FO: Brownie

At the very end of the field season, after running back and forth across the state with deer and supplies, the graduate student (hereafter referred to as 'A') and I had to head up to Bellingham to a rehabber place for a quick visit.  We'd been doing a lot of driving and so instead of yet another 12 hour driving day, we stopped via Seattle for the night to visit with my brother and Julian.  It was a super relaxing night with good food, good wine, and good company.  My brother made this chicken curry for us which was amazing...I have since made the recipe twice more and can attest that it really is an awesome recipe rather than being 'something other than field food so we thought it tasted fabulous when it really didn't'.  Trust me, this is a common problem when you live in the woods.   Rarely should one recommend food while living in the field...cardboard can taste good just because it is new and different!  Anyway...I also made a blackberry cobbler from berries A and I had picked that final morning. 

I do have a point to this post but before we get there, I'll share a funny aside.  The night that A and I were in Seattle sitting on my brother's deck listening to his fish pond, knitting, and reading sunset magazine while clean and wearing something other than carharts and work boots...and then enjoying an incredible dinner with wine...  2 of our male technicians, the youngest of our crew and the least experienced (which relates to the biggest culture shock) were on their way home back east.  A's husband still lives in Boise and so 'the boys' crashed there the first night.  A's husband didn't really know what to do with a couple guys in their early 20's so he fed them beer, steak, potatoes, and salad and sat them in front of the TV to watch sports.  All through the night, there was a constant texting competition on who was having the better night and the better food.  A and I of course thought we were in heaven, but so did the boys with their meat, potatoes, beer, and sports.  Girls and boys really are different.

Back to the point...when we were leaving in the morning, my brother got behind Julian and asked in a little kid voice 'Where's my winter hat auntie Rachel?'.  Now how can one say no to this face?  

So I searched for an interesting, cute hat that maybe was knit in a way that could last more than one winter and found Brownie, a Woolly Wormhead design.  The cabled band makes for a very stretchy hat (laying flat, the hat is about 17.5 inches in circumference but it will fit my 21.5 inch head stretched to its max) and so I'm sure he can wear it at least two winters.  The only mods were to add the ties since apparently the child hates hats (but I'm gonna work on him with that!) and the only way to keep them on his head is with a tie.  So with a tie it is.

Now, I asked my brother for modeled shots.  He took them but is not really into the whole 'photographing knitted items' thing so they aren't great.  I'll be getting better shots at Xmas.  However, as you can see from the pictures, there is definitely room to grow but still (for the most part if it is pulled down a bit further) looks okay now.  

Now let's leave this post with a better picture of Julian (you know, one where he isn't looking like he just woke up and is completely confused by why someone put a hat on his head and is taking pictures).  I stole this off my brother's flickr page...perhaps we have a little cook on our hands? Though right now he doesn't seem all that impressed by the utensils!

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Now playing:  If I Had A Boat by Lyle Lovett

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