"...for we're going on a picnic now the winter's gone away-o!"

I managed to escape sheep & wool with only three skeins of yarn (two duplicates) and a little baby fringe tree, which I have subsequently planted too close to the elm; they'll be fine for the next decade or so, but then the fringe tree is likely to start feeling crowded. Unfortunately, it was either that or plant it directly on top of the drain cleanout pipe, which seemed like rather a worse idea, and I wasn't up for digging out another large swath of garden bed before the rain last night. I am also delighted to report that both of my little bare-root redbuds are showing signs of life after I had about despaired of them, and I convinced one of heuchera's knitting friends not to plant a rose of sharon due to the mess it makes of seedlings all over the lawn. (Now if only I could make a similar argument to my neighbors...)

What I did not get at sheep & wool was a yarn ball winder, as the cheapest one to be had was $40, and most places had the same small plastic cranking thing for over $50. This seemed quite extravagant, and rumor has it that there are cheaper ones to be found at AC Moore, which I may have to investigate. Does anyone else have other suggestions? I don't need industrial strength or anything, just something that'll save my wrists on occasions of de-skeining things.

Meanwhile two valve stems, a new tire, and a new battery later my car is back on the road (or rather, off the road & returned to its accustomed parking spot behind the house...) and it turns out that the problems began when the people who put on the new tires two years ago also put on valve stems that were too long for the wheel rims. Bah.

Now to go make a 90th birthday card for my grandfather and do something constructive with my day.