Always Remember

Our country has changed much since September 11, 2001. I am not sure it is all for the better, however, it is to try and keep us safe. Always remember.

Why??

I think I have my projects all lined up like ducks in a row and then the new Knitty comes out. I HAVE TO make these.
Isn't the cap wonderful? And the skirt and bag? And......you get the picture....

Think I am Doing This Correctly

OK so Lorraine,the Sheriff of Knittingham , has nominated me and several others for an award. I am quoting directly from her blog and hope she doesn't mind.

The rules are 1: Post the award on your blog.
2: Add a link to the person who award you.
3: Nominate at least 4 others.
4: Leave a comment on their blog so they can pass it on."

I must tell you it is an honer to be listed among the knitters she has nominated. I have collected Lorraine's patterns, which are amazingly beautiful and have plans to make them all. Please do stop by and see her glorious artistry.
Lorraine and those mentioned in her list have inspired me in so many ways. I was a lover of traditional fair isle knitting before but they inspire me to seek out more challenges. I have so many projects lined up thanks to seeing their finished objects. So, without further delay my nominees are...

Rebecca of Socks for Mum . Dear sweet Rebecca hosts sock swaps and knits some lovely things.With each entry her knitted items become more and more beautiful. I adore the love that comes through her blog for not only her craft but for her family and friends. Rebecca shares her travels, all which are awesome and make you want to travel.
Sheri of the the Loopy Ewe . I tried to think of a way to not put her name here but alas(ETA-Sheri is very busy and I am concerned she may now be slammed with memes and tags,etc.,but she truly belongs here) Sheri is a very busy lady running the Loopy Ewe but her blog is a must read. Sheri started her business in a small corner of her basement, moved to a store outside the house and now has expanded. I don't think it will be room enough still. Sheri shares her knitting and her family on the blog. She takes great pride in both and garners such pleasure you can't help but smile. I was lucky enough to meet Sheri and her family and her friend Janice at the Spring Fling and saw the interaction there. It was a good thing to see.....
Adrienne who I also met at the Spring Fling. Annie is a lovely lady. She turned me on to spinning, which I have yet to try but with good reason. Watching Annie spin was such an almost religious experience I am afraid I could never replicate it. Watching her, sitting, barefoot with the wheel so silently turning and the look of sheer peace on her face, it was a joy to watch. She has a lovely blog where she shares her knitting and spinning experiences. In her latest blog entry I have learned she plays the bagpipes...how cool!
Monica of rubysnpurls. Lovely Monica was my swap partner a long time ago. She put such caring into the bag she knitted and needle rolls she sewed for me. She also makes the most beautiful stitch markers. SHe has such a strong faith, it shines through in her blog entries. It is a lovely blog to read.

There are so many more ladies,blogless Hariamrit and blogless Michelle, Claudia, Janice, blogless Kristi, blogless Susan,(two more SF ladies) All these women inspire me and cause me to stand back and take notice of their lives and their knitting.

Thanks Lorraine.

How's YOUR Weather?

"Awwww c'mon Ma...we are SO bored!!!!"

"You go out, no you go out....c'mon I will race you."
"This is good, rain is good....do you think she'll catch us?Just wipe your paws , she hates muddy paw prints"

Happy Fall

So the leaves are dropping from my maples already and there is a crispness to air that lets me know fall is coming.. Woot!

We spent Sunday finally finishing the fence repair. The fence in the way back was missing three segments we had brought forward to repair the front fence which went down by the fall of the tree. The pups would seek out that space of the missing segments and on more than one occasion escaped. Very frightening. Then they would take off into the woods, who can blame them? They are dogs and the woods have wonderful smells. So we all replaced the 24 feet of wood fence and put up nearly 150 feet of a plastic barrier fence at the tree line. When we were done and let the dogs loose they went right for the old spots which now did not exist. They were quite happy to be running and not getting scolded.
We have quite a lot of varied vegetation around the place and came across a very spooky mystical grove formed by grapevines.
There are grapes and many many ink berries. Poisonous but used for ink so you can only imagine the numerous reminders of do not step on them. They are so pretty though and even the stalks are colorful.

So here is the barn(right) and the house from the treeline.
We have 60 or so feet into the woods as well. It is a long walk and the puppies are loving the freedom to run. However Oliver and I were at the tree line and couldn't find Phineas...hmm...he always hides in the lilac grove or here by the trees,where could he be......... there he is sitting back at the house...go figure.
We are planning to paint the house our self and need to have it power washed first, Then we will scrape and assess the clapboards(may are original)put up gingerbread and paint. I am hoping it is done before Thanksgiving. I have to paint the high spots as DH has a fear of heights like that. I think the colors we have finally settled on are dove grey for the house and posts and navy and burgundy for the gingerbread and trim, charcoal for the porch deck and navy for the ceiling. It will be a spookyish Victorian painted lady. I want to plant some lavender and burgundy flowers around. We have picked out a Victorian lamppost and porch light as well. The door will be replaced with a burgundy steel door. It should be grand and will look so lovely for Christmas.

The barn should have a cupola and as luck would have it our neighbor has one he procured from a local barn and cannot use. We are negotiating getting it from him.

This is the parlor tin ceiling, It will be leather brown with a bronze or silver molding...... the step, mottled part will be blue matching the woodwork. This is the wallpaper. Of course we will then need to think about a new living room set. We need to put wall lights as there is no overhead lighting, the wires are there but sealed off and very old. Maybe down the road we will rewire but not right now.

The squash growing in the fire pit is actually a pumpkin!!! Look! Seems although the blossoms are many the pumpkin is singular. DH says it takes a lot of energy to grow the pumpkin so the plants mange only a few. The fire pit will be gone when we put the deck up but I think I want a pumpkin patch next year. How cool would that be?
I purchased a skein of Wollmeise from a Ravelryer. Isn't it lovely? I also received Zenzi from Claudia and will add a pic later. The Sock Club has shipped and I am so excited as the first two skeins are gorgeous!!!! I will post when I receive them.

I was fortunate enough to get a skein of CTH Limited Colorway for September, from the Loopy Ewe . It is Burnished Berries, isn't it so fall? I also received the September Sock Club shipment from LE. Lordy!!! EVERYTHING is ta die for. The yarn is Sknitches, the pattern is Cookie A. and that most adorable little book is post its!!!

I am making the Big Ivy Scarf from Knitscene
...I fell in love with it and wanted it so badly, most of the yarn is from my stash. Berocco Ultra Alpaca, it should be toasty warm. I received my partners for both No More Humdrum Mittens Swap 3 and Punk Rock Gift Exchange. I already know the mittens I will make and have most of the items accumulated to ship out for the first box for the PRGE. I have done both swaps several times before and love them.

OK ,so that is it for now...just wanted to end on an AWWWWWWWW so cute note..

So Soon

I didn't add all the pics to the previous post so thought why not just do another? It has been a whirlwind week as usual. The Loopy Ewe had three Wollmeise updates this week. I managed to get one skein and missed the other two updates by minutes. Poor Sheri had her hands full with this round of updates. The yarn is gorgeous, deep, dark, intense,much like Claudia herself :) and I love it. I have been lucky enough to score some from Claudia's shop updates and not so lucky with LE's. BUT, I am always so happy for both ladies that they have continued success. I did managed a spot in the lottery and am in the FIRST EVER WOLLMEISE SOCK CLUB!!!!! Yes indeedy!! That just makes me smile!! A lot!! SO while there are a few colors I still want, I am sure within the next 6 months I will have them. Some folks get so intense about it all though. Some people are very lucky and score as many as 14 skeins at one time, others have 2 and put one back so others might have a chance. It is an interesting phenomenon. It is just yarn. Those that are lucky get such terrible acknowledgement from a few that get little or none and then the whole update process goes into critiquing. It is just yarn. OK enough said. I still say it was my good fortune to meet both of these wonderfully classy, kind ladies at the Spring Fling in April and feel badly that there kindness brings out such hostility in some.

DS2 returns to classes next week and I will miss him. DS1 is gone everyday for work,I am still not used to the amount of time I do not see him, even as I write this he has been out since 7am and it is nearing midnight. He is all grown up, sigh, and DS2 is in his 2nd year at college. He has opted to live at home since we are now so close to campus, yet the puppies and I will feel his absence. I laugh because earlier he just stepped out to his truck for 30 seconds and they greet him at the door as though he has been gone a week. The puppies are entertaining and steal much of my time. Oliver's eyes are better and he is 8 months old tomorrow, Phineas, who has been here for three weeks(came to us under 20 pounds)is now 32. Checking back Oliver was 32 at 4 months and Phineas still has a week til his 4 month birthday. That boy is definitely going to be a big guy, not as big as Oliver but the lab in him is showing.

We had a Thanksgiving dinner last night. I was feeling thankful and we are always so busy at Thanksgiving as I work it. We grilled the turkey and I made 4 extra turkey tenderloins because for some reason I did not believe a 12 pound turkey was enough.(Iam one of 11 children and just could never learn to cook small). I made a blueberry pie and an apple pie. DS1GF brought vanilla ice cream from the dairy where she works. There was sweet potato, mashed potato, rolls, green beans, corn and stuffing. All in all a very nice meal.
Nicer still, I enacted a rule a while back that those who cook do not have to clean, so off I went as the kitchen was tidied and the pies warmed for dessert during America's Got Talent. Very nice. We don't really have time together unless on vacation so it was very cozy.

Missing pics from last week:
2nd Anniversary Kit from the Loopy Ewe
Wollmeise added to stash recently Baby sweater and booties needing blocking and buttons. I did get buttons but I think they are too rough for a baby sweater.
Yarn being used for secret test knitting, a pattern I am enjoying a lot and will be glad to show when allowed as it it purty. AND I am doing two socks on two circs again!!

I have a hectic work schedule through Monday and then it is fall. I love fall, we got married in the fall. November will be 7 years. Somewhere I have pics stored and will find them and add one, if not now surely for the anniversary. I love the fall, We had leaves on our cake and on my gown. I made my gown and hand beaded the many many leaves on it. DH beaded one and asked that it be the one appliqued right over my heart. awwww.....I also made his kilt hose, I think they were my second pair of socks ever and he is a big guy.

So that is it for now. Happy Labor Day, be safe, hug your family.