Nature

Yellow Birds and Yellow Flowers

A yellow finch has been hanging around in my backyard. It is looking for sunflower seeds. I have a bird feeder back there but it is empty. I haven’t filled it in about a month. It is on my garage. I placed it there so that the birds would poop on Stray Cat neighbor’s car. She deserved it. When she got rid of the stray cat’s living in her garage I stopped filling the feeder and planted the seeds along the patch of dirt near the fence that separated our back yards. The sunflowers have bloomed but no seeds as yet. Despite this, every day I see that yellow finch inspecting the sunflowers. This morning I finally filled the feeder for it. I want it to keep coming around. It is a lovely sight to see such a pretty bird in my yard. This blog has some lovely pictures of finches and sunflowers Basset Knitter. I guess that I am not the only one who has yellow finches and sunflowers.

During those times of quiet contemplation looking at the wonders of nature, I find myself reflecting on the silliness of our modern lives.

I was thinking today about the last time I visited my allergist office. The doctor really unnerved me that day. The room is like any other patient room with the bed thingy, a sink, cabinets, computer, desk and chair. He sits at the chair and types almost everything that I say. In between keystrokes he pauses to pump the antibacterial gel into his hand. He does this several times in the span of ten minutes. Keep in mind, he is my allergist. He doesn’t really touch me.

I meet with the nurse first who inputs general updated information into the computer. After he examines me, he washes his hands and sits at the desk. At the desk he only touches the computer keys. Even so, he methodically pumps the bottle and massages his hands with the gel while talking to me.

Finally, I asked him if his hands were finally free from bacteria. He laughed and then pumped another dollop into his palm. The doctor rubbed his hands together and said, “I do this all of the time.” I asked him to stop doing it in front of me. I mentioned that I do not like the smell of most of those antibacterial gels and I find them to be misleading. He seemed shocked and moved his praying hands towards me like some yoga gesture. I backed up as if HE had cooties.
It is just not natural to sanitize one's hands that often.

Next time I visit him, I will suggest that he keep alcohol pads near the keyboard and just clean it before he uses it and I will stay clear of his nurses. I wonder if he uses the gel after he types in his PIN at that ATM or the grocery store? Those keys must be full of people germs. I will ask him next visit.

Going Against My Nature

A friend is having another birthday. Last year, I convinced myself that I would knit for her a wrap that she could wear on fancy evenings. Too bad that I could not convince the WIP that it was a wrap. I am really a hooker and sometimes these knitted projects hurt my feelings when they go wrong.

I remember finishing it up while visiting friends. I held it up and the 11 year old daughter asks, “ What is it?” I said a wrap. Then she said, “What kind of wrap.” I turned the garment around to figure out what had her so confused. The wrap was not rectangular in shape as would be expected. It was more…. Trapezoid.

I frogged it to the point where I had lost its shape and started again. The finished product resembled a warped rectangle. I completely frogged it and made it too wide. While it maintained its shape, I could not imagine it functioning as anything other than a blanket.

I ripped it again and began a mobius shawl. I am crossing my fingers that it works. At least with the mobius I can’t tell if it isn’t a rectangle. And it has been an entire year, actually longer that this project has been a work in progress. I jsut want it completed and out of my house her birthday or not.

Because of this adventure, I have found that sometimes it is better to just change a knitted project into a crochet project.