New Stuff

Happy Mother's Day - It's been a long time... I am trying to catch up with everything.

House still not ready - This is the rear view of the house with the sun room - we will be in the woodland area and marina will be about 100 yards away. There should be walking trails all through and they are trying to leave as many trees up as they can... lots of little flowers there today when we visited - Daffodils, Dogwood and Trilliums everywhere - so pretty! It is coming along. The insulation will be going in this week and they are getting the drywall done inside and siding up on outside. It is an energy efficient home and after twenty years of lugging firewood to heat the house we will be happy to have gas and a quick switch to turn on the heat. This will be good when it is done.

A sister got married - Congratulations Kath & Dave, we are so happy for you both!! Here is a fun photo of them... Aren't they gorgeous?? So nice to have another brother-in-law and very pleased for both of you.

A favourite uncle just passed away - my Dad's younger brother died too soon ... a very kind, generous man who had a great sense of humor and was always very supportive and loving. It has been a tough week but the "Celebration of Life" was beautiful and honest and so many people came - it was overwhelming... and so many wonderful stories. Very touching but very difficult for everyone as this was such a shock. Jim will be missed terribly. He was one of the good guys and made a big difference in the lives of a lot of folks.

Our youngest daughter just turned 19 yesterday and we are very proud of her. She has grown up to be a beautiful smart funny active young lady - She is doing great - here is a photo of her and my son ... this is one of my very favourite photos (taken a couple of years ago).

We are still living in a temporary place waiting for the new house. Lots of delays due to environmental concerns, spawning seasons, nesting times etc. It is coming along nicely though and we have met a lot of wonderful people where we are now - we are right on the beach now and the sunsets are beautiful.

Alice is loving the beach, chasing the geese and swimming. Have done a lot of knitting to get through a very difficult winter.

Have made two Girasoles (one with Araucania Aysen aran weight yarn - very soft- in pink purple colours


and another in Luxury sock weight yarn (cashmere/merino) made by Diane at Creatively Dyed who dyes awesome colours and does an amazing job with the dyed yarns





- and another Forest Canopy shawl, some socks and working on another Girasole, more socks and an Ishbel. Very happy with the yarns I'm using and lots of fun colours to brighten up a dreary winter.


It is Mother's Day today and I am finally posting back on the blog. Too many things have happened. We are also still on very slow internet. So it takes half an hour to add a photo. And hours just to post to the blog.

We made it through the winter... and still busy with typing but walking Alice each day is our favourite thing and we are enjoying this new lifestyle. Happy Mother's Day to all of you.

Lucy - Best Dog Ever

An eventful busy summer - some good, some sad - So we're still here... moving date changed to end of September so I have an extra month to sort and pack (and organize my yarn stash of course). But time is running out and between working and cleaning and packing and life stuff, it's a bit tricky. Quite the summer. It rained pretty well every day. And with "ten months of winter and two months of bad skating" (hubby's words) in this area, we SOOO appreciate the warm sunny weather. Did not get much of THAT this year. But hopefully all of you people getting the hurricanes are safe and we are all thinking of you. There was frost here yesterday morning. Gotta finish my CPH (for those of you who do not know, that is the "Central Park Hoodie" from the Knitscene magazine that so many of us have been working on and I just ADORE this pattern. Am starting another one this coming weekend - as I really want to wear it in the cooler evenings now. Here is a progress pic...It is being knit in Cascade Heathers 220 in the evergreen and is just gorgeous yarn to work with and beautiful colour. I love the cables and the pattern is really well written and easy to follow. I have blocked (I am going to have to figure out a better way to block, as had to pile all of these pieces on top of each other to fit the blocking board ) and it's all ready to seam and add button bands and hood. But need to finish the second sleeve (why is it taking SOOO long? tell ya in a minute) and get going on it. I am freezing and really want to wear a cozy cardi. Still have to work on the Kilim Shawl (can't upload the pics right now cause computer was reformatted and repaired and a lot of the stuff is GONE off my computer - I saved my "work" and some other stuff but most of my pics are gone and had to reload everything for my iTunes podcasts, songs etc. so it's been a real pain) but my take-along or "go with" project (as Sharon on She-Knits podcast says) is this pair of socks. Mostly being done in the car when out to get groceries or running errands etc. And no, not while I'm driving. Hubby and I do those things together (how boring eh? Those are our "dates" together but we like it). They are just Yarn Harlot simple socks in Becky's yarn (http://www.dkknits.etsy.com/ ) in a multi and the Blue Jean Queen sock yarn. Not much else. No time right now. I am winding yarn though and I did to join the Wollmeise Sock Club (done by lottery, so I feel LUCKY) and am pleased to have received my first shipment - so beautiful - really, the colours are just so prety and I like the pattern a lot too. Here's a little pic of the yarn Claudia sent, representative of her homeland Bavaria.

Really nice gift package - can't wait to knit with this (well, let's rephrase that... and say I can't wait to KNIT AGAIN, let alone with this yarn). I just miss my knitting time.

Oh, and I have a spindle now. So for the next post, I will tell you about SPINNING!! YAY!

Finally, after listening to so many of you talking about spinning and seeing all the blogs, I had to try it. And I'm hooked already. One time, and I'm done. I just spun my first yarn and we won't talk about that right now... as it is thick and bulky but someday I will spin skinny yarn, I just know it. (think positively, right?). So that is enough about knitting (and spinning) for now. This has been a difficult summer. With the moving packing and trying to sell the house (dontcha hate that? trying to have the house "perfect" for a random phone call where people are just going to come over and inspect your home?) so that was stressful. Youngest daughter off to University, and getting her settled (yes, I cried... you will too - just wait and see - especially when the baby one leaves, it is a bit of a shock) but now we have adjusted nicely (amazing how quickly we can adjust to quiet house with just two of us here - very pleasant actually) and focusing more on the move to the temporary place (waiting for the new house to be built and of course, there are delays, so everything will be in storage for a while - except my YARN). And our older dog "Lucy" has been sick for a couple of years, treated with medications etc. She got worse a couple of weeks ago and then last week she just went downhill pretty fast. Called the vet, explained what was happening, and the vet said she needed to come over now or the suffering would get worse and it would happen very quickly with this disease (Cushing's disease) and all of her other problems (liver, kidney, blood disorders, tumours, cataracts, deaf, severe arthritis, and a lame leg - so she basically walked on three legs and carried that fourth one - she could run, but the back legs ran as "one" leg together as if they were tied together - very cool to watch and amazing how mother nature can heal an animal and how well they adjust - no surgery because of her age and her problems, and she healed quite nicely) so ANYWAY... it was time. And our beautiful dog is not suffering now and died so peacefully outside on the grass with us and her little pup friend, and we all sat around and ate doggy treats (the dogs did anyway, we were drinking... a necessary evil at that point) and we all chatted and doggies just rested beside us and relaxed. So it was a nice way to go. And really, I am so grateful that the vet came to our home (we are rural so the vets visit the farms to tend to the animals ) and we could just ease her into it and she just fell asleep with us sitting with her. This has been her home for sixteen years and she was free here, fenced in two acres, lots of room to run and play, raised the kids, had kitty and doggy friends and we both work at home, so she had constant human company. We gave her the best life we could and she gave us back so much more, in spades... it was so rewarding having this dog in our life. And she helped raise this little dog, and train her with us... so we are very grateful. Our beautiful dog (lab/collie mix - rescued at eight weeks and lived to such a good old age) has been a wonderful enriching part of all of our lives and we will always miss her. So Lucy Jane Laver - you rest now...After a perfect dog has had a perfect life, Our beautiful dog deserves some rest.

Moving and Yarn Stash

Hello Everyone - Have not posted for a few months. During that time we listed the house and it has sold. We are moving end of August and after almost 20 years of living here, there is a lot to do. I am knitting as fast as I can to get rid of some of the yarn stash but it is IMPOSSIBLE as most of you know. So I have been winding up yarn and getting it into bags and ready for the move. Because really, as long as I have my knitting and my yarn, I can live anywhere. I will miss this house. But the kids are grown and we are off to a new place near the water and the wilderness. In the meantime, I have been busy making shawls and socks and cleaning this house and getting rid of stuff. Here is a photo of some recent socks. Hope everyone is enjoying this great summer weather finally!

New Socks!

Hello there - I have not been blogging. Sorry. But I am enjoying the knitting so much and really happily knitting my socks. Have another pair done - called the "Crosshatch Lace Socks" in the More Sensational Knitted Socks book by Charlene Schurch. I used this great yarn which you can find at Becky's Etsy shop http://www.dkknits.etsy.com/ and she will take wonderful care of you. She has so many beautiful yarns and great customer service. The Maryland S&W festival is coming up this weekend of course, so she has been VERY busy getting ready for that. You can find her on http://www.ravelry.com/ (Ravelry) too if you look for the DkKnits group - we are having a great time with our sock group! So here are the Crosshatch lace socks in "Flower Power" - nice happy bright colours to help us get over winter and into Spring! Aren't they pretty? I am really pleased with them. Tried a different heel this time and although it was easy to learn, I prefer my usual heel and toes. I also working on a Kauni (EQ Rainbow yarn) Forest Canopy shawl and have had it sitting beside me waiting patiently while I finish the socks... so I'm looking forward to working on that and getting it done. I have some beautiful purple/navy Kauni also for the next one. And more socks to do. I think the spring cleaning has cut into my knitting time. Gonna have to do something about that. Maybe not clean anymore? hmmm... I am reading about spinning and spindles and spinning wheels and combed top and roving. Oh-oh. I think I am obsessed. I guess I'm moving on to the next stage people often talk about. It just happens. I had no control over it. I was knitting away happily and listening to my podcasts (oh, that might have something to do with it, a lot of the podcasters talk about SPINNING) and then I really really wanted to learn how to spin. And weave. A loom looks really interesting. I think I'm going to have to quit cleaning and quit my job too. I need more fiber time. Happy Knitting everyone!

Is it Spring yet? Maybe... Finally...

So I have been madly knitting SPRING coloured socks to get through the remainder of this winter which has been white/grey cold with no colours. Blah. I have made some pretty socks to make up for the lack of colours around here. These are No Purl Monkeys (really move along quickly and I love this pattern!) in a really happy "Daffodil" colour and the others in a lavender/pink colour "Crocus" in the No Purl Monkeys. I finished my Noro socks and am happy with the way they turned out. They soften up nicely in the wash and are worth the effort. Am now working on the "Nutkin" socks pattern and thought it would be appropriate to do them in squirrel colours. So they are more suited to the fall really, but fun to try a new pattern. Not as happy with that pattern as the Monkeys though. Am working on a Baby Cable in STR Raven colours for hubby for his birthday. Will let you know how they turn out. So happy that the sun is out today and snow is finally melting. Lots of cleanup. Am cleaning windows today and I guess the spring cleaning bug has bitten me because I am just zipping around scrubbing everything. It feels good. Happy knitting and Happy Spring!!

More Snow...and Knitting Time Indoors

So we have more snow... a blizzard actually. On our way to breaking a 70 year record (or something like that). We are SNOWED IN totally, but it's good knitting time. Of course, we are always trying to find time to knit. If the power doesn't go off, I will knit until midnight. Working on some Yarn Harlot socks with Noro sock yarn. It's a bit rough, like thread, and not as soft as most sock yarn but the COLOURS are amazing and it's not that bad once you get the hang of it. Am using 2mms double points (I prefer them... have tried Magic Loop and circs for socks but I just love the double points) and it's working up nicely. Love to see the colours changing. Just working up the foot on each sock - I do two socks at a time using two sets of dbl ponts and Second Sock Syndrome is taken care of nicely. Just finished a pair of Lana Grossa Meilenweit socks in red colour changes and they are so pretty! For my friend Gaby, and then some in a blue/brown colourway for her husband Thomas - they are the German friends we travel with each year on our cruise. No more cruising for a while though. I think we are cruised out. Too many people this time, too noisy and I'm so exhausted. Got sick on the ship (sinus/bronchitis) and am STILL sick (three weeks now) and taking antibiotics. I got sick last year too. I think it's the airports and the crowds and the people on the ship, too many people and I am so vulnerable to it all. Ah well. We were lucky enough to get warm for a while and see our friends, whom I adore, and am sending them these socks. I gave them both scarves last year and they LOVE them. So Gaby is going to check on the Wollmeise shop for me and see if Claudia can spare some yarn and then she can send me some! whew. That would be amazing. I guess I am waiting for Sheri at http://www.theloopyewe.com/ otherwise and she apparently is having a Sneak-Up this week with the Wollmeise.

I helped Guido (http://www.itsapurlman.com/ ) out with his LIVE video podcast tonight and last night was the test night so Charles and I helped with that. It is really a new thing... and we are all rooting for him and hoping it goes well. A few things to iron out but basically it seems like it will work. People can join in and talk and listen and use their webcams so you get to see them on video. So we can see Guido showing us his stash and his projects and we could see his guest and the other people that joined in could talk and contribute. Neat idea. I think we need higher speed internet though as the lag time seemed to be a bit of a pain. But it was fun to try it. It's his two year anniversary. So David ( http://www.sticksandstring.com/ ) Ready was there working on his Hemlock Ring blanket - amazing - Guido just finished one too - and both of them are so gorgeous! And CAT from (http://www.letsknit2gether.com/ ) and Eric were there, and she is going to try and do a video podcast next week too. Right now Cat does the video on the iPod where we learn so much from her and she is just great. And I got to see Charles again - he is working on a gorgeous shawl for his mom (I think it's for his mom) and met Jadie (jadielady on Ravelry) and Susan B - who is not on Ravelry yet but seemed fun and she has a little baby so she is busy busy...

So here are more socks and I am going to finish up the Noro socks tonight and have joined the KAL for some "No Purl Monkeys" (which is what CAT is working on) with dkKnits group on Ravelry. Starts next week. Looking forward to it. Have been winding skeins of yarn into balls for some projects and using up some old acrylic yarn making it into an afghan (it's been sitting around for two years and taking up yarn space ) so am busy and happy and hopefully the antibiotics will work their magic soon cause this headache is driving me nuts. Sinus pain and headache for three weeks NON-STOP is enough to make anyone cuckoo.

Happy Knitting everyone!

Snowy Days, Warm Fires and Cozy Knitting

Just thought I'd write a quick little update... Everything is so beautiful and white outside, and the trees are laden with snow. It's very, very quiet as the snow is like a blanket, softening all noise. The dogs are loving the snow, and I am loving the knitting time. I have my iPod and a nice fire and am knitting Fetchings and Dashings and Socks. Wearing my Cashmerino Aran red sweater almost daily and the Noro Fletcher to go outside, so it's great. I have warm FairIsle socks and a nice cabled hat. My husband says I may as well knit some pants for myself and some big winter boots and I'll be "head to toe" in homemade knitting!! I am a little obsessed, but it's very addictive as all the knitters know...

Here is a photo of the Dashings I just made - didn't take long at all and I embroidered a little flower on each one with some leftover Koigu - just for fun - these will be a gift for my friend, and are so warm and beautiful. I hope she likes them.

Have also finished a pair of "Jaywalkers" socks by Grumperina and it was a lovely, easy pattern. Made for DH for Christmas out of Lornas Laces sport yarn from "The Loopy Ewe"http://theloopyewe.com - Sheri is great and has a wonderful selection of yarns. Check it out. I'm actually a Loopy Groupie now!! Have to address that... have ordered WAY too much beautiful yarn from her... heehee. These are the finished Jaywalkers in the "Baltic Sea" colourway. Really pretty - man colours - and a nice easy pattern. Will definitely make more of these.

And also finished some Fetchings in red Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran for my friend Cath - lovely and warm and great for her long drives to work this winter. Nice Christmas present for her and she says she loves them.

Now I'll have to make a pair for myself. Made them with the leftover yarn from the red Christmas cardigan. Which I love. Have been wearing that almost daily, it's so warm and cozy. Here are the Fetchings.

Am off to go knit some more ... Am working on a pair of socks with the Noro sock yarn. It's a bit tough as its rougher than most sock yarns I've used, but the colours are wonderful and fun. It apparently softens up quite a bit after a washing so we'll see. Am just happy to see the colour changes right now. Just doing Stephanie Yarn Harlot's simple sock pattern to see what happens.

The lovely red Fetchings...

Happy Knitting everyone!