledge and let the conversations land where they may.

That said, the subway woman should have been stoned with #7s. Exactly the sort of thing Bellatrix would do.

Poor Knitter indeed.

I read your post the other day and then this morning I was reading The Opinionated Knitter by EZ. In it she describes a long camping trip with her husband, very simple and rustic. So I naturally made the connection to your own nature adventure. I hope you have better weather!

Meg "I need to wind my balls tighter" McG

Enjoy enjoy!!!! Algonquin is one of my favorites. The dragonflies there are in all colors. Where did you put in?

We didn't do Algonquin this year - we decided to try a new locale and went to Awenda instead. It was lovely, but I miss 'Quin!
More socks for Joe?

Hope you have some fun adventure to share with us! Although you make anything mundane sound fun...you have a way with words...

Lions and tigers and bears! Oh my! Better you than me. Hope you have a great time. I have camped in Algonquin in my younger years, and it is a beautiful place. Except for the black flies. Enjoy.

Knitting by firelight sounds really wonderful! Life without teenagers sounds wonderful! I hope y'all had a great trip.

I can't believe you used the words "portaging" and "lovely" in the same sentence! Have a fantastic time, and stay safe.

I envy you your lace-knitting abilities---and also how fast you knit. Hey, are you ever going to be an instructor on one of those knitting cruises? I see them advertised sometimes---and it looks so very fun to cruise while taking classes and hanging out with other knitters. Here in Podunk, I have yet to find another knitter. (I do have a couple of elderly patients who used to knit---but I haven't been able to get them to try it again due to their arthritis, illnesses or weakness---although I try to bribe them by telling them I'd provide all the yarn and needles they'd want.)

Sounds like loads of fun. My daughter has been to Canada and speaks with awe of the natural beauty there.

When I was in graduate school I went dogsledding in the Algonquin park. One of the best weeks of my life.

Enjoy your holiday!

And finish Harry Potter!!!

My family and I enjoy Alqonquin very much. We load up the vehicle with all the gear and the two kayaks strapped on top and pass through your lovely city on our way up from the States. One year I insisted on stopping at your lys. Of course parking does not exist there and my poor dh was stuck driving around the block trying not to knock out anyone with the ends of the kayaks as he turned the corners on the narrow streets. Lovely neighborhood though!

Of course,it's a little late to mention this now..but...the CD edition of Harry Potter is WONDERFUL...(Jim Dale does more than 100 voices--and won a Grammy..) you can knit at the same time..AND you can back it up or pause when you have to count..........Sandi

Oooo! This could be a new category for Ravelry! Camp knitting - light, doable by firelight and dunkable! I like it!

Oh I am so jealous! I'd love a weekend in Algonquin (or where ever) canoeing, camping and portaging ... I haven't been since last summer. *pout*

I hope you had lots of relaxation and fun. :)

I went camping this weekend myself. No canoeing. I didn't get much knitting in, but did some needle felting and filled a spindle with singles.

I took lace knitting on my camping trip this weekend, but it wasn't roughing it. We had a cabin.
Just the same? Don't try to knit lace by firelight, even if you've got multiple strings of partylights behind you. No matter how comfortable you are knitting lace. Especially with handspun mohair.

Since they haven't invented powdered beer yet, I'm betting long odds that your weekend's bevvages involved rye and cool, boiled water.

I upheld that fine other Canadian long weekend tradition of splaying, undignifiedly white, on the beach and camping. Perfect weather for it too. And car camping allowed me to bring beers and multiple wips.

Sending you good vibes for a stress-free getting the girls off to school tomorrow. I can hear the 9 a.m. sigh from here.

We went car camping this weekend (the car carries all the stuff) - with bathrooms, 2 kids, and puppy. At night it got cold. My husband asked bewildered - you didn't bring wool socks! It made me think of all the people who lived before central heating and that they HAD to knit those wool socks or freeze.

And EZ's Knitter's Almanac where she knits different types of projects throughout the year and September has these undergarments. Stuff like long underwear. I now so understand.

So I have a craving to knit pink ragg wool socks. Anyone know where I can find such yarn?

By the way, as I was sitting by the campfire with DH after the kids were asleep, I was thinking, the Yarn Harlot would be knitting now, but I can't see a freaking thing. The headlamp idea is great and we actually had two with us. DH hates them cause the person wearing them looks at you and it is right in your eyes. Next time though.

I am so glad someone else gets the "teenage daughter free" part!I sent my 16 year old daughter (only child) to Cancun with the fest of my family and nobody could understand how it was a vacation for me to stay at home! No one needing to be driven anywhere, no one whining, etc. I had a great time!

Excellent blog. You will be an good influence on K, my wife, who was raised camping in an RV and who has worked her way back to a tent.

btw, I accidentally downloaded your Audiobook onto my iPod and started listening at the point you said something like "Screw it, I'll see if anyone knows a cold elephant." I laughed out loud and now sort of understand my wife's obsession with the Y harlot.

Clearly you should knit a fishnet bag with some fishing thread. you could then use it for fishing, it won't mind any water spilled on it... and I am sure that you are clever enough to knit one without much of a pattern.
I wish you lots of fun with your husband, lucky you. I hope I won't have to wait until my childs are teenager to enjoy a long week-end again!
(I am not honest here. We have had some nice two or three days alone thanks to my awesome mother. But I crave for a full week. Away. Without any computer or work to keep us separate...)

You know, I spent two full weeks camping just last month, and spent several hours hiking through woods and streams with my dog this weekend, and just seeing your post made me really wish I could get out to the wilderness for ONCE and have a decent break from the sprawl . . . time to move.

Lovely socks for your hubby. Thought you might like to know that they are requiring tickets in advance for your event in Wichita, KS? I hope people realize that. I have never heard you comment about having to have tickets before. I hope all works out well.

When I'm knittting in the dark I rely on plain vanilla socks (in fabulous hand-painted yarns) because i can do everything but pick up the gusset stitches without really seeing.

I stopped reading HP after the second book even though me son loves them and we had all of them shipped by Amazon to arrive on the release date, so now I've re-read those 2 and working my way through the series. Almost done Order of the Phoenix.

As for MS 3, I joined on the last date and my white zephyr took 2 weeks to show up and then I was on vacation with no internet for 10 days (knitting socks in the dark, watching the moon rise over Casco Bay) and now I realize I'm already behind on my christmas knitting, so the charts are all printed out but I'm not gonna even swatch until after Boxing Day.

So what did you take? A garter-stitch dishcloth perchance? That would be about my speed.

That's why socks were invented, dear. And by all means leave the gansey at home under lock and key . . . do you know how many squirrels are in the woods?!!!

Glad you're slowing down on MS3. I'm only 1/2 way through clue 3. (Was all the way through until . . . well, let's just say that lifelines are my friend.)

I just finished Harry Potter a little while ago. The ending? Well this is what I thought:

http://knittingwithfire.blogspot.com/2007/08/i-finished.html

What fun you must have had. Thanks for sharing your experience and awesome pictures.

I am envious of a trip without kids! My three are all still under 6 years old (tearing out my hair as I type!)

I love reading your blog, you always make me giggle! I too bought the Harry Potter book. Actually, I lined up to buy it the day it was released. Sadly, I discovered sock knitting the very same day and am only about four chapters in at this point, lol. Every time I pick it up and try to read, all I can think about are socks.

I just finished Clue 4 last night! I've started on Clue 5 and can't wait to get through more. It's really helped get me going on this project again.