Just Saying....

So, here it is the weekend of Halloween and last night it snowed. I don't like to turn the heat on before November 1 but twice this week we have had to turn it on. It is going to be an expensive winter with oil costs. I will have to check the oil level and plan for a delivery soon. Just saying....I am tired of working and then having to spend the money. The house does not have a fireplace or I would be burning the wood pike that sits waiting to go into a dumpster. If I had a fireplace I would chop up the old shed and burn it. Just saying.....

Ready for more Reading???

So we have to replace the fence around the yard perimeter..there is a lot and we are getting started with the side front that Irene blew down. Even that is quite a bit and I had hopes it would be done before the winter. It SHOULD be, but we shall see. Anyways, they old fence is quite crooked as you can tell from new posts we have placed which are perfectly plumb...

There will be a ten foot wide gate for entry into the backyard for vehicles and the tractor.
While DH was digging I was leaf peeping into my own yard.

DS2 and GF carved these lovely pumpkins. Unfortunately they have already rotten and were tossed. I want to get the fake pumpkins so they can carve them again and keep them...the one on the left is from The Nightmare Before Christmas, the one on the right took me a few looks to figure out but it is Tigger I first though a witch on her broom flying in front of the moon.
I was scheduled to take a class at WEBS, I am persuing my knitting certification and this would have been an elective class, Double Knitting. Something I am interested in and signed up right away for. There were not enough people signed up so a few days before they called to say it was cancelled. I had placed a yarn order to be picked up when I attended the class so once they called I called DH and within 15 minutes were on the way to Northampton. I tried to get some pictures of the foliage but had only my phone.

Just so you know I was really there, lol

DH was quite intrigued by this yarn, at 66 dollars a skein for little yardage I cannot imagine the need. I had actually considered this when making DDIL shrug for wedding but opted for something else. Glad I did as she did not wear it...the color did not work..white..
These are the most wonderful needles ever. I just got the one circular and then a circular that is not square. I need, truly need more. It is marvelous and beautiful to look at
It came with this warning on the back of the package.....

"The contents of this pack(needle or any other item) have to be used carefully and for needlework only. These should be used with all due care as these may cause injury if used improperly by and untrained/unfamiliar person. Always restrain children's access to these tools and store these securely" I am so very glad I am a trained professional...

The back room is where the bargains are for the most part. It is where they gather your yarn to fill orders as much of that was going on. there are 6-8 aisles like this
The front room is much newer in appearance, lots of yarn, lots of books, buttons, needles
DH did buy me this beauty as it reminded him of the foliage on the way out.

This is an ID badge holder made from the caps of medicine bottles. We were collecting them for a nurse and this is what she made. I didn't get one, but I thought it was pretty clever.

The cowl mentioned in the last post. GYRE, I am making at least three to be gifted






This TAKOMA sweater is in the latest KNITTY...I love this style sweater. I am making it from Ecological Wool, most I had in my stash ,however it is not for me.









Last year a coworker asked if I would make a similar hat. I was very busy with the wedding and this year, of course, one showed up on Ravelry and I will having him pick yarn from my stash







This is also a KNITPICKS pattern that was the yarn order from WEBS.. So that is it for now. Be back in a few days with knitting updates. I have a few stealth things OTN...cannot post them til they are no longer stealth.

Hi Mom...

Here We Are

Few randoms as I update the others, little Nickolas 23 months old in this picture. In two days he will be two years old! He is a beautiful boy.
Our poor Oliver post op after some surgery for another play injury. They all play so hard sometimes one or the other gets caught on a tooth of the other and the result is wound requiring surgery. This is the second time for Oliver.

My Princess Annabel. She is such a girly girl. When she comes on the deck, this is where she sits. They go out once or twice a week for a few minutes, always monitored.

Ok, TONS of pictures, trying to arrange this post chronologically, but not successful. Pretty close...anyways.

She-knits has designed so many beautiful things. I signed up for the "She-knitsMystery Shawl 8- GWEN". I was so busy over the summer, I did not finish it will absolutely will. It used beads and turned out to be the most interesting shaped little shawl with beaded flowers on it. Most of the participants used light summery colors, but I chose to go dark and mysterious..not really, :), but I did want more fallish colors. Isn't she a pretty little thing?

This year during the Tour de France I also took on the challenge of knitting a project during the three weeks of the Tour. I chose Natalie Servant's Sunflower Fields. I used Bugga yarn for this. I adore this yarn and of course added beads into several places in the pattern. I cast on July 2 and finished July 20. I love this shawl ETA oops this was showcased in the last post, sorry.

I showed the sleigh that we were building for our "Christmas in July" barbecue. But now we have pictures. My DDIL made this Holiday Jello cake. I was raised with it being more cake than Jello, she was raised on more Jello than cake, lol. Either way it was quite tasty.

DS2GF was on decorating detail and she did a wonderful job. The gazebo on the deck was adorned with Christmas balls aplenty....
DH and she put up and decorated our 9 foot Christmas tree...very nice..this is a prelit tree but I don't believe we plugged it in :)
A few folks sat in the sleigh for Christmas pictures...these are two of my friends from work. Actually J is a fellow CT tech and is engaged to B who I worked with at a perdiem job. She is an ER nurse. They are a lovely couple and I am thrilled they are getting hitched.
I made very very cute melted snowmen cookies. I have a better picture somewhere and will add it in when I locate it. I am not sure why these would be Christmas cookies as he would not melt. SO I thought PERFECT for Christmas in July....(first picture is the added in one)

Ahhhh....DS2 and the aforementioned GF. She came to our family in January and will be staying :) They are a great couple and once again as with the newly married , we are blessed with this great pairing...
Two more of my friends, from work. They were good sports climbing in and posing for pictures. both J and G are fellow techs. They make the work experience so much easier...
Guess I couldn't decide which picture was cuter....

So backtracking, when the sleigh was being finished up DS2 thought it looked like a great place for lounging. We need to reattach the appliques as it rained and they fell off and then weathercoat the whole thing. We will be putting it out the lawn in about a month's time....

Wanted a picture of the red pleather upholstered seat
I love the back, DH designed this change to the original instructions to make it fancier
Don't know why but I just like this shot
The wood appliques after being spray painted gold

This was during the Tour and these looked like a bunch of helmeted riders. I loved that these bolts ended up looking like studs when in place
Ahhhhh, the seat
The runners, looked like Santa made a quick landing and got stuck

We decided to take the dogs to the beach on day, unfortunately still to early to let them wander off leash but we will go back...They had a great time.

It was a grand surprise that Phineas went into the water. This is a puppy we would get run over by a vehicle rather than step in a puddle. He was barking at the ocean and daring the waves to come back. He will be the main reason we take another ocean field trip before it gets too much colder.


Puppies running not quite full force but close. Oliver , far right, isn't even touching ground
This a jetty which we normally walk the full length but at a point there is ocean on both sides and it would have been a great temptation for the puppies...
The boys, DH looks great in that color...

Years ago, so many years ago, I made several yoked sweaters for different children in the family. Those children are now having their own children. I had been quite busy in the months leading up to the wedding and now am trying to get caught up on knitted gifts. I have 6 toddler sets to make and here is the first. My nephew and his wife are both Marines. A year ago they had their first child , a beautiful tow head little boy, A,. I basically knew the name of the sweater designs but in this wonderful WWW world, I searched and found a source for the Ginger Original patterns. I scooped up quite a few which means soon I will find my old copies :) But anyways, A got this red and blue truck version. The hat has always been one of my favorite and I adore the pompom.

The next set is for my niece's daughter, G. I have foregone the ribbing and done a picot edge. I believe there will be pictures in a few days

Sheri, owner of The Loopy Ewe had a most fantastic idea. This summer she held Camp Loopy, from June15-Jul15, July15-August 15,August 15-Sept 15 there were assigned projects...the first was the Sedna shawl showcased in last post. The next project was to be cables,for feet, head or hands......the third was a project, any project using 800 yards minimum of a yarn. If all projects were complected in the time allotted the prize was a skein of Wollmeise and a pattern and this is what I received....

I came a cross a cowl pattern I fell in love with, GYRES and this is yarn for three which will be gifted. I love this yarn and the pattern and will link to both after I review how...
http://http//www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gyre

I love WEBS and I love KNITPICKS almost as much. I spied this kit and had to grab it.Knitpicks Mittens Kit It contains the instructions and yarn for all six pair!!! That would keep one busy for a bit...

Hurricane Irene hit the NE maybe two months ago and we were mildly involved. The area was heavily involved but this very old farmhouse and lot of land fared pretty well. We lost a few trees in the woods and many branches and parts of the fence and our power, lol but we fared so much better than most.
This tree would bend waaaaaay over than straighten again. Next time we have a storm the top 15 feet or so are coming down :(

These trees also were bending much more than I would have thought possible but I couldn't catch it..



Yep, we are jumping around a bit but trying to get this posted. here is my Project 2. The pattern is not well written but the mittens are worth the pain.

I cast on July 25, ten days late and finished by August 15. They are Mondaro Cable mittens by Marit Saettern in Sweet Paprika Minuet. I fiddled with the top decreases leaving out many rows as they would have been a few inches too long. But they cover quite a bit of the arm as well and will be wonderful this winter.

Project three I decided on a cardigan. one month to utilize at least 800 yards is a feat, especially since I am not a monogamour knitter. CHloe and Spud FINGERING weight yarn, hmm, 1300 or so yads, I added in beads to the design and figured out I added in 880 beads!! I loved the pattern, I loved the beads and am silly enough to think I will knit this again.


The colorway is Shitake, a perfectly wonderful neutral. I adore this and will wear it often.


DS1 and his wife had decided to get a second kitty. DDIL came into the family with a very large, polydactyl slightly cantankerous cat, Morris. Morris, a beautiful orange tabby had some problems his entire life and shortly after the wedding needed surgery to remove part of his tail. It was learned at that time he likely had this tail issue his entire life(which they believed to be somewhere around 12) and it was want made him cranky. True enough for a short time he seemed to be enjoying his peeps and life. Enter new rescued kitty. Alexander Hamilton, who I just met, seems to have quite a bit of Coon in him. His mother was fostered, as best as one can foster a feral, during her pregnancy and gave birth to three kittens. The kind person taking care of her tried to get the kittens but an animal stole one, :( and she managed to get the other two. Wanting to rescue Mom also, she tried but Mom escaped and unfortunately was killed by a car. The two kitties were fostered and a surrogate Mom took them on. Enter DS1 and wife. They fell in love with this little boy and even Morris was starting to show the most minimal interest in his little brother. I wanted Hamilton to have his own place so knit this cat bed, extra large, figuring Morris would day join him in it. I knit a beret for Morris, not wanting him to feel left out. Before I could gift the kitties, Morris suddenly became ill and had to be allowed to go to the Rainbow Bridge. The vet determined his age was more likely 18-20 years old. Of course DS and DDIL were devastated and this little black cat took on the responsibility of trying to help with the hurt. Morris is gone only 10 days and Hamilton is accomplishing his goal with great success. He is playful and cuddly and knows who his peeps are and appreciates a good game of catch. Hopefully soon, he will feel comfortable in the bed and sleep many hours there.

I doubled worsted wool to make it heavy. Prefulling it was 34 inches or so across and 11 and a half inches tall. I choose colors DDIL likes and that would coordinate with their livingroom. The rusty color I chose as it was the color of Morris and I wanted to see a picture of him in the bed n the future. That won't happen, but someday I will tell DDIL why the orange color is there.
After fulling, the height is 6.5 and the diameter is 21.5 DS2 wondered what was going on with the Shrine to the Ice Tea...
Annabel and Artemus both loved it so I will have to make another. Their scent is part of what is keeping Hamilton from claiming it as his own
7 month old Alexander Hamilton


RIP Morris the Cat
So that is it for now....I will try to be more chronological in the next post. Hoping for once or twice a week.

Keep warm, tell your family how important they are...

Hi Mom