Just A Tad

I haven't gotten a whole lot of knitting accomplished today. I've had plenty of time but not knittin time. David and I walked down to the ponds, it is so sad. The little pond has totally dried up and the big one is so low you can see the back of the fish. And no rain in sight. And I've been cookin. Chicken Stir Fry, Brown Rice and Apple Crisp.

I had the "boys" bring my Hoosier cabinet up from downstairs. I bought this cabinet in a yard sale probably, gosh, 22 years ago for $50. A friend that finishes antiques took the paint off then finished it for my b-day one year. I've made many an apple pie on that enameled counter top. It's funny, I was showing my youngest, Jordan-22, how the counter top pulls out so you have more working space and then when you are done you can just slide it back. He said, "Mom, you've had that cabinet as long as I can remember, uh, I think I know how it works." Smarty pants. I decided it would make a fine picture/yarn holder in the living room. You can see some of the yarn and then there is a bunch more behind the big bottom door. Functional and pretty to look at. Kinda like me!!!!! Well, actually not either.

The first clue for the Secret of Chrysopolis stole came out yesterday. I've gotten just a tad done. Some unknown speed demon already has the first 178 rows completed!!!! C'est bazar!!!!! The pattern is gorgeous and I am loving my yarn choice, Knit Picks' Shadow in Campfire Heather. This one is going to be beautiful. It isn't too late, mosey on over and join the fun.

The Lady In Black

I thought I was going to have Sara & Matthew's Hemlock finished and blocked to show you. However, I am lacking about 100 stitches worth of yarn to finish the cast off. So, alas, I've ordered an additional skein. It should be here next week and I'll have it finished by the wedding which is the 13th of October.

We had chosen and purchased the dress I was going to wear but after thinking about it Sara and I decided it was really too formal. So we went back to the store and found the absolute perfect one. Mind you it is black but black is my signature color. I have a lot of black, love black and want more black.

Several years ago while substitute teaching, I was in this particular 4th grade class quite a bit, in fact I filled in while the teacher was out on her honeymoon. At some point when I had just been in the class this one little fart of a boy, Bruce Butt (yes, real name), told his teacher, "Ms. Hensley, Mrs. Sturgeon is a witch." The teacher asked what would make him say such a thing and he said, "Well, she wears black all the time and have you ever seen when she raises her eyebrows? Her eyes just glow." I have to admit, I am one of those people that you can read via their eyes. What Mr. Butt was experiencing and had discovered my children have stated since birth.

In fact, when Aaron was a teen he had a friend over for the night. The friend started getting kinda loud and Aaron told him to cool it cause they were going to wake up his dad. The friend shrugged and kept doing whatever it was he was doing. Then Aaron said, your going to wake up my mom. The friend settled down and never made another peep.

It's all in the eyes!!!!!!!

Anyways, here is a picture of my dress. It is so yummy, I can't wait to wear it!!!!

Yummy Things

Today I received my Harry Potter Swap package. Oh my, it was full of goodness. A really gorgeous gold satin lined knitted bag with whatelse the Gryffindor lion design. My favorite bamboo dpns in size 1 from Crystal Palace, a packet of those super cool Coil Knitting Needle Holders by Clover (I ain't never used those before). Two nummy yummy candles and some adorable stitch markers. A very neat pattern from Knit Picks, "Autumn Leaves Lace Socks." 440 yards of some unbelievable yarn from Aspen Moon Arts Handpaints, Merino in Red Clay, really beautiful. And lest I forget some M&Ms. :)

Fiber Gods

The fiber gods must be happy. I think they are happy with me!!!! Why do you ask? Well remember my post about this?

Just last month I sent all that awesome, wonderful fiber off to Stonehenge Fiber Mill (oops, I'm an idiot, it is Stonehedge Fiber Mill) and yesterday I got this.
You can't see all the goodness. There is about 4 lbs of black, black, 4 lbs of a deep grey, 4 lbs of a cream and 4 lbs of a cocoa colored alpaca roving. Yummy, yummy.

That was yesterday, then today I received this in the mail. This is September's installment from Abby's Yarns Batt Club, Harvest Moon. 2 oz of 40% superfine merino, 30% tussah silk, 15% brown suri alpaca and 15% mongolian cashmere with 2 oz tussah silk all hand dyed to match. This stuff is awesome.

My boys say if we have a tragedy of apocalyptical proportions I will be ready to keep us clothed and warm for some time. Trouble is it all has to be spun and then knitted up (I don't own a loom) and I'm the only spinner and knitter in the house. Gosh, talking about pressure. We are all gun enthusiasts. We aren't hunters but in a pinch we could take care of ourselves. But, I bet the little creeps will expect me to not only cloth their sorry rears, I bet they will expect me to do all the cooking as well. Not to mention the cleaning, washing and such. I'll have to be the one that makes the candles and keeps the stinking fire going while they are out running helter skelter through the woods. They don't know crap about herbs and edible roots, that will fall on me as well. Where do they get off??????

I don't know, maybe the fiber gods aren't happy at all, maybe it is the fiber demons that are dancing a jig. Well, guess I'm going to pull another Scarlett O'hara, "I'll think about that tomarra, if I that about it today I'll go crazy." I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. But, you can be darn tootin that these people are at least going to learn to knit. Jerks!!!!!

On to happier and simpler things........Sara & Matthew's engagement photo.

Rockin The Block!!!!

Yesterday our church had our 2nd Annual Rock The Block Party. This year we held it at the Bowling Green Regional Airport. It was wild believe me. We held our morning service out there. We are talking hot people. I think it was around 95 or so. The festivities were from 10:30 am to 6:00 pm. With live bands, a power team (you know, big boys breaking concrete blocks with their foreheads and Louisville Slugger bats over their knees - mega testosterone!!!!!), free hamburgers, hotdogs, cokes and such. My favorite - cotton candy, oh yeah. There were all kinds of inflatables for the kids to climb over, into and jump on. Kiddie games with prizes. And free groceries. This is a way for us, the church, to reach out to the community and show our love. There were a minimum of 3,000 in attendance. It was great, but man were we pooped. Particularly the men in my family. They had worked all day Saturday setting up and then all day Sunday playing music and making sure everything was running smoothly. And then late into Sunday night and again Monday morning tearing down.

Here are a couple pictures of the gang.



My oldest, Aaron, Emma Belle's daddy concentrating on the story he is being told.















Look are that face!!!!





I am one hot (temperature wise) and sweaty Gammy, but don't you think we look alike? I like to think so. :)

My youngest, Jordan, doing what he does best - acting silly.







And finally my stud muffin and Emma Belle's Gampy.

Proud To Be A Chicken!!!!

While on vacation we ate breakfast at the Blue Licks Battlefield State Park Lodge. Blue Lick is thought to be the location of the last battle of the Revolutionary War. I visited the gift shop and found these proud little chickens. I love chickens and have collected several over the last several years. These are a cute addition.

I also got started on Sara and Matthew's wedding gift, the Hemlock Ring throw. The yarn and needles were in my package from Knit Picks. The yarn is Knit Picks' Swish Superwash in Fired Brick. It is great. Very soft. And the needles are the new Harmony wooden needles. They are awesome. Very light and extremely easy to work with.

I'll be showing my other Knit Picks goodies later. You know, I don't want to over load you with eye candy joy.

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccccccccccccck!!!!

We got back from vacation today. We had a lovely time. I forgot the camera, so no pictures, bummer. Our first stop was Flemingsburg, KY, the Covered Bridge Capital of Kentucky. We stayed at a lovely bed & breakfast, Stockton Station Inn, Saturday and Sunday nights. Then Monday we headed to a cabin just outside of Maysville, KY. It was awesome. Nestled in the hills and woods of Kentucky, a fully furnished, modern cabin. We had several lovely walks in the woods and lots of relaxation. David read a lot and well, you can guess what I did......knitted, knitted and knitted. It was so wonderful. There are only a couple of things I would change. I would have taken more knitting with me, yeah, I know I wouldn't have gotten as much done on any one object but, I like diversity. The other thing I would change is, there wasn't cable/satellite tv. I mean really folks, how the heck am I supposed to keep up with the OJ saga? Actually, I don't watch very much tv at all, however, I am a news hound. Fox News is going practically my whole wake time. All in all it was great. I missed seeing the kids so much and when we got home our youngest, Jordan-22, had cleaned the entire main floor of the house. I mean soft scrub the tub and everything!!!! Talk about a blessing.

I finished the Embossed Leaves socks. And I have just turned the heel on the second of the Fawkes socks.









Eleven inches finished on the Tomten. It is such a joy to just knit and knit and knit without even thinking. And garter stitch is so clean looking don't you think?








When I got home there were two packages waiting on me. One was an order from Knit Picks. Lots of wonderful yarns & needles. I'll have to reveal those goodies later. :)

A couple of weeks ago my step-sister, Lisa, called to inform me she was in Provo, Utah standing in front of the "oldest yarn store in the US," Heindselman's Yarn, Needlework & Gifts. I asked her if she was going to buy me some yarn from there. I was actually joking, but, being the giving individual she is she did. This yarn is pretty neat and really strange. It is made by Raven Frog Fibert Arts in Sitka, Alaska. 150 yards of 55% mohair/45% merino wool. How cool is that?