Apples and Knitting

There is nothing like a farm fresh apple this time of year.  And since all my apple farming relatives have sold their farms, that sent me to a nearby friend and farmer.  Since I'm not the self pick type, I quickly left with a peck bag of Courtlands for general eating and cooking, and a half peck of Honey Crisp. So good and snappy fresh. Yum.

One of my favorite activities just started up a week ago.  The local Community Bible Study is a great chance to study and meet and learn with like minded people.  This is my fifth year in the group and this year I am part of the leadership!  I am a newbie leader of one of the small groups! It takes more time and work, but I am loving it so far.    

The "more time" part may cut into my knitting time.  I am still working hard on the Squared Shades Throw for my priest.  Now that it is cooler it is easier to work on a blanket.  It is strictly a "knit at home" project though.  There is much counting involved with this for Knit Nite. But I am almost done with the third quarter so I am making progress. 

Which is good, because....

I have this waiting for Thursday.  I am part of a Craftsy Knit A Long again.  The Tealeaf Cardigan, big boxy and snuggly.  The pattern drops on Thursday.  However, that is CBS day (Community Bible Study), and then I need to take Younger Son to White Cloud to hopefully expedite the return of his driver's license.  So I probably won't be able to download the pattern till Thursday evening.  I expect the speedy knitters will be half way to the arm divides by then.  But my last KAL was finished several weeks late, so I will finish when I finish.

All I. Edit.  Another project in the works.

The Chickens Know

Spring is coming.  The chickens say so.

 

Since early December or before, my girls have been slacking in the egg production department.  All they were giving was one egg a day.  Not a lot, but we were catching up in the supply.

But this week?  We had two on Saturday, and two more Sunday.  Yesterday and today, three eggs each day.  Not bad.  The entire flock is shown above.  (That is Lacey flapping and showing off, trying to hide Rita by the tire)

At their peak, last fall we were getting around four or five eggs per day, so that is quite a bounce back. If this keeps up, I may be cooking egg rich dishes again.

Eggs anyone?

Birds of a Feather

While it is disgustingly warm around here the last few days, we do have some residents of the farm that seem to be enjoying the broken winter.

Although I have left the door open to the coop several times, Montgomery and the girls have been staying in the run area of the coop and barely poking their heads outside.

 

Just enough bare grass to hold their interest.  They have been enjoying these last couple days out in the open again.

Nesting

The girls and Montgomery haven't been venturing very far from the coop the past week.  Actually they haven't even left the run.  

 

Maisie was most put out that I would even think of disturbing her warm nest to check for eggs.  But as it turned out, she was hiding one.

Instead of venturing out tonight, I will stay home and knit tonight.  The wind is whipping the snow over the flat roads we have around here.  Many areas of slick, or drifts roads, intersperses with dry roads.  I think I will stay home.

 

The Sockhead Hat has been cast on.  I am attempting to do it Magic Loop method rather than with double points, but my needle is only 32 inches instead of 40, like I would prefer but progress is being made.  Many inches remain to knit.  On tiny size 2.5 needles.  

Many inches of ribbing.  Many inches if stockinette.  Many, many inches.  Plain, brainless, boring knitting.  

I may start my granddaughter's sweater soon, just for the variety.

Plugging Along, Plus Moon

Now that I have picked up the Baby Hap Shawl again, I am finally back in the groove of knowing the pattern and following the chart.

That little green stitch marker means I have reach the corner and have one side finished. Fourteen points of lace. Three more sides and then blocking, and then I can give this puppy away! I will try to at least finish a point or two every day.

It definitely is not brainless knitting. I will need to return to the Simple Brainless Sock or the Close To You Blues shawl (that is using my blue handspun) or the Ten Stitch Blankie when I need something easy for traveling or for Knit Nite. And there are still a couple socks that need concentration so I have not gotten to the place where I can cast on anything new.

Um, that is unless I decide to do some gift knitting. There is always that.

Oh, did you see the super duper moon?

We had a lot of wispy clouds here. They gave the moon an eerie looke, like something out of The Wolfman movie. (The one with Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Junior.)

 

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The Little Things

It doesn't take a lot to make my day.

A month or two ago, our back room light quit working. Hubby and I changed the bulb. Still no light. Younger Son has a friend who was going to change the switch but he has been busy working on his truck, so we were still in the dark, literally.

Then a couple weeks ago, my friend reminded me that her hubby was an electrician for Ford Motot and could probably handle it for us.

And after a quick visit this afternoon, we have light in the back room.

It was the switch. And not only was that replaced, but he installed a light I had purchased for over the back steps.

We once had a light there, but when the house was re-sided, the installers capped off the wires and left them under the eaves. When the offer was made for a real electrician, I quickly purchased a fixture for over the porch.

I have light! I can see to walk in and out of house with out a flashlight after dark! What a concept.

Like I said, it is the simple things.

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Fast Start, Slow Finish?

I started the year so well with blogging regularly. But lately, not so well. Even my knitting has slowed. But I will try to get better. I hope.

Fall has returned, although half heartedly. I am not a fan of these above normal temps, even if it is now in the 50s and 60s. Heck, I wore sleeveless top and sandals to church this week! In November!

The leaves have been falling right along. Usually our yard would be thickly coated. However Hubby discovered last year that if he puts the bagger on the mower he can pick them up and dump them in the manure spreader. He then scatters them in the meadow we leave fallow. The pictures here are less than 24 hours since the last pickup. Our trees drop them one tree at a time, so he will be at it for a while yet.

And another sign of fall. See the dust in the left background?

Our neighbor was harvesting soybeans. They always raise up a cloud of brown dust. There is a red combine in that dust cloud.

And just because I haven't posted anything here about my Little Peanut, here is a shot from this past week, when I got to watch her for a while.

Just like her brother, she wants her hands on the phone.

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Flip Flops

The temperature is acting bipolar again, flipping cool, then hot, the repeating the process. At least I have been enjoying the cooler weather when we have it. And I can't wait for more.

With the recent frost advisory Hubby and I picked all of our squash, under the watchful eye of Montgomery and his flock. They were waiting for me to give them a couple ears of overripe sweet corn, and not too patiently either.

While gathering the squash, there amid the dead weeds, I could hardly believe my eyes to find the squash still in blossom.

And with the possibility of highs in the 80's this coming week, maybe it will have a chance to grow.

Personally though, I'm waiting for snow.

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Chilling With The Critters

Just a typical Sunday afternoon: knitting, NASCAR, and a few animals.

Lewie on the footstool and Lizzie on the floor, feeling a bit subdued after her thwarted attempt to play with a chicken, and both managing to sit quietly for a while. The only reason Lewie is here, is because Leo had already claimed my shoulder.

(Non race fans, feel free to skip this paragraph.). The race was a rain delay from last night, but went quickly. Lots of the Chasers (championship finalists) had trouble so it is still anyone's to win. Of course, Talledega is in this tier, and that is usually a wreck fest.

Montgomery has been taking good care of the girls.

I went looking for them earlier. They had wandered to the front lawn. When I called, they all came running. Unfortunately they do not understand Lizzie's exuberant need to play. Monty started chasing Lizzy the second time she tried. I think she will avoid them now.

Didn't seem to bother the girls much at all. But they do stick close to Montgomery.

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Free Range

In the past week or so I started letting my girls and Montgomery out to the coop. At least to a limited period each day. In the later afternoon, after they should be done laying, I open the coop and let them run. The garden is done except for some squash at the far end and potatoes needing to be dug, so we don't need to worry about that.

The girls seem to enjoy it.

 

And Montgomery keeps an eye on his girls. I have discovered they love apple cores, as well as ears of tough sweet corn.

And I am trying to keep up with the eggs. I wish it were cooler to be able to bake more.

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Back in the Groove

Funny how even though I haven't been in school for years (decades even), life still revolves around the school year. With the start of the school year, Community Bible Study also started today. It was great to see the excited faces gathering and to see several familiar faces in my group. This is my fourth year and I have gained so much each time.

This year we are studying Matthew--less than a chapter a week! It will be a change from the sometimes confusing but always intense and interesting books of Daniel and Revelations last year. It is going to be a great year, as always.

On the home front, the girls are laying plenty of eggs, and they are getting larger.

Good thing I got some lemons to try another pie this weekend. The weather has got to break soon.

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Whacking Away

A month or so back, we got a letter from our farm insurance company stating that they were no longer offering coverage in our area. Our local agent came out last week and offered alternate coverage. However, before they come to take pictures, we need to clear the grass, weeds and, in some areas, brush away from all the buildings.

Our tractor is needing a new tire rim, which means the brush hog is not an option. We can't keep a string weed wacker working. So, yesterday I ended up springing for Hubby's next Christmas and birthday present...a hand held bush whacker. Think weed whacker with a blade instead of a string.

Hubby has been buzzing up a storm, clearing around house, barn and garage.

In the meantime, while waiting for the rain delayed NASCAR race to finally finish, I worked on my Cactus Flower Gold Digger sock. I need to finish the cable chart twice before starting the heel gusset. The gussets get increased, and there is no flap. Just short row shaping/heel turn after the gusset.

I was worried the cables would be lost in this Madelinetosh yarn.

But they seem to be showing up nicely. These pictures show me at about row 8 of 24, on the second time through the chart, first the front then the back.

Then dark came and I turned to the Ten Stitch Blankie for my evening knitting.

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Crisis Averted

Well, maybe not a crisis, but a possible large expense.

Monday, we brought our beef back from the meat packer. Being a bit on the warm side, it softened a bit so when we got home we stuffed it into the freezer as soon as we could. I had offered to get it with my air conditioned car, but but Hubby didn't think Hharry could make it up the hills with over 700 pounds of meat.

We noticed the alarm flashing on the freezer because the temperature was above -5. I hit reset, but still the freezer didn't get below 19 degrees. Hubby was starting to worry the freezer was going out. We put the big barn fan on, aimed at the compressor, as it was getting warm.

And two days and one service call later, (I told you Hubby was getting nervous) the freezer is down to -5 degrees. And as you can see above, not a smidgen of room for anything else.

Plus the smaller freezer has the extra hamburger in with the usual bread and frozen veggies.

Now to repair/replace the rear tractor tire rim. It's always something, isn't it?

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Hot and Cranky

That's the only excuse I have for my lack of blogging recently. It is a bit better today. Or at least less humid. But high humidity is listed for the rest of the week. Ugh! I am sooooo ready for cooler than average weather.

Even the garden is a loss. It was too hot to venture out very long. With Hubby at the fair all week, I just couldn't face picking anything. I picked a few beans the other day to give the chickens, but that has been all. I should look to see if any of the tomatoes are getting ripe.

I could use a good tomato and miracle whip sandwich on whole wheat toast. Yum.

Yesterday Hubby and I attended a surprise 80th birthday party for a friend and former co-worker of his. Luckily it was inside, but still warm.

On a lighter note, the usual rain during the fair helped the corn fields again. But why does it always rain fair week?

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Chicken News

My flock continues to come through with about three eggs a day. Still small, but I think we have a new contributor to the egg production.

My first green egg. (And darn, we are out of ham.) Pencil included for scale. And to prevent rolling off table.

On a sadder note, Dovie died today. She was a grayish Aurancana with twisted toes on one foot . When Hubby mentioned we lost one, I figured it was either Rita or Dovie. When we first started getting eggs, Rita had a bad case of pasty butt. I think it's better, but her fluffy butt is rather flatter and white than usual.

Dovie on the other hand hadn't appeared out in the chicken run much since back when Rocky was terrorizing the flock. Montgomery (formerly known as Mumps) is a much calmer rooster, but Dovie still stayed in the coop, only venturing out rarely, apparently, for food and water. She was the first of the flock to be named. She will be missed.

For those keeping track, besides Montgomery I still have the girls: Lacey, Goldy, Coppertop, Cinder Ella, Rita, Lucy and Measles. Since I renamed Mumps, I may rename Measles too. How does Maisie sound? I think I like that.

 

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Hey!

Look what I found!

I had to take a second glance before realizing it wasn't one of the ping pong balls I hid in the nests to give the girls the hint that was the place to do their laying.

Those slackers may be ready to earn their feed. I knew at least one was a few weeks older than most of the others.

Yum! Yes, it is truly a pullet size, but that will improve with age.

Omlettes and pound cakes, and custard...oh my!

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Rain Again

So we got a bit of rain again last night.

While a neighbor had been trying to get some straw ready to bale, it started getting dark. And in case you don't know, straw sucks up water like....well like a straw. I'm not sure what state his straw is in, but the corn fields will also love it.

Just a week ago, they were looking pineapply and dry and spikey. Today they look alive again. I know our sweet corn enjoyed it.

Of course, there is always the downside. The most recent planting of sweet corn was not quite so happy.

Hmm. At least the cows will like it, even if it doesn't set ears.

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Finally! Rain?

I woke up today to thunder and darkness. I was surprised to see the time. But looking outside, the reason was wonderful. Rain!

After a bit, it let up so Lizzie and I ventured out.

The major rain had moved on, although sprinkles returned. There were good sized puddles up and down the drive. That boded well for the total rainfall. We are still with out a working rain gauge since Hubby took over the place I had used. And I refuse to get soaked, wading through deep grass to read it right after the rainfall. I am working on a fix. But I am waiting for Younger Son to cut a piece of wood to set in the front peak of my chicken coop, high enough to get an accurate reading. Maybe next year. Right now, the best way to check rain fall level is in containers. This crock pot liner had been left out for the kitties to enjoy the leftover bits clinging to the sides.

You will notice that our quality control kitties confirming a lot of rain fell. Even allowing for a bit of sloped sides, I would estimate over two inches. I hope it wasn't too late for the corn fields. They were looking sad.

And, yes, while watching the race, there is some knitting.

Pattern: Almost Lost Washcloth. I may do some of the mini version too. I need to seam and draw up the center yet, but will do them all at once.

 

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