Football Socks, and After Football Socks

My Gaelic Football team had a tournament on the weekend.  However lovely and summery the weather looks in these photos though, it was not so.  It was bitterly cold and rainy, and later turned to sleet and snow.  The Edmonton ladies played well, though we did unfortunately lose to Calgary, and we were a bit too soaked with rain and frozen for a rematch.  Today's games were cancelled, so we'll just have to meet on the pitch on a day when our limbs won't be rendered completely numb.  I was continually surprised whenever I managed to catch and carry the ball, as I really thought my hands weren't working anymore; they certainly had a hard time re-tying my bootlaces when they came undone during the match.

We had a great time afterward at the party in the nice warm club, and I wore my socks that I had completed in the morning.  These are Bettie’s Lace Stockings by Hana Jason in Louet Gems fingering weight.  I tried these last year, and had gauge issues (as in, I had to block the half-completed sock just to get it on my foot).  I'm so very glad I tried these again with larger needles, and am pleased with the results.  Despite the fact that I had lace prints on my legs and feet afterward, I felt quite comfortable wearing them.  They were also surprisingly warm, which was great, as I wasn't giving up on my plan to wear them, snow or no snow.

This was my first ever lace project, and though I found it daunting at first, eventually sorted it out.  I'm thinking I'd like to work on something in plain stockinette for awhile, but have plans to try lace again sometime.

A few people in the neighbourhood had covered their plants last night, but aside from bringing in a small batch of seedlings last night, I left out the rest uncovered with no ill results.  After all, there was no frost even if there was snow.  Still, I was a little worried about how the morning glories would fare.  They haven't been looking that happy, but they're still getting by.  They're meant to be a companion to my hops by covering the other part of the arched trellis, but the hops is well ahead, and looks like it grows a good 10-20 cm a day. 

I know it's supposed to be a fast grower, but it still surprises me just how fast.  Hopefully the morning glories put at least some effort into this even if they can't hope to outdo the hops.  I just mulched this bed the other day, and I love how tidy it looks!  I wish I had mulched it before the chickweed showed up, but hopefully any little bits we missed while weeding won't amount to much.

Now, which socks to knit for my next football after party...