Winter

"There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you ..... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself."- Ruth Stout

I feel like this past week has been like that or atleast the later part. Monday was a little stressful trying to finish the stockings and mittens that #1 daughter requested. Then Tuesday I was working on the Hemlock Ring which I finally finished on Christmas Eve. I blocked it and was able to wrap it by noon on Christmas Day. Have to say I love apircream!

Christmas day was so relaxing. #2 kids started the day later than they normally do. After they took turns unwrapping we sat around for hours before we went to my mothers. We exchanged presents with my brother and family and relaxed some more. #1 son showed up and we exchanged more presents and started dinner. #1 daughter showed up and we exchanged presents with her. We ate about 3 and then #1 son left to go to his gf’s family. #1 daughter came home with us and we lounged around and then went to bed early.

The man had Friday off and it was as leisurely as Thursday. Falling right into this new routine, when the man went to work for ½ a day on Saturday, I slept until 8:30! I was feeling alittle too leisurely obviously! I rectified this by starting work on a pair of Urban Necessity gloves for #1 daughter from yarn my mom bought me for Christmas and a pair of socks for myself with yarn from #1 daughter. I must admit I made out extremely well again this year. But #1 daughter made out the best….Sir T bought her a promissory ring! {{happy dance}} I love this guy. But even if I didn’t he makes her happy and that is all that matters. He is still in school and graduates in June. She is fresh out of the Army, trying to get employment in today’s job market and taking classes. What’s that saying… “the world is their oyster.”? I am very happy for them. :^D

Sunday I finished one glove, started the second and did some spinning. I am trying to organize the yarn and needles that got pulled out during the holiday knitting spree so I lost ½ the day to that with more to do today.

Tomorrow the kids both have Dr. appointment’s and the man has to be tested for TB. One of the guys that worked in his shop was gone for over a week. Then he came in, said he had been in the hospital with TB and everyone he was in contact with had to be tested and then he left again. The man’s boss thinks it is BS but I would like to err on the side of caution.

Eventually I know this seclusion and calm is going to pass so I am just going to enjoy it while I can! If it would last until March it would be awesome and I could emerge renewed. However I don't think that will happen! So for now, I have books to read and I have even been thinking about what I want to plant this year. I think we need this time to wind down, look back and get ready for the new year.

Merry Christmas

I finished all the knitting! #1 daughter picked up all the mittens and stockings on Wednesday and the Hemlock is blocking right now. The duck and ham are in the fridge. The dishes are not washed and the presents are not wrapped and I need to find the stockings but oddly enough I am very calm right now...must be the egg nog!

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,

The gladness of Christmas give you hope,

The warmth of Christmas grant you love.

~Author Unknown

Snow Day #4 & 5

Oh! the snow, the beautiful snow, Filling the sky and earth below, Over the housetops, over the street, Over the heads of the people you meet. Dancing, Flirting, Skimming along.~ J.W. (Joseph Warren) Watson

The kids used snow day #4 on Wednesday. As something new, we actually had snow that time! Well actually a dusting of snow with sleet on top. And we have today off as they are calling for 7-12 inches. This is part of a 1, 2, 3, 4 punch. Wednesday's storm, today's and one expected Sunday and one Christmas Eve day. We will have a white Christmas!

This past Friday I saw geese flying south. As we had been having January temps in Nov and Dec, I figured those Canadian geese had decided that they didn't fly south enough and were rectifing that!

Tuesday I took #2 son to town for ear, nose and throat appointment to see if he needed tubes re-inserted. The Dr. was so far behind my 3:45 appt would not have come up until 6 pm. I rescheduled. It would have been nice if they had called and given me that option before I drove there. Luckily the gas is down to $1.75 so it doesn't hurt as bad now.

Wednesday I took him to town to re-evaluate his shoulder. They will allow him to compete in January and has to build it up slowly so he doesn't re-injure it.

Thursday I had to go to town again to house clean. Town was a mob scene as everyone was scared of the impending storm and afraid they wouldn't get to shop before Christmas. I finally got home after 4 and the garage called to tell me what the problem was with my car. I said hold off doing it...they told me they already did it...$686! Didn't need that right now. Then I found we had no water as my mother and I share a well. She is was having electrical problems in her house and didn't feel like dealing with it so took a nap. I woke her up when I came in. The man worked until 10 pm trying to find out what the problem was but he is not an electrician. I don't have the money to pay an electrician and she wouldn't call one.

My sister emailed me and I dumped on her. Luckily she has broad shoulders and could handle it. She said call an electrician and charge to her credit card. My brother knew an electrician as we figured someone we knew would do a job at someone else's house and get paid by a third person. Unfortunately he couldn't come but said to get it checked immediately. So I braved the wrath of mom and called her and told her we were conspiring behind her back but it didn't work and now she needed to call. I went down and called another electrician that the first recommended. The electrician came but said he thinks the problem is straight from the electric provider. So we are waiting on the electric provider to come. It started to snow at approximately 10:45 so it may be awhile.

I have the Hemlock to finish, fingerless mitts, one peek-a-boo and some other Christmas presents to finish that can not be mentioned at this time. I have bought nothing yet and was going to go do that tonight. We will have to reschedule that for tomorrow.

The wood is moved closer to the house and we got a bunch inside. The bird feeders are full. The pine cones are inside to make into feeders for the winter solstice. I have a bunch of candles/lanterns. The freezers are full so let it snow let it snow, let it snow. I will be sitting by the fire knitting my fingers off.

6 PM UPDATE: The problem was with the electric provider so the man wasted all of last night as no matter what he did it would not have fixed it The water didn't come on when the electric was fixed so after the man got home he checked the well pump and it needed to be reset. Mom has water but I have frozen pipes. Once they are thawed all will be well again. No knitting got done with all the shoveling and running back and forth but I did get some work done on a stocking. At 4 PM we had 7 inches. Thankfully it is going to end soon. And as of now we are only suppose to get 3-6 on Sunday.

Where there is smoke there is Fire!

"On a cold day there is nothing better than a seat against a warm stove."

Oh yeah the man did good! I LOVE IT!!!!

Hunting Season

“Civilized life has altogether grown too tame, and, if it is to be stable, it must provide a harmless outlet for the impulses which our remote ancestors satisfied in hunting” ~ Bertrand Russel

So yesteday we went to fulfill our ancestors impulse. Since we are more civilized we didn't go into the woods too early as it was cold. We lounged in the warmth of home and it was actually after noon before we left. It was still cold (22 degrees) but the breeze was down.

When we got to the hunting spot we got out of the truck and donned our gear. Immediately we spotted fresh droppings, proof the prey was close. We walked further trying not to make a noise. More droppings were sited. The further in we walked the more evidence we had that our quarry was soon to be found. Then we came upon evidence of a fresh kill along with a gut pile. Quietly we walked hoping to find something worthy of mounting. Suddenly we found ourselves surrounded. We ran as our prey now outnumbered us... the hunter became the hunted! We found help from a little old lady in a 1950 Jeep armed with a chainsaw. She quickly dipersed the prey. I tagged it as any good spinner/knitter would. Then we drug it to the truck. On the way home we saw a wonderful sunset. When we got home we were worried it's hide would get ruined. So we quickly mounted it. Thankfully it was a good size and should feed us (spiritually?) for a couple of weeks.

Third of Six Snow Days

Oh, what a blamed uncertain thing

This pesky weather is;

It blew and snew and then it thew,

And now, by jing, it's friz! ~ Philander Johnson

Because our school district is so large (325 Sq Miles) the weather is very different from one area to the other, lots of little micro-climates. Down in the river valley we have nothing but rain, again. They say the higher elevations have a wintery mix so the kids have their third snow day. According to the weather man tomorrow there will be several inches of snow in the higher elevations so they may not have school tomorrow.

#2 son who is usually a bear to get up every morning is wide awake when there is a delay or closing. He made a trip to the emergency room last night as he got off the late bus crying his shoulder hurt from wrestling. After two hours and some Xrays he came home in a sling for a week or more depending on his re-evaluation. He has a sprained shoulder and some muscle damage....he is playing it to the hilt. He is right handed and it is his right shoulder so he tries saying he can't do anything. Some of this I let him get away with as I know he will be bored with it soon enough....it is driving his sister crazy though!!!

In fibery news...The Hemlock and I have suffered some technical difficulties. On a K2tog yo ssk row I came up one ssk too short. I counted, recounted, recounted again and couldn't find a mistake which would lead me to assume it is 5 rows below. Since this realization I have lost a day to a migraine and one to going to town. If the kids weren't home I would work on it today. Instead I did manage to wind the blue yarn into a ball and knit the first pair of Peek-a-boo mittens for #1 daughter. I also did one of the lacy fingerless mitts in blue and hope to finish the other tonight.

In house news...#1 son came over and we polyed the floors. I need to go to the store and buy more for the second coat. Saturday we should be able to put the that on. And on Sunday we may have to go get the tree.

Weary Knitter

If the knitter is weary the baby will have no new bonnet. ~Irish Proverb

Or there won't be Christmas presents! I picked the longer needle up on Thursday and have been knitting away on the Hemlock. Yesterday the guys went hunting. #2 daughter and I sat and watched Santa Clause 3 and I knit. I only have 3 rows to go to make 55 which is where most people stop or 18 to the end of the chart. I am going to the end....if I can make it. I have been knitting so much my arm was starting to hurt so I took the afternoon and evening off and that seems to have helped. The arm is feeling much better this morning.

#1 Daughter called the other evening to request two pair of peekaboo mittens in kool-aid dyed homespun. While my arm was recuperating I dyed two skeins of yarn...one blue and one red as requested. The blue I dyed 1/2 light and 1/2 dark hoping it will stripe a little.

The man went and got the floor sander. We installed reclaimed wood in the livingroom, dining room, kitchen and hall. Here is what it looked like before sandingand here is after one swipe with the sander.I can't wait to see it all done. He will be finished with the sanding today. On some boards you can see the old saw marks and I want to keep them as long as there is no chance of getting splinters. He thinks I am strange as will my kids so it will probably be sanded away.

Tonight is the towns tree lighting and the weatherman just said it will be the coldest night so far. As I know some "people in high places", I am going to go put in a request for a bonfire! Nope that won't work they just said wind15-20 mph winds with gust 25 to 30. It is 27 at the TV station now with 10 mph winds so an 8 degree windchill temp. We are normally 5+ degrees colder. Yikes! They are calling for 10 degrees. Oh add in those windchills and people will be grabbing the free hotdogs, cookies and hot cocoa just to use as handwarmers!

Plans for today...#1 daughter and I are canning some raspberry chocolate sundae sauce for Christmas presents. Then I am going to go pick up an old neighbor that moved away and bring her down to see the progress of the house and have dinner. We are going to have to tell her to bundle up for the tree lighting. But until then I am going to knit. If my arm starts to hurt some Tylenol and Absorbine Jr. should fix what ails me! Wish me luck!

Every dog has his day in court

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?"

We made the rounds of the courts on Monday. I had an appointment because the ex wanted his child support lowered because he is temporarily on unemployment until January. The judge told him that was not an excuse and noticed that he makes more money and offered to raise it for me. I declined the raise as I don't want to make things harder on him but I am tired of him contributing to numerous 401K's and child support being the first cut in his "economic plan."

After lunch we went to traffic court for the citation issued at the hit and run. The citation stated the man (my man) caused the accident! The law used stated that if a vehicle was parked on the road it had to be visible for 500 feet and a lane had to be open for traffic. Google Earth has this nice ruler and it was 534 feet in one direction and 1600+ in the direction the guy hit us from. Being drunk does affect your vision! You have to pay the fine in order to get a court date and at the end they were reimbursing the monies.

A very good start to this week since last week ended on a sour note. Friday after rounding up the chickens and driving them to the butcher we ended up driving them home. The butcher said they told us the "weekend after Thanksgiving" which is what we thought this past weekend was?! Then they called on Saturday and said "Sorry, bring them in on 12/2. So last night the man drove them back out there and we drive back out tonight to pick them up. Boy am I glad the price of gas went down.

And on one of those WTF was I thinking moments - you know the ones, where you get this ingenous idea and feel like Wonder Woman. One that you over estimate your abilities and under estimate the flight of time. You get all cocky thinking you have the yarn, the needles and you already start seeing the recipients surprise - Well I had one of those moments on Sunday and started another Hemlock Ring. I have finished 35 rows of the normal 55 on the feather fan section. So why the WTF you ask....When it was switched from a doily pattern to an afghan they used a size 10 needle. I had Paton's Merino which was thinner than the yarn called for so used the needle size recommended hence it will be smaller. I knew this but figured I could do more repeats. Here is the bad part...The needle length-more repeats means more stitches. I have the Denise needles which I love but sometimes putting it in the bag and taking it out can undo one of those needles or lengths. I have to put it away or the dog thinks it is a play toy. So I went out to buy a 36 or 48 inch #7 needle...one store wasn't open, another store didn't have it, mom doesn't have one, Mary doesn't have one. So I have been trying to fit all those stitches on a 29 inch and have finally run out of room.

Now I have this really bad trait, I will knit this every spare second I have BUT if I hit a snafu and have to set it aside or deal with broken needles and dropped stitches I will get PO'ed and it won't get done. Also I will go crazy waiting on the needles to arrive if I order them, no other project will suffice because I will not be working on what I want to work on. When I called Cyndy to inquire if she had one, she said that was called obsession and she is right. Thankfully she admitted to the same "disease" so I don't feel bad! But no she didn't have a longer needle either. Oh well I should stop pouting, Santa Claus is coming to town and maybe he will bring me one.

4 PM UPDATE: Jill Deal has a 32 and 40 inch and has put them aside for me! I go pick them up tomorrow morning!!!! Yipee!!!!

Black Friday

The Christmas season has come to mean the period when the public plays Santa Claus to the merchants. ~John Andrew Holmes

So the turkey hadn't even been digested and people were camped outside stores. I did the Black Friday thing twice about ten years ago and I hated it. Well I loved the sale prices but the elbows, shoving and tons of people freaked me out. I hate crowds and noise. I think as I have gotten older I would rather spend the extra money and go when it is quieter. Grabbing and shoving don't bring Christmas to mind. There are times when I am shopping and see behavior like that and I can laugh at them like watching gerbils in a habitrail, but most times I just want to run out of the store.

So today I had planned on taking #2 son to wrestling practice and coming home. However my mother had other plans for me. She figures why should two of us venture out when I will already be out of town and so is sending me shopping. Thankfully it is only to a mom and pop pharmacy and grocery store and not a big retail store.

We had a great Thanksgiving as we have much to be thankful for. Wednesday we had all the pies and casseroles done so yesterday was a breeze. The whole week has been pretty much carefree, so much so that I have been able to finish some fibery things.

On Monday I had picked up a wool sweater at the trift store. I ripped it apart and washed it that night. Tuesday I plied it and knit myself a quick pair of Holiday Mitts . #2 daughter wore them to school on Wednesday as she didn't understand the "made myself part"! Yesterday I made her a pair of Lacy fingerless mitts.

My cousin and his wife went to visit my brother for Thanksgiving and left me with their chores....yeah like aplaca sitting could be a chore! Think she would notice if they were bald when she returned?

Tonight we take the broilers to the butcher. Tomorrow after another wrestling practice we pick the birds up. Sunday we work on the house and Monday the man took off to go to court for the accident. Keep your fingers crossed!

To those braving the crowds today, I hope you arrive home scratch and bruise free.

Another No Snow Snow Day

"you've stolen your last snow day from us snow plow man" - Snow Day

It seems we are using our second of six alloted snow days....and we are not even through November! And we don't have to worry about the snowplow man taking that away from the kids.....we have no snow for him to plow! Again the valley area's have received nothing while the higher elevations have several inches. Had this originally been a full day of school, I do believe the kids would have had a delay. Today was to have been Parent Teacher Conferences so they only had to go in for a half a day. You can't have a two hour delay then dismiss them early.....an hour bus ride for 41 minutes of school!

Unbeknowst to them, I can think of a ton of things to keep them occupied (insert evil laugh).

ALSO, since we received all rain and no snow you know we finally had a night above freezing! It is a plus plus day.

Nature Laughing

“Nature has no mercy at all. Nature says, "I'm going to snow. If you have on a bikini and no snowshoes, that's tough. I am going to snow anyway."" ~ Maya Angelou

I was under the impression that this winter was to be a mild. Maybe we are just experiencing 11 degree night temps with 28 degree highs because we have not hit winter yet!? Work with me here!!! All I know is that it has been uncharactaristically cold. It didn't ease us into it - one day it is in the 30's and 40's then BAM your fingers are so frozen they can't open the clothes pin. It has been so cold that the river started to get ice on it.

Needless to say not much work is getting done outside. I have been putting those inside hours to good use though. I finished two pairs of Peekaboo mittens for the nephews for Christmas. I made an aka Red Baron Flies Again (earflap) hat and pair of legwarmers that a friend asked me to make. And I admit before I stuffed them away until after Christmas I did peruse the first of the seed catalogs.Yesterday I baked both carrot and pistachio muffins and froze them for lunches. I made taco soup, BBQ beef, rice pudding and corn chowder. Stick to your ribs and keep you warm food...be forewarned....also sticks to the thighs, belly, butt etc.

Along with cooking and knitting I have been sitting and watching the birds...Some don't enjoy the scrutiny...Bird with attitude. I should clean those windows when it warms up some!

Those darn annoying proverbs

You need to take the good with the bad ~Proverb

Proverbs tend to be annoying...mostly because they are true and full of common sense and... and and... do they have to be right all the time?

Yesterday I was so happy about the snow ~ a beautiful dusting making everything look so clean and bright. I had to drive to town making sure I paid attention to the road and not the sun glistening on the snow making it look like a world of diamonds. Luckily I was in the shadow of the mountain on this section and was watching when these gals decided to go for a morning stroll. I must say I would rather stop for a turkey crossing then a traffic jam any day. Anyhow, the snow was melted by the sun and was gone before I got back from town with more bird seed. My fingers got cold filling the feeders as I don't think it got above freezing. Reminder to self: Knit more mittens!

This morning came the bad with yesterdays good. Along with snow comes cold weather. Who woulda thunk it? But it is true. So I woke to this...Sorry for the bad picture, I could say I was shivering but I was warm as toast inside! I just took a really bad picture. Anyhow...Yes, you are reading that right 11.7F! These are January temperatures in mid-November. That little bit of snow is hardly worthy of temperatures that low!

Another annoying proverb today is...The old grow old, the young grow up. Today is #2 daughter's birthday. After a ten year hiatus from child birth I had this tiny little baby. What feels just like yesterday is fourteen years. She has grown up and I have grown old. #1 daughter even found some gray hairs on me and has told me she is buying me dye for Christmas! Gray or not, I can't wait to see the rest of the journey #2 and all my children take as I grow old.

Happy Birthday #2

And now I must follow another proverb... Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today....and get about my business.

*Snow*

“There is nothing in the world more beautiful than the forest clothed to its very hollows in snow. It is the still ecstasy of nature, wherein every spray, every blade of grass, every spire of reed, every intricacy of twig, is clad with radiance.” ~ William SharpA couple of weeks ago neighboring areas awoke to several inches of snow, while down in the valley we only got some slush. We - or I should say - I would have loved to have had the snow...the power outages no, but yes to the snow!

Well this morning I looked out the window to see snow! Now it is no where near as much as the surrounding communities got weeks ago. It is a nice 1/2 inch of snow to make everything nice and clean and bright. I have to drive to town today so I am happy about this. I love the snow but hate to drive in it. The kids went running to the TV to see if there was a delay! No such luck guys! #2 son is having a personal dilemma...he joined wrestling so doesn't want school but wants practice. Yesterday was his first practice and I don't think he ever fell asleep so fast...or so early...I like it! He has always been the one to try staying up as late as he can.

And along with the snow came the dark eyed Junco's to the feeder reminding me to buy more feed while in town.

14 days of happiness in a lifetime?

I have now reigned about 50 years in victory or peace, beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies, and respected by my allies. Riches and honors, power and pleasure, have waited on my call, nor does any earthly blessing appear to have been wanting to my felicity. In this situation, I have diligently numbered the days of pure and genuine happiness which have fallen to my lot. They amount to fourteen. ~ Abd Er-Rahman III of Spain (960 C.E.)

I find that quote so sad. In 50 years he was only happy 14 days! At first I couldn't grasp how any one could have what they want, be loved and respected, yet could not be happy. Then I thought of my friend - she is of that same ilk. She is a single mother, the childrens father disappeared so he didn't have to pay support. She has two kids who have everything they need and some they don't. They both have two dressers full of clothes and a double tier closet full of clothes some they don't get around to wearing before they out grow them. Their rooms are right out of a magazine-one is done all in tinkerbell and the other in bratz. She has a 20 year job in her kids school so doesn't pay child care. Her kids are covered with insurance. She inherited her house so has no morgage. She gets heating assistance so isn't burdened with the full heating bill. Other than heating she earns too much to be eligible for assistance but not enough to put any away. She got three large trash bags of gifts last year and 2 turkey dinners from various places and is on all the lists for this year. Yet she is so worried about putting more under the tree that she is like Abd Er-Rahman. She is not happy. At school time she was unhappy because of the cost of backpacks. She took 8 of them to the dump because "they don't reuse backpacks"...not the Salvation Army so someone else can benefit. After Christmas it will be something else to not be happy about. It doesn't matter that her kids don't play with 90% of the toys but just sit in front of a tv, it doesn't matter that they don't consider books a gift because they are not going to read them, it doesn't matter that their rooms sit empty because they crawl in her bed, it doesn't matter that others are so much worse than her-she is just not happy.

I am a little anxious about the economy, the fact that Christmas is only 40 days and 16 hours away and I have nada and the progress of the house. Today dawned foggy and wet. Yesterday it rained all day. The pile of laundry is going to fall over and crush us. The leaves are gone and things just look dull except for the pines, birches and sycamores, but I would not say I am not happy. On the contrary my week was a good one.

Saturday the man went to his mandatory sixth day of work. I went in the house and started laying the reclaimed wood floors. Sunday we had finished them and next weekend while the kids are gone we will rent the sander.

Monday, after making everyone lunch and sending them off to school and work, I house sat for my mother as she had to go out and was expecting a repair man. I was so tired from the weekend that I knit all day. I made a pair of slipper socks for my nephew for Christmas but found they were too small so gave them to a friend for her nephew. I then started a pair of peekaboo mittens. I also picked up some pine cones (of which there are an abundance of this year) for #2 daughter and I to make into bird feeds for the winter solstice, something we do every year.

Tuesday was a day of firsts...I saw my first bear this year running across the road on its way to the river. A citidiot (city idiot) who had been tailgating me stopped and got out of the car to get a better view. I had enough sense to appreciate the view I got and keep going. Of course it did get him off my a$$. We were the only two vehicles on the road so why do they feel they need to crawl up there? I am doing 55 in a 35 so I was not going to pull over and let him pass. Nope he needed a lesson in slow down and enjoy...and go get eaten by that bear.

Another first was the flock of sparrows that descended on the feeder. I only have a small suet cake in the feeder now so all I usually see is the woodpecker, titmouse, chickadee and an occasional wren. Since then they are no where to be found. I did have a different bird this morning but the woodpecker scared him away before I could find out what he was.

And last but not least on the way to son's doctor appointment I saw my first eagle of the season sitting in a tree on the rivers edge. We have resident and migratory eagles. Usually with abundant small game in the wood and fields they stay away from the river while the fishermen are there and you only see them in the winter. Now that the hunters are in the woods stirring things up I guess they opted for the quiet of the river!

Wednesday I mixed up a batch of regular hot cocoa and one of double chocolate hot cocoa for the kids. Tis the season you know. Went to town and picked up more paint. I came home a different route and picked up feed from the feed store. I finished the mittens and even worked in the ends right away (something I normally put off until I have to wrap the present!)

Yesterday I spent the day painting. I hate to paint...no really...I hate to paint but it makes such a difference! #1 daughter unexpectedly showed up to help….first I had to fortify the starving child by making her a london broil and cheesy orzo. The kids came home with their report cards-#2 daughter is honor roll.....#2 son is not. Being on the cusp of teen-hood has definitely hit him harder than it did his sister.

Today I sit typing this watching a flock of turkeys follow a deer trail from the bottom to upper ridge. After my mother’s doctor’s appointment, #1 and I will go back in and paint some more. She wants to learn how to spackle…another drudgery job but one more room to do and then we are done with that also.

It was a plain and ordinary week-absolutely nothing exciting but I would still rate it a good week - one I am happy with. Sadly I think too many people only stop to count their blessings during this month when they are also worrying about Christmas and they don't really realize in how many ways they are blessed throughout the year.

I hope you can look over your week and say it was a happy week. If not I hope you have a happy weekend.

The C bomb

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there ~by Clement Clarke Moore

Yeah I know it is early to talk about Christmas (only 48 sleeps, 17 hours, 26 minutes & 56 seconds away) What happened to November? I was in Walmart and they were playing Christmas music already. BUT sometimes you have to go where you don't want to go so I am thinking Christmas...and because this was suppose to be a fiber related blog and every once in a while it is nice to go back to it's roots....and because current fiber is Christmas related.

#1 Daughter had called a couple of weeks ago and asked how long it would take to make a stocking. I said about three days depending on the pattern. She asked how long it would take her to make a stocking. I said well first you would have to learn how to knit...damn those technicalities!

So I was sitting here with a cold and really didn’t know what to start working on. It had to be simple as my brain was being pushed aside by vile things so could not store more than a four stitch repeat, so I decided to make some stockings. Even if #1 doesn’t want them they won’t go to waste.

I had pulled a sock pamphlet out to show someone and saw a pattern I liked. I started playing around with adding beads but trying to pull worsted weight thru a bead was too tedious so I ripped it out. I restarted, finished it and decided I still wanted beads on it. I am waiting on what I want till I show it all but I will just give you a peak.

Then I started another one in red and green. I ended up ripping that one out also as another idea hit me. Again you only get a peak until I get a tiny bit of yarn and some beads to finish.
Then yesterday I started a third one. I wanted a candy cane but now I am trying to decide how to do the heel. I really wanted to keep the pattern going but realize that will be impossible unless I do a tube sock so I am thinking of learning how to do a pheasant heel. The cuff, heel and toe will just have to be white

I should finish this one today as I have guilt free knitting time. I have to drive to the “city” to take Mom for a PET scan. After which we are going to lunch at #1 daughter’s and then a stop at Border’s, AC Moore and Michaels. Other than the driving which I hate, it should be a good day. Of course I am not the one getting radioactive juice shot into me.

I don't know if I will make any more stockings as my cold seems to have run it's course. The residual effects I am still feeling are nothing compared to the full blown and I am ready to delve into something that takes a little bit more concentration.

I was also able to wash three fleece. And in none fiber I have cleared the fence of all the hops vines, cleaned the back yard of some leaves and cracked all the butternuts. Now I just need to pick the meat out of them.

And even though I don't usually take on animals in the fall....Farmer Dave called to say he had some broilers and piglets left. I made a quick phone call to see if I could still get the chickens done and found I can bring them in the last day they are open for the year. So I got the last 14 broilers to take in the Saturday after Thanksgiving. They are six weeks old now so they should be fine. I thought about doing two piglets but realized I enjoy just having the sheep and layer hens/ducks in the winter. And speaking of laying, my ducks have stopped for the year....just in time for baking season!

Extra time

"O, call back yesterday, bid time return"~William Shakespeare King Richard II

Well we can't get yesterday back but we will get an extra hour tonight when we turn the clocks back. What will you do with that extra hour we are always hoping for? Sadly I will probably be sleeping as I have been fighting a head cold and it now seems to be moving into my chest. After all that whining about needing extra time I then squander it! Tomorrow I will be wide awake at 4:45 so I guess I will use my extra hour then to get some extra work/knitting done.

Being sick has not kept me all the way down. In between Nyquil induced naps I managed to finish these socks. This is the Jacob roving I bought at Endless Mt and finished spinning/plying back on September 13th. #2 son decided these would fit him better than me. I knew I had another pair to finish which he wouldn't want because of the colors so I let him have this pair. The second pair is from Happy Feet sock yarn also bought at Endless Mt. I finished these last night.

And we will need these with each morning dawning in the 20's...but at least it is not snow again. I love the patterns of the frost and how it just forms right on the edge of the stalk or leaf and the sun glinting off the lawn looks like a field of diamonds. I have been picking up pine cones to make the bird feeders with #2 daughter for the winter solstice. There is such an abundance of them this year.I think I am going to make some firestarters for a friend for Christmas. And I had better stop wasting time and get moving before Christmas is here! I have painting to do today. After that I have to figure out the next project. Kids are on a sugar high so I need to get them working!!!

Don't forget to turn that clock back and get your extra hour of time!