Sunday Quotes

"There is no psychiatrist in the world
like a puppy licking your face."
by Bern Williams

(Hugo is getting big!)

and here is picture of the mushroom hat.
(still surprises me that it fits!)
Kazul does anyone in your family
want one?

Knitting: nothing new started. Did work on the Transfiguration assignment tonight. Just 4 final touches and weave in the ends. And that will be ready to post on Tuesday.

Went for a walk with Bumpkins and Hugo, pulled Bumpkins behind me on the sled. She had a blast! Took another 2 block walk with just Hugo tonight. Hope he sleeps well.

Bumpkins decided to give Athena a bath today, even after I told her no. She went into the bathroom and shut the door. I heard splashing, but didn't think anything of it until I heard meowing. Poor kitty! Rescued almost in time. Her back end was a little bit soaked, Bumpkins reasoning was "I smelled her and her stinks. Her needed a bath."

It snowed several inches... so Tuesday DH will have to snowblow if it snows anymore.

mmmm... tomorrow will make a sweet tater pie. might also make a pumpkin pie. Bumpkins also wants cookies. Candy Cane cookies- I think what she wants is the sugar cookie that is in the shape of candy canes (alternating white w/red).

Saturday Sky and yard

Saturday evening sky...

not sure why my late evening shots are always blue.

the road in front of my house
sunset 4:40 pm

and blogger lost my next picture!

Knitting: finally finished DH's mushroom hat. It was supposed to have been a fast knit, but didn't have much time to knit this last week. Was surprised that it fit him.
specifics:
Cast on November 14 using the Norwegian Cast on (which I really like! best tutorial is over in Youtube).
US 8 DPN's and Paton's Merino Wool.
Did 88 stitches and forgot the stockingnette row between the color change.

finished November 22 2008

this is for my House cup Herbology homework- make something in plant pattern. Now to finish find the item I am making for Transfiguration.

Been busy this last week, work and attempting to clean the house ie.. wash laundry mountain.

Supposed to snow tomorrow but today was chilly 7 F.

ETA: a chicken tractor will only be used during the summer. Raise the poor critters for fall butchering, will way to difficult to attempt to overwinter chickens.

Strange Stuff Tuesday

And this is really strange....
any guesses?

it is a homemade swift that DH
manufactured for me to go w/my
new ball winder.

Knitting: finished the Hannah hat. hoping that it is acceptable for charms. This month's challenge was to knit/crochet something that opened and closed. So for those of you in Ravelry it is a free pattern.

Specifics:
Cast on Sunday November 9 2008. Used US 10 and Jiffy Mohair color Denver.
Finished Tuesday November 11 2008.
Fast knit. Unbutton buttons put over head and ponytail. Secure buttons under the pony tail. No more mussed up hair from your hat.

And who wants this one?

Still working on the Transfiguration item. not going to get done tonight.


Well I am back to work tomorrow, had an excellent mini vacation. Didn't get the bathroom re-wallpapered, or get the house cleaned up. Or even finish up this quilt. But did build another snowman today with Bumpkins (no picture as Bumpkins decided to give the poor thing a hug which resulted in the nose falling off. After not listening to me about leaving it alone, she succeeded in knocking the whole head off. After rebuilding the head, Hugo decided to knock it over.)

Bumpkins and I also made Monkey bread again. If you get the chance to try the new caramel apple pie filling do give a go. It is delish! We had it on cancakes (pancakes) and also in the monkey bread.

Have a good week folks, it is good to be back!

Random Website Monday

And here is my Fashion First Aid bag.
large enough for the laptop.
used 3 skeins of red red-heart yarn.
(none of them are of the same dye lot).
anybody takers for it for Christmas?

Knitting: been working on 2 projects still. Hope to have them both near completion by tomorrow press time. Having a blast w/the Transfiguration project.... me thinks Princess won't be to thrilled with it though.


nothing else is happening. Did spend 45 minutes cleaning out the mini van- got 2 bags of trash, a huge load of my laundry (3 swimming towels and 3 work uniforms). there is still more in there but at least now I am not afraid of stuff falling out when the doors open. Also put up the bike trailer - finally the temps were balmy 30 F.

Very odd weather day- this morning when walking Hugo. It felt warm, until a gust of wind sent ice and dust impaling into the back of my legs. Yes I was wearing shorts, jacket, hat and sorrels. You could literally hear the wind howling, Hugo had a difficult time doing his business. We then went inside and hunkered down. By 10 am the sky was clear and the wind had died way down. Very nice day outside.

Random website: Now lets see.... for an interesting cultural experience go to Living the Travel Channel. Tell her Kazul's sis sent you.

Sunday Quotes

" I don’t have pet peeves,
I have whole kennels of irritation."
Whoopi Goldberg

a washcloth...
and if you flip your computer screen upside down
you can see the M for Scorpio.
this was an assignment over in the House cup.

This is the cake that DH and Bumpkins made.
it was yummy!

knitting: am working on another House Cup Assignment- one is for charms. And the other is for Transfiguration. The transfiguration will require it's very own blog spot. Will say that steeking and felting were involved.

Today was a low key kind of day.

Now to answer some questions. No we don't have an electric car. Up here and in the Northern Climes of Canada, we plug our cars in to prevent them from freezing up. Some people have block heaters that circulates the water around the engine and others have oil pan heaters which heat up the oil. Further North the cars are left running 24 hrs a day- to prevent them from freezing completely. Thankfully I have never lived where it has been that cold, last winter I guess the tires froze on some cars. And that made some interesting driving- the tires had big old flat spots until they were unthawed. Hope that this clears up some misunderstandings.

Sunday Quotes

The three little kittens they found their mittens,
And they began to cry,
"Oh mother dear, see here, see here
For we have found our mittens."
an excerpt from the Nursery Rhyme
3 Little Kittens

Knitting: finished these mittens for Bumpkins.
Specifics: Lion Brand Homespun yarn, pattern Family of mittens by Lion Brand. (you will have to register w/that website to view pattern).
Knitted on US 5 needles for cuffs, made longer than pattern called for.
Knitted US 7 for remainder of the mittens.
Only took around 2 weeks to knit up (they are extremely fast knit).

Lots of long work hours for me.

Bumpkins now growls like a cat when her hair is washed. On one hand it is funny, she must have heard Athena growling many times!

Our furnace was serviced on Friday (and now there is no heat in the back 1/4 of the house). Think I will be calling them on Monday.

Temps have been in the mid 20's. Friday morning was beautiful, with the full moon. Perfect for skiing (just not enough snow).

Dinner was Brawts, homemade preztels and veggies (did you know that if you don't add enough water to the veggies before microwaving, they will dehydrate. And lots of margarine won't rehydrate them.)

Sunday Quotes on Monday.....

"I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep.
That's deep enough. What do you want, an adorable pancreas?"
-Jean Kerr
Some fingerless gloves that I knitted up in September.
Used a full skein of Twister by King Cole.
lovely soft yarn- want more.
(60 yards) Easy pattern
Knitted rectangle in garter stitch pattern
then sewed up the sides leaving a gap for the thumb.

These will be DH's for Christmas.
(Kazul or Princess you like/want?)

Knitting: Almost finished w/Bumpkins mitten, 2 more rows than then the finger decreases.


It is late so I will leave you with this link. Strange but funny especially with sound.

Weather: it is snowing again...... possibly another couple of inches. Wonder if this stuff will melt also. Snow tires get put on on Friday.

Strange Stuff Tuesday

Wow it has been almost forever since I last posted...
do I have any readers left?

Any ways can anyone guess what this is?
(besides a dead plant).

Hugo is keeping me very busy. Missed a cute photo op the other night- he got his head stuck in the cat door. So cute. (he now avoids the cat doors). Took him into the vet and he weighs about 15 lbs. And the reason for going to the vet... well I will not tell you the whole gruesome/nasty story, suffice to say that the poor pup has worms. Oddly the breeders didn't deworm the pups before giving them new homes, so unfortunately DM now has to Deworm her 2 dogs.

DH and I had a date night last Saturday night, DM watched Bumpkins. They had a lot of fun. DH and I went to dinner at a local Brewery, DH had an awesome steak sandwich and I had a pizza. Good food and relatively inexpensive. The place takes no reservations, and we went on Soldotna's Homecoming. Afterwards we went to Mykels to listen to Dave Unruh play, DH ended up playing a tune or two. And when we went to leave, DH left a business card. Yoo hoo! possible business coming our way. Danger Pig (the band) is no longer together, but DH is getting a lot more students.

Thing 2 has gotten his license, and tomorrow actual documentation from DMV. So he will be driving Thursday. No more pick up and delivery.

Big milestone: since getting Hugo (who sleeps for now in a laundry basket by my bed) Bumpkins is sleeping EVERY night in her little crib converted into a toddler bed.

Knitting: have finished hand sewing the lining into the purse and am now working on the handle/strap.

Crocheting: see above- made for the House Cup that I am enrolled in over in Ravelry. Any takers for who wants it for Christmas? Thinking that filled w/catnip and suspended from a pole or something it would be an ultimate cat toy.


strange stuff: Now what haven't I posted yet? A duct tape wallet.

Saturday yard

The 1.5 qts of strawberries we picked
from our yard.
Finished!
Paw Cozy
For the Ravelympics.

Close up of the cables.
First time doing cables

Specifics:
Cast on August 8 during opening Olympic ceremonies 6:30 pm Alaska time GMT -8
Finished 8:30 pm August 9.
used US 7 and US 8 dpns
Used worsted weight Stash Acrylic
Made it shorter than called for as DM's retractable leash is the itty bitty size. Also did a 3 needle bind off instead of the button flap for more cold protection. (hoping the little hole left in the tip is big enough for the leash to go through). Had a lot of trouble keeping stitches on the needles as they kept falling off.

Thing 2 lost the game score was 8 to 6. Hard game w/refs preferring the other team over Kenai.

Not much blogging as I have been watching the Olympics and trying to recover from having a sore back.

ETA: Thing 2 graduated from High School! We got a graduation announcement in the mail- he looks good in his cap and gown. What an accomplishment that was.

Saturday Sky and Sunday Quote

"Softly the evening came."
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Sunset
(actually this was July 18, Thursday night at 11:45 pm)

My Kool Aid dyed yarn... in hanks
apricot acrylic wouldn't take dye,
gray now green w/2 pkgs of lemon lime Kool aid
Natural Mar now pink w/1 pkg of Slammin kiwi strawberry
and one pkg of watermelon cherry

a close up of the pink.....
there is some places that aren't as pink
but pretty good job for first try and home dye stuff.

Finished project
Swamp Witch Scarf

Knitting: finished up the Swamp Witch Scarf.
Specifics: yarn1 skein of black fun fur, 1 skein of white fun fur
1/2 skein of white acrylic and 1/2 skein of black acrylic
Cast on 12 w/US 19 needles
Garter stitch 4 rows than followed pattern until almost out of yarn.
sold for $30.00

Cast on for another pair of socks, this time as a test knitter. Interesting pattern. Be sure to check it out when she releases it. (will let you know when)

Been cleaning a lot this weekend and just relaxing.
Weather has been super nice high 60's F. And sunny, had to convince Bumpkin's that it was ok to be outside. Her favorite thing to say is "Daddy says no, go inside".

Strange Stuff Tuesday

The quilt square...
Thank you Kazul for helping w/the background.

Bumpkin's leggings..
And she will wear them.
Last night was a little cold and she put them on.

Knitting: nothing new.
Sewing: Have cut out almost 1/2 the blocks needed for my newest quilt. After cutting last night realized that 48 blocks weren't needed.. the whole quilt was 48", so that meant 64 blocks. Hopefully I have enough print material for the last 8 squares.

I go back to work tonight. Ugg. 5 pm to 10 pm, DM is watching Bumpkins as DH has to be at work at 10 pm.

That is about all folks, laundry, quilting and work.

Strange stuff: All pets need a home including your pet rock. And if you are having trouble finding a Pet rock this link might help. Very interesting if you read the whole article all the way through.

Random Website Monday

And this is the mini sock that I made
using embroidery floss and US 1 dpns.
(yes complete w/a mini clothespin).
Knitted up in Ravenclaw colors

Knitting: Attempted to cast on for another mini sock this time in purple. But having a dickens of a time w/it. Will try again later.
Sewing: nothing new today. Maybe a bit later.

Boring Monday, laundry, tire swap (winter tires to summer), library to return books not check any out :( Kind of chilly windy outside so no playing in the garden for me.
The tornado that was reported last week wound up being a williwaw. Did a lot of damage to airplanes and signs.

Dinner: was sherperd's pie. Turned out really good. Used the leftover roast from last night, 4 potatoes, several carrots mixed it together in a large baking dish. Over that poured 2 c water that had 3 beef bullion cubes dissolved in it and 1/3 c au jus concentrate (could have used 2 cubes instead of 3 as it was on the salty side). Covering all that was 9 servings of mashed taters. Baked at 350 degrees for a about an hour- the chopped taters and carrots were still kind of crunchy. But it was good and filling, even Bumpkins ate it and she doesn't like potatoes.

Random Website: This is a continuation of yesterday being Mother's Day. Word of caution not for the faint of heart (Bumpkins watched some of it, but DH said that it was wrong). Kitty giving birth to kittens video.