very cool, check this out!

still alive... really!

just been so very busy, as have you i am sure!

Lots of knitting, camping and travel as well as the usual around the house projects! Life is good though. Fall is here! Had to turn the furnace on before October... expect the first frost any day now...

I know I know

Been away from blogging but been busy with the holidays! was great to have daughter home for a full month. The house seems pretty empty right now with her back to school as well as hubby away for 3 weeks on travel (and no communication this week) Sucks truly! lol.

New years was spent at the camp, cold cold cold, was about 11 degrees that night but a nice lil cabin with a wood stove, fresh alaska king crab sent by an alaska fishermen and friends made it pleasant. (well, the whiskey might have warmed things up too!)

The new year brings new projects! Been busy trying to go through the house and cleaning, eliminating unnecessary clutter of items. May have to hold off some though as hubby doesn't want it collecting in the garage until weather allows a yard sale. Already filled the back of the jeep once and did a huge drop off at the goodwill. Hate giving everything away when a little money could be made from it. Oh well, the space and donation of goods are all nice too. My new sewing machine and i are making friends.... finally a machine that isn't trying to fight me. :)

What have you been doing this new year?

Mele Kalikimaka & a knitters poem for you

... the poem, not by me. Happy safe holiday to you all!

’Twas the night before Christmas and all around me

There was unfinished knitting not under the tree.

The stockings weren’t hung by the chimney with care

’Cause the heels and the toes had not a stitch there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

But I had not finished the caps for their heads.

Dad was asleep—he was no help at all.

And the sweater for him was six sizes too small.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I put down my needles to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash.

Tripped over my yarn and fell down in my stash.

The tangle of yarn that lay deep as the snow

Reminded me how far I still had to go.

When out on the lawn I heard such a noise,

I was sure it would wake up both Dad and the boys.

And although I was tired and my brain a bit thick,

I knew in a moment it must be St Nic.

Yet what I heard left me very perplex-ed

For nothing I heard was what I expect-ed.

"Move Rowan! Move Patons! Move Koigu and Clover!

Move Shelridge! Move Starmore! Move Spinrite! Move over!

Lopi, don’t circle around, just stand there in line.

Pay attention you sheep and you’ll work out just fine!

I know this is hard, as it’s just your first year,

But I’d hate to go back to 8 tiny reindeer."

I peered over the sill.What I saw was amazing!

Eight wooly sheep on my lawn all a-grazing!

And then in a twinkle, I heard at the door

Santa’s big boots stomping on the porch floor.

I rose from my knees and got back on my feet.

As I turned around, St Nic I did meet.

He was dressed all in wool from his head to his toe

And his clothes were hand knit from above to below.

A bright Fair Isle sweater he wore on his back,

And his toys were all stuffed in an Aran sack.

His hat was a wonder of bobbles and lace,

A beautiful frame for his rosy red face.

The scarf on his neck could have stretched for a mile,

And the socks peeking over his boots were Argyle.

On the back of his mitts was an intricate cable.

And suddenly on one I spotted a small label:

"S.C." in duplicate on the cuff.

So I asked, "Hey, Nic, did YOU knit all this stuff?"

He proudly replied, "Ho, ho, ho, yes I did.

I learned how to knit when I was a kid."

He was chubby and plump, a well-dressed old man,

And I laughed to myself, for I’d thought up a plan.

I flashed him a grin and jumped up in the air,

And the next thing he knew, he was tied to a chair.

He spoke not a word, but looked down in his lap

Where I had laid my needles and yarn for a cap.

He began then to knit, first one cap then two.

For the first time I thought I might really get through.

He put heels in the stockings and toes in some socks,

While I sat back drinking a scotch on the rocks.

Quickly like magic his needles they flew,

Good Grief! He was finished by two!

He sprang for his sleigh when I let him go free,

And over his shoulder he looked back at me.

I heard him explain as he sailed past the moon,

"Next year, start your knitting sometime around JUNE!"

Happy Holiday Season Everyone

I know, but tomorrow is december already, thanksgiving rushed past! In the last month i think we have been home about 6 days, rotating odd weeks in BC Canada, to long weeekends at camp, daughter home for a week and a good winter storm that knocked the power out for a good while... thanks goodness i insisted on a generator a few xmas's ago!

So, no matter what you do to celebrate the season enjoy the food, family , friends and create new traditions as well as enjoying the old!

Part Two

The outside is plain white right now, come spring we will restore the paint design... we have been enjoying weekends with no wi fi, no cells, just good people out to enjoy the same, fresh fish, nature and lots of camp fires! I love the challenge of campfire cooking! (not our dog, that's Hank who adores fishing!) The deer come both morning and evening. As fall is here ... was 32 at the house the other morning... i think i have at least 4 layers on here, lol!

This is why I have been MIA: Part One

Camping... dad retired and picked up a couple of lots at the timber trails. Hubby got my little dream trailer (a 1966 15 foot Aloha) think.... pin up cowgirl. This is our "our daughter is in college we're poor weekend home" and we're loving it!

Did i miss summer? Feels like fall!

it is getting chilly, had to turn the furnace on for a shot yesterday morning to take the bitter chill out of the house, today 80's tomorrow back down to low 60's ... during the day! Feels like fall already in the pacific northwest...and not a ripe tomato in sight yet, le sigh. Picking up my 40 pounds of tomato from farmer george on friday for canning marinara sauce. Not a ripe one yet in our garden this year so far... summer has stumped the garden! Squash are finally thriving, walla onions doing well, as are hubbard and acorn squash. Kale just really producing, blue potatoes almost ready.... picking more blackberries today for jam.

Empty Nest...

Yup, can't believe it happened but it did, daughter is off to college out of state. When and where the time flew i have no idea but it did. Not sure how i truly feel yet about this. I know she will have a blast and do well, but i am not near to protect her if needed. Thank goodness for unlimited texting! :)

A road trip again...

Well come morning it will be, from seattle to boise monday and returning wednesday. Daughters orientation is happening, we find out the nitty gritty of book costs, etc. I am hoping a suitemate or two of her's will be there, also hoping a few of them are engineer students as well! (a heavy load, hope not a party group of girls)

So getting the garden, house, cat, mail etc all ready, pulling a few skeins into cakes for easy car knitting (20+ hours round trip) and figuring out what to pack. Will be interesting. Nice though, hubbys travel for work scored our hotel room for both nights free with his frequent stay points! (so cool, lol, cause we are so broke now! Did i tell you with the new law changes with student loans we are paying the first complete year of college from our pockets?) Gotta love being a part of the responsible middle working class! Enjoy your summer all! See ya in Boise!

4th weekend already, hey, where's my sweater!??

Yeah, it's that weekend already and where the **ll is summer? By this wednesday they say it should reach the 80's. That will be a first this year for this area. So want some warmth! In case i miss you i hope you all have a happy, safe 4th! This is from last summer's boat parade on the lake next to our home. Is always nice to walk to the dock and relax and watch the drunk folks on their boats celebrate the holiday! (this aloha boat made us a bit homesick but was festive!)

ANd if you are a Twilight junkie and enjoy knitting at all.... check out what Franklin did, hysterical!!

http://the-panopticon.blogspot.com/2010/06/proof-that-no-matter-how-bad-it-is.html

Summer seems confused!

One day it will be gorgeous but overcast, the next sunny but cold breezy, today ... well, it's not raining! That seems to be what i am saying a lot these days!

This month we will be heading to Boise for daughters college orientation (2 hours round trip), next month again to take her to school. I am so NOT ready for her leaving home! Next subject, lol, before i tear up...seriously though.

Been trying to get some pics taken of finished knitting to post on my Rav, that breeze again! Always a work in progress. So what is new with you? Family, gardens, kids, crafts...any trips this year?

Yup, my baby...

is all grown up.

have landed , at least for the day

all settled on the couch in our hotel suite in Parksville BC, love it here. It has actually been awhile since we have been up here. Poor hubby had to go do some work this afternoon, then off to grab a few groceries for the room (lol, for me and a bbq tomorrow night) This is a new resort, not one we usually stay at but recently finished construction wise. Different area of town and not directly on the beach but very nice, so cannot complain. Not within walking distance to the natural foods store or fabric shop and wool shop, lol.. it's only negative so far. may nap a few minutes, have some hot tea (it's damp, rainy and chilly) and then pull out some knitting! Enjoy your upcoming holiday weekend!

TGIF

YUP! It's a good thing. WHat are your plans for the weekend?

Had to share this, a friend of mine in NH was hit by a drive by flocking the other night. Apparently this was done as part of a fund raiser at their local high school.... numerous homes were hit. I love it!!

Live;;;broadcasting from..

a hotel room in columbia maryland! lol, i have no car and we are fairly out in the middle of, well, not too much. But there are so many things so close by! Tease really as hubbys days at the convention are long and late, so will be lucky if i make it to even one lys to visit. Also only printed out half of the shawl pattern i figured i would knit while hanging out here, so .... Am trying to locate it on my pc to see what i need to do, not wireless connected here so cannot stray to far from the desk. Oh well, not bad really, just ... a tease! Pics later, sunburn nicely turning to tan from the last few days!

Around the house...

Just playing around the yard, still getting the feel of the new camera.

The Farm Chicks!

This would be so fun! Believe it or not it is actually a relatively easy drive from where i am, so...... may see a road trip in our future! Check it out, maybe you can be there too! (she is running a twitter contest but i so do not twitter, i just can't it's not in me!) http://thefarmchicks.typepad.com/

lol, thanks for the birthday wishes! almost can't type fingers so cold. Great day today, weather wonderful! Not breezy, not too cold, not too hot. Great tearing down the deck weather! Also got most of the strawberry bed weeded, dang dandelions! Seeded most of the yard as well.

The deck (owe, bruises lots of them)(oh, and must go peek at the fire pit again , don't want to burn anything down!) is now just the small speck of a platform outside of the front door. The former owner never did anything as it should be, he tinkered. I am shocked the deck has not fallen down before! There are no supports, seriously! We were trying to shore things up last week but the wood was so rotten the wood screws had nothing to grip into. So...... new project! It will increase the front garden area though and make the front yard larger.

Happy happy, i did get to recycle some of the wood into a lettuce growing table for the upper back deck and some boards to replace the deck boards out back that have sprouted mushrooms! Some went to my neighbor who always has wood projects going. (think he's going to build me a new big birdfeeder, the 4 raccoons sitting in it lst summer broke it, they were sitting in it at the same time!)

Some kids in the area hit our big loop around the lake last night. I had gone to my neighbors this morning to say hey (i borrow his circular saw, he borrowed my rototiller)and i had noticed his glovebox open and things falling out. Asked him if someone had been in his car, he didn't think so... a bit later he is all upset as they hit all 3 cars of their family. He called the local sheriff to just let him know and apparently they hit so many houses here they sent officers out to go door to door to be sure they knew of everyone hit. We were lucky and had them locked, though it was midnight when we remembered the garage door needed closing. The cops know who did it so will be interesting to see what the outcome is. Just sad, especially with todays economy.

So.... off to relax, clean out the fridge dinner all finished, dishwasher unloaded, relaxing time now... maybe a lil knitting. So goodnight all!

da da da da da da today is my birthday!

both earth day and i are 40 today! I hear the 40's are better than the 30's, so ..... lol, please ignore me in the pic (i so hate pics of myself)