The Red-Winged Blackbirds Are Back!!

I know this because - I am not exaggerating - a thousand of them just swooped in and landed in my yard.  Then swooped off into the woods.  And are now flitting around in the woods making quite a racket.  I hope some are going to stick around, I've missed their chirp-chirpchirp-CHIRPs (or, as I've imagined, they're very agreeable birds, so translated this becomes deh-fihniht-LEEE!).

It's like an Alfred Hitchcock movie around here these days.  I don't remember seeing these large groups of birds last year - but, considering how quickly they're here and then gone, I suppose it's largely coincidence that I'm seeing them at all, let alone two in one week!

It happened so quickly I didn't get a chance to take a picture - that is, without opening a window and scaring them all off.

However, here is a pic of the CWA as of this morning:

The border for one side is complete, and I've cast on for the second side, ignoring the pattern and just turning the work rather than cutting the yarn and working the opposite side.  I don't think it will make much of a difference in terms of aesthetics, and it will save me from having to work in a few more ends.

Speaking of which - the knitting for Spring Scrappy is nearly done, but the finishing will take a while as there are 8 billion ends to work in for that one as well.

As soon as SS is cast off, I'm going to start another cowl, roughly the same size and shape but changing up the pattern stitches a bit.  I've got a pile of colorful handspun that has asked to go next, as some practice for the luxury handspun cowl that has not yet been designed. We'll see where this one takes me!

On a completely different note - if you're looking for a weekend guilty pleasure or some oog, I've got a couple recommendations to make from Amazon Prime:

The Newsroom (guilty pleasure).  This was an HBO series in the early 2010s, created by the same guy who did West Wing (Aaron Sorkin).  The story has a great beginning, a slow arc, and a quick but satisfying end.  Be sure to check it out, but only if you're open to politically progressive perspectives (say that three times fast!).

The Report (oog).  This is an Amazon original, starring Adam Driver (although Jon Hamm and Michael C. Hall make appearances, among others).  It's all about the Senate Intelligence Committee's Torture Report, related to the CIA's use of Enhanced Interrogation Techniques immediately following the events of 9/11.  A pretty good overview of the whole issue, from my perspective.  I give it oogs due to the subject matter and some realistic portrayals, but I really liked it.