Nordic Lights

Now that autumn is really here, I thought it was time for another knitting challenge. Dad's cardigan is almost finished--I'll post the completed pattern as soon as I get a chance--and, while I still have mom's shawl to do, I'm pretty sure I can handle two projects at once. A few weeks back, I found a picture of a pair of socks called Nordic Lights. The pattern, which I found at an online magazine for handspinners, makes use of Scandinavian snowflake motifs and handspun yarn.
I'm not sure if it's really cheating, but since I'm not sure I'm a good enough spinner to do fingering weight without a huge struggle I've decided to use Mountain Colors BearFoot yarn instead. So far, it's going fairly well, but I wonder what size foot these socks were designed for! I wear a size 8/8.5, and these look like they'll be a bit smaller than that, even though I'm using needles that are two sizes bigger than those recommended in the pattern. We'll see how it turns out.
The colors aren't as bright as the picture makes them appear--Rosehip is a deep, variegated maroon/red combination, while Blue-green is more a peacock blue--so the pattern is turning out to be fairly subtle. It can only really be seen if the light hits it just right. Oh. Looks like I'll be able to write another yarn review once I finish the first sock!



On a more somber note, Doggie is getting old. She turned 7 in August; that's pretty old for a Dane. Now that she's in her twilight, she's begun having some minor problems. Not arthritis and diminished eye sight, as might be expected, but she's been having some digestive troubles brought on by a bacterial imbalance. Poor thing. It's something fixable, but it's uncomfortable for her--and for those of us *ahem* who are on duty in the yard.
For the past couple of years we've been feeding her cooked ground turkey, which the vet assures us is fine, as long as we don't overfeed her, along with her usual dry food. This has happened once before: she goes off her usual food and we have to jump through hoops to figure out what will be more palatable to her. Right now, by some strange quirk, it's canned dog food mixed with yogurt, served over rice cooked in chicken broth and.... Poor dog. I guess now that she's an old lady she deserves to be spoiled. But whoever heard of dogs eating chicken fried rice? It's not the oily kind of fried rice.. it's just cooked in a frying pan with a minimum of oil, a little bit of soy sauce, and shredded chicken, peas, carrots, and water chestnuts.
Of course, the cats are jealous because there's chicken involved. They'll almost commit murder to get bits of shredded chicken.