"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either." ~ Elizabeth Zimmerman

11/26/08

WIP Wednesday 11/26/08


Wow, it's been almost a month since I've done an official WIP Wednesday post.


I posted pics of the gnome yesterday, so won't do that again. This is a pic of the lace scarf I'm making. It's about halfway done now. Doesn't it look soft? It is!



I'm also done with the heel and halfway through the gusset of my sock. But I didn't feel like taking a pic of it when it looks just like the one I took of the first sock of the pair at this stage.


On the beading front--ornament fever has abated. I'm now working on something tubular because that is the subject of this months Learn2Bead project. I started out learning African Helix, but after learning it, not liking it, and frogging it, I decided I wanted to work on a Minerva Spiral instead. This is it, so far.




Well, I've got a bunch of cooking to get done. I'm in charge of making cranberry sauce for the family Thanksgiving celebration this year. I'm also making a cheese ball, and a pumpkin pie.


Here's my favorite cranberry sauce recipe. Even people who say they hate cranberry sauce love this sauce.


Ingredients:
1 lb. package of fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup brandy


Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Mix cranberries, sugar, and brandy and pour into a baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.
Place on a cookie sheet, then bake in oven for 1 hour. Stir after removing from oven.


Have a good day.

11/25/08

Deep in the Christmas Knitting

I have made my list of Christmas knitting, and I'm well into getting it done. Sweet Hubby's company always has a White Elephant gift exchange at the annual Christmas party. I have decided to make a gnome for one of our gifts. His name will be Filmore, and he will be a Christmas gnome. I got this much done yesterday.


I'm using something new I've not tried before. Caron Simply Soft Eco yarn. It's a worsted weight acrylic and polyester yarn made with recycled plastic bottles. How cool is that?


It's incredibly soft, and is knitting up very very nicely. I think I will be very pleased with the results.

The only thing I can't seem to decide is what color beard to make him. Originally, I thought I'd do a traditional christmasy white beard with some leftover Cello, but I don't have much of it left. In fact, I don't think there's enough for a beard. I don't want to purchase any more yarn (the gift is supposed to be cheap), so I dug in the stash. I found a ball of black Fluff, and a skein of silver Bernat Disco. The disco has metallic silver in it with the fuzzy silver, so it's quite glittery. I don't know if that would be too much or not. Let me know what you think? Some help with this decision would be nice.


In the meantime, I'm gonna dig some more in the stash. I know there's got to be other colors in it somewhere that would make a good beard. I vaguely remember bringing home several skeins of S.R. Kertzer Fizz in copper when I still had the shop. A red beard would be cute.

By the way, I have found out that these yarns are discontinued. So I better find a clearance sale and stock up. I have no intention of stopping the Gnome production.

My weekend was busy, then not. On Saturday I went to Costco to stock up the pantry. It had been 3 months since my last trip, so the pantry was getting pretty bare. I figure if I can walk around Costco, I can walk around the Tulum Mayan ruins in Mexico. Well, I did it. I walked all over Costco, loaded my cart with all the necessities (and some wants), and came home with a leg so swollen it was downright ugly. Sigh....I'm not liking this.

Saturday night was a big birthday party for my niece, Heidi. I can't believe she's 40 now. That means I'm gonna be 50 pretty soon! Anyway, the party was a lot of fun. Mostly family was there, and many of Heidi's friends.

The cake was a tradgedy though. It is an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.


The order was for a cake with those funky pink candy dots on it and pink lettering. This is what we got. Brown and Pink roses. And what is with the bright orange 40? Huh????? I took this picture right after Holly (Heidi's sister) accidentally dropped it on the floor as she was carrying it to the kitchen. Fortunately, it fell on it's bottom, instead of flipping over and landing on it's top. Or maybe unfortunately?

We ate it anyway, since none of the cake actually touched the floor. It was delicious. Here's the birthday girl blowing out the candles, with some help from Jacob.


I took a lot of pics at the party, but these are the only ones I can show the public. (I am so adept at catching everyone with their eyes closed-even without a flash!) Here's one of daughter Ruth that turned out pretty good.


Yeah, that's my sock bag on the end of the couch. I worked on my sock while I was partying. My family is used to seeing me knit at these gatherings.

On Sunday I felt like a Zombie. More from staying up past 1am than from drinking. I didn't drink enough to get drunk. I had every intention of doing so, but just couldn't do it. I hate paying the price the next morning. I don't know how people can do it. I feel bad enough in the morning as it is! Anyway, I felt like a Zombie, and my leg was huge and ugly. So I sat in the hug with my leg up, watched DVD's, and knitted all day-more or less. I knitted between naps. I had a hard time staying awake all day.

By Monday morning, the swelling had gone back down on the leg. What a relief. Gonna have to be really careful though. Maybe I won't hoof it all over Tulum after all.

Have a great day.

11/21/08

I Was a Bad Girl

First order of business: I heard from Heide, the winner of my contest. So the contest is officially over. Thanks to everyone who entered. It was fun!

Yesterday I went out to lunch with some friends. First time I've been able to do that since the surgery. Oh man, I had so MUCH fun! It felt so good to be out with them.

It was the first time my friends have seen the new short hair cut. They liked it! They even told me it makes me look a lot younger. Hmmm...maybe I'll keep this style for awhile. LOL!

After lunch my friend Phyllis and I checked out the new yarn shop-Coeur d'Alene Yarn and Fiber. It has officially opened! It's a fairly small shop, but oh, the yarns are so yummy! She's carrying the kind of stuff I love. Wools, silk, alpaca, bamboo, cotton-lots of natural fibers in incredibly yummy colors. She has them very well displayed too.

There was Malibrigo yarn in that shop. It's raved about on Ravelry, but, since I'd never actually seen any of it in person I didn't know what all the fuss is about. OMG! Now I know! It is so soft-softer than cashmere. Yet, it's wool. The colors are absolutely gorgeous! I could not help myself.


I need more sock yarn like I need another hole in my head. I did it anyway. I bought 2 skeins of the softest sock yarn on the planet-Malibrigo 100% Superwash Merino Wool sock yarn.

This one says the color is Rayon Vert.


I hope it shows on your monitor, but I suspect it doesn't. It's lime green with burgundy, brown, and eggplant purple. Makes a gorgeous combination.

This one is named Solis.


Teals and greens. Yum! I need to join SYA (Sock Yarns Annonymous). I will probably never be able to knit up what I already have, and yet, I bought 2 more skeins of the stuff!

I finished the first of the Opal Petticoat 1292 socks.


I love the way this stitch pattern looks with this colorway. Yum! I can hardly wait for the second one to be done so I can wear them! I did something just a little different. Usually I cast on 60 sts for socks for me, when using the basic pattern. I like my socks to fit snuggly, but my left leg-and ankle-is a bit larger than it used to be (thanks to the murderous post surgery clot) so I added 4 sts. I also added just a quarter inch to the length of the foot. So much more comfortable. It's amazing how much just a little bit can do for a sock.

I also started a scarf for Knitwits.


I'm using Fluff Print from N.Y. Yarns in Evening Blue (so soft to the touch!), and a strand of Bernat Softee Baby in Bongo Blue. This is, probably, my most favorite scarf pattern.

Cast on 21 sts, size 13 needles, K2, YO, K2tog across, ending with K1. Repeat that row over and over till you get to the length you want. Typically, it takes about 200 yards to get about 5 feet of length.

Today I am cleaning the house. Ruth is coming home from school for Thanksgiving break. She's bringing her cat, Lindy, with her. This should provide an interesting week.

Now, I leave you with a video I found on Youtube. It's titled:
Pardon Me (I didn't knit that for you)

11/18/08

The Winner Is

When Sweet Hubby got home from work last night, the first order of business was to draw a winner from his hat.

The winner is: Heide


Heide, please email your mailing address to me at dljpark AT verizon DOT net

Please replace the words AT and DOT with the proper keyboard symbols. If I don't hear from you by Friday morning, I will draw another winner.

Yesterday I made the set of beaded stitch markers I promised would be going with the sock yarn and jam. So Heide wins these too.


I used semi-precious stones for the main beads. From right to left (like knitters do it), they are Snowflake Obsidian, Crazy Lace Agate, Hematite, Botswana Agate (from Africa), Bone, and Tiger Eye.


Hmmm....sunshine this morning. I might see if I can take a walk on the Parkarosa today.

Have a good one.

11/17/08

Such a Noise!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had a really really nice weekend. On Saturday I decided I was going to spend the day being lazy and good for nothing. Sweet Hubby said he thought that was a good plan. So I spent the morning and afternoon watching old movies on tv and being artsy. I worked on another beaded ornament cover, and finished it.



I made this for my daughters future mother-in-law. Franks mother loves Christmas ornaments. She collects them, and I've heard they have quite a tree every year. So I decided I'd make her one in the kids wedding colors. That's right, turquoise and brown. They actually look pretty good together. The pattern for this cover is named Picot Bu and it's in Laura Jensens book The Beadecked Ornament Book 3.

I worked on my socks too. I'm making good progress.



I actually have the heel part in my memory now. It really speeds thing up when I don't have to dig around trying to figure out where I left my pattern.

In the evening we met the kids at the movie theater in Coeur d'Alene and watched Quantum of Solace. It's pretty good. Lots and lots of action. In fact, one feels out of breath after watching it there's so much action. I enjoyed it. But, then, I'm a James Bond fan.

After the movie, we went out to dinner. It's the first time I've been out since the surgery. We ate at Azteca, which is a sort of American Southwest Mexican food kind of place. Their food is very very good. I felt in a celebratory mood I was having such a good time.

On Sunday, it was another lazy day for me. This time, though, we watched DVD's. On the way home the night before we had stopped and picked up Kung Fu Panda and Get Smart. Everyone has been telling me I HAD to see these two movies. I'm glad we got them. They are both very funny.

Get Smart was waaaaaay better than I expected. I didn't think it could hold a candle to the original tv series, but it does. Steve Carell gave Maxwell a different personality rather than trying to mimic the original. It worked for me. There is so much visual comedy in the movie too, I couldn't even knit. I had to keep my eyes glued to it so I wouldn't miss any of the funnies.

Doug worked on his computer all day-by worked, I mean he was actually working. He was connected to his computer at work via the web. I just think that is awesomely amazing that he can do that-work from home, in the comfort of his big leather recliner, wearing his ratty old t-shirt and sweat pants.

I beaded most of the day, learning African Helix stitch. I learned it, didn't like it, frogged it, and now I'm working on a Minerva Spiral instead. I have 4 cabochons I've beaded around and not turned into necklaces yet. So thought I'd start working on that 'little' project.

Outside, all day, there was a cacophony of noise going on. Black Billed Magpies and Crows had obviously found something to be excited about in the woods not far from the house. I can't believe how noisy they were! The two are scavenger type birds. We suspect it's the carcass of a deer, or something, nearby. Normally, we'd have donned boots and jackets, and gone to investigate to make sure it isn't human (don't laugh-once it was. A guy trespassed by 5 signs onto our property on his motorcycle, slammed into a tree, and killed himself). But neither of us wanted to expend that much energy. So we pretended it didn't exist.

Some of the Magpies hung around the house for a bit, so I got a picture of one.


They're beautiful birds, and can mimic sounds like parrots do, even as far as being able to talk human words. In fact, originally, I thought it was a flock of turkeys in distress cos it sounded so turkeyish. I know I heard gobbling in the fracas. And since there's a flock of wild turkeys that come by every so often....... too shy for the camera I'm afraid.

I got bit by the Christmas bug over the weekend. I actually want to put my tree up NOW! I wonder what's up with that?

Today is the last day you can enter my contest.

Have a good day.

11/15/08

WOW! Entry for November '08




Novembers WOW! entry is another skein of Opal Petticoat, this time colorway 1292.



This yarn will be knit into a pair of socks for me. It is the last pair of socks for the Sock A Month KAL. I can't believe I will have knitted a whole year's worth of socks.

I am going to use a simple garter rib pattern. Being that the holiday season is upon us, I think something simple and brainless is in order.

I took that walk I was thinking about on Thursday. I took the boys with me. It was so beautiful out, but a bit chilly. I walked 1.5 miles. My gimpy leg started hurting about a third into the walk, but I made it go anyway. Boy, was I sore the next morning, but very proud of myself.

The boys seemed to enjoy it. Tommy especially. I wish I could have just a quarter of his energy. Morgan started to give out about a quarter mile from home. I keep forgetting he's old. I picked him up and carried him for a bit so he could have a rest.

I made a peach pie yesterday. Mmmm, was it ever good. I used canned peaches. I've never really been one to used canned fruit for pies. Don't know why. It works great. I will have to do it more often.

It's Saturday today. I'm gonna be lazy and useless.

Have a great day.

11/13/08

First Xmas Gift Done

Enter My Contest

I was going to title today's entry The Shop That Won't Die, but then I finished the Deep Forest socks last night.



Pattern: My basic top-down 2-circular needle sock pattern with the following stitch pattern for the leg and instep:

Rnd 1- 8: K2, P2.
Rnd 9 & 10: Knit.
Rnd 11 - 18: P2, K2
Rnd 19 & 20: Knit.

Yarn: Fearless Fibers Superwash Merino Wool Sock Yarn, 2/24 acrylic for reinforcement thread.

Color: Deepest Forest

Needles: Size 2 Addi Turbo Lace Circular.

Cast On: October 25, 2008
Completed: November 12, 2008

Comments: I really enjoyed knitting this stitch pattern. I also am quite pleased with how well the yarn I used for reinforcement thread worked. It is a 2/24 acrylic, used on knitting machines (I have tons of the stuff in my knitting room), in a deep green that blended so well you can't even tell I added it to the heels and toes-except they feel a little cushier.

Close up of the stitch pattern.


Now, on to the Shop That Won't Die. Consider this venting. As my long time readers probably know by now, I used to own my own needlecraft shop. It was called the House of Needlecraft. On January 12, 2006 I closed the shop for good.

At the time, I was very careful to make sure I did everything necessary and correctly to close the shop. I sent letters to all my vendors, even the ones I'd only ordered from once. I even called the IRS, the Idaho State Tax Commission, and the other government agencies involved in owning a business to make sure I knew exactly what forms I needed, the proper procedures for filling them out, and filing them, and whatnot. I wanted everything to go smoothly, correctly, and be done with it.

To those of you who own a business and are planning to close, be warned, it takes years before you're done with it all.

It seems, despite my efforts, very few folks I dealt with recognize the fact my business is gone. I've had the IRS demand withholding for employees I didn't have working (cos the shop is closed-gone-no one earned anything), I've had the State Tax Commission demanding sales tax for non-existent sales, the Social Security Administration keeps bothering me about how much an employee I had working for me for 3 months earned (arrgh!), the unemployment agency wants unemployment for non-existent employees, vendors keep sending catalogues, etc, etc, and now the credit card company I had a card with wanted to update their records with my current address cos the statements keep being returned (they've been sending them to the shop address, which no longer exists). They called last night, while I was trying to cook dinner.

They also wanted to know why I haven't used the card since January 2006. I distinctly remember closing that account at the time I closed the shop. I think I've finally convinced them of that. What amazes me is they had statements bouncing back to them for almost 3 years and they just now thought of calling me at home.

The stupid, it burns!

After a couple weeks of dark, dreary, rainy days it is sunny today. It's absolutely gorgeous out. I'm gonna have to see about taking the dogs for a little walk after it warms up a bit.

Have a great day.

11/11/08

Contest

Well, I took off this morning, headed to Coeur d'Alene, to check out the new yarn shop that was going to open, but Murphy's Law has hit. The shop could not open today. The computer decided to go wonky and mess everything up for the owner. So we will have to wait a little longer. At least I got to see my friend Judy. We chatted for a bit outside the store. I didn't realize how much I've missed seeing her until today. Hey Judy, we gotta get together for lunch or somethin'!

On the way into town it rained and my windshield wipers did a very poor job of wiping, so I ended up at Toyota, getting new blades. That's a good thing, to get that taken care of now.

Now, for some big news. I've decided to have a contest. Here is what will be won.


Two 50 gram skeins of Steinbach Wolle Strapaz Cotton Effekt sock yarn in the denim blues and browns colorway.


A sheep needle gauge.


A 4oz. jar of very famous North Idaho Wild Huckleberry Jam.


I will make a set of 6 beaded stitch markers too. Just haven't decided what beads and colors I want to use.


The rules:

Contest entries will be accepted from now until 5pm pacific time Monday, November 17th. To enter, leave a comment in this post. ONE comment per person. No anonymous comments will be accepted. So if you don't have a Blogger screen name, please put your name in the comment.

On Monday, November 17th I will write down the screen names of everyone who has entered on little pieces of paper and have Sweet Hubby draw the winning name from a hat.

I'll announce the winner on Tuesday, November 18th. That person will then need to email me, within 4 days, their mailing address so I can send them their prize. If I don't hear from them, I will draw another winner.

Have a great day!

11/10/08

Keepin' My Fingers Crossed

There is a new yarn shop that is opening in Coeur d'Alene, ID tomorrow. It's called Coeur d'Alene Yarn and Fiber and it's address is 2433 North Government Way, CDA. I have every intention of visiting it tomorrow.

Recently I contacted the owner by email and asked if she would consider me to teach knitting in her shop. She's said yes. So, although until I'm actually sitting there with students in front of me I'm not sure, I'm hoping it's true. It's one of the things I miss the most about not having my shop anymore. I love to teach knitting. Especially the beginners. It's wonderful when they 'get it'. So, here's keeping my fingers crossed for a new teaching job.

I had a good weekend. On Saturday Sarah asked me to go shopping with her, so we wandered around Silver Lake Mall for a few hours. I had a really good time, even though I didn't find anything I wanted to buy. I enjoy being with my daughters so much. They are wonderful people. In the evening Sarah and Frank came over for dinner. I made roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy, and string beans. It turned out very good. Even the gravy was good! I usually make terrible gravy, but I think I've figured it out now. Cos it was really good gravy.

On Sunday I took it easy, giving the leg a chance to recover from Saturday's wanderings. I did some knitting and some beading. Then we went over to my brother-in-laws house for dinner.

The weather has been dark, drab, and wet, but not snowy. In fact, it's been so dark that today I have turned on the lights of the Christmas Garland I put up last year along the center beam of the house and never got around to taking down. It required the use of a ladder, which I wasn't willing to deal with having a hernia and all. Besides, it was so pretty up there I decided I wanted it to stay. I just haven't been turning the lights on that are in it. It looks very bright and festive. It's helping with the drab dark immensely.

Yesterday I ordered some new Christmas lights for our tree. I've been wanting some of those multi colored mini lights that have the programmed function that makes the lights flash certain patterns-like chasing, twinkle, and slow glow. The very first Christmas we celebrated we had some of those and they were so cool, but they eventually croaked and I had to throw them out. Been looking for replacements ever since. No one seems to carry them in the stores around here, so I've resorted to mail order. Sylvania makes some that I thought I'd try out. I've ordered them from Amazon.com.

11/7/08

Winter Has Arrived

We got our first snow yesterday.

It started out sunny and nice, then dark clouds moved in and it started raining. About 2:45 pm the rain turned to snow. The slushy fat-flaked super wet kind of snow. It snowed pretty hard until dark (around 4:30). After dark it actually warmed up outside-warmer than it had been all day, and rained all night long-melting the offending white slushy stuff away. I'm sure it won't be long before it finds a way to come back though.

The cats pretty much spent the day either sleeping, or staring out the windows and glaring grumpily. They hate snow. The skiers of the family are celebrating. They're getting lots of snow in the mountains this week. That means possible Thanksgiving skiing.

I finished another beaded ornament cover.


The pattern for this one is in Laura Jensens book The Beadecked Ornament Book 2. As you can see, I used some Hematite crystals, as well as size 11 seed beads in the hematite look (I call it silver black), ecru, and silver. Lets see, there's also some 8mm glass pearls, 6mm ecru fire polished crystals, 6mm smoky topaz crystals, size 8 silver seed beads, 3mm round silver beads, and 6 antique plastic black buttons.

I love Laura Jensens books. They are very well written, easy to understand, and have nice clear graphics. The designs are so pretty. I wish she'd write some more.

I am somewhat bothered by my newly gimpy leg. The swelling has not gone down all the way. It's still about 1.5 times larger than my right leg, and if I walk for any length of time it swells up more. When I get up in the morning it feels weird. There's a throbbing ache in the back of my thigh, and my calf feels like it's had charley-horse-like cramps in it. I hope it continues to heal, and doesn't stay this way. I wish I knew someone else who had/has this problem so I could ask them questions and get some advice. Phooey! It sucks. But, I suppose I should be thankful I can walk. A few weeks ago I couldn't.

More rain for today, and the next week, and possibly snow too. I'm glad I have knitting, beading, counted cross stitch, and all the other creative things I love to do. They help me get through winter when I can't stand to go outside.

Speaking of knitting, I've finished the first of the Deep Forest socks and cast on for the second one. I'm really enjoying the stitch pattern I'm using. It's fun.

Have a good day.

11/6/08

Pics From the Parkarosa

Just thought I'd share some pics I took this morning around the Parkarosa.

First is the promised pic of the recently finished beaded ornament cover.


This pattern is from a PDF download book I purchased called 5 Holiday Ornament Covers by Glenda Payseno and Jann Mulhauser Designs. It's cover number 4. I did the whole thing as instructed at first, but it was way too big for the ornament. After doing a bit more reading in the book I discovered they'd used Czech 11's, whereas I used the Japanese 11's which are slightly larger, so I took the bottom 3 rounds of netting off and adjusted things a bit with the last dangle round. I also added small dangles above the larger ones cos the space was so large it needed something. I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. I especially like the peyote stitch collar that it starts with (which I've just realized doesn't show in the photo--oops!).

This book, by the way, is very well done. Nice large graphics, easy to understand instructions. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves making ornament covers.

I used size 11 beads in matte silver lined white, pearl white, transparent a/b pale teal, matte silver lined dark teal, and silver lined topaz. I also used some pearl white size 2 bugles and size 6 teal firepolished crystals.

This morning we had the most beautiful sunrise I've ever seen in all the years we've lived here. My camera did a wonderful job of catching it. (Click on it to see a larger version)


Look at all those purples, pinks, corals, oranges, reds, yellows.....wow! Mother Nature knows how to put on a show.

Just as I was sitting down to start working on todays blog post a woodpecker came to the bird feeder. It really had to work hard hanging there to get the seeds it wanted.


Finally, the clouds that have been hanging over the nearby mountains (less than a mile away) since Tuesdays rain finally have lifted, and what do we have? The first snow of the season.


I did go to my Knitwits meeting yesterday. Oh wow, it was so nice! Everyone had missed me, and had been worried about me, and were so glad to see me. It made me feel so loved. I've been a member for about a year and a half and I'm finally really feeling like part of the group. I've made new friends this past year. That is so cool! It felt good to get out of the house for something that wasn't medical related too. Just fun, conversation, and lots of laughter.

Well, that's it for today.

Have a good one.

11/5/08

Proud of My Country

Last night Sarah and Frank came over for dinner and we watched the election coverage on ABC. It was an awesome night. I am so proud of the people of the United States of America right now. Yes, we CAN!

Besides the election, other things went on yesterday.

First was the phone call at 7:30 am from Expedia to tell us that our all-ready-paid-for Frontier flights to and from Cancun, Mexico have been canceled and we needed to call such and such 800 number to make other arrangements.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

That pretty much was my reaction. I emailed my sister-in-law Sue (we're traveling together) to alert her to the problem and she got right on it. She bought her tickets direct from the airline, so she called them and they made wonderful arrangements on another airline at no extra charge. She then called me and gave me the information on the flights they had.

I then called Expedia and was helped by their customer service guy named Dennis. He spent a great deal of time working on getting us the same flights as sis-in-law Sue's. Even went so far as to actually call Frontier airlines cos the flights I wanted weren't listed on the Expedia computer. Thank you Dennis! You are an angel! And I highly recommend Expedia for your trip planning. They have great customer service.

Yesterday morning, after I'd sent off my panicked email to Sue, I was patiently waiting for the coffee maker to finish brewing my much needed cup of decaf and watching the news on TV when Sweet Hubby said "What's that?"

"What's what? I asked.

"There, in the window" he said.

I looked out the living room window and what did I see? A rather large brown nose, practically pressed against the glass. A curious little moose was staring at us! I grabbed my camera, but it trotted off as soon as it realized we'd spotted it. It was an awfully small moose. So I figured there had to be a momma around somewhere. Taking my camera and my paint pistol with me, I headed out the sliding glass door to the upper deck to scope things out (telling Tommy I was going to the kitchen for a cup of coffee so he wouldn't know what I was up to. He hates moose.). This is what I found.

Momma Moose

As you can see, there is a lot of water on the deck. That's cos it was raining like crazy. In fact, it rained like crazy all day long. What's she doing? Sucking the water up off the deck!

Thirsty Momma Moose

I cracked up laughing. I've never seen or heard so much slurping sounds as she was making. What's more, she wasn't the least bit bothered by me being this close to her. Actually, I got closer. I stood at the top of the stairs and emptied my whole paint gun onto her rump, side, thighs....she never stopped sucking. It's as if I wasn't even there as far as she was concerned.

So I took a pic of her companion.

Curious Baby Moose-very camera shy

Baby was far more afraid of me than Mom was, which is a good thing. Right after I took the above pic, I dropped the paint gun--and it broke!!! This startled Momma enough that she trotted around the corner of the deck to put a bit of distance between us. I snapped this picture, then the two of them took off into the woods at full speed.

"You're making us nervous!"

I picked up the pieces of my gun and went back into the house, where I presented them to Sweet Hubby. He fixed the gun for me. It's working great now, and fully loaded for the next visit.

I have finished another beaded ornament cover. I will post pics of it tomorrow. It was too dark yesterday to get good pics, so I will take them today-assuming it's a little brighter.

Today I am going to the Knitwits meeting. I have missed 2 months and I am looking forward to it very very much. I will be taking Pierre the Pirate and the Opal 1296 baby socks with me. I'm also taking dessert. It's my turn. I bought some really delicious cookies cos I didn't feel like baking anything.

Have a great day!

11/3/08

Arrrr...There Be Pirate!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you:

Pierre the Pirate



A close up of his hat.



A cute face.


Pattern: Pirate from Knitted and Felted Toys by Zoe Halstead.

Yarn: Assorted worsted weight acrylics.

Needles: Size 5 addi turbo circular.

Cast on: June 4, 2008
Completed: November 3, 2008

Comments: This was easy to knit, but a challenge to put together.

I made a couple changes to the pattern. First, I used worsted weight yarn and size 5 needles instead of sport weight yarn and size 3 needles. It made him about 17 inches tall. Second I added a nose with short rowing.

If I had it to do over, I would make the nose about 3 or 4 rows lower. Eyes should have been closer to the center of the face. Didn't leave me with very much forehead to work with for the hair and hat (which is why the hat is back a bit far on his head).

I also finished this Christmas ornament cover over the weekend. The pattern for it is in The Beadecked Ornament Book 1 by Laura Jensen.




Finally, Tommy was doing something cute this weekend. He was sleeping.


Have a good day.

11/2/08

Please sir, may I have some brains?

There are days when I wonder if there is any of the grey matter in my head at all. Take this past week for instance.

I have been working on assembling Pierre the Pirate. However, the Hat instructions have frustrated me to no end, which is why he's not done yet. I have not been able to figure out what it means by sewing the sides and top together. ???? If I do that, it doesn't look like a hat! Certainly not like what's in the picture. How do I put it on the head? In desperation, I even posted a question about it on Ravelry (to which I got absolutely NO replies).

This afternoon I've figured it out. I missed the all important-------> (Make 2)

Oops!

There are supposed to be 2 hat pieces. Not one. Suddenly it is all making sense.

Off to make a second hat piece.

Have a nice evening.