Knitting Time

Today, Hubby had to go to the local hospital for some tests. It made for some great knitting time.

You may or may not remember these socks. They were part of the Craftsy knit along I signed up for back in January. I call them my Smocked Brown Cow Socks. The pattern is Smocked Guernsey Socks. (Brown cows, Guernseys, get it? It's a dairy farm joke.)

Everything past the ribbing was done today. I even knit through the fire drill. (The nurse told me to stay put.).

The smocking wrapped stitches leave little bumps of texture you can see in the top picture. I really am enjoying this knit, and even the wrapped stitch isn't too hard. I am quite proud of my progress.

I have been pretty much sticking to my Freyja as my sole active project. I have been watching all these pictures in the Bang-Out-a-Sweater Knit-Along. Many if not all of the knitters already have finished their sweaters. That's not surprising because their pullover pattern was knit at a much looser gauge thank my Bang-Out-a-Freyja which is a cardigan. I think I can continue to work on it at Knit Nite, but I may be able to branch out to some other projects during the week. Like these socks for example, and maybe I can finish my Blue Tweed Vest too.

Maybe I can even finish something.

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Dreaded Crochet!

I suppose I have made it quite plain that crochet is not my friend. The relationship is tenuous at best, nothing like the way knitting and I get along.

One of the things I am dreading about when I finally get to the finishing stage of Bang-Out-A-Freyja is the crocheted edging get around bottom, neck, fronts, and sleeves. I may be able to manage it with my self taught single crochet, but I am not confident in it.

As a result, when our local yarn shop, The New Ewe, offered a class making a sampler crocheted scarf, I decided to jump for it. The class is paid for and I even purchased the yarn, Cascade 220, in a deep cranberry color.

Let's see if the relationship can warm just a bit.

I did want to share a photo of the catalogue page showing the style of my new coop. Like I said, it's like the Tiny House of chicken coops.

Isn't it cute? Just imagine it in blue with white trim.

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Giving Up, Taking On

One thing I didn't mention on my resolution review was how well I am going with my Lenten discipline.

And so far so good. I have not read any political blogs, although I have to confess to seeing some of the same information on Facebook posts. And although I really want to pick up the next book in two different mystery series, I have refrained from reading any novels. I did manage to finish reading Spoon River Anthology, a classic book of poems I was introduced to in high school literature class. A bit draggy towards the end but I finished it.

I have also been reading some books on Catholicism and am ready to start reading a book called The Emmaeus Road, linking the Old Testament to Jesus throughout the Bible. I am quite excited to begin. And on Kindle, I am reading the fascinating book on Cleopatra. (It better be good after I paid for it twice!)

I realize this post could belong on my alternate blog, but it is more about items mentioned here in the past, so here it stays.

In the mean time, here is a picture to distract you of an adorable child.

"And this is my nose."

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Here Chick, Chick

I'm looking for chickens, or if I must, some chicks.

I mentioned a while back in a Facebook post that I was looking for a chicken coop. I have finally given up on ever being able to use our current coop for chickens. My Hubby prefers to use that building as a glorified calf hut. Newly purchased calves reside in there for a few months before being put into the barn with the other cattle.

So I checked out a few options at various locations. Those coops available at the local farm stores seemed a bit....well, chintzy. So I went to a local Amish Mini Barn company and went home with their chicken coop catalogue. Today I went back and put down a deposit on a small but sturdy coop.

The pictures above showers the chicken run of a similar sized coop. Look in the middle, to the right of the gazebo. The pictured coop is barn red, mine will be a medium dark blue with the same white trim. Over all it's only 5 X 7 feet, and half is the run. The chickens also have acces to the area under the coop, and can get out of the sun. I can scrape out the manure from the door on the end, and reach in the side hatch to get the eggs. Delivery should be in 3-4 weeks.

Once the chickens get that big, that is.

Anyone with a surplus of young hens, ready to lay? I need about a half dozen.

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Bullying, Brash, Blustering, Bulldozing Braggart

Just to be clear, this is a political post. Probably even politically incorrect and reflects my honest opinions.. As such, if I decide I am brave enought to share this on Facebook I will probably ignore any and all comments from those who disagree with me.

This political season has certainly been crazy. The person referred to in the title is probably easily recognizable to those who are not his fans. Those who are his fans may be stunned to find out that I am referring to "The Donald."

I admit there are some points he brings up that I can agree with.

But, (and it's a big but), the manner of presentation and behavior and rudeness of the campaign toward his opponents is extremely off putting. It is frankly rather frightening. When I see that rudeness being cheered, I can see my country has changed, but perhaps without the hope promised 8 years ago.

My Bible study group is currently studying the book of Revelations. It was preceded by the book of Daniel last fall. One thing that I have picked up this year and am clinging to, is the knowledge that there is a God in heaven, and He is in control. As I look around the country and the world, I see all manners of frightening things happening. One of the chief of these is the cheapening of lives, all lives: black, white, police, unborn and Christian. Isis is frightening. In short, while there is no way of knowing, it seems like the time is right for the end times.

The only way I can keep calm is knowing that, as I said before, there is a God in heaven. And he is on the throne, in control.

In the meantime, I better research casting a presidential write-in come November.

 

And just to cheer up this gloomy post, here is a snowy Lizzie.

 

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