I found this pattern a while ago and wanted to try it out, but never really got around to it – even after I bought yarn specifically for it. I blame the moving around. Anyway, it is finally done!
I like the diamond pattern.
This is a super light weight knit vest that I can still wear in summer. I will probably make more in more colors since it was a fun project to work on.
We have talked about sheepdog trials for quite some time and we we finally learned that we lived right next to on: on the local island of Vashon. We decided to make a day of it and go check out the sheepdog trials, now with yarn and rural fair!
The sheep dog trial was as fun to watch as we imagined. It is much more of a sport (at least for the dog) than I imagined with a bizarre set of rules about where the sheep had to be led and when and in which specific directions. Plus, it is fun to watch dogs running around a field looking like they are enjoying themselves.
The funniest part of the trials were the puppies that were being walked around, obviously in training for future trials. They were super excited to see everybody and everything, and I suppose getting that out of their system is probably the point.
Sheepdog about to achieve final victory with a pen.
One of the sheep escaped and started to get friendly with the crowd. It was promptly wrestled to the ground and put back into play.
Not all dogs were sheepdogs on the day of the trials. Some were very chill vineyard dogs.
Plus, we had to do some obligatory hiking on Vashon.
On the trip back, we got to see some cars of the older mini variety in convoy.
Just a quick post to say that I’ve posted a new knitting pattern to Etsy and am also selling the gloves there. This is exciting for me as it’s my first knitting pattern for sale. I had a lot of fun making it.
The fingerless gloves I’ve posted on Etsy.
The yarn I used is super soft and is the same as I used for as my other recent project: convertible mittens. Lloyd and I have recently done a lot of hiking from nice warm weather to snow due to altitude and I wanted some mittens to keep my hands warm in the varying temperatures. The pattern is also on Etsy, but the mittens are for me. 
My new convertible mittens, awaiting their first hike.
They turn into these. Nice and warm!
Jasmine and I decided to take advantage of the nice summer weather and go for a hike up in the Cascades. Leaving Seattle to the east there is only one major road that goes through the mountains: I-90. As such, there are a large number of hikes that start on the I-90 corridor and, frankly, it is hard to find a hike that doesn’t have an I-90 trailhead.
The trailhead for Annette Lake is about a one hour drive east on I-90 and is both pretty and popular. We hit up lake late on a weekday, so we missed out on the worst of the crowd and managed to get maximum pretty.
The hike is only 7.5 miles and only has one small downside: it is all uphill on the way out with a 1800 ft elevation gain. It is not that I like flat hikes better, but I do like some variety in my walk other than straight up. But the hike is well worth it with a stunning alpine lake at the summit. The lake was, however, a bit brisk. I estimate the temperature at 0 C based on the snow covering 3/4 of the lake, so no swimming. 
It wouldn’t be a cascade hike without some waterfalls.
Snow! The last mile was on again off again snow covered trail.
Pretty lake! I promise the lake is under the snow.
I found the lake! And while I didn’t go swimming, I did wade in knee deep. It was COLD!
I use the Cedar River Trail when biking to and from work every day, but I only go west on it into Renton. For a change of pace, Jasmine and I decided to bike on it to the east. As it turns out, we went the whole way to the source of the trail (~15 miles) and it was a pretty nice bike ride. There were certain nice little parts of the river that we need to go back and check out: some nice places to hang out and swim in the river.
It only takes about 20 minutes of biking to get out into almost the country.
The trail is very pretty for the last 5 miles past Maple Valley.
At the end of the trail is some water treatment and salmon locks. I only wish the trail kept going.
Some Jasmine bicycle times, for your viewing pleasure.