Knitting and Snow!!

If you go back one post you can see what a difference a week makes. That little chicken house was basking in the sun and now there is snow everywhere. We decieded to move the girls (chickens) to the barn thinking it would make things easier, water-wise. Plus they keep Tom's horse company - really - I find him standing in the aisle looking at them. With all that snow comes knitting. I have not been going out - even though there is still Christmas shopping to do. Another cowl left my needles on Sunday afternoon and walked out the door on Matt's girlfriends neck. Something about those cowls I just can't seem to get a picture. Below I am working on what I think is more like a scarflette?? They wrap around the neck and both will have buttons. The light blue is just a moss stitch out of a polar fleece that I had in my stash. With all us girls sporting our cowls my mom won't want to be left out.

The darker blue is a free pattern by frenchpressknits. Some attention required but really a nice lace pattern and going to look great around my neck. That one is out of Cascade.

Well that's all for today - my nice quiet day of staying home is turning a little crazy. I am making fried chicken for supper and I am out of paprika - weird for fried chicken but its really good and I just heard from our wood guy and he wants to deliver some wood shortly.

Be back soon!!

December 1, 2010

Just wanted to show you my chicken house all decked out for the holidays... Can't believe were already to the last month of 2010.

Last Days of November

Really! Not so bad of a November in these parts. No work for me today so I got in a walk early this morning. This was about the only color I saw - love that red!!

Lots of sunshine already at 10:00 a.m.

It was cold out though - that stuff you see on the water is ice starting to form.

Who knows when I will get back out to this park for a walk - December in almost here - but then again maybe it will be like November - sunny - a little chilly some days, really warm others and in general good walking weather. A girl can hope - right??

See you next month!!

Cowling

Among other projects I have a Cowl addiction going on. Got on Ravelry, figured out a good amount of stitches to cast on and just started knitting - changing the stitches or just leaving it plain. Really a relaxing way to go - no pressure whatsoever. I have knitted 3 so far and got Jessica to model the two below. She makes a much better model than Grandma.

Just winging it must be working out okay - I have knit 2 gray and 1 blue one so far - I only have the blue left. Both the gray ones I have seen walking out the door on the necks of Kris and Sara. I think I'll have to start another one this afternoon while football is on. Go Browns!!

PERFECT!!

That's what the weather has been around here. Several days of windows that were not yet closed for the winter open - lots of sunshine - still mowing grass (I could do without that chore) -enjoying every day!!

I wish this could last for several more weeks - but it's supposed to end tomorrow. I'll be back soon - I need to enjoy this last day of Indian Summer!!

Just A Trace!!

This is on the front porch this morning, Tom had to scrape his car off, but its now almost 10:30 and most of it has disappeared. Just a tease from Mother Nature letting us know its coming.

I have been busy outside most of the week, getting things ready for winter. Looks like I will get some more time this week though as they say we are going up into the 60s after today.

Just to let you know, I have been knitting, knitting and doing more knitting. I am trying to keep a realistic schedule of Christmas knitting. This weekend there will be wood stacking, knitting, cleaning the house, knitting, doing some errands, knitting, a baby shower to attend, working at my job and more knitting. All I need is a few more rows on a sweater and I will have met my goal for the week of what I wanted to get done. I even have a few finished things to show you - I just have to find the time to take some pictures and stop knitting long enough to blog.

Have a great weekend. Hope you have sunny skies and warm temperatures and NO SNOW!!

Sunday Road Trip

We didn't end up where we wanted to last Sunday, but the day was great anyways. We decided after church it was to long to head 2 hours away - since we were getting a late start - so we opted for an hour away at Mochican State Park. As you can see by the pictures it was a great, great fall day, perfect for driving, walking and checking out an awesome covered bridge.

Be back in a minute!!

Covered Bridge Sunday

Sunday after doing some work around the house, watching football we decided to get out and enjoy the day. We found this covered bridge in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. We have been their several times but I was reading a magazine (Midwest Living) and found out they have a covered bridge in the park.

This Sunday were off again in search of more covered bridges. In our neck of the woods it another hang on to your hat day- so windy.

Be back later!!

Friday Night Football

This has been one of those gorgeous October weekends - great weather - lots of sun and warm temps. Today it was in the 70s.

Our weekend started with our grandson's football game Friday night. There was a full moon and Sara and I did sit there with blankets wrapped around us. Sara, myself and Tom sat in the bleachers while his Dad paced the sidelines.

Short of running up to the fence and calling his name I only got to see his back most of the night. He would be #6- my favorite 15 year old grandson. He plays mostly the junior varsity games but due to an illness he's the backup quarterback on the varsity. He didn't get to play and their team lost - but all in all it was a good night.
Only about a week left in October - enjoy it while you can!!

Family Affair

Saturday was a cow show in Medina that Kris and her kids were going to - so Tom and I, my son Matt and his girlfriend Ashley all turned up to lend a helping hand.

Here's my favorite 7 year old - love that grin. My favorite 10 year old is behind him with her back to the camera. She was busy gabbing with her friend. Matt was busy helping the kids get their cows to the ring and Ashley was his helper.

I didn't get to see much of the show - I was cooking hamburgers for the group. The cows all behaved, it was great weather, good family and friends - what more could you ask for.

Be back soon!!

New View

Sunday was the day to put a new window in my office/bedroom. Two nice big windows with a great view. No more windows that had to have been here since the 50s. The count would be 2 down, 6 or so more to go. Be right back - I had a terrible time the other day trying to upload pictures and post - so today I hope to catch up.

Vacation Highlights

Vacation started way back in September with a trip to the local Farmer's Market. I finally got there early enough to get this great bouquet of sunflowers and lillies. Most of the time I don't get there until noon and the flowers are sold out. Good way to start the week off I thought. We did a few day trips around Ohio, doing some shopping in Amish country and tractor hunting.

After driving all over the place looking at tractors and seeing if we could find a good deal on one - we ended up about 2 miles from our house and found this one. I can't remeber all the specifics on it but I do know its a Ferguson, it was the right price and it now is in the barn awaiting some restoring. We don't know exactly when we will be retiring - but the plan is to restore and repair old tractors after we are done working the jobs we have now. I am amazed how tractors have gone up in price over the past few years so hopefully this is a good investment for the future.

I did get in lots of knitting and finished some projects- those pictures soon.

Be back soon!!

Almost Finished Knitting Projects

I will soon have some knitting projects that I have been jumping back and forth on all summer completed!! Yeah!!
Socks for me out of Stonechat Malabrigo - I love this color. They are toe up and only need the a little more length and the cuff. I was afraid I would run out of yarn so I stopped the first one and started the second one.

A definitely orange cropped cardigan out of Berocco Alpaca. Sara has laid claim to this one. Did I mention I was knitting Kris, Sara and Ashley (my son's girlfriend ) a sweater for Christmas? I am - one will be done soon. Pretty quick - a little boring in the middle part - but definitely a nice sweater for that cood weather we will soon be having.... Just needs sleeves.

Another pair of socks for me. Lorna's lace. Really nice yarn and the actual color is much brighter than here. Orange, gold, brown and turquoise - perfect colors to put together if you ask me.

Last but not least, a cropped cardigan for me. This was half done as another sweater but it just wasn't fitting so I ripped out and started this. This is out of Malabrigo - Stonechat. I love this color - didn't I just say that with the socks.

Tom and I start a weeks vacation tomorrow. We can't wait!! There are some home improvement projects to be tackled, some traveling around Ohio, sleeping in and knitting. I hope to get these projects finished by the end of the week so i can start something new.

Just a mention on the weather since Fall has started. For the past 2 days we have broke record high with 89 and 88. Feels more like Summer than Fall to me.

See you back soon - hopefully there will be new windows to show and totally finished projects.

Is this really the middle of September

Another month is just flying by........

Tyler with his chicken eggs that he entered in the fair. To young for 4-H but still happy to have entered something!! To check out Jessica's success check out Kris' blog.

Be back soon - I have sock success to show!!

5 for Friday

Impatience that are still growing strong - even in the heat that we have had.

A new barn door finished this week.

More impatience - these need some more attention - usually they are overflowing - I think more water on my part would help - also some cooler temps.

A new spot for the chicken coop - in the shade - fence on the agenda for this weekend and the girls will be moving in.

Of course knitting!!! Hope you have some good things planned for your weekend....

No Recall on these eggs

I have chickens again. Picked them up last Sunday from one of the vendors at the local Farmer's Market. I was just getting 2, but could not resist the Aracauna chickens that he had. I love those green eggs. In the picture I took you really cannot see the nice shade of green that egg is! He gave me the Aracauna because he said they were getting slightly old and he was not getting a lot of eggs from them - but this girl is giving us an egg every other day - Yeah!! We gave away our last batch of chickens because they brought so many wild birds into the barn - it was a mess. We thought we solved the problem but they seem to be slowly returning already - so a new outside chicken coop in on the to do list for this week.

Can't wait for Sunday breakfast with fresh eggs from these chickens!!

Summer - 2010

Its been a long time since I have been to this space with lots going on. I am going to try to catch up over the next week with lots of pictures - so I can remember Summer 2010 and have it not je just a blur.

Lets start with hot, hot, hot. Most people know what I'm talking about -seems to be happening everywhere. We are cooler for the time being - funny how you think 80 is cool after all those 90s.

I love these flowers, they never disappoint me and this year they are really tall. New garden spot - just big enough for 2 people. Things have been ripening slow due to all the heat but this week we have finally gotten some tomatoes. Nothing like walking right out the back door and picking them. Anything else we need we go to the local farmer's market - they seem to be everywhere this year.

Went to Columbus to watch Tyler show Jessica's pig. He did a really good job - it was the first time with a pig in the show ring for him. We did not get to see Jessica - she was on a different day but things went well for her. Now its on to their local fair. Tyler can't wait to be 9 so he can be in 4H.

Hay baling went on and we got it done before the real heat came along.

I went to Jessica's fashion show for 4-H. She made the top she is wearing. Wish I could sew like her. If I need something sewn I will be asking her!! Her county fair is in 3 weeks so she has been working hard with her pigs and steer.

That's enough for today. I will be back soon with more highlights of our summer and some knitting.

Have a good week!!

Earth Day

Today I'm taking care of my little space here on earth.

On my walk today I picked up trash that was along the fence line. Nothing that I recognized to be ours so who knows where it has blown from, but it stops at the fence line between us and the neighbors. I had a bag full when I was done. There has also been mulch spreading and rock therapy. I swear those rocks gained 10 pounds over the winter.

Enjoy your space on this earth today!!

Caught up!!

Okay, blogger let me upload tonight the other 2 pictures from this afternoon's post. Although I have no idea how to turn that picture the right way. I tried - but no go - so you will just have to tilt your head a little bit. Anyways - my favorite 7 year old had a BD the day after Easter so we celebrated with bunny cake and an egg hunt. Perfect!!!!

It was in the 80s and sunny Easter Sunday. The whole family was present and accounted for - it was a good food and good company day!!

See you later........

Trying to catch up!!

Today's post is some of the things that have been going on around here. I can't believe I have been gone so long- 5 weeks is it??

Nothing earth shattering - just got busy with life. If you read some of my past posts the local rec center offers a reduced membership after your 60 - so why not take advantage of it. I am happy to say I am walking 3 miles in a half hour, doing lots of work on the machines and have managed to almost get the kink out of my knee that was bothering me. I really do feel better and have noticed I am much more flexible - so I see this becoming a regular thing. Takes a lot out of you though to get in shape - so there has been lots of afternoon naps and early to bed going on.

The pictures below are what was on my camera that have been taken and worth sharing over the past few months.

This is Jessica on the wagon that Tom built for Tyler for his BD. Tyler is driving the tractor in the corner of the picture. Jessica and Tyler spent a weekend with us so while the girls were shopping the guys were building a wagon.
This is Tom's tractor that he painted over the winter. It turned out to be a long, long project because of the winter we had and all the snow. Those really cold snowy days he just didn't feel like heating up the barn and working on it.

I had a few pictures from Easter but was unable to upload them. Maybe next time. I hope to be back real soon to show you my outside projects. So far its been a pretty good spring, although we did have a few snowy moments this past Saturday.

Until next time........

So far - Like a Lamb

That's what it feels like around here, March came in like a lamb. The weather has been the best for early March. Today 55 and sunny, as a matter of fact everyday has been sunny. Rain is on the way though - but still no cold temps like we had in February. I know, there are lots of days left yet in the month and we have had some whopper of storms later in the month. For right now though, I am going to enjoy all that sun and warmth. It was so nice on Sunday I took Marley to the park. It was very evident there we have had lots and lots of snow. There were no paved walks to be seen, just little foot paths everywhere. Just wide enough for Marley in front leading the way and me following behind - just like all the people had done before us.

Be back shortly with some knitting. I think I am going to leave the sweater knitting to Kris - I'll knit the socks.

Enjoy your day!!