I'm still here!

You'll be happy to know I'm not dead.... yet. The school work is kicking my butt at the moment, not to mention all the traveling. I'm sitting here wondering where the heck April went! The end is in sight though. Just a week and a half of classes left, then finals and then it's graduation time. *sigh* I can't wait.

I didn't get nearly as much knitting done as I thought I would. Probably because a lot of the driving was at night... I guess I didn't account for that, but oh well. Right now I'm working on the edging to my Print 'O the Wave stole. I just wish I had known before I started it that there was an error in the pattern. I kept thinking I was crazy because I was counting it and redoing it and counting it again and according to the pattern it was supposed to work out, but according to my knitting I had one extra stitch. Let me just tell you, the internet is a wonderful thing. I found the error through a quick google search and now I'm back on track and in no danger of pulling my hair out from frustration.

I also started a pair of socks on the trip, because as we all know, socks are the best for traveling knitting.The yarn is Trekking and the pattern is pretty much just one I'm making up. It's just a traveling rib cable pattern. I plan on making the second sock a little different by knitting the cable in the opposite direction. In my head it's gonna look great, we'll see how it looks in reality when I'm finished, and let's be honest, that won't be until well after school's over.

Before ending this post I'd like to show you my favorite picture from the trip to NYC. We went to that American Natural History Museum on our last day there and they had an exhibt all about butterflies. You basically walked into a room filled with live butterflies from all over the world. I have to admit, I have a thing for butterflies so naturally I took a lot of pictures. My best one I didn't even realize was my best until I got home and looked at the pictures on my computer. I was just randomly snapping a picture of the butterfly in the foreground only to find out later my camera focused on the one in the background. Sometimes mistakes can be good things!

On a sidenote, I just wanted everyone to know I haven't been commenting on anyone's blog because right now I just don't have time. As soon as school is finished I plan on reading up on what everyone's been up to this past month. I just wanted to let you all know I haven't forgotten about you!

250th!

I just discovered that this is my 250th post! Unfortunately I didn't plan any great 250th post celebration. I've been a bit busy recently. As anyone who's ever been a college student knows, things begin to pile up and get crazy towards the end of a semester. Especially towards the end of your last semester. Not only are you dealing with the projects and assignments due after class, but you're also dealing with where you're going after school.

Needless to say, there's been a lot on my plate. It certainly has contributed to my lack of blogging recently and I'm sorry for that. I love blogging, but sometimes, since I have all these other projects going, it feels like just another thing I have to do. I don't want it to become a chore, so I only do it when I feel I have a bit of spare time or am inspired by something I want to share with you.

This time the inspiration is my current project...The Print 'O the Wave stole. I pinned out a small section of the first panel I finished (It's made in two panels that are grafted together so the waves are pointing in opposite directions from the center; genius!) Mine is a bit thicker than the one shown on the pattern because I'm using laceweight and she used cobweb weight yarn. I actually really like it this thick. It's warm and the yarn is nice and soft (Shadow by KnitPicks).

I'll hopefully be working a bit more on this because I have some traveling in my future. The best kind of traveling too, where I'm the passenger and I get to knit! This weekend we're headed down to DC to the National Zoo. I'm really looking forward to this trip because the last time I was at the National Zoo I was about 10 and still living in Maryland! I'm sure things have changed a bit in 15 years and I'm really excited to see it.

Next weekend we're off to NYC to see the Central Park Zoo and the Bronx Zoo. I haven't been to either of them so it should be fun.

And lets not forget the best thing of all... Lots of knitting time in the car!

The week in Buffalo

Where do I even begin?

Last week I spent my time job shadowing/mini-interning in Buffalo at three different facilities. You saw the picture of the beluga, well that was just the beginning. There was also killer whales (orcas)...
Not to mention the humbolt penguins I got to feed. Unfortunately my hands were all fishy so I couldn't take a picture.

At the aquarium, I fed the cutest harbor seal known to man...I know, I know... she's killing you with cuteness.Other highlights would be giving enrichment to the giraffes.The buckets are filled with hay, vegetables and "giraffe biscuits" and there are holes cut into the sides of the bucket. Basically it's designed to make them use the long tongues to get into the buckets and get the goodies.

I also enriched him and his playmate (Kodiak & Grizzly bears).Basically we went into their enclosure (obviously not while they were in there) and smeared peanut butter on the walls and hid their food all over the enclosure. It basically makes them use their noses to sniff out the food.

My trip had so many highlights, but one of the best was getting to give two elephants baths.This is just a picture of the rinsing off. The keeper gave them the command to lay down and once they were down we went in and scrubbed them down with elephant soap (actual soap designed specifically for elephants!).

All-in-all, it was a great week with a ton of great experiences. Of course, the highlights I'm telling you about are just that, highlights. I'm totally leaving out the majority of time which was spent shoveling ____ (I'm sure you can only guess what goes in that blank) and cleaning. But I tell you, it's so worth it when you get to work with some amazing animals.

I'll be posting some knitting stuff soon too, that is, when I find the time, this week has been crazy too!