Marilyn Knits

WIP, Reading and a Window Visitor

2012-02-13T08:59:00.004-06:00

Look at all that! Looks like I've had a case of cast-on-itis. There sure is good choice to pick from for whatever knitting whimsy strikes.

I'm about 11% (what can I say...it is how Kindle tells you where you are) into this book. It's good. And it is the winter that we aren't getting this year. Shh, don't tell anyone but I kinda am missing our regular type winter.

And while I was taking pictures by the best light source this time of year (patio door), look who showed up.

The bold cheeky little critter. I got a couple mug shots of him.

Front view.

Side view.

And when the kitties discovered him he ran so fast I didn't even get the thought put together to take a picture much less press the shutter.

But the kitties knew what was up. Up a tree!

The cold from H E double toothpicks

2012-02-07T08:27:00.003-06:00

All along this winter I have been smugly thinking that I haven't had a cold for such a very very long time.

The smugness god has risen it's ugly head and bit me.

Spontaneous eye tearing and nose dripping. Swollen painful sinuses. Headache. Sore jaw from too many days of mouth breathing. Itchy sinuses with the need to sneeze. Augh! And then when you do actually sneeze...it's many times in a row...but it feels wonderful. Sneeze = an exposive sinus scratch.

And so I thought I'd do some reading or knitting but my reading glasses seem to set off some kind of pressure reaction from them just sitting on my nose!

If I could unscrew my head from my shoulders and put it on a shelf for a couple days, I'd be a really happy person.

I'll be ok. I think I'm feeling better today. I just really needed to complain a little.

Are you ready...

2012-02-05T17:30:00.000-06:00

for some FOOTBALL?!?

A new shawl and checking in with the kitties

2012-02-01T10:37:00.003-06:00

The yarn is a Christmas gift from 2nd DS & DDIL. It's Misty Alpaca Hand Paint Sock yarn. I have to say it is durable...I've started 2 other patterns and ripped them out and it has withstood all that abuse. Seriously though, it seems soft and aren't the colors pretty?

I searched and searched for a pattern to make me happy. I think I've spent enough on patterns that I could have bought another skein of yarn instead but sometimes it's part of the process.

What I came up with is TGV*. Just what I was looking for. Garter stitch so I don't have to really think much and actually as busy as the yarn is I didn't want any lace. So this is perfect...except for the little fact that I don't really like ribbing. But I'll have to deal with that later.

And I just had to share the kitties. They have their moments when they are growling and rolling on the floor in an all out fight but look at this. They love each other too. Oh, so sweet!

If you can tell where one starts and the other stops, you are better than me! It's just a mess of kitty!

*I can't get the linkie thing to work. It's a Susan Ashcroft pattern if you want to look it up on Ravelry.

Feeling blue

2012-01-30T06:38:00.004-06:00

I had a high school classmate pass away over the weekend. Such a shock.

We were a small class. 12 girls. 6 boys. We were very close. And still are...you know where you can see someone after years and pick up talking just like you'd only seen them yesterday.

Our 20th class reunion was legendary. (That was 20 years ago. We are now at 40 years out of high school.) We met for supper and then went to a local campground where adjacent sites had been rented. Everyone brought in campers and tents. And we took our kids along. Our boys remember staying up and watching us out the window of the camper. They talk about it to this day.

It was so much fun. We had a huge bonfire and we all sat around having a few drinks, visiting and telling jokes. Some people stayed up all night. One of the guys kept saying "It doesn't get any better than this." And he was right. It was perfect. I'm so glad we have that memory of us all to look back on, now that we are fewer.

Rest in peace, Jay.

Giving...

2012-01-23T15:52:00.004-06:00

the gift of life.

I donated 2 units of blood today.

I started donating years ago after my dad had surgery and needed a blood transfusion during the operation. We could have lost him if not for people giving blood. It was all I needed for incentive to start donating.

It's a good thing.

Wordless...ummm...Thursday? Whatever.

2012-01-19T08:30:00.002-06:00

It's pretty huge....

2012-01-17T08:38:00.002-06:00

I'm improvising on this. The idea for the braided edge came from the Northman mittens. The Nordic star is from Basic Lined Hat Pattern. And the stitch count and needle size are from Frolicking Deer Two Sided Hat. The stripes are from my own imagination and the need to make the yarn go as far as possible. I still had to order more.

We measured a current hat that he's wearing and it measured 25" around and 12" high.

This is going to be very close to that size. If I can decide correctly how much further to knit before I start the crown decreases.

But it's looking like it's going to be a huge hat.

Thank goodness he didn't have a big head like that when he was born. Yikes!

It's heeerrreee!

2012-01-11T10:49:00.002-06:00

The yarn arrived. Yay!

Black & White for stranded mittens for 2nd DDIL. The lining yarn is on backorder but it's the same color as my mittens...chili pepper. Gonna use the same pattern as mine.

A stranded hat for 1st DS. He requested something a bit out of the ordinary but I found a couple patterns, here and here, that I'll combine to get what he wants. Plain on the outside with a brim that can be folded up with the design on that. My only fear is that I didn't get enough yarn...

Yeah, I won't be knitting the naughty design for him. Just the snowflakes...

For 2nd DS this is the same stranded mittens and also a stranded hat similar to 1st DS's. There is more yarn, I just didn't get it in the picture.

And yeah, no frolicking deer for him either. I'm a killjoy!

Something else that arrived that isn't exactly fun but I've been waiting for it also...cold weather and wind. I get to try out my hand ovens! Yippee!

Waiting, waiting waiting....

2012-01-09T10:52:00.003-06:00

There is a yarn order out there in never never land lost between my house and Reno, NV. It was supposed to make it's appearance here on the 5th. And being the impatient person that I've become...I think the instantness* of the internet made me that way...I couldn't just sit around waiting for it to arrive. And so a cowl is born.

2nd DS and DDIL gave me the yarn for Christmas and I love it. The color is perfect.

And the pattern I found...thanks to Ravelry's advanced pattern search...fit the yarn type and amount perfectly.

It is very warm and I'm thinking it could come in handy if I ever get a chance to walk outside this winter. So far the treadmill has been looking better than the streets. We had a thaw that made slush and has since frozen again and so now they are a rough and uneven mess. Anyway!

It's wonderful. It's warm and it'll keep my nose warm when I venture outside. And most importantly it's kept me occupied while I am waiting!

* Instantness is SO a word...I looked it up on the internet!

Hand ovens

2011-12-30T09:39:00.003-06:00

I love that phrase. Hand ovens. And I think these will definitely fit that description.

Wool and alpaca (50-50) on the outside and

100% alpaca on the inside.

As 1st DDIL said..."You won't be losing any phalanges to frostbite when you wear these!".

2nd DS seemed interested in a pair. Black and steel grey. I'm very tempted to order the yarn and get going on them asap. I think I love this pattern.

Have yourself a...

2011-12-25T08:06:00.002-06:00

The house got clean enough. The packages got wrapped. The caramels were cooked and the Krum Kake baked.

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve. Everyone was here. Much food was eaten. Many packages opened.

The best part though were the hugs and kisses from the grandkids. Sweetness.

Yes, I'm still out here...

2011-12-22T12:35:00.004-06:00

I assembled and mailed out our 148 Christmas cards for the seed plant this morning.

And when I came home at noon, this is who greeted me in the window. What a pretty kitty!

I'm swamped with things to do but somehow I'm not feeling the pressure. Maybe that comes when I finally get around to wrapping packages. That usually sends me over the edge. But for now I'm mellow and will just chip away at the list of things to do. And if all of it doesn't get done, well so be it.

Maybe this is how Christmas is really supposed to be!

Remember...

2011-12-13T08:50:00.007-06:00

In an email today I told one of my DSILs that she shouldn't worry about Christmas. (She has had major health problems that are getting resolved now but are still an issue.)

I said that Christmas will come no matter what we do or don't do.

And that we should enjoy the season and not stress over it.

I seriously need to listen to myself. If you need a picture of someone stressing over Christmas you could just look at me.

I need to stop it.

Ok, me. (And any of you that want to join me.) Take a deep breath. Let it out. Relax. Look at the pretty lights and decorations. Ignore the "to do" list for just a bit.

And remember the real reason for the season.

Maybe I'll go back to the mittens. It IS cold outside...

2011-12-05T09:05:00.004-06:00

The Advent Calendar Scarf hasn't gotten off to a good start.

My size 4 needle, that the pattern requires, is being used in another lace project and I didn't want to take it out.

So I used a size 5 instead. Ripped because of looseness issues.

Went down to a size 3. Really like the fabric now.

Have never done cables. Day 2 has cables. Tried once. Didn't turn out. Ripped out.

Tried again. Still didn't turn out. Ripped again. Will be omitting Day 2.

Didn't have a lifeline and didn't want to rip all the way back so put in a lifeline as best I could. Turned out ok. Phew!

Got lost in the pattern and should have been doing garter stitch instead of stockinette. Need to rip back to lifeline. Again.

Project officially in time out. It'll be really fun after Christmas.

And besides that it was -10 degrees this morning. Right now, the stranded mittens are looking much more appealing than a lace scarf!

Wanna join in?

2011-11-30T10:31:00.003-06:00

There is a KAL going on. Would you like to add a bit more craziness to December? If you do then check this out!

1/4 done

2011-11-29T09:07:00.004-06:00

There is one Northman Mitten finished. I'm 1/4 of the way there! The linings should go fast...no pattern or charts for them!

It hasn't been blocked yet and I'm hoping that a nice soak and blocking will straighten things out a bit.

There are flaws. The dark line on the left side of the picture is where 2 of the dpns joined. I'm not sure what to do to eliminate that problem on the next mitten.

And since I think the inside of a stranded project is probably the most interesting, here are pictures of that too...

Palm.

Back.

Close up of back.

And here is the start of the next mitten. :)

Happy Thanksgiving to you!

2011-11-24T07:26:00.002-06:00

The first pan in the oven today is the holupture. And what is that you say?? Why it is a family tradition in DH's family. One that I've learned to appreciate and love also. It is supposed to be cooked in a old fashioned Red Wing crock for hours and hours on low heat but I'm trying to bring the dish into our fast paced world. And so a 9X13 pan on slightly higher heat for a shorter time. I really hope it turns out.

The recipe comes from the same Gramma that knit these slippers. She was a strong force in our family and we miss her and all the other grammas in our lives, especially on days like this.

Ok. Now for the recipe.

You start out with a nice sized head of cabbage. Core it and then wilt the leaves in a big pot of hot water. Cut off the heavy stem that runs down the back of the cabbage leaf so they are easier to roll.

Mix together 1 cup uncooked rice, 1/2 cup finely diced ham or bacon, 3 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Put a spoonful of this in each cabbage leaf and fold over the edges on all sides to form a roll that the rice can't escape from.

Place cabbage leaves on the bottom of the pan. Arrange the cabbage rolls on top. Add another layer of cabbage leaves and top everything with 2 large jars of sauerkraut. Add enough water to cover the rolls and bake for several hours at 325 degrees.

The first holiday that a newcomer to the family was at, was the test to see how well they would fit in... They were given the holupture test. First to see if they would taste it at all and then to see if they would like it. I think I passed the test all those many years ago. I both tasted and liked the holupture! And now I'm cooking it for my family.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Addicting!

2011-11-21T08:31:00.005-06:00

The Northman Mittens are totally addicting.

The braided cuff.

The design on the wrist.

The back.

The palm and gusset increases.

Addicting, I tell you, like M & Ms or potato chips... Oh...umm...ok. Maybe I'll do just one more row.

Something done and the next project up

2011-11-17T13:32:00.002-06:00

Finished the socks to be worn as slippers since they are worsted weight and probably won't fit in any of my shoes! Pretty happy with them but sure wish I'd made the legs longer. Had lots of yarn left. Not in the mood to change them though...

What I am in the mood for is the next project. It might be slow moving since I've never done stranded mittens before but am excited to learn something new and if I can do a nice job I'll have some really special mittens!

The purple and off white (Berroco Ultra Alpaca) are the mittens and the red (blue sky alpaca Melange) is the lining. I washed the yarn with Cookie's helpful suggestions, (Thanks!) and it's a good thing I did. That red bled like crazy. I think I got it stopped now though!

Wish me luck on the knitting. :D

I can say it in 3 words.

2011-11-15T08:21:00.005-06:00

It. Is. Snowing!

Edited to add:

About 1 pm. Now it is storming. Winter arrived with a bang!

Sweet baby set

2011-11-10T08:40:00.003-06:00

A great niece is having a baby boy in December. Perfect reason to knit another Iceling set!

The info on all the pieces are on Ravelry. Just click the linkies. This is the hat.

The mittens aren't included in the Iceling set but are Basic Baby Mittens by Kari Salvatore. They are just right and I did a single crochet chain with a size 7 hook to connect them to each other. Just trying to cut down on the chance of mitten lossage!

I was hoping to get the whole set out of 2 skeins of yarn and so when I had one mitten knit there was the decision of taking a chance on the bit of scrap of yarn left or breaking into that extra 3rd skein. I weighed the finished mitten and then weighed the yarn scrap. The both weighed the same.... Well I decided to live dangerously and go for it.

And this is the amount of yarn left after I finished the second mitten. Phew!!

The cardigan just tickles me. I think it looks like a little teeny tiny blue blazer. So grownup for a brand new baby...

I even found the silver crest buttons for it.

It looks so cozy and warm...perfect for a winter time baby.

Saturday sky

2011-11-05T09:54:00.002-05:00

I captured the red sunrise! Click to see it bigger and better...

Good morning!

2011-11-04T08:30:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year when I'm actually up to see a sunrise!

It really is a nice time of day...

The 3rd Iceling is coming along... So many boy babies in our life... Whoever is in charge of these things, maybe the next baby that comes into our lives could be a girl?? Just hoping...

Deer hunting season opens at noon today. I wish everyone good luck but please be safe and also know what you are shooting at before you pull the trigger. And for the out of state hunters, please don't leave your vehicle parked in the middle of the road with your doors open. Other people drive on the gravel roads too...we aren't as nonpopulated as you might think!

Better, I think. What do you think??

2011-10-29T16:13:00.004-05:00

I found new buttons.

I think they are better.

Before.

And after. I like after better. What do you think?

Also....

here is Teddy, the sock model, showing off my finished Cartoon socks. They ended up kinda matchy, matchy.

How in the world did that happen?

I've been knitting...but opinions are needed.

2011-10-26T10:58:00.004-05:00

My Basic Chic Hoodie is finished. Ravelry info here.

Buttons have been installed.

It's been soaked, blocked and even worn once.

It is like a warm hug when you have it on. So very soft and cozy.

But I need some opinions on those buttons. Are they too big? It seems like when I put it on, all I see are the buttons. I don't notice the lace or any other thing about it...just the buttons. Are they wrong somehow for this sweater? Should I go on another button hunt?

I made myself some fingerless mitts. They seem to be all the rage. And so I followed the herd. But I wonder at their practicality...especially for someone who has cold fingers and not so much cold hands or wrists!

But maybe they will be good at work this winter. They were fun to knit and quick as a bunny!

There is yet another Iceling in my future. Everyone seems to be having boys! This one will look like a double breasted navy blue blazer. And since the baby is due in December, I'll make the hat and I found patterns for thumbless mittens and booties and will make them also depending on leftover yarn amounts.

And these poor socks have been started once going toe up and they ended up just huge so I frogged and now they are the usual pattern and a size smaller needle. Now I'm afraid it might be a little small. Uff.

Anyway, let me know what you think about those buttons.

Why this cracks me up I don't know. But it does!

2011-10-24T10:03:00.001-05:00

An award!

2011-10-22T10:46:00.002-05:00

I've received an award from Karen. Thank You! Karen is a super mom and knitter and has a fun blog. Your sense of humor cracks me up, Karen!

There are a few things to do since I got this award...

Thank the blogger who presented it to me and link to their blog

Share 7 things about me

Pass this award on to some newly discovered blogs

Seven things about me.

I got married when I was 19 years old. I realize now just how very young that was. DH was 19 also. But that was 38 years ago and it's still working. That's the main part!

I have 3 sons. My pride(s) and joy(s).

I am a mother-in-law twice. I hope I'm a good one! They certainly are wonderful DILs!

I am a gramma 3 times. I love 'em to death!

I attended some business college. But it was boring and I wanted to get on with life...

I have a half sister and 2 half brothers but I don't think of them that way...usually...unless they do something really embarrassing and then I don't know them! ;)

I basically hate housework. Especially washing dishes. Oh, and folding socks...

And now I'll pass this award on to:

Lindsey

McKenzie

There are many more blogs that I read but these are the newest, to me at least, and so I think they fit the criteria. :)

Have you seen this?

2011-10-20T15:37:00.002-05:00

This is a link to a story about knitters saving penguins that have been soaked in oil.

Yay! Way to go knitters!

Spooning

2011-10-19T09:29:00.004-05:00

Sweet kitties!

Hey! I'm shocked at you...who did you think I'd have on here? :D

This 'n That

2011-10-13T08:27:00.003-05:00

The Basic Chic Hoodie is really coming along now! Even Claus had to check it out...

I thought the hood was going to take forever to finish. But the hood is done! Finally! Yay!

Here is a better picture so you can actually see that I have both sleeves finished...

Oh! And a big Thank You to Kym for putting in her notes on Ravelry, about the Hoodie she did for Erin, how many stitches she picked up. (Not good sentence structure but I can't think how to improve it right now.) Amazing amount of help for me...cuz I made mine longer too.

I've got one side of the button band picked up and have done a couple rows. When that is done the next question will be how many buttons do I want and then to figure out the buttonhole placing...I don't really like the buttonhole part...

And the kitties are again bird watching or maybe squirrel or gopher watching. Both squirrels and gophers come right up to the window so the kitties get a really good look at them. There are tails really twitching then!

It is so sunny and calm out. I should get out and whack down the flowerbeds for the winter. And I should go do quarterly reports at work. And I should clean the kitties' litter boxes. But what I really want to do is work on my cardigan.

Another farming post - winter wheat version

2011-10-06T10:20:00.004-05:00

On the day that I rode along for soybean harvest, 3rd DS was planting winter wheat on the same farm. If you squint and look really close you can see his pickup, the tractor and air seeder way off in the distance. He had just finished the field. I think if you click on the picture it will get bigger...
The crop in the front of the picture is the soybeans we were combining.

Winter wheat is planted on a field that had another crop on it this year that has already been harvested. It will germinate and start growing.

You hope for good cover of snow to protect it during the winter. You also hope that you don't get a thaw and freeze cycle because it can start growing during the thaw and a freeze at that time would kill it.

It will be the first crop to be harvested because it will have a head start on everything else. Rye is another winter hardy crop that can be planted in the fall.

This is a better shot of the seeding outfit. The tractor is 3rd DS's and the air seeder is DH's.

The yellow tank in back is divided and holds dry fertilizer and the seed.

The middle section, which is in transport position on this picture, has shanks that work the earth and hoses that drop the seed into the opening left by the shank. The soil is then closed again and packed to retain moisture and have good seed to soil contact.

When in use, the wings that form the triangle are lowered to the ground with hydraulic cylinders.

It is called an air seeder because there is a fan that blows air and moves the seed and fertilizer along the hoses at a rate decided by the operator to get the correct amount of seed planted to optimize production. The air seeder is used for all size crops from grain to soybeans.

I thought this is a "romantic" farming picture...with the clouds, hazy background and a sharp shot of the equipment.

Corn will be the next crop harvested. The freeze killed this too. And with the windy and unusually hot weather (80s in October for pete's sake!), the corn will be drying out so there will be a better chance of harvesting it dry and not need to dry it either in a grain dryer or an aeration bin....either one is an added expense.

'Bout ready!

Soybean Harvest

2011-10-04T09:55:00.007-05:00

Since I hadn't ridden along much during harvest this year, I went yesterday afternoon to get a ride and keep DH company for a while.

The soybeans are dry and ready to harvest. The freeze from 3 weeks ago did a thorough job of killing them.

Not very pretty to look at any more...but very good for combining!

I was sitting in the buddy seat but leaned over in front of DH to get a shot from the driver's seat.

The header goes around and the ugly, dangerous looking teeth help lift up any crop that is laying down and feed it into the sickle bar that cuts the crop. These soybeans are standing up quite well.

Right behind the seats in the cab is a window so you can see into the hopper where the soybeans stay until they are unloaded.

When the hopper is empty the beans hop and jump as they hit the metal. It's quite a dance!

And this is the little auger that brings the beans from inside the combine and into the hopper.

As the hopper gets full the window gradually gets covered and all you can see back there are the soybeans and the pods that escaped being thrashed out.

You can't set the combine to get all the trash out of the beans or it will be too hard on the beans and there will be broken ones and that will affect germination. Almost all of our beans are grown for production and will be cleaned and bagged for seed for next year.

If you step out of the cab there is a little door to open to get a better idea of the job the combine is doing and what your crop is looking like.

This picture has a bit of a green and red tint to it...that is just wrong! They are the usual yellowish/beige color.

When the hopper gets full the grain cart is pulled up close to the combine to unload "on the go". There is very little stopping during the day since we got the grain cart. They unload as they drive and continue to combine.

It takes some talent to drive close enough and not hit the header. And sometimes they even unload while going around the curve of a slough.

The auger on the combine is moved forward hydraulically to unload into the cart and then is moved back along the side of the combine when they are done.

The grain cart unloads into one of the trucks which is then driven to the chosen bin site to unload the beans into a grain bin.

Here is DH going back to work after he dropped me off. There were unforecasted rain clouds that went through. Thankfully they only looked interesting and didn't drop any rain on us!

It was the end of the field day for me but everyone else kept combining until they had finished the field we were on here and moved to another field a few miles away and finished that one too. It was maybe 11:30 p.m. when they quit for the day.

There is rain forecast for this coming weekend and they are hoping to be finished by then.

I'm crossing my fingers!

Kitties, fall harvest and knitting*

2011-09-28T10:45:00.007-05:00

The kitties have been closely watching the birds that are hopping around the backyard these days. There have been robins, flickers and assorted sparrows.

Claus & Teddy are quite the team. Always checking out what the other one is doing and then deciding if it is interesting enough to participate.

We've been having wonderful Indian Summer the last week or so. Temperatures in the 70s and even 80s yesterday and also for today. But there are signs that fall and the unavoidable winter is on it's way.

The county road crew has been getting ready for the winter snows.

They have shaved the roadsides down as close as a new Army recruit's first haircut.

The freezing temperatures from a couple weeks ago has turned the leaves yellow on the trees and killed the soybeans and corn.

In the next day or two the late fall harvest will start. We could have really used more time for maturation of those crops but Mother Nature can't be deterred from her plans.

The wheat harvest was bit disappointing. The amount of straw suggested a big crop but the amount of grain in the heads was a different story. And the quality wasn't the best either. This summer just wasn't the best for any of the crops. It was too many things. Too cold. Too hot. Too wet. Too humid. But farmers are basically eternal optimists. Next year will be a whole new chance to try again.

And I'm doing another Iceling Cardigan. This time it is for a niece's partner who is expecting a little boy in December. The yarn is acrylic which I'm not totally happy about and I'm not sure about the colors either but the new parents are inexperienced in the baby department and I thought it best not to burden them with a sweater that needs special care.

I hope to not wait quite so long to post next time!

*This post brought to you by a suggestion from Cookie! Thanks Cookie! :D

Why oh why??

2011-09-14T13:38:00.004-05:00

The weather has turned. To fall. Overnight. We might get 50 for today's high. There's a killing freeze warning for tonight. It's windy, too. Brrr.

And I have a cozy, soft sweater that I could be wearing. Notice I said could.

If it wasn't missing a sleeve.

And only had part of a sleeve on this side.

And still needs it's hood and button bands. I'm knitting furiously so that by the next cold snap I'll be ready. But why oh why didn't I finish it last spring so it would have been ready to go NOW!

Interesting contruction

2011-09-07T10:38:00.005-05:00

A few days ago I finally convinced DH to go through his sock drawer and get rid of the old ones. I could barely squeeze all of his socks that he owned into that drawer! No. They aren't hand knit ones. They are store-bought cotton ones.

Anyway, we came across these hand knit slippers made by DH's Gramma. We've had them for years and years but I'd never really looked at them very closely.

Side view.

Top view. They make me think of mukluks.

The interesting part to me is the seam down the bottom of the foot....

from the base of the toes....

to the heel and up the cuff. It looks maybe like it was knit flat and then seamed. The toe and heel construction are different than anything I've seen before, from my limited sock knitting knowledge.

But they are very special to us because they were knit by Gramma Stein who was an industrious little German from Russia with a big personality. She raised 7 girls and 2 boys and lived to have a 60th wedding anniversary with dear Granpa Stein.

Keepsakes.

I've got nuthin' but some randomnesses...

2011-08-28T11:17:00.004-05:00

This is the 3rd time that I've started this book. If I can't make it through this time it'll probably be 3 strikes and you're out. It's just so wordy. A whole page to describe a woman's face. It could have been done in 1 sentence.... Taken separately her features were unremarkable or even unbecoming, but all together they made her a beauty. There. That wouldn't have been so awful for the author, would it?? But then I'm a bit of a believer in "Less is More"...

Onward!
The Sea of Dreams baby blanket is coming along. It's the next on my "finish this project NOW" hitlist. It is really quite easy going except for a few rows in each repeat that make no sense to me and so I'm constantly checking the chart to make sure I'm on the right track. Uff.

The fall flowers are doing their best to show off.

Russian Sage.

Joe Pye Weed and Veronica.

We've got apples! The squirrels are having their way with them though and so I'm thinking that I need to get ahold of 1st DDIL and we make a raid on the tree and get them picked. Ready or not!

There are plenty of apples but the bulk of them are at the top of the tree. /sigh

The bugbane has yet to bloom but the hostas and columbine are finished.

I love my ruffly daylily that always looks a little deformed.

And the rose is still going strong. If I get out and clip off the old buds I'll have blooms for a long time yet...

Well, that's it folks. My life is dull these days. Harvest is going on though. Maybe I need to get out to the field today and get a few combining pictures...

Exercise!

2011-08-17T09:09:00.004-05:00

I've...

started...

walking!

After having a few minor complaints at my last doctor appointment, (Almost a year ago now! I don't follow directions very quickly...), my doctor advised that I should try walking. And so after a year of thinking about it and just not taking any steps (get it...steps...walking...oh well, bad joke) this July 5th I decided I needed to try it out.

I didn't go far at first. I was afraid I'd be out of breath and have to sit on a curb for awhile and someone would drive by and see me. Horrors! Actually, in a small town it would be slightly horrific. We all know each other...

I'm almost up to a mile now. I try to keep a steady pace. I've been going every day except for a few when it was just too hot and humid. There are a lot of people who walk in the evenings but for me the morning is best.

Winter could be a bit of a challenge but my 2nd DDIL runs outside during the winter and so I'm thinking I can walk too...with the right clothes that would of course include some nice warm hand knit socks!

I plan to keep it up. I feel stronger. My brain seems clearer and sharper. I get fresh air every day. And my doctor should be impressed!

Iceling Set ready to go!

2011-08-14T11:44:00.003-05:00

The Iceling Set is finished, washed and photoed!

It went quite well although I had never done an I-cord bind off and especially one with buttonholes but You Tube saved the day.

I didn't have luck with the one-row buttonholes. They would have been MUCH better looking than the 2 row that I did but since the buttons are big you can't see them while the sweater is being worn anyway.

That is my only comfort.

It is a sweet cardigan and yet so manly with the double breast front and shawl collar. I like the pattern but have a bit of a frustrated feeling left over from the problem with the buttonholes. That is my problem though and not the pattern's!

The hat only took 3 hours to knit and it is just what I was looking for. Simple but with the turned up edge for warmth.

The only thing left is to show it to the baby's Dad, who is working for us this summer, and get the address in Moldova where baby will be born. Then it's into the mail for this sweet set!

Ravelry info for the cardigan here and for the hat here.

I'm like a kid at Christmas!

2011-08-05T18:52:00.005-05:00

I have this plan to "stockpile" baby clothes and blankets for grandbabies and anyone else who is expecting. I've been doing a lot of advanced searching on Ravelry to find extra special things.

This book is just one such find. But do you see where it came from??

Here is a closer look...

England! It came all the way from England. And it got here in a week! I've waited longer for things from right here in the U.S.

Isn't it a cute book? I was so excited when I opened it.

This is the blanket pattern that originally got me to order the book. I didn't really know what else was in it...there wasn't a whole lot of info about it.

But look at what else is in there. A christening gown and bonnet that matches the blanket.

And these darling things!

And these! And many other things that are just as darling. :D

And this is the wonderful company that I ordered it from.

I'm in baby knitting heaven!

Trip to Dairy Queen!

2011-08-02T16:52:00.004-05:00

DH has been wanting to take the grandkids to Dairy Queen for awhile now. This past Sunday turned out to be the day.

It was a last minute thing but worked out wonderfully. The kids were bathed and clean...they live on a farm and tend to be just a bit grubby (just like our boys when we were living there). And they were hungry.

1st DS moved all 3 carseats from his pickup to our car. Everyone got strapped in and away we went.

They ate like they hadn't seen food for awhile. 1st DGD had a cheeseburger and fries. DGS had a hot dog and applesauce. 2nd DGD had a grilled cheese and a banana. And, of course, afterwords they had Ice Cream! The older 2 had cones with sprinkles and the little one had a plain cone. I asked 1st DGD what the sprinkles tasted like and she said "A rainbow!".

They giggled and were excited and we all had a great time with memories made...

Gee, I love those kids!

A little knitting and a little cooking

2011-07-27T09:44:00.004-05:00

The Iceling Cardigan should have been done by now but, you know, summer interfered. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

The next thing happening with it, is the buttonhole row. I've done sweaters before but I can't remember doing a one row buttonhole so this will be a new experience. Hopefully a good one!

Yesterday I did a bit of cooking. It was the annual Test Plot Tour for our seed plant. Only it rained. So we did the whole thing at the plant instead of in the field.

The AgriPro Wheat representative did a powerpoint presentation and afterwords I fed everyone. Well, I didn't feed them personally I just cooked and served the food. ;) There were about 30 people there and that was a good turnout considering the weather.

We brought 2 grills out to the plant and 3rd DS and I cooked hamburgers and brats while the talk was going on. I had quite a smoke smudge going. I can't grill without a nice fire flareup happening! We did 48 brats and 35 hamburgers.

I had bought 10# of potato salad and made a big crockpot of calico beans. There was an assortment of condiments and these "zero" calorie little puppies...

They look pretty sad all alone on the big pan but they still are tasty. Rice Krispie bars with a caramel layer topped with fudge frosting. They went like hotcakes!

It's been humid and foggy with heavy rain

2011-07-25T09:15:00.003-05:00

And now...a weather update! It's been foggy at night, humid during the day and late in the day or during the night there's been heavy rain. We've had 5.5" in the last 4 days. We just don't get that kind of rain around here.

If you click on this you'll see dewdrops all across the grass, looking like a million diamonds.

And here with the closeup...they look more like teardrops.

Some of the flowers don't take the heavy rain so well.

But the daylilies that only last a day, didn't get in on the heavy rain because they weren't open last night!

And so they look fresh and new every day...no matter what the weather. If only I could look fresh and new with the weather we've been having! o.0

A busy weekend, a little baking and a lot of fun!

2011-07-18T08:05:00.004-05:00

This just past weekend was our little town's "Days" weekend.

There was a community cooked & served BBQ (tender roast beef, baked potatoes, marinated carrots, baked beans, roasted onions, and watermelon, yummy); canoe races; games for kids (the kind that you rent...this year they had a water slide); paper plate drop at the airport (the local businesses put candy or silver dollars etc on paper plates and they are dropped from an airplane for the kids to run around and pick up); the band, Boomtown, (a very fun-for-everyone band) for the Friday night street dance and a DJ for the Saturday night street dance; and also on Saturday after the BBQ was the singing group from Fargo, Great Plains Harmony - amazing singers and performers.

This is just a small sampling of what went on...the young gals that organize this are amazing. And probably the most amazing part is that most everything is free. They fund raise like crazy during the year.

Also on Saturday was the 3rd annual McBake Off Dessert Contest. I entered the 1st year, was lazy last year and decided to enter again this year. Well, I had a new cheesecake recipe and so that was it. I had to make it. And here it is....

There were 19 desserts in all. That's a lot of tasting for the judges! I didn't win but I did get perfect scores for appearance. :)

It was a very fun weekend. A lot of people came home to visit. Our town was hopping!

I'm sure the organizing committee is taking a break and heaving a sigh of relief and then shortly they will be planning for next year.

Good job ladies!

Actual knitting content!

2011-07-09T16:35:00.004-05:00

Done! I finally finished the Eliina Shawl that I knit from the Zen Garden lace weight yarn that I bought at Joan's Stash Busting Sale.

This is really quite close to the color...it might be just a smidge darker in person.

I've tried lace weight yarn before and just couldn't work with it. But this time was magic and there wasn't a problem at all with the knitting. Of course that I loved the color and was going to knit with it come heck or high water didn't play into it at all.

I added some beads to the lace edging to give it a bit of weight and just a little sparkle. They are silver lined pink glass beads.

One bit of info that I learned--When you do a crochet cast off, and add beads while you are doing it, they face to the wrong side of the fabric. I had to pin each bead to try to force them into showing from the front. Uff. It turned out ok I think.

All the information about my Strawberry Ice Cream Eliina Shawl can be found here on Ravelry.

This doesn't look like much yet but it is going to be an Iceling baby cardigan. Norma has been telling how in love she is with this pattern so I thought I would give it a try.

The little cardigan will be for a sweet baby yet to be born in Moldova.

We have 3 foreign workers this year on our farm and all 3 of them are from Moldova. One fellow has a wife back home that is expecting a baby the end of September and they know that it is going to be a boy. I'm hoping that "blue is for boys" is the rule of thumb there too!

Book Club!

2011-07-05T10:58:00.003-05:00

So our little community has started a Book Club and I am thrilled to say I am a member! Granted we are reading books that I've already read but that isn't the whole thing...it's the getting out of the house and seeing different people. And I liked these books so much it's fun to reread them.

It is held in our local restaurant at suppertime, so we push a bunch of tables together and have a meal first and then discuss the latest book. So far we have read "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", "Water for Elephants" and now we are reading "Saving Ceecee Honeycutt". I and the young gal that used to babysit our boys pushed for this book. I'm crossing my fingers that most everyone will like it.

I wanted to tell everyone about the website www.goodreads.com last time we met but I didn't get a chance. It is a social book readers site where you can list all the books you've read, rate them and when you read them etc and also you can have friends and you can see what your friends thought of different books.

My 2nd DDIL is also an avid reader and she told me about goodreads. It's really quite helpful also...it helps me remember just what books I actually have read! ;) I guess I just told you about it....maybe next month I'll get a chance to tell everyone at the book club about it. Until then I'm happily reading and sipping ice tea!

Wishing you a very

2011-07-03T22:29:00.004-05:00

Happy 4th of July! :D

Greetings from the middle of the night

2011-07-01T02:31:00.003-05:00

Well, I haven't done this in a long time. It's about 2:30 am and I just can't get back to sleep.

DH had the tv going in the bedroom giving it just the right amount of light to attract the miller/moth that is in the house, which attracted the cats, who kept jumping on the bed and the headboard and the nightstand and barely missing landing on my face.

It was more than I could take and still get back to sleep.

I've tried the computer but even Solitare isn't doing it. Maybe a little reading. Or maybe I'll try the bed again. The cats are quiet now.

Wish me luck.

2nd day of summer - mostly wordless

2011-06-22T09:03:00.007-05:00

I wish this was smell-a-blog. The lilacs are amazing this year. Please ignore the weeds.

Lazy Claus.

And even lazier Teddy.

A new toy and a bit of knitting

2011-06-14T08:55:00.005-05:00

DH bought a new toy over the weekend. It's a 1926 Chevrolet Series V Superior. What a hoot!

It runs and we've taken it for a couple spins around town.

Before we even got it all the way home from where we bought it, someone offered to buy it from us at a stop sign. They were yelling "Is it for sale?"! DH rolled down his window and said no...they were obviously disappointed.

We think it has been repainted but with the original colors. The upholstery is original and in really excellent shape considering it's age.

The steering wheel is wooden and get this...so are the spokes on the wheels!

DH will need a hobby in a few years and I'm glad he is finding something that will occupy him and will be something for him to tinker with.

And now for the knitting. I just started the lace on the Eliina Shawl. I threw in a lifeline at the last repeat of chart 2 in case I run short of yarn. I have almost 1/2 of the yarn left but it does have a crochet bind off and that does eat up the yarn.

So far it's been a fun and extremely easy knit and it looks like the lace will not be difficult. I will be adding beads though and just haven't decided when or where to do that.

I still think it looks like strawberry ice cream!

Blooming goodness

2011-06-06T08:24:00.004-05:00

There was weeding and planting done over the weekend. And a little picture taking.

I think this is the first time that the blue columbine has bloomed.

It doesn't really look blue to me...more of a violet...but I love it!

Apple blossoms.

I just love the delicate colors.

There are lots of blossoms and tenacious ones too. We had a fierce wind one night and they didn't blow away.

The cool damp spring must be good for them. Aren't they something?

And if this fellow does a good job and visits the neighbor's apple tree, we'll have tasty green apples later. :D

Cookie was right!

2011-06-01T22:22:00.005-05:00

Some time ago when I first tried shopping for buttons for my Basic Chic Hoodie, I was wanting to go matchy matchy with the yarn. It was very frustrating and when I did find something that looked like a match there just weren't enough buttons in the store. :(

Cookie suggested that I not try to match but do something neutral. And she's right of course. There was no way I'd find something to match and I didn't want to settle.

And so here are the buttons I recently found.

I think they'll be good looking with my mint green sweater.

Thanks for nudging me in the right direction, Cookie! You're a sweetheart!

Visiting cemetaries

2011-05-28T14:36:00.002-05:00

Today was the day to visit cemetaries and put flowers out for Memorial Day. I go to 4 cemetaries but only took pictures at a couple of them.

My maternal grandparents and numerous other relatives are buried here. This picture doesn't show the whole thing but it is a small rural church and cemetary. Very quiet and on a seldom traveled gravel road.

This is the church. There are so few members that they can't sustain the church any longer so it is empty and unused. But here is where my mother attended church and was confirmed.

This is the cemetary at the town where I grew up. My parents are buried here with a few relatives both maternal and paternal.

When I was in high school, once or twice a summer a few friends and I would ride our bikes out to this cemetary and just enjoy the park-like atmosphere and the quiet. And having done that I am now not "creeped out" by cemetaries. They are peaceful, quiet and restful places to me.

I haven't taken a walk around for awhile but sometime I will. I enjoy reading the old stones with their various inscriptions and wonder why we don't still put sayings and Bible verses on the stones. Although if the trend towards cremation continues there won't be stones and cemetaries in the same way as now.

There is only one thing that kind of still blows my mind about this cemetary and that the picture above is the Lutheran side of the cemetary and...

this is the Catholic side. I never have been able to understand why they couldn't just mingle with each other! I wonder if other cemetaries are the same?

Just the sweetest thing...

2011-05-21T10:00:00.002-05:00

Thursday was 1st DGD's Kindergarten Celebration (Graduation). (Although they don't call it that anymore.) I just love this event. The kids are so excited and enthusiastic. I wish they could stay that way forever...

They said the Pledge of Alligance. They sang a couple songs. One of them was kind of a rap song that was the Preamble to the Constitution. It all had a very patriotic theme. The little girls wore red, white and blue dresses. Cute!

There was a slide show of things they had done during the year. They each stood as the teacher told what they want to be when they grow up. It ranged from being a mom or a fireman to a paleontologist! DGD wants to be a doctor. :)

They each were given a certificate and shook hands with the elementary principle who, btw, was all 3 of our sons' Kindergarten teacher!

There was a lovely reception after with cake and punch. The graduates each got a cupcake with their picture on it....well, there ARE only 16 kids in the whole class. And they come from all over the county to make up that class. ND is rather short on people, don't ya know!

There were pinwheels for all of the kids there and they had a great time running around the gym to make their pinwheels spin! A good time was had by all!

The next day was the last day of school and high school graduation is Sunday.

School's out for summer!!

All better

2011-05-16T10:03:00.003-05:00

Things are looking up here.

The lilacs are finally starting to look alive. Cute little leaves!

We have sunshine! And warmer temperatures! It is actually already 60F. I won't discuss what it should be. I'm just happy with what it is. :)

I started a new shawl. Eliina. This is the yarn that I bought at Joan's stash busting sale. I LOVE it. Doesn't it just make you think of strawberry ice cream? I'm always hungry while I'm knitting on it. Maybe that's NOT a good thing...

The only downer is I've got a yarn barf. Too much yarn came off the ball at once. I'm going to give it another try but it might come down to cutting it and doing a russian join. No worries. The sun is shining!

Are you SURE it's May??

2011-05-13T13:33:00.003-05:00

It's grey. It's windy. It's damp. It's only 37 F at 1:30 pm. And I'm back to wearing my wool socks!

Spring IS late.

2011-05-10T08:44:00.003-05:00

Last spring I took a picture of this same plant, basically doing the same thing as now. Having buds and getting ready to bloom. But last year it was April 20th and not May 10th. Almost 3 weeks later this year than last.

It is getting scary late for farming too. From what I've been hearing, most local farmers have taken corn out of their plans. Our growing season is just barely long enough to start with and with this late start it just isn't going to happen.

I was out to the farm yesterday and there is still a bit of snow in the trees around the yard. DH has always said if there is still snow in the trees, the ground is just too cold yet to put seed out there. And he's right. Hardly anyone has turned a wheel yet. It's just to wet and cold. We need a real turnaround here and quickly.

Slighty random

2011-05-09T08:40:00.006-05:00

The cardigan is coming along. The ribbing is finished and it is bound off. I'm anxious to get the sleeves started with the lace in them. I've never done that before. But first I have

more yarn to wind into balls!

And this is a picture of me from long ago. While looking for other pictures I came across my baby photo book and this one caught my fancy. So I'm putting it in here just cuz I like it!

Mom must have liked the surprised "hunh, what's going on" look because there are a lot of pictures with that look on my face. Either that or I was slow to catch on and never knew what was going on around me... ;D

38 years ago...

2011-05-05T08:43:00.005-05:00

DH and I were married. It was an unusually beautiful day for early May. Quite warm and oh so sunny.

We had a very small wedding. Just the immediate family. I had my sister for matron of honor and he had his brother for best man.

Our pastor, at the time, had a wonderful singing voice and he sang for us. It might be written down somewhere what song it was but I have no idea right now.

I do have wonderful memories of things that you don't write down...my dad walking me down the aisle, us saying our vows, the kiss afterwords!

38 years. Some ups and some downs (they just made us stronger) but overall very good years!

Ahh

2011-04-29T09:32:00.002-05:00

Bright sunny sky.

And grass turning green.
Spring!

Some progress

2011-04-26T09:23:00.004-05:00

This will short and sweet. I've got nothing here folks. It's a dull life for me!

I'm about 2" from starting the ribbing on my Basic Chic Hoodie. I don't like doing K2P2...too much switching yarn back and forth (I'm a thrower...it's how my mom taught me!) but it's a necessary evil.

It would be nice to wear this yet this spring but I surely hope the weather is better than that by the time I get this done! With both sleeves, the hood, picking up stitches for button band and then finding the right buttons it's going to be quite some time before it's done. sigh. Next fall I'll have a new sweater to wear though!

Alrighty everyone...short and sweet it is. Have a good day! :D

Wishing everyone a...

2011-04-24T00:15:00.002-05:00

Do you remember

2011-04-23T16:02:00.003-05:00

THIS?

Well, now it looks like this. Ah, so much better. It's almost melted! Yay!

Always wear your seatbelt.

2011-04-20T09:17:00.004-05:00

Late Saturday we got a phone call from 2nd DS. A late night call always makes me a little nervous but our kids know we stay up late so I wasn't overly concerned. And I had just texted his wife, 2nd DDIL, about a 1/2 hour earlier.

But...they had been in an accident. Hit a patch of ice, rolled the pickup once and landed on a guard rail. And after that they walked away. Banged up yes, but no need for an ambulance. They were wearing their seatbelts.

Their dog, Aida, was in the backseat and was thrown out of the vehicle. She left claw marks on the roofliner of the cab as she was going out the window. She survived. She's walking on 3 legs right now but doesn't seem to be in any pain. She's a trooper.

I hate to think what could have happened with no seatbelts or if things had gone just slightly differently.

Everyone, please wear your seatbelts. They might not be the total answer but they are what we have so please make use of them...

And today we have....

2011-04-15T08:37:00.003-05:00

No. Not sunshine. Not rain. Not fog. But you guessed it......Snow! Hey! Mother Nature! It's April 15th for pete's sake! Give us a break!

Look what I found!

2011-04-14T09:08:00.002-05:00

While I was out taking down the Christmas decorations that had been just freed from being frozen to the ground and buried under a big snowbank all winter I found these..... Daylilies! Dear, brave daylilies! They are quite yellow from the cold and wet but Lookie! Something trying to grow and trying to be green! Yay! Even the grass isn't doing that yet.

Claus's Story

2011-04-10T10:59:00.004-05:00

We got Claus last summer in July. On our way to Minneapolis to pick him up it was quite a storm. Thunder, wind and a bit of hail. Coincidently, it was a winter storm when we got Teddy, our first kitty from Minneapolis. Snow so heavy that you could hardly get down Interstate and roads closing all around. We made it though! Both times! We knew Claus had a couple issues when we got him. He had been at another home that hadn't worked out and had been taken back to the breeder. We knew that going in and decided that we would still give it a go. He is not a litter mate of Teddy's but is still a full brother and we thought it would be fun to have 2 brothers. Claus was scared and hid under the bed until I got him out and stuffed the edges of the bed with old pillows and blankets to keep him out. Then he was still scared but at least out in the open. We couldn't pet him or touch him in any way and he mainly scooted along the edges of rooms looking nervous. It was a challenge to catch him and get him into a carrier for the 1st checkup at the vet.

This is how he looked during about the first month with us. Hiding behind furniture and nervous.

Shortly after we got him home we begin finding places where he had peed. Several places. I had heard that sometimes there can be an infection or other illness when cats do that so there was another trip to the vet. We found out he was fine physically and the vet devised a plan to help him emotionally.

We got him a bigger litter pan, some of the litter he was used to in Minneapolis and used Feliway spray where he had peed. Ahem, inappropriate urination. That's what the vet calls it.

The vet also said that he might need more to do and so we set up a small TV and DVD player and put in our cat video. He did love watching it...it was fun to see him. But these things didn't stop him from peeing and I was on the phone again with the vet. I told him we wanted to do everything we could to keep Claus and he suggested our next step was drugs. Claus was put on Prozax. It was compounded at a pharmacy in Grand Forks into a kitty size dose and he took it in a Pill Pocket. Thanks goodness he would eat the pill pocket 'cuz he still doesn't like to be held in a controlling fashion and so giving him a pill would have been impossible. It worked! Claus was on Prozax for a few months and gradually weaned off it and he's a completely different cat. No more inappropriate urination! He gets along really well with Teddy. Here they are watching birds out the living room door. (Teddy on the left. Claus on the right.) Do you think they are a bit spoiled? Stools in front of the door so they can see out??

He even comes to sit on my lap to watch me knit. We can pet him and he loves to be scratched behind his ears. There are times when he is still a bit cautious. He doesn't like being in a situation where he feels trapped. But overall he has done a 180 degree turnaround.

Because he doesn't like being held against his will there hasn't been any brushing and so he developed some quite large mats. Again the vet had a drug to help the situation. He prescribed a short term pill, Zanax, so we could take him to a groomer and get the mats clipped out and give him a good combing and nail trim. It worked beautifully! He was so relaxed he napped in the carrier both on the way there and back.

Claus is now a happy, much better adjusted kitty. He loves to take a mad dash run through the house with Teddy most every morning. He has gained a bit of weight...he was quite thin. And he loves to watch the birds outside.

I guess you could say Claus has a better life thanks to modern drugs and a vet that cared.

Sewing completed and loved!

2011-04-03T13:47:00.009-05:00

I'd been thinking about sewing DGD a "play dress" for quite some time. I thought I'd have to go with a Halloween costume pattern and so I was really pleased when I found the Disney Tinkerbell pattern. I altered the kind of fabric used to what I could find at Walmart and the tulle didn't have to be hemmed. Bonus! It was relatively easy to sew but took much longer than I expected...of course when I sew that is always the case. I cut it out one evening and the next I thought I'd just whip it together. 6 1/2 hours later I was finally done with it and was able to go to bed at about 1:45 am. But she loves it and that is all that counts! Yay! These are the alterations to the prom dress I talked about before. I had to take out some of the beading and take it in about 4". Because of the way the dress was contructed I couldn't do a typical seam...I did everything from the outside. And so there is topstitching that looks a little unprofessional...but then I don't claim to be a professional seamstress...just one that can do enough to get by! The gathering was done to make the top edges come out even. The gathering wasn't there before and since the other side has the zipper there isn't any gathering there but there was no other way that I could think to make it come out. If anyone is checking out the sewing on the dress during the prom they have other issues that need addressing! The zipper is an Invisible zipper but I couldn't do the usual installation, again because of dress contruction, and so there is top stitching here too and this is how the zipper turned out. Not too bad...there wasn't room for the hook and eye so I left it off. Does anyone use that hook and eye at the top of a zipper anyway? I shortened it and added a few more tucks to make it look the same all the way to the bottom of the dress. For some reason in this picture it looks shorter on the sides. I truly hope that that isn't the case! She tried it on and said it fit perfectly! Yay again! Weather update: We were forecast for up to 6" of snow for today. I am pleased to announce that so far we haven't gotten any. What a relief! Yay yet again! I heard geese honking their way along this morning. There must be spring somewhere south for them to be here already. They are in for a surprise the first time they try a water landing. Everything is frozen yet! I don't know when I've been more frustrated with blogger. I can't get the pictures to stay in a row and there aren't any paragraphs because I can't get them to stick...it keeps changing back to one long run-on mess. Augh!!

Yes actually. I do knit. And sew a little.

2011-03-27T13:40:00.007-05:00

Maybe it's time to quit talking so much about the weather and do a knitting update? I have more than one project on the needles right now. The first is a pair of worsted weight socks/slippers. See the second sock? It's still wound up so nicely into a ball! ;)

The second project is the Basic Chic Hoodie. (Ravelry link. Sorry non-Ravelers.) I'm doing it with the lace and will definitely make it longer than the pattern says!

And the third knitting project is the Sea of Dreams baby blanket. (Another Ravelry link.) I don't know who will get this blankey. Only time will tell! And since there isn't a rush on it, it is basically in time out for now.

Now on to a couple sewing projects. Both with time limits... This is going to be a Tinkerbell outfit for our oldest granddaughter who will be 6 on April 4th. She is so tall that she can't fit in the princess/fairy costumes they have at the "marts" and she does love to dress up. So I'm coming to the rescue with a birthday gift that hopefully will thrill.

And the second sewing project is giving me the nightmares. It's a prom dress for a great niece that needs to be shortened and taken in at the bodice. I foolhardedly said, "Oh sure! I can do that!". Not realizing how many layers and how much beading there is. Or that the side zipper will have to be partially taken out and replaced. Any suggestions on how to do any of this would be greatly appreciated. Nothing that says I need my head examined need be submitted. I already know that...

Contrasts

2011-03-23T09:01:00.004-05:00

This is our front yard a couple days ago. Looking better. Streets were in really nice shape. Our city workers had worked really hard to get all the slush off of them (because slush freezes overnight and it's really hard to drive on it then) and things were looking up.

This is the view this morning. If you click to embiggen you'll see the size of the drift at the end of the driveway.

And actually the snow truck got momentarily stuck at the far end of the street as he turned a corner. I think he enjoys his job though. He's about 20 years old and gets to speed up and down the streets with the snow plow truck and hit those drifts full speed ahead. Most guys that age love that kind of thing. Around here at least!

The snow in the front is a bit distressing just because we are tired of snow and we really don't need this. And it's only going to add to all the flooding that happens in our area almost every spring. But look at what we found when we looked out the patio doors this morning...

A snow wall yes. But snow sculpture too.

What the right direction and right speed wind can do with some snow is pretty amazing.

Snow waves!

Cool, isn't it?

The. Snow. Is. Melting!

2011-03-17T16:01:00.004-05:00

WooHoo! We've been having 32+ temperatures for a few days and today it's windy too so that means more melting action on the snow.

I'd take pictures but watching snow melt is almost as dull as watching paint dry. Of course for us around here, it's pretty exciting. We've been looking at this white stuff for enough months already.

Actually, on the weather news one evening they were telling what it takes to make snow melt. It isn't the hot sun shining on it but a combination of heat, wind and moisture. They called it energy. And so, rain will really make the snow melt but even fog will help. So even though we are cloudy today, the higher temperatures, the humidity and the wind are eating away at those snowbanks.

Thank goodness. Now please, Mother Nature, don't send us the snow that is forecast for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. o.0

Happy Birthday

2011-03-12T10:39:00.005-06:00

To me!

My 2nd birthday.

I've still got this dress... although the belt is missing. Mom saved it for me. The dress is red organdy with white dots...dotted swiss I suppose you'd call it. My Grandma Dahl gave it to me.

I must have been told to say "Cheese"! Look at those teeth!

My 5th birthday.

I remember the poodle skirt. It was grey and kind of felty material. I couldn't understand why it had a poodle on it and Mom told me that it was in style. At 5 I didn't really understand but I accepted it. Now I wish I still had that skirt.

Same chair in both pictures. Just located in a different spot in the living room. It was red too with blond wood. Blond was very popular at that time.

No smile here. Just a "when is this going to be done?" look.

We've been invited out to our 1st DS & DIL's for carrot cake and ice cream this afternoon. It'll be a good day! :)

The backyard view

2011-03-10T17:14:00.003-06:00

Snow to the left of us.

(The poor electric meter reader has to wear snowshoes to get into everyone's backyard.)

Snow to the right of us.

Snow way way far away.

But look! There's hope! It must be melting on the roof....

Icicles!

Yay Anne!

2011-03-06T11:23:00.004-06:00

This weekend was State Class B Boys Basketball Tournament. It is the hottest event in North Dakota. Really. Schools take spring break during it. The university gymnasium that it is played at is packed with spectators. It's broadcast on local TV all across the state. And who cares what shows are being preempted...it's Class B basketball for pete's sake!

With our state being so small in population, there is a pretty good chance that you'll know someone playing during the tournaments or know their parents or relatives or have driven through their hometown. And really you don't need to know someone to watch because invariably it will be excellent basketball.

But while visiting with my sister she offhandedly said, "Yeah, Anne is a cheerleader". I'm like really? Anne is my sister's granddaughter and my great niece and their team is in the state tourneys and undefeated! Now we absolutely had to watch.

And watch we did. And it was super basketball. And we saw Anne on tv. And yes their team took 1st place and were undefeated. And in addition to undefeated this year they had lost only 1 game in the last 50 games which includes this year and last year. Wow.

Yay Anne! And yay for your school's basketball team too!

More Randomnesses

2011-03-01T08:17:00.003-06:00

This is the newest knitting project. I don't know anyone having a baby or even really thinking about it but I'll be ready if someone does!

It starts out with a picot hem...something I've never done before. I understand it. But at the same time it's a little confusing.

As of right now I have 2 needles and a bunch of loose yarn ends all happening at the same time. I know I'll love it when I get it done. :)

And for your cat viewing pleasure.....

Claus

Teddy

No, he isn't sleeping on EVERY picture I take. He just hates the flash so if I bring the camera out he instantly closes his eyes.

I guess it is hard to see on this picture but it's about 5 below zero this morning. So, it is cold here. And windy. Like really windy. Making the cold feel just that much colder. And take notice in the picture of the snow as far as the eye can see.

Mother Nature are you still there? Have you forgotten about us? Yoo Hoo! Remember us? Can winter please be over soon? Pretty please?

Tweeking and FO

2011-02-28T09:21:00.005-06:00

I tweeked the letter that I'm sending with this hat to Senator Conrad.

I totally removed the P.S. and changed the last paragraph to read: This hat is a thank you for your service and for not having a "hot head". It is also an encouragement to continue with a calm, cool demeanor.

I called one of the district offices this morning and will be sending the hat and letter to them and they said they will send it on to Senator Conrad. It is so exciting to be part of something that blossomed from one person's idea into a nationwide grassroots knitters campaign. WooHoo!

This is my Finished Object. The Super Simple Shawl. The info can be found on Ravelry. The project traveled with DH and myself to Maui last month but we were so busy enjoying ourselves and the wonderful things there that I didn't knit a stitch! Just that it was in Maui and also the fact that 2nd DS & DDIL gave me the yarn makes this shawl extra special. :D

This picture was taken outside, late in the afternoon, in the shade, during the winter and so it has a bluish cast to it. Not true colors at all.

This is what it really looks like.

Warm Hats, Not Hot Heads

2011-02-24T13:34:00.004-06:00

Dear Senator Conrad,

This hat was hand knit for you by me. I wanted to show you that I appreciate the work you do.

Many of your colleagues will also be receiving hats from knitters from all political backgrounds and from all around the nation. The hats were knit as part of a campaign among knitters for Warm Hats, Not Hot Heads.

We want civility in Congress. We are choosing to give hours of our time to be able to give you a visible, tangible, heartfelt symbol of our desire for respecting and honoring one another within our government. We want everyone in the Senate and House of Representatives to listen respectfully and thoughtfully to each other. There is much that needs to be accomplished in our government and if everyone listens to and considers what has been said instead of instantly bashing because of party affiliation, things will be achieved.

This hat is a thank you for your service and an encouragement to continue with a calm head.

With best regards,

Marilyn

P.S. The hat is knit with yarn from a Maine company called Peace Fleece. I think this is very appropriate since we need peace in our government instead of the rancor that has overtaken it in recent times.

The proposed date for mailing the hats is February 28th but I understand it is allowable to finish and mail them after that date.

Does anyone want to join in? There are a lot of heads that still need attention!

100th Comment Socks

2011-02-22T09:30:00.003-06:00

Well Karen, I finished the socks! WooHoo! I won the yarn for being the 100th commenter on Karen's new blog. And fine yarn it is too. Soft and I love it's stripyness. For all the details on the socks go here to my Ravelry project page.

We actually have sunshine today! Perfect for indoor photos.

And, of course, Teddy is the best sock model out there. Since he was insistent on being in the picture I made use of him by turning him into a sock model.

And for once he cooperated! :)

Random

2011-02-19T15:10:00.004-06:00

Mother Nature cooled our temperatures down a lot and Jack Frost came to decorate our windows....

Sunrise through Jack's handiwork.

Our kitties are best of buds and can be found cat napping together. They have claimed the couch as their own. We need a lighter colored couch so the hairs don't show so much!

I've almost finished a pair of socks for me and have decided to knit a hat for the "Warm Hats not Hot Heads" project. It is also nearly finished. Photos to come....

Well. Will you look at that.

2011-02-16T08:44:00.004-06:00

I made stitch markers!

Pretty pastel sparkley ones.

And these are made from leftover beads I had from shawl knitting and a couple charms I liked but never knew what to do with.

It was fun! Woo Hoo! :D

A sign of spring. :)

2011-02-14T09:08:00.003-06:00

I don't know what kind of seed catalogs everyone else gets but Gurney's has been coming to my family's house since I was a little kid. It's the one sure sign of spring. :D

That combined with the upper 40 degree temperatures yesterday (heat wave, I tell ya!)...makes me believe that spring really will come. I even opened a window yesterday and let in the wonderful fresh air.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Let me give you a little vacation...

2011-02-03T09:17:00.005-06:00

I'd love to take you along on a little trip to Maui.

First up is the beach. Close your eyes for a minute....do you feel the warm sunshine on your head and shoulders and the breeze on your face? The waves are crashing, people are talking and laughing. Little kids are running in and out with the waves. Relaxing...

But don't forget your sunscreen!

The beach is usually what people think of when they think of Hawaii but there is much more to see. We rented a car...get in with us for a winding trip to the top of Haleakala. It quite cool compared to the beach...you might want to take a jacket along.

The peak of Haleakala is 10,000 ft and looks like an atomic bomb went off or we accidently landed on the moon. No vegetation and it seems as though we and the other people there are the only life forms around.

On the trip up here we went through many stages of vegetation. In the beginning there were lots of things growing. Grasses, shrubs and even some pine trees. Gradually it got more scruffy and scrubby and eventually when we got to the top this is what we saw.

This is what remains of the crater. It has eroded over time so that there are only little cones of secondary eruptions left.

And since there were a few clouds that day, we've driven though them and are on top of the clouds! How cool is that... :D

One of the best ways to see the waterfalls and the whole island in one short trip is to go on a helicopter ride. So come on! Lets jump in and buckle up and go for a ride!

Side note. If you've ever been carsick you might want to take that Dramamine now! I've never been car sick at any time but I wish I'd had some...

The pilot was excellent and she told many interesting things about the island.

Here are windsurfers on the east side of the island. Look see how clear the water is. You can see the shape of the land under it. In places there are coral reefs.

And waterfalls. There are lots of waterfalls and you get a very close look at them.

Our helicopter ride was with a family from Russia. The college age daughter and the mother spoke English quite well. And it would have been fun to get to visit with them but time really didn't allow it.

Since we still have the rental car, lets go for another ride! We keep hearing about the "Road to Hana" and so that will be our next destination.

This trip is through the rain forest. And it is, as you would expect, damp. Where the road is in the shade it is damp even though it is the middle of the day. The forest and the folliage is thick and dense and at times the road is a tunnel through it.

The road winds back and forth with the highest speed 35 mph. There are numerous one lane bridges with yield to oncoming traffic signs posted at each end of the bridge.

This is bamboo growing on the left side of the road.

And during the drive the ocean is never very far away. It's warm here. You sure don't need that jacket today!

Since it is the end of January and perfect time for seeing whales, it is time to climb on board the "Hula Girl" for a sunset ride to see the whales. Be sure to bring your sunglasses. It's bright out there. And don't bother with shoes, just flip flops will do, you don't get to wear them anyway!

To board you walk up a stair that is on the front of the boat. Watch out for the waves...you're going to get wet!

I never did see any whole whales but there were sure a lot of whale tails flashing around.

If you look closely you can see the top of a whale that was really close to the boat. They say they are as big as a large school bus...

It is exciting when someone yells, "Oh there's one!". Everyone rushes to look. Cameras are clicking.

It's beautiful on the water. The sun is warm. The ocean is calm. The boat ride is smooth. You can see forever. Relax. Wind down. Enjoy.

Aloha!

Maui

2011-01-24T01:22:00.002-06:00

This is a sugarcane field in the foreground and a...well coming from flat North Dakota I'd call this a mountain...
Picture taken the first day we got here.

This is the top of a mountain that we drove up today. It is 10,000 feet above sea level and was cool and windy. And we were above the clouds! We saw the crater left from the volcano. Very fun! I have a picture of the crater in the camera which I can post when we get home.

Leaving on a jet plane....

2011-01-19T17:02:00.003-06:00

do know when I'll be back again... That is if the weather here cooperates and we don't come back to a blizzard! Haven't seen any forecasts for then so don't know what it'll be like.

I'll try to take a picture or two and post while we are gone. But if I don't I'll be sure to do a post when we get back.

Bye bye! :D

A finish and a start...on shawls

2011-01-16T14:50:00.003-06:00

Last Sunday I finished knitting the Forest Beauty Shawl. This week I got it blocked and a few rather inadequate pictures were taken today. All the info about it here on Ravelry.

To be honest, I got a little bored with the project and even after blocking it looks like it is going to be prone to curling on the long edge. In that way it's a disappointment. And I might not have made the best selection on yarn color...it just looks like it should be socks and not a shawl. Live and learn.

The lace is pretty though....

So now I have started another shawl. This one really is simple but I went into it knowing that so can't really complain to much about getting bored! ;) Here is the info on Ravelry. I think this is the project that will travel with me & DH to Hawaii later this week.

And I think we got an excellent time to get out of town. The predicted high for the day we leave is minus 10. o.0

Do you recall...

2011-01-12T17:25:00.007-06:00

Ivory Soap Flakes? I always used it to wash our boys' clothes when they were infants. We've got snow that looks so much like it...with a little sparkle thrown in for fun!

Does anyone else remember Ivory Flakes? Or am I the ancient one? :)

This is am experiment....

2011-01-10T10:59:00.002-06:00

DH and I are going on a trip later this month and I've been wondering if I could blog from my Droid phone.

It's looking good so far!! :D

The cats might not be any happier than they were when this picture was taken!!

A little knitting, a little weather and a big wish...

2010-12-31T16:50:00.006-06:00

I'm advancing right along on the sock. I love all the stripeyness! :) Almost ready to start the toe.

The weather is very...umm...wintery. The temperature is -6. The wind is 28 mph. And that adds up to a wind chill of -33. Brrr. And they are forecasting 2-4" of snow. So with that wind and the snow we'll have a blizzard. I sure hope no one is planning on traveling anywhere....

I want to wish you all a very Happy New Year! The best part of having a blog is meeting new people from far and near and making wonderful friends of them. I hope the new year is a healthy and satisfying year.

"The Three Little Bears Get Ready For Christmas" Storybook

2010-12-23T09:24:00.006-06:00

The 3 bears needed a book to tell their story so I wrote one for them...

Each grandkid gets their own book. Each book is sewn together with their bear's yarn and there is also a picture of each grandkid on the back of the book.

I hope they enjoy the book and read it and use it but also keep it as a keepsake from Gramma & Granpa.

Please excuse the problems with tense in the book....I'm new at book publishing. ;)

Tabitha is completed!

2010-12-17T22:52:00.004-06:00

The three little bears family is now complete. Tabitha has arrived! George & Alice are very happy.

Tabitha bravely posed for a picture in the cold winter weather.

But she decided it was chilly so she put up her hood to keep her ears warm.

Ah, it's kinda nice in the sunshine. I think I'll like it here.

We got snow and now we have.....

2010-12-16T00:04:00.004-06:00

Christmas lights in the snow.

click it and it'll get bigger

Sentamental journey

2010-12-12T16:45:00.004-06:00

I decorated for Christmas today. And while I worked away at it I realized how many of our Christmas decorations are from our parents.

Like these bells that were knitted by my DMIL. And also done by her...

is this ceramic Christmas tree.

My mom did this Nativity in ceramics. It used to bother me that nothing is to scale but it doesn't any more. I must be growing up.

On this little tree in our family room are the last ornaments that my mom used.

And this basket of poinsettias is probably the last gift I got from my Dad except for when he gave cash in his later years.

This belonged to an elderly couple that were friends with DH's parents.

This Nativity started out in life as ornaments on a teeny tiny tree that was a gift from a dear friend but I thought the grandkids would like something they can touch so I hot glued them to cardboard so they could stand.

Of course not everything is from someone else. I started this Nativity from our local Avon lady and gathered the parts I didn't have from eBay. Well, I guess that means it did come from someone else!

DH & I or our kids never had stockings....nowhere to hang them. So when we moved to town and had a mantle (!) we got ourselves some stockings! :D

It's been a precious day of memories mixed with a couple tears.

Christmas 2010!

Who knew??

2010-12-11T10:43:00.004-06:00

Who knew that this yarn would turn into.....

stripey socks! How cool is that! :D

And who knew that I'd be able to snap a picture fast enough to get these pictures of the cats that are okay enough to put on the Christmas card?

Claus

Teddy

The two guys chillin'.

Actually, sometimes it's a bit of a power struggle to see who gets to lay on the top level of the cat tree. Once in awhile they agree to share!

I sure wish the last two pictures had better color quality...maybe I can find a way to edit them....

Frosty morn

2010-12-06T09:37:00.007-06:00

It is a winter wonderland outside this morning and I couldn't resist using it as a backdrop for George & Alice.

Alice in the evergreen.

George there too. Bears climb trees, right?

Having a nice rest on the park bench after all that tree climbing!

And this is George & Alice's older sister. Her name hasn't been decided for sure but it might be Tabitha. All suggestions are appreciated!

And over the weekend I received this yarn from Karen for being the 100th commenter on her new blog. Thanks Karen! I haven't gotten it wound yet but it's next in line after I get George & Alice's sister knit! :)

Closeup shots

2010-12-03T09:56:00.002-06:00

Teddy: " Whatcha doin'? Hunh? Whatcha doin'? Takin my pitchure?? Hunh? Whatcha doin'??"

Claus: "What are you doing? Get out of my space!"

Teddy Bear: "Hi. I'm George. I'm shy."

"Do you like my bib overalls?"

"This is my sister Alice. She's a bit scattered right now."

Footprints in the snow

2010-11-27T17:56:00.005-06:00

You can tell who has been in your yard in the winter. There are lots and lots of footprints in the snow.

There are bunny tracks.

There are squirrel tracks.

There are birdy footprints and right next to them are....

kitty cat tracks!

But the footprints I enjoy the most are made by the grandkids!

They had lots of fun and so did I. :)

Happy....

2010-11-25T09:49:00.003-06:00

Turkey Day to everyone!

I would have taken the picture when everything was done but it's just going to be too busy then.

I'm wishing everyone a fun day, safe travels and happy new memories. We live in an amazing country and are so blessed. Most of us have more than we know what to do with. But...

Please remember to support your local food pantry and your local mission. Even with everything we have there are some that are hungry and homeless....

He's a sweetie!

2010-11-20T14:30:00.007-06:00

I wanted to knit something for our youngest grandbaby. I kept thinking cardigan and had the perfect pattern....but she grew too fast and it wasn't a big enough pattern. :(

I don't really know what made me think of a teddy bear. Probably during one of my wanderings through Ravelry's pattern search. I love that thing. Especially since it's been updated. How did we survive without it?? I don't have a project page for him on Ravelry yet but this is the pattern.

Since this fellow knit so quickly and was fairly easy to put together, I'm going to make a bear for each grandkid. This guy is for our grandson.

Isn't he cute?

(Yes, it's snowing here....see it in the background of this picture? It's cold too.)

I can tell he's going to be a "bear" to photograph! ;) It's going to have to be a sunny day when I take pics again...

This is going to be his bib overalls.

And this is the other 2 bears in their embryonic stage. :)

Wandering mind

2010-11-13T09:00:00.004-06:00

On Thursday I was on a clear liquid diet to prep for a colonoscopy. I never realized how much random, mindless eating I do during the course of a day. There were so many triggers that made me go to the cupboard or the fridge for something to munch on. I finally had to go play the piano to break the urge. And that is something I could do more often to keep from eating. And a big plus to that would be that I'd get back to playing piano.

My dad had colon cancer. He was totally cured because he noticed the symptoms and took quick action. And now because he had it, I & my siblings need to have a colonoscopy every 5 years. The prep is much worse than the actual procedure. I sleep through the procedure. The gallon of golytely is another thing. The assisting nurse at the procedure called it swamp water. I can't think of a more appropriate way of describing it. But please, please, please, if you need to do a colonoscopy, do it. Don't put it off. Just do it.

Our weather is edging towards winter. The leaves are all gone. It is in the 20s overnight and the sloughs are starting to getting a thin layer of ice around the edges. I'd take this weather for the rest of the winter but I know that won't happen. Snow will come. And stay. Eventually.

And now just a couple shots of the kitties, lounging around in the upstairs hallway:

Happy Weekend Everyone!

The Perfect Day

2010-11-06T16:54:00.005-05:00

I got my day in the 50s to clean out the flowerbeds. It was a picture perfect day today. Good temps for this time of year, virtually no wind and sunny. And so I tackled cutting down flowers in all the beds. I only took pictures of the main one though....

And so this is the before picture.

See that beautiful Saturday sky too? :)

And this is the after.

Some things were left for winter interest and some things because I just didn't want to deal with them!

After I was done with the flowers, I cleaned the windows that I could reach. And now my knees, hips, back and shoulders are asking...no screaming....at me...why did you do all that in one day??? What can I say. Days like this in ND can be as rare as hen's teeth. So you use 'em when you've got 'em!