Back Again

Well, look, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth.  But it was a hot and busy weekend.
The Open House with Dances With Wool at Chickasaw Farm was fun.  It helped that before I got there I was able to get myself chilled completely.
In spite of the heat, I had a great time. I even wove a few rows on the huge tri-loom.  I put in a raffle ticket but I guess I didn't win.  I haven't heard from my friends that I had the winning ticket.

There were demo's of different crafts, and some vendors.  I didn't take my spinning wheel, but I did get one row of knitting done on my Tapestry Hitchhiker.  After all it was World Wide Knit in Public Day.  I got some wonderful wool for a shawl, and a nifty and inexpensive needle sizer.  Some people lose tape measures.  I lose needle sizers.  I also bought a white Shetland fleece to be layered with a rose gray alpaca I had found in my wool room and sent them off for processing at Stonehenge Mills.

I had to leave early from there, in time to get home for Mass, and then went on to the wedding reception with Hubby.

Friends of the family, the groom was the younger of our matching sets of boys.  Some of the groomsmen were familiar faces from the younger years. 

In spite of the heat, a great time was had. 

We even got a wagon ride back to the pond, where the wedding was held.  We saw a bald eagle fly off from a log when we interrupted his fishing in the pond.

Busy Busy Busy

What with the Board of Review, Bible Study, Little Farmer and all, this has been a very busy week.

This is the week my check comes and with the help of on-line bill pay, I did manage to get my payments sent out. But I couldn't decide when to get groceries. So, much as I wanted a recovery sleep in day, I got up semi-early and went to Muskegon for groceries. I would have gotten them locally, but Meijers was out of my coffee last month. The replacement I got was fair, but not my Meijer Columbian.

I was able to get my groceries and even found a bookcase I had been looking for. And home just in time to make the Saturday edition of Palm Sunday services, even if I did miss the Rosary.

No this isn't a current picture, but from a couple years back. For some reason a stray daffodil bulb landed in the hay field and has come up every year. While we don't have blooms yet, the leaves from the other patches are coming in great bunches.

Just in time for spring tomorrow.

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Knitting at the Sale

These past few days my church has been holding our indoor yard sale (or maybe they called it an indoor garage sale this year.)

I was t able to attend and help earlier this week because of my date with my Little Farmer, and yesterday was the beginning of Bible Study as well as lunch with my aunt and cousins. More on Bible Study another time, but today I was able to help hold down the fort at church, in spite of my gimpy leg. I also got some knitting in.

We had a steady flow of customers, but I was able to still finish my knitting on the main body of the Gray Spiral Blankie. I also nearly finished the body of the Purple Swing Cardigan for my forthcoming grandniece.

I didn't manage to come home with all my cash though. See that small book case by that table my one needle is pointing at?

That and a hoe were my two major purchases. I also got a tin canister to store my buttons in, and a Stephen Ambrose book, Band of Brothers.

And when I got home, after getting a larger size needle, I started the sideways garter stitch border and bi doff.

This sideways border is the best way I know to cast off with a stretchy border in a circular project. This time I am adding a short row of four stitches every few rows to keep the border from being too tight and curling.

I wonder if I can finish the border cast off before the Lions game on Sunday. I will need to work on my Scoreboard Cowl then.

 

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Water Shoes?

Something I had never heard of a week ago has suddenly come to live in my closet. Water shoes.

After walking to the shorelines of the Straits of Mackinac and Charlevoix to dip my toes in the water, I had to make it over some very stony beaches. Stones got picked up in my Birki's, making for a painful walk to the water.

Nothing like the sandy beaches of south west Lake Michigan.

So, I searched that evil website eBay. And got these low cut securely fitting water/hiking shoes. The first non-Birkenstocks I've bought in years.

Comfy and possibly just the thing to wear to the fair next week, since I can hose them off if I don't watch where I step.

The only problem is that I may or may not have purchased a couple of hobo/messenger bags while on eBay. I told you it was an evil website.

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A Couple of Day Trippers

It all started with a trip to the former fiber festival at the Castle in Charlevoix. A year ago they changed it to an Artisans Show, with the addition of various crafts in addition to the fibery folks. There were people with handcrafted jewelry, carvings, and hand sewn items as well as the usual yarns and fleeces.

My partner in crime for the day was my former boss and still friend Sandy. We had a wonderful scenic drive up M-37 through Traverse City to Charlevoix. We wandered around and made several purchases.

A gadget box for knitters, a flowered purse type bag (too small for my everyday usage but great for special occasions), and a large tote, as well as some alpaca socks (a gift). I also got some mohair boucle in a chocolate brown, and a smaller size skein in the same color of my late poodle Gilbert. The sweatshirt shown comes later in the story. The pink bag also was purchased there. It holds a watch face. They sold beaded watches with them, but they were all too small for my fat wrist. Sandy and her hubby do bead work, so they will make me a stretchy band for it.

While I had a fun time there, I was dissapointed. The one item I had wanted to purchase wasn't there. I wanted some crazy yarn in natural colors from Stonehedge Fiber Mill. And all they had was multicolored and they had left the natural at the mill. Darn. (One of the gals in their stall gave me a price and a contact to call at the mill to see if I could order some direct.) The other disappointment was that many favorite vendors I looked for were not there. And I really am not a craft show shopper.

I'm not sure if I will return to the show again.

Well. By the time we left there, I needed lunch. So we went in search of a restaurant in Charlevoix. But Charlevoix was hosting another event in downtown. Traffic was crazy. All a sudden, we were no where near the place we wanted to eat and on the other side of Charlevoix, on the way to Petoskey. Once there, Sandy casually mentioned we were only about an hour to The Bridge. (To true Michiganians that means one bridge--Mackinac!) I grinned and said I hadn't been there since '96.

So after we ate, we were heading farther north. And before long.....Mackinaw City!

Want further proof?

 

 

We also got a few souvenirs. The I (heart) Michigan sweatshirt shown above, and I picked up a green Colonial Michilimackinac water bottle. No fudge, no pasties, no visit to the island. But...The Bridge.

And with that we headed back to do some beach combing in Charlevoix and Petoskey stones. After a bit, I sat to dry my feet and sandals. And try to call Hubby, at 8:30.

Before long we reluctantly turned south, entered "home" in the GPS and were on our way.

A great and unexpected day. Anytime you can touch the water of the Straits is a good day. Or two. It was 2am Sunday before I got home and to bed.

 

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Shopping in My Closet

I came home from church today to a cold oven. Which, of course, meant that we were not able to sit down to dinner until close to three. Forgetting to turn the oven on when you put in the roast will delay a meal. Did you know that?

With no NASCAR today, due to last night's race, I had time on my hands. I decided to carry out a plan I had been inspired with. I decided to take all or most of my long sleeve tops out of the closet and put them on a hanger in my wool room. Then I could pull out all my sleeveless tops and tanks from a tub there and maybe find room for them in the closet.

I kind of got carried away.

I'm not sure you can make out the pile of clothes on the bed, but I found quite a few to keep I the wool room. And see the other pile as tall as my bed on the floor? They didn't make the cut.

I was ruthless. Some items I hadn't seen, let alone wore for years. Maybe not even in this millennium. If the were stained or worn, out they went. If I figured they were hopelessly outdated or no longer my style, out they came from the closet. I did find several items I think I wore back around the turn of the century. Some were old favorites I thought I had tossed years ago.

I was sorry I didn't have a place to store them for the next rummage sale. But I didn't want them around to tempt me. I may purge the long sleeved items that I kept again before the sale.

And when I was done, I found more sleeveless tops, besides the ones I had stored in the wool room all winter. I ended up with a nice sized sleeveless section as well as tons of room in our tiny closet.

Yea me! It was like shopping without spending a thing.

 

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A Me Day

While trying to energize myself for the day, I got a call from my friend and former co-worker Donna to see if I would be interested in riding along with her to Holland. Sure I said, always up for a day with her. And she shamelessly bribed me with lunch too. Of course I said yes.

I thought she said she was heading to the farm store. But she was headed to the Heinz outlet store. With a few side trips to some thrift stores.

What fun. I found tops for me and a couple shorts for my Little Farmer too. After a minor disaster at the Heinz store, while Donna smelled of Worcestershire sauce, I merely had dirt on my shirt. Luckily the next resale store let me change into one of my new tops before we went to lunch. I "accidentally" came home with a lifetime supply of Jack Daniels barbecue sauce--six large bottles, among ketchup, relish, vinegar and more.

Lunch was fabulous..too much food and we each had boxes of appetizers, main course and dessert to bring home. We each had a bag full. We both may smell like garlic for a week. We both had new delicious things to eat. How did I survive this long without having cannoli.

Donna, I'm ready for your next day trip anytime.

Except for Wednesday. Wednesdays Belong to my Little Farmer.

 

 

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Knitting Diligently

With all the baby excitement going on around here (yippee!), I have still been getting some knitting done.

Yesterday, I and Lil' Farm Gal did some non-hectic Black Friday shopping. We had already made plans for that, since it was going to be Cow Girl's last day of work. Little Farmer, however had other plans as far as that last day of work went, deciding he was ready to be born. But since Cow Girl and Little Farmer were in hospital yet, Lil' Farm Gal and I were able to continue with our plans.

We did get a lot of shopping done with a minimum of lines. Staying local and starting after 9:30 helped keep it peaceful too. She got a lot of her shopping done, and just following her around, I got shopping ideas. Useful because she also has an approaching birthday, besides Christmas. We also went to the local yarn shop so she could pick out the yarn for her thrummed mittens I promised to make.

Even with another visit to her mom and baby brother, we made it home for a few chores before Older Son arrived. When I got home, I worked on the back of the Green Flowy Cardigan. The same back that went from three inches to one inch the other day. After more time with it today, I am back past the spot I frogged from and only have about 6 rows or so before switching to stockinette stitch. Gauge looks better this time too.

After all this seed stitch, that will be a piece of cake. Simple mindless knitting for about 130 rows before starting the arm hole shaping.

I may need to intersperse some thrummed mittens to keep my sanity.

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Enough with the Cat Pictures

 

Lizzie says there has been way too many cat pictures. She wanted to show off her haircut.

Aside from that, not a lot of news to talk about. I am still in the movie drought without the good movie channel. I have been watching "Up" and next is "Sleeping Beauty." I am really dying here for good ADULT movies. I am even considering canceling Dish until everything is straightened out.

I wonder what channels I could get on rabbit-ears around here?

On the knitting front, I actually haven't knit a stitch yet today. Cow Girl needed to get some items for that fast approaching baby. Since Lil Farm Gal was gone this weekend, Cow Girl went to town this afternoon and i went along for company. Before we left, since she was waiting for someone to stop by and pick up some things, we sorted baby things by sizes and put the larger things away.

But enough of this, my fingers are itching to knit.

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Baby Prep

Yesterday I went baby shopping.  Well, I didn't come home with a baby, but baby stuff.
I needed some buttons for the Farmall Surprise Jacket.  So I decided to do some shopping for other baby stuff as well.
In a way this was a bit of stepping out in faith.  This past week, contractions started early, resulting in a cautionary hospital stay and some contraction suppressing medications.  Yikes.  I spent the evening with Lil' Farm Gal, while Cow Girl and Older Son spent some time with the OB doctor and triage.  At least it was a chance to meet her new local doctor, and be assured she can call if anything else changes.  Cow Girl is home and so far so good.  But she may get her hospital bag packed and ready.
But as I said I went shopping.  I found the buttons I wanted for the sweater.  Pewter, but lightweight.  I think they go well with the red and black theme.
From there I planned to head to Meijers.  The type of high chair they wanted was hopefully still there.  And it was an M-Perks special this week.  You can't beat $10 off.
But on the way, I spotted what appeared to be a children's resale shop.  I checked it out and got several more Newborn size sleepers.  And just in case, after last weekend, I also picked up one Premmie size. But only one.  If we need more, I'll get some then.  But we sincerely hope that Little Farmer stays where he is at for a few more weeks at least so we won't need any Preemie size.  This is just insurance.
Then, when I finally made it across the road to Meijers, they had the space saver high chair.  And not in pink.

Shower gift purchased--score.
And just to prove that I did finish the front and back of my red cardigan, here is the picture.

Markers and clips removed, ready for blocking and sewing.  Now, do I block now, or wait till the sleeves are done too?

A Little Shopping: Glasses and Boots

This past Monday, I finally tracked down my eye doctor.  After her practice was recently sold, due to the inability to afford all of the new insurance requirements, the others at her practice joined the new company.  Her name, however, was not on the list at the new practice.  She is my first cousin, once removed (her mother is my cousin), and I always felt I got a very thorough exam from her.  After recently seeing her mother, I found out where she was and more importantly, a phone number.  Yea!
I  scheduled an exam and this pas week determined, despite a few floaties, that all is well.  So, I am good for another year or so, except for my new glasses.  But those will be coming later.
But, while I was in the neighborhood more or less, I decided to check out the nearby factory surplus store.  I needed some warm winter barn boots.

Now I have some. Warm, insulated, and ready for winter.
Leo, however, was more interested in what was under the box.

Nothing compares to a new box in Leo's opinion.
Now, back to knitting.

Shopping Frustrations

A few weeks ago, I had a grocery and miscellaneous shopping trip.  I had decided to invest in a couple new spring tops or jeans.
But,  NOTHING.  My favorite plus size store  had closed.
Huh.  I didn't think it had been that long since I was in that area.  A quick trip around another shop reminded me that their clothes are funky and expensive.  Neither attribute was what I was looking for.
Not even Meijers had a top in my size.  Drats.
I hate it when I want to spend money and there is nothing to buy. I mean, I couldn't even find anything I wanted in the craft store.  And I don't know when is the last time that happened.
So, I went to the Christian book store and bought a study Bible, in the translation we use at Community Bible Study, the English Stand Version.
Educational and useful, even if I can't wear it.

The Festival Continues

Got to town a bit early today.  I wanted to visit the sidewalk sales.  At least the one at our local Birkenstock store.  And I scored!

Totally my color, although in real life they are not so florescent.  More of a deep rose.  I found them, grabbed then, and after trying them on, had several people ask where I got them and what the name was.  But I fought them off and they are safely with me. 
I think they will go well with most of my handknit socks.

People watching was going well yesterday, despite the morning downpour we had.  (Only 1/10 inch at home.  Darn.) The canopy above was erected in the afternoon, promising goodies for the sidewalk sale.

And I was right.  This morning it was full of shoes and sandals. 
This morning is a bit quieter though, as the rides and midway have been restricted to special needs children.  I think that is a wonderful thing to do.

Growing A Gansey

My gansey cardigan has been coming along with leaps and bounds.  Even if I have only finished half of the pattern repeats.  Except of course for the baby cables of course.  I have at least 3 of them in each row. 

The garter stitch border that is above the initials and plain area show here, but the rest of texture doesn't really show well in the pictures.  The first 5 stitches on the right make up the seed stitch border.  The next is the section with a heart outlined, followed by the 4 stitch baby cable, and the next section is sort of a pine tree or arrow pattern, followed again by another baby cable.  If you look below each section under the sets of markers you may be able to make out the pattern. Unfortunately, like I said, the pictures do not show off the texture well.
And, a lesson learned, the fuzziness of the Lambs Pride does not show the gansey textures to its best advantage either.  Perhaps, much as I like the Lambs Pride with its single ply, mohair mix, a better choice for the gansey would have been Nature Spun, I think. 
But, if I mess up, I guess it won't show as much.  Always a bright side.

No Shopping Here

At least not in the stores.  I made one online purchase, and that will compromise most of my Christmas shopping.  On the extremely outside chance one of my sons may happen upon this blog, I will only say that the purchase was made here,  my favorite place for farm son shopping.
I had planned on venturing into the local Wal-Mart, to pick up some diet coke and a prescription as much as anything, but after I took Hubby to town to pickup truck with the new DOT sticker, the truck wasn't ready so he needed a ride home.
I will attempt again tomorrow.  Problem is, by then all the people who went shopping in GR and Muskegon, will be shopping here. 
Drats.

Sandy and Linda's Excellent Adventure

Not so bright and early we took off for Rockford. Found some Yarn Hallow sock yarn there. Then we hit up a bead store. I want a Pandora bracelet. But I just got son starter beads, and some fake leather for Sandy's husbamd to turn into a Pandora wannabe
After lunch of calamari and chicken park, we went to Rivertown Crossings mall. Do not like their HARD floors. We didn't stay long there, but we still managed to get in a lot of shopping elsewhere.
All in all, a fun day.

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Spin In Update

I managed to ply about 8 ounces, most of it into one humungus skein. I have 2 more bobbins of my white Leicester (Border, English, Blue-Face) to finish and back to more spinning at home. I want to get at least two pounds spun during the challenge, not counting the plying. Four ounces of my Spunky Club done, in addition to the previously mentioned plying. Not bad.
I didn't get pictures of my plying because I was busy snapping pictures of people and food. (Will post them later.) We had a great turn out for our Spin Guild Holiday Edition. Several Monday workers made it and most of our regulars. Mary can be forgiven for not bringing baby pictures, as she spent the previous night sleeping in a Colorado airport, trying to get home.
We even got to tour the Old Farm Girl's store. Got to see the new wheels she has in--the Louet Victoria is so CUTE! Also found a book I had been meaning to get for some time. And ditto on some purple Corridale roving.
Now I can't wait for my loom--I have some funky fibers just waiting for a try-out.

Finished Knitting

Another pair of socks off the needles.

Don't they show up well on the sock form? Great for taking pictures.

These socks have been slowing being knit since last fall. They started of course as my backup socks but I did take them along to a genealogy conference and finished the cuff and turned the heel then back in November. They are made with some Debra Norville yarn, Serenity that has bamboo and are very comfortable. I actually finished them last Thursday but haven't had a chance to post them.

While I do have a pair started, out of Mini Mochi, in dark blue, I decided to break out the needles to get another pair started.

You know, originally I started having a backup pair of socks for traveling when I was at a difficult part on the primary pair. Now that I have done the heel flap, and even turned the heel and picked up gusset stitches while chaperoning the childrens Sunday School class I guess that excuse isn't really valid. But I like having an extra pair anyway. I just keep one baggie ready to grab whenever I go somewhere.

I just love the colors on this.

It looks like any color pooling will probably just spiral down the leg so that works for me. Soon though, I need to try a toe-up pair.

Fiber Fiesta Fun

I was able to attend the First Annual Fiber Fiesta in Greenville Saturday. I ended up going alone, but that was ok. Friend Rachel, who had a booth at the festival, also owns a pizza shop there. So I spent the day, along with many of our spinning guild members (vendors and shoppers) and then feasted on BC Pizza before heading home.

The location was a big pavilion with walls and roof like canvas. You can see from the background above how bright it was, even though inside. It made for great picture taking. I loved the shawls in this booth. I may have to dig out my small looms and piece together a woven shawl.

Here are Evelyn (from the Old Farm Girl) who will be hosting her own fiber festival Memorial Day weekend (Friday and Saturday) in just north of White Cloud, and Cindy. They were manning their booth, while simultaneously channeling their inner "Lucy Ricardo and Ethel Mertz." I loved the fact that Cindy bought a bunch of wool even though she didn't have a spinning wheel or spindle. The wheel was ordered today.

Rachel is another member of our Wooly Friends spinning guild. She has Counting Sheep Farm and lovely wool, fleece and animals. Never a dull moment when she is around! Since she was by herself, once I finished wandering and shopping (mostly) I brought in my wheel and spun in her booth.

Several other members of our group were there as well. Another fiber friend hopes to close on a farm just south of the county line. Easily close enough to join us for spinning and other fun stuff.

Mary, Yvonne and Sue Ann was among the group from spin guild who enjoyed that delicious pizza. Here we are preparing to waddle out to our vehicles to trek on home. Rachel had the gang put out the buffet for us, even though they usually do not have it out on Saturdays. Yum!

For the most part I did show good restraint. I did get a yarn pack and pattern in dove gray for a shawl from Yarn Hollow. I also got 2 balls of lovely soft merino roving in deep green, cream and rose pink, a shawl pin and 5 patterns.

Oh yeah. I also got this:
That is 5 and a half pounds of polypay roving. Squishy, bouncy and I think I hear a sweater calling my name in there. I couldn't help it. The vendor kept walking buy with this huge bag and I had to know why. There was a momentary blur, and the next thing I knew, I was ripping a check out of the book. Oh well. But doesn't it look nice?

Salvaging Socks

A couple years ago I made a pair of socks from Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock yarn in the colorway Bittersweet. It is a lovely magenta/red/orange yarn and made a pattern called Lacy Scallops from Sockbug.

But, alas, I discovered a big hole in the back of the leg, above the heel. I didn't want to toss the sock, but didn't have enough yarn to reknit the foot from the leg down. I finally broke down and purchased another skein of the same yarn and it came super-fast. (Thanks Loopy Ewe!)

So yesterday, I held my breath and cut open the toe and unraveled back to the hole, after picking up stitches around above the hole. Luckily there was a 3 row stockinette stripe between each repeat.

Now--reknitting.