Thrift store find.....

This is what came home from the thrift store....

a baby bunny.
it's name is
either Betty or Lily.
can't decide yet and she is breeding stock.

(hope she makes it through the night,
even though daytime temps are high 60's
night time is still running 30's).
and she is maybe 4 weeks old,
a wild caught bunny.

Athena thinks that this critter
is better than the chickens.

Athena checks out what Bumpkins has....

Was another beautiful day,
so i put the chickens outside in
an enclosure.
upon arriving back home discovered that
they all escaped from it.
Thankfully no eagles ate them while they
were free.
(and they are sleeping very good tonight to).


Bought seed taters to go in the big barrels that DH
got yesterday.
2 reds for new potatoes
4 of a yellow variety.
also bought pea seeds
and let Bumpkins pick out the bean seeds.
Yep you guessed it....
we are going to attempt
to grow purple beans.


well it is late and i best be getting to bed.
night all.

random website: How to chit potatoes. makes perfect sense to me. but i think i will be planting small whole potatoes.

Random Monday

Well not much going on here. Except we did get to go outside for almost 30 min tonight. Finally got Bumpkins to sleep before 10:30 also. DH was fired from his job, so cleaning house is more doable. Before someone was always sleeping, so doing chores and getting Bumpkins to bed at a decent time was not happening. Hopefully something will come forward soon. DH did contact the Army recruiter and the recruiter response as to why he hasn't gotten back was "the internet system was down and everyone was out on leave for Christmas".

Knitting; today's knitting was working a BOM square. 12" square of double moss stitch. Am using US 10 needles and Paton's Decor yarn. I really like how the decor feels in my hands, soft. It is a wool/acrylic blend.

Did errands today and went grocery shopping. Bumpkins asked if we were going shopping and I replied that we already did. She said "3 Bears not shopping, no cookie!"

Dinner was a 10 USD pizza. Very large.

Random website: For those of you not in Alaska, check out this wonderful site.... Bookcrossing it is everywhere! (but Alaska). Very similar to geo-caching but w/o a gps and you get books in return. Kazul there are lots of drops in the area in which you now live.

ETA: and if you thought we were cold the last few weeks, people up in Fairbanks had -40 and there were others who had -52. With wind chill -60. Now that is COLD!

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 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.

Random Website Monday

yet another quilt from the quilt show.

Knitting: Nope nothing...
Was scheduled to have training today Life guard Olympics. But that got canceled- thankfully as I have yet another sinus infection. This is the last week for swim lessons. And i couldn't be more happier.


Random website: A very funny kitty video clip. (plays for just over 2 min long)

Random Website Monday

Kool Aid dyed yarn hanging on the dog run.

attempting to hank the Kool Aid dyed yarn

The Kool Aid dyed yarn in a hank.
(kazul please help name it.)
specifics:
2 package of Cherry (makes a deep red!)
2 packages of blue raspberry lemonade (makes a cotton candy blue)
1 package of watermelon cherry (makes for a dark pink/light red)

Knitting: still not very far on Princess's present.

My back is so much better today. So today was spent playing catch up on laundry and other things that have been slacked off on because of my back. Was able to hang up most of the laundry outside to dry today because of the hot temps. 63 F. After Dr. this am and then running Thing 2 to Football at 3:30 really didn't do much else. (besides Kool Aid dyeing yarn).

I am tired so off to bed I go.....

Random website: go here for Olympic coverage.

Random Website Monday

bumpkins stirring our latest
batch of "eyebrowns".

Another quilt from the quilt show..
a friend made up this pattern.
(If you do a close up, you can see
a bear, fish, cabin)

Knitting: am going to finish up the foot part of the sock tonight.

Today was a busy day... first got up and made phone calls so Thing 2 could get a physical for football. While making those arrangements got another phone call from work saying that there was training today. Didn't make it to that. Honestly didn't think that there was training because we had it last week. Got Thing 2 to practice went grocery shopping and the library (still no Kool Aid swap package). Came home and lounged. Made pizza for dinner. DH picked up Thing 2 from practice and went to DMV for a drivers permit renewal. Now the only things still up in the air is waiting for a phone call from Red Cross and to determine where to take my car to for a new windshield. And waiting to see what happens w/DH's new band. So how was your Monday?

Think a trip outside is in store for all of us.

Weather turned nice and sunny.

Random website: It is absolutely cute pictures of animals. (appropriately called Cute Overload!)

Random Website Monday

the dress I am making for Bumpkins,
the front.....

The back...
(complete w/ Bumpkins saying "I Cute!")

Knitting: the above dress is a Ravelry download pattern that is being heavily modified.

Quilting: stayed up until 3:30 making blocks for the border of the Round Robin quilt. Still more work to go on it.

Sent a Resume' out for DH today- will see what comes about on it. Today is a sunny day! Temps in the mid 60's. Still can't convince Bumpkins to go play outside- she is such a girly girl. Yesterday while we drove over the bridge, she had an absolute meltdown. Over a skitter being in the back of the car w/her. She screams bloody murder if a Carpenter Ant is on the stairs w/her. And her brothers don't want her to be a girly girl- they think it is me that makes the girls that way.

Random website: And because you have always wondered about their site.... Glaceau Water- Hydrate Responsibly.

ETA: Didn't realize there was a rainbow in the Saturday sky until Boogeyman's Wife commented about it.

Random Website Monday

Everybody has a job to do...
(the pooper scoopers from the parade).

A new Bistro in Kenai.....
"The Funky Monkey"

Knitting: nothing finished. The chenille is very hard to frog because it likes to stick back upon itself.

Sewing: nothing today.

Another rainy day, so no outdoor play group today. Went grocery shopping instead and the big purchase of the day was.... door knob protectors. You know the ones that stop chilluns from opening the doors. Well Bumpkins doesn't like them- she thinks the doors are all locked (from both sides!)

Well that's about all folks.

Random website: And what time is where? One of the official Greenwich Meantime Converters.

Dinner: baked potatoes, with cheese, broccoli and sour cream. Bumpkins ate carrots, broccoli and sour cream and a 1/2 pint of chocolate milk.

Another recipe: Cornish Game hens stuffed with 1/4 of an apple and glazed an orange marmalade mixture. 2 T orange marmalade, 2 T soy sauce, 2 T Teriyaki sauce and 2 T butter. Heated up in micro until warm and melted then spread 1/2 of glaze over 2 game hens and bake uncovered at 325 for 1 hr. After 1/2 hour spread more glaze over hens. This also can be prepared in crockpot- just use more liquids.

Strange Stuff Tuesday

Another quilt from the show....

A close up of a circle...
looks like a center of a flower...
but look closer
it is a FACE!

Knitting: am done with the yoke of the baby sweater- now to do the lacy body. Attempted to cast on for another Swamp Witch Scarf, that was frogged when the fun fur knotted up on itself. So wound that all into one largish ball (2 skeins of fun fur and 2 skeins of acrylic- black and white).

Quilting: discovered a way to make the quilt border... you know that you have been looking at quilt books to much when you dream about putting different quilt squares together.

The second set to swim lessons have started. Soon we will be 1/2 through the summer. Well best be off to straighten out the house for bed and then it is time to hit the sack.

Weather: sunny and 60's F.

Random website: Finally a site that shows a person the proper way to husk/shuck corn.

Strange stuff: A very scary site... the Worst Quilt Wannabes. Do you have one to enter?

Sunday Quotes and Random Website

Anyone can be a father,
but it takes someone special to be a dad,
and that's why I call you dad,
because you are so special to me.
Wade Boggs

The cake Bumpkin's decorated for her Daddy.

Princess and Papa....

Knitting: finished knitting a credit card envelope key chain, just needs to be felted better. Front loader washing machines just don't felt properly.

Sewing: DH's quilt is on hold until I can figure out how to quilt it.

Weather has been extremely nice- today was around 60 F. Decided it was warm enough to go outside w/o jackets on. Sunday the wind was chilly, we ate bratwurst, baked beans, green beans and homemade soft pretzels out at the picnic table.

Random website: Another you tube video.....Where does your blanket come from?

Random Website Monday

A random photo of
Bumpkins after eating chocolate ice cream.

Knitting: nothing.
Quilting: didn't finish either of the quilts and DH comes home in 5.5 hrs.

I must get some sleep, but the house is slightly messy... Athena brought in a mouse earlier today and released it. It finally was trapped in the bathroom (interesting site, put Athena and the mouse in the bathtub and shut shower doors. Athena was scratching at the tub to get out and the mouse was right under her scratching.) Bumpkins and I released it into the yard... that critter booked it away from the house! Probably shortened his life span by a day or so. LOL
Cleaned out the girls bedroom, it is so much nicer now. Threw out a lot of stuff (empty plastic bags, a pair of worn out slippers, broken backpacks, toys). Had training today so was at work by 9 am and Bumpkins went to school. She got to see a police car and now has a police badge sticker.

Random website: Just the place to go to find out what kind of bug that really is. It is a pretty creepy site!

Sunday Quotes and Random Website

Love the moment, and the energy of that moment
will spread beyond all boundaries.
Corita Kent

The carnage of Athena's bird...

And here is the poor soul.
(Just hope that it isn't the same bird that was released last week).
This was the second critter brought in w/in
2 days. Both didn't survive.
(the first was a mouse/shrew).

Knitting: finished Bumpkin's leggings finally!
Sewing: finished the quilt square, thank you Kazul for helping me figure out the background fabric. It turned out nice.

Geo caching: because everyone was asking. The first cache was hard to find (didn't know what I was looking for). The other 4 were micro caches and the first 2 were unable to find. One was broken and the last one was interesting. The places these are hidden is just amazing. DH assisted me in cleaning up the house and now my paper of coordinates is missing. And I have to log them into the geo cache website. We also only went to kid friendly sites.

And the blue sky at midnight, not sure why the camera turned the sky so blue when it was kind of cloudy. But no I didn't digitally lighten it up any that is just how the pic was taken.

Last week (Memorial Day) there was a forest fire just on the other side of the gravel pit from us (about a 1.5 mi) at the same time there was a fire out by DM's. All of them were man made starts- no thunderstorms here (and if the summer doesn't warm up we won't have any Thunderstorms!)

Random website: The top ten waterparks for 2007.. how come most of them are in Florida?

Weather: rainy cloudy and low 50's.

Sunday Quotes and Random Website

We secure our friends not by accepting favors,
But by doing them.
Thucydides
The above is the Reducio Sock Swap gift that I
received from.... Penelope Pinkwater over in Ravelry.

Knitting: finished up the scarf (will post pix this week). Nothing else has really been worked on.
Sewing: nothing. Did take out a pre-cut square so I can sew that together for my Round Robin Swap.

This weekend has been a little busy. I have started this post 3 times and now hope to finish it. Early Sunday morning DH, Bumpkins and I drove up to the Matsu Valley for a wedding. I drove as DH had had a busy last 24 hrs. (He videotaped a dance recital than went to work until 6 am). The Valley is a beautiful place, trees were already leafing out and it was alot warmer than here. We returned to Anchorage to stay w/Princess at her new condo (much nicer/ safer location then her last place). This morning found us heading out after a stop at Title Wave Books (very big bookstore, to big actually. The place was HUGE! And the knitting section was aprox 20 shelves full. Mind boggling to say the least.) Then another first for me was lunch at Popeye's- don't think that I will be eating there again. Food was okay- fried catfish and red beans and rice. Oh on Sunday Bumpkins got to see a train in action- that was way cool. We drove past it 2X's. Drove home this afternoon and after doing some laundry went grocery shopping.

Dinner: while at Princess' she convinced me to cook a dinner... so we made Manicotti. It turned out okay. Forgot to add the shredded mozzarella/ Parmesan cheese to the ricotta and spinach mixture and overcooked the shells.

Random website: Schnuffel Bunny (a YouTube video that is sung in German.. just too cute for words.) Thank you Princess.

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.

Random Website Monday

Today's knitting:
A Wee tiny Sock in Ravenclaw colors.
Fun Fur, blue acrylic and size 4 US dpns.
(cell phone is added for size comparison)
Here is the same sock inside out...
Actually it looks better!

Random Website: Because people are starting to get their gardens going... for numerous reasons the biggest is the price of food! Here are some interesting sites to enrich your soil. I would love to do the biochar one and this other one is sad but informative.

And now for another meme... this one is a word meme from over at Fiber Chics.

What is your name: Janet

4 letter word: Jump

Vehicle: Jaguar

TV Show: The Jetsons

City: Juneau

Boy name: Joe

Girl name: Jane

Occupation: Jester

Something you wear: Jeans

Food: Junk Food!

Something found in a bathroom: jammies.. (bet you thought I would say john.)

Reason for being late: Jumper cables didn't know how to use them.

Something you shout: Jeepers creepers!

And if you want to play along then you are tagged.

Random Website Monday

The first harbinger of Spring...
there is a robin
(blogger ate my post and I lost my bigger shot of the robin)

Every Alaskan child gets to play in the water with the trucks.......

DM's socks
(the gussets are now started).

Was sunny but windy out today so instead of sewing- Bumpkin's and I went out to conquer the garden. Raked it up and got a HUGE pile of old dead grass (guess that is what happens when the garden goes to seed for 3 years). The ground is still frozen under it all and there was snow on the backside. The stuff that got raked up last fall was already starting to compost and the shrews had a heyday in that last winter. Digging tunnels, while looking for the worms. No wonder we had so many critters in the house last winter. There was a Denney's right outside the house.

Had training tonight, Bumpkin's went out to DM's and played w/Obi and Mackenzie. Got home after 10:30. Filled my tank up with gas and almost had a heart attack. $71.88 for almost 18 gallons (van was running on fumes). This weekend I saw a cool little moped that got 135 mpg- DH said that 40 mph wasn't fast enough for our highways. Bummer, that thing would pay for itself in gas in no time.

Random Website: DH's website. If some of the pictures look familiar it is because they have been posted on this blog previously.

Random Website Monday

Lifting off:Higher.......

and there you have it..

complete Lift off...

and the landing.....

Knitting: rewound Bumpkin's cardigan ( it is now 4 balls of yarn- there was a knot that had to be cut.) And because everything is so depressing- I cast on for a new item. A scarf using US 11 and 2 yarns. White fun fur and black acrylic. cast on 24 and am knitting it in garter stitch using the continental technique.

Thought that I had training so went out there... no training. Bumpkins and I had fun over at Nana's. Bumpkins got to take a big girl bath, she is so comfortable in water. Lays down on her back (ok so she covers her ears so water won't get in them), rolls over (complete w/getting soap bubbles in her eyes), kicks and splashes. DM's comp had some maintenance work done on it- hope that it runs faster now.

Needed gas- good thing I got it tonight. Tomorrow it is going up to $3.99 pg tonight it was $3.89, by the end of next weekend it is supposed to be $4.10 pg. And it isn't even Memorial Day when prices usually go up. There is no rhyme nor reasoning behind these latest price increases. Told DH that we should move to Indonesia because everything is cheap over there!

Random website: Some humor over at youtube..... and only an idiot would hold something while chickens pecked at it! And here the chickens are even more aggresive.....and again the bloke sticks his hand into the feeding frenzy.

Random Website Monday

Today was a hard day on the snow people population.......
A very busy day at the bird feeder.
We had Boreal Chickadees, Black capped Chickadees
Nuthatches.....
and this guy.

While I was airing out the house....
Athena discovered the bird feeder too.

The baby booties that will fit a 12 mos. not
3-6 mos like the pattern said.
(Athena was interested in what I was doing..
probably looking for catnip).

Knitting: Many more rows on DM's sock.
Sewing: Altered a shirt for DH's coworker. DH said he couldn't even tell where the repair was made. So I am charging $15.00. That'll pay for some new bobbins. And the rest goes into a piggy bank for Crafts. Need more knitting needles.... need more yarn.... need more material.... need time to do these things!

Anyone notice the clean tabletop the booties are sitting on? Well the sewing machine table got cleared off tonight as well. Put away patterns, threw mittens away that didn't quite make a mitten. Also found the pattern for Bumpkins cardigan so now the sleeves can be started.

Random Website: The snowman website.. Yes the "man" has a site of his own!

Random Website Monday

Bumpkins first snowman.
(it is less than 5" tall).
I was informed that it needed a Hat!

Here is a close up,
the rocks are eyes,
the arms are on the back.
All done now?
NO! it needs someping...
Ahhh!
flowers for its Birthday.

Knitting: am now only 2 rows from starting Bumpkin's sleeves on the cardigan. Also have about 4" left to do on DH's scarf.

DH took the laptop w/him to work last night. So I sat down in front of the little tv and watched Battlestar Gallactica not the original series, but the latest. We are still in Season 1 of that- oh wow it is good though. Got a fair amount of knitting and laundry done.

Today was nice out and after errands, I took Bumpkins outside while the steaks cooked on the grill. She was outside for over a 1/2 hour and no the steaks didn't burn. Put them on the grill frozen and turned the flames down to low. She filled a bucket with snow and then dumped it out. Interesting picture: winter jacket, fleece hat, mittens, leggings, mud boots, shovels and a bucket. Yep and Alaskan child playing in the springtime.

Bumpkins did do a first today: Went on her first elevator ride (it scared her! the poor tyke started crying and we only went down one floor!) She is getting so big so fast! Her imaginary friend really isn't imaginary- it is her right pointer finger. Finger gets into so much trouble! After she stacks her blocks up, they get knocked down... "Finger don't do that! Finger knocked over my blocks". "Finger, go in time out". And some of my favorites "Finger took my glove off!" and "Finger did it". Just this last week the pointer finger on the other hand was named "Lolly". So now "finger" doesn't play nicely with "Lolly".

Wish I could take a pic of the moon tonight. Very pretty- crescent with just a shimmer of the rest of the moon behind it. Better start getting your seeds and soil together. Plant on the next full moon.

Random website: And for all the sci-fi buffs out there that no longer pay for cable/satellite tv.. check out this site. Sci-fi