# FAC - May '10



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

It's May, OMG I can't believe how fast this year is already going. We finally had rain here so the fire danger is greatly lowered.

This is the Fiber Arts Chat (FAC). This is the place where we all come together to touch base and to just talk about our lives outside of fibering, although fibers always seem to be in every part of our lives. If you are new to the Fiber Forum please take a moment to introduce yourself. Likewise if you have been a reader but never posted before. We love our new members and are always eager to greet and meet  If you have any questions please ask. I can assure you that there isn't a question that is "stupid" or "dumb".

I've been busy with the Wallaby for my DIL. I love the way this yearn is knitting up. I need to get pictures taken and posted, the color changes are wonderful. Same spinning project is in the works. Now that my schedule has changed again I don't seem to have the time to work on it like I'd like to, story of my life :teehee:


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

We planted a little garden already, too--it's been a warm, early, dry spring. We also got a nice rain over the weekend, I hope the rains are steady and spaced well...

We picked up our wool from the processor a week ago. Lots of brightly colored roving, and some undyed, as well. And a first for us--lambswool combed top. If my day job would let up a bit, I'd be getting ready for our first official fiber festival--on May 15. This weekend will be crunch time!

Happy May, everyone.


----------



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Happy May! 

It is a beautiful day here in the Ozarks today. My lawn is mowed and the mock orange is going to bloom today. As soon as the sun hits it. 
Probably another hour. It is one of the few things i am NOT allergic to and I am just sitting on my porch with the laptop and my spindles....waiting for those flowers. 

I received some beautiful fiber in the mail recently and am spinning it into sock yarn. I think I will cast something on with it today. :grin:


----------



## yankeeterrier (May 10, 2002)

I have a second batch of Angora kits, 8 in this litter. There are 7 in the first. There are pictures here. I'll update with a post of new pics in the next day or so.
http://14acresplusorminus.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-diverse-stock-portfolio.html
I'm finding that I need to start handling them a bit sooner than I originally thought.

Lots of chicks and ducklings hatching. Treating a pullet for an infected foot. I'm squeezing in some time in the evenings to work on a caplet from 'Knitting Sweaters from the Top Down'. Lots of stuff going into the garden. Put some black plastic down yesterday, I like to give it a few days to settle and warm the soil before I plant in it.

The city wide garage sale this weekend was less than impressive, but Boogie now officially has a potty chair. Heading to an auction this afternoon at 5pm. Despite more daylight, there are still not enough hours in the day this time of year.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Marchwind - how did May get here so fast??? I'm with you on that! Glad ya'll got rain, and not washed away! We got a tad of rain here too, and not too much.

I am knitting flowers up like crazy for a friend of mine. she is making up some headbands, and wanted crochet flowers - I cannot crochet a lick! lol! So I am knitting flowers. Hit the jackpot on patterns this morning, and have about 20 to try out. They are really sorta fun to do, and a great way to use up little bits of yarn.
Other than that, I have tackled that little shrug of DD's that I had to take out the left front of. I am hoping to get it done correctly this time.

Lets see..... I am wanting to cast on some socks, shortly after the flowers I think. I just took on yet another website to build (and how is it that I always seem to do them free or cheap? I am such a ditz!) I don't even have the previous one finished, and mine is languishing somewhere in cyberspace... 
And then there is the garden. The one that never got planted. :sob:
BUT I have 27 baby Muscovy ducks in the brooder, 24 more to round up (if mama will oblige) and 3 hens sitting.... so that will add up a few $$ for me. Maybe DH will let me put that into some fiber???

GAM - your fiber and yarn spinning is just gorgeous. I agree, you should be the spin off cover girl! Can't wait to see what socks you knit!

Congrats WIHH on that next grand! and safe thoughts & prayers for your kiddos in NYC... I would be worried if they were mine!

yankeeterrier - I would love to see pics of those babies when they get bigger and hairier! I bet they are precious.

Weever - where ARE those roving pics????


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Here are the only roving pictures I have to date: http://shadysidefarm.blogspot.com/2010/04/one-thousand-gifts.html

Sorry! All workie lately and no play...


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Weever will you adopt me and let me play with your roving?????
That stuff is gorgeous! And you have way too much.... maybe you should send it here??????


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Weever I love that green!!!!!! 

WIHH I'm getting really excited for this weekend too. I have to remember to bring that book for you. Wasn't there something else I was going to loan you? Oh wait, the combs, right. Congrats on the soon to be 5th grandson.

I'm a great auntie! My niece had her baby early Wednesday a.m. He looks like such a lover. So right now I have a big hunk of my family in the state of MN (Rochester) and I can't go visit them  I was going to try to go this Sunday, Mother's Day and also my niece's birthday but it is just way too much driving for me to do in a day. I'll try to make a day trip down (about 6 hours driving one way) with my kids so we can see the baby and of course my niece and her husband. I also have baby chicks that hatched. I don't know how many yet mom is sitting tight.

Yankeeterrier, when I had angoras and was breeding them heavily I think I waited about 24-48 hours before I handled them. Love the babies 

GAM that is turning out beautifully! How does it spin compared to the other things you have spun?


----------



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Okay, I will admit it. I am jealous of you MN ladies getting to meet up at the Shepherds Harvest.  No fair. 
It is just too far and I still haven't perfected my teleportation device.
If any of you see Annie in MN, give her a big hug for me.
& WIHH and Marchwind will just have to hug eachother once for me. 

Babies! Congratulations to everyone getting babies. They need things made from yarn and they are the most adorable models for hats. Slap a hat on a baby and it is just cute every time. LOL.

Baby bunnies? yeah, I am a bit jealous there also. But pictures are good....Congrats on the potty chair too. Once they can go potty all by themselves it is so much less work. 

Chicks? that is the way to do it Marchwind, letting the Mama Hen handle the brooding. My house is officially poultry-free, finally! All the chicks and turkeys have been outside for several days. Maybe I am suffering empty nest syndrome? LOL. 

mamaj, I never knew you had a lot of ducks. How did I not know that? 


Marchwind, this fiber is completely different than the other 3 things I have spun. It has everything! Its a blend of alpaca, wool, silk, and nylon. It is fuzzy, and shiny, and really strong. Perfect for sock yarn. Which is what it was created to be. I started knitting some of it today. I cannot help getting excited to try it. I am doing Clover, http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/clover-2 . It is part of the pasture theme of this yarn. I have a few inches on one so far. & a little over half the yarn spun.


----------



## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

I've been busy lately with trying to get things ready to attend two college graduations out of state. My son graduates this weekend in Arizona-astro-phsyics and science writing-and next weekend my middle daughter is awarded her Doctor of Phsyical Therapy in California. So, I've been packing, cleaning, preparing meds for the dog, and trying to do all the end of school paperwork and finish the work for a class for my recertification in the fall...

BUT, on May first I did my first public spinning demo at our little town's biggest festival of the year. I had a good time, and the planned hour quickly turned into about 6 hours! 
It was amazing how many little children and older men were drawn to the wheel. The children wanted to touch it-from toddler's up-and the men wanted to figure out how it worked. I had one gentlemen watch for about 15 minutes, and then remark, "All the work is happening right there in your hands isn't it?" Remarkable how he came up with what takes many of us so much longer to figure out-even after it's explained to us. I could have sold everything I had on the table, except that it was all things I've kept and use regularly-from a felted purse to scarves to sweater and hats. Maybe next year I'll make a few things with the possiblity of selling in mind.

Spring is finally here, but it's not yet warm enough to think about planting until at best the end of the month. I had snow on the ground last week..not much, but snow..and now it's a chilly rain again. Of course, there are warmer and sunnier days sprinkled in between. I even noticed a full frog chorus at daybreak on Sunday-so I know spring is 'officially' here now.

Have fun planning all your spring projects. I've got lots of spinning on the deck planned for the first set of warm days-after the graduations of course-and I can't wait to get all my fleeces washed.

May you have all you need, and enough of what you want to fill you with gratitude and joy,
betty


----------



## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

betty - congrats on a successful spinning demo. That takes a lot more "umph" than I have. I tried to do a crochet class for my son's math class in the 5th grade and I got all tongue-tied and nervous. It didn't work out well at all.

I totally agree! Grandbabies are a wonderful excuse to do lots and lots of crafting. I don't have any yet but I still use them as an excuse.

STILL working on that second baby afghan for a co-worker. I was cruising right along when I realized that I just didn't like the width it was coming out to be. So-o-o-o I frogged it to make it bigger. Now I have to do all that crocheting again. I do like the sage and cream color palette though.

Back to work tonight. Thank you God that I only work 4 days on then 4 days off. I don't mind the 12 hour shifts. There's just something nice about working half-a-month / half-a-year.

You guys are a great inspiration to me. With all the things that you do on your homesteads you still find time to create some of the most wonderful fiber works of art that I have ever seen. I do plan on following in your footsteps and learning to spin this year. THIS IS THE YEAR!!!


----------



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

It is only Tuesday and the wool festival is not until Saturday, hoping to find a used wheel there if not I will be getting a new one. I do not understand how you stayed sane waiting for your wheel WIHH. And I must fill up on fiber as well.


----------



## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

May is only a few days old, and everyone is doing so much! Right now we're watching all that water that flooded Nashville make its way by our house. The dam upriver has never had to deal with so much water and is releasing much of it very fast. Our bottom fields are flooded and it's heading up the ridge to our house as I write this. We're cut off from the road, but the lock master tells us that they won't be releasing enough water to reach our house--we're keeping our fingers crossed on that! Meanwhile our oldest cat died on Sunday, 13 years to the day he walked into our lives as a 3-4 yr. old--how wierd is that! 
I'm just hoping all this water won't push him up out of the grave :hrm: The garden is too soggy to work in, and I don't want to waste my time in it anyway if it might flood. So I think I'll make a basket and watch the water rise. Hope everyone in MN enjoys the festival--lucky you!


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Oh, Katherine. I'm sorry for your kitty, and worried about the flooding. What a not-nice feeling.

I'm jealous of the Shepherd's Harvest folks, too. I need a get-away. MN is not far from MI, eh?


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Weever come on down! We'd love to have you 

Katherine so sad about your kitty. 13 seems young but who knows what his life was like before you took him into your hearts.

GAM that sock pattern is marvellous! WIHH and I will give each other hugs and we will also hug Annie. I may be the only one who knows what she looks like :shrug: We met for dinner more than six years ago :buds: Oh heck we'll do a big group hug and have Cabin Fever take the picture  Maybe we should get him in the middle of our group hug :rock: Oh and the baby chick situation. Mama finally had the babe ouot and about and there is only one that hatched. Hopefully this one will be a hen. I'll see if I can get a picture.

Betty have a wonderful time with your kids and congratulations on the graduations. Obviously someone did a great job with their kids :sing: Where in AZ is your son graduating? My son is going to grad school at UA in Tucson.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

GAM - I am jealous too!!!! Just no fiber ANYTHING out here! wonder why??
I guess you didn't know about my ducks cause they are so very low maintenance. I feed and ignore and they hatch tons of babies and then we eat them! :smiley-laughing013:

Katherine - so sorry about your kitty and all the water! Try to stay dry!

March - I will be looking for the pics.


----------



## Mrs. Jo (Jun 5, 2007)

Hi Guys, I am SO looking forward to the weekend. I will be like a kid in a candy shop in the vender area. 

GAM- that yarn is so pretty! Did you dye the roving yourself? 

Katherine, I hope the flooding hasn't been too bad. A few years ago we buried our oldest cat, she was 16 at the time of her death, and the neighbors dog brought part of her back, so we had to do it all over again. I have 22 yards of very thick and chunky yarn plied and finished and now I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do with it.


----------



## Katherine in KY (May 11, 2002)

Flood update: the water hasn't reached our house or the cabin and my garden, but we are surrounded by the river and lakes. It's lovely to see the geese and ducks, not so lovely to encounter the snakes and wildlife that have moved up from the water! The bad news is that in the interest of not flooding populated areas on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, they've decided to hold the water at its current level until those rivers crest and start going down. They're talking a week to 10 days, which means I'll miss the little Fiber Fair my guild puts on. I have a dozen flats of dye plants I was hoping to sell--guess I'll have a big dye garden this year! Yesterday DH got our neighbor to pull his truck through their muddy fields to get to the road. Then we put our boat into the water on our lane so this morning he went back to his work on the Census. We did that in '97 when there was a major flood and we had just started building our house. We ferried the lumber across the swollen water. This time, though, the Corps of Army Engineers gave us no notice so we didn't drive a car out. There are a lot of angry people, especially those who got completely flooded out. I don't blame them a bit. It's so frustrating because it's a man-made 'natural disaster.'

GAM, I love the color of your roving and yarn. What did you decide to make with it? I've been carding up a lot of stash fiber, dyed and not, hoping to sell some batts at our Fair. I would really like to reduce my stash, but I seem to acquire faster than I use! Still, it feels good to use up fleeces I bought a few years ago.

Betty, I hope you enjoy your time at the graduations. It sounds like your kids are doing really well. It's too bad they don't live a bit closer so they could lend a helping hand every now and then. Still, you have done an amazing job at creating your own place in such a short time.

Jo, we haven't had a problem with dogs digging up graves, but we have had skunks dig up dead chickens. I put a big rock over the cat's grave, and so far so good. BTW, he was 16-17, not 13, as he was full grown when he found us.


----------



## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

Well, been having a problem with pain right around my right shoulderblade for about a week. Thought it was my asthma bu the inhaler wasn't working. Finally went to the Dr yesterday. I have pleursy and bronchitis. He did give me some good meds. It has been so painful just breathing that I haven't been able to concentrate on crocheting. _Now_ you that is some kind of pain!

Tomorrow is my Dad's 64th birthday. And I can't think of a thing to get for him. I guess I'll get him a Olive Garden gift card. He does like that restaurant. Also having a major brain fart as to what to get my Mom for Mother's Day. She doesn't like flowers (allergies), doesn't like leaving the house (bad legs), doesn't like knick knacks (never has). And she just got her dentures so she doesn't want to go out to eat! What am I to do?


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Tryskal I feel for you with the pleurisy, There is nothing to be done for it but rest. It is very painful too, but you will get better. Take care of yourself.


----------



## Annie in MN (Oct 15, 2002)

I'll only be at Shepherd's Harvest on Sunday now, so no hugs for me. Waaaah!

GAM, you rock the spindle! Can't wait to see the socks!


----------



## Mrs. Jo (Jun 5, 2007)

Tryskal- I hope you feel better soon! Does your mom like movies? I just saw Miss Potter and thought it was so cute!


----------



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

The table by my knitting chair. I came in from the barn tonight and the light was hitting those irises, sigh. & this is just about perfect weather too, IMO.


----------



## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

Those Irises are very pretty.

Thanks guys for the well wishes. I have been spending a lot of time sleeping. Like I used to tell my son when he was little, "that is when the good guys in your body fight off the bad guys."

My Mom does like movies. We are especially fond of the big disaster (special effects) movies. I think what I am going to do is go visit and just be at her beck and call all afternoon. We'll probably end up watching a lot of the scyfy channel or the chiller channel. That one plays a lot of the british sci/fi/horror shows. It is some interesting ideas. We'll do things like wash her hair and get her sewing caught up so she can go to Minnesotta at the end of the month to visit my family up there. All-in-all it will be a good day!


----------



## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Hi everyone! It's good to catch up with what people are doing - trips, babies, critters, and alas, flooding and illness. Also lots of fiber work, of course. GAM, that yarn has such a soft, soothing beauty; it's just lovely.

I've been a bit sleep deprived ever since one of our ewes died, leaving us with a little orphan lamb. Instead of bringing him into the house, we left him with the flock, which means going outside for middle of the night bottle feedings. I think he's happier being out with the other sheep, though. I clipped some of the mama's wool and put it on a piece of wood, which the little ram lamb finds very comforting. He snuggles into his "mama pillow" to sleep without any crying.

Tonight our church is having its annual art evening - sort of like a congregational talent show. There's usually music and exhibitions of photography, painting, ceramics, and other art work. The fiber folks were asked to be a bigger part of things, so some of us will be showing up with our knitting & spinning wheels, as well as finished projects to display. The problem is that we give so much of our best work away as gifts to family/friends. I'm working on the Traveling Woman shawl (feministy.com) right now, so I'll bring that.


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

What a great idea, ajaxlucy, to clip some wool from the mom for an orphan lamb. We usually shear right before lambing, so it wouldn't work for us, but it's still a great idea.

Has anyone else heard the adage that a lamb recognizes its mom by the sound of her voice, and the ewe recognizes her baby by its smell? It does seem to be true.

We've had a "visual arts talent show" at our church, and it's always very cool.


----------



## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

I need some more time to get on here and read and respond. I just wanted to say I got my wool dyed today. It is a bit darker than I wanted though. I am still going to use it. I have pictures, but will have to get them on the computer, etc. Just popping in to say hi.


----------



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

well yesterday I went to the Route 66 Fiber rendevous It was not as large as I expected and did not find a used wheel so I went ahead and ordered my NEw traveller. But not before sitting down at at least 10 different wheel just in ase I liked one more then the traveller It made me feel so good I sat at the traveller first as I need a taller oriface so no leaning because of back trouble. The woman I bought my cards from knew I was a com-plete newbie so she gave me a quick lesson treadle first and then explained how to draw from the fold handed me some fiber and said OK start after about 5 minutes she called someone over that had been spinning forever and told her to look at the yarn and told her this was the first time I had ever even sat at a wheel, and they both made a huge deal about it. Hubby did some wet felting and we took a spindle crash course next weekend hubby and I are taking a spindle class about 10 minutes from where we live and the couple that own she shop the husband is very into spinnig and knitting also so looks like I have a male figure to urge charlie to get into all of it. He likes the felting and the spindle but the one time I tried to expplain knitting to him which was really hard as he is a lefty, he got aggrivated and quit.


----------



## tryskal (Jun 7, 2008)

Ok, I just have to share..............

I am a _major_ geek at heart. Last year for Mother's Day my son got us tickets to see "X-men: Origins". He even wasn't that embarassed that I totally geeked out over the movie.

This morning: before he went to work, he gave me the "Star Trek" movie as my present. He also took me to eat chinese food last night. He's not exactly thrilled with chinese but he knows that I love it. I just have to say that I am pretty proud of him. He is there if anyone in the family needs help. He's only 22 and he's still learning how to be himself. But, he is definitely off to a good start!


----------



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

luvzmybabz, a brand new wheel? Whee!!! Congrats, big time. 
I feel your husbands lefthanded pain. Right handed people are hard for us to
learn from. I really recommend for him to learn continental style, from
http://www.knittinghelp.com/ . You just stay out of his way with your righthanded
thinking.


----------



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

I should have my wheel by this weekend. I hope I do not think I can wait too long for it. My fingers are itching to get busy.

Off now to go watch some youtube about plying on a spindle


----------



## marinemomtatt (Oct 8, 2006)

Tryskal: your son sounds as SWEET and DEAR as mine!

I wish I could find some real fiber time, I have several pounds that need dyed or spun or both...But I just can't seem to quit knitting socks...~lol~...

I'm going to miss out on the Blacksheep Gathering in Eugene next month, I have to go to Utah that very weekend...GRRRrrrrrrr I better order some more sock yarn for the long drive there and back... and Knitting will preserve my sanity while in SLC (I can't stand that concrete jungle, makes me grumpy and mean). Maybe I'll get lucky and find a fiber store there...oops forgot, they have sales tax there so I doubt it would be worth the search (Oregon doesn't have a sales tax).
I'm SO depressed about the trip, I wanna stay home but I can't, the trip is for my Dad's Memorial...BooHoo! It does no good whimpering to my husband cuz he LOVES roadtrips (I do too if the trip is here in Oregon or up to Washington).
Hubby coming in...better stop whinning...~lol~...


----------



## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

I finally decided to make some time this morning to read and respond. Wow, there is a lot going on.

I am glad ya'll got the needed rain up there in MN. I figured with all the snow and the melt, that this would not be the time of year for fire danger. Goes to show what I know.

WIHH, did that new grandson arrive yet? I love new babies and wish someone around here would have one soon, so I can hog it. 

GAM, that yarn is beautiful. I agree with WIHH that it just shouts SPRING!!! I love your other picture as well. My table by my chair is a mess. There is knitting, there are books, the Bible and other things are laying there. I need to be more organized. 

YankeeTerrier, your baby animals are so cute. It looks like a well lined nest for those wee bunnies. 

Weever, I have to admit the picture of your VERY FULL van made me want to come and play. Very nice colors. 

MamaJ, you asked for a picture of Weever's rovings, but failed to put one up of your flowers.  I would love to see them. 

Betty, I admire your willingness to do a demo. I am always a bit backwards about doing a demo of anything. I don't have any self confidence for that sort of thing. Good job!!

Katherine, has the water gone down yet? I really feel for ya'll. I have several friends in and around the Liberty area and they really got hit hard. I am also sorry you lost your beloved pet. That is always so hard. 

AjaxLucy, that was a great idea of making a Momma Pillow for your little lamb. I am sure it is comforting to the little one. 

Luvzmybabz, I am thrilled you are getting a wheel. Hopefully it came this past weekend. Sounds like you might be a natural at spinning. I am glad your husband enjoys your fiber feast with you. 

Here, we are busy. I have been making cheese and more cheese and more cheese.  I also made some cream cheese that turned out wonderful. I love playing around with the different cheeses. We have some of the garden in, but usually do the bulk of it on Memorial Day weekend. That weekend is looking like it is going to be very busy. There is a fiber arts show about an hour or so from here and one of the local communities has a big garage sale day. I have an old bicycle that I put out in one of my corner gardens. I am looking for a basket to go on the front to plant flowers in. So, I would really like to hit those garage sales. My sweet man is also looking for a few things. 

Well, I got my yarn back from the mill and took it up to be dyed on Saturday. I am really trying to convince myself that I am still going to be thrilled with the color we got. I guess my first mistake was to picture in my mind, what I want my finished shawl to look like. I LOVE blue gingham. Everyone who knows me, always thinks of me, when they see blue gingham. I have a sweater that is older than my son (he just turned 26). It is soft and cozy and wretched looking.  I wore it on Saturday because it was cold and we would be dying. Here is a picture of the color of that sweater. I told her that was the color I wanted us to shoot for. 









Here is my yarn before dying. It was very interesting that the wool from the same sheep, could make such a difference in yarn. It ended up, that the mill did something extra to the latest fleece. Ginny might remember what he said he did. It is much softer and does not have those longer flyaway type hairs. Maybe he did some sort of combing. 









Here is the color that we got with the dying. 









I will be using that color along with more of the white yarn above. I am sure it will still be pretty, but it is not what I had pictured in my head. The young woman who helped me is such a sweetheart, I did not want her to think I was not happy. If I ever had a daughter, I would want her to be like this young woman. She is absolutely precious. 

Also, my son and daughter-in-love came yesterday to wish me a happy Mother's Day and bring me a gift. Here is the card that my son picked out for me. I LOVE it!! That is really knitting on those wee tiny needles.


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Okay while I was out taking pictures of the fleeces from the Shepherd's Harvest I also took pictures of the Wallaby for my DIL and the progress I'm making on this. I love the way this yarn is knitting up. This is the front with the pouch complete. The color changes were different on the pouch than the rest of the sweater.









This is of the back









Then this is the sock I'm working on from that Zuberball yarn or whatever it's called. Very strange yarn.


----------



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Oh Marci. That blue color that you got, it really is beautiful. 
Too bad it was not what you were going for. 
This project you have been envisioning has been fraught with challenges!
& you haven't even gotten started on making it yet.
Here is hoping that the actual construction goes smoothly after all that!

Marchwind, beautiful colorchanges on that Wallaby. I am sure your DIL
will love it! & the zauberball sox are coming right along too.
(Are you getting sick of self-striping yarn yet? )

Thanks for all the nice pics, both of you!


----------



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

Just had to grab the kids up and race to hubbies work to wait out tornadoes one touched down about 1/4 miles from our double wide mobile house but by that time I was already in town trying to get somewhere safe and saw it in the rear view mirror SCARY I HATE TORNADOES and they are calling for more later this week possible.


----------



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

luvzmybabz, hugs to you! That was too close for comfort!

I know how scary it is. We are having some pretty severe weather here tonight
too. Thankfully we have a basement. I guess it must be spring. sigh.

Please stay safe!


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Wow Luvzmybabz, so glad you and the kids are ok! I know how you feel about those tornadoes. We got caught off gaurd by one once, standing in the living room of our mobile home, the crazy thing skipped up the hill over our house and hit the barn. Got to watch the whole thing, it happened so fast all we could do is stand and stare out the window. The house never moved. Tornadoes are weird things.

I never thought about posting pics of my flowers! And I have given them all away!! That's ok, I will knit more! hehe!! I worked on spinning again. Still looks all lumpy and off kilter. I guess I just need to drive up north and corner one of ya'll to show me what on earth I am doing!

Tryskal, I am there with you on that nerdy thing... for Mothers day I got All of the Star Trek Next Generation series AND yarn AND a pic of my dear son and his wife!!! Love it when the kids know that I couldn't be happier than knitting and watching star trek... lol! and he said "mom, you can do it all at once!" lol!

ok, I started a baby blanket for one of the church ladies that is due in August. It is looking good so far. The yarn is a chunky one, so it is making an interesting blanket. I may do a hat and booties too.
Just about to wrap up DD's shrug. I think I have a mental block, have to be in the right mood to pick it up and knit (think - solitude) 
DS #3 had his string concert, so no more Thursday night quiet knitting time while waiting on him. (don't worry, I will make time for that anyway!)
Lets see... what else....
Oh! DS#2 had wreck #2. Yep. Totaled out that little Sebring convertible he just bought. It was all of 2 months since he bought it. Something or another in the steering stuff broke and he lost control of the car, went off the FM road, across a culvert, missed a mailbox, and landed between 2 huge trees, just feet from the side of a house, and then the car caught fire! My other son and 2 of their friends were with them, and nobody got hurt. Luckily the guys had all been camping/fishing close by, so there were 3 dads there in short order, along with fire, sheriff and the works. So then today, I get a call from the insurance lady, and she says that this guy whose yard my son's car careened across, claims his truck was damaged. My son's car never came close to that truck! They took down notes from us and will go check it out. I sure hope they deny the claim. The guy's truck was way far away from all that happened.
So now the poor boy has to start saving all over again. This time we don't have any extra money to help him out. (we put 1500 in on the last car) So, he was pretty depressed yesterday. (all that happened Saturday)

Anyway, that's about all I know for now. Time to go milk my goats!
And then a little bedtime knitting.... hehe!


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Safe thoughts going out to those in harms way, including MamaJ's son.

So glad tornados are a rarity here.


----------



## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

I have a couple of minutes to jump on here. I have a family of 10 staying with me until Tuesday. She is an avid knitter and bought tons of yarn at some big clearance sale. She brought me a BUNCH of sock yarn.  She also knitted and felted me the most darling bowl. I will try and get a picture to put up. She knows I love blue. Well, I hear little boys upstairs, I better get with the program.


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

What fun Mrs.H  I love house guests who know what you like, they are welcome any time.


----------



## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

Here is a picture of what she brought to me. I love the little bowl. It is darling.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Oh wow! That is some awesome yarn, and the bowl is just darling!
I am a bit partial to blues...so it is all right up my alley!


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Ok, finally finished my DD's shrug that nearly made me crazy! lol!
I think I should go ahead and block it out, since it is basically acrylic, I wasn't going to. But it seems a little off at the bottom. I am going to have my friend that made the hair bow for her to make a clasp to close the shrug with.



















Now I am working on a baby blanket, a random dishcloth, and pondering which yarn to use to cast on for socks.
Finished the last chemo cap for my friend. She seems to like them. Totally forgot to take pictures of those.


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

What a beautiful daughter MamaJ. The colors in the shrug go so well with her hair. What pattern did you use and why did it drive you crazy?


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

The colors are why I made it with that yarn!
It is from the book "Chicks with Sticks Guide to Knitting" I got that book to teach myself to knit from. It is very useful and full of patterns! The shrug is called "The Make Out Sweater" and NO she won't be making out! lol! 

I had issues with the left front. Knitted up the back, no problem. knitted up the right front, no problem. Even with the sleeve increasing and neck decreasing.. those two just sorta flowed off the needles. NOT that other side! geeze! When I started the neck decreases I lost count and forgot to start the sleeve. ugh! was very unsuccessful ripping back to where the sleeve should have started because the yarn is fuzzy and I couldn't really count well. (that's my excuse and I'm gonna stick with it!) So, out it all came. Started over. Got the neck, got the sleeve, was so thrilled. Bound off. Compared to other side. How the heck??? :shrug: The sleeve managed to be a GOOD 2 inches longer! UGH AGAIN! Same problem taking it out to where it could be fixed. Ripped the whole thing out AGAIN. Finally locked myself away and did that side in two days, without interruption. GOT IT! whoohoo! I was so tickled. sewed it all together, did the seed stitch on the front, no problem. Did the seed stitch on one sleeve, no problem. Had a friend over, we were chatting, did the seed stitch on other sleeve. About to bind off and sat back to look - with joy at completing my first sweater -
Guess what???? Guess which sleeve I did the seed stitch on TWICE????????
:hammer: grrrrr...... BUT that was easy to take out and just go to the other sleeve and cast on and do the seed stitch. That boo boo was boobed and fixed all in one afternoon. lol!

Feels like I fought a war over that stupid side of the sweater. And I won! :icecream:


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

PS - I sorta think she is pretty too.


----------



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Whew! mamaj, you are the most persistent knitter that I know.  
Great job and a beautiful model. 

Marci, I cant wait to see all those blue socks you're going to knit.


----------



## yankeeterrier (May 10, 2002)

I did a knitting post on the blog. 
http://14acresplusorminus.blogspot.com/2010/05/hello-my-name-is-jezebel-and-i-knit.html
I finished up the shorties for Boogie and a caplet and have an eyelash scarf and wool cowl OTN








The bunnies keep making more bunnies, so I haven't been able to harvest much more fibre since I shipped some off to a friend to spin up. I am getting some Tunis wool from my neighbor, but it will be a while (like winter) before I find any time to even begin to try to learn to spin.

Need to get my butt outside and plant the apples and blueberries I bought yesterday and get more veggies in.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I love Boogies little britches! Those are so cute!!!
Gosh....so much to knit/spin/do and so little time! Wish I had 25 working hours a day!!!


----------



## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

Hey all! So much going on with everyone, wow! Nice to hang out and hear about everyone's life - so glad your tornado went around you, Luvzmybabz!

The blue yarn is gorgeous - mixed with white, it's exactly what I'd think of with blue gingam, if that's any comfort to you Marci!

I finally got to the LYS to spend my money (the gift certificate I got from work): they didn't have any of the circular needle sets in, so I was forced to find other ways to spend dollars, oh how horrid!  My son was really great about helping pick stuff out (he can spin on a drop spindle, sorta, and totally understands the whole fibre thing) - he went to the back wall where all the self-striping yarns are and picked out 3 neat patterns for socks (I am still working on my first pair of self-striped socks, but it's so fun, I figure it's a fun 'yarn treat' - my son said they could be for anyone EXCEPT him, though - pink and purple, yeah, go figure), and I got some bamboo DPNS and circs for making the Sylvi coat from Twist Collective (plus a skein of the yarn I want to make it in for a swatch - which was successful, and I ordered the full amount of yarn I'll need that night!). It was a fun trip. 

I spent today outside doing fences for my sheep ... and now my aching body is in the rocker and I think I'll do a bit more on my funky green self striping sock!


----------



## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

Hey Fiber people,

Hi! I know I'm not around the forum much anymore, but I still check to see what you all are up to. I have come out of my depression pretty much, I had to strong arm myself and get tough. The tough get going when the going gets tough, is my motto. I REALLY missed not being able to attend the Shepherds Harvest festival with you guys, but I had a major procedure done at Mayo a few days before, and I was in no shape to attend, spent 5 days on pain pills and resting. But now they are talking about me living a couple of decades, which is great, we didn't think I had that much time before. 

I have been spinning some, I am lucky enough to have gotten over 30 pounds of fibers back from the processor, and am enjoying it tremendously. I had 4 different white Romney fleeces done, one blended with 45% apricot natural colored mohair. And I had 5 colors of Border Leicester done. My Mom gave me back some corrie/angora yarn I spun up 20 years ago and gave to her, so I'm going to make it into a knitted harf. I think I was a better spinner back then when I was young and really into the technical aspects of it...

My huge garden is going well, lettuce is my cash crop, but I have a huge section of sweet corn. We joined the Buy Fresh Buy Local Iowa campaign and are putting up a farm sign soon. We found a mother red fox has her den with 4 kits in a wild area right behind our barn. She has mange real bad and her big tail is bare, but the kits are real cute and beautiful to watch.

My adult son and his gf moved out a few days ago, so we have the house to ourselves again, altho I miss him. Her not so much. Also, with their 2 cats gone, our lovely sweet barn cat is now allowed to be a house cat. 

Our worn-out SUV tried to die on us while at Mayo, so we traded it in a few days later and got a nice barely-used crew cab pickup, and we got a new 5th wheel RV on sale to go with it. So now we will take our "home" with us when we travel or go to Mayo during the warm months. 

And we are planning a huge 4th of July pyro extravaganza for friends and neighbors here, and we may even have fire dancers to participate, like they do at Burning Man. Our show will be bigger and better than the local town show. But it is so much work to put on!

I am glad all of you are doing well and having fun with stuff, enjoy your Summer! I am planning a busy Summer, I hope you all have a great one, too!

Lezlie


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

Congrats Lezlie on the good report, and on getting tough with yourself! You did good. 
Sounds like your one busy gal!


----------



## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Lezlie, I'm sorry to hear that you had another painful procedure, but so glad to hear of your prognosis! Hurray for decades and decades!!

Lovely pictures, everyone. I enjoy them so much.

I got two ewes sheared before the skies opened up and it started raining again. Oh well.

I went to my last session of tutoring at the local public school today. It was so nice to watch the two kindergarteners I've been working with pick up their book and actually read the whole thing, from beginning to end. Both started out behind, and one of them told me he was "a loser, because of my dad", but both made their "benchmarks" and will go on to first grade - as readers. (That didn't happen last year). It really gladdened my heart.


----------



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Congratulations on the new wee grandson WIHH. What is his name? 
(details are required with new babes. ) 

Garden? Mine is too wet to step foot in. The peas are flowering, and the onions and potatoes are doing. The weeds are doing. I have pots on the porch with 7 varieties of tomatoes and numerous different pepper plants. They will go in the earth when it turns to Summer. May is too treacherous for them. Strong winds, possibly hail. We have had almost 8" of rain in the last week. I am just whining about rain. And using it as an excuse for fiber prep. 

frazzlehead, hurry up and knit that Sylvi, will ya? I can hardly wait to see it.
Ordering yarn AFTER you buy one skein and knit a swatch? That is awesome!
You are a serious careful shopper and I can appreciate that.

Jezebel, are these the new 'big boy' pants? They are very cool. How is it going with that potty chair? 

I am finishing the socks from the beautiful fiber that Annie sent me. I am past the gusset decreases on the 2nd one.They are working up very nicely. 

BUT. 

Then I started carding and dyeing. OOOH, I am getting some pretty colors. And now I am spindling it, which makes me itch to knit it...

I am not totally sure where I am heading with it yet, but I have been taking pictures along the way. :grin:


----------



## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Aw...he is beautiful. So much vitality in such a small package. 
I cant wait to see the cute little hats and booties you will surely be making for him.


----------



## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

My company was supposed to leave today, but they are staying through tomorrow. My Dad had a heart attack on Saturday. On Sunday, I was really worried, he was not doing well and he looked really bad. Then yesterday, he started on the upswing. He is out of ICU and in a step down unit. Between going to the hospital and being a hostess, I have done no knitting of any kind and have not been able to be on the computer hardly at all. Also, today is my dear sweet, wonderful husband's birthday. Tonight we are having our son and his wife and the neighbors and their 5 children (who adore my husband. We are like their grandparents) along with the family of 10 here.  Yee Haw.....


----------



## Mrs. Jo (Jun 5, 2007)

WiHH Congratulations on the beautiful grandbaby! He sure looks big and healthy, but definitely chilly. I think he needs a handspun sweater from Grandma...

Mrs. H- I hope your dad will be better soon. This happened to my dad just a few years ago. Happy Birthday to your hubby!


----------



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

I hear you about the hail WIHH Sunday we had horrible hail storms all around us but none here thank goodness. We are talking up to softball size and the smaller ones with high winds made hail drifts ( 70 to 80 MPH winds had them going sideways up to 2 feet tall about 15 minutes from here. One of Hubby's co-workers lost 5 large windows and a brand new roof and 2 walls of his barn, all the car windows at home and the cars were all beat to beat the band. Then there was another storm to the west, however I finally got a break however they are expecting more severe weather for the next 2 days.

I was talking to a friend the other day and got to the weather, We decided you either have to Really love OKlahoma or be nuts to wanna live here for winter and spring.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

WIHH - what a gorgeous little bundle! I know your so proud. I was looking at the new knitpicks catalog today, and all those wonderful little baby kits just about made my heart skip a beat! No grands for me, but I may practice on the 2 new babies due in the church!  I am really getting in 'grandma' mode here... lol!

Everyone else - so glad there are no major hail damages, and a few sheep got sheered, gardens in, awesome dying and spinning and knitting...
and Mrs H - super hostess of the year! My hat's off to YOU! :rock:

Me? I managed to get a messed up needle -that is being replace thank the Lord!- and one fence is up. Goats are still getting out, so I don't feel like I have accomplished a THING! ugh.

ok, I am gonna go knit a dishcloth now. :grin:


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

WIHH, Haddon Mark looks like a pink cherub. Those are such kissable cheeks!

Marci, how is your father doing? He has been on my prayer list.

Well, I did it again ..... got another one hooked on spinning!!! :bouncy: Her Kromski Minstrel came in today and she high-tailed it to my house so I could her her put it together. She was like a youngster at Christmas!

Got an email from Nathan Lee ... For the past two years I've bugged him a couple times a year about making a WooLee Winder for the Ashford Jumbo Double Drive. I got one from my Sonata the same time I got that wheel and have coveted one for the Traveller ever since.

Nathan told me he has made a few and even though they are not available on the website, I can order one from him! :bouncy: I pray I sell quite a few yarns & soaps at Farmer's Market so I can afford this.

I got a good part of the garden in. I still have plants in the cold frame that need to be transplanted to the garden. This year is pickle & bean year for canning so there are plenty of pickling cuke plants in, as well as a few 70' rows of beans. Also lettuce, spinach, carrots, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, swiss chard, radishes, okra, couple varieties of summer squash, watermelon, cantelope & of course tomatoes. Asparagus & rhubarb are going to seed. The Walking onions are about ready to bloom, so they'll replant themselves shortly & I'll start harvesting them. Pumpkins will be planted in July. 

This is the 3rd year for our red & gold raspberries and they have really taken off! The black raspberries we planted last fall did well over the winter. They all have flowers on them. The horseradish and comfrey are flowering. Herbs are doing well and I realized I forgot to start cilantro plants so I'll be trying them from seed. My dill didn't reseed itself last year, so I've reseeded that also. 2nd year for the strawberries and should be a few berries in the next few weeks.

I spent a week with DD and granddaughter and have new pictures ... just need to get them saved and loaded to the internet.


----------



## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

My Dad is doing a bit better. He came home yesterday. He is not wanting calls or visits even from family right now. He is exhausted. Thank you for praying. 

God has a sense of humor. Our guests left yesterday, but left their 11 year old son to be a farm hand for 2 weeks. Most of you don't know me well, but I do NOT like cats. Never have, and probably never will. I am not mean to them or anything, but I do NOT like them. This child could talk the hind leg off of a mule. His favorite subject?..... CATS... This could be a LONG 2 weeks.


----------



## betty modin (May 15, 2002)

I was going to complain about the weather, but read the reports of others first. I'll not complain about late chilly rain with snow at the pass level, nor the wind that downed a few trees around the area (one on the house of one of my students-a fortunate grazing rather than a full on strike-just took out gutters and a few window screens) I was ready for warmer, sunnier weather..but I guess I'll just have to settle for Oregon Cascade Spring instead.
The garden can't go in here until after June 1st-I'd just have to replant it if I tried sooner-too chilly and the mountains around me block the morning sun just a bit later than down in the valley. I've got a great crop of tall grass, some chives in bloom, a few raspberry plants leafing out, and some onions that somehow decided to come up this spring where I planted (and they didn't come up) last spring! If I can figure out what happened, it might be a way to get a head start on next year.
The graduations were wonderful. I managed to deal with my ex well both weekends, and so did my oldest daughter. I'm proud to say that my son (NAU Flagstaff) has an impressive internship with a prestigous society of physicists to write for their blogs, websites, and other publications, and my younger daughter is now a DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) from USC! All hooded and oaths taken. Now-all I have left for this year is the oldest daughter's wedding in the fall.
I'm looking forward to the end of the school year so I can begin the process of washing all the fleeces. I do mine outdoors in a large washtub and dry them on an old wooden window screen on the deck. It keeps some of the mess out of the house. I'm also ready to have open doors and windows, the garden in, and to not have to heat the house for awhile.
Hoping that spring comes to you at the best time and in the best way possible,
betty


----------



## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

Before my friends left for home, they gave me another gift. I thought some of you might appreciate it.  










The legs have wires in them. You can pose him or he even stands on his own.


----------



## Mrs. Jo (Jun 5, 2007)

I'm sitting here on my side porch enjoying the lovely breezy weather we are having right now. Earlier today we had some intense storms move through and more are expected tomorrow. I'm getting myself ready to weed and perhaps start planting some of the garden plants we bought this morning. I am carding a good bit of my polyplay and angora here on the porch. Getting enough together to spin through the week. It's a lovely day today. Hope you are enjoying yours!


----------



## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

My current garden challenge is keeping the deer from pruning my poor beans. We've never had such voracious deer before. The sweet corn is knee-high and I've picked tomatoes already. I coddled the tomato plants through the spring and it's paying off with early fruit this year. I don't have raspberries but the wild "briar berries" are loaded. It's hot and humid so I've switched from spinning wool to crocheting a silk shawl and weaving a rag rug. 

I so appreciate reading everyone's news. There's no one else I know of around here interested in spinning and no yarn shop within 50 miles, but as I read your updates I know I'm not really alone in my pursuits.

Crazy dialup just loaded WIHH's beautiful grandbaby and Mrs. H's too cute lambie. WIHH, my baby was 10 lbs even and there's nothing like a good solid baby to cuddle.


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Found these free ebook patterns for knitting, crocheting and more: http://e1.interweave.com/dsm?sna=tw&id=A4DE35869D1B4D7A7ADBC3EFC59393FEC30092B14F2F2183


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Mrs H that is the cutest stuffed sheep I've ever seen.
Weever thank you for posting those. I was going to be hadn't gotten around to it yet.


----------



## northprairiegir (Apr 11, 2008)

This past week I finished making bookmarks and earnings that the kids gave their teachers on the last day of school which was Friday. My 8 yr. old dd has informed me that she would like a shrug out of some yarn that she picked out the last time we were in town. Now off to find a pattern..........!


----------



## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

It's good to hear everyone's news. I'm with Polly in that I like to read what is going on. I don't have anyone to spin with anymore or go to festivals with, but I have knitting friends (no, they aren't interested in learning to spin). Rats! I've been sidetracked with high blood pressure problems (yes, you can really feel bad with it, besides my sister died from it at 56), but I think I've just about got it balanced out. It would help if I wasn't so afraid of the costs of visiting the doctors! Yes, I have lousy insurance. Anyway, I have been given some Cotswold fleece that has been really nice. I've had some before that was very wirey, but this is smooth and softer. Is this more like what Cotswold should be? It sure is easy to spin. Thanks for the pictures---my camera gives me fits!


----------



## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I don't have a clue what varieties the raspberries are. I knew at one time, but the information got lost in the back of my brain. I'll pull out our homestead journal and see if I perhaps entered the information in there. When you're ready for some, let me know. I can dig new cane growth and send you some.

Got my mother hooked on spinning last night. She can't knit or crochet anymore for a very long time so asked me to teach her to spindle. I got out a bottom and a top whorl, showed her the basics and let her go. She liked the top whorl better, so I sent her home with that and about a pound of white corriedale hogget roving.


Now I'm going to have to padlock the fiber room when she visits .....


----------



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

Well Friday turned out to be AWESOME. It is one of those emotionally exhauting days for me every year it would have been my daugther's 11th birthday, she passed away 8 year ago in April. So my normally forgetful hubby wakes up and says get dressed we are going to garage sales, He wanted me to stay busy so I did not think about it, Yes he got lotsa brownie points!!

So at the 2nd sale of the day I got these 2 great homemade roll around shelf things that have spaces for 2 large dowel rods. They had been used to hang clothes for craft shows. They will mow be used for drying and dyeing wool. Then we ended up in the city in the late afternoon and went hunting for the maple again. Finally someone said to try milding king down the street. We went in and asked yes he had it for sale by the foot etc, so we sat there explaining whatI wanted it for and we actually ended up making a one piece mini comb, so the guy cut the wood and when I asked how much he said that my story for his wood was the best he had ever heard so it was on the house.

Then yesterday hubby helped work on my spinning corner and I set up the shelf in the bathroom. Will get pictures sometime this week .


----------



## weever (Oct 1, 2006)

Hey, luvzmybabz, your hubby is a keeper. I'm glad you had a good day.


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Hugs Luvzmybabz for both you and that wonderful husband of your.


----------



## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

Big hugs to you Luvzmybabyz. Your husband is a treasure. I am glad he thought to keep you busy and I am glad for the good day you had. 

My Dad is getting better. We went to see him today. He looks SO much better than the last time I saw him. He is still weak. His wife said that she wants a few visitors to start coming. She thinks he may be getting depressed. I had already read what you wrote about that WIHH, so I shared that with her. 

My farm hand is here for a couple of weeks. He is having fun and it is nice to have him here.


----------



## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

I got back this afternoon from visiting my 80-year old mother in West Virginia. She had me tromping around the hills foraging for "warabi" (Japanese name) fiddleheads with her. After that, I helped her plant edamame soybeans in her little garden. I have many memories of foraging and planting with her when I was young, so it was really nice to do it again. 

Back home in Indiana, it's warm - up in the 80's. I finally got the last of my sheep shorn. I'm sure they feel much better now.

Tomorrow, I have to go back to work, and after that - prepare for a colonoscopy. Ugh.


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Lucy your time with your mom sounds like fun. I love edamame's yum!

The colonoscopy isn't that bad. I made sure to tell them to knock me out. The worse part is all the prep work. DO NOT try to work while you are cleaning yourself out for the procedure, trust me on this one. Good Luck!


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Ed- a- mommy


----------



## frazzlehead (Aug 23, 2005)

In Japanese, that comes out as "eh-dah-ma-meh", very close to Marchie's pronunciation. Japanese vowels are pronounced much the same as Italian, and the syllables all get the same approximate stress - syllables are lengthened or shortened to give them 'oomph', rather than up-and-down-tonally like in English. In edamame, they all have about the same 'length'.

(Says Frazzlehead, who studied Japanese for a year in University and went there for a youth exchange many, many, many years ago!) Hey, I should plant soybeans and eat 'em raw soaked in salt water! That's so yummy!


----------



## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

I love edamame but so do my new pals, the deer demolishing our garden. Last evening dh and I were out trying every deer repellent we could think of, all the while the rascals were gathering at the edge of the field ready to mow down beans and peanuts yet again. I told dh that if we can't get our protein from garden beans, we'll get it from venison this fall. I've always been able to deter deer with powdered garlic, but this year they like their veggies spicy.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

PollySC said:


> I love edamame but so do my new pals, the deer demolishing our garden. Last evening dh and I were out trying every deer repellent we could think of, all the while the rascals were gathering at the edge of the field ready to mow down beans and peanuts yet again. I told dh that if we can't get our protein from garden beans, we'll get it from venison this fall. I've always been able to deter deer with powdered garlic, but this year they like their veggies spicy.


Lol! How about some cayenne spray, or maybe some habanero spray?

A couple of years ago my husband found a clause in the hunting codes (or whatever they are called) If a deer is being a pest (in your garden) you can shoot them out of season! Since he found that we have not had a single deer in the garden. Guess they can read too.
lol!


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

I need fiber time. :umno:
I am chained to the stupid 'puter.
Maybe I should just hurry up and get stuff done? Wonder if that would help.


----------



## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

Yup, mamaj, I tried the most horrible combination of vinegar, tabasco, garlic, onion, eggs, coffee grounds, everything stinky I could think of and they laughed at me. I just strung skeins of cheap acrylic yarn around an acre and I'll see how that works. I think we can shoot out of season in South Carolina but the thought of dressing a deer in this heat horrifies me and deer processing plants are closed till fall.


----------



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

Oh my I never want to do that again!!!!!!!!!!! Last night hubby called about 2 miles away from the house and said Honey meet me at the truck I am having chest pains. My husband us normally a whinny sick person but hates dr.s and even worse hospitals. So I grab up my dirty been out playing in the dirt kids, put on a bra ( it was a comfort day for me) and race hubby to hospital, while calling one sister to come get kids go to my house check and make sure I turned off stove, grab the kids some clothes and milk and to take the kids to other sisters house, then BF and her new hubby to go by our house and feed the animals. 

They released him about 12:00AM. They said by the way of blood tests it was not a severe heart attack but definitely heart related. The kept pumping baby aspirin and nitroglycerin done him for 5 hours. So today I have to call his regular doctor that is really hard to get into usually 2 week wait and explain why they will be getting him in before the weekend holiday. The ER doc also said he should have at least a treadmill test done. I am to young to have hubby have bad heart trouble so I called my grandmother to get a bit of pity, my grandfather had his first BIG one at 33 and lived on nitro until histriple by pass.

At least the dr. was kind about explaining when I asked questions, I am one of those people I must know the why how will it happen again blah blah blah. The dr does want him to start a baby aspirin daily not a problem we usually have them for the kids but of course we are out now so I have to go to the hell store (wal mart) today.

All 5 of my boys were supposed to be here for the holiday weekend and youngest sons birthday on Saturday. We are supposed to pick up the oldest 2 this evening they hate coming to my house as there are NO video games and chores to be done, and now that I think about it I am kinda glad they will be here as I can not do the heavy feeding because of my back and I wonder if Hubby was just suffering from exhaustion, things have been really rough on him since I hurt my back but even worse after my surgery we had help until Sept. but since then he has been working his 12 hour shift then coming home and doing chores, and even on his days off for about the last 2 months there has been SOMETHING happening everyday, so the boys can and WILL help out here this weekend. Wish me luck trying to please everyone get 2 briskets and sausage and kraut made, a birthday party at home and one large family one ( which means 2 cakes to make and decorate) and keep my sanity. I use my spinning as a break when I am feeling anxiou sor stressed but do not think I will even have time to look at it until after the holiday, unless I can't sleep which will probably be the case but I think I am going to try to get in a few hours before all heck breaks loose this afternoon.

Kasi

PS for some lite heartedness.......my 3 ( almost 4) year old has finally taken to training I did not rush him as he has been a bit delayed in everything since birth. You can tell he usually hangs with the guys ( and they at least try to watch their language around the kids)when dad is off work the other day he has an accident in his pants and I asked where his poo belonged and he said in the fan. I was a bit confused, as he does not talk all that welland asked again he said in the fan. I asked my 6 year old to interpret he said that all the guys talk about the poop hitting the fan. Not funny at all considering but it's OK as the 3 year has decided to be a big boy now and is easily bribed 5 extra minutes of mommy reading before bedtime, having extra outside time etc.


----------



## mamajohnson (Nov 27, 2002)

wow Kasi. I am so glad everything sorta turned out good.
Sounds like ya'll have your plates full. Try to have a good weekend, and don't stress too much! The best I can do to help out is say a prayer. Men are so not good at taking care of themselves. (at least mine is)
Be sure to update after the doc's appt.

you know, we have video games and such, but I hardly let them break it out. I need to make the kids get up and bust their rear outside more. I do let them watch too many movies and be online too much. We did have a marathon work day Saturday out in the goat's pen. I was worried about my dh, we all worked circles around him. He was barely keeping up. Too much truck driving/eating. He doesn't get near enough exercise.


----------



## PollySC (Jan 17, 2006)

Kasi, sending some hugs to you and hope you'll bear up under all the commotion. 

Mamaj, we all do the best we can and I stopped beating myself up over the kid wanting to play video games. 

Good news: the deer stayed out of my garden last night! Hurray for cheap acrylic yarn!

Ann


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

Lots of hugs and healing thoughts and strength to get you through it all. Please do keep us posted on your DH and his progress.


----------



## Mrs. Homesteader (May 10, 2002)

Oh Kasi, how scary. I hope he gets lots of rest this weekend. Work those boys. There is a lot going on there.


----------



## luvzmybabz (Sep 8, 2008)

Looks like that is not going to happen already why are men so.................( insert favorite word here)?


----------



## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Kasi, how dreadful! That must have been so frightening. I'm so glad your husband didn't try to ignore the chest pain. I hope both you and he are able to get some rest.

Marchie, I was scheduled to work today during the "cleanout", but I switched days. I am so glad I did!!!!!

Today a box arrived in the mail from the processor. I now have about 25 lbs of 2-ply worsted Shetland yarn in different natural colors (as well as newly shorn wool I haven't even sent out yet). That's a lot of socks and sweaters! What to make first? Hmmm.....


----------



## Marchwind (May 10, 2002)

The new June FAC is up. Please post on there from now on. Thanks! Here's the link http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?p=4462256#post4462256


----------

