Ya ... I'm still around ...

 I did something last night that I haven't done in a long time ... I watched the debate.  WOW, what a pathetic performance by biden and wallace ... I had to calm my dogs several times 'cause I was yelling at the TV ... biden and wallace ganged up on President Trump and he had to fight harder to get a word in edgewise ... there has to be someone out there that can control their bias and just moderate instead of bait the President.  The first one that comes to mind is Victor Davis Hansen ... he is on the side of America and would be great ... The other person I'd like to see moderate is Mark Levin ... there would be no question of him going after lies ... and there were plenty from biden, as a matter of fact, I didn't hear one TRUTH from biden ...

Yes, it's obvious who I will follow and stand up for ... The American, President Trump. 

If I had to write a list of all the lies the communist left have made about everything, I'd have to cut down 10 redwood trees over 400 feet tall, to have enough paper for that list, and that might not even be enough paper!!!  

I know it's been a long, long time since I've posted but things just don't happen with any kind of frequency around here.  I've been in constant pain from my shoulder due to the deterioration of the shoulder joint!  I've been to therapy twice, had an MRI, which I will NEVER consciously do again ... I always thought I had a bit of claustrophobia, but this experience confirmed that it's more than a "bit" ... If I ever need to have another MRI, I will need to be knocked out totally!!!  

I finally have a date for surgery to "dust and clean" out the joint - these are the doctors words - December 17.  I asked for a date after Thanksgiving because I have a craft fair a week before and can't afford to not go.  I have crafts coming out my ears that I need to sell ... LOL ... and I just love the interaction with the customers.  My shoulder has been in the way since June 2019, so I figure what's a few more months ... 

This post is getting a bit lengthy, but I will try, again, to post more often ... LOL ... if I could keep up and post at least once a month I'd be happy.  

Have a wonderful day, month and year, and I hope I can keep up ... 

New start ...

I've had a lot of stuff happen in the last year, therefore I took a break from blogging.  I think I'm now ready to start again, possibly only on a limited basis, but I'm still around ... 😊 ... and will try to keep up.

I've recently adopted 2 little dogs who's owner had died.  As best I can figure they are a Maltese-Poodle mix (Rudy) and a Yorkie- Wire haired terrier mix (Rascal).  Both cute as the dickens but so different. Rudy is pretty happy go lucky but Rascal has to know where I am at all times.  I had a larger dog 2 years ago, SueAnn, but am learning to be a Dog Mom all over again and loving it!! 

I am also trying to craft as much as possible, knit, paint, sew, etc., as I am doing a large Craft Fair in November.  My girlfriend and I were vendors there last year and enjoyed it sooo much, that we definitely wanted to do it again this year.  We sold quite a bit and definitely made our money back plus a lot more.  A couple of months ago we pulled out everything we had made that wasn't sold and realized that we really needed to get busy for this year!  I've painted rocks, tin buckets and signs.  I'm also knitting more dish cloths as they sold very well. This year I'm adding a free scrubby for every 2 dish cloths sold and hopefully they go over well so I can make bunches more and sell them next year as a stand alone item, maybe in 3's for whatever I decide on.

I raise chickens for fun and eggs, but a, or some critters have decimated my flock so that I only have 2 left out of 7.  One of the survivors had been loose for 4 days and did not want to be caught, but I think hunger and thirst finally got her to go into the pen and as I was out there, I got the gate closed before she could escape again ... Phew!!  Have you ever tried catching a chicken that didn't want to be caught ... not a game or exercise program I would recommend ... LOL ... for a few days I was very sore from trying to chase her down.  The two ladies are now confined to the pen which is a 6 x 12' old dog kennel attached to a coop.  I feel so bad about this as all 7 were free range in my back yard, but if I turn them loose now they will both disappear.  They are very scared of the dogs as they are probably the same size as our night critter, that the girls go into the coop. They went through a terrible trauma as 5 of their kind were slaughtered in 4 days ... I feel for them.

I need to finish a couple of crafts today, and hopefully I can figure out how to get the pictures from my phone to this blog ... anyone know an easy way?? ... LOL ...

See you all later ... 😘😘😘

L O N G T I M E ... !!!

I don't know what happens that there is sooo much time between posts, maybe there just isn't enough exciting things happening around here ... I don't know ...

At the end of April we had our annual Mount Mazama Mountain Men camp out.  It is always fun watching every one in Mountain Men clothing and the shooting competitions with the old Black Powder rifles and pistols .. In a way it is like the Mountain Men Rondevous of old ... games, shooting, vendors and just plain old camaraderie.

On June 21st we had another 5 day camp out scheduled and had a wonderful time ... except that my Truck camper refrigerator decided to start going belly up!  I'm not sure what the problem is, as it works on house power - both freezer and fridge works great, gets down to right temps and stays cool ... the freezer works on propane, but the fridge itself will not cool.  I had it looked at at our local RV place and all they could find was the thermocouple was burned out.  They replaced that and we tried again.  Nope didn't work any better at all.  It's a 1990 fridge and we all think it has just grown tired, but is still sputtering along once in a while.  In July we had another trip and I tried again, but the weather was absolutely hot and unbearable.  We don't usually get weeks in the 90's, but this time we did.  And the fridge wanted to stay at 60+ degrees so I used tons of ice in my old coolers, but we still had to make a trip to town for more ice ...

Two weeks after that, another trip, yes we are camping enthusiasts, and I had bought a Coleman Extreme 5 to help keep groceries and drinks cold ... it ended up with hot weather the first 2 days and then cooled down to comfortable level - Yeah!!!!  My new cooler held ice for 6 days - not much left at the end, but there was still ice!!!  No I don't work for Coleman, but I've always loved their products.

Deer season is coming up on the 30th of Sept, so we are off again.  I was going to see if I could get a new fridge before this trip, but with the cost being sooo high, I thought I'd wait until Spring to see if products go on sale and then worry about it.  I can't see spending upwards of $1,000 for the fridge for one more trip this year.  We will all go out to get our camp sites around the 21st of Sept.  The camp hosts have a special Pot Luck for all the hunters that can make it on the 23rd, so I have to think of something to bring ... I will only be there for 7 days at the most so I will miss opening day, but I only go for the camping - I'm not a hunter, but will visit during the next 2 weeks.  Our site is only about 10 miles from home, so it's not hard to drive out there.  I'm still looking forward to the camping part!!

I've been preparing for 2 craft fairs in November and still have lots to get done, and yes, a lot to get started on too!!  I love crafting and my girlfriend and I have come up with some items for the men.  There never seems to be manly gifts offered at craft fairs, so we're hoping we can catch the "Men's gift Market" with some good items and some fun ones too.  After the Fairs we take a month and a half off, and then get right back into crafting for the following year ... we love it!

I've marked my calendar so I will post more often and not have to write a book to keep you updated ... let's see if that works ... LOL

Bless you all ...

Baby, It's cold outside!!!

I am ready for a bit of above 30 temps.  When I got up this morning (at 6 am) it was 9 deg outside the window!  We are on a heatwave today, it is now 17 ... today's high of 30 will be the low in a couple of days ...

I must not have any blood as I've been cold to one degree or another in the past 2 weeks.  The shower helps, but it doesn't take long for me to feel chilled again.  I HAVE to go outside at least twice a day to feed and water my chickens.  I have 3 bowls for water; the one inside the coop, the one out in the pen and the last one for when they're outside the coop.  OK you say ... they are all FROZEN solid.  I bring the one inside the coop in to thaw, so they will have something to drink.

A few days ago we had 6" of snow, which was nice since we are way below normal, but it rained the next day and most of it is gone ... there are some frozen patches here and there, but not worth much.

My friend S and I have been crafting a lot for the 2 craft fairs we did this year.  One of them we will do again in 2017 and hopefully a new fair to us will call and say "You're in!"  Won't know until summer, but I'm still going to craft all year 'cause it's the big one here in my town!!  We need a lot more products and repeats of what's been sold and what seems to draw attention.  I have a list of items that I'd like to do, but we'll see when it comes right down to it.  I can only knit, sew or paint for so long until I need to get up and do something else for a while ... and in the summer it will be hard to do some of it, but I can knit outside and while camping, so those projects won't fall behind.  The painting and sewing (and beading) aren't so easy to take anywhere ... there is also too much dirt and dust ...

I just changed my furnace filter ... should have been done a few months ago ... My house wouldn't warm up, so I looked at it through the slats in the vent OMG ... changed now.

If I don't get back on here before Christmas, I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Joyful New Year.  Hugs all around ...

WOW - Didn't realize it's been THIS long ...

I read other blogs, but then forget about my own ... that age thing again ... LOL  The summer was pretty normal, a week or two of our hot weather (Oregon style)  in the mid to upper 90's.  We only got together for camping 5 times instead of the usual 6-7.  Time conflicts for one member of the group, but the times we did go out, we has a GREAT time as usual.

My friend & I signed up for a craft fair on the second weekend of Oct.  This was the second time we joined the craft fair, but I doubt we will do this one again - just not run or managed well.  We now have one on Dec. 3, and are super looking forward to it even though we've never joined this one before, but have heard really good things about it.  I then received a call yesterday inviting us to join another on Dec. 10 ... one week after our Senior Center Craft Fair ... not sure we have enough products to do another one so close ... I will return the call and say "No, sorry, not this year"  If that group decides to have another Craft Fair next year we may consider it because my friend & I have decided that we need to craft all year long.

There just doesn't seem to be a lot of news on my end as the days are just running together ...

I had intestinal problems for about 4-5 months from March on, and I never really found out what the problem was as all my tests came back either negative (good) or that I'm very, very healthy (Extra Good!!).  I like that kind of news, but would really have liked to know what was causing the problem ... But it's great to know at my age that I'm very healthy!!

I lost my beautiful Hound 3 days after her 15th birthday (9/11)... it still hurts.  I still think I need to walk the dog, or that she can come to the PO to pick up the mail ... It's a very empty feeling when a split second later it again hits you that shes not here anymore.  I probably will get another dog, but not until after the new year.

I'm heading to my 'paint' table to finish some more items for the Craft Fair ... I need a kick in the butt so that I don't neglect my posting ... another sticky note?  A reminder on the calendar?  I'm not sure what will remind me BIG TIME ... Any ideas???

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Boy oh boy have I been absent ...

It seems to go in spurts - nothing to say for a long time, even though things do happen, it just doesn't seem blog worthy.  I wish I could hit a consistent pace ... like once a week, or twice maybe, but sometimes I don't think you want to hear on a daily basis that I'm dehydrating onions ... I've been doing that almost daily for 1 1/2 weeks.  I dehydrate because I can't eat them fast enough, so dried they last forever and nothing goes to waste.

I've also been experimenting with other things like zucchini, pineapple and bananas.  Now I need to experiment with re-hydrating them.  Most of what I've read says to use HOT water for hours or even a day or two.  I'll find out.  I guess it also depends where you live and the humidity in the area at the time.  I love the dried pineapple - the process concentrates the flavor and even though they are a bit chewy, they are GOOD!!

I have some banana chips I did in July 2014, and they are still crisp and flavorful.  I've also dehydrated celery ... it comes out wonderful too!  My dehydrator is a Dehydro by Presto.  It has one temperature and the on/off switch is unplugging the machine.  The temp is set at 140 deg, but it seems to work fine even though some of the instructions say 115 to 155 degrees.  I just watch the time and check the food after every 90 minutes.  I may eventually move up to a bigger and better machine, but I have to save my nickles and dimes for that! 

My friend, Susan, and I were vendors in a craft show on Oct 10.  It was a so-so show.  I sold enough to cover my expense for the table, but Susan did not.  I think there were 15 vendors and I doubt many of them enjoyed the fair.  There weren't many people coming through, and those that did were elderly.  I'm elderly so no offense meant, but the items Susan and I had were for all ages and the holidays.  There were a couple of families, but nooo, not the best show I've ever done ... We will do it again next year - it could just have been a fluke this time.  It was only the 2nd Annual fair, so we'll give it another chance.  We will also express our ideas to the group putting on the fair about other things they need to do to attract attention and draw people in.  She asked for our opinion and for help, so we're not stepping on toes ... LOL  Susan and I have both organized craft fairs, so we do have some ideas ...

The weather is turning and getting colder, rain in the forecast, but the snow is a whole week off.  By the time we hit Sun 11-8, I'm sure the snow will disappear from the forecast.  We need SNOW desperately as the last 5 years have been very dry, but I'm beginning to despair of ever seeing 3-4-5 foot snowfalls again.

The two new chickens I got in March or April haven't laid one darn egg!  No they are not males, but if they're laying in the yard, I haven't found anything even though I walk the yard 1-2 times a week.  The older girls need to go in the stew pot, but I'm not ready for that yet.  Next spring when the new 'crop' of chicks come out I'll probably butcher them for the freezer - at this age they're only good for soup & stock, but they will be enjoyed none-the-less.

Easter Sunday

Have a Happy Easter Bunny Day ... and more seriously, have a Wonderful Easter Sunday.  I wish I could be in Texas with my family to celebrate this High Holy Day.  I miss them, but they are all in my heart.

I know it's been a long time since I posted, but since my last post in January, nothing in the world has changed ... it is still burning, the Christians and Jews are still being persecuted, the terrorists are still killing anyone who is not Muslim ... I have strong opinions on the above mentioned items, but for today I will Pray for Everyone!  It can't hurt ...

It's snowing outside and the temp sits at 32 ... nothing is sticking of course, but it is COLD.  Thankfully there is only a slight, slight breeze, but it is still cold air moving around.  Brrrrr!!

I'm starting my list of items that will be needed for our Black Powder Shoot camping trip.  It is hard to foresee what kind of clothes to bring this time of year.  It could be sunny, but still cold or it could be raining or snowing ... LOL   Food will mostly be the basics ... milk, bread, etc., etc.  and WARM food, he, he, he.

I sure hope it warms up by then ... we will be leaving home on April 29 and back home on May 3.  This might be our last year to have the Shoot where it's been for many, many years.  The company that bought the property is extremely worried about fires and people drinking where there are guns.  There has never been an issue before with the drinking and guns ... we really are adults even if we dress up in period costume ... I sure hope the Mt. Mazama Mountain Men can find a place that is just as nice or better.  There will be observers from the company to see if we are good boys and girls ...  

I'm also doing some knitting, beading and crocheting for a Craft Faire in October.  I know it sounds like a long way off, but when every thing is hand made it takes time.  My friend and I have knit/crochet 2 Yoda Baby Buntings ... beaded little Angel earrings and wrist Rosaries.  I have patterns for Ornament covers; I'd like to have between 6-10 done in different designs and colors.  My friend will make soap and I have wash/dish clothes that we will sell together.  I am very excited, and should be busier than I am right now.  There is time, but it has a habit of moving very, very quickly.  I WILL GET IT ALL DONE!!!! LOL

I leave you for now with Prayers for Easter.  God Bless.

Silence ...

I've been silent on sooo many things since I last posted ...

I've gone camping several times and have had a blast!  Now our group is preparing for Deer Camp starting on Sept. 30.  Opening day is Oct 4, but due to many people having discovered our campground, we need to get there almost a week early.  It is a small campground run by the BLM and it has the friendliest Hosts I've ever run across. 

The Michael Brown case is a joke.  MY belief is that a punk got what he deserved.  I don't care what color he is!!

Two beheaded journalists, and the Obamination has no respect ...

9/11 is on Thursday of this week ... I wonder how prepared the govt is to prevent anything from happening ... I bet, not much!  I don't want anything to happen, but if it did, I really don't think the govt would wake up ... nor care ...

I've been following too many news stories lately, but I am scared of my govt and what it won't do to save America and her people.  The world doesn't trust the admin and are laughing at us ...

Hopefully I can get back into my crafts; knitting, beading and sewing and stop this incessant "watching the news".  In one way I wish I could be a bit more oblivious to world events, but I can't let myself ignore the facts ... I am scared!

Next time I'll be in a better frame of mind and promise to have more fun!
Blessed Be

I think I can breathe now ...

It's not that I've been holding my breath, but there sure have been a lot of times where I wanted to.  My friend Ron, has had quite a few problems with his '72 Bronco ... it's still a Ford ... LOL.  New parts needed, parts not in stock, wrong parts, broken new parts - I think that covers it for now, and hope he can get it put back together without any more issues ... fingers crossed and prayers said.  I've been running back and forth to town with him (he's paid for gas) to get parts, exchange parts, to pick up out of stock parts.

 ... and yesterday we went to the local "Stand Down".  That's when the military hands out new and used military issue socks, thermals, shirts, jackets, back packs and pretty much what you can think of.  The doors open at 8, but in order to now having to wait all day you want to get there early ... We were there by 6:30 am ... I had to get up at 5, but missed it by about 30 min, so only had 30 min to get ready.  That's not easy when you're still asleep ... LOL.  So we had 1 1/2 hr to wait in the morning cold and in the shade no less.  You get a number and they call that so you can register.  The you get to walk around all the booths set up for Lion Club vision, VA homeless help, The Klamath Tribes, the Library and a ton more services offered here in the Klamath Basin.  The give out can coolers, pens & pencils, pens & pencils, books to read and books of benefits, did mentions that there was a lot of pens & pencils ... after you had your registration form signed by all these groups, you get in line to pick out the surplus items that you'd like.  After that ... you can go home.  You do get help from the Boy Scouts and active duty personnel - thank goodness because neither Ron nor I could carry the bundles we had accumulated ...

Once we got back home I have to get rid of some old things so I had room for the new stuff.  For some reason I ended up with a Parka, trench coat, and 3 other jackets - where the dicksons I'm putting them is still a mystery.

My other friends, Dale & Candy went camping with the Moose Lodge's Camping Club this weekend.  They are only about 6 or 7 miles from home - we stay close because the gas price is getting worse and worse, up to anywhere from $3.79 to $4.10 in our area.

I'm trying to recuperate from all the running to and from town, the waiting and the carrying of stuff yesterday, and the screwed up computer.  The place that sold me the new computer and not even half ass reloaded things really SCREWED things up bad.  I will not go back to them - EVER!!!  I think that I'll let my Son-in-law's company fix it long distance from now on.  I couldn't get my old computer fixed because it was close or over 9 yrs old.  After I bought a new revamped computer was when a shit load of problems started ... they did not load my firewall or anti-virus programs so guess what happened within 2 days ... yup, major mess.  I went and picked up my old tower because it still has all my information on it and I really don't trust those guys after all the problems I've had.

I've been on several camping trips so far and they are always nice.  I've slowed down on my knitting because I haven't had time to enjoy it and am just too tired at night to work on any of my projects ... I'm now going to get back into it again - I really, really enjoy it and it helps slow down my brain - as if it goes too fast anyways ... LOL!!

Enough for now, but I did want to tell a bit of what's been going on.  I didn't want every one to think I fell off the edge ...

The weather was sooo nice and warm last week but today and for the next few days it is suppose to be cool.  We had frost / freeze warnings the last 2 nights ... run out and cover all the new shoots that have come up.  I'm not getting the sprouting that I was expecting, but maybe I just need to hold my horses and wait a while longer ... LOL.  I'm hoping it warms up again so the little shoots can grow and the ones still not showing will appear.

Hope every one has a nice day, week, month ... life!!

a potpourri of 'stuff' ...

I haven't worked on the Hugel garden for a while because I need some real 'manpower' for help - or tractor power as the case may be.  The only thing that I can do right now is get some chicken manure with old straw and put a bit into the hole to fill some spots ... after that I need more logs - hence the manpower thing.  I'm not looking at a real garden this year, but maybe some potatoes.

Even though I do not like making the Pioneer Bonnets the sewing itself was an eye opener again.  I've been knitting for well over a year with not much else being crafted, but that Bonnet set my sewing juices in gear again.  I don't have the ideal set up in my craft room now that it's also my bedroom, but I can make do.  The next thing on my sewing agenda is a bunch of neck 'coolers' for our warmer months.  The kind you fill with water storing crystals ... they tie around your neck after having dipped them in cool water, and help keep you cool.  I even BOUGHT some fabric to make some although I have half a fabric store boxed up ... you just can't have too much fabric!  or yarn!  or ideas!  We are going camping again the first weekend of June and I'd like to have at least 4-5 done.  The pattern I have is very easy to do so that should not be a problem.

I took my tiny tomato sprouts and planted them outside last weekend.  I sowed a bunch of seeds from 2 different varieties but now have absolutely no idea of which ones survived ... I think it's the Beefsteak, but I have been known to be wrong once or twice ... LOL.  At this stage I really don't care, but it would be nice to have a decent memory ...  I have them in tires with lots of potting soil, and covered at night with clear plastic bottles since our night time temperature can still plunge into the low to mid 30's.  They have been out there for 3 days/nights and so far so good.

I paid the last installment of my taxes yesterday - WooHoo!!!  Now I have 6 months until I start over ... I also spent several hours grazing around our Joann's store where I got the fabric mentioned above, got a new bobbin box that closes and stays closed!  The old one had a cover that just sat on the bottom section and there have been many times when I went to get the box that the bottom, literally, fell off and I had to hunt bobbins - has bothered me for many, many years, but I finally broke down and got a latching box.

Picked up some allergy pills so that I can spend my days doing other things besides sniffling, sneezing and clearing my throat!  It sure feels good to be able to breathe regularly.  I guess I've had these allergies for a while, but they have finally gotten so bad that I need help now.  Just another pill added to my arsenal for feeling better ... Ugh!!

Even though I'm in a sewing mode, I need to knit a nice cover for my tablet so it doesn't get scratches ... I'll have to use worsted weight yarn, but lots smaller needles to make the fabric tight.  I think I have enough leftover yarn to make the pattern I like.  I'll show pictures of everything as soon as I get that camera thing figured out!

I'll leave you now so I can start the tablet cover ... have a wonderful day!  (((Hugs)))  

Is it flea time at your house yet?

I just read an article about flea control.  The article is a bit long, but it gives a LOT of information!  Once you get into it, there are snippets that made me laugh.

http://www.richsoil.com/flea-control.jsp

It is a down-to-earth site that uses language like the common person does ... a few "not nice" comments, but NEVER vulgar.  I hope you read the article and look around the site - it is full of great back to basic information.  I've been studying the HugelKultur sections.  It is raised bed gardening, but in a way that I don't remember hearing about, but I'm starting to build my bed.

Aside from this, I've become wrapped up in what is going on in the government with terrorists and such - bad, bad, bad!!!  I'm leaving for a Black Powder Shoot next week and will not get near a radio during the 3 day trip.  I need to break this addiction and get on with my life of gardening, crafting, sewing and knitting as I love to do these things.  I feel like I've been walking under a black cloud and my mood hasn't been the best, but at least I know what the problem is, and I'm working to get away from it.

I think that this is the year to replace batteries ... I need a new one for my truck and the Jeep is now looking like it could use one also ... and a possibility of a new altenator ...  Saving my pennies and cashing in cans and bottles.  I do need to do crafts so I can sell some things to help pay for this barrage of vehicle expenses - doesn't seem to end, does it?

I also think I'm loosing my memory!  I can go into a room to get something and can't remember what ... sometimes it can take hours before I remember.  I try to say something and can't for the life of me remember the next word.  When I leave to run some errands I forget the car keys until I'm ready to start the car ... oops and the shopping list ... and on hot days, i forget my water bottle ... small stuff like that happens ALL the time ... maybe a doctor's appointment is order ... Phew, getting old is a bear!!!

Hope you all have a great day, week, month and year ... LOL

(((Hugs)))

I've been away ...

... and I'll be away for a bit longer, probably into the new year. I have been helping two ladies with the loss of their husband; one is across the street from me, and the other is a wonderful best friend back in the Boston area. I would so like to be able to go to her, but that won't be possible until April to move her out here to be with me in Oregon. In the mean time we talk on the phone a lot and email almost daily. I hope it helps her to know that I'm here ...

I'm only half way done for Christmas and hopefully will be able to get things done in the next 9 or 10 days. I'm hoping really, really hard!! There are a few decorations up, but I haven't had time to decorate much just the special things..

I will take pictures of the gifts I'm making, but doubt I will be able to post them until the beginning of next year - hopefully you will still be interested. I miss posting, but this year has been very hap-hazard and I hope to keep you all posted of what is going on in my corner of the world.

Hugs to all

broke my promise

I promised it wouldn't take me a month to post pictures ... I messed up and it is 3 days past a month ... so sorry.

I have about 14 dishcloths hanging around for gifts, this only shows about 5, but most of them are a mixture of different colors and random yarns. These are folded in half so you aren't seeing the whole thing...

Then there are the easy wristers ... I have tons of yarns, and wristers are easy to make. These were knit flat and then seamed. I want to do some in the round as I don't like to seam, so I need to dust off my dpn's (double pointed needles.) The instructions are for flat knit, but I'll just have to pay attention to the increases for the longer ones.

These are kitty blankets, or small dogs for that matter. As I said above, I have tons of yarn that needs to be used and these are totally mindless ... I was given a bunch of fuzzy yarn that I did these with, but not enough of any one of them to make the blanket a solid color ... I don't think kitties will care one whit.

Well, I wanted to show you the mug cozies I made, but Blogger won't upload any more pictures today. I'll leave you with these for now and try again in a day or two...
Hugs

A pair, a pair, a pair ...

... of socks!! I finally finished my first pair of socks. They are not perfect, but I consider them my sampler socks. They are a little bit too loose - OK. There are three different types of increases - OK. There are holes at the heel - OK. I don't think I'll go on with more little things I've found, but I sure have learned a lot! Never mind the hiked up sweats... it was just to show you that they were knee socks.

Two of them! I didn't really have the "Second Sock Syndrome", but I did knit a couple of smaller things while knitting the second sock. The looseness at the top is because I totally forgot about the 1x1 or 2x2 rib to help them stay up. I think I could go back and re-do that part, but then again, maybe not. LOL

Here is a scarf in garter stitch with a bit of a fringe that I knitted during the second sock. Very simple, just CO 20 and knit to your hearts content until you come close to running out of yarn. I took the tail end and cut as many fringes as I thought I would need and then knit until the yarn ran out. I think the yarn was Vanna's Choice Tweed, and the needles a 7 or 8.

I, of course, had to knit a bunny with Easter coming up. The pattern was "Bunny Nuggets" from Danger Crafts, and it came out sooo cute. Only about 4 inches to the top of the ear, and a big fuzzy tail.  The ears are not quite the same length, but that makes him cuter!!  Simple I-cord.  The eyes are light blue beads, and the nose is embroidered pink yarn.

I'm working on a shoulder wrap for my Mom, but I'm not far enough along to bother taking a picture as it looks like lots of stitches (233 at the moment) on a circular needle. I want to finish it by her birthday at the end of August, so she will have it going into winter. My Mom will be 84 and has trouble staying warm during the Danish winters, so I though I'd knit her something useful.

I will probably cast on for another pair of socks in the same type of yarn, but I will try a different toe that is more rounded. I am still experimenting with different methods of doing things, but I figure socks are a good way to practice some of these methods. Only I will know...

Have a wonderful day!
Hugs

Babies and socks

I've been gone a while; it's hard to post when one day is pretty much like the next, but I've got news ...

My friends' goat had babies on the 30 of Jan. Twins, a boy and girl. The Mama has produced healthy babies for about 4 years now, and we all think she is getting tired. The first two years there were twins, last year she had triplets and this year twins again. She has always been a good Mama, but last year she kicked one baby away and this year both. The little ones are being bottle fed in the house ... dog kennels work wonders. I only got a picture of the little girl with Mama, but it shows how little and cute they are.  The baby is looking for the boob between Mama's front legs ... she finally learned ...

The red glow is from the heat lamp, and Dale is trying to get the baby in the right place to eat. This one was pushed away a day or two later and is now in the house with her brother. They are doing very, very well.

I've also been working on knitting some socks from the toe up. My first socks!!! Only the first one is done, but I think I need to redo the cast off, it is a bit loose. I used a pattern for short socks, so I knit all the way up for knee socks and then realized that it was too tight on the calf ... rip out about 8-9 inches, figure out how to increase gradually and then bind off. Phew! Now I need to fix the bind off.

This was before it was completely finished, but even though I can see mistakes I need to fix on future socks, but I'm very happy with it overall.

Here is the first sock finished and the second one started. Can you see how the first sock is ruffled at the top - that is what I still need to fix.

I've been reading all about knitting socks from the toe up for about 2 months on and off. I finally found a combination of patterns and made up stuff that suited me. I wanted the easiest cast on possible - I used the figure 8. Then I went with the short row tow and heel. Boy was it a challenge to find the right instructions that made sense to me. Those wraps really gave me fits for about 3-4 tries - I have to look at the instructions each step of the way, but i made it through. The plain knitting for the foot went very smoothly. Once I started the heel and got several rows into it, I realized I have, to me, giant holes where the instep stitches were put on a holder. You know, I had ripped so much on this sock, I left the holes. These socks will be worn, and then put away as a first sock project that I can refer to so I can see how much I've progressed with additional socks!! LOL ...

If anyone has any suggestions for the holes, I'd love to hear about it.

Hugs

Long time no post

It's been too long since I posted - one whole month!! I was caught up in the Christmas present making, but I was also caught up in a medical problem. I'll go back to right after Christmas when we got a wonderful snow storm ... this shot was right out the front door. It was coming down hard.

This shot was to the right of the one above.

I've finally (almost) finished the gifts that were promised. Thank goodness for friends who understand "not feeling good" and "I hurt"! I will shortly make my rounds to deliver the gifts. I had two more ornament covers to finish, and I love the way they came out.

I used silver and medium green beads on a silver ball, with green mottled glass beads at the bottom. I need to make all my future covers this length or LONGER. I just love when they hang way down ... sorry about the flash, but it was so dark in the room when I took the picture.

The red and gold seed beads stand out really well on this sort of pinkish/peach ball.

Last year I knit a cowl in Camo yarn for one of my best friends. This year the gentleman that received the hat last year is also getting a cowl, but in the same blue as his hat. I still need to line it, but that will be completed this weekend.

The pattern can be found on This Boy Knits and it's a fantastically easy pattern.

I'm near the end of another cowl for another friends birthday in February.  This one is in brown.

I really enjoy knitting these, but I might find another pattern to try, or make up my own and maybe sell them to the hunters in my area ... could be ...

The medical problem is a mass the size of a plumb, attached a little bit to the appendix. I see a surgeon on the 27th of Jan. and will find out when I go to have it removed. The only other thing that came up in all the tests I had was high LDL (bad) cholesterol level. At first I looked at all the food labels, but it only on occasion mentions cholesterol, and I'm thinking that means both good and bad. I've added a lot of fruit to my diet and we'll see when the blood test is redone in June. Aside from these two things, which can be fixed, I'm basically very, very healthy.

Hope you didn't get too bored with this huge post ... I will post more often, yeah, like I've promised that before!! I promise that I really, really will try to get on here more often.
Have a good day and a great weekend.

I am here ...

... crafting away. I have shopped, and am still not done, I have knit - and am still not done, I am making my beaded ornaments - and am still not done. I need a total of 6 ornaments; I have 2 finished, 1 almost, and 3 still to go. I don't follow any pattern, I just make up rows as I go.  I'm sorry the pictures aren't clearer, but it is an overcast, rainy day here in Southern Oregon (I wish it was snow!!).  Then again I don't want them too clear as the people they are for, pop in now and again (I think). LOL ... 

 I pick the glass ball first, then contemplate what colors of beads go with the ball.  After that I start looking and counting out beads to see if I have enough of the fancy ones.  Sometimes I need only 8, others 24 or 48 - all multiples of 8 as there are usually 8 danglies on each ball.  I need to expand to have more . . . hmmm, probably next year!  I don't have time this year to experiment ...

I know I will get them all done - is there a choice? - as it only takes half to three quarters of a day to make one my way.  If I had all the supplies in a neat little package it would only take 3 hours or so...... but I like to dig around in my beads, and it gives me a break from getting the needle through those itty, bitty beads.  I love my beads ...

OK, now that you've had a peek, I must get back to finishing the 3rd one, and get started on number 4.

Have a great day!

The time just flies

I'm still crafting for the fair in Boston, and when I take a breath, I'm outside cleaning things up to get ready for winter. I started packing the crafts as I finished them, but I think I'll have to take some of them out again to show you pictures - I did promise after all!

This past week it was cold and rainy, but now the temperatures are heading back up to the 70' and 80's. I have a cold with this roller coaster ride - and that roller coaster has been running for over a year now. There wasn't much of a winter last year, and then almost no summer, and as today is the first day of Fall, I sure hope the coaster stops and lets us get off. I've heard from The Farmers Almanac that we are to have a 'normal' winter - and that means 4-5 feet of snow, maybe more. Last year we had 11-14 inches all total, so I can hardly wait. I'm also anxious to see how well my new weatherization will do.

I'm going to be buying the lumber and stuff to get a new chicken coop built. If we have 4-5 feet of snow the old tattered tarp covered dog kennel will not hold up too well. I also have a night visitor that is hell bent on getting in to my chickens. I think it's a possum, but am not totally sure. It is trying to dig under the pavers that are in there. I have chicken wire under all the pavers, except maybe where the gate is, and that's where the varmint is trying to get in. If I put a trap out there, I'm not sure what to do with him ... I also think I'd be afraid to get near it. I'm not too critter wise, but I do have a friend that will take care of it!!

I'm going to forgo hunting season this year. Usually I look forward to the camping part of it, but this year it has loomed on the horizon as a pain in the butt! Maybe because I'm not feeling that good with this cold, who knows. My friend will take my truck camper out this year as his wife and daughter won't be going either. He will also be able to tow the quad trailer loaded with extra water, generator, maybe the air compressor, and extra fuel. It will be tight quarters after his 24' 5th wheel, but all he'll do in it is sleep and maybe some cooking.

When I fed the cats this morning I noticed that there was 1/2 cup food left, so I'd better get going to town to replenish that! The cats won't like it if they have no dinner!

Hugs to all

too long since posting ...

I've been here every day reading all the blogs, but I've also been busy crafting for a craft fair in Boston. I don't have any pictures to show yet, but as soon as I get a chance I'll post a bunch.

The weather here is starting to get a bit crazy again. It was 43 (8C) when I got up, which has a brrr factor built in, but it it going up to 93 (35C) this afternoon. Tomorrow will be 95! Then by next weekend it will be back down in the 70's. Global warming or global cooling, go figure.


This was Labor Day 2009. We are getting ready for one more camping trip in about 8 days; wonder what the weather will be then?? Doesn't matter, we are going.

After this trip, there will be work around the property to be done before the snow flies again - and who knows when that might be. We usually don't have sticking snow until right before or right after Thanksgiving, but it is cold in October.


I will also see how all the new weatherization will work. I know it will be wonderful, but I don't know HOW wonderful. I'm looking forward to it. That large white box inside the porch will be full of wood for the stove, and I'm sure it will last longer than in years past.

Well, I need to get back to the crafting. I promise pictures soon!

Hugs to everyone!!

As normal as it gets and other tidbits

Well, I have still been putting stuff away, one little piece at a time. I mean that literally. I find a stray something, and I will walk it to where the other 'somethings' are and put it away. Wow, I have a lot of 'somethings'!!! It is mostly craft stuff that has been scattered about, and now I can really see the Crafters Motto, "If one is good, three is better" in action!! WOW! Even my nice large craft studio is getting cramped. And the super large craft table is covered with stuff!

I did craft a pair of earrings during this clean up time. My friend J asked me for two sets, and these, if you can see them, are what came out of that request. There are three little white beads on the end of all four legs, end of the tail and at the top as eyes. I guess I need a real good contrasting background to have them show up better ... either that or a closer up picture. They are about 1 1/4 inches long, not counting the hook


I also wandered around the front yard taking random pics of the flowers ... these two pictures are of wildflowers just growing where they want ... I don't care if they are weeds, they look pretty!




The next two are of 'real' flowers that I know names of - what a concept for this girl ... LOL My beautiful Purple Iris (don't look at the weeds!)


I don't know the actual name of this rose, but I know it grows wild where it is planted. I don't do much to it but throw a bit of water on it once in a while ...


Right after I took the flower pictures, the camera told me to put new batteries in or I wouldn't get any more pictures ... so, into the house I went, looking for AA batteries and found ONE. The camera takes TWO. I put the camera on the kitchen counter while I searched for another battery, and all of a sudden there was a huge thump, everyone jumped, even me. OK, one of the cats did SOMETHING NOT GOOD ... Yup, after looking around the kitchen, I found my camera in the pet water bowl ... Ooooh, not good...!!!! Maggie had evidently slowly pushed it off the counter, and it happened to be right above where the water bowl sat on the floor. Talk about upset! I pulled it out and drained it over the sink - I didn't know cameras could hold so much water. I was just heartbroken - there was no way I could replace my dear old Kodak ... I dried the outside and as best I could, stuck rag corners and edges into the openings ... all the time wondering what the H*LL I was going to do now ...

I checked the Kodak website to see what they had to say - ummm, nothing about wet cameras ... so I googled wet cameras and fortunately found a couple of sites that told little except to thoroughly dry the camera - DUH!!!! - and use a hair dryer on air only. It took me 4 days to do all this - and the camera now WORKS!!! I'm now very careful where I place the camera, and never again will it be on the kitchen counter.

I guess since it's been a while since I last posted, I had a lot to say!!! I keep trying to not let so much time pass, but I guess the only way to do that is to put reminders up ...

We, friends and I, are now getting ready for another camping trip to the lake, so hopefully I will have a bit to say about that when we get back ... I can only hope ... LOL.

You all have a great summer, now that it's here in force!!
Hugs