Feebeeglee hooked me with up with these pictures of Ms. Rice. She is apparently responding to those excessively short skirts.

Yesterday, #2 son and I went to the farmers market and bought plants (also bread and salad greens and farm-fresh eggs). We got to see some friends and have a bit of a walk and revel in the beauty of the day. This picture is from last year’s market — we didn’t take any snaps yesterday — but this is what it looks like. Fewer vegetables and more plants at this time of year, of course. We all stroll around the square filling up our bags, talking with our neighbors about the news of the day and admiring one another’s kids and dogs and purchases. What could be nicer?

When we got home, the others helped with the planting, and we installed the strawberry netting. As we were out there, the first rose of the season unfurled — a Joseph’s Coat — and the heady scents of thyme and lavender and melissa made the work particularly pleasant. My husband whittled pegs from fallen wood to hold down the netting, which we supported with tomato cages — I always find it so impressive that he can do things like that. I picked some of the herbs for a pot of lentil soup, which we ate with crusty bread from the market.

With the housework and errands and gardening finished, I moved on to my knitting. The boys went to their friends’ houses and some of their friends came over here, too, and I got to talk with both of my daughters, thanks to the wonders of modern technology.

Sometimes, on a very ordinary day like that, I feel so grateful for the sheer ordinariness of the day.

The front of the T-shirt is finished. Zebra with hat, monkey with turban, flower? It is not as clear as I had hoped, I must admit, but I still like it. I have taken the picture at a bit of an angle here, so you have to tilt your head slightly to see it properly.

I don’t like the bind-offs at the shoulders and neckline of this pattern. If I make another, I will smooth them out. I think I will also forego KnitPro and use a pattern charted by a human, preferably an artist. It was a fun experiment, though, and I think I will continue to practice with it.

And here is the beginning of the sleeve. I did make an effort to set up my knitting area better yesterday, following Nona’s example. I brought out some measuring implements and my tin of pins, a glass of iced tea, and my book (Quentins) for Book Club. I had a dog at my feet. Does that count? I even — since the new roses are beginning to bloom now — got out the last of last year’s dried roses and made a spring potpourri. I can’t say that the knitting experience felt any different from my usual pull-it-out-of-the-basket approach. However, it is always good to try new things. Even little new things like that. You never know.