Welcome to Episode 108 where we learn how animals — and not even real ones — can help our brain health. We knit a Wristlet, harvest the bounty of the Washcloth Swap and discover the old-timey traditions of family style eating.
Brainy Thing: 16:15 Behind the Redwood Curtain: 27:41
What We’re Learning from our Knitting
Margaret finished the Laura Nelkin Kairos wristlet https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kairos-2. She particularly liked the randomness of the bead placement. This was a kit and Laura offers 5 different colorways on her etsy store.
Catherine hasn’t done much knitting but she’s working on a pair of Baby Socks https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-socks-23 and has reaped the rewards of her dishcloth exchange. https://www.ravelry.com/groups/annual-dishcloth-swap: Some of the patterns she received are Blossom (crochet), The Almost Lost Washcloth https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-almost-lost-washcloth; in swimming pool colorway, The Sail Away Dishcloth— (joann’s ) and Poppy.
Brainy Thing: Brain Changes in Animal-Human Interactions
Why does it feel so good to pet your animal (or even watch colorful fish?) There’s a whole world of research out there and recent studies show chemical and structural changes in both animal and human brains when they interact. And those changes make both of us feel good.
Book mentioned : How Dogs Love Us: A Neuroscientist and His Adopted Dog Decode the Canine Brain by Gregory Berns Other research links:
Behind the Redwood Curtain: The Samoa Cookhouse
Eat like loggers ate — family style with one menu option a day — check it out ahead of time. There’s also a logger museum to check out.samoa cookhouse winter hours https://www.samoacookhouse.net/menu
Welcome to episode 108 of Teaching Your Brain to Knit, a bit delayed because of power outages and other events. Today, we will explore how the brain changes in animal and human interactions; we’ll talk about a cute little beaded wristlet; report on the Annual Washcloth exchange, and discuss a Northcoast landmark — the Samoa Cookhouse.
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It’s socks, socks, socks in our knitting this episode. Catherine shares the sad tale of her puppy getting to a washcloths she had finished for her Washcloth exchange. Now she gets to keep the slightly chewed Vortex 5 by Rebecca Hudson 
Guides for Exploring the Redwoods:
Margaret finished a pair of summer socks: Top down, 1×1 twist rib cuff, afterthought heel with gusset,
She learned a lot from making the first step from Laura Nelkin’s Ducenti Shawl 
A new kid-friendly event in Arcata is the Fairy Festival, celebrating its second year and planning for the next.
Margaret tries out Buffalo Wool Company Prairie (bison and silk) 
Margaret discovers the history of the condor along the North Coast and exciting news that they will be reintroduced. 
ent. It was great fun but she was glad to finally finish it. Quest Shawl:
Then she completed several small projects: A souvenir from Stitches West, Rebecca Danger’s Wickedly Peaceful Polar Bear: 
Some eggs including one by Nicky Fijalkowska in her book Knitted Birds 
Finally, to mix up needle sizes, she finished the Jolly Wee Elf by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas 
County residents are concerned that the Netflix series Murder Mountain will cast a negative shadow on Southern Humboldt County, but Catherine tells us about a little known treasure in the middle of remote and wild SoHum: The Redwoods Monastery or Our Lady of the Redwoods in White Thorn operated by Cistercian nuns and who also market their delicious honey.