Whale songs

Interesting little article about Whale Songs. Found via BoingBoing.

Knitting Links I Don't Want to Lose

I bet the Chinese wave stitch would make a great shawl.
This looks like an interesting stitch for a shawl too at bellaonline.com but I think it may be crochted.
I also like these socks at Knitty with tulips on the heels.
And here are some cool knitted roses on a collar that would look good as a scarf or purse or maybe on a hat.
Here's a good article on socks. How to choose yarns, care of them & other tips.
I read an article by someone who wrote about buying ugly sweaters at Thrift Shops and then unraveling them to make new hats and such. I can't find the article now but it had a link to this site on how to unravel a sweater.
Oh, Kntty, of course.
Another one from Knitty. A silly hallowig.
Here's how to hem jeans like a pro.
Lots and lots of good knitting and other craft stuff. Even a site with free knitting videos. That could be helpful. I think I'll go look at that right now.

Practice, Practice

Just found this agility site on how to build some through Dogpatch.
We did try using an old door with cans of food and towels under it for a teeter & a broom over file drawers in the basement. Not great but it did give us some practice and Bosco appreciated the hot dogs.

Agility Class

Bosco and I had our 12th Agility Class last night. Yes, I have actually made it to twelve consecutive classes. We actually got to run most of the course all at once, just leaving out the teeter. Oh yeah, and the weave poles. And the chute. But still, we did way more all at once than we've ever done before. It was really fun, except for the part where I did a faceplant after the last hurdle. He'll do great if I can just get it down.
This time we went over a jump, over the A frame, over a jump, through a tunnel, through another tunnel, over a jump, over the big dog walk, over a jump, through the tire and through both tunnels again. Whew! We were both panting. Bosco did really well except for refusing the second tunnel. I really have to make some equipment and start praticing at home more.

Interesting Thing of the Day

Grass Photographs
Interesting artwork describes using grass. found at "Interesting Thing of the Day" in the archives.
Book Crossings also from "Interesting Thing of the Day". Lots of good stuff here. I'm slowly working my way through the archives and am on the mailing list to get updates each day.
Moss Graffiti I found through "Not Martha", also a great site that I check most days.
Not Martha is the site that really got me inspired to write my own blog, though hers is much better. I spent an entire weekend going through her archives. I'm going back to check out storiesfromspace to see what else is there. Later.

Chemo Caps

Here's a good site for Chemo Hats that I got via Showers of Flowers.

Dog Park

Finally got to the dog park yesterday. Bosco was so happy. None of the old guard was there but he found a couple of dogs to play with, collected a few compliments and begged a treat off of someone. There were maybe 10 or 15 dogs there unlike the 30-50 that used to show up every day. Oh, well, we don't go everyday anymore either. I'm in one of my hide in the house phases.
I picked up one of the flyers for the new Arvada dog park and noticed that there was a "sold out" tag over the little, fund raiser necklace I sent away for. I'm so glad that I got mine when I did. If I had a digital camera I could add a photo of it. It's a handprint with a paw print inside of it. Very sweet. I had thought about getting some for my nieces from Bosco for next Valentines day, maybe I can get the name of the artist somehow. They're having a leash cutting ceremony in June. We should go.
We start a new set of agility classes at Rocky mountain Agility tonight if I can get myself out of the house. I have made it to all 11 of them, one week after another so that's hopeful, yes?
Found a great link to a cool Australian commercial a few days ago on BoingBoing I'm finally getting the hang of putting links in my blog. I really want to get all my great links saved here so I don't lose them if my AOL crashes again.
I think I like having a blog but I'm not sure anyone else would want to read it.
I keep procrastinating on writing here but once I start I just go on and on.
I'm making hand knitted linen & cotton face cloths right now. Cast on 53 & then do a Chinese wave pattern. I've given a periwinkle one to Sharon, made a pink one for Joy and am half way through another periwinkle one for Penny. They are nice and rough for face scrubbing. Also made a hat for Andrew from a London Beanie pattern. I need to have Dylan try it on to see if it's long enough. I may have to go back to Showers of Flowers for another ball of yarn, ouch. It says HAM Tweed Fantasy-3 on the label & then a bunch of Asian writing. I'm going to try to keep the labels filed somewhere with what I made out of it written on the back.
Yikes! I thought I lost all of this so I'll have to remember to make a copy till I'm sure it's posted.

Things to do in Denver when you're bored or hungry

So I posted on 2 questions at AskMetafilter about things to do and places to eat in Denver & figured I should post them here too.
Parisi in North Denver at 44th & Tennyson has incredible food. I practically lived there for several weeks after I first found it. They have some of the best sandwiches I've ever tasted. Vegetarians try the one with grilled eggplant, roasted red pepper, sauteed spinach, provolone & balsamic vinegar, I think it's called the Compagna. Incredible. Lots of choices for everyone. The meat sandwiches are awesome too, lots of interesting combos. Also pizzas you've never seen anywhere else & a nice atmosphere & oh my, save room for Italian Ice Cream.

Swing Thai on Colorado. Blvd or Alameda has many items that can be ordered with shrimp, chicken or tofu.

The Mercury Cafe. Organic food, mostly if not all vegetarian, dance classes (like $5 for one quick evening class), poetry readings, music etc.
The restaurant is a trip back to the 70's & not far from downtown. A Denver institution.
If you are in Denver Sunday evenings June through July there are free Jazz concerts
in City Park. Lots of people, dancing, good music, bring a blanket to sit on.
There is a huge REI store with a climbing wall, whitewater course in the Platte River outside & a trail where you can test mountain bikes. There is often something going on in the greens around the river called Confluence Park too. Right behind the REI is a place called My Brothers Bar with great onion rings & a nice variety of beer on tap. Mostly burgers there but they probably have a couple of veggie things too. It's been there forever and has a great patio for eating outdoors. There is a pool hall across the street from that, I haven't been there but it looks busy.
Watercourse is superb just don't have the burger. I originally went there after reading a review raving about the tempe burger but It was dry and tasteless and I
almost didn't go back. However, the menu was so intriguing that I returned & everything else has been sublime.
Domo (Japanese Country)has incredible atmosphere & good food. Check out the small museum & check to see if there is an aikido class going on. There is a big window where you can see into the dojo & watch. Eat outside in the garden or inside where everything is made of big chunks of trees & stone. they also have a rotating choice of sake to try. Call to get directions & follow them even though you're sure you're in the wrong neighborhood, this is definitely a hidden gem.
Do pick up a Westword; free on every street corner or you can go to Westword.com & check the archives on most of the places mentioned above.
North Denver is fun. Check out the area around 38th & Lowell. Lots of restaurants, shops, about 10 minutes from downtown. Bang! has a salmon dish with jasmine rice and a wasabi cream sauce that I invariably have when Penny comes to town and takes me there for dinner. Mead Street Station is my favorite for lunch. The tuna with
cilantro pesto is heaven. Skip the rice, beans and tortillas and substitute a salad with the dried cherry house dressing, yum.

If you go to The Fort, go see Red Rocks Amphitheater or better yet see if there is a
concert on.
Also check out
http://www.swallowhill.com/ for concerts
Look in Westword for El Chapultepec. It's a seedy old bar, smokey as hell that has jazz. Apparently this is where all the old jazz musicians go to jam after their paying gigs are done.
I'm not sure I'd recommend it for the guys in the group but the ladies might like to check out Lake Steam on W. Colfax. Read the article in Westword, it's not for the faint of heart. Definitely an adventure. Ladies nights are Tuesday & Thursday. Or, drive up to Idaho Springs for a soak in the stone tubs, carved into the rock & filled with mineral spring water in the old caves. You can also book a great massage there. Idaho Springs is an old mountain town, interesting to walk around in. Beau Jo's pizza is where people have stopped after skiing for years.
Have fun.

Boscos Mom

This is what I'm known as at the dog park. We all know the dog's names but can't remember the owners names so it's always "Oh, you know, Bosco's Mom; Emma's Dad, or the Poodle Lady".
Bosco and I went to Dairy Queen tonight, Bosco with his head out the window making eyes at the DQ girl. She made up a little doggie dish of vanilla soft serve with a dog biscuit stuck in the top for him. Very sweet, and Bosco was very appreciative. Usually he just gets a dog biscuit. He didn't get anything at all at the DQ by my cousin, Jeanne's house, not even a smile. So the "good" DQ is the one just East of Wadsworth on 38th Avenue. Stay away from the Burger King across the street though, every time I've remembered to check they've short changed me there.
I'm addicted to http://ask.metafilter.com/ right now, ever since I found it several weeks ago. What a great idea. You post a question and people from all over the world throw in their ideas. It's wonderful.