Process

Knitting has taught me a lot about following through from inspiration to planning to finished product. I'm easily inspired, but easily frustrated. Especially when I start digging deeper and realize that things aren't as easy as they might seem.

Like, for example, just about any pattern made to fit a an adult female. Hey! Looks great on the model. Looks great on knitters in blogs and on Ravelry. But hey! I'm generally too tiny for even the smallest size of most knit patterns. So anything I knit for myself from a pattern is going to take some modifying.

But of course, modifying isn't always as easy as it sounds. Sure, you can take out a pattern repeat here or there - but then it affects how the sleeves come together or how this-or-that is shaped. I often feel like I'm in way over my head when I start doing all those gymnastics. However, some projects inspired me enough to do the math, think of all the alternatives, try it out, rip it out, think again, try again, rip again.. etc. Like my darn Hourglass Cardi. (More on that monster some other day.)

I do have a point.. somewhere.

Spring is doing its thing, and there are beautiful flowers and lots of green popping up in all my neighbors' yards. My yard, however, looks like a wasteland. Well, okay. We have some dandelions.


And some cute little purple flowers. And some more cute little purple flowers. And some not-entirely-unpleasant white flowers that I'm fairly certain are weeds. And lots of nasty spikey things.


I guess there are things growing. But all in all, it's a darn pathetic yard. (It could use another good mowing... guess I should get on that.)


A few weeks ago, I hopped over to Lowe's to buy some edging, mulch, and flowers. Uh, yeah. The edging was ugly, and I didn't even get past that. Haha.

So I've been reading, researching, and wandering around nurseries. Each time I start, I'm motivated and excited. About 10-15 minutes into it, I'm completely dismayed at the amount of planning necessary.. as well as the extreme lack of knowledge I possess.

I need plants that grow well in shade. I need to test the soil. We have an erosion problem, so I need to grade the area in front of the house and build a small barrier. We need retaining walls - 2 on each side (leaving that to the pros!). I need to make sure that everything drains properly.. away from the house, but also around it and down the hill.. instead of forming a lake in front of the house. There are pipes and wires to consider. Termites to beware of. Clay soil to amend.

I'm beginning to realize that this will be a long process. I want to do it right, and I want to do it (mostly) myself. I've got a lotta learning to do.

But I'm pretty sure I can at least stick to it.