another single sock, another unfinished object

Trip to St. Louis Zoo

2010-11-29T13:11:00.001-06:00

During Jill's Halloween visit we took the girls to zoo. The photo at bottom right is as close as we could get to recreating the urban myth about a kid stealing a baby penguin.

Drying Herbs & Relaxing

2010-06-14T13:41:00.000-05:00

The basil is coming on like crazy! I decided to try drying whole sprigs to store in mason jars and crumble as needed.

Then I'll take my chair out to my favorite shady nook in the corner of the yard. Who knew that the coziest spot would be between the compost(right) and the dog pen(left)?

Dog Deterrent Yard Beautification

2010-06-13T08:27:00.003-05:00

My little shih tzus love to escape and they love to dig to do it. That's why we keep pots sitting along the fence...just to make their work a little harder. I gathered them all up, striped some with masking tape and spray painted them.

Then I planted them with discounted flowers on clearance at the garden center. I like it.

Swiss Chard is Starting

2010-06-12T07:14:00.013-05:00

We just started picking the multicolored chard. It's planted too close but I'm hoping the fact that it is in a raised bed will offset the issues. One hint of a problem is that japanese beetle have begun munching on the tops. I hung a beetle trap in the hedge row at the back of the yard and am crossing my fingers that it will help distract them as they arrive. The only plants that were bothered last year were rhubarb and zinnias.

A Collage for Jill

2010-06-11T15:26:00.000-05:00

Garden Ready to Bust Loose

2010-06-11T14:13:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture of the garden today. From this end you see tomatoes, then beans, then kale, then broccoli and dill, with the runner bean & cucumber trellis behind. Beyond that are more tomatoes, basil, popcorn, raspberries, yellow squash and zucchini. We also have banana peppers, paprika peppers, brown & green cotton, potatoes, onions, garlic, shallots and purple okra. We were lucky to get everything in so early. And we only had to water once so far.

The lettuce, spinach, cilantro, tat soi, bok choy, and rapini are already out.

Here is a side pic of our tomato table. We have lattice supported horizontally on cinder blocks through which the tomatoes grew. Mistake- we used 2' wide lattice instead of 4' wide. The plants are already spilling over. When the beans come out we'll extend the landscape fabric to widen the path and give then room to spread.

The upside down cherry tomato plant is zooming right along. Mom is worried that the roots might not be able to handle the weight. I'm more worried about the fact that if I forget to water even one day it wilts. It is really loaded with tomatoes. I'm almost tempted to find out what fried green cherry tomatoes are like.

Folklore & Phenology Fun

2010-04-09T08:05:00.004-05:00

When I posted this picture on my other blog, http://gatheringgrandmasrecipes.blogspot.com/ , Mom saw it and told me about that visit (she was the photographer). Bernie was Grandpa's farm hand and lived on a house on the farm. In 1966 my parents and grandparents left the farm and moved to California. This was taken about 5 years later when back in Missouri for a visit. Mom said that Bernie had a great big garden at his place with a tree stump set just beside it. In the stump was an ax. He would set the ax with the handle facing into prevailing winds/weather to "split" any storm to miss the garden.

We've had such warm weather so far that everything seems to be coming too early. This past week I transplanted into the garden & raised bed: lettuce, spinach, giant leeks, basil, cilantro, bok choy, tat soi, & endive. The new and 2nd year asparagus is beginning to emerge.

The redbuds have been blooming and now the dogwoods, too. Some gardening folklore says to plant tomatoes and peppers when dogwoods bloom, but other says to plant tomatoes when lily of the valley or daylilies bloom, and my lily of the valley is only just emerging from the ground now and my lilies don't have buds yet. I'm going to fall on the side of better safe than sorry.

The forsythia and dandilions are in full bloom which means the crabgrass is germinating. Now is the time to weed & feed the lawn. Also, we are in the moon's 4th quarter which is not a time for planting. From the 7th-15th is a time for weeding, fertilizing, making compost, pruning, and other preparations. The lilac is in early bloom so I can now plant beans (after the 15th).

Good Friday folklore & phenology

2010-04-02T06:06:00.047-05:00

"The fair weather gardener, who will do nothing except when the wind and weather and everything else are favorable, is never master of his craft." - Henry Ellacombe

My Soil Test Kit Results

pH ~ 7.5

N = very low

P = very high

K = medium

I was suprised by the alkaline pH because I haven't added wood ashes to the garden in 3 years, and last years potatoes did not have any scab issues. My theory is test error ( I put too much soil with the water). The nitrogen was so low it was off the chart. It took me a day to realize why. Three weeks ago when I tilled the garden there was still quite a bit of old straw on the surface. It must be binding the nitrogen as it decomposes. Even though I took the soil sample from 4" below the surface, I still had to skim out bits of straw from the solution to do the test. I already added rabbit poo but I'll also side dress with blood meal when the plants get going. The phosphorous was shockingly high. Last year we added quite a bit of a very fine compost that we bought at the farmers market. It was made from cattle waste (manure, but also bone & blood meal from slaughter) and lumbermill waste (sawdust, which should have been acidifying so, go figure). With a reading this high I think I'm good for the season. The potasium was right on target.

"Each small task of everyday life is part of the total harmony of the universe." - St. Theresa of lisieux

The full moon on March 29 was the Worm moon. This was the last winter moon. The soil is warming and the worms are coming up. Fortunately I tilled before they surfaced and so disturbed far fewer that if I had waited.
Other names for this moon are:
Fish Moon, Lenten Moon, Sap Moon (Colonial America)
Windy Moon, Big Famine Moon, Moon When Eyes Are Sore From Bright Snow, Crust Moon, Crow Moon, Maple Sugar Moon (Native American)

Since we are in a waning moon phase this is the best time to focus below the ground. Plant perennials since they need good root systems. Plant root crops like carrots, potatoes, turnips, beets & bulbs. Plant strawberries during the waning moon because the especially need a strong root system. Eliminate slugs. Prune shrubs since the water table is diminishing and less sap will flow. Next week, the 4th quarter & darkest of the moon, is the most dormant and best time to cultivate weeds and do other non-planting chores.

Blooming this week: daffodils, forsythia, maple tree, dandilions. Peonies are up about 12 inches. Lilies are up about 8 inches.

Today is the first day anniversary of yesterday

2010-03-27T10:57:00.000-05:00

Folklore & Phenology Friday, one day late (totally Bloggers fault!)

My corner of Missouri is running hot & cold lately. Yesterday I was late for work because there was a hard frost & light freeze that coated and clouded my car windows and froze my doors shut.

On a more exciting note, look what I found...a mess of moss & brush in a half bushel basket left on the back porch all winter. (The pine cones were mine.)

I started to pull it out to clean up when I discovered this...

Five little cream colored eggs with brown specks. Yesterday the mother started sitting on the nest. I got a good look at her. Its a carolina wren. Yay!

Also, the daffodils bloomed yesterday. My neighbor across the street had his bloom 2 weeks ago. They are always earlier. The broccoli was transplanted to the garden last week and covered with milk jugs and is doing fine. No freeze problems.

Spring! Sun! Sprouts!

2010-03-19T12:33:00.000-05:00

The arugula was up first.

The onions are just breaking ground.

Rhubarb begins to unfurl its leaves.

The redbud tree is just barely budding.

Also, the lilac leaves are open and the maple buds are beginning to bloom. This morning I planted asparagus. Normally it would be planted in an 8" trench and have soil added as it grows, but I planted it shallowly since it will be in the center of my new raised bed. When I get the bed build around it the soil will be 8-10" higher. Tomorrow is the official first day of spring but today feels more like it. Sunny and 67 degrees. By Easter the grass will need to be mowed. I also checked the shitake logs for signs of mushrooms but no luck. I was hoping that last weeks cold rain followed by this weeks warm weather might start something. I did find a disturbing amount of bark shedding from the logs which will shorten their fruiting lifespan.

When the lilacs are in first leaf it is time to plant beets, lettuce and spinach. I already planted some lettuce and spinach so beets are next.

It seems like it takes forever for spring to arrive. When it does, everything takes off like a rocket and I'm racing to keep up with the garden chores.

It's Tilling Time

2010-03-07T21:26:00.000-06:00

We rented a huge tiller for the weekend and tilled up the garden. Extend garden into lawn? No problem. Tree roots? This thing ate them for lunch! It was so heavy I could barely turn it. The garden only needs a deep till like this about every 5 years. We were really lucky to get a warm weekend for tilling before the rains started. Last year we never did get to till because the garden was muddy until the 4th of July. We just hoed a bit and planted into the mud.

Here is Mom covering the onion sets and seed potatoes. Look at those straight rows!

Our garden is 15' x 50'. It has gotten 20 feet longer in the 5 years that I have lived here with Mom. Today we optimistically planted red & yellow & white onion sets, red & yellow shallots, 2 kinds of garlic, red Norland potatoes, lettuce, spinach, radishes and arugula.

March Comes In Like...?

2010-03-05T08:46:00.032-06:00

The rhubarb is on the brink of emerging. I can see wrinkled nubs breaking. There have been a few robins hanging around and I saw a formation of geese passing overhead to the north. Trees, shrubs, and bulbs have arrived at the local garden center. Most days have been in the 40's and nights in the 20"s. Not a windy or stormy first week of March.

If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.
If March comes in like a lamb, it will go out like a lion.

This week I started in pots:
1) Missouri Pink Love Apple tomaotes
2) Green Zebra tomatoes
3) Patano Romanesco tomatoes
4) Hillbilly or Flame tomatoes
5) Leutschauer Pimento peppers
6) Mississippi brown cotton
7) Giant Musselburgh leeks
8) Sweet potato slips started by Mom
9) Korean garlic

So many mists in March you see,
So many frosts in May will be.
Traditional English proverb

St. Louis Skyling Hat

2010-03-03T20:45:00.000-06:00

Here is the hat I knit for the Ravelympics. I was running late and just embroidered the Arch on at the last minute since duplicate stitch wasn't working for me that night.

Maples are running!

2010-02-22T15:40:00.000-06:00

I didn't finish knitting my hat this weekend, but I did something way more fun. We got a call from the Gorse farm that the maple sap started running on Friday so Mom & I went to see the operation.

This is a tapped tree by the house. 2 holes drilled with plastic tubing for the tap, and a hood to keep out rain, snow & squirrels.

The raw sap is collected in these large square containers until there is room in a cooking pan for it.

This is one of three cooking pans in the sugar shack.

I expected the air to be sticky and cloyingly sweet but it wasn't until Mr. Gorse stirred the 3rd-day pan that I could smell the syrup.

Other places online say that it takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. Mr Gorse says that he uses between 47-49 gallons depending on the weather and density of the sap.

We brought home 6 of these (pints) which is a year's supply for us.

Friday...again already?

2010-02-19T19:38:00.000-06:00

I've been spinning more of this. I'm almost done plying the last of the ~12 oz. that I had. Next there is about 8oz of pepto pink to spin. By the end of the weekend I expect to have my original design hat finished for the Ravelympics.

Folklore & Phrenology Friday
We placed a call to the maple syrupers today but haven't heard back yet. The weather seems just about right now. Freezing at night and 40's during the day, but I don't know how long it will last. More snow may be coming. There is a hillpeople saying that if snow stays on the ground for 3 days it will be covered by another snow. If that's right then we may be shoveling off the garden to plant this year.
My family always planted lettuce on Valentine's Day. I thought that it was typical but I can't find many other people mentioning it. Certainly not on the squirrel's ear/oak leaf level. Even though I am now only about 100 miles north of where I grew up I can't imagine planting in mid-Feb here. And this year I have 3" of snow still to melt. Instead I started some basil, cilantro, broccoli and microgreens under lights.

Ravelympics Opening Ceremonies

2010-02-12T12:11:00.000-06:00

and the real Olympics, too, of course. I had planned to make a dog sweater but did not organize well enough and am now out of town without the pattern or yarn. Instead I will try to finish a hat design that I've had in mind. I already tried it once with wrong yarn and too large needles. It came out much like any first draft...if I was a drunken college student trying to finish on the last night of spring break. There's an event for original designs but I don't remember what it is just now.
Blogging from a borrowed computer feels kind of like borrowing shoes. They never quite fit. Hopefully my computer will be out of the hospital and home when I return next week.

FOLKLORE & PHENOLOGY FRIDAY
Snow has been on the ground all week. We got another 2-3 inches on Tues. This is easily the snowiest winter I have ever known here in SE Missouri. If it continues and is an especially wet spring I worry that we may have trouble getting the garden in. The maple syrup tappers in MO say that the sap isn't yet flowing. It has tol be freezing at night and 40 degrees in the day to flow. Too cold so far. I snapped a twig on our maple and got a bit of a weep but not a good drip.

Folklore and Phenology Friday, Feb 5,2010

2010-02-05T07:45:00.001-06:00

I'm going to keep a weekly accounting of phenological events (events of nature that I observe) and post them on Fridays with timely bits of gardening or weather lore. My Grandma Carter always liked to keep a 3 year diary and would note the weather on signifigant days, the date of bloomings, and the like. For my garden's sake I'll try to be meticulous with plantings and insect arrivals.

Last week a very large flock of robins arrived on Friday and stripped the berries from the holly tree. The next day all the berries and robins were gone. I guess they were destined for northern climates. They looked really fat.

"Go to the winter woods: listen there, look, watch, and “the dead months” will give you a subtler

secret than any you have yet found in the forest."

- Fiona Macleod, Where the Forest Murmurs

Here in Farmington it was cloudy on Feb 2, Groundhog Day. That's supposed to mean we won't have 6 more weeks of winter. The blanket of snow makes me doubtful.

If the sun shines on Groundhog Day;

Half the fuel and half the hay.

2nd & 3rd Big Fat Stockings

2010-02-02T20:04:00.000-06:00

Only one more to go. Next one is blue. If I'm not too sick of making these maybe I'll make the momma one out of all the left-over colors.

I tried an afterthought heal with the green one and I think I like it best but with a rounded rounded toe. Also on the top cuff I prefer adding a purl row between the braids because it lays flatter and looks full. You know what they say... 4th one's a charm.

My Parents Were Awesome, too.

2010-01-26T15:18:00.001-06:00

I've been having fun looking at the blog http://myparentswereawesome.tumblr.com/ . I also just got a scanner. Here's a glimpse of how awesome my folks were before we kids dragged them down.

And here's Mom still smokin' after 3 kids ages 3,5 &6.

She was young so it took longer for us to break her.

Dad on horseback.

Here is brother Wes on the motorcycle that started their first real married fight. Dad bought it without first asking Mom when money was tight. Mom ended up liking it and she rode it to work every day. If you see Grandma Carter, don't tell her. Mom still hasn't fessed up to owning it.

Ravelympics- still in trials

2010-01-19T15:04:00.000-06:00

I've joined Team Toasted Ravioli for the knitting olympics on Ravelry. Since we're a St. Louis team we chose toasted ravioli as our mascot and preferred snack choice. Isn't the logo adorable? See the arches in the rings? I love it. Thank you Scrappygurl. We are supposed to challenge ourselves so I may be knitting a dog sweater. Or try to spin enough wool for a complete project. Or try to spin cotton at all. We have until the start of the games to decide. If I decide to throw in WIP (work in progress) it has to be something I haven't touched in a month. Not much of a challenge there. I've got a stack of earflap hats that have been missing the 2nd earflap for a year!

Big Fat Stocking for next year

2010-01-05T15:15:00.004-06:00

Jill saw the stockings I made for Wes's kids last year and wants some for her kids next year. Pink for Abbi, purple for Miah, blue for Chrissy, and green for Isabella. I'm going to add either their initials or names on each one when I'm done.

Christmas knitting wrap-up

2010-01-04T14:20:00.003-06:00

I made this hat & scarf/mitten set for my neice Rachel. The mittens are the ends of the scarf. I made up the pattern as I went along.

I made this six foot scarf for my neice Sarah. It's a knitted seed stitch with crochet border.

This is a drawstring backpack for my neice Isabella. Also made up design as I went along. Simple bag with I-cord through buttonholes across top. Embroidered after.

Christmas in Branson

2010-01-03T21:43:00.002-06:00

Went to Silver Dollar City for lights & funnel cake.

Six small children opening gifts on Christmas morn was a mess!

Wes took this with timer. Every child is looking at the camera with no person behind it. The baby is even waving to it! A Christmas miracle.

What I Did for Christmas Vacation: part one, the Eve

2009-12-29T22:56:00.005-06:00

Mom & I & Jill's family & Wes' family went to Table Rock Lake at Branson, MO. Tribesman Resort was great. We rented a house for the 12 of us and had plenty of room. Next summer or fall we all want to go back.

When Mom & I arrived it was raining.

Christmas Eve was spent settling in and waiting for Santa. Here is my brother Wes helping his kids call Norad to see how far away Santa was.

Jill & her girls in their special PJs.

Cookie Exchange Success

2009-12-15T17:15:00.002-06:00

My 5th annual cookie exchange party went great! I made these cocoa snowflakes and a candied ginger cookie. The assortment was wonderful. Ten guests came which is the limit to how many people can fit around the cookie table. We march around the table, "musical chairs" style, taking 3-4 cookies from each tray until the table is empty.
I was surprised and really grateful at the turnout since I haven't seen some of these folks in months. It felt like a family reunion.

Aren't you a cute bunch of bakers!

Cookie Party Coming!

2009-12-03T13:28:00.010-06:00

Remember the Yum?

More to Come...

Christmas Cookie Exchange Party
Sunday, Dec 13 @ 3:00pm

Each person brings 6 dozen of one type of holiday cookie. We swap and each take home 6 dozen assorted cookies. Loads of fun and makes holiday baking much simpler. Bring copies of your recipe to share.

( No, I didn't make those cookies. I just swiped a pretty picture.)

Shiitake Makes Me Jealous

2009-12-02T09:09:00.004-06:00

Norm's shitake logs are fruiting and mine aren't! We spent an entire afternoon last may innoculating the logs with a farmer friend. I didn't expect them to start until next spring, but I think since it was my idea... my logs should have produced first!

National Pumpkin Shortage? No Problem!

2009-12-01T13:56:00.006-06:00

I didn't let the pumpkin shortage foil Thanksgiving. We had punkin-pie spiced cookies instead.
I just added the pie spice to regular rolled sugar cookie dough. This tart pan was used to cut out the pie shape and then flipped over and the inner ring was cut with a knife. I used a pizza cutter to "slice the pie" into 6 pieces and spaced them out to bake.

Now we can have our pie and eat it, too.

2009-11-04T10:55:00.006-06:00

"I'll wear it, but I wont flap my wings."

Lazy pirates gather no treasure. They raid the candy stash in the middle of the night.

Me & Jill's bunch ready to trick-or-treat. I stayed home to hand out candy while they went soliciting.

Boo-tiful Halloween

2009-10-31T10:24:00.001-05:00

Iced sugar cookies are more fun to make than to eat. We won't be giving the kids any of the vampire mouths because I found out too late that the red icing re-melts and stains when slobbered on.

Christmas Chullo Finished

2009-10-30T10:23:00.000-05:00

I have one Christmas present done...7 more to go. This is my own design with wool and acrylic yarns.

Doggie Dress-up

2009-10-29T14:37:00.003-05:00

Not quite Halloween yet... just feeling pretty.
This afternoon I'm making peanut butter & banana mini pupcakes for Puddin's birthday on Saturday. Nine years old doesn't seem that old until you consider that the world's oldest dog is only 19.

Adoption Day

2009-10-28T13:56:00.003-05:00

Jill's adoption of all 4 girls is now final. We took these pictures outside the courthouse just after.
Chrissy, Miah, Bella(I want Lulu, Jill calls her Baby), and Abbi.

my own little basket of shame, part one

2009-03-15T21:49:00.007-05:00

I just joined a Ravelry group called Basket of Shame to list and finish unfinished knitting. This is my first sweep at collecting everything that needs to be finished.

ballband baby blanket, 45% complete

pink toddler's sweater/jacket, 70% complete

christmas stocking, 35% complete

taupe child's chullo, 95% complete

skinny christmas stocking, 75% complete

gold small chullo, 95% complete

doll's christmas hat, 95% complete

babette blanket, 15% complete

rose child's chullo, 90% complete

stretchy socks, 15% complete

brown child's chullo, 25% complete

Playing Ketchup/ Let's Start Over

2009-03-13T12:49:00.004-05:00

Some Christmas knitting...Jill's girls in the chullos i designed and knit. The whole bunch of bananas.
Last week it was so warm and nice that I dragged Mom out to start the garden. We planted lettuce, spinach, mesclun mix, swiss chard, and 2 raspberry plants.

Milking-it-for-all-its-worth Dog on Thurs

2008-05-15T12:26:00.004-05:00

Last week I took Puddin for her yearly shots and tests. Happy, healthy and back down to her healthy weight. I mentioned to the vet that she was drinking more than normal. Blood work all looks good. We couldn't get urine since she had donated all her samples to the lawn in front of the clinic. Early the next morning I'm following Pud around the yard with an empty pie tin. You know. Later I get a call to pick up meds and talk to the vet. Her urine pH is "off the charts" and full of crystals. We get antibiotics and an acidifier. He thinks she's too young to have "the malady which must not be named" so we should assume its a uti and just watch her.

Any ideas what he's worried about but won't say?

Puddin thinks it is unfair for non-sick dogs to get the lap.

She retaliates by ripping out the head of Trixie's bear toy and stealing Gus' bed.

Seems fair.

Good Dogs Gone Bad on Thursday?

2008-05-01T18:15:00.002-05:00

Puppy incarceration. So sad. If Trixie had a tin cup she would be raking it back and forth against the bars.

Wait....that's not jail! It's a day at the spa. Trixie has a new do thanks to Gus' constant ear-sucking. A sassy short look for summer.

Puddin is more the home-spa type. I think a stick in a wading pool counts as a retreat. It also counts as a bath.

spinning mohair loops and faux pearls

2008-04-28T11:40:00.002-05:00

Long ago I spun a mohair single and plied with a thin black silk. It was awful. I found it recently and made this. First I un-ply plied it with an ugly batt thick n' thin single, really loosely. The mohair unspun and looped. Then I re-plied the other direction with another silk single threaded with beads. I'm calling it "low tide".

More ugly batt spinning

2008-04-09T12:35:00.003-05:00

From the mostly blue batt. A slightly felted single at ~14wpi...I'm not done with it yet, just documenting its journey.

Knitt'n & Spin'n

2008-04-07T10:04:00.004-05:00

A child's hat for Warm Woolies. Lately I only knit at work or in bed, so my projects are limited to thoses w/out patterns to learn. The top isn't really pointed, the jar underneath is.
My second attempt at coils. Kool-Aid pink lincoln wool over handful-of-marigolds lincoln wool. I keep finding little balls of singles that I wound in balls and forgot. Usually because there was never a plan for it, and I needed to clear the spindle or wheel for something else. This is how it looked right off the niddy-noddy.

Here it is after I set it with a bit of steam.

Now I think I should stop trying to coil over my own singles and use thread instead. It may be the only way I'll get continuous coils.

Ugly Batt Spinning Adventure Begins

2008-04-05T08:46:00.004-05:00

This is the first single that I spun from my batts. Both batts are multi-colored, but one is mostly blue/purple and one is mostly green/brown. I alternated large chunks from both.
My first yarn from the single was plied with a thin mohair yarn. Even though they were the same thickness, the fuzziness of the mohair and the consistancy of the brown overwhelmed the single. I don't really like it.

Next, I try my hand at coil spinning. I read directions from various sources online. The strand that it is plied with is a cotton single that has been sitting in a ball for over a year. I made a coil, then plied normally for 6-8 inches before the single had time to unspin itself. At this point, I am so in love with what I see on the bobbin that I stop to take a picture.

The finished skein on a niddy-noddy. Tha picture is darker, but I don't know how to adjust such things.

Dogs on Thursday Attitude Conflict

2008-04-03T10:11:00.002-05:00

Trixie says "Spring is here. The grass is green. Why aren't we frollicking?"

Gus says "I think we should consult the groundhog again. I'm just not ready."

"Will YOU come play with me?"

Rainy Day = Spinning Joy

2008-04-02T15:23:00.008-05:00

I joined a group on Ravelry called Ugly Batts.

NO...bats are lovely and eat mosquitoes.

Except for this guy, who will bite you and lick your blood.

Here are my Ugly Batts from Abi at High Prairie Fibers ( http://prairiefiber.homestead.com/fiber.html )

I've sampled a little today. Tomorrow is calling for rain and rain and more rain. Tomorrow it begins in earnest.

Spiffy New Do's and Fluffy Flowers for Dogs on Thursday

2008-03-27T11:41:00.005-05:00

Puddin was very annoyed that I made her stand still and get her picture taken with her new flower.

Gus is such a ham!

Trixie is feeling bashful.

Yarn Smackdown Round One

2008-03-23T23:14:00.002-05:00

My hat is done. Huggybear's hat is done. Tomorrow morning it will be in the hands of the USPS. I chose the spiral column option and I love it. After I'm killed, I'll definitely start another for myself. The spirals would look great on matching fingerless mittens, too.

My hat is suicidal.

2008-03-22T21:45:00.003-05:00

Yarn Smackdown Update:
Meet the ribbing. Sure I'm slow. But at least I didn't screw it up. Then comes the spiral columns. I HATE TO TINK. And apparently I can't do two things at once. Like watch t.v. while I knit. My opponent Huggybear http://nettieville.blogspot.com/ finished today, but didn't mail yet. Theoretically I should have time to finish, mail on Monday and have a postal race (advantage: me ...because I get delivery around 4p.m.). But I'm tired, tomorrow is Easter, and I never finish anything anyway. Who knows...maybe I'll get a wild hair in the morning and just go nuts.

Grouchy Puddin on Thursday.

2008-03-20T09:19:00.004-05:00

I know it is hard to see, but if you look very closely you will be amazed by how wide Puddin's mouth is open. I started to take this picture because it looked like Gus was whispering in her ear. At the last moment she whirled around and tried to eat his face.

The cocoa has come!

2008-03-19T23:22:00.004-05:00

Yeah!! I'm so excited. Bianca from http://lansingerland.blogspot.com/ sent me all this. Two types of sock yarn, peppermint and coffee candies, a mouse pad, stitch markers, cinnamon (I think), Dutch cocoa, cooking chocolate discs, and "American Marsh Mallows".

Just look at the incredible black sheep she knit. As soon as I saw him I thought of Dodge, my only ram. He was named Dodge because he was "built Ram tough". This guy will be Dodge, too. Actually, make that Dodge II.

Here is Dodge II meeting and greeting some of the resident sheep. Behind them is a picture of Dodge. He was very handsome. I bottle raised him and loved him. He grew to almost 300 pounds. Then he decided that his life's mission was to kill me. After an elderly neighbor was trampled to death by his ram... I sold Dodge.

My first cup of Dutch cocoa. Wowee. It's chocolatier than any hot cocoa I've ever had. Thanks, Bianca.

I'm back, and busy,busy,busy.

2008-03-19T21:29:00.002-05:00

To recap:
1. The bronchitis/pnuemonia practically gone. I'm well enough to work.
2. I missed work yesterday in a futile attempt to bail the water out of the basement. After 7 hours I decided to give up and move as much furniture as I could. After I sat down to rest it occurred to me to go buy a pump. Maybe I'm not as well as I think.
3. Rain finally stopped. Six hours later the water stopped squirting through the cracks in the concrete wall.
4. I'm going to attempt to convert to a 50% raw/live diet. Hopefully it will help to stave off my new sickly nature. Mom suggested this when we were both sick, but we were too exhausted and miserable to do anything about it.
5. The yarn smackdown has begun. I imagined that I would sit up tonight and finish the hat, then mail it first thing in the morning. After 6 rows...I sense impending death. At this point my goal is to get far enough along to give Huggybear a good start when she gets my WIP. After all, if the person who beats me does really well, that makes me look pretty good too.
6. Tomorrow I have to take the dogs to the groomer and the car to the garage. Something about an O2 sensor and the "service engine soon" light. damn. Plus Gus is so matted on his backside that I'll have to stop and buy a bribe (maybe chocolates?) for the groomer.
7. It's cold in here. When the water was rising I shut off the gas to the heater. Mid-March is just too close to spring to re-light.

no posts

2008-03-08T16:26:00.002-06:00

Nothing for a few days. I'm sick and tired. Well...not "sick and tired". I am both sick and tired.

So that your visit isn't entirely wasted, here is a picture of me and Grandma on her porch from a couple of summers ago.

I'm a rotten cheater.

2008-03-06T10:08:00.000-06:00

Confession time. I lie about finishing projects. I tuck the unwoven ends inside and underneath to take pictures to facilitate my deceptions. Then the item gets tossed back into a bag or yarn box for me to "finish later". For me, "finish later" means: avert my eyes and pretend not to notice.

As part of my personal 482 step process to face my problem, I decided to grab up the first handful of items I found and pile them around me. Armed only with a tapestry needle, I will confront the enemy (me) and vanquish my tormentors. And then give this crap away.

I also created another blog to document my UFO's.
http://area51aknittingconspiracy.blogspot.com/
There is a UFO-knit-a-long here: http://ufo-knit-a-long.blogspot.com/ that I just requested to join.

UPDATE: The 3 hats are ready to ship to Warm Woolies, the mobius scarf is ready to block, calorimetry needs a button, and poncho completo.

What if I skid off the road?

2008-03-04T10:33:00.000-06:00

We had an ice storm. At home we are well provisioned for disaster. My car is not. Searching online for everything needed in a car emergency gave me this list. I have begun gathering the items, but it may be spring before my list is complete.

CAR EMERGENCY KIT

JUMPER CABLES
FLARES
TOOL KIT
FLASHLIGHT
RADIO
JACK & TIRE
TOW ROPE
GAS CAN
POCKET KNIFE
FIX-A-FLAT
FIRE EXTINGUISHER
SHOVEL
ANTI-FREEZE
OIL
DUCT TAPE
WASHER FLUID
RAGS
PAPER TOWELS
ICE SCRAPER
CAT LITTER OR GRAVEL
FIRST AID KIT
HELP SIGN
RED CLOTH
MAPS
WET WIPES
PEN & PAPER
FOOD
WATER
PHONE #S TO CALL
SKI HATS
CLOTHES
BLANKET
METAL CUP
MATCHES
CANDLES AND A TIN CAN (COFFEE SIZE)
HAND WARMERS
DE-ICER
MONEY/CHANGE
PHONE CARD
WHISTLE

It was also suggested that most of these be kept in a canvas bag within the car (rear floorboard). If you are in an accident you might not be able to open the trunk.

Again? Seriously...Again!?!

2008-03-04T09:54:00.005-06:00

Another ice storm last night, and now thundersnow... again. I never even heard of thundersnow until this year. It's a thunderstorm with lightning and thunder and heavy snow (instead of rain). My camera doesn't show it very well but it is coming down with a vengence. I didn't go to work today. Since I work 10 hours days, that means 1/4 of this weeks pay just blew away. BTW, there was a break in the weather between the sleet and the snow this morning. It cleared up just long enough for us to notice...so that we would notice that it was HAILing.

I'm taking my yarn and going back to bed.

Yarn smackdown preparation begins.

2008-03-02T08:35:00.005-06:00

I got the recommended needle sizes last night. size7 circ, size5 circ, and size7 dpn. Turns out I don't have any odd sizes above a 3. So I ordered Harmony circulars from Knitpicks. I had to get bamboo for the dpns because the Harmony weren't available until March 14. That's cutting it way too close.

Recommended yarn is Lamb's Pride Worsted or Noro Kureyon. I have a lovely red worsted wool that I may use instead. The gauge is measured in pattern, but without the pattern I am not at all confident about substitution.

On March 13 I will be driving past Columbia, MO and the Hillcreek Yarn Shoppe. The next day I'll be in Independence, MO for my new neice's adoption ceremony. Convieniently located near Knitcraft. Can I be trusted in a yarn shop? Do I have any self-restraint? Doubtful.

Can I have a minute to myself, please?

2008-02-28T08:43:00.004-06:00

Puddin is experiencing the shock-and-awe of being trapped in the family room while I spend time alone. (Don't worry...the sucker in me couldn't hold out for long.)

Gus & Trixie don't mind. They spend their time scattering toy bits around the room and jumping from couch to couch. Trixie also likes to watch Big, Big, World on tv. I think she has a crush on Snook.

blah, blah blah...not even a little sock

2008-02-27T13:37:00.006-06:00

Is it the cold, wet, gray weather? Maybe the fact that I never received my cocoa swap package...now 10 days late. Or the fact that I've been picking up overtime lately. Whatever the reason, nothing has been very interesting to me lately. I started some child-sized boot toppers to see how two sock yarns would look together.

Not great, not terrible. I don't like it well enough to make the mate, so I picked up underneath and turned it into a sock. It still won't get a mate. It will live out its life in the Christmas Stocking collection (a.k.a. the Single Sock Stash).

I'm also getting overwhelmed by unfinished projects. Something drastic has got to be done. I don't know WHAT has to be done, just something...

Puddin's Mini-Me on Thursday

2008-02-21T06:09:00.001-06:00

I love shopping for clearance the day after a holiday. Here is Puddin examining her new post valentine buddy.

It reminded me of this picture...the day Pud got a brother.

Fortunately, Gus' guts didn't end up all over the living room floor. Mr. Valentine was not so lucky.

A few more scrumbles

2008-02-19T08:13:00.003-06:00

After I realized that the VERY BLUE yarn matched the muted blue in the scarf, I went on a stash safari. I found a pom pon yarn with the same color. Then I found exact matches for two other pom pon colors. By the time I'm done I think this scarf wil be....not quiet.

Hat complete.

2008-02-18T08:53:00.005-06:00

That was quick. I finished it the same night.

Yarn Smackdown Calisthenics

2008-02-16T14:19:00.005-06:00

On Ravelry today I signed up for the Yarn Smackdown. Knit a hat in a race against another knitter. It's set up as a single elimination bracket with both knitters and crocheters. Apparently you do send off your unfinished hat if you are eliminated, because the rule is that if you only knit (or only crochet) and you get a hat that you can't finish, you frog it and start over your way.

I picked up this red wool yarn super cheap this week. Somebody thinks that red won't sell after Valentines Day. My gain. Since I don't know any specifics about the hat to knit, I'm making a basic EZ cap to send to Warm Woolies for practice. Hats are so easy to make but I don't like to wear them. Better to wrap a scarf/shawl over my head, I think. If the hat I receive is mostly wool I'll send it, too.
BTW...Warm Woolies (think shivering orphans) http://www.warmwoolies.org/ is having a contest to boost knit donations. If you send 25 sweaters, vest, or socks for the children in 2008 they will send you a gift box of yarn & notions worth at least $50. And the patterns they use are simple and easy to knit. Did you know that after the first piece you send, they will supply the wool for the rest of your donations? If you only knit in acrylics...they need tons of baby blankets.

Reluctant Dog on Thursday

2008-02-14T08:49:00.003-06:00

Puddin says "I can hold it a little while longer...I don't want to go outside. You try walking barefoot on packed ice when it's 20 degrees!"

I hate big trucks.

2008-02-13T11:47:00.005-06:00

And you 4-wheel drivers, mocking me with your uphill driving.

Isn't the snow pretty? No. It is not. It is not snow, nor is it pretty. It is 2" of alternating layers of sleet and freezing rain. It's been 2 days and we are no closer to melting or clearing the road. This is the veiw downhill.

And this is my driveway, covered with rock salt and cat litter. I still cant make it uphill. To leave my home, I had to drive downhill IN REVERSE and slide into a (thankfully) empty crossroad. And NO... the sliding and the reverse were not part of my plan.

Scrumble bits

2008-02-13T09:45:00.002-06:00

Last night I practiced freeform. Some is knit, some crochet, depending on whether I had a straight edge to attach to. This was worked in the log cabin tradition...nothing sewn on. I just picked up and kept going. It's a fabulous way to use up the tiny bits of handspun that I have left over. Each of these was knit with the entire (teeny) ball of yarn I saved. Some were only a yard, but it is impossible to throw away handspun. I even save a few inches. It is shredded and carded into tweedy yarn with fresh wool.
I started with a bit of my favorite scrap. It is the pink & brown bulky in the center. I am not able to spin bulky anymore.

Scrumble Scarf: The crazy quilt for yarn

2008-02-12T13:53:00.000-06:00

The point of freeform knit/crochet is that you don't have to follow a pattern. Just follow your fancy. My fancy is a very lazy beastie. I've just finished a simple brown & teal garterstitch scarf. The last foot has increasingly large holes as a framework to attach the scrumbles. While I like the randomness of adding various scrumble shapes haphazardously, sewing them only to each other seemed like it would strain the more delicate shapes. Also, my inclination is to choose floral and organic shapes. The scarf is the trellis on which they will creep.
When I made a crazy quilt doll blanket, I sewed the bits onto a base of muslin for stability. This is the source of my notion. Not everyone does...but it makes me feel safer.
Color-wise I'm not yet sure which way I'll go. I read somewhere that if you use less than 10 colors, take care that they go well together. But if you use more than 20 colors, it will be an agreeable riot.

More stitch markers

2008-02-04T07:13:00.000-06:00

This could get addicting. I still have beads, but I'm out of toggles and head pins. Somewhere I have old thrift store jewelry for bead harvesting. Must acquire more.

Starting another Project

2008-02-03T07:04:00.000-06:00

Super simple garter scarf? Yes and no. I keep thinking about freeform/scrumbles, and I'm itching to start, but where? Since I am much too lazy to plan a project with any hope of completion... I will fake it. I'll make an easy size 13 needle garter scarf. Then I can embellish the ends with freeform knitting & crocheting. That way it will (hopefully) get done quickly and I can stop whenever I like without abandoning it to Area 51 (UFO Central).

I've been making stitch markers

2008-02-02T12:52:00.000-06:00

I needed stitch markers to send with my cocoa swap box. Since I don't live near a shop that sells them, I decided to make some. I searched online for directions, and everything I needed was at Micheals (which is only an hours drive away). These are some that I kept.

A Mouse in the House

2008-02-01T14:20:00.000-06:00

I made him for my cocoa swap. I boxed up the goodies, but forgot to put a note inside identifying myself. Guess I'll have to send a card separately.

Snow day begins...with dogs!

2008-01-31T11:07:00.000-06:00

The weather persons are predicting between 4" and 1 foot of snow/sleet/manna from the heavens in the next 24 hours.

Driveway salted...check.

Bird Feeder filled...check.

Milk & bread in house...check.

Dogs fed, pottied, and exhausted from playing...check.

Candles and lighters set out...check.

Soda & DingDongs hidden in the house...check.

Where have I been?

2008-01-30T16:31:00.000-06:00

I've been under the weather.

A vicious bout of chest cold/bronchitis. High temp. Missed work.

So I go back to work yesterday, coughing like I'm going to bring up a lung. I did not cough up a lung. I am pretty sure I coughed up a jellyfish, though.

Aren't you glad I shared?

Tiny knit handbag

2008-01-26T12:05:00.000-06:00

What got into me?! I finished all the body parts of the cocoa buddy, and was thinking how much I dreaded sewing it together. So make a tiny handbag. It may end up on the Christmas tree of tiny knits. If you want to make one, here's how:

On 2 dpn's, cast on 20.

(K1, slip 1 purlwise) across row, turn.

Repeat row 10 times.

Carefully remove needle, and gently open tube.

Place live stitches on 2 dpn's.

Turn tube inside out so that knit stitches show.

Bind off.

Knit 4 stitch I-cord about 24 stitches long.

Stitch inside purse edge.

I'm sure it could be made more easily another way, but opening the tube feels like magic.

Another single sock slowly grows

2008-01-25T09:10:00.000-06:00

This was last week. Cute colors, like rainbow sherbet.

And now, about 4 1/2 inches along. I'm going for a 5" k2p2 cuff.

I made a discovery about my sock knitting. I thought these socks were being knitted on size 2 needles. Nope. They are 0's. All my double points are actually two sizes smaller than I thought. No wonder all my socks are firm and dense.

Dog on Thursday Flashback

2008-01-24T12:10:00.000-06:00

It's hard to remember just how little Gus was when he came to live with me. This was his first day, all tuckered out. Now he weighs 9 1/2 lbs. Then? I don't remember. When I picked him up he would curl into a ball. It looked like I was holding a tribble. He's still such a baby, and so unlike the other dogs. If a car backfires, 2 dogs bark and one comes running to get between my feet. He still curls when I pick him up but now he tries to maneuver onto his back to get a tummy rub at the same time.

Super Secret Swap Scramble

2008-01-23T18:29:00.001-06:00

A preview of my cocoa swap pal's new buddy. Some assemble required. At this point you can't tell how flipping adorable it will be. Trust me. I've seen a picture.

This weeks topic:What is the most 'random' memory you have from your childhood? I know it's not knitting content, but I love learning about the little quirks and interesting things about people!

My first thought was that when I was very young, I wanted to be a hermit when I grew up. And live in a cave.

How to Help Fledglings

2008-01-20T22:40:00.000-06:00

I've taken needles and yarn and a book to another convert at work. We don't have much time for lessons, which is why I give them each a magazine or inexpensive book with basics in it. This leaves me wondering how I can better help them. While I am an adequate knitter, maybe I'm not in the best position to teach them. At this point we're all still casting on and doing knit stitches. Binding off has been demonstrated, but not yet attempted. So far no one has ventured to purl.

My thought is that I could knit small swatches to demonstrate stockingnet, garter, rib, etc. I wouldn't want to knit a copy for everyone, but I could photograph them with brief descriptions. Maybe trimmed to index cards on a ring.

I was searching stitches and realized how little I know. I've never heard of Andalusian stitch or roman stitch. So many simple ways to look different. My goal should be to knit swatches for my OWN education. A swatch a day would be quite an undertaking for someone as lazy as me. I think I'll go knit the first one right now.

A Poem for Dogs on Thursday

2008-01-17T13:08:00.000-06:00

EVERY DAY FOR EVERY DOG

Mondays dog is fair of snout,
Tuesdays dog will never pout,
Wednesdays pup is dog-eat-dog,
Thursdays dog is on a blog,
Fridays dog is squirmy and wiggly,
Saturdays dog antics make me feel giggly,
And the dog you find on the Sabbath day
is loving and happy and good all day.

First I forgot it was Thursday. So I picked up the camera to track down a beastie for a picture. Yuck, they need baths and a good brushing. No photo. Can't think of anything to write. I'm sitting here thinking "dogs on thursday, dogs on thursday..." & that poem about mondays child gets stuck in my head. O.K. So I'll google the poem with dogs and see if there is a dog version. Nope. We need a dog day poem, don't we? The hard part for me was rhyming blog. And I only went with blog because I couldn't rhyme "on the web".

January Knitting & Cocoa Swap Update

2008-01-17T12:16:00.000-06:00

COCOA SWAP TOPIC OF THE WEEK

Now that we're in the thick of 'Winter'... has your knitting changed to match the season? Are you moving on from dishcloths, and tank tops to afghans, hats and mittens? Has your yarn changed from silk or cotton to wool, superwash or heavier cottons?

My knitting has changed. Not from autumn to winter, but from Christmas to post-giving-season. I was waiting until after the gift knits to start some just-for-me projects. Right now I'm 5 kitchener stitches away from one sock. I started another while waiting for my car to be serviced this morning.
I finished this little sweater as my January contribution to next Christmas' tiny tree of knitting.

I'd also like to work on my gift box. Actually it's a large plastic tote. When I worked in retail, anytime I saw something crazy cheap on clearance, I would buy it and put it in the gift box. During the year we would "shop the box" for birthdays & such. At Christmas I dumped the box and tried to find a home for anything left over.

New Word - Scrumbles

2008-01-12T13:15:00.000-06:00

There's a new group on Ravelry making scrumbles. Wha huh? So I google the word and the first place I look is the Urban Dictionary. http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=scrumble&defid=1028272

Yeah....that isn't it.

It's the crazy-quilt equivalent of crochet & knitting. Check this out. http://www.eject.com.au/e-motive/prudence/whatis.htm

And look at this. http://www.flickr.com/photos/moonrhythm/98056599/

What a terribly dangerous discovery to make when I'm this close(-----------) to finishing a first sock.

I have Enabled.

2008-01-10T16:23:00.000-06:00

Yep, that's me. amateur enable. I often knit at lunch or break while at work. A young man, Jaimee asked me to teach him. Today I took in some cheap acrylic needles and yarn for him. (At this point what he doesn't yet know won't hurt him.) I also loaned him Knitting for Dummies. After work we learned to cast on with a long tail and do a knit stitch. Another young man, Kyle, came to watch and was mesmerized. He gets his "yarn crack sample" tomorrow. It was so much fun seeing their reactions to making a stitch. For them it was like learning a magician's secret.

Jill's Dogs on Thursday

2008-01-10T06:30:00.000-06:00

My sister Jill wanted me to post her dogs this Thursday. These are crops from Christmas pictures. It's not that her kids aren't cute, it's just that I can't post her foster kids pictures online.

Lucy and shy little Maddie. People-wise Maddie is timid. Sheltie-wise she's Boss Hog.

The twins, Lucy and Ricky. "Hey Lucy, you got some splaining to do!" I'll admit these are very sweet dogs, but...don't they look like they could rip your throat out in this picture?

Check out the crazy huge amount of presents donated to the 4 foster kids. Way too much. They got tired before they could open them all.

Cocoa Enthusiastic

2008-01-08T06:30:00.000-06:00

Here's a really good and simple cocoa recipe from Everyday Food. The solid chocolate really makes a difference.

http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/recipes/steamy_hotchocolate.html

And here is a chocolate swirl yarn by aspenmoonarts on Etsy. Lovely.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=7255548

My New Year's Resolutions for 2008

2008-01-07T15:37:00.000-06:00

1. Stop being a week late. Or at least be closer to "on time".

2. Knit daily, even if it is only a token moment to keep this resolution.

3. Take more pictures.

4. Work overtime at least once a month.

5. Use overtime pay against debt.

6. Brush the dogs. Bathe them if they stink too much to sleep in the bed.

7. Knit something for Christmas each month. No matter how tiny.

8. Eat breakfast. Or drink breakfast. Basically, consume something before 9am.

9. Go somewhere educational/fun each month. I've lived here 3 years and still haven't visited the mastodon state park. If the mastodons found time to visit last time they were here, why can't I?

My Cocoa Swap Q&A

2008-01-06T10:51:00.000-06:00

Cocoa:
1. What is your favorite way to drink cocoa? Prepared with milk? Water? from home made recipe or store bought?, In a tea cup, or big mug?I like dark chocolatey mixes with water in a wide mug.
2. Marshmallows or whipped cream? Marshmallows- vanilla or chocolate.

Yarn/Knitting/Crochet
1. What is your favorite type of yarn? In what colors? I like wool and sock yarns right now, in earthy colors like brown/olive/tan.
2. Do you knit or crochet (or both)? Both, but I rarely crochet anymore.
3. What are your favorite type of needles, would you like to try something new? I like the feel of bamboo because the stitches are less likely to slip and they warm up in my hands.
4. Do you have a healthy supply of notions?Not really, I make do as needed.
5. What one thing do you keep thinking you need to buy for your knitting habit (outside of yarn)?Stitch markers.
6. What is your favorite 'quick knit/crochet' pattern (quick gratification)Ball-band dishcloth, ball-band baby blanket, ball-band scarf, etc.

Miscellaneous
1. What is your favorite thing to do in the Winter? watch movies in bed
2. What is your favorite animal? dogs & sheep
3. Do you get the 'winter blahs'? no
4. What is your favorite way to beat the blahs? I enjoy being lazy.
5. What is the thing you are most looking forward to this spring? gardening
6. What are your favorite treat? gummy candy
7. What is your favorite board game? Mad Gab
8. Do you have any children (furry or human)? 3 dogs
9. Do you have any allergies or special considerations you partner should know about? I'm allergic to pine trees. Please don't send me one.

Christmas knitting in action

2007-12-29T08:47:00.000-06:00

A pair of legwarmers being tried on Christmas morning. I'm halfway through the next pair already. Jill wants to have several so the girls can be warm in skirts or dresses this winter.

Cooking for Dogs on Thursday

2007-12-27T16:18:00.000-06:00

Here's a recipe for dog cupcakes/muffins that has my pack hanging around the kitchen waiting for something to fall off the counter.

Ginger Banana Pupcakes

2/3 cup mashed bananas
1/3 cup oil
3 large eggs
3/4 cup water
2 cups Unbleached Flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Beat together mashed banana and butter. Add eggs and water. Beat well. Stir in other ingredients. Beat until smooth. Spoon batter into oiled and floured muffin pan.(or into cupcake papers for party food) Bake at 350° for about 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes, remove from pan, replace on rack and cool.

If icing is desired, mix softened cream cheese with a dab of milk to reach spreadable consistency.

My Wish for You

2007-12-24T22:31:00.000-06:00

Enjoy the frog now. May he visit us less frequently in the coming year.

Give it up. It's just too late.

2007-12-22T07:57:00.000-06:00

All the things that I planned to finished knitting by Christmas are abandoned. I don't want to spend the last couple of days in a rush. Here's a guilt-free solution: the Christmas Knitting group on Ravelry. So instead of tossing all my unfinished knitting in a Rubbermaid tote until next Halloween, I'll have an incredible start on 2008. The moderator, pinchette, posted this link http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/minutia/minutia.html for a great motivating project. The sweaters are so tiny that I'm sure I could finish one each month. And unless elves come to visit, no one will be wearing them so gauge won't matter. Any size yarn bits will do. Stashbuster-Deluxe!

By the way, I am unfinishedknits on Ravelry. Be my friend.

Snowy Dogs on Thursday

2007-12-20T06:29:00.000-06:00

By this morning the snow was melted, but I just had to share how adorable we looked in our sweater & coat. I'm not sure if Trixie was eating it or trying to burrow down to the grass.

Snow Day!

2007-12-16T15:07:00.000-06:00

Here's the proof. It rarely snows before Christmas in this part of Missouri. The really great thing is that it snowed on the weekend when I didn't have anywhere to go. I've got my Blockbuster online movies from the mail, hot cocoa, and cute coats on the dogs.

I also finished another pair of fingerless mittens. This pair is for me to knit & type in. We're keeping it cool in the house to spare gas, so we're bundling up.

Cookie Exchange Party = Big Fun

2007-12-15T20:17:00.000-06:00

The cookie party well really well. I made lasagna, so nobody had to get take-out afterwards (Bethanie). We had a great assortment of cookies. Sara's sweet potato cookies were the most unusual. JonnieBelle & Reagan's sugar cookies and Teresa's chocolate chips were the first to disappear when I took my platter to work the next day.

After we ate and swapped, we played Mad Gab. The youngest players had a distinct advantage. Maybe because they weren't offered any rum punch. The point of the game is to read aloud a series of words and guess what real phrase they suggest. Here is an example which DID NOT come from the game...

(WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SAY THIS PHRASE IN FRONT OF CHILDREN OR ANY PERSON OF DELICATE SENSIBILITIES.) Say this aloud, preferrably to your boss. Repeatedly.

eye ham sofa king we Todd Ed.

Free Rice. NO, not for you.

2007-12-11T21:50:00.000-06:00

Go play this vocabulary game. It's for a good cause. This link is over there on the right. And no, I don't know how to link from here. I'm not a techno-wizard. (although I am at level 43)

Christmas knitting

2007-12-10T21:34:00.000-06:00

Simple sock hat for Grandma C. My grandmas are always cold. Grandma C. lives in an old farmhouse that her parents built. This hat is from recycled wool.

These are smallish sampler scarves for Jill's girls. The brown is mostly wool and the whites is mixed fibers. An adult could wear either as an under-the-coat-lapel-scarf, but they aren't long enough to wrap. My solution? I declare them to be children's scarves.

You're feeling sleepy... very sleepy...

2007-12-06T06:00:00.000-06:00

Look, Ma...no hands!

Actually, we are very close to learning to give "high five." Trixie is down to one paw most of the time. She still wants to stand up, though.

Check out her bare tummy. At spay/neuter I was going to have Trixie & Gus micro-chipped. Our vet talked me out of it. He said our county doesn't have a reader at the pound or shelter, so they would have to run REALLY far for it to do any good. Instead he tattooed a phone number and initials on their belly.

Picture this:

Kid: "look at this pitiful stray puppy, Mom. Can we keep it?"

Mom: "Poor thing. It's awful how people dump unwanted puppies"

Kid: "Here, Scout, let me rub your tummy"

Mom: "maybe we should call that number."

Dressed-up Dogs on Thursday

2007-11-29T16:02:00.000-06:00

Here's Mom with my three granddogs. The dogs aren't too thrilled, buy Mom is. Why?

Doggie Dress-up Day!!! We started decorating for Christmas & found most of the dog outfits.

My Angel

Don't be scared, Santa.

2007-11-28T21:24:00.000-06:00

You are invited to Lora's 3rd Annual

Christmas Cookie Exchange Party

Thursday December 13, 2007

6:00pm - 9:00pm

Bring 6 dozen of one type of Christmas cookie. Bring another container to fill with an assortment of 6 dozen of our cookies during the swap.

Hearty Refreshments will be served.

Children & spouses welcome.

R.S.V.P. if possible

Infant & Toddler Legwarmers

2007-11-26T18:00:00.000-06:00

Here is a toddler-sized leg warmer. Puddin's leg is too skinny, but you get the idea.

I just cast on 28 stitches,
worked k2,p2 around for 8 rows,
knit around until long enough,
& finished with a matching rib at the other end.
The yarn is Caron Simply Soft with size 8 dpn.

Same deal with these baby-sized legwarmers. "Cast on 24" and "stop sooner" are the only differences. For full scrunchie up the calf effect, these fit nb-12mo. And, no, Trixie wasn't happy with this modeling gig.

Starting another sock at the source

2007-11-25T19:01:00.000-06:00

Sister Jill & Lora gleaning a cotton field for spinning fibers.

Going home to the bootheel of MO for Thanksgiving, I was hoping to find a cotton field that hadn't already had it's stalks chopped. I read about spinning cotton from the boll, that is, without ginning out the seeds first. It said that you got less fiber breakage and therefore longer fibers this way. You also sidestep the awful task of picking out the seeds. My grandma told that when her mother was a child they still picked the seeds by hand. Each evening all the children had to fill one of their own shoes with seeds before bed. Small child, small shoe, less seeds. Seems fair.

The universe sensed my need for cotton. This field was next door to cousin Sabrina's house. It was the only standing field of stalks that we saw, and the last few rows had been skipped on the final picking. Sure... it was wet and the bolls were stringing out a bit. But hey, if you ask for cotton and the universe answers, ya don't look the gift horse in the mouth.

Eatin' good in the neighborhood.

2007-11-17T20:56:00.000-06:00

Some of the girls took me out to celebrate the fact that I quit my job with them and left them hanging at the busiest time of the year.

From the left: Paula, Gloria, me, & Traci.

Guess which one of us is suffering from alcohol flush.

They gave me this.

Check out the business name on the right. I got so excited when I saw that. If I ever get a yarn shop I will name it that...with the extra "pe" at the end & everything.

Another hat

2007-11-17T11:47:00.000-06:00

I am a slow knitter. After 10 minutes, my fingers get numb and have to rest. Socks take forever and a sweater...forgetaboutit. So I got this book "knitting workshop" which tells me to knit a hat on a 16" circular needle. For whatever reason, I can knit all night on the darn thing. I can't express how freakin' exciting this is for me. So here's another hat made entirely from my handspun.

Bad dog-hair day on Thursday

2007-11-15T20:23:00.001-06:00

They are either too embarrassed or too annoyed to look at me. "Save a couple of bucks" I thought. The inevitable mom sin: the home hair cut. Of course I decided to try it right before the holidays. My only recourse is to shamefacedly return to their groomer. Her only available time between now and Christmas is...the day after Thanksgiving. I guess nobody else wanted it.