tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71098631725683421792024-03-12T20:45:40.564-07:00Sittin' n' Spinnin'Come on in! Sit 'n spin awhile!~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.comBlogger302125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-49549448469135496622014-04-22T23:53:00.000-07:002014-04-22T23:57:41.957-07:00A New BeginningYears ago, I bought some white, and black tulips. I had them in the back yard for awhile, then moved them out front. They've been struggling to come up and bloom amongst the grass and weeds for many years. I used to have daisys and gloriosas all along the front of the house, but somehow it got away from me. The daisys and gloriosas are long gone, but the tulips just keep trying! I've started watering out front this year, and they really have thrived in it! Although they're still surrounded by this tough old desert grass, they are more beautiful than ever! I'm going to dig them up this fall, so we can put in a raised flower bed, then replant them spaced out a bit, hoping they reproduce so I can fill the raised bed with them in a few years. <br />
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This is the newest flower bed. It is on the north end of the house where it never truly sees direct sunlight, so I planted some sweet woodruff here. I love this plant! The flowers are in small clusters, but they smell like gardenias to me. I also put a peony at the far end there, where it will get sun till about 2PM everyday. <br />
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This wheel barrow has been on this property longer than I have. It was here when we moved in, and I used it for a few years, before I decided I wanted a deeper one. It sat out back for a long time, and someone must have backed into it, because its bent at an odd angle, and the front tire finally went flat. I've walked past it everyday, two or three times a day for several years (at least ten). A couple weeks ago, it spoke to me. It said "I'm tired of sitting here rusting in the sun. Fill me with flowers and pull me around front, I'll be much happier there."<br />
So I did. <br />
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It has several kinds of flowers in it, some short, some tall, some are ground cover, some creeping.... well the lobilia froze a few days ago and I had to dig it up, but I'll put more in it next week. I've since moved it more to the left of where it sits in this picture, because our prevailing winds come from the North and West, the flowers were getting beat up sitting there. <br />
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I just got these pansys to put in it yesterday, and the velvety purple ones in the picture below. <br />
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I think the wheelbarrow is much happier now. And so am I. <br />
<br />~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-70861085958910939482014-04-21T20:12:00.000-07:002014-04-21T20:12:33.345-07:00Pea Tree!I planted peas! I haven't been in a garden with peas in it since I was a kid! My Mom still swears not one pea made it into the house! We would stand in the garden and eat them right out of the pod! I'm going to try to get some of them into the house to can this time round, but no guarantees!<br />
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You read so many things on line about how best to do something, it's really hard to decide what is right for you! For instance, one blog I read, suggests that you just kind of toss the seeds out into a square plot, and let the pea plants grow together and they kind of support themselves, without the need of a trellis. This kind of made sense to me, but at the same time, how would you get to the pea pods on the central plants?
Then I saw the plans for a home made trellis, cost is less than $15, total! I decided to make it, and blog about it. As in most things I do, I've done it my way, so it's slightly different from the original plans I read about <a href="http://www.harvestinghart.com/2011/06/diy-folding-trellis.html?spref=pi" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Things you'll need:<br />
Slats, hammer, combination pliers (for pulling half buried staples), staple gun, 1/2" staples (I used T-150), measuring tape, marker, 4 to 5" strips of hard flexible plastic, or strips of rubber.<br />
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I got my slats from Home Depot, talked to three people before one of them <i>didn't</i> ask me if I wanted survey stakes and actually knew what I was looking for :)<br />
These are 4 feet long, by one inch wide. They're only about a quarter of an inch thick. They're thin enough that they are slightly flexible, and remember, this is pretty much throw away wood, there will be knots, and they aren't going to be totally straight. I don't think this will last much more than one growing season in northern Nevada. Between the wind. the sun and the constant wet/dry conditions , I will be really surprised if it lasts much past harvest. <br />
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I laid out 4 slats... The large elephant (hole) in the porch is a constant reminder that my kids almost burned my house down. Long story. Moving on.<br />
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I over laid all the corners, then double checked to be sure they were all as close to square as I could get them and stapled them together. With this heavy duty stapler, I had to put two slats under the back end of it so it would sit even with the ones I was stapling, otherwise, the staples didn't go in enough for me to hammer on home. Another person may have had enough arm strength to do this without a crutch, but personally, I appreciated it :) <br />
I placed two staples per corner, and then tap-hammered them to make sure they were flush on the wood.<br />
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Then I took my measuring tape and marked out each foot, three marks total, top and bottom.<br />
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Take three slats and lay them at the marks, double check to be sure they are straight, then put two staples in each end of each slat.<br />
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Mark out each foot on the sides to place the cross slats. These I wove through the other three. I started with the two on the outside, these will be woven in the same way; under, over, under, with each end of the slat on top of the frame. Staple down.<br />
The middle slat will creak a bit when you put it in, as the cross slats are tighter now with the other two slats in place. This one will go over, under, over, with each end of the slat under the frame. Double check your marks then staple.<br />
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Click for big to see the weave better. <br />
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One side of the trellis down, one to go!<br />
And... repeat!<br />
And now there are two!<br />
Let's put them together...<br />
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This is a bit of black plastic that is used to line leach pads. It is thick, heavy and flexible. I cut the block out of a huge sheet I've been mining from (pun!) over the years for various purposes. I'm going to make more of these trellises so I cut a few strips. These are about 10" long, and I cut them in half. They are just a little long, so strips anywhere from 4 to 5 inches should work fine. <br />
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Put your two trellises together, and decide where you want to place your plastic or rubber strips. I place them between the frame and the first slat to either side, just because there weren't any staples there already. I put the bottom slat of my staple crutch between the two trellis frames, then stapled. And guess what? I stapled them together!! Thank goodness the staples come out without too much trouble!<br />
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Get both strips in place on once side, and flip! Bend the strip up over the outside of the frame, and staple in place.<br />
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Viola!<br />
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Now all that is left, is to find something to anchor it down in the garden.<br />
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I believe it's going to have to be a T-post, as it will need to be anchored at the top to keep the wind from whipping it about.<br />
I might put two in there, and put them cross ways of how it is in this picture, mainly because this pea bed is in the south side of my garden, and anything to the north of that trellis will be in shade. If I put two in, and turn them crossways, at least some sun will get through.<br />
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Happy Gardening!<br />
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<br />~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-21497369054731063242014-04-13T12:58:00.000-07:002014-04-13T13:43:57.173-07:00Home Grown Chicken RoostOkay, it's not quite the Hilton, but my chickens love it!<br />
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I built this roost a couple years ago, and I am quite proud of the results!<br />
I'm not a wood worker, or a carpenter. Just a chicken owner who did something right! I referenced <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Building-Chicken-Coops-Bulletin--224-ebook/dp/B004AHM5QG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1397238104&sr=8-4&keywords=chicken+coop+plans" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span id="btAsinTitle">Building Chicken Coops: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-224</span></span></a> for measurements. <br />
My chicken coop isn't very big. It is actually a re-purposed storage shed. It's about 12 ft by 8 ft, with a completely wired in and roofed yard of about 8 by 8. Red tail hawks are prevalent in this area, and I'm sure they would love to add chicken to their diet. <br />
Don't mind the holes in the back side of the shed, I raised two boys and a tom girl, they had bows, and that side of the shed faces away from the house...<br />
I will eventually replace the ply wood, but for now I figure it offers some ventilation. <br />
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To make the roost you will need; <br />
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5 - 1 x 1 x 8<br />
3 - 4 x 4 x 8<br />
18 - 2" Nails<br />
Planer<br />
Hand saw<br />
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I took the planer and shaved off two edges of the 1 x 1s to give the birds a gentle curve to nestle on. I left these at full length because they fit well inside the coop. <br />
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The 1 x 1s are completely rounded on the top side, flat on the bottom.<br />
I then marked where each 1 x 1 cut out would go, at 17" apart and notched them at an angle so the 1 x 1s would sit flat when the roost was laid against the wall. I couldn't tell you the angles, I am pretty sure I just got lucky in that everything fit and was level when it was done. <span class="st"><br /></span><br />
I put this together before I put it in the coop, but you can do it either way, I'm sure. <br />
I took two 1 x 1, and marked where the 2 x 4s needed to be placed, then nailed one in the top notch, the other at the bottom, then nailed the other three in place.<br />
After I got it in the coop, I put nails at the foot of all three 4 x 4s, to keep it from sliding out. I didn't nail it down to the floor, so that I can move it when I need to clean up under it. It is not attached at the top.<br />
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Although at this time, I only have 7 birds, in the future when I decide to expand, I will have enough roost room for about 40 birds. ~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-59586160308371433692014-03-20T15:31:00.001-07:002014-03-20T15:31:52.052-07:00Of Beans and Garlic!I discovered something yesterday.<br />
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A few weeks ago, I dried some turmeric on my leather trays, and it stained them. A couple weeks ago, I dried some garlic on the leather trays, and they still smelled like garlic. I didn't put two and two together, to come up with, if I put wet fruit on the leather trays, they would come out smelling like garlic, and tasting a bit like turmeric.<br />
I imagine you guys are already ahead of me here. I wanted to make some fruit leather, so I did. It is really really good! Just a little garlicky... I figured it was a lesson learned, don't use the same leather trays for fruit as you do for garlic. I was cleaning them and thought to myself, I could put coconut oil on them to season them for the next time I want to use them. That's when I realized the stains were coming out from the turmeric, and it also took the garlic smell out! Yay for coconut oil!<br />
Now I have three clean and shiny fruit leather trays, that don't smell like garlic!<br />
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I got this in the mail Tuesday!</div>
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I canned 15 pints and two quarts of pintos with bacon and onion, and two quarts of potatoes yesterday! I'm now out of pint jars, and still have a bunch of beans I want to do.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4WDrY1TLr70/UytWBMwYSzI/AAAAAAAACnk/ZrDEWFIVf78/s1600/1966751_10152282407929264_2127402193_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4WDrY1TLr70/UytWBMwYSzI/AAAAAAAACnk/ZrDEWFIVf78/s1600/1966751_10152282407929264_2127402193_n.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two quarts of pintos, two of potatoes </td></tr>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hIDpECEI3Is/UytWFTCOlxI/AAAAAAAACn0/p731q1MnIUM/s1600/IMG_20140317_180823_201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hIDpECEI3Is/UytWFTCOlxI/AAAAAAAACn0/p731q1MnIUM/s1600/IMG_20140317_180823_201.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
This is my <a href="http://gardenforestfield.com/2013/09/03/waste-not-want-not/" target="_blank">apple scrap vinegar</a>, I had to put it back into the container I had it in, because I need to get some plastic lids for the jars. When they come in, I'll be able to jar it up and it will be ready to use :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lv4ixkfLJlA/UytWD_L7d2I/AAAAAAAACns/P58oDl-JrhY/s1600/IMG_20140318_130120_205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Lv4ixkfLJlA/UytWD_L7d2I/AAAAAAAACns/P58oDl-JrhY/s1600/IMG_20140318_130120_205.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Dehydrating green onions</td></tr>
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Dehydrated fruits for Kevin. He's stationed in Afghanistan now, wont be home till August. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> My new toy!!!</td></tr>
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Dried these last night, half eaten already. I have some fruit leather in the dehydrator now, hope it comes out better than the last :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uAk6EN6ICmQ/UytqdbEPBbI/AAAAAAAACos/7r-65owwqVg/s1600/IMG_20140320_113056_486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uAk6EN6ICmQ/UytqdbEPBbI/AAAAAAAACos/7r-65owwqVg/s1600/IMG_20140320_113056_486.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drying chokecherry sauce</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FO1y_QPDIic/Uytqe2CopXI/AAAAAAAACo0/ZvykRtce_6Y/s1600/IMG_20140320_113151_566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FO1y_QPDIic/Uytqe2CopXI/AAAAAAAACo0/ZvykRtce_6Y/s1600/IMG_20140320_113151_566.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolled fruit leather</td></tr>
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To the left is pear butter I made last year, and the right is rosehip 'jelly' that didn't quite jell. I've got two more trays of this going, it is very, very tasty! Bet it will be even better without the turmeric and garlic! ~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-65436605004341150652014-03-17T11:08:00.000-07:002014-03-17T13:55:29.106-07:00Spring!I was going to write about my adventures in learning to can last fall, but I've got a surprise coming in a few days, and it will go right along with that.<br />
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I've decided, for the first time in a very long time, to plant a garden. Right now, it is nothing but dirt, horse poop, and some weeds. Oh, and a row of garlic that I'm hoping the rabbits will not be attracted to before I get it fenced. The garlic row is to the right in the picture... <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j2wbA3VyeEw/UyYDCUj2yhI/AAAAAAAACl0/eUonIzU_Jz4/s1600/1962605_10152266636549264_554985420_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j2wbA3VyeEw/UyYDCUj2yhI/AAAAAAAACl0/eUonIzU_Jz4/s1600/1962605_10152266636549264_554985420_n.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
My chicken coop is at the top, and the pen to the top left is the pig pen (will hopefully have some pigs in it soon!)<br />
Here is a close up of my garlic, from a few days ago, at the time I took the picture, there were only these two, now most of them are up, along about a ten foot row. <a href="http://desertpeachfarm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mimi from Desert Peach</a> shared some of her crop with me, said it was wild garlic from up in Washington, off a reservation. Can't wait to see what it does!<br />
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On Thursday, I'm going to rent a tiller, and get this all tilled up, then we'll fence it with chicken wire. I have a HUGE population of rabbits here</div>
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If I didn't know better, I'd think I had a goose out there... </div>
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My girls took a vacation, they've just gotten back into the swing of things in the last month. I was almost 3 months without my fresh eggs... although I did find an alternate supply :)<br />
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I think I might have been a little too anxious for spring; these are already getting their secondary leaves, I could be wading through zucchini vines before long. The tray on the left is all pickling cukes, the right tray is green zucchini, and yellow crookneck. The crookneck hasn't come up yet, not sure why. <br />
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<br />~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-5508763779927577762014-03-09T15:05:00.001-07:002014-03-09T15:05:12.857-07:00Fall Harvest<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Have you ever harvested your own chokecherries? Or seen a wild elderberry tree, branches hung low with bunches of little powdery blue berries? Or fought your way through a wild rose bush thicket to get to the reddest, most plump rose hips? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I had not, until last year, and oh, what I have been missing! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Rather than retell the story, I will share what I already wrote! </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This is from another blog that I attempted to start last year. I didn't get much done on it, after the first few posts, I kind of ran out of steam. It was getting colder outside and we'd had about all the adventuring we were up for at the time :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">September 16, 2013 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"A few weeks ago, my friend went out with her other
half scouting for deer for her oldest son.
She came back and told me that the chokecherries were almost ready to
pick, that we should go check them in a couple of weeks or so. I agreed
readily. I love going out into the mountains that surround our valley in
the Great Basin, it is really gorgeous here. I’m actually kind of glad
all anyone ever sees from I-80 is sage brush and dirt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I have lived here for …well, a lot longer than I want to admit, to be
honest, and I have never thought to look in these mountains for food!
Why did I never think about the riches they offer!? I can’t answer that,
other than to say I’m as complacent as most everyone else has become
with the convenience of the grocery store. I am proud to say that this
state of affairs is changing, and I’m learning how to live without all
the creature comforts. I’m not sure what I’d do without my Kindle
though…</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Off we went, a couple of weeks later, buckets and bags in tow, to
search out chokecherries. We found out that none of us truly knew what
we were looking for, even though I’d Googled chokecherries the night before and
kinda knew what they looked like. And she had thought she’d seen them
before and declared them almost ready to harvest! We wandered up through
one of the canyons on our four wheelers and found quite a few bushes
with black berries on them, but we just weren’t sure what we were
looking at. “Why are these berries so dry?”, “Guess we should have done
this a couple of weeks ago”, “What are these berries?”, “Those are
poison, #### told me so”. And so it went, until I saw a dangling group of
dark berries that rang bells in my head and I said “THAT is a
chokecherry tree!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_u3tacQt-U0/UxygWoCenuI/AAAAAAAACko/qYd9n1j6YVQ/s1600/1294289_10151813711164264_512515136_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_u3tacQt-U0/UxygWoCenuI/AAAAAAAACko/qYd9n1j6YVQ/s1600/1294289_10151813711164264_512515136_o.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Yay! We found one! And then we found another, and another! We found so many, we got really picky about which ones we harvested!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We found out later, the first black berries we saw were service
berries, edible, but the guy at the cooperative extension office had
never heard of anyone that harvested them to eat. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZZdYVddDFik/UxzhrBDXGJI/AAAAAAAACk0/1igIWBkS1YM/s1600/1276664_10151831885234264_556580659_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZZdYVddDFik/UxzhrBDXGJI/AAAAAAAACk0/1igIWBkS1YM/s1600/1276664_10151831885234264_556580659_o.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Elderberrys - beautiful</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The ‘What are these
berries?’ were elderberries; the ‘poison’ ones were (get this) rosehips.
Who knew!? </span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IkFTL9ma-YQ/UxzjKkhq2BI/AAAAAAAAClQ/5FfzPhyqbdM/s1600/1292341_10151829923039264_1322200248_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IkFTL9ma-YQ/UxzjKkhq2BI/AAAAAAAAClQ/5FfzPhyqbdM/s1600/1292341_10151829923039264_1322200248_o.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Juicing rosehips</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And what are gooseberries? Yes, we found out what those are
too. What a week we had! We gathered almost 5 gallons of chokecherries that first day, went back again for the elderberries and harvested about 2.5 gallons.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">We went back later in the week and harvested more elderberries, and
even more chokecherries. My daughter went with me on that trip, she
climbed the trees to get to high bunches of elderberries, and we had my friends extendable pruner, were able to get another 2 gallons or so.</span><br />
<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kzz7a5Kq4f4/UxzjFJTWzgI/AAAAAAAAClA/FqYKzMBogrg/s1600/IMG_20130905_125811_741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kzz7a5Kq4f4/UxzjFJTWzgI/AAAAAAAAClA/FqYKzMBogrg/s1600/IMG_20130905_125811_741.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Gooseberries</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I attempted t</span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">o
harvest goose berries but I did NOT have the right equipment! Those
little buggers are painful! They should be called stickerberries, there
are just as many sword-length stickers as there are berries! I was able
to get some though, not sure what I’m going to do with them just yet. I
already knew what currant berries were (not totally in a vacuum) and
harvested some of those, but didn’t find many. I’ll probably throw them
in with the rosehip jelly I’m going to make, and declare it jam. Sounds
good!</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vGQao2AQl2g/UxzjH2Z9aOI/AAAAAAAAClI/OOvuXKSfZp0/s1600/1262696_10151813710369264_1788931673_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vGQao2AQl2g/UxzjH2Z9aOI/AAAAAAAAClI/OOvuXKSfZp0/s1600/1262696_10151813710369264_1788931673_o.jpg" height="171" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Elderberry tree</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">That was my adventure, and I plan on having a lot more this year!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'll share some of my at home adventures tomorrow; Canning!</span>~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-9576738848757560502014-03-07T22:00:00.002-08:002014-03-07T22:00:36.259-08:00Home Improvement!Last year, DH decided to take a home improvement loan out of his 401K.<br />
We've lived in this home for 16 years and have never done anything to it. I take the 5th on that point, cause I'll get myself in trouble if I start 'pointing' fingers.<br />
It was in dire need of a paint job, a new roof, and a new furnace/AC.<br />
When we bought our home, I insisted on a diesel furnace, he insisted on central air. We both got what we wanted, but something went wrong early on with the furnace; seems the little nozzle that sprays the diesel out to be ignited was not the right size, so every time it came on, it would burn way too hot, and eventually gutted the inside of the burner chamber (or whatever it was), till it just didn't work anymore. DH maintained all this time that if we'd 'just gone with propane' everything would have been fine. But, he doesn't pay the bills or deal with our debtors, and I flat our <i>refuse</i> to deal with a propane company. ANY propane company. And, the central air unit that he insisted on having, was woefully small for our over 2500 square foot interior, so it worked itself to death early on. For the past three or four years we've had a kerosene heater in the winter (which worked wonderfully, btw), and two window mount ac units in the summer (which didn't work so wonderfully). It was time for a change. Also, the double paned windows all along the front of our home had clouded up and looked horrible, not to mention that I couldn't see through them.<br />
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So, we got a new steel roof, pained the house, put windows across the front of the house, a new electric heater/AC, AND put in a wood stove! We still have to put up new rails around the porch. and frame the door... oh, I didn't mention, we put a new sliding glass door in!<br />
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I LOVE my wood stove!<br />
The rest is great, but I really LOVE my wood stove!<br />
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The stove was a rodeo. We had to send parts back and forth a few times before we finally got it all together, but it all worked out. I would like to build a mantle behind it, but that is down the road a bit. <br />
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Tomorrow: Fall Harvest!~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-31545752600915089412014-03-06T14:42:00.000-08:002014-03-06T17:10:57.373-08:00A ReIntroduction!<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wow, there is a lot to talk about!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So much has changed in my life! Not so much with my kids or my home, but with me!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It seems like I've been walking through my life with blinders on, accepting things as they come to me, never really working towards anything. Even looking back at college, I was there because it was fun! I figure, if it's fun, or tasty, or just something I want to do (and it doesn't harm or interfere with anyone else), then who cares if I do it or not? And what of tomorrow, I'll deal with it when it gets here. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I think the changes in my way of thinking started more than a year ago, when I discovered coconut oil.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You can't do research on coconut oil (which is absolutely amazing, by the way!) without learning a lot about healthy living.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We also started paying more attention to the future, as in retirement and/or preparing for catastrophe. I started with tins of freeze dried food, and back stocking things like toilet paper, and salt, buying cases of canned food, a couple of bug out bags, etc. I am still doing this, I think it's important to be prepared.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Then my neighbor was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. That really got the cogs turning.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've always lived life with an attitude that I will live forever. I love that way of thinking! But it really isn't conducive to a long life. A tragic irony. I still want to skid into the end of my life with bells on, but I can take some care to make sure it is as far in the future as I can make it! So my whole attitude has changed, towards what I put in and on my body, and those of my family. I started canning, and using essential oils, and coconut oil, of course. I also make my own laundry soap, dishwasher soap, chap stick, 'lotions', and I have a friend who makes bar soap (I found out I am sensitive to lye). I've been dehydrating for a long time, but have started to take it more seriously. We use a lot of fresh veggies, and home grown meat. I seldom buy meat from the store any more. I've even started seeds, going to have a garden again for the first time in ...well, a lot of years!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BbRbAeTzjkw/UxjwFpPUd1I/AAAAAAAACio/rmsvhvy8ejw/s1600/1779722_10152234672659264_356196954_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BbRbAeTzjkw/UxjwFpPUd1I/AAAAAAAACio/rmsvhvy8ejw/s1600/1779722_10152234672659264_356196954_n.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The pickling cucumbers have been coming up for a couple days now (the middle tray), the top tray is <span class="userContent">chives, tomatoes, collard greens, green onions, and jalapenos, they haven't come up yet. The other tray is zucchini and crook neck yellow squash, just peeking out this morning. </span></span></span> <br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I still have sheep, but not breeding Tunis anymore. I have my Tunis ram, and two ewes. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tuIOy5w_OKk/UxjyJ_iLaMI/AAAAAAAACi0/GTm_KbL3bME/s1600/IMG_20140306_132254_760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tuIOy5w_OKk/UxjyJ_iLaMI/AAAAAAAACi0/GTm_KbL3bME/s1600/IMG_20140306_132254_760.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The dark one is a ram out of Gracie. We had to put her down this past fall because of a growth she had on her lower jaw. I was all set to take him and his brother to the butcher a couple months ago, when I realized he has his mother's wool. If I can find a home for the Tunis ram, I'll make this one my flock ram. There's Babs and her ewe lamb to the right (born Jan 27th). She had twins, one had tight tendons in his back hocks, so she decided he was tiger food. He is now a bottle baby (shown below). I have pretty much decided to keep the dark ram, Babs, her ewe lamb, and Sweety... I am actively looking for a home for the Tunis ram. He is full blooded Tunis, but can't be papered because of his three inch scurs. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is Sweety, she is out of Jari's very first 4-H ewe that passed away year before last, when this one was a couple months old. Her lamb is hiding behind her shoulder. He was born day before yesterday, on March 4th. He has the tunis floppy ears :)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The bottle baby... </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9g_U7-M633A/UxjyT7WNoKI/AAAAAAAACjA/Ep2JIeqNY3s/s1600/IMG_20140306_133230_403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9g_U7-M633A/UxjyT7WNoKI/AAAAAAAACjA/Ep2JIeqNY3s/s1600/IMG_20140306_133230_403.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">He's more Babs than his sister is, she's much darker, more 'Tunis' looking. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> This little guy, the newest one, has some kind of 'bubble' at the base of his ear. Not sure what it is yet, it's soft, pliable, like it has nothing but liquid in it. It doesn't hurt him, and he's healthy otherwise. He had it when he was born, right outta the chute :)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have a whole list of things to tell everyone about, but I'll take it slow. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tomorrow: Home Improvement!</span></span>~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-29017099909519629092014-03-06T01:28:00.002-08:002014-03-06T01:28:54.767-08:00Re Deux? I want to come back. It might be a long trip! I haven't been spinning, or knitting as much as I used to, and I don't have as many sheep as I used to. Just doesn't seem to be as much to talk about...<br />
Its funny how you drift away from things, into other things, and the old things just don't seem to garner the attention they used to.<br />If I get back here tomorrow, or the next day to post, it will be to catch up. Hope someone will see it :)<br />
<br />~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-68747036994225790982013-03-12T16:16:00.000-07:002013-03-12T16:17:31.053-07:00Wool room, still?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, it looks better, but not quite there yet. I work on it in my 'spare' time, and get side tracked every time I go in, so I guess its not as bad as it might seem. I mean, I only started on it last September. Seriously though, I have gotten quite a bit done. I have several fleeces not in this picture. They are either boxed to go to <a href="http://www.morrofleeceworks.com/" target="_blank">Morro Fleece Works</a>, or behind the camera on the bed... or in the closet. I have sold some things I don't think I'll ever get a chance to mess with, and still have some things for sale listed in my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/sittinnspinnin?ref=top_trail" target="_blank">Etsy </a>store, with more to come as I dig deeper.<br />
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I've decided to make a lace curtain for the stationary side of my atrium door. I could buy one but I figure it will be better if I make it myself. Since I couldn't find a pattern that I really liked for it, I've decided to make that myself too. So far I have two swatches made up, but neither turned out the way I wanted it to, so now I think I have the pattern down, but haven't worked on it in a few days, I'll get to it again soon.<br />
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Our lives haven't changed much since September... Joy is now 3 and as big a handful as her mother ever was. And as beautiful as well. Which is why I'm sure, she has her mother wrapped tightly around those pretty little fingers.<br />
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With sequestration, I may not get to work at all this summer, but I may end up working my tail off, it really depends on what money goes where and how they decide to allocate it. This doesn't do much for my attitude towards this country's administration, for sure. They had to cancel any training I might have qualified for as well. I can't gripe too much though, others will hurt much worse than I before he has had his fill of 'making it hurt'.<br />
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We have three lambs this year, although we should have had 6. Babs had quadruplets! But all passed but the one. I don't really understand why, other than they just all came so quickly that she just decided it was too much to deal with and concentrated on cleaning and caring for the one. Gracie had twins, but she has something wrong with her jaw, and although the lambs were large (12 and 10lbs respectively) she is not making enough milk for them, so I am having to supplement them. I think after shearing I will have to put her down if I can't figure out how to heal her jaw, and then I will be looking for another wool ewe to replace her. <br />
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I will try to post here again regularly, as I really do like sharing things that happen here, especially wooly things!~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-39534120575284628492012-09-08T13:47:00.001-07:002012-09-08T13:47:22.621-07:00Wool Room<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Time to organize! I went in there the other day and decided I have GOT to quit buying wool! And I also realized I have GOT to organize what I have. Egad. Wish me luck!<br /><br />~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-73831237967751633502012-08-19T17:04:00.002-07:002012-08-19T17:20:06.268-07:00On the HollowayThe Holloway fire, Denio, NV, 2012<br />
8/19 461,047 acres <br />
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I've been here for 14 days tomorrow, seems like a month! I'm ready to go home, and I will on Tuesday. The fire will be transferred to a type 3 team and we're outta here!~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-63702178420040836012012-08-02T12:56:00.001-07:002012-08-02T13:13:20.366-07:00Ex-Stole-ing<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I mentioned in my last post the fence knit from the stole pattern by Eunny Jang, and the fact that I absolutely love the pattern!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I've started it!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">...and started it...</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">...and started it....</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">In fact, I've 'started' it at least 5 times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The first problem I had was with the provisional, or hidden, cast on that I used. I think that was the reason for at least two of my false starts. I hate it. Its the one where you hold the waste yarn above and the working yarn below, and sweep down and around and then up and between, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXp8rUNxJtY" target="_blank">this one</a>, its looks horrible, the edges are all jagged and its impossible for me to keep an even tension on it. And when I knit lace I use a life line, and all that hanging string! Ugh! No, its not OCD, its.... well I don't know what it is, but it really, really bugged me! So after watching a few videos on provisional cast ons, I settled on one that would better suite my controlling tendencies, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3J-sUx_whE" target="_blank">this one</a>. It is neat, it is solid, it doesn't slip or slide, I love it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kTSFh7tGASA/UBrZrBO5lzI/AAAAAAAACWk/zeuu32M_DZ0/s1600/2012-07-29_20-45-39_651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kTSFh7tGASA/UBrZrBO5lzI/AAAAAAAACWk/zeuu32M_DZ0/s320/2012-07-29_20-45-39_651.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Another couple of restarts were due to miscounts, confusion and aggravation. Derek asked me why I would even bother if it was going to stress me out so badly. I showed him a picture of a finished stole, and said "THAT's why I bother, its gorgeous!" and I'm stubborn that way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I had started out using one stitch marker, smack in the middle of the pattern repeat (it has essentially three 'sections', the middle one repeats 4 times). This was working out ok, but had to back up so many times over 40 stitches I decided to use 5 markers, one at the end of the first section, three between the repeated sections, and one at the beginning of the last section. Got through three rows and I was off by one stitch! How could this be? Went back and counted.... there are 8 stitches in the first section of row one, and 9 in the first section of row 3! I couldn't figure it out! Literally hundreds of people have made this stole! Surely someone would have pointed out an error like that! So I called <a href="http://polymathchronicles.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Laura </a>(a second time) my inside line to knitting omniscience. We both realized at the same time that the first section staggers by one stitch halfway through the pattern block. Laura knit a couple panels to be sure, and that was indeed the case. So, off with the stitch markers, back to one in the center.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I was going great guns after that, almost through the third block repeat when it hit me; this thing is HUGE! The pattern calls for either cobweb weight yarn with a US size 00 needle, or lace weight with a size 4 needle. I didn't like it (yet another restart for that), so I went to a size 6 needle. If I'd continued I'd have run out of yarn long before I finished the center panel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So what to do.... I decided instead of doing 4 repeats of the center section, I would do only three. Ripped and restarted! Hopefully, for the final time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jovSPdu8uE0/UBrVovzaM6I/AAAAAAAACWM/Jv0YPyfmkPw/s1600/2012-08-01_16-27-14_547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jovSPdu8uE0/UBrVovzaM6I/AAAAAAAACWM/Jv0YPyfmkPw/s320/2012-08-01_16-27-14_547.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Not a very good picture, but you can see how the pattern tends. This is just loosely stretched over a white towel. When finished it will have edging too, so will be a few inches wider to either side. I'm guessing after stretching and blocking it will be about 18 inches wide. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I generally don't spin alpaca, but I have to say, this yarn is luscious! I love holding it, knitting with it, touching it; its just really pleasant, and gives me good feelings :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-8496942694449449212012-07-25T19:36:00.000-07:002012-07-25T19:42:07.257-07:00A Few Weeks in Review...It's fire season again!<br />
I was sent to Wyoming, as an expanded dispatcher, but this time, it was with a twist!<br />
First let me explain an expanded dispatcher's job. Initial attack is handled by the people with radios. Generally, they deal with maybe one plane for recon; one or two wildland fire engines that generally are the first to see the fire from the ground and assess it; a couple of single resources (people), maybe a Fire Management Officer or an IC (also incident command but used as the title of the guy who's in command of the forces on the fire). When a fire gets bigger than what these few resources can handle, the initial attack dispatch calls in what is called Expanded Dispatch. We fight the fire from phones and computers, by entering the orders of everything the IC and other resources need to fight the fire on the ground into a program called ROSS. The Resource Ordering and Status System is used in tracking everything from supplies to people in an incident.<br />
Normally, a dispatcher never sees an Incident Command Post (AKA, ICP). Normally, a dispatcher works about 12 hrs a day (sometimes 14 if things are really bad), eats in restaurants, and stays in a motel. At ICP everyone works 16 hours a day, eats under a caterers tent, showers in a portable shower unit, uses porta potties, and sleeps in a tent. <br />
This time, someone came up with an idea that will most likely be implemented as a normal way to do things in the near future, because it really worked quite well!<br />
At ICP there is a Buying Team, a team of people who, obviously, purchase everything needed to aide in quelling a fire. Normally, phone calls and faxes jump back and forth between a far away expanded dispatch and the buying team, who is generally located at the ICP, or at least in an office far distant from the expanded dispatch. In this case, a dispatcher (me) was set up in a room next to the buying team so I could input everything the fire ordered into ROSS, and immediately take the order to the buying team and viola! Done! No phone calls, no faxes.<br />
So, instead of living in a motel with my own bathroom and bed, I had my tent and an air mattress :)<br />
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The ICP was in Big Piney High School, a small town in south western Wyoming. The fire was very close to one of only three helium plants in the country.<br />
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It was a good experience, one I would repeat in the future. As I like to say, I love new experiences, as long as they aren't painful.<br />
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After a week of that, the fire was virtually out and I was moved into expanded dispatch which was located in Jackson, WY. Jackson is famous for its skiing and for the Grand Tetons that tower, just 15 minutes away, over a valley from which the town gets its nick name, Jackson Hole. On my last working day there I was given liberty to take a tour of the Park. If you ever get a chance, the Grand Tetons are a magnificent site! <br />
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This is Mount Moran, graced by one of the twelve glaciers that dot the mountain range, and a lava flute that extends just higher than the mountain itself. <br />
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As I was coming into the park that morning, I saw three or four people
gawking at something under the bridge, but didn't stop as I wanted to
get on with my sight seeing, but when I left the park, about three hours later, there were hordes
of people gathered in the same place, so I knew I had to stop and lookee-loo with the rest of them. This is what had everyone's attention. <br />
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Not one, but two bull moose, taking the edge off the days heat in the cool waters of the Snake River. Can you see both of them? What I found amusing, is that the junction where you turn off the main highway to get into the park, not a quarter mile away, is called Moose Junction! The settlement where all the park residents live a quarter mile down the road in the other direction, is called Moose, and the post office, a small single room building, boasts a sign "Moose Post Office". <br />
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And you know, while I was there, I had to find an LYS, hoping they might have spinnables as well as yarn. No such luck on the spinnables, but the yarn store "Knit on Pearl" (which until its recent move was actually located on Pearl St in Jackson) did have a lot of nice books, and not wanting to leave without purchasing something, I settled on this. Lots of nice lacy projects in here!<br />
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Recently on FaceBook, someone shared a picture of a fence. Not just any fence, but a knitted fence made of some kind of weather proof string. It is flat amazing. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ru99Nt-_-wQ/UBCpYBlraNI/AAAAAAAACV8/LLiahDGa8U8/s1600/256475_446048088759393_1349428900_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ru99Nt-_-wQ/UBCpYBlraNI/AAAAAAAACV8/LLiahDGa8U8/s320/256475_446048088759393_1349428900_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The knitters FB page is <a href="http://www.facebook.com/anne.eunson.5" target="_blank">here</a>. I don't know if this picture exists anywhere on the web outside of FB, other than where people like me have shared it, but if I find out the knitter has posted it elsewhere I will link it here.<br />
Someone asked if the pattern that she used was published and the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/shetlandartsandcrafts" target="_blank">Shetland Arts and Crafts </a>FB page, who originally shared the photo with the community, linked back to <a href="http://www.eunnyjang.com/images/knit/0511joycesscarf/stole_print_o_the_wave.pdf" target="_blank">this</a>, a free pattern from Eunny Jang. I imediately thought of the alpaca top that I brought back from Texas last year, and am now in the process of spinning it in a lace weight to make the stole. <br />
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Also still working on the last socks I posted about, its been so long now I'm going to have to go hunting for the heel pattern I used on the first one! Better late than never... right?~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-3455823546680814382012-06-23T11:11:00.000-07:002012-06-23T11:11:28.504-07:00My WeekWe had a wonderful short week with Kevin at home! Joy is absolutely enamored with him! I love the way she says 'Ke'in'! She couldn't get over it, and kept saying "Ke'in's here! Ke'in's here!" with a cheek splitting grin.<br />
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And of course, for two days after he left, she was asking where he went. Heartbreaking :(<br />
Especially since my heart already hurts when he's gone.<br />
We had a very nice dinner the second evening he was here, with lamb chops, boiled baby white potatoes, and fried green beans. I am a simple cook, but the food never wants for flavor!<br />
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Our central AC has gone south on us, the motor is burned up, so we ate on the porch. It was a really nice evening! And thank goodness we had several more to spend with him, and a lot more good food, before he had to get back to base in Twenty-Nine Palms last Wednesday.<br />
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We had the shearer out on Memorial Day (as mentioned in the previous post), I really don't know why they seem to want to travel on holidays! One year I didn't get my sheep sheared at all because they were supposed to be here on Mother's Day at 9AM, I wanted to go fishing and picnicking afterwards, and when they still hadn't called or shown up by 1PM, I left!<br />
This is a different shearer now, he comes down from Idaho and shears at least 5 flocks, mine being the smallest by far at three sheep. He does a decent job and is familiar with and sensitive to a spinner flock owner's wishes. <br />
This is a washed portion of Babs' fleece. In 2010 <a href="http://polymathchronicles.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Laura </a>bribed me for it, and while she is working her fleece from last shearing, I've been working on this one. I think hers is cleaner. 2010 was the year the shearers didn't show up on Mother's day, so in October, I sheared Babs and Gracie myself. So what I'm working on now is 18 months of uncovered growth, wind injected, broken up bits of super-Nevada-sun-dried poo, bug dust, dirt and hay. It certainly washes up nice though!<br />
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I pick the locks apart and put them in a box, then take my trusty doggy brush and my cutting board and flick the locks out. Then I run them through my drum carder and ....<br />
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Viola! Soft, fluffy, wooly goodness for the soul!<br />
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I also got another box from <a href="http://www.morrofleeceworks.com/" target="_blank">Morro Fleece Works</a> this week. I had sent her a box of very light to white wool and said just mix it all up! The only real color in the box was a bit of light fawn alpaca, the rest was white; a super fine Merino from The Wool Ranch, a pound or so of hoget BFL, and something else... Shari called me and asked if I really, really wanted the BFL and the 'something else' in with the Merino and alpaca, I told her if it didn't match up to go ahead and run it seperately. This is what I got back, so far. <br />
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I absolutely LOVE the way the color came out in this blend. As I said, 18 micron Merino and light fawn baby alpaca... scrumptious! I would call this color 'champagne'. It is so soft and silky you will be sorely tempted to sleep with it!<br />
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Also, for those of you who saw me at BSG in 2010, do you remember the Romney fleece I got in the fiber sale after the show? It was the winner of its class, a beautiful, grey-brown, long stapled, silky fiber. I didn't feel like I would ever get to it to process myself, and its so pretty, so off to Shari it went! I will be playing with this one today :)<br />
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I have some of the Merino/Alpaca blend and some of this Romney for sale in my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/sittinnspinnin?ref=si_shop" target="_blank">Etsy store</a>. <br />
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On a final note, the third day Kevin was here, he went out to feed with me. I got to show off all my new chickens, who are doing great! He remarked on all the work I did on the pen, while we threw small pieces of wheat bread to the 'hens'.<br />
On our way back up the drive way to the house, I heard... 'cock-a-doodle-do'. I turned slowly in the drive way to look back toward the chicken house, and asked Kevin if he'd heard that. He said, 'Heard what?'. As I started toward the chicken house, I heard it again. Kevin said behind me 'Are hen's supposed to do that?'~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-64084450661121409732012-05-30T16:24:00.003-07:002012-05-30T21:46:59.710-07:00Goodies!I took delivery of this the other day. It is a Coopworth/Polypay cross fleece from <a href="http://www.maplewoodnorth.com/" target="_blank">Maplewood North</a>. <br />
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21188360@N04/7277119396/" title="coopworth, polypay cross by tunisraiser, on Flickr"><img alt="coopworth, polypay cross" height="500" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7076/7277119396_cd8f2af631.jpg" width="281" /></a> </center><br />
You know, I was never addictive when I was younger; I tried different
things, but never had a problem walking away from anything. And now, at
mid-life, I have an addiction that I can't kick! As much as I try to
clean out my wool room, I always seem to be putting something back in! <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wze3C3ZLiuk/T8aenBYmhCI/AAAAAAAACTA/kkeCcL_Wna0/s1600/2012-05-30_09-27-00_960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wze3C3ZLiuk/T8aenBYmhCI/AAAAAAAACTA/kkeCcL_Wna0/s320/2012-05-30_09-27-00_960.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
And, just in from Morro Fleece Works, "Glinda"! Glinda is a Corriedale ewe, one of the many fleeces from my stash that I sent off to Shari in an effort to diminish my stash to a manageable level. I have 7 bags available listed on my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/sittinnspinnin?ref=si_shop" target="_blank">Etsy</a>, in 1lb 2 ounce lots. You pay for a pound, I throw in the 2 ounces. If you don't want to go though Etsy, that's ok too! Just mail me and we'll do the deal separately. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-boGRU0OnLys/T8aes4r8D4I/AAAAAAAACTI/K2yV9yXV4cI/s1600/2012-05-30_09-29-16_347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-boGRU0OnLys/T8aes4r8D4I/AAAAAAAACTI/K2yV9yXV4cI/s320/2012-05-30_09-29-16_347.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
This is a super dark Romney, in reality it is black with silvery-grey fibers throughout, also listed on Etsy.<br />
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We sheared Sunday so I have three new fleeces on my porch. Tunis (Eben), CVM/Romney (Gracie), and at the bottom Dorset/Suffolk (Babs). They are full of itty bits of vm, as I didn't cover them at all. This is the Tunis ram's hogget fleece, and both Gracie and Babs had not been sheared since the fall of 2010. So I guess I will process these myself, figure I'll be done sometime in the mid 2020's.... maybe.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2TFk6vw9TDY/T8arbGvm4XI/AAAAAAAACTY/eqv9e2KJXfk/s1600/2012-05-30_16-12-33_98.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2TFk6vw9TDY/T8arbGvm4XI/AAAAAAAACTY/eqv9e2KJXfk/s320/2012-05-30_16-12-33_98.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-31279485339581987232012-05-13T10:49:00.001-07:002012-05-13T10:50:54.116-07:00My ChickensSo we revamped the chicken coop, made it as coyote proof as I could possibly make it without turning it into Ft Knox. We double wired all the chicken wire panels, and put more fence staples to hold the wire closer and tighter. I've got two latches on the gate, and I am going to put in a ramp that doubles as a cover to their small door into the coop building. You might remember this from last year, but I'm so darned proud of it, I wanted to share again :)<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TuwPftnaAys/T6_pQM3naZI/AAAAAAAACSY/7R89japVM9w/s1600/2012-05-12_13-41-33_724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TuwPftnaAys/T6_pQM3naZI/AAAAAAAACSY/7R89japVM9w/s320/2012-05-12_13-41-33_724.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
This year I've also moved the food and water inside and raised it off the ground so they can't muss it up as easily, and I don't have to change the water daily! Or throw out food because they've ruined it! Costs a bit more to do it this way, but so far it is really worth it!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V4By2QqxkHA/T6_pWO3WEQI/AAAAAAAACSg/cg3DD0HXzZo/s1600/2012-05-12_13-39-17_704.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V4By2QqxkHA/T6_pWO3WEQI/AAAAAAAACSg/cg3DD0HXzZo/s320/2012-05-12_13-39-17_704.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
And the stars of the show! I think I said this before, but I have 3 Easter-eggers, 3 Silver laced Wyandottes, and two Astralorps. They are all different, and are all very pretty. The white one and the grey/brown ones are Easter-eggers, the Wyandottes are the ones with white heads and those two blacks are the Astralorps. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QNRQRcYouAA/T6_pjiSxBXI/AAAAAAAACSw/2uEhXWdq-LQ/s1600/2012-05-12_13-40-46_362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QNRQRcYouAA/T6_pjiSxBXI/AAAAAAAACSw/2uEhXWdq-LQ/s320/2012-05-12_13-40-46_362.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FK5_CEWNZ_U/T6_pcxhm4gI/AAAAAAAACSo/d2iMovQ_N2E/s1600/2012-05-12_13-39-32_520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FK5_CEWNZ_U/T6_pcxhm4gI/AAAAAAAACSo/d2iMovQ_N2E/s320/2012-05-12_13-39-32_520.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
Everyday I go out with a piece of wheat bread that I tear up and toss to them, talking all the while, so eventually I should be able to get better pictures of them all. They are coming closer to me now (my shoe is just out of the bottom of this last picture)<br />
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Happy Mother's day!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(from <a href="http://www.indobase.com/holidays/mothers-day/poems/index.html">http://www.indobase.com/holidays/mothers-day/poems/index.html</a>)</i></span></div>
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<b>Only One Mother</b></div>
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Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky,</div>
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Hundreds of shells on the shore together,</div>
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Hundreds of birds that go singing by,</div>
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Hundreds of lambs in the sunny weather.</div>
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Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,</div>
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Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,</div>
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Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,</div>
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But only one mother the world wide over.</div>~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-18197907976370983532012-04-26T19:58:00.001-07:002012-04-26T19:59:51.550-07:00Old Dog, New TrickAs you all know, I'm the group mom of <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/raw-wool-lovers-unite" target="_blank">Raw Wool Lovers, Unite!</a> on Ravelry. Someone recently started a discussion about how to make a braid out of roving, and we ended up talking about how to make roving! <br />
Someone posted a link to the video, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qkhSsbkGrk" target="_blank">Drawing Roving from a Drum Card</a>, and I do believe it will change the way I process wool from my drum carder. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L9cVqvgYhss/T5nl0v0TsLI/AAAAAAAACSM/LSq8UscW5pg/s1600/Charlie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L9cVqvgYhss/T5nl0v0TsLI/AAAAAAAACSM/LSq8UscW5pg/s320/Charlie.jpg" width="320" /> </a></div>
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Meet Peter! ...or is it Charlie... oh well, it was one of them! Peter (or Charlie) is a Bond Corriedale from <a href="http://www.gfwsheep.com/" target="_blank">Gleason Fine Woolies</a>. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MpVMz5nFn7A/T5nlqu279RI/AAAAAAAACR8/zw0ToBymxfU/s1600/2012-04-26_14-15-37_577.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MpVMz5nFn7A/T5nlqu279RI/AAAAAAAACR8/zw0ToBymxfU/s320/2012-04-26_14-15-37_577.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
Carder and diz, or as Linda Lou called it, a pseudo diz! I had this perfect little rounded piece of clear plastic, I have no idea what it was, but I kept it with the thought that if I ever wanted to use a diz it would be perfect for it! Of course, I cant find it now. So I made this one. It is the lid off of a bottle of Vitamin Water. It works great! This was my first go with it, for some reason what I was pulling was splitting off at half the depth of the carded wool, but subsequently I was able to pull it off to its depth and go from one side to the other to end up with one long strip of carded roving.<br />
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How cool is that??<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NMKas7tFyWw/T5nlzgv98lI/AAAAAAAACSE/vGI9o4F_kMk/s1600/2012-04-26_14-19-03_667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NMKas7tFyWw/T5nlzgv98lI/AAAAAAAACSE/vGI9o4F_kMk/s320/2012-04-26_14-19-03_667.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Sorry about the picture quality in the last two pics, the camera on my phone is not working as well as it has in the past, but you can take my word for it, this is gorgeous fiber!~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-83539323563073253772012-04-21T15:29:00.000-07:002012-04-21T15:29:08.983-07:00Babies!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KBlBhJjpUEQ/T5MyVpS0-qI/AAAAAAAACRs/ZHeyXxo73cQ/s1600/2012-04-20_10-52-00_371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KBlBhJjpUEQ/T5MyVpS0-qI/AAAAAAAACRs/ZHeyXxo73cQ/s320/2012-04-20_10-52-00_371.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> These are the most recent, and the last, lambs to be born this year for us. This is Gracie with her twins. One is a soft blondish red, her wool will be white, the other is as black as her mother was when she was young. They both had weak hocks when they were born, one back leg each. After treating them, the light colored lamb is walking on her hoof now, but the black one was still dragging hers. My daughter and I splint it two days ago, I took the splint off today to rest it, she's still dragging her foot. Will splint it again later today. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o367mh7wEo0/T5My3g4f42I/AAAAAAAACR0/VUF6kqsY8t8/s1600/2012-04-20_10-53-09_676.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o367mh7wEo0/T5My3g4f42I/AAAAAAAACR0/VUF6kqsY8t8/s320/2012-04-20_10-53-09_676.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Chickens, again? Yes, I love chickens and I love what they give me! My hubby and I went out yesterday and renovated the coop, it is now as coyote/dog safe as anything can be, no corners cut, no loopholes taken. They are still in their tub for now, I think they'll be ready for the coop next week. I have 8 total; 3 Wine Dots; 3 Easter Eggers; and 2 Austorlops.<br />
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I got a little bit of dying done the other day, but I've got more to do, so I'll post pics when I get them all done.~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-80132827943035949752012-04-18T00:29:00.005-07:002012-04-18T00:39:34.724-07:00So much to share...I'm not going to go into details, there's too much since I last posted. I still haven't finished that pair of socks, but I'm into other things...<br />
Spring ALWAYS has me wanting to dye! So this year, I've bought a set of <a href="http://greenershades.stillrivermill.com/" target="_blank">Greener Shades of Dye</a>, heavy metal free, and by all accounts safer to use. I'm horribly lazy about using gloves. I know, I will!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BpL-Xt_u260/T45o7hZFx8I/AAAAAAAACRE/y2BRgOY1GTw/s1600/2012-04-17_23-54-48_230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BpL-Xt_u260/T45o7hZFx8I/AAAAAAAACRE/y2BRgOY1GTw/s320/2012-04-17_23-54-48_230.jpg" width="179" /></a></div> This is enough to dye 3 lbs I think it was, its the starter kit from <a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/knitting.cfm" target="_blank">Knit Picks</a>.<br />
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I just wanted to play, experiment with the colors. I've got some Panda blend bought from <a href="http://desertpeachfarm.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Mim </a>a few years ago, that has been waiting for me to decide what to do with it. It dyes so beautifully! Painted Panda blend is about the only thing I will buy off of Etsy, it is my weakness...<br />
I was invited to join the Greener Shades group on Ravelry to get some ideas on how to paint with their dye; mixing, paining, setting techniques. I saw there a link to a way to keep colors from pooling under the top. Long story short, if anyone suggests that you use corn starch to thicken your dye, make sure that whatever you're dying can be thrown into the washer when you're done. And for any who might say "I could have told you that!", well, you didn't so shush! :)<br />
I didn't take a picture of the results of this first experiment. I took 4 ounces of Panda, laid out on plastic wrap, with long yellow strips with alternating black and purple bands between them. It was horrible! Ugly! Fuggly is a better word really! I wasn't going to throw it away, so after looking at some color wheels, I tossed it in a red dye pot.<br />
Yes, it worked! I dried it, went to spin it, and brick wall! No way was that stuff drafting! See above comment on corn starch....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0CEprH51sgU/T45pAWbqPOI/AAAAAAAACRc/7Hyn-uadgdk/s1600/462096_10150731739984264_801054263_9112806_759748702_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0CEprH51sgU/T45pAWbqPOI/AAAAAAAACRc/7Hyn-uadgdk/s320/462096_10150731739984264_801054263_9112806_759748702_o.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>I <i>still</i> was not prepared to toss this mess! I think if I hadn't had a drum carder, I would have wrapped it up, put it in a zip lock and waited till something, some way, would have come up to make it spinnable!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nrYPx2JWBt0/T45o-wIJ05I/AAAAAAAACRU/9L00YK7Azk4/s1600/414696_10150731740779264_801054263_9112810_395766118_o%281%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nrYPx2JWBt0/T45o-wIJ05I/AAAAAAAACRU/9L00YK7Azk4/s320/414696_10150731740779264_801054263_9112810_395766118_o%281%29.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>As it was, I do have a drum carder, and I know how to use it!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aozNqSzHXvI/T45pCFi-usI/AAAAAAAACRk/mHYpWZqfX6s/s1600/464227_10150740041819264_801054263_9140738_1374055771_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aozNqSzHXvI/T45pCFi-usI/AAAAAAAACRk/mHYpWZqfX6s/s320/464227_10150740041819264_801054263_9140738_1374055771_o.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>Pretty?<br />
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After the red, and in the same water believe it or not! (this stuff exhausts fast!) I put some green dye in, a glug or two of vinegar, and almost immediately (its been a long time since I dyed anything...) tossed in a loosely tied 4 ounce bundle of Panda. I didn't stir the pot first. And this is what I got!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iheYG-Cwgs0/T45o9VX0yyI/AAAAAAAACRM/MOGkgOojrN8/s1600/412334_10150742156279264_801054263_9146244_799403251_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iheYG-Cwgs0/T45o9VX0yyI/AAAAAAAACRM/MOGkgOojrN8/s320/412334_10150742156279264_801054263_9146244_799403251_o.jpg" width="179" /></a></div><br />
A very pretty (IMHO) variegated green, spins up very nicely! Because I didn't stir the pot, the dye was just kind of floating around in the water, and as soon as the top hit the water, it sucked that dye right up! I will be repeating this mistake :D<br />
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PS: I have 5 lambs, and 8 chickens! Pictures coming 'soon'! I promise!~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-17874649469931971712012-02-20T19:24:00.000-08:002012-02-20T19:30:23.678-08:00FrankenSock and other stuff....So I've finished that last pair of socks, almost finished one of Joy's; I've got to try it on her before I finish it and they've been gone for 4 days, so I've started another pair. <br />
I'm using the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/quickset-socks" target="_blank">Quickset Socks</a> pattern for the most part, but my eyes crossed when I tried to use her short-row toe and heel instructions, so I used the short-row toe that I know, and the gusseted heel from the Diagonal Sock pattern that I just finished last week. I really like that heel! My next project (yeah, I'm not done with FrankenSock yet, but I'm planning ahead...) is going to be the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/triton-socks" target="_blank">Triton Socks</a>. I'm excited to try that heel pattern! (Note; you have to have a Ravelry account to view the above links) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hpFxL7VMWNg/T0MGPHrVoOI/AAAAAAAACQs/n6lbtjzO9A0/s1600/2012-02-20_18-39-24_296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hpFxL7VMWNg/T0MGPHrVoOI/AAAAAAAACQs/n6lbtjzO9A0/s320/2012-02-20_18-39-24_296.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>Remember the post "What a Difference a Dye Job Can Make"? I got pictures of the project that was made from that first batch of Navajo plied yarn.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GxurQcTzB00/T0MGz7FMKtI/AAAAAAAACQ8/PB0Mk6rLQfE/s1600/Jo+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GxurQcTzB00/T0MGz7FMKtI/AAAAAAAACQ8/PB0Mk6rLQfE/s320/Jo+4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>My friend Jo made this for herself from that yarn, it is really gorgeous! She is a very talented knitter, and my Sock Guru!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lYj4XnU9HLo/T0MGistEy7I/AAAAAAAACQ0/ILNkLlw3Dng/s1600/Jo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lYj4XnU9HLo/T0MGistEy7I/AAAAAAAACQ0/ILNkLlw3Dng/s320/Jo+3.JPG" width="320" /><br />
</a></div><br />
<i><b>In Other News</b></i><br />
I had a really bad night last night. I got a call Friday from my next door neighbor, who is also the town dog catcher, that my daughters dog was in jail again. This is the third time he's been picked up and would I come get him please? My daughter and her beau had left for Idaho that morning. I don't like the dog. Let me clarify. I would love this dog if he were mine. Because, if he were mine he would have manners and wouldn't be so off the wall crazy. The last time I 'puppy' sat, I found an as yet unidentified headless rooster in my yard. I had told her I wouldn't do it again. But to save her some heartache, I went and picked him up. I can't let him be in the house at large over night, he tears things up, so I put him and my two bigger dogs in Jari's old room. Every morning he wakes up before I do and wants out so bad that he has torn the carpet up to about a foot back from the bedroom door.<br />
Wait! It gets better!<br />
I called Jari yesterday to see when they were going to be home, she told me not until today, because they were going to see a realtor. ...why? I innocently ask.... why, to buy a house of course! ...In Idaho? I ask.... her and her beau are planning on buying a home in Idaho, and moving there with my baby girl. My heart is almost broken, only 'almost' because it hasn't happened yet. There went my good mood.<br />
DH is on night shift and I didn't want to stay here and pout by myself, so I went to town. I figured the dogs would be ok for a couple of hours...<br />
When I got home my living room was trashed. I would have taken pictures if I hadn't been so distraught. Both lamps were on the floor, one past repair, the other the bulb broken out, my end table was on its side, my little working lamp was on the floor behind my chair, the yarn from Joy's sock was strewn around, literally, both mine and my husbands chairs. The antlers my husband has kept on a tall speaker across the room from his chair for years, were on the floor in front of his chair. As I was taking all this in I realize there is a dog barking in another room. The first thing I though was intruder! Someone was in my house. Then the smell hit me. Cat feces. I ran to the hallway and Eli met me half way, I kicked him out and went back to the hall and heard my 14 year old cat, Skinny, crying. She was lying at the end of the hallway, covered in slobber. She couldn't get up. I gently probed her for broken bones, then moved her to a towel. I think that if I'd had a gun in my hand that dog would be dead now....<br />
As it is, he is back in town, his family is home and are looking for a new home for him, one where there will be someone that can take him out running and spend some time training him. He will be an excellent bird dog someday, if someone doesn't shoot him first.<br />
Skinny is still with me, but not well. She's in the bathroom with water and food. She drank some water, but hasn't eaten any food yet, so I gave her some b complex. She didn't have any open wounds and there is no swelling in her abdomen, so I don't think there are any serious injuries, but she is so old. I really don't know if she'll recover.<br />
Today has been a little better, in that nothing else dire happened in my life. I went to town earlier to take DH to the bus stop, and realized I had left the kerosene heater on. I half expected the house to be burning when I got back, its just been that kind of week... <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-29620333000488771522012-02-12T10:36:00.000-08:002012-02-12T10:36:47.402-08:00HaHa! I win!A quick update! I won! That sock is now finished, more than half way done with the other and started on a pair of socks for Joy out of the remaining yarn.<br />
I don't like tall socks, so I've finished this just above the ankle.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-doflUkHlg_0/TzgFvDxiMpI/AAAAAAAACQU/3meHqFg_ZQw/s1600/2012-02-12_10-20-39_707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-doflUkHlg_0/TzgFvDxiMpI/AAAAAAAACQU/3meHqFg_ZQw/s320/2012-02-12_10-20-39_707.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Notice how close the lace pattern is on my little fat foot? That comes from not following the pattern right :) <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zf4Ltcjow3c/TzgF_z2EUMI/AAAAAAAACQk/iZAReok7pqY/s1600/2012-02-12_10-21-03_149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zf4Ltcjow3c/TzgF_z2EUMI/AAAAAAAACQk/iZAReok7pqY/s320/2012-02-12_10-21-03_149.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And look at that heel! <br />
Another victory! I will post pictures of mine and Joy's socks when I've got them finished!~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-85254584135804373782012-02-04T10:55:00.000-08:002012-02-04T10:55:09.663-08:00Sock FightI got this book for Christmas, one of the One Skein Wonder books that I love so much. There is a pattern in it that I just love, a scarf with bumps and lines and sections. When we went to Arizona I wanted a project to work on on the way home, and deciding that none of the hand spun I had with me would do this pattern justice, I went yarn shopping. Unfortunately I got a yarn that was too fine to get the gauge right and still keep the pattern as tight as it needed to be to get the right affect in the pattern. Its very pretty yarn, so I decided to make socks.<br />
I have only made three pairs of socks since I started knitting, the first were booties, that turned out ok for a first pair; the second were toddler socks, that still haven't been worn by a toddler; and the third I made for Derek for Christmas last year, but after Jari ran them through the washer, they were too small for him and I inherited them. This is my fourth pair of socks, but the first to have a gusseted heel. I've always used the short row method (toe up) for toe and heel, and regardless of the fact that I've only finished 3 pairs of socks, I can't count how many times I've done a short row toe or heel, albeit they only turned out right on the occasions where I was able to move on and finish the sock. <br />
I've not done a lacy sock before either, so when I came across the <a href="http://media.wendyknits.net/media/diagonallacesock.pdf" target="_blank">Diagonal Lace Socks</a>, from the Wendy Knits book "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/0307449440?tag=wendyknits-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0307449440&adid=03QAEAR8XQ5DNQ6TCKFS&&ref-refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwendyknits.net%2F%3Fs%3DSocks%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2BToe%2Bup" target="_blank">Socks from the Toe Up</a>", I decided to try it. I have this book, somewhere, but hadn't spent much time looking at this pattern, mostly because I was scared of the gusseted heel. I didn't think about that when I started the pattern the other day, somewhere in the back of my head I was convinced it wouldn't be a problem, that I am an experienced enough knitter that I could handle it, come what may. ...Right.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DhKxES5JshY/Ty14fccdM5I/AAAAAAAACQM/VZ64LQW9e7g/s1600/2012-02-04_10-06-31_995.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DhKxES5JshY/Ty14fccdM5I/AAAAAAAACQM/VZ64LQW9e7g/s320/2012-02-04_10-06-31_995.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>I have a friend, a very nice woman who would have made an excellent teacher, who makes socks. A lot! She has drawers full of socks, I know, I've seen them. I found out she'd done this pattern when I called her for help on the heel. I started having problems on Wednesday and had called her to see if she was free to give me a hand on Thursday, but it didn't quite work out and although she got to see the beginnings of my sock, she didn't have her book with her when we met up, so she wasn't able to help at that time.<br />
Yesterday I decided to just try to bull my way through it, try again to get past this bit;<br />
<i>Work back and forth on the heel stitches:<br />
Row 1 (RS) K47 (52) (knitting each wrap together with the stitch it wraps), ssk, turn.<br />
Row 2 Sl1, p31 (35), p2tog, turn.<br />
Row 3 *Sl1, k1; repeat from * 16 (18) times, ssk, turn.<br />
Repeat rows 2 and 3 until all of the side stitches have been worked and end having worked row 2. </i><br />
Pretty straight forward, right? Except that every time I get to 'row 3' I don't have enough stitches. I've frogged it so many times! I cant do it any more for fear I'll ruin the yarn and will have to cut that part out and splice. For whatever reason, I have the right amount of stitches all the way up till that 16th repeat, then poof! one short. <br />
I seriously spend all day yesterday trying to figure out why I was always one stitch short there, even though every row before has the right amount of stitches in it! I never did figure it out, so on Tuesday I'm going to go back to Elko and sit down with my friend and see what she can make of it.<br />
In my net searches to nail down my problem, I also discovered that I'd make a very typical beginner mistake, one that I really should have been able to avoid, because although I've not done lace socks before, I have knitted lace, and I know the reason only odd numbered lines are shown on the lace pattern. Yes, I did that. I skipped all the even numbered rows which are plain knit rows between the lace pattern rows. I was seriously considering ripping the whole thing out when I talked to my friend again last night, but she assured me that although she had noticed that I'd left every other row out of the pattern, she thought they looked great, please don't rip them out.<br />
I split the yarn so I could start the other sock, running on the assumption that I <i>will </i>over come whatever issue I'm having.<br />
Onwards and Upwards!~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-27472926237881274962011-12-14T23:49:00.000-08:002012-01-21T09:32:38.065-08:00Empty NesterFirst a little catching up...<br />
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It seems it gets longer and longer between posts here! I keep busy, and it always seems like this is the last place I want to spend time, which is unfortunate, because I love sharing what happens in my life. But, in light of the readership, it just doesn't seem too horribly important to spend time posting. Not that I don't appreciate the five (or so) wonderful people who seem to be the only ones who ever read this blog! I do, so regardless of the lack of comments or correspondence, I will keep posting occasionally, but the frequency will most likely continue to decline. <br />
On to the news!<br />
We were blessed to have spent Thanksgiving with Kevin! He had the National Lampoon's Trip Home from hell to get here, but he managed it! He got to my Mom's house just as we were cutting the turkey! He was supposed to get here the day before but to start, the plane he was supposed to catch in Palm Springs had a flat! That left him sitting in the airport there for almost 5 hours, and when they finally got off the ground, he was late for his connecting flight in Phoenix. They put him up in a very nice hotel for the night! The next day, he was supposed to get in to Reno at 10AM, but again his flight was delayed for a few hours, he didn't get in to Reno until after 1PM. Luckily my nephew lives in Fernley, just 40 minutes from the airport in Reno and was able to stick around and wait for him to bring him home. It was great to have him here, and the visit was way too short, but we had a good time :)<br />
Karaoke will never be the same!<br />
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Joy celebrated her second birthday on December 1st! We had a great time, and she got lots of presents!<br />
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We went to Arizona for Derek's niece's wedding, it was beautiful of course, she was beautiful, of course! She'll be moving to Virginia where her new husband is stationed in the Navy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x7uB0yb2PhE/Txr2kM4XOxI/AAAAAAAACQE/5ovkMnFi4G8/s1600/IMG_0057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x7uB0yb2PhE/Txr2kM4XOxI/AAAAAAAACQE/5ovkMnFi4G8/s320/IMG_0057.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Grandpa Gale, Bailey and Dean</span></div>Daughter Jari and her beau followed DH and I down in her beau's truck with Joy so that Grandpa could finally meet his great grand daughter. She loved him from the first, and didn't shy away from him at all! The adventure started when the 'kids' decided to leave on Saturday night. Jari needed to be back at work on Sunday night, the beau needed to be in Boise on Monday, it was time to go home. Derek and I decided to stay until Tuesday. A couple hours later I got a phone call, they had broke down in Phoenix, they were getting a motel, the turbo had went out on the diesel truck. That it happened at all was unfortunate; that it happened in Phoenix, was a blessing. There is a <i>lot</i> of empty road between Phoenix and Home! Much of it with no cell service. Three days later, the truck was still not fixed, Derek and I picked the three of them up on our way home. Luckily it was an over night drive, we all slept most of the way... except of course for Derek, my super husband who can drive the 12 hrs home straight!<br />
After we'd been home a week, my daughter finally did what she'd told me she was planning on doing; her and Joy have moved in with the beau. He is a really great guy, very responsible, good job, and is <i>awesome</i> with Joy! Joy thinks he's 'da bomb', and he's pretty sure she is.<br />
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I woke up yesterday with the realization that I didn't have to do anything for anybody for the first time in 26 years. I could get out of bed, or not, and do what <i>I</i> wanted to do; I wouldn't have to clean up after anyone, I wouldn't have to feed anyone, I wouldn't have to argue or cajol or convince or please or worry. And I realized, I've been waiting for this moment, almost like I've been holding my breath.<br />
I've raised my kids, and good or bad, right or wrong, they are now on their own. And although I love baby girl and miss her deeply at times, I am delighted to be my own person once again, for Derek and I to have the time and the space to be 'us' once again. Twenty-six years is a long time to go without a sense of self, when nearly every waking moment is spent thinking about and doing for your kids. I've heard stories about how hard it is on parents when their kids leave home, of the sense of loss and of having no direction... so far, I'm just not feeling it :)~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7109863172568342179.post-57722528363023458692011-11-16T08:34:00.001-08:002011-11-16T12:19:00.243-08:00The Difference a Dye Job Can MakeA few years ago at Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, OR, I came across a 4 ounce strip of dyed Merino/silk top from <a href="http://www.lisaknit.com/" target="_blank">Lisa Souza</a> Knitwear and Dyeworks. It was dark blue (black in places), indigo blue, brown gold, greens with undyed white sections. The colors were so appealing to me, I bought 8 ounces. I spun it up, took pictures of it, and tried to sell it on Etsy. Instead a member of the spinning/knitting group I belong to in Elko bought it and made a beautiful Baktus Scarf! I wish I had a picture of it, I would share. But this is the yarn.<br />
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I have decided that Navajo plying is my preferred method of finishing hand painted yarns. You get much better color changes and not as much striping as if you two ply it, and a stronger yarn.<br />
I bought the same colorway the next year, don't remember what happened to the yarn, I guess I sold it on Etsy.<br />
Last month I thought about it again and ordered more. When I got it I wasn't sure I would like it. The colors weren't as heavy this time, instead of broad splashes of bold color, it's more like it was spattered with color.<br />
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So I wasn't sure what would happen with it, and I remembered that I had liked the last few batches I'd had so much! <br />
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So here it is, and I love it! It really is that light, although its washed out a little by the sun shine through the window...<br />
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In other news, my daughter started working at a local restaurant, nights, so I have Joy all day while she sleeps, and all night while she works. I tell ya, I haven't been this tired in a very long time :)~~Sittin.n.Spinninhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13488509291525218944noreply@blogger.com2