Jun

Pre-Birthday Fun

I had the most wonderful weekend. The Mr was in town for the weekend and we went up to our friend’s Jim & Carol’s place. It was fantastic and much needed.

The Mr had his first crop of carrots to harvest and I have to tell you that they were probably the most fabulous carrots ever. Yes, those are purple carrots mixed in there.

I’m a huge fan of men in the kitchen This weekend Jim went all out for an early birthday dinner.

There were amazing steaks, fresh roasted veggies, lobster tails, cheesey rolls (which are almost the best thing in the entire world!), and cheese potatoes (see the big bowl of cheese? Yeah it was that awesome).

They got me the most awesome cake ever! I was really overwhelmed by all this because it’s been a long time since I’ve had friends do something for a birthday (because when your an adult your birthday usually falls on a monday )

Carol knit my Post Modern scarf and it came out great. She used a worsted weight alpaca and I think that this will be lovely for the colder mountain winters.

There is much more knitting on the horizon and a few new patterns I’m working on. Hopefully soon I’ll have another knit heavy post

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Jun

Scarves & A Free Pattern

I have been knitting like mad lately and all I can focus on are scarves. Weird huh? First up, I have a new pattern available. It’s an infinity scarf that’s light as air and perfectly warm. Perfect for that one skein of special yarn you have laying around.

Post Modern Infinity Scarf

Post Modern is free and available in any weight or gage of yarn.

I have also fished the Echo Flower shawl in a lovely orange worsted weight yarn.

Last weekend Sandy, Becky and I headed to Santa Barbara to visit Loop & Leaf. A beautiful shop in a shady quiet neighborhood with in walking distance of State Street. They have an amazing selection of Madeline Tosh yarns. The colors and amazing textures made me want them all!

Becky & Sand @ Loop & Leaf

I managed to restrain myself and only buy a few things.

Tosh Sock, Worsted, & Pima (in my favorite green ever) and some purple, grey, black kuani. I’m thinking at least 2 shawls are in my future.

I have also broken out the spinning wheel lately (since the Mr has been out of town). These are next up.

Thylacine Shetland

I love that these are grey based dyes because they are more heathered and not so BLINDING. I think overdying grey is pretty brilliant & unique. I’ll be watching The Thylacine for more updates.

Thylacine Shetland

I experimented a little bit and created a bulky 3 ply but now I don’t know what to do with it. What does a person do with 60 yards of bulky weight yarn?

Close up

Things are going well at home too, a little bit lonely with out the Mr around but he’s coming home this weekend and I can’t wait.

Tank has amazed me by burying his bones and treats in the back yard. I’ve never seen a dog finish the process from digging the hole, placing the bone, and covering it up. Not only does he bury but he remembers where he puts it (which is one up on me for sure.)

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Jun

Scarves & Lizards

Not much is really going on (that I can freely talk about) about these parts. I have been having a serious case of knitting ADD and have been struggling to finish one project or another. Right now I’m just looking for small victories.

Like turning this

Bee Mice Elf merino roving

Into this…

a plain stockingknit scarf to show off the lovely color changes as much as possible.

I really love this scarf. It’s so light and airy and LONG. Perfect for the transition weather or just adding a little extra warmth.

I have also finished this…

This is Shaelyn and it was an A++ knit. It was easy, fast, and satisfying. Not one glitch in the pattern that I saw and a fun knit.

I used 1 skein of Socks That Rock medium weight in 24 carat and love the results!

In other news it’s lizard breeding season apparently in my part of the country and I am having the most fun watching these little lizards battle over who’s the toughest. They arch their little backs, bounce around, and bob their heads.

The cats love it because they get to watch LOTS of lizards all over the place. I swear every step I take scares a lizard.

Tank is still doing quite fabulous. He has taught me a lot about how I project my energy and how I need to calm down and think rationally a little more. He’s taught me that not everything is a disaster and that if I just relax everything works itself out.

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Jun

A whole month has gone by with out blogging and I’m totally ashamed. I used to be an every other day blogger, but honestly, I blame it on Tank. I spend more time with him than doing anything else so I don’t have much computer time anymore. Here is a quick rundown of what I’ve been up to so I can get caught back up in the blogworld

My friend’s ranch had shearing. It was easier than I thought because they have fewer animals and are a well oiled machine!

Alpacas are not the best customers when getting shorn, they tend to scream quite a bit.

The alpaca’s are done laying down and the llamas are done standing up because they are such larger creatures.

I seem to have developed a serious case of knitting ADD because I can’t seem to focus on one project at all.

: Alpaca elbow length gloves

I’ve also been working on another circle sweater for my friend Carol. This is alpaca from her own animals and it’s so beauitful! After I’m done with this sweater I will be publishing a recipie for this sweater for free because it’s a wonderful usable sweater that’s so darn beautiful.

(Tank is a fabulous model)

Tank is doing super well, he’s so fanatastic that I feel so blessed to have been able to adopt him. He’s such a sweet loving animal that I can’t picture our lives with out him.

Tank Toes!

In other exciting news it’s been lambing season which means we have two new additions to “Two Sheep Farm”. A little ram and a little ewe (both nameless) were born to Muusta. Oreo stayed true to her prudish self and proved that she never let Hawk the ram near her. Oh well.

These are not my lambs because my lambs were camera shy

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Jun

A blast from the past…I thought this was Posted!

Well another few weeks have gone by and I have something (or many things) to show for it. First of all the in-laws (SIL, BIL, & niece) just left after a week of visiting. We all went up to June Lake, CA for a week of fishing, and mountaineering and it was FABULOUS!

The niece caught her very first fish ever and we saw a crazy ice sheet go all glacial across the lake!

I’ll tell you that Grandpa was seriously proud of his 3 year old grandaughter catching her first cut-throat trout.

Here’s a link to the video of the lake glacier!

Fishing was the main event this trip. The Mr & the FIL went out every single day and the BIL was right in there with them.

I can tell you that I probably wouldn’t be able to do this with my family but with the Mr’s it’s pretty easy. (not to say we don’t squabble, but it’s never mean).

I’ve also finished some seriously knitting. It’s sock season so here they come!

Hand spun, Hand dyed, Hand knit socks!

These are the very first socks that I have knit from my handspun yarn! I dyed it with kool aid too!

I also finished my first major crochet project!

Sunshine Afghan

I crocheted this for the niece but honestly, she wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. It cracked me up because you can’t be upset by a 3 year old not caring that you spent 30 hours crocheting a damn afghan for them. Her mom liked it and honestly, that’s all that matters.

I’ve also knit these socks. The pattern is Kalajoki and they were beautifully perfect to knit! I love everything about them.

I finished another pair of socks from Cookie A.’s book Sock Innovation. This time it was Devon and I LOVE them! They were easy to knit (much easier than they look), even though I made my fair share of mistakes.

Next up is something entirely different.

An ANTEATER! Did you know that there is no pattern out there yet for a knit anteater? Well, I may just about fix that soon.

This little guy is a prototype and I plan on doing another.

We also had our first harvest from the garden. Radishes!!!

Finally, what would a post be with out a random picture of the Tankers? (Re-Named “Tank-er-Bell” by the niece).

Mr Poopers Day Out

Posted in June 2010 …

Pre-Birthday Fun

Scarves & A Free Pattern

Scarves & Lizards

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