Ah, better far to live and die under the brave black flag I fly than play the santimonious part with a pirate's head and a pirate's heart!
Away to the cheating world go you, where pirate's all are well-to-do,
But I'll be true to the song I sing and live and die a pirate king!
(Pirates of Penzance, act 1.)

The Olympics are over and I feel like I won a bronze medal. I completed my project on time and with good results, but it did not have a high degree of difficulty! There was no drama at the end about whether I would actually finish, since the knitting was complete on Friday night and the hat was blocked on a mixing bowl all day Saturday. The picture shows the blue microfiber liner band (to keep the itchy stuff away from my face and ears) and the stranding detail. The pillow on which it is sitting is also Norwegian, made from a kit I bought the last time we were in Bergen. The pillow colors are traditional Norwegian house colors, and it does remind me of Norway every time I look at it.

The Valentine socks are done, and I have started a pair of toe-up socks, using some self-striping yarn that was a present from Cathy last fall. I am making an effort to knit tighter so that the socks have a bit firmer shape, but it's hard to overcome well-developed habits. The baby blanket is also back in the active knitting rotation.

Cathy, I love your 40 miles in 40 days idea and wish you good luck with it. I haven't really observed Lent in a long time, but you have made me think about doing something worthy from now until Easter.

My tomato seedlings are coming along, and I just started some peat pots of nasturtiums this morning. They are the tall, vining variety that I will plant under a trellis on which I've had no luck growing anything. Nasturtiums are supposed to thrive in poor soil, and this spot should comply. If it works I'll post pictures!

Ellen