# FAC ~ December 2014



## Marchwind

This is the Fiber Arts Chat (FAC). There is a new thread for each month, more or less on the first of the month. We come here to talk about our lives and what is happening in them, not necessarily fiber related. This is a great place to just touch base if life is keeping you too busy to post anything more substantial. If you are new to the Fiber Forum this is a good place to jump in and introduce yourself, or you can start a new thread. We love our newbies, so be ready for a hardy welcome and to show pictures . If you have questions you are welcome to post them here or start a new thread, it will be easier to search out and find later.

Back to work this morning:yuck:


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## SvenskaFlicka

Yikes. Forgot today was already December. 
Not. Okay. 
I need to go knit Christmas presents.


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## Taylor R.

Whew that was a marathon at work! I put in 65 hours, and that was with Thanksgiving off. I'm going to have to go catch up with everybody in the Nov FAC.

It's my littlest lady's fifth birthday today, so we're planning all sorts of special stuff for her.


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## MDKatie

December!!! I have my last craft show of the year this Saturday, and I've still got quite a few things to get done. :facepalm: One thing at a time! I've been a needle felting wonder woman lately, getting ornaments done for the show.

My kitty just got spayed today, so I'm going to pick her up after work. I need to schedule a time to pick up the loaner buck to breed my goats. I'm halfway wanting to skip breeding the goats this year, but I am not sure I have enough frozen goat milk to last me all the way through until spring of 2016. 

And Christmas presents!! I hate when Thanksgiving is so late! We need that extra week between the holidays. We're going to be doing mostly online shopping this year, so that will save a good bit of time. 

I got way behind on the Nov. chat, so I am hoping to keep up with it this time.


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## Woodpecker

I got good news! The chemo is working! My oncologist wants to scan me in 2 months. The good Lord is indeed good! God bless you all for your prayers.


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## MDKatie

Woodpecker said:


> I got good news! The chemo is working! My oncologist wants to scan me in 2 months. The good Lord is indeed good! God bless you all for your prayers.


That is wonderful news!!!!! :dance:


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## Marchwind

Great to hear WP!!!!


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## BrownYaks

That is great!


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## BrownYaks

I'm currently trying to get pick up times lined out on a floor loom 4 hours away...You guys are bad influences. :ashamed:


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## Taylor R.

WP, that's fantastic!

Kas...you may have lost your mind, but congrats on the new wheel(s)! My husband wants to know if you're planning to keep them all permanently (if you say yes my obsession will pale in comparison and maybe he'll even think all my roving totally reasonable, and then thank his lucky stars we don't live in wool-wear country where wheels abound).

We've been working on online Christmas shopping and got the decor switched up (except the lights outside...a certain Mr. R can't remember where he stuck them last year).


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## Osiris

WP, EXCELLENT news. Keep the PMA and we're all with ya!

BrownYaks? You getting a floor loom? :thumb: You'll love it.


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## Kasota

December???? Already????? Oh, egads.... 

Taylor, 5 years seems like such a milestone! I hope you had a perfectly delightful day! And yes, I have lost my mind, but it's a fun sort of crazy. So far the only one that has found a new home is the SWSO that I bought to use as a playhouse prop but my sister wanted it for decoration. So it's at her place. She will be tired of it inside of a few months and then it will make it's way to the Duluth Playhouse. The others are all here with me in my wee little house excepting the CPW which is still in Mpls. However much roving you have is totally and utterly reasonable.  Just sayin' 

MDKatie, oh you have a lot on your plate! I so agree that we need another week in there somewhere. 

(((((((((WP!!!!!)))))))))))))) YAY!!!!! Oh, prayers continue Sweetheart!!! You just made my day!!! Best news ever!!!  :banana: 

BrownYaks, congratulations!!!! You have taken that first step down the garden path. Don't bother leaving a trail of anything to find your way back... you've gone too far now. This is your "gateway loom." 

Today in the mail I got The Fleece And Fiber Sourcebook which I had ordered from Amazon to use up some credits I had.  It looks like a nice book!


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## lambs.are.cute

I can't believe that it's December already either. I'm not even really minding the cold now that I have a set of pink! (Yes pink) rubber boots. And not just the fake go to the mall boots but actual farm boots. I had no idea what properly fitted boots feel like since I've always had my younger brother's hand me downs. And a pair of boot socks now my boots don't eat socks off my feet. Toasty warm. 

We had something I have never seen. Snowing in bright sunshine. It is normally cloudy or foggy when it snows. 

When I got home from work I found a red tail hawk in the tree above my chicken pen starring at the new net top, screaming (and cursing) while my hens were safely carefully going about their day! Yay all that work and annoyance was worth it in that moment.


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## weever

WP, made a point to come and read your news--and it's good! 

Dyed some wool yarn tonight.


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## Woodpecker

You always have the nicest wool weever. What color / weight is that ? Yes finally I was blessed with good news!


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## BlueberryChick

Woodpecker said:


> I got good news! The chemo is working! My oncologist wants to scan me in 2 months. The good Lord is indeed good! God bless you all for your prayers.


Doing a happy dance for you, WP!!


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## Ketoriverfarm

WP - great news! 

I have spent the evening looking for mitten patterns that I can use two strands of yarn. I found a couple of patterns that I think will work on ravelry. I am in mood to start a new knitting project. Susan


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## MullersLaneFarm

Dreamy ... be looking forward to receiving mail the next day or five ...

So absolutely joyously riveted in your news!!!
3


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## Marchwind

Welcome to The Fold Ketoriverfarm! Are you wanting to work two colors as in stranded knitting or knit two yarns together to make a heavier, thicker mitten? Make sure you take pictures and post them for us to see.

Kasota what's with that avatar? Why is my avatar in the lower right hand corner of every post? 

LAC pink rubber boots, and real chore boots? Cool!!!! Are they bright pink or powder pink?

Weever what dye are you using? It looks like it's going to be similar in color to what I dyed for my DIL's sweater.


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## Wind in Her Hair

joyously bouncing :bouncy: and rejoicing in Woodpecker's awesome news!!!! :clap:

How wonderful!!!!!!!!!!


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## weever

I'm using Pro Chem dyes this time, and the label says red. But this is a pinkish red--I'll see if I can attach a photo. WP, it's aran weight. We are busy with an outdoor Christmas market, and I sold quite a bit of yarn this past weekend--enough to make me drag out my dyepot again.


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## featherbottoms

Woodpecker, that is just most excellent news. I know you are so relieved about now.

Kas, I have that book. It sure does make one want to buy lots of different fiber. On another note, I hope your brother, and any others that are being so mean, come around soon. Momma's are special, and they should not forget that.

Congrats to your little one, Taylor. I remember being 5. It was a good year for memories.

Weever, that looks like a nice deep dark color in the dye pot. It sure changed.

It's nice to see so many people getting looms and wheels. So much to learn, so little time.


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## naura

Happy birthday taylor! I have lots of December birthdays in my family so this month is going to be crazy. 

2- DH's uncle
4- my grandpa
9- my sister #2
12- my mom
15- DH's grandma, DH's uncle, DH's cousin, my son
22- My sister #1


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## lexierowsell

Baby watch is on! From now until Feb +/- I have 26 mamas due. 24 sheep, and two maiden cows. Of the sheep, only 4 or 5 are not maidens; should be an exciting season!


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## kandmcockrell

Here is my tree. I may add a few more things. Waiting on candles for the windows and need to dig out the wreath for the front door.


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## Woodpecker

Good for you weever, I hope you sell out! That's such a different color than the dye pot but I love how it came out. Yup your yarn is special.

I just finished chemo for the week and it's raining and I'm kinda sleepy so I going to go make more headway on my scarf. I'm more than 1/2 done now. I started the 2nd skein last night. 

Thank you all for rejoicing with me.:grouphug:


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## BrownYaks

Lexi- We're getting ready to lamb as well. We have quite a few bagging up so I'm expecting lambs by Christmas. I don't have exact dates though  . It was a fencing extravaganza this year and the rams never got sorted out.


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## featherbottoms

MDKatie, good luck with the craft sale. Those were really cute ornaments you posted the other day.

lac, When we built our chicken house we covered the top and sides with 50% woven shade cloth, over the outside of the regular wire fence on the sides. This past spring something tried really hard to get into the pen and shredded a small section of one corner. That shade cloth held up great.

Cyndi, do you plan to make any lotion again soon? Or would you happen to have a couple bottles of the unscented in stock? I'm down to 1 1/2 bottles and I'm having to move them from room to room and building to building to have one where I am all the time. It's been so dry here this winter I've been using a lot more than I expected just to keep my hands where I can play with yarn.


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## lambs.are.cute

They are kind of dark purple pink, dark enough to hide a lot of the muck that is on them. 

Featherbottoms I'll have to look at shade cloth for my main chicken pen. This is the first year that I will be locking my standard sized hens up but I lost 40+ hens this year..... out of a flock of 60 (although I think that at least 30 of those were actually stolen). The hawk problem is getting out of hand. We have 3 different nests around the property and a bald eagle nest just down the road. 

My beloved but sadly prey for everything that moves bantams were the ones the hawk was after and they have been locked up since it has been too cold for them to be in their tunnels in the garden. Their pen is fenced up to 6 feet and then I wove (my first weaving ever!) a net out of bailing twine secured to the fence every foot and with branches as big around as my wrist to support in the middle. Then I added fruit tree netting to keep the bantams from flying out. The bailing twine net is strong enough to support a hawk - but they hate it because it bounces. So far the pen has kept the neighbors' tom cat, and dogs out, and hawks and skunks out.


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## Wind in Her Hair

*kanddcockrell*, love the tree! So bright and cheery! Are the snowflakes crocheted? 

*kasota*, I love your tree, too. What a great, space-saving elegant tree! I bet that just tickles Granny Annie pink! I never saw the Martha Stewart trees before. That is beautiful! In fact, I am reposting your tree picture in this thread just so I can look at it and enjoy it with ease all month long! (I hope that's okay - just feel free to slap me upside the head if it's not. :teehee

I admit it -I &#9829; Christmas!!!

so, from the November FAC, here is Kasota's darling tree.


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## Wind in Her Hair

oh, and here is mine. 

I'd love to see EVERYONE'S trees and decorations posted on this thread! No matter the style or the scale, I just love to see the lights and decorations. They just make me smile!

I remember the first year I was married, I didn't have any ornaments at all, and my mother-in-law sent me a box of "Snoopy" ornaments.  Not _exactly_ my taste, but what a nice gesture. :kiss: I have changed "styles" so many times over the years - from country gingham to elegant pearls and gilded gold Victorian and everything in between - at last I have found the style that suits me.

I usually go to the woods and gather greens and make my own wreath for the cabin, but this weekend it was so bitterly and brutally cold, my dear sweet husband snuck off and went to a local greenhouse to buy me a wreath. I had complained to him that the wreaths for sale locally are only 24" - "the size of my drive wheel on my Norwegian wheel" and what I REALLY needed was a 30" wreath - "the size of the drive wheel on my CPW". :grin: When he got to the greenhouse, they were all out of 30" wreaths but the greenhouse owner offered to make us one while he waited - so he did.  Wasn't that the sweetest??? :kiss:

I did end up going out to the woods (and freezing) and brought in some lovely spruce boughs. I got all bundled up and headed out pulling the sled behind me, the woods were silent and so beautiful.

The poor little chickadees are eating me out of house and home and the deer are enjoying the pumpkins that once graced the porches for autumn.

It is a wonderful time of year.


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## Kris in MI

Woodpecker, rejoicing in your good news! 

Love the Christmas tree pictures. Here's one of mine (because I'm feeling a little facetious today). It is not decorated yet; in October I bought a bunch of potted spruce at an auction because dh wanted to plant a screen between our property and the road. While we were planting all those trees, I decided to leave one in it's pot and use it for our Christmas tree this year. It is sitting in the hole, still in the pot, and we will bring it inside probably about a week before Christmas. Above the pot, it is roughly 3 feet tall, so it will be kind of a tabletop tree (since with 4 extra people living here we need all the space in the living room that we can get!)


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## Taylor R.

We put up two trees and have for the last few years. I love my tall, skinny, matchy-matchy primitive tree, but hubs and the kids think my white lights and hand-made ornaments are boring, and since I hate marring what I see as perfection in my tree, we got another one for all the ornaments they like. I decorate a little in the rest of the house, but there is so little house to decorate it isn't much. Also pictured are the hand-painted ceramic Santas that are heirlooms passed down in my husband's family.


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## BlueberryChick

I love seeing everyone's decorations. We put ours up last night. I'll try to get a picture or two tomorrow.

Taylor, I love that you do two trees! I insisted on white lights for years, but was finally outvoted a couple of years ago. We now have a hodge-podge tree with a crazy assortment of ornaments. Surprisingly, I really like it.

Please say a prayer for my 9yo daughter. She fell off a horse this afternoon at her riding lesson. She should be fine, but I think she cried more today than when she fell off the monkey bars at church and broke her arm. At the moment, she's soaking in an Epsom salt/ bubble bath. She can look forward to a lot of spoiling over the next day or so


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## MDKatie

I love everyone's decorations!! WIHH, I am totally going to come move in with you some day. I just love seeing your home, it's so warm and inviting!! 

Taylor, I sometimes wish I had my own tree that I could decorate however I want, but we don't have the space either!

BBC, oh no! Your poor girl. Tell her falling off makes riders better...not that it'll make her feel better physically though... I hope the epsom salt bath makes her feel better!

Kris, I love your tree! What a great idea!

Good luck with lambing, Lexie and BrownYaks! I put my ram in with the ewes on Aug 28, so I will start looking for udders in mid-late January. Our annual MLK (must love knitting) weekend falls right around that time, so hopefully my girls will wait until late Jan at the earliest. 

Beautiful yarn, weever!!


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## Kasota

Marchwind, I don't know what you mean about the avatar. I don't see any stray avatars anywhere...mine or yours. 

Welcome, Ketoriverfarm! What kind of mittens are you going to knit? 

Weever, I love that color! How delightfully cheery! 

Featherbottoms, my brothers are still being utterly horrible to my poor mom. It really breaks my heart to see her sit and cry. She is worried that she will pass on before they have a change of heart. At least the one brother called her to tell her that his daughter had the baby. That is at least something. Mom teeters between being heartbroken and being pissed off. 

Naura, that is a LOT of birthdays! 

Lexie, you are going to have babies everywhere! 

KandM, I love your tree! 

WP, we just continue to rejoice and rejoice with you!!! ((((hugs))))

BrownYaks, what kind of sheep do you have again? I lose track...

Featherbottoms, I love Cyndi's lotion, too! 

LAC, that's an ingenious way to support the fruit tree netting! 

WIHH, ty for posting the pic of the tree again!  You are right - Granny Annie is tickled pink to have a tree. It's actually pretty tall - about 6.5 feet - but being skinny it doesn't take up much space. My dog sometimes sits in front of it and just stares and stares. Especially at night when the lights are on. 

How very kewl beans about the 30" wreath!! Oh, your home is so beautiful! 

Kris - how very clever of you! I LOVE seeing all these tree pictures! I think your tree should have a name. 

Taylor, what a wonderful solution! Both of your trees are lovely! Those Santas are really something... 

BBC, so sorry to hear about your daughter taking a spill. The crying makes perfect sense. Monkey bars are just monkey bars...but the horse is something else again and when you are young and you come off your horse it almost feels like best friends who are out of sorts with each other. It's a matter of the heart. Plus, you can pretty much figure that any time you come off a horse there is going to be someone watching. It's just how it works. If you are brilliant with your horse that day there probably won't be a soul around...but let your partner refuse to load into a trailer or refuse to cross that water or just have an off day and there will be a crowd all watching to see how it's going to end up. 

MDKatie is this weekend your craft show? Or am I confused? 

I hope I didn't miss anyone... please forgive me if I did. 

I could sleep for a week! Had a major mess at work with a computer program that got installed on my people's systems that does not play well with other systems. Had to do a program rollback and the tech people (who were originally told to do this after hours so that these people could still take calls) decided it would be "more efficient" (for THEM of course) to do a rollback during our business hours and to do them all at once. They effectively wiped out my workforce. Then they had to install the correct program... which they did but it was taking hours and hours to get to all 120 of these people...and then oh heavens someone decided that the uninstall program wasn't working so they ran it again over top of all the people who had finally been fixed. Those people quickly became "unfixed." What a hot mess. It has taken me three days of working with 5-7 techs and their director to finally work through all the issues because the fixes at this point were all manual and all one by one by one. Yup. I could sleep for a week. 

I would rather knit.


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## naura

I am loving the trees. I have been relegated to plastic ornaments because of the kiddos but my plan is to one day own glass ones that (hopefully) I blow myself. I got to experience glass blowing when I was 8 in Okinawa and I was hooked.


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## Woodpecker

Prayers for your daughter BBC.


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## kandmcockrell

yes, they are crocheted snowflakes. Not by me, although it is on my list of things to learn. I purchase them off of etsy. Many different styles. Then i sprayed them with glue and sprinkled them with glitter, just so they would catch the light a little more. I got enough so that i can include one in each of the home made treat baskets i do for aunts and uncles.

In years past, i usually decorate with ornaments i and the children have gotten over the years. But last year, some of those got broken, so i decided to go this route until all of the littles are older.

I love your house WIHH, it always looks so cozy and inviting. Like a warm cup of coco after sleigh riding all day.


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## MDKatie

Kasota said:


> MDKatie is this weekend your craft show? Or am I confused?


Yes, this Saturday! I am feeling WAY behind. I normally have soap gift sets, with washcloths that I knit, but this year I have not knit a single washcloth! Plus, the soap trays I normally order arent' available by the same vendor, so I'm going to try to make my own, but it's Wednesday and I'd like to have 10 done by Saturday. LOL! Fat chance, I think. I'm going to take the day off tomorrow so I can get more done. 

I didn't get a single thing needle felted last night, but I did read to the kids...which is more important, anyways, I think. 




> I could sleep for a week! Had a major mess at work with a computer program that got installed on my people's systems that does not play well with other systems. Had to do a program rollback and the tech people (who were originally told to do this after hours so that these people could still take calls) decided it would be "more efficient" (for THEM of course) to do a rollback during our business hours and to do them all at once. They effectively wiped out my workforce. Then they had to install the correct program... which they did but it was taking hours and hours to get to all 120 of these people...and then oh heavens someone decided that the uninstall program wasn't working so they ran it again over top of all the people who had finally been fixed. Those people quickly became "unfixed." What a hot mess. It has taken me three days of working with 5-7 techs and their director to finally work through all the issues because the fixes at this point were all manual and all one by one by one. Yup. I could sleep for a week.
> 
> I would rather knit.


What a mess!! I feel your pain though. We have a tempermental computer program at work (our main program), and it acts up so often that I dream of a day where we have a perfect program that won't give us so many issues. I just know we could be SO MUCH MORE Productive if we had a user-friendly, non-buggy program! I hope it all gets settled soon!


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## weever

Kasota, that work situation sounds like a nightmare. :facepalm:

And I'm sorry for your poor mom. Someone needs to knock some sense into your brothers. :hammer:


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## Taylor R.

I'm glad I'm not the only one with wacky, inconsistent computer systems at work. My company spent hundreds of millions to have a program developed just for us, so that it would work perfectly for what we need, but they kind of neglected to ask the folks who actually have to use it what they need. The old program (which we still have to use because the new one still can't do what we need it for) was glitchy and funky, but at least we knew how to work around the issues. They also had to develop another new system to fill in the gaps in the initial new system.


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## Miz Mary

Woodpecker said:


> I got good news! The chemo is working! My oncologist wants to scan me in 2 months. The good Lord is indeed good! God bless you all for your prayers.


WAHOOOOOOO !!!! Praise the Lord !!! I hope your feeling better too !! :buds:


LOVE LOVE all the trees !! Hubby wants a small tree this year .... next week we will get one , as we have the TX kids up for a visit this weekend .... 

working on hubbys fancy knit vest , weaving on my loom, and started a cowl yesterday !!! Tomorrow is my Weaving Guild meeting , think Im gonna check out some magazines on weaving !!!


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## Marchwind

All the trees look so nice. Kasota I like your tree, it's a lot bigger than I thought it would be. I was picturing a table top tree, silly me.

I'll put up any cards I get, I usually put them around the front door or on the back of it. It just seems silly when it's just me and no one to share it with and I don't think the animals care one way or the other.

I was going to post other stuff and comment on other posts but I can't remember all that. Kasota, how do you do it? You must take notes as you read, lol!


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## BlueberryChick

Here's our tree! We put it up Monday night. The children were so excited to get it decorated. We usually put it up on Saturday after Thanksgiving, but Andy wasn't feeling well, so we waited a couple of extra days.








I took my little horsewoman to the doctor this morning to check her out after her fall yesterday. They did X-rays to check for broken ribs. Thankfully she's just bruised. I learned something from the doctor this morning. I told him that the ibuprofen worked especially well for her pain. He said that ibuprofen is particularly good for bone pain; it's even effective for bone cancer patients.

Thank you all for praying for her!


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## Woodpecker

Glad to here she's feeling better BBC. Nice tree too.

Really rainy day here, time for some Christmas knitting. I noticed we are already on page 3 of the FAC boy are we all busy!


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## Marchwind

Wow WP you're right, day three of the month and on page three. We are all busy or else we are really chatty


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## Woodpecker

I was thinking the same thing Marchie lol.


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## Kasota

BBC, this made me think of you and all of your beautiful sewing that you do. I don't think I have ever seen an antique sewing cabinet quite like this. 

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/fuo/4786138427.html


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## SvenskaFlicka

That's lovely!


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## Kasota

BBC, I love your tree! Glad to hear the horsewoman is doing okay! Has she ever read the book "Shy Boy" by Monty Roberts? It's a fun read. I have a copy I was going to give to Goodwill. If you think she would like it I would be happy to send it to you. Just PM your addy to me. 

Marchwind, I use a notepad and then write comments and do a copy paste into the post window when I am done. 

Taylor, do we work for the same company? LOL!!!

Miz Mary, I will be watching for pictures of your tree! 

Marchwind, I think cards look nice up around a doorway, too. We've done that here, too, in years gone by. I think it's cheery! Doesn't matter if you are alone in the house or not - you are sharing with the people who sent you the cards.  

WP, I love rainy days when I can curl up and knit.  

I had a great discussion with my manager today about evening out some of the work load. I'm on serious overload. Hopefully things will get better. Then she told me to kick out early and "whatever it is will wait until tomorrow." It was nice to get out an hour early. Bless her bunches.


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## Kasota

Svenka, do you use a sewing machine? For some reason I always think of you doing hand-sewing in the tradition of the time period you are making your wonderful creations for. 

I learned to sew on an old treadle sewing machine. I remember what a wonder it was to get a used electric one but I found it hard to use at first. hehehe. When I sold my farm as a present to myself I bought a really nice Janome that practically sews for me. I used to do a lot of hand sewing but my eyesight is not what it used to be and I can't seem to get those fine stitches right the way I used to be able to do.


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## SvenskaFlicka

Yes, I do use a machine. I handsew things that really need it, like hems on Viking stuff and buttons and other things that should be, but mostly I use a machine. Couldn't make a living on my sewing if I didn't. (Right now about half my money is earned from yarn sales, and about half from sewing.)

I asked my parents for a treadle sewing machine for Christmas when I was eight and I got one! An old "Reliable" brand. I love it. It has been a mascot in my shop window and now lives in my dining room. I mostly used it for quilt blocks when I was 8.

Currently, my go-to machine is an old Kenmore, though I also have an old Singer that is all metal. I would use the Singer, but the Kenmore is open arm and the Singer is not.  I also have a cheapy Walmart Singer, and a serger. <3 my serger. It cuts finish work time to a tenth of what it used to be! 

I wish I could just spend my time (in costume) sewing in the tradition of the thing I was making. Maybe I could triple my prices that way-- film myself doing so and send the movie of how the costume was made with the costume!  That would be so fun!


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## lambs.are.cute

So I picked up 500 lbs of peas today. Been waiting for 3 weeks for them.......







(how many non-homesteaders would believe that's what I actually did)


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## Jacki

I got some picts of my "new" wheels.
The first picts are of the double flyer wheel, who says she is Elsa.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=40526&stc=1&d=1417663196


http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=40527&stc=1&d=1417663196


http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=40528&stc=1&d=141766

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=40529&stc=1&d=1417663196

I have the parts of the broken flyer, which will be helpful in making new flyers.
There are ivory or bone decorations on many of the turned pieces, and two of the legs are not original to this wheel. She is missing much of her distaff, and the size of her orifice strongly suggests her origins as a flax wheel. 

I am refinishing her and feeding her lots of oil because she is so dry, and looking into getting a lathe so I can duplicate her damaged and missing parts.

Jacki

Sorry the photos are not showing up.


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## Kasota

Jacki, congratulations on your wheel! I don't see any pictures, though! :sob:

LAC, you are right. No one non-homesteading would get it. 

Svenska, I know what you mean about the serger! Aren't they just a wonder?


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## hercsmama

Hi all..
I'm tired and stressed, but life goes on.
I so wish I could share, but I can't. Suffice it to say, things are progressing, and in a positive direction, so that's all good.
There is a 60 day "cool down" period, before all the court drama starts, and DS is working his bottom end off to insure things go well then.
DGS is a pistol, but having him in daycare a few days a week is a huge help, had to put our old dog we inherited from my Mom on "Puppy Prozac" though. Bless her heart, she just can't handle a toddler! LOL!
I'm trying to read and catch up, but I think we'll just call it good, and I'll just jump in here and go on, sorry if I missed anything major.
OH! WP, so glad about your treatment! That is wonderful news!:sing:
Also, add me to the ones on "Baby Watch"!
Our 2 new ewe's have been covered, by Shiner, so now the long wait begins. I'm figuring the last week of April, first of May..

Those of you who shot me an email or pm the last few weeks, thanks.
I needed it. A little boost just knowing I was missed, was very nice.:kiss:


----------



## Miz Mary

Kasota that sewing cabinet is GORGEOUS ! I have my hubby's grandma's Singer treadle machine in the basement waiting for love !!!! 

Debi, I hope things keep positive for you !! These times can certainly be trying , just remember ----- THIS TOO SHALL PASS !!!! Prayers for you ! 

My Cromebook fell off the table and I had an sd card in it .... BROKE the slot it goes in !!! With no sd slot, I have no way of getting pics online !!! This doesnt have a dvd player either , so I cant watch my dvd's ..... 

SO, Santa is bring me a new laptop for Christmas .... should be here next week --- it will have Windows 7 , hope I can figure it out !!! I didnt care for Windows 8 and the charms ..... 

YUM --- FRESH PEAS !!!!!!! LAC, did you grow them ? What variety ?


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

*Hercsmama*, so glad you popped in - can't begin to imagine the heartache of watching a child go through what yours is going through.  It is a storm that all of you are pulled into - and the stress must be enormous. 

Please take extra special care of YOURSELF and your sweetie. Those men - even though they don't show it so well outwardly - are often as stressed as we are - and they have no "acceptable" way to blow off steam like we do. Hugs from us to Mr Hercsmama.  We are lifting you all in prayer. 

So glad Shiner is "doing his job".  Can't wait to see those babies in the spring!
*
Jacki* - that wheel is lovely and looks like restoring it will be quite a project! I am always so happy to see old wheels saved from the scrap heap.

I am just so thrilled and thankful that our Woodpecker has received good health news! :bouncy: :dance: :clap: What could be better than that?


----------



## lexierowsell

Cute pics for a dreary morning:


----------



## lambs.are.cute

I got dried peas. I use them as protein in my home made layer feed and azure happened to have them for about 2/3 of the price of them at the store.


----------



## Jacki

I hope I have the photos figured out.

The other wheel is NOT an antique, tho it may be vintage. there was no finish on the wheel, and she has been soaking up feed & wax like crazy. The wheel supports are vertical, and the maiden leans back a bit. The wheel appears to be double drive, and is around 23 inches or so. The table has a very slight slant.

I don't know what the wood is, but I suspect maple. The wheel has two small turned knobs on the inside of the wheel, possibly to stop the wheel constantly in one place.

The MOA adjusting is with threaded metal instead of wood, which I think may help identify this wheel.


Jacki


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## Marchwind

Boy that cleaned up nicely. How complete is this one? That wood sure looks pretty, very warm and welcoming with the wax and oil on it.


----------



## Jacki

She is missing one maiden, the flyer assembly, one leg, and the footman. The spacing of the flyer assembly is about the same as my Elizabeth, so I my be able to jury rig something with some commonly available replacement parts. 

The one maiden she does have is missing the piece that the flyer assembly fits into. The wheel is wider than Lizzie's, and the axel is spinning on bare wood. I may have to do something about that.

I have been impressed with how pretty she looks as she is being cleaned up, and it makes me sad how mistreated both wheel have been.

Jacki


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## lexierowsell

Why doesn't my profile picture work?


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## IowaLez

Wow! I can't believe I've been away for what, a week? And look how long this thread is already! So much happening for you all!

I am very pleased to report, that as of last week, I have now lost over 21 pounds in weight!!! YAY!!!

Ok. First the heavy, bummer news...

Well, my Ex and his slime-ball lawyer filed a motion to _further_ delay my hearing to the higher District court, and now I have to wait til Dec 10th, _just to do a conference call with court admin to actually schedule a new date_. And I'm sure he'll do more carpola to further delay that date, claiming he has a busy calendar. I really want my stuff back before Christmas, I have a nice tree and lots of decorations and window candelabras, and it would be so sad to not have them back in my possession in time to cheer up my new home for the Holidays. Not to mention by then it will be 4 months I've been trying to get my things back from the creep. I have been doing LOTS of journaling. And finding more money stolen, possibly as much as $80-100K over the last 18 years, hasn't helped me feel any better. Especially when the strings of ATM cash withdrawals end at sleazy motels in various towns. ATMs have street addresses, and Google Maps finds them.... If he didn't want to be in a relationship with me any longer, I wish he would have told me long ago, so I didn't waste so many years of my time...

*OK, the good news!

Pics below!*

_On Dec 1st, I signed my lease and got the key to my new apartment!_ My son took me down there on Sunday, and we put a pickup load of my stuff into my daughter's garage. Then she and I moved most of that into my new home on Tuesday. It being partially government subsidized, the darn lease must be 20 pages long, including the official list of things I can and can't do, mostly can't. This Saturday we move the rest, mostly furniture, in a UHaul trailer. My son is building me a platform for my memory foam mattress to be up off the floor, and a temporary bedside stand. He gets big foam SIPs for free, rejects at the factory he works at, running robot machines. SIPs are used in tilt-up concrete buildings, in between 2 layers of concrete, for insulation. So with his skill saw and some special glue, it's easy to make, and lightweight to move.

My new apartment has so much closet and cupboard space, it's more than in my daughter's or son's home, and even more than back in the Luana house! It's amazing, I have never seen the like! I already have one big closet of shelves full of my bags of fiber I have with me, and temporary room for my craft books until I get my Ikea bookcases back.

My daughter and I met two of my new neighbors, a younger lady named Cheyenne and her little boy, and the other is a very flamboyant (gay, drag) "queen", named Vickie, and I'm not sure if her SO is her partner, or husband, I have to ask her what term she prefers me to use. There seems to be quite a bit of drama in her apartment, but that isn't unusual in this situation, I've had many gay and lesbian and transgender friends in the past, and I knew some "queens" like Vickie, so I already expected it with her...

I was at the bottom of the (exterior) stairs with a big box, and she came down a few steps and breathlessly, dramatically said, "Hi!... I'm a queen! My name is Vickie!" Well, that was totally obvious by her 5 o'clock shadow, her makeup and hairstyle, and her very frilly, pinky-red lounge-wear outfit, and _very dramatic, large sunglasses_. So I said, "Hi, Vickie!" Then she came down more steps, got closer to me, and asked if I "knew the golden rule". "Yes I do, Vickie", and then she gushed, "I'm not a Christian tho". And I replied, "Well, I'm not one either, I'm Buddhist, so we'll get along just fine." 

She asked if we needed help with our boxes, and she said, "I like.... to help women." She's dramatic all the time. She was very surprised we knew to refer to her as a she, and I did assure her that we are all Californians, polite, not ignorant or prejudiced, and we all know our manners. And then as Luci and I were taking the pile of boxes we had made beside my door inside all at once, Vickie was pounding on her apartment door across the landing, loudly telling her spouse, "Open the door! It's me! Open this door now! It's me! Vickie! You know it's me!" So, it's going to be interesting there...

We also went to the small thrift store in town, and for $15 I got _lots_ of necessary stuff for the kitchen, and when the clerk lady found out it's my first apartment since 1982, she told me to pick out a picture to hang on the wall for free, so I chose a Monet print I liked!

And today my son and his gf took me to the Goodwill and Salvation Army stores, and I got a gorgeous large, circular wall mirror for $5, and I finally found two nice table lamps, and a nice brass floor lamp that has a swivel arm, so I can sit and read or crochet/knit/spin in my one solitary rocker, and actually see what I'm doing. I also got some bowls for cereal, and a nice Krups stand mixer with dough hook, and the motor part unscrews to be a hand mixer. All I need now is a spice/coffee bean grinder thingie, and a few baking or casserole dishes, or a one person little crockpot. I have my Amazon Subscribe and Save order coming soon with other essentials I need, like TP and PT. The PO has to hold my packages and mail til Monday, they have to change the lock on my apt mailbox yet.

OK, so when my son gets home from work at midnight we are all watching a really scarey alien horror movie, "Prometheus". I love really scary alien/predator movies, I get TOTALLY caught up in them, and my kids think it's great fun when I scream and flinch and yell at the person, _"No! No! Don't go in there! It's in there! It's gonna eat/kill you!_" And then I scream some more, and startle my kids worse than the movie!

Yay!!! Moving time in 38 hours!!!


----------



## BrownYaks

Well, we started our lambing season today.
Two white ram lambs to a first time black momma who wants nothing to do with them. Unfortunately my parents are going out of town this weekend ( I am away at school) so if momma doesn't figure her crap out we have to find something to do with them.

75% chance we'll give them to our ex-4-H leader.


----------



## lexierowsell

:-/ I hate bottling ram lambs... :-(


----------



## BrownYaks

Us too which is why we might just give them away...That and we really like the people we would give them to.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

I mailed off a Victorian dress today. 

100% silk, exclusive of trim and buttons.

I also finished some socks.


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## lexierowsell

Breathtaking, gorgeous, fabulous. 

I love this, so much.


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## hercsmama

Brownyaks, I'm sorry. That totally bites for your first round of the year.

Kelsey, as always, your talent is amazing! Simply stunning!

Lez, sounds like you have very interesting neighbors!LOL! Glad you are finally settling into your own place.

Jackie, that wheel sure did need you! Looks like it is coming along nicely. Do you have the ability to make the missing pieces?


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## 7thswan

Kelsey, please tell me about the grey dress in the background of pic #1.


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## SvenskaFlicka

That's my Viking Dress. It's a reproduction of what women would (might) have worn on the Swedish island of Birka in the 950's. It's got three layers, two of linen and one of wool. That's the grey part. I wear lots of beads with it, those brooches do hold it on, and I tablet wove the trim.


----------



## susang

Well duh! We are home from up north and we had so much fun. We had dinner every night with our kids and their spouses and the two youngest grand kids 20 and 12. Knitting laughing and just plain family fun. We went to Portland one day four yarn shops and food trucks, just so yummy.
Now we're home happy to be home but all the turmoil with my sister moving out sad. One night when she was here packing stuff I just sat in my room and cried. We are happy she is moving, but the way she did it and the timing is well just hurting me. 
The duh, during the day I piece quilts, hand quilt or knit more complicated patterns. At night I knit easy things usually wash clothes. Then I found a dish towel pattern, easy enough. First one no problem. Second started before Thanksgiving worked on it off and on. Got home it was almost done only a couple more inches. Something looked wrong pattern was off counted stitches 59 no and no there should be 60. Mistake about 3 inches from beginning, ugh I hate unknitting. That done I started back at mistake three tries and it isn't going right. Two evening and knit then unknit. Really late last night read the pattern I was doing it wrong. Maybe easy is just too easy.


----------



## Jacki

I studied mechanical engineering, and had to take classes on machining welding, and metal casting. Not that I am skilled at any of these skills, but I learned that I could do most things that require manual dexterity. Maybe at a snail's pace, but I usually can do repairs if I am careful, methodical, and take my time.

Right now I am cleaning, oiling, cleaning, oiling, and cleaning and oiling. It is amazing how thirsty these poor wheels are. I have also taken the wheels apart, and am trying to figure out which parts need repaired, or replaced, and how to do what is best for these wheels.

Jacki


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

Lez, you look amazing! Congrats on getting the apartment and getting healthy. 

I know that no matter what happens in court, you are a survivor and you will previal!

Love the pics!


----------



## Woodpecker

I had to frog my nurses scarf it was almost done too. I keep twisting the knit stitchs added to that I had 37 stitches instead of 36. Call me one frustrated and upset person. Now I only have 2 weeks to finish it. Please tell me I can! I've always done seed stitch as k1 p1 Google keeps telling me to k1 p1 then on row 2 p1 k1, wouldn't this make the work curl?


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## lexierowsell

Supper time scratches through the fence. 








In this picture we can see Mildred *may* be a little pregnant.


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## hercsmama

Lexie, is she carrying trips or quads?! Holy Moly!
She looks like she swallowed a steer!


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## lexierowsell

hercsmama said:


> Lexie, is she carrying trips or quads?! Holy Moly!
> She looks like she swallowed a steer!


Millie darling is my most petite dairy ewe. She weighs (weighed?) in at about 130lb. She is 4x her normal width, and hasn't even started bagging up yet. I think there may be mults in there yet! 

I am prepared for a pen full of bottle babies this year (22 maidens ewes between now and Feb...) with two jerseys in full milk and my goats due the spring, and some of my tame ewes on tap just in case. 

Whisper a prayer for healthy deliveries, babies and mamas if you can spare it :grouphug:


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## Marchwind

WP you can do it but just sit and knit. Don't be afraid to let the stitches be a bit looser, it will go quicker.

Lez so happy for you to finally get your own space. Stan is going to do what Stan is going to do. Don't allow him to control your mood. What if you told the judge that you were very concerned for the safety of your antiques and family heirlooms? That you fear he may harm them and certainly not take care of them.

Lexierowsell you will be a very busy girl for awhile.


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## MullersLaneFarm

Woodpecker said:


> Please tell me I can! I've always done seed stitch as k1 p1 Google keeps telling me to k1 p1 then on row 2 p1 k1, wouldn't this make the work curl?


Of course you can!!

It depends if your row has an even or odd number of stitches.

If even number of stitches, then row 1 is k1, p1 and row 2 is p1, k1

If odd number of stitches, then each row is k1, p1


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## hercsmama

When it rains it pours.
As if we just don't have enough going on right now, stress and everything else wise.:facepalm:
Dh just called, he totaled the work van he uses, hit a dad gum roughly 200+ lb. Mule deer buck with it, doing about 60.
Good Christ!
I'm so over crap going wrong!
I called the insurance company, the van is covered under our Commercial policy, and they will have an adjuster call us Monday. Seriously people, I'm ready to get someone by the throat and squeeze until their pointy little head pops off.
Thank goodness dh is alright, the buck he hit is not :yuck:. He took pictures for the insurance.
His entire front end is wiped out, oil and fluid squirting everywhere he said.
Ds is on his way to pick him up, and the tow truck is bringing the van back here.
I could really use a break in all this nonsense about now...


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Holy cow, Debi! I think you need a vacation. 
Hang in there, remember, its always darkest just before the dawn.


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## Woodpecker

MullersLaneFarm said:


> Of course you can!!
> 
> It depends if your row has an even or odd number of stitches.
> 
> If even number of stitches, then row 1 is k1, p1 and row 2 is p1, k1
> 
> If odd number of stitches, then each row is k1, p1


Thanks Marchie and Cyndi! I panicked and frogged over 200 yards but I am making good progress on this rainy day.


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## Taylor R.

Cheese and rice, when it rains at work, it pours. They're going to have to offer me real benefits if these hours keep up. I was supposed to be off all weekend, but apparently that's not happening. Instead I will wind up working 7 days straight, Friday to Friday.

Our littlest princess is having her Frozen birthday party tomorrow afternoon, so I've got cakes destined for Olaf-ness in the oven. She's so excited, and I'm totally winging this, so I hope it turns out okay.

Sending good thoughts and healthy vibes and good luck to those in need!


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## kandmcockrell

Hercsmama, any chance of salvaging some meat? At least you double eat him and get some satisfaction.


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## hercsmama

Lol!
Kandmcockrell, I thought of that, but dh pretty well turned him to hamburger..of course that does make for easy chewing! LOL!
Knocked his antlers right clean off too, crazy~


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## Kasota

Oh, it is hard to keep up with what all is going on with everyone! 

((((Debi)))) you surely do need a break, woman! I'm so glad your DH is fine. UGH. I wish I could tuck you away someplace for a spa-week. Wouldn't that be grand? We could probably find a few people to come along. 

Taylor, I hope the birthday party is all your little one is hoping for! You are such a good mom. Hope you can catch a day off. You must be exhausted...

My box of Black Friday loot arrived from Knit Picks. I blame WIHH for every skein. I wouldn't have thought to go look had she not posted something about it. Have to say I am tickled pink. I needed the boost, for sure. Life has just been too crazy. 

Today I treated myself to a new pair of shoes and a new purse and wallet. Can't remember the last time I did that. The grocery store was a zoo. I bought the last 4 containers of candied cherries. Almost felt guilty about that until I thought about Granny Annie's face if she runs out of candied cherries during holiday baking time. I'm hoping for a nap, now.


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## Marchwind

Good Grief Hercsmama you need a massive group hug :grouphug: Those darn deer, grrr! I hope he grabbed those antlers for you, they make great buttons. and you can also make a diz, and maybe a handle for an orifice hook. I'm glad he is okay, it could have been so much worse.

Go sit and spin to center yourself or knit, whatever helps. Have DH give you a big hug from all of us.

Taylor good for you getting the extra work but take care of yourself. Take a picture of the Olaf cake, I bet it will be cute.

WP glad you're making good progress on the scarf. Keep plugging away.


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## MDKatie

Murphy seems to be gaining ground!! I had a very wonderful day at the craft show, and I get home to find out the dishwasher is broken! :yuck:


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## Kasota

Oh, no, MDKatie! Rats! 

How did the show go? Did you take pictures?


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## gone-a-milkin

Hey Debi, all I can think of is ""Louis CK Hates Deer". 
Look that up on youtube and play it for your husband. 
It is horribly inappropriate in every way, yet it really helps to listen to it when you hit a deer. :buds:

(warning: horrible inappropriate language, which I mentioned twice).


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## MDKatie

Here are a few pics!


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## Marchwind

Did those Santamoons sell quickly? Your booth looks really nice.


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## Kasota

MDKatie, your booth looks just lovely! I love the Santa Moons, too!


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## MDKatie

Marchwind said:


> Did those Santamoons sell quickly? Your booth looks really nice.


None of the 4 sold! :hysterical: I was sure they'd sell. I did sell 7 others though. It's so hard to gauge what will sell that particular year. I usually sell out of my ornaments, and this year I didn't. Oh well! Now I can send one to my mom, and list the rest on Etsy.


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## Ketoriverfarm

I think I posted once and then life got busy. Mostly weather issues and my DH was down and out with the worst flu ever. We had temps in single digits for a week. I was keeping two pellet stoves and two wood stoves burning. Plus hauling water, hay and grain to three separate flocks of sheep. And my closest water hydrant froze. Any way weather has now warmed up and DH is getting his strength back. Just in time because I am feeling a bit under the weather.

I want to knit a pair of thick warm mittens using one strand of my homespun and one strand of commercial yarn. We snowshoe and x-country ski in the winter and my hands get cold. And last night I started looking through my knitting books, and I found a pattern that I can use in "knitting with Icelandic" book. 

Now if I just felt like knitting. Maybe tomorrow. Susan


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## MDKatie

Oh my Susan, that sounds so stressful! I'm glad your DH is feeling better, and I hope you feel better soon now that things have improved!!


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## MullersLaneFarm

Debi, Big Hugs! This too shall pass. (My mantra during stressful times)

KRF (Ketoriverfarm), may I suggest a lined mitten. I just finished a pair for myself. The outside was knit from a handspun merino/silk & the lining a handspun semi-woolen spun down. My hands always freeze & these mitts are soooo waarrm!


----------



## Kasota

At work we have adopted a family for Christmas through the Salvation Army. The mother in the family asked for YARN! I think I can cover that one. I have been there where I was so poor I had to think really hard if I could get even a skein of cheap yarn. She wanted 3-4 skeins of yarn in either red, blue, gray or green. She's going to get 3-4 skeins of each color. Won't she be surprised? Sticking with machine washable stuff as I don't know her circumstances or if she knows how to care for wool. I might toss in a few extra skeins of this or that for trim work or whatever. And maybe dig around and find a nice box or basket to put them in. I love stuff like this.  

When we sent the flier around by email to let everyone know what was needful I was amazed at how many people asked, "What is a skein?"


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## MullersLaneFarm

Kas, that is SO wonderful!! What I would have given when I was in a women's DV shelter to have had a single skein of yarn & a crochet hook. What a true Blessing you are for this woman!!

An now ... can I whine a bit? It's nothing big most of the time, but some days it really grinds my gears. I have a friend who is just the sweetest thing in the world. She would give you the shirt off her back if you needed it. But she does not recognize boundaries. She helpled me a lot last winter when I couldn't get around because of my ankle, but since then, she'll drop by anytime unannounced, coming into the house calling my name. She has a high, shrill 'calling' voice. Earlier this year (late spring/early summer) she woke me many times during a nap. When my fibromyalgia is acting up because of the weather or me over exerting myself or just because it wants to, sometimes i _need _ an afternoon nap to get me through the evening. She'll walk in calling, "Cynnn-diii .... yooo-hooo ... Cynnnn-diii" in a high, shrill voice. She didn't need anything, she just wanted to visit. I asked her to please send me a text message instead of just dropping by (she lives about a mile from me). She responded, "I didn't want to wake you with a text message."

WHA???? I still can't figure that one out.

She stopped dropping by after that. Now that it is fall and her daughter's 4H calf that we have been keeping at the farm is in need of hay, she comes by with her daughter to hay the calf ... and just walks right in.

I had a bad fibro day/night last week. She stopped by shortly after 8 AM ... I had finally gotten to sleep some time after 4 AM ... First I hear the 3 dogs going off as they pulled up, next it is her shrill voice, "Cynnnn-diii .... yoooo-hoooo .... Cynnnn-diiiii". I was sleeping on the couch & had reached an upright position by the time she was 20' into our great room (just off the living room). I was shaking my head and said, "Jxxxxxx, we have to talk." I told her to please not just walk into our home. Please knock and wait for us to answer the door. After all .... we're empty nesters ... you never know what state of dress we may be in!!

Today we had our "Muller Clause Kids Kraft Workshop". It's something we've done the past 4 years for our granddaughter, Punky, and some neighborhood kids. We invite the same kids every year. I made mention of this on our Muller's Lane Farm FB page and Jxxxxxx posted about wanting more info about it. OK, I should have invited her & 5 children but didn't even think about it since we've always invited the same kids in the neighborhood. I did extend an invite.

Because of our talk earlier in the week, I put a note on the black board on our door AND our large sandwich sign next to the door that said, "Muller Claus Workshop. Please Walk In!!"

I told Paul, "I bet Jxxxxxx will knock on the door and wait, despite 2 signs being out there that says to walk in." Paul thought I was joking but sure enough, she did. (Even though her oldest daughter showed her the signs and told her they could walk in.) 

Now that they were given permission to walk in this day, in the future I'm betting I'll have to remind her to knock and wait again. :sigh: I really like this gal, but I sure do treasure my privacy.

We've been mentoring them in homesteading and keeping their 4H calf here. Now that they've been doing it a year, she feels as if she has free range at our place, collecting eggs from the hay mow (that we let the hens sit on ... yes, she's been told not to collect from the mow), releasing birds from the hen house that we're keep quarantined. ERGH.

Whine over

Thank you for listening!


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## MullersLaneFarm

Muller Claus Workshop




























New gingerbread man ornaments for the tree were made today


----------



## Osiris

"Cynnnn-diii .... yoooo-hoooo .... Cynnnn-diiiii" :grumble: LOL! Like a Gladys Kravitz! 

WOW! What fun fun everyone!



Maybe have her kids over for some 4h work or something.(without her)maybe holiday oriented. Then plant the seeds of appropriate neighborly behavior; Tell them stories about how _you did this or that_ one time thinking you were helping, and it got a neighbor really upset... Might work! You did say the daughter read the sign, so they are sensitive to that. Just an idea. ..... Kids are malleable.

On the bright side, a year ago.....your ankle! Glad you're back Cyndi! 
And knittin' up a storm!!!


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## MDKatie

What a fun workshop, Cyndi!! I bet those kids had a blast! That is so frustrating about your friend, though!! I would not be able to stand it if someone just walked right in to my house, especially uninvited!! It sounds like it's time to have a talk with her. Maybe _and sometimes Paul_ could do it if you're worried about her getting upset. Or heck, maybe you wouldn't mind if she did get upset (  ) if you had a talk with her. I just don't get how people think it's ok to waltz right in to someone's home, unannounced! I guess if someone says it's ok to do that, that's one thing...but still.


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## Kasota

Ty so, Cyndi. Isn't it amazing how a skein of yarn and a crochet hook or some needles can simply help us survive? As for your friend, I would whine, too. Oh, heavens that would be so annoying. Some people do not have the commone sense that God gave a rock. It would be hilarious if she DID walk in on someone in a state of "not quite dressed." LOL!! Your workshop looks awesome! I wanna be a kid in your neck of the woods...


----------



## MDKatie

Our tree is up! Here are a few pics. I love putting the little trees in our kitchen....I just love seeing them, and they're decorated with wooden ornaments (the vintage-y style ones). I'll have to take a few pictures of them.


----------



## Marchwind

Kasota could you get her some superwash wool? I know Lion Brand Wool Ease has quite a bit of wool in it. Do you know if she knits or crochets? 

Cyndi. That would be annoying. I actually moved from a house because the old man next door would come over every time I stepped foot outside my door. It was ad enough that I could never have any time outside to myself or just withmy children but he was sort of lecherous, ewwwww! He never got the hints so I sold the house and moved. I really hope you can get it to a workable level. You party looks like a lot of fun 

Today I took Belu for a walk. The day was beautiful but cold and it had been a while since we had been for a good hike in the woods. On the way back to the car I tripped over a sapling stump, I always trip on those things. Well this time I fell and I broke my wrist . I've never broken anything before, well a toe once. So we made it back to the car, I drove myself to the ER. It looks like a fairly clean break, just below the joint, going right across the bone. They set it and put me in a temp cast up to my arm pit until the swelling goes down, about a week. It's my left arm, I'm right handed, thankfully. I'm off work for at least a week, ugggg, this I really don't need. Knitting is out, my friend and I figured I can still spin, woolen. I've been wanting to practice my long draw.


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## lexierowsell

Oh no Marchie! How terrible! So sorry to hear, I feel your pain in spades-- my left wrist cost me my military career and so much more.

Cyndi-- I have dobermans. They don't let anyone in, even familiar friends, when I'm in the shower or napping... I so hope your friend begins to understand before it costs your friendship.


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## lexierowsell

Kas- that is amazing for you, talk about a feel good holiday gift. 

Beautiful trees everyone, dh and I are trying to decide on decorations now, it's been a couple years since we've had anyone around to decorate for, but this year my folks are coming down for a couple weeks...


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## SvenskaFlicka

Oh phooey Marchwind! That's not good! Take care of yourself as you heal! 
Cyndi, that would drive me nuts. 
Today has been a quiet day. We went to church, then we came home and I knit while Philip worked on a wax carving. I made home made kettlecorn for a movie snack-- we watched Lord of the Rings. 
It's been a good day.


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## hercsmama

Cyndi, looks like way too much fun to be had at your house! As far as the neighbor, I agree, plant the suggestion in the kids ears, might help.
Marchie, so sorry about your wrist! Holy Moly! Thank goodness it was your left one, if it had to happen, but that is so not fun! Are you going to need surgery?
I spent a lovely day yesterday, inside all day, knit up a pair of new mittens for dgs, and got about halfway through another of those double layer hats for one of the guys who works for us.
Sat on my behind and watched movies all day. It was great!
Quick movie reviews here:
Do not see Maleficent! If you are a die hard Sleeping beauty fan, it will totally make you feel sorry for her, and forever change your perception of why she was such a booger..( really good movie though)..
Noah, worth it! Really liked that one. Although seeing Hermione Granger having a baby was odd...when did that little girl grow up?
Hercules, the new one with Duane Johnson in it..not bad, good waste of an afternoon..


----------



## Kasota

MDKatie - I love your trees! 

Marchwind, thats a great idea about the superwash. I forgot about Woolease! I think I have some of that here and if not I can pick up a few skeins. I'd really like to do this up nice for this woman. 

Oh, how terrible ot break your wrist! UGH!!! Thankfully it is the left and you are right handed, but even so. ((((hugs)))) And a cast up to your armpit??? Egads! 

Debi, I am glad you got some down time to watch movies all day. You sure needed it! 

We got some fresh snow overnight. It looks real pretty. I have been sick for several days. Too much stress in my life. I just want to make it through the day so I can come home and sleep. Maybe I can leave early if I get the most important things done.


----------



## MDKatie

Marchwind said:


> I'm off work for at least a week, ugggg, this I really don't need. Knitting is out, my friend and I figured I can still spin, woolen. I've been wanting to practice my long draw.


 
Oh no!!!! I'm so sorry! That really stinks! :yuck:




SvenskaFlicka said:


> I made home made kettlecorn for a movie snack--


 I loooove kettle corn!! I could eat a ton of it...so good!


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## Marchwind

First things first, how do you make homemade kettle corn? Love that stuff.

I just got off the phone with the doctor's office. Apparently they want me there tomorrow with possible surgery on Thursday, uggg! I think this may be more serious that I was lead to believe in the ER. I'll keep you all posted.

Kasota take care of yourself. Allowing this stress to control you is NOT good. It won't do anything to solve any of the situations and it will only make things worse if you get sick. Breath deeply and let it all go. Keep the serenity prayer n mind, use that as your mantra.

Hercsmama so glad you you got some down time.


----------



## Taylor R.

Oh Marchie, I hope you heal up quick!

Cyndi, I hate when people just walk in! If you know they're coming it's one thing, because at least then you can make sure you're wearing pants and you're awake, but barging in totally unannounced? Jeesh! My dog mostly deters that except with my parents because he loves them and allows them inside.


----------



## Woodpecker

Well after 2 days of knitting non stop I am almost done! Now I have questions for you all does a scarf need to be blocked, would you wash it first or after you blocked it? I stayed up till 1 am to get to where I was with the scarf, I still have some to do but not nearly as bad. Thank God!

MDKatie I love those Santa moons too!

Hugs Cyndi, I treasure my privacy so that would drive me nuts.


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## SvenskaFlicka

To make home made kettle corn:
Take a large heavy pot with a lid. (I use my Dutch oven. )
Heat a little over 1/4 cup oil in said pot. I use coconut oil, you can use what your heart desires. 
When the oil starts to get hot, put in one popcorn kernel. When it pops, put in another. When the second one pops, add 1/2 cup white sugar. Stir. Then add 1/4 cup popcorn and stir again. Put the lid on. Shake pot well every 10 seconds or so. When the popping slows, remove from heat. Keep shaking until the popping almost stops, then dump it into a large bowl. Stir and salt to taste. 

Marchie, I hope everything turns out okay for your wrist! 
I'm glad you got some downtime too, Debi.
WP, you just keep knitting and healing! 

Today I need to clean house because my FIL is coming to visit us this weekend. I'd rather just knit. Luckily, the house isn't too bad. I also need to make Christmas cookies. My sewing and knitting group is having a cooking exchange this evening.


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

Woodpecker, if the yarn you used is superwash or washable, blocking it will NOT make much of a lasting resulting. But I wash everything anyway to allow the stitches to even out and you resolve a thousand inconsistencies with washing and manipulating the stitches while they are wet. 

I always wash first, then block a piece. 

Marchie, I am so sorry about that wrist - bless your heart! And your advice to Kasota is right on. The Serenity Prayer is a wonderful suggestion. 
Kasota, we got a little fresh snow to brighten things up, too - so beautiful. 

We spent a lovely couple of days in the big city visiting family and celebrating an "early Christmas". We stayed in a lovely hotel in what is actually a renovated old train station, I did quite a bit of shopping (which I normally loathe) while Cabin Fever attended an annual workshop, and we ate like kings. But getting back home to our own little piece of paradise was the BEST part.  :kiss:

I second Cyndi's suggestion of lined mittens. I just finished lining Mitten #1 for my grandson and started the lining of #2. Linings sure do a great job of making a "too big" mitten fit "just right" and it really isn't that much "extra" work. I LOVE my "Fiddlehead Mittens" and wear them almost all the time during our frigid winter! 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fiddlehead-mittens


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## Miz Mary

LOVE your trees MDKatie !!!

OH NO Marchwind !!! I sure hope you mend quickly and its not too bad !!!!! 

Kasota, please TRY to relax, you being sick is no good !!!!

Kids went home to TX today, now to try and get into the Holiday ....

I got my new laptop...boy its a workhorse ! Windows 7 , I like it !

Woodpecker, I am so happy your scarf is working out !!! I wash & block same time ....soak in soapy water , gently wring out and block ... if its machine washable I will throw it in the wash, but then block it to dry !


----------



## susang

So much going on: So sorry about broken wrist, broken van, sorry for all emotional and physical hurts to those here.
I would never have guessed that is how kettle corn is made, I've never liked it even the smell. Now I wonder why I love caramel corn.
I've been knitting little dish soap bottle aprons. My daughter just bought a house and she is knitting dish clothes to use as valance in kitchen. I thought the aprons would be cute every other one. Instead I'm keeping them to put up in my kitchen and sending her a copy of the booklet.
I've been watching Netlfix. Currently I am watching Dexter twisted I know but interesting. 
I'm a Dan Brown fan books and movies, I also like when history channel does shows on religion with different religious people and scholars explaining things. Last night I watched "The Women of The Bible", it was really interesting. Faith driven and at the same time a little more open or questioning. The woman who explained how Mary and Mary stood at the cross through the whole time was so moving. Her perspective on how Mary felt watching her son go through this, awesome. 
I will add there is a line in a Dan Brown book where Robert Langdon says 'faith a gift I have yet to receive', I like this quote it explains me.


----------



## BlueberryChick

So sorry about the broken wrist, Marchwind! That just stinks.
Kasota, please take care of yourself.
And to everyone who is dealing with health/family/finance situations, you are in my thoughts and prayers!

We've had an eventful 10 days or so. First, Andy was sick with some kind of stomach bug, then 9yo fell off a horse and we spent a few hours getting her checked out. In between, I had a big doctor's appointment, routine, but following up on some "girl" issues from the last couple of years. And last night, 9yo woke up with a nasty tummy ache. Sorry to be so whiny! I think I'm just tired and not looking forward to the possibility of the rest of the family getting sick.


----------



## Woodpecker

Thanks WIHH and MizMary! The wool is machine washable, should I just throw the scarf in on gentle with a load of clothes? I've never washed anything I've made before.


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

WP, I just run a sink full of warm water, add a squirt of shampoo, then soak my piece for about 20 minutes. Then, I squeeze it and squeeze it and squeeze it. Let the water out, then hold it under the warm water and rinse it thoroughly. Squeezing all the time. 

Next, I lay it in a clean dry towel, roll it up, and walk on it. 

I unroll the towel and then spread the damp piece out on my bedspread or back of the cloth futon and start pinning it, if it is to be "blocked". (Hopefully I do it early enough in the day so the top of the bedspread has a chance to dry before bedtime! :teehee 

Just laying it out, spreading it out, and evening out stitches with your fingers is easier when the yarn is still damp from its bath. 

Can't wait to see this - take pictures!


----------



## Woodpecker

Wind in Her Hair said:


> WP, I just run a sink full of warm water, add a squirt of shampoo, then soak my piece for about 20 minutes. Then, I squeeze it and squeeze it and squeeze it. Let the water out, then hold it under the warm water and rinse it thoroughly. Squeezing all the time.
> 
> Next, I lay it in a clean dry towel, roll it up, and walk on it.
> 
> I unroll the towel and then spread the damp piece out on my bedspread or back of the cloth futon and start pinning it, if is to be "blocked". (Hopefully I do it early enough in the day so the top of the bedspread has a chance to dry before bedtime! :teehee
> 
> Just laying it out, spreading it out, and evening out stitches with your fingers is easier when the yarn is still damp from its bath.
> 
> Can't wait to see this - take pictures!


Thanks! I will have to take pictures for everyone. I am a little intimated here.


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## Wind in Her Hair

MDKatie - love the tree pics!!!!


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## Wind in Her Hair

no reason to be intimidated AT ALL, Woodpecker! You should see some of my first attempts that I keep around to show others where I started - where we ALL start. :grin: :grouphug:

GAM, Hercsmama, you two have SEEN my hideous "monstrous first sock" -although you both tried to be polite, I will never forget the look on Hercsmama's face as she choked back the laughter. :hysterical:


----------



## BlueberryChick

Wind in Her Hair said:


> no reason to be intimidated AT ALL, Woodpecker! You should see some of my first attempts that I keep around to show others where I started - where we ALL start. :grin: :grouphug:
> 
> GAM, Hercsmama, you two have SEEN my hideous "monstrous first sock" -although you both tried to be polite, I will never forget the look on Hercsmama's face as she choked back the laughter. :hysterical:


This would make for a great thread! My first sock is, at best, sort of sock shaped. I kept it for the same reason, WIHH, to see how far I've come. 

From here...








to here...








in a little over a year. If I can do it, anyone can.


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## Wind in Her Hair

BBC - absolutely! You have come a long long way in a year - wow!!! Isn't that amazing!??!!?

I will have to dig out a picture of my first sock - it was just hideous!


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## SvenskaFlicka

I just made 8 dozen spritz cookies and 4 dozen krumkake. I have yet to make the refrigerator cookies Philip asked for. I hope they will be enough of a decoy to keep him away from the Christmas cookies!


----------



## 7thswan

I am thinking of all of You that are having hard times. Please know that I think of You in my Prayers. I'm too busy to do any knitting except washcloths and am doing some sewing. Training my new Rottweiler pup.


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## Pearl B

Marchwind said:


> Kasota could you get her some superwash wool? I know Lion Brand Wool Ease has quite a bit of wool in it. Do you know if she knits or crochets?
> 
> Cyndi. That would be annoying. I actually moved from a house because the old man next door would come over every time I stepped foot outside my door. It was ad enough that I could never have any time outside to myself or just withmy children but he was sort of lecherous, ewwwww! He never got the hints so I sold the house and moved. I really hope you can get it to a workable level. You party looks like a lot of fun
> 
> Today I took Belu for a walk. The day was beautiful but cold and it had been a while since we had been for a good hike in the woods. On the way back to the car I tripped over a sapling stump, I always trip on those things. Well this time I fell and I broke my wrist . I've never broken anything before, well a toe once. So we made it back to the car, I drove myself to the ER. It looks like a fairly clean break, just below the joint, going right across the bone. They set it and put me in a temp cast up to my arm pit until the swelling goes down, about a week. It's my left arm, I'm right handed, thankfully. I'm off work for at least a week, ugggg, this I really don't need. Knitting is out, my friend and I figured I can still spin, woolen. I've been wanting to practice my long draw.


Ouch! I hope you heal up fast! At least you can still spin :thumb:
When I broke my femor, the surgeon told me to drink 1 ensure each day, for 30 days. He said it's got a protein in it that helps bones mend after a break. 
I still drink them when I can afford to, they are a bit on the pricey side. I love a chilled dark chocolate, mmmm. They are the best!
I over all physically feel better soon after drinking one.

I just saw my surgeon today. He said my leg is mended. Still wants me to use a cane for a couple weeks. That's nothing!
I broke my leg at the end of July, so a little over 4 months. I do have brittle bones and I'm sure the ensures helped a lot.

Good Luck!


----------



## MDKatie

Here's a pic of the firs that I ever kit. It was a simple k2p2 rib, and boy did I screw it up!!! :yuck: That's before I could tell the difference in a knit and purl stitch, and I had to really concentrate and count knit 1 knit 2 purl 1 purl 2. :hysterical: It was the ugliest thing!


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## lambs.are.cute

Hey it's got character. If we wanted perfect everytime and the same as thousands of others we would go to the store. It almost looks like it was knit according to a pattern.


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## weever

Marchwind, I'm so sorry to hear about your fall and your broken wrist. 

Keep us updated, if you can. (How are you typing?)

We've set the date for our shearing day--March 7th. I hope you can make it this year.


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## Marchwind

MDKatie I actually really like that hat. I was going to ask what pattern you used, lol! Maybe it's the drugs but I like how it looks. They do say if you make a mistake often enough it actually becomes part of the design pattern.

Weever, I'm typing with one hand, is my left wrist and I'm right handed. I Hope it works out too, I really enjoyed doing that. Maybe I can come up with an easy fun project for the kids to do. Something with felt. Do your fleeces felt?


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## Woodpecker

I love the pics of everyone's firsts!


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## BrownYaks

Lexi, here is one of our girls from last year about 6 weeks out from delivering quints.


----------



## lexierowsell

BrownYaks said:


> Lexi, here is one of our girls from last year about 6 weeks out from delivering quints.



OMFG. What was the outcome of the quints? What is this ewe?


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## BrownYaks

lexierowsell said:


> OMFG. What was the outcome of the quints? What is this ewe?


Unfortunately, only two ewes survived. 
One extremely large still born ram, and two that I can't remember. 

The ewe is a triplet out of horn dorset over a suffolk cross. Between her and her two sisters there were 11 lambs, counting the still borns, last year. Quints( lost 3), Quads (lost 2), and twins. 

I suspect we would have had a higher survival rate but I'm away at school and my parents work during the day. Although my dad usually takes an extended lunch to drive back out to check on everybody. ( how many lawyers have had to explain they were late to court because of lambs, do you think?)

Anywho, this particular branch of my flock are all very maternal and are incredibly bonded to their lambs and vice versa


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## lexierowsell

I'm sorry for your losses. I don't want more than twins, I'm glad your ewes are ok and good mamas. 

Do you think their prolificacy is genetic or diet based?


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## MDKatie

Wow, BrownYaks, what a neat cross. I never would have suspected there was Suffolk in there. That's great they're so maternal!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all. Rainy and cold here today, but I don't work today so I will sit by the fire.
Hope y'all are well.


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## Wind in Her Hair

okay, Woodpecker, here ya - my first messed up sock and a couple of other pics to inspire you. I totally did not get the concept of SSK for reducing the number of stitches - I simply slipped, slipped and then knit the next stitch - uh oh :facepalm: and so my heel only reduced on ONE side. 

Then I started knitting my sock inside out apparently at some point and my heel was purl stitches instead of knit stitches. :doh: There lots of accidental holes from accidental yarn overs, and me adding a stitch at the end of the needle, etc - I was a mess. 

My second multi-color sock was no less hideous - in fact - it is rather shaped like a fat sweet potato - huge in the middle with pointy ends. It was supposed to fit me - but it fit my husband's gigantic foot instead.  It haunts my basement and gets lots of laughs when I show it to knitters! AND I get a lot of carp for my hideous yarn color choice! hee hee :teehee:

Then there is my first attempt at "colorwork" knitting. I call it a "lesson in gauge". It was SUPPOSED to be a knitted Christmas ornament - it ended up being a soccer ball.  

I post all of these to ENCOURAGE all of you knitters that are getting frustrated - those of you that are "hitting a wall". Keep on keeping on, I assure you, if you stick with it - you will get it. There is a cumulative knowledge base and every project, every stitch, every frog-back, every mistake will make you a better knitter! &#9829;


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## MullersLaneFarm

Yes, *Osiris *... _just_ like Gladys Kravitz!! I've tried working with her daughter and the 4H calf last year. Lessons get 'undone' by mother telling her something different. They were over yesterday, and yes, walked right into the house with a carton of eggs. I simply told them, "Oh! I didn't hear you knock!" Paul hates confrontation more than I do. Yes, she has already walked in while Paul was clad in only a t-shirt & underwear. She did miss a beat, but kept on going.

*Lexie*, I miss my old dobie. She was just the best with my children growing up and no one got around her family without being told it was okay.

Our "Muller Claus Workshop" is a lot of fun! I don't know how we would be able to pull it off without Mary (the lady in the white shirt & blue vest). She is our 'go to' for all things that are kid crafty.

*Katie*, I _love_ your trees!! I had folks commenting on the sheep & penquin you made that are hanging on the tree. Now some of the ladies in my Fibers of Life want to learn how to needle felt! And your hat!!! I'm looking at and trying to decide how to replicate it!

*Marchie *.. NOOOOOO!! Keep up on your pain meds. Don't let the pain get a head of you. It is much easier to keep it at bay then to try to make it go away. Bone Stock (broth made from bones) helps with the healing. The wrist is a bad place to break.

*Debi*, A well deserved day!

*Miz Mary*, wooo hooo! Happy laptop day!

*Susang*, Women of the Bible and The Red Tent were both very good!

*BbC*, here's hoping all the calamities are now out of the way for a wonderful Christmas

*Dreamy*, can't wait to see pictures of your scarf!!

*DBA*, good to see you posting again!


----------



## MDKatie

Marchwind said:


> MDKatie I actually really like that hat. I was going to ask what pattern you used, lol! Maybe it's the drugs but I like how it looks. They do say if you make a mistake often enough it actually becomes part of the design pattern.





MullersLaneFarm said:


> *Katie*, I _love_ your trees!! I had folks commenting on the sheep & penquin you made that are hanging on the tree. Now some of the ladies in my Fibers of Life want to learn how to needle felt! And your hat!!! I'm looking at and trying to decide how to replicate it!


That's too funny! It's a simple pattern! Just k2p2 for a while, then go off pattern and get your ribbing off a stitch. Then maybe throw in some seed stitch too...just to mix it up a bit. I think that may have been what I did.


----------



## lexierowsell

MLF- I totally agree. Amazing dogs. 

Here's some pics of my pair, they're the best dogs I've ever known, especially my red female.


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## BrownYaks

Lexi, it probably a combo of genetics and feed. We feed alfalfa hay and that year they pretty much got flushed since we started on hay in the beginning of August do to drought. 

Beautiful dogs, btw.


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## Marchwind

I'm having surgery Thursday morning. The doctor is putting in plates and screws. She said that active people with breaks like this really need hese to no only aid in healing but for long term stability. I'm just glad it wasn't in my joint. I have a photo copy of the X-ray I'll try to get a photo of. I need to take a pill and take a nap now.


----------



## MDKatie

Marchwind said:


> I'm having surgery Thursday morning. The doctor is putting in plates and screws. She said that active people with breaks like this really need hese to no only aid in healing but for long term stability. I'm just glad it wasn't in my joint. I have a photo copy of the X-ray I'll try to get a photo of. I need to take a pill and take a nap now.


You poor thing! Good luck with surgery!!!


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

oh Marchwind! I am so sorry -this is turning out to be a major pain in the...wrist! 

Bless your heart! How much time do you get off at work!??!?! I would be in real trouble since I only get 10 days a year vacation/PTO . And walking your dogs? You are all alone. Is that gonna be a problem? I am so sorry and wish I could help!  Maybe you can ask some folks in the rescue association to help out since you are gonna be laid up.


----------



## Woodpecker

Prayers for a speedy recovery Marchie. I know that some of us a far away but if we can do anything just ask.


----------



## Marchwind

Thank you guys. It feel strange being on the receiving end of all the good wishes and prayers. WIHH our sick leave is accumulative and I have a little over 270 hours saved o I'm good there. Right now I'm for sure off for 2 weeks but last time I had to have hand surgery I was out 6-8 weeks. I don't think this will be as long of a recovery. I have a post-op appointment on the 23rd and I will begin PT then. What complicates things is that I'm a stitch spitter and I have metal allegeries. No clue how I'll do with these plates and screws. They are titanium (very pretty). She said about once a year she has to remove the hardware because of this sort of thing. Let's hope I'm not one if those, it's a gamble. I'm really hoping to have a bit more mobility than I currently have.


----------



## hercsmama

Marchie! That's terrible about the surgery.
Please keep us posted, if there is anything we can do let us know.:kiss:


----------



## Kasota

Oh, Marchwind. I sure hope the surgery fixes things and you don't end up with troubles. Not sure what your workplace rules are but at my company I always advise my peeps who have such situations to file for FMLA to preserve their employment status. FMLA days are not typically counted against a person as an "unplanned absence." There are Federal FMLA laws and also state FMLA laws. Glad to hear you have so much sick leave built up. Yay! 

BrownYaks, I'm sorry you lost so many lambs. That's always hard. I used to raise Polypays and twins and triplets were the norm for me and I had a few who gave me quads like clockwork every single year. One of those ewes with the quads would STILL try to steal a lamb from an unsuspecting first time momma. I used to lock her up during lambing season or I would end up with trouble. LOL! 

Cyndi, I would just flat have a hard time being friends with such a person who would walk in after I had asked them not to. UGH. You are more patient than I would be. 

Lexi, love the pictures. 

DBA, good to see you!  

WIHH, you crack me up!!! I remember a post I put up one day about "what happened to my little v's? They are gone!" LOL! 

My apologies if I missed anyone. I'm a little scattered today....


----------



## Osiris

Wow Marchwind! So sorry to hear about the surgery. You will recover fast tho. You're a go-getter. And you've been down this road before. Titanium is the best for 'hardware' tho. It outlasts us all. Keeping you in my thoughts for a fast recovery.


----------



## gone-a-milkin

7thswan said:


> I'm too busy to do any knitting except washcloths and am doing some sewing. Training my new Rottweiler pup.


This is the first I have heard about your new puppy.
Need pictures and details!
I know you have been at a loss w/o a rottie. 
Congratulations.! die:


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

I got a new shelf for the pantry today. So the old pantry shelf is now upstairs in the guest bedroom with yarn on it. 
I need a lot of ideas for one or two skein projects. I have a lot of sample skeins from my yarn companies.


----------



## Jacki

I have a quick pattern that is often one skein. The garter stitch dish cloth pattern done on giant needles. Usually I do half a dish cloth with fingering weight yarn on 17, or 19 needles. It can be worn as a scarf by pulling the long ends, or as a shawl. It looks very lacy, and is easy for beginners to do, and goes fast enough that they don't get discouraged.

I know that you aren't a beginner, but the pattern might be good for some of your students.

The other thing I make a lot of is cowls. I can play with patterns, add beads, and try different yarn combos. I find more people like cowls than scarves. 

Jacki


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

There are a couple of cowls lurking in that stash, I know. Also a Fair Isle hat. I also love fingerless mitts but I'm not sure I need a dozen pairs. Lol


----------



## Kasota

How about some of those water/pop bottle holders with an over-the-shoulder strap? I've seen some very pretty ones and ones that were even fulled and given a needle felted embellishment. Might be a nice summer seller, too.


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## Marchwind

You can search on Ravelry for one skein project I think. Do you have the book, One Skein Wonders? Little footie socks, socks for kids, hats......

No worries on the work front. I know about FMLA, we are encouraged to file it even if we don't need it. I'll talk to my supervisor about it but I'm fine in terms of having enough time off.

I'm not too worried about the surgery, been there done that. It also would do me no good to worry about any of it. It is out of my hands anyway. I'll go under the anesthetic thinking of fibers hoping I'll have wonderful dreams . I bought some new fibers at our guild meeting on Monday night. I haven't tried to spin yet I'm just too tired. I'm sleeping a lot.


----------



## Taylor R.

It's official; I will be homeschooling my two oldest kiddos for the remainder of the school year. I sent in our non-accredited private school registration yesterday and I'll formally withdraw them on their last day next week. I'm nervous and excited and so darn relieved it's not even funny. My littlest princess will remain in preschool for the remainder of the school year because she is doing well and loves it.


----------



## BlueberryChick

Taylor R. said:


> It's official; I will be homeschooling my two oldest kiddos for the remainder of the school year. I sent in our non-accredited private school registration yesterday and I'll formally withdraw them on their last day next week. I'm nervous and excited and so darn relieved it's not even funny. My littlest princess will remain in preschool for the remainder of the school year because she is doing well and loves it.


Taylor, I'm so excited for you! It's definitely an adventure and well worth the journey. Feel free to ask questions. I'm no expert, but we've homeschooled for 17 years so I can at least offer an educated guess.


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

It's a brave new frontier - that homeschooling. I actually considered it with my own children but found that the little hamlet school we were able to transfer them into was everything and more than I could ever possibly hope for - and so they stayed in public school. I have 5 home-schooled grandchildren now myself and one in public school back in that same sleepy little hamlet school my children went to. 

I applaud all of your homeschooling efforts, folks. :clap: :bow:


----------



## Taylor R.

I'm so excited for my little monkeys to have the freedom and time to learn about what interests them..I'm at this very moment scouring the internet for info and resources pertaining to movie special effects as that was my little dude's first choice on his 'what I want to learn about' list. My husband is so nonchalant about it all, like it's the most natural thing in the world and not scary in the least.


----------



## Forerunner

So I did a little time traving last night......

I found it rather odd seeing myself knitting single strand on hair pins......


----------



## hercsmama

FR, your'e even cuter as an old man! Adorable even!

Taylor, that is wonderful news!! I'm so happy for you!

Well, we got news from the insurance company about the work van, it will be just under 1000.00 to repair it, and our deductible is 750.00. I told them we no longer wanted to file the claim, what's the point?
So another grand out the door to fix that stupid mess. 
Feels like we are just hemorrhaging money lately, thank goodness we have been so crazy busy with the plumbing business. We will feel the pinch, but at least we have the ability to get it fixed.:thumb:
On the drama front, things are settling down, a lot! Still a huge adjustment, for everyone, but the adjustment is being made.
On the fiber front, not much, just piddling with another double layered hat, and made dgs some mittens the other day.
I have been trying to focus on getting the books closed out for the year on the plumbing business. Lot's of filing, and receipt finding, and all that fun garbage.:yuck:
Tonight I am committed to having a cookie baking marathon, it MUST happen! I may be up all night, but I will get it done!


----------



## Woodpecker

Another nasty day here. Yesterday we had nor'easter Damon who put about a 1/2 inch of water in poor Loretta's coop. Today it is drizzling and at times snowing. At least I feed the wild birds before Damon came. They are fun to watch as I knit.

I finally opened the ornament WIHH purchased for me from Mr. Grittner back in the fall. What beautiful work, I feel so blessed to have such a detailed handcrafted ornament on my tree. You can tell he put a lot of time and love into his work.


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

so glad you liked the ornament, Woodpecker. I love mine. I just added the two new ones I bought this year to my tree - I have been collecting his ornaments since 2009, I think. Every single one is a treasure and he is such a delightful man.


----------



## lambs.are.cute

We need an exhausted smilie. I just came in from an afternoon of tearing apart my hen house yard getting ready to fence the hens in. I had anti sheep fencing which allowed the hens to come and go but in the last 6 months I've lost 40 hens....... More than the last 5 years total. I must have a free meal come and get it sign for every possible prediter that could be in the area. It's getting built up around here and there have been soooo many dogs and cats visiting me. And now all I need is three more blocks, and an afternoon without rain before the 23rd so I can finish it before house sitting starts.

This weekend I am going to make candy. Almond rock, tootsie rolls, Carmels, pay day bars, marshmallows, marshmallow bars, peppermint bark, and maybe a few other things......


----------



## Woodpecker

I bound off my scarf. It's more of an ascot and some of the stitches are messed up but it was done with a good heart. I will even have it blessed. I realized I have knitted anything post diagnosis so I think I need to go back and practice the fundamentals. As soon as I get the fringe on I will post a pic. Thank you friends for all your encouragement and support! :grouphug:


----------



## Osiris

*Kelsey*! You're a hoot! Maybe I'm missing something _"....I got a new shelf for the pantry today...." _- and it's already full of yarn!?! 
Isn't a "pantry" supposed to be for......pans? You don't need to explain.:hysterical:

FR: Nice profile shot. 

Hercs, L.a.C: You prioritize well! ;-) Cookies, candy, sweets! Be doin' my jam this weekend. Maybe some shortbread cookies too. Who knows, maybe a pound cake too!


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## SvenskaFlicka

You missed the part where it is the old pantry shelf that is upstairs full of yarn. It broke a bit in the move. Not completely beyond usability, but enough that it couldn't support big bags of flour and rice. So I have a new shelf for rice and flour and sugar and stuff, and yarn isn't that heavy, so I have a yarn shelf too! 
:smack:


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## Taylor R.

I've decided I'm not making any candy until the week before Christmas, otherwise my husband winds up eating it all and I do it again anyways.

WP, yay for finished projects!!

LAC, hope the girls stay safe in their new yard! We had a lot of predatation issues as the weather started cooling down this year, so I totally feel you.

Debi, insurance can be such a bummer. Sending good, car fixing vibes northward.


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## hercsmama

Well, the baking marathon was a bust. Not entirely, but it continues today..
i did manage to get all the dough made for all the cookies, 9 different varieties, and got three of those baked off. The 10 pounds of fudge is cooling now, and the pralines are done!
So this afternoon, I'm going to finish off the cookies, get the Pannetone dough to rising, and just maybe, do some online shopping.
It's starting to look a bit like Christmas here, finally.:thumb:
Saturday, we are picking up our tree, and since the weather is supposed to be completely dismal Sunday and Monday, I will decorate then.
Off to put a batch in the oven!


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## Miz Mary

LAC, Tootsie Rolls ?!??! Do they taste like the real thing ?!?!?! 

More re arraigning and cleaning here ..get lots done ! 

Still haven gotten a Christmas tree ...may just skip it -- cant seem to want to pay $25 for something I will just burn in 2 weeks ..... that could be FIBER money !!!!!


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## MDKatie

Woodpecker said:


> I finally opened the ornament WIHH purchased for me from Mr. Grittner back in the fall. What beautiful work, I feel so blessed to have such a detailed handcrafted ornament on my tree. You can tell he put a lot of time and love into his work.


 I can't wait until DH opens the one I got (from WIHH) for him. I hope he loves it!! It's gorgeous!



lambs.are.cute said:


> This weekend I am going to make candy. Almond rock, tootsie rolls, *Carmels*, pay day bars, marshmallows, marshmallow bars, peppermint bark, and maybe a few other things......


 Well we know how you pronounce it! It's care-A-mels, not car-mels. ound: Just giving you a hard time!! I love hearing different accents and dialects, even if it is online. Yesterday I went to a nutrient management training/seminar for work, and the guy from Nebraska was saying manure. It was cracking me up, because here in MD we say "manewer" and he was saying "man-err".


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## Marchwind

Tootsie rolls? I hit on that yo even at the crack of dawn his morning. Please share your recipe  tootsies are one of my favorites.

Surgery went well as far as I know. I didn't get to talk with the doctor afterward. Because I react so badly to narcotics the doc decided to leave the block in place. So I have an appendage that is completely useless and numb for 3 days. I have to wear a medicine bag around my neck 24/7 until it is done. If you've ever had a block, ugggg, you know how really strange it is. At least before I had the bad arm to use as a force to help, now, not so much. Oh well, at least I don't have to take those yucky drugs, they make me really sick to my stomach. But all is good and I sit around doing nothing. My new SpinOff arrived today, I doubt I can spin like this. It is what it is!

Thank you for all the good wishes and prayers.


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## ejagno

Today I spent teaching two crochet classes for total beginners. It was so fun and exciting to watch them progress from learning to hold the hook to single crocheting on their 10th row independently and so proud of themselves. I sure wish that 20 years ago someone would have stood over me with their hands over mine and guided me through chaining the foundation row and creating the first row of actual stitches. I taught myself to crochet..........and a lot of bad words to go with the trials and errors. LOL They were so thrilled that they were taking pictures of their coaster sized masterpieces and posting it on their Facebook pages like little ones with their refrigerator artwork. I loved this and found it so rewarding. One girl had me in tears of laughter because she would move her tongue with each motion of the crochet hook. I swear if I taped her mouth shut she would not be able to crochet.


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## lambs.are.cute

Bummer march wind. At least you got pain drugs of a sort. When my brother broke 3 out of 4 bones in his arms they refused to give him anything more than Tylenol. Something about all boys that age being druggies. 

I love listening to regional dialects. It was really hard to understand people when I was back east. I'm sure they thought I was slow, but they talked so fast (and strangely). I made me want to pull something out of bonanza - well ma'am I recon.... Lol (they told me I have western drawl who knew). Btw here it's said carmull with one syllable here. Or just plain mmmmmm. 

The tootsie rolls were pretty fun to make. There wasn't boiling liquid to spill on me and then you had to roll them like a play doh log. It took a while to wrap them but nothing big. To me they tasted just like tootsie rolls just less stick in your tSeth. Maybe needs a little salt.


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## lambs.are.cute

Here's the recipe for tootsie rolls (from a blog but can't remember which one):

1 oz unsweetened chocolate 
1 TBSP butter
1/4 c light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c sifted powdered sugar
6 TBSP instant nonfat milk powder 

Put chocolate and butter in a microwave proof bowl and microwave 1 minutes. Stir to combine well and finish melting the chocolate. Add corn syrup and vanilla, stir, and microwave for another 1 minute. 
Take the bowl out and stir in the powdered sugar and powdered milk. Sifting is important here or you will get grainy candy. If needed let cool before rolling out into logs. Use powered sugar if it is sticking. Cut into 1 inch logs and wrap in wax paper.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning folks.
Going to be in the 40s today, great. The native Americans had a rain dance, I have been on the verge of looking up a sunshine dance. It's been gloomy far too long.

Nothing exciting to report from my location, just wanted to say hello.


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## Marchwind

Ejagno it's good to see you, it's been a long time. How wonderful that you were able to teach two people to crochet. I think that's what makes us good/enthusiastic teachers is that many of us didn't have what we needed or wanted when we were learning. How is your restaurant doing? How is your DH?

DBA it's supposed to be in the 40's here too, and it is also gloomy. Yesterday looked nice, the sun was out, not that I was in any shape to enjoy it 

LAC thank you so much for the Tootsie recipe. As soon as I have two hands again I will plan on making these. Maybe it can be part of my therapy


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

It's man-err and carmul here too. 
Today my Father-in-law is coming to visit from Minnesnowta. The house is all clean but I'm still nervous. 
Also I'm going to be making Lussekatter, or Swedish Lucia Day buns tonight, because tomorrow is Saint Lucia's day! It's when we celebrate the shortest day of the year, traditionally. The recipe casks for saffron, but I'm going to leave that out this year. I don't have saffron right now.


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## Woodpecker

I have to confess that I ripped some of the scarf out yesterday. I fixed most of it, I should have ripped out one more row but that's ok. God worked through my hands and now it's neat and longer! I will put the fringe on sometime today or this weekend and give it to her on Monday. This is a scarf I feel good giving!

ETA: My Deacon will bless it this afternoon.


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## Marchwind

Take a picture WP for us to see.


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## Marchwind

Anybody seen or heard from Kasota? It's not like her to miss a day if only to say hello.


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## Kasota

Hello, all! 

Marchwind, ty for asking after me. I've just been so buried in life. Sometimes I don't know if I am coming or going. I've read through posts but just didn't even have the energy to type up any kind of a reply. Yeah, that tired and feeling more than a little blue. Holidays are not my favorite time of year. I will be better when January comes.  

Hopefully this weekend I can catch up on some sleep.


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## MullersLaneFarm

Sleep, Kas, sleep! Just know we're here for you if/when you need us. Always in our thoughts and prayers.


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## Wind in Her Hair

hugs to those that need hugging

bravo for those that need cheering

prayers for those that need comforting and healing

and cookies and cocoa for the rest of you!


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## Marchwind

Big old hugs to you Kasota :grouphug: I think i know how you are feeling . Life will get better. Just remember you don't need to own th behaviors of others nor do you need to make excuses for that behavior. They are adults and very capable of accepting responsibility for their own behavior. Just take care of yourself and Granny Annie the best you are able. As Cyndi said we are here for you and keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.

I removed the block yesterday. I laid down for a nap and took one dam it al, I woke in incredible pain, obviously the block stopped working. My neighbor who is a nurse came over and pulled it out for me. The bad part was I had to wait about 4 hours to take any more meds. I'm fine now, actually doing a lot better without all that junk hanging from around my neck. I've even removed the sling, it was putting pressure where it wasn't comfortable. I slept really well last night. The pain is very manageable. Best of all, I have use of both arms and hands and I think I will be able to spin today  I'll report back later.


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## Kasota

Thank you so, Cyndi! I think you are right. If I could just get enough sleep! 

(((Hugs)))) right back to you Marchwind! Oh, I do so hope you are feeling better and the pain is less and that you were able to spin.

WIHH, I'll have cocoa and prayers if I may please.  Everything in life is better with a coup of hot cocoa. 

Everything I turned my hand to today was a mess. I have been trying to make a scarf and hat set for my son's girlfriend but the yarn I bought doesn't want to be either one. I tried changing patterns, I tried changing the size of the needles. I gave up. That yarn hates me. LOL! So I chose a different yarn and I'm doing a scarf in crochet because I don't have to think about it. 

It was so warm today that the snow melted off the roof over the kitchen where the vent pipe comes through. When they redid that section of the roof some decades ago they didn't actually put flashing in - just used tar around the base which of course has deteriorated over the years. So it was warm enough and the roof was dry enough that I crawled out my bedroom window on to that little section of roof and went happy with one of those cans of spray rubber sealant. I think it is going to work, at least for a while. And I didn't fall off the roof so that's a good thing.


----------



## Marchwind

Thank you Kasota, I did get to spin some this evening. I have to find a different way to draft as my usual drafting posture, left hand holding fibers to left side right hand drafting, just doesn't do, it hurts, a lot. I found if I hold my left hand upto my chest and it holds the fibers I can still draft with my right hand. It's awkward but it works and I got almost a whole bobbin spun up. Thankfully I have a wheel that sits right in front of me. I'm not sure if I could do this with a traditional wheel, but I don't know.

Kasota sometimes yarn and fibers don't want to play nicely with us. Maybe another day and a different mood might make a difference. I am glad you didn't fall off the roof too and that you got that area fixed.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good morning all.
You hear about native Americans doing a rain dance, is there a such thing as a sunshine dance?
It has been dreary and overcast here or raining for over a week, i really want to see some sunshine.

It also appears the second week of February, I will have puppies. Ok, i wont, that would just be wierd. My wifes dog is in heat. We can always tell when she gets ready to go into heat as she gets really lovey dovey and wants to cudle up with everyone. So, we started keeping her inside most of the time, and when she needed to be out, we would put my dog in the pen and let hannah run for a bit. When i would go to work, I would put Hannah in the pen and keep my dog loose.
Well, that worked for a few days, but came home Friday to find that my dog had learned to jump over or climb a fence.
These will be some ugly pups, lol.
Hannah is a Chihuahua mix, about the size of a beagle. My dog is half lab, half German shepherd.
Needless to say, once she has her pups, I'm going to have her spayed.

I had a rabbit die this past week too. No rhyme or reason, just died. Healthy, active, eating and drinking one day, dead the next morning. The other rabbits in the bunny barn are all just fine, so it has me baffled, but, like I told my wife, with animals, it sometimes just happens.

That reminds me, I need to get a couple more cages built too, my daughter will be getting her pair of mini lop rabbits sometime in the next month or so.

So, there is my week in a nutshell, how have y'all been?

And Kas, I wish you and I lived closer, I would have gotten on your roof for you.


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

Christmas baking yesterday, Christmas office party last evening, headache this morning :grin: and addressing Christmas cards this morning. The fire is crackling and the coffee is hot. 

We played a game last night at the party and I am proud to say that both Cabin Fever and I both individually bested all the young bucks and does with our amazing skills of balance and speed and manual dexterity  as we played the "Extreme Minute to Win It Nutstacker Game". We might be old, but we still got it.  I am letting the old guy sleep in this morning as a reward. 

Its foggy, murky and gray as the sun is rising, and the temps are supposed to start falling thoughout the day with ice and snow expected tonight, tomorrow, and tomorrow night. 

Oh! I wanted to tell y'all about a movie I saw only a bit of yesterday called "The Christmas Bunny"- [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPCghKASUz4[/ame]

It takes place in Michigan (so it reminded of al your Michiganers) and it is about a little foster care child, a bunny and a crazy rabbit lady (so I thought about all of you :teehee: bunny people :hysterical. It is a family movie and I think many folks would enjoy it on many levels. 

Florence Henderson of the "The Brady Bunch" is almost unrecognizeable as a crazy rabbit lady. I didn't get to see it all but I am planning on finding it on Netflix or elsewhere. I really enjoyed the part I saw.  

Back to knitting and Christmas movies this evening when the cards are done and the venison meatloaf is baked for the coming week's lunches and the football igame s over. 

Have a blessed Lord's day everyone. Stay safe and warm. 


No more roof climbing for you, Kasota, you silly! be careful out there~( I do things like that and I know when I get to heaven, my Guardian Angels are gonna give me a tongue-lashing for all the gray hair I have caused them! :angel


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## Kasota

Marchwind, I do agree...on a different day that yarn and I will probably play quite nicely together. It was just not meant to be yesterday. I hope you can figure out a way to spin. How are things working out with all the critters with you being on the mend?

DBA, I am glad to hear it is your dog and not you that is going to have puppies. LOL! That really would be strange! You are sweet to wish you were close enough to crawl out on my roof for me. (((hugs))) Bummer about the rabbit but you are right - sometimes those things just happen. When I had my pet shop I used to sell a lot of mini lop bunnies. They sure are cute! 

WIHH, I think your other nick could be WOHF (Wings On Her Feet) LOL! You are always so busy. Glad you and CF bested the younger does and bucks.  The roof climbing was not as horrid as it sounds. That portion of the house is single level and is just a little add-on for a kitchen. It's just a sloped roof...not one with a peak. And I wasn't near any edges. I'm just glad I could fit my chubby backside out that window. LOL!  

I only work three days next week. I have 2 days that I have to take or I lose the hours. I get 244 hours per year for sick/PTO but they will only let us roll over 40 hours. Anything more than 40 and we simply lose them. I'm going to bake on Thursday and then on Friday run down to the cities to deliver cookies to my son and to pick up my CPW project wheel that I got for 20.00. I am kind of sort of looking for a little Tyrolean if anyone runs across one for cheap. They are too cute for words.


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## kandmcockrell

Hope everyone stays safe.
I am hoping to bake some cookies today. I have all gifts purchased and most wrapped. All I need to do is the baking and candy making. That is if dd who is eight months cooperates. She is cutting teeth and is clingy. Dh is out processing deer at the hunt club, not sure when he will be back home.


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## Woodpecker

Here is a pic of my finished scarf for my nurse as promised. Tomorrow is scarf giving day , hooray!


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## Kasota

Oh, it is just beautiful!!!


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## Woodpecker

Thanks Kas that makes it all worth it!


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## featherbottoms

That is really pretty. I'm sure your nurse will love it.


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## Marchwind

WP that looks great, the fringe works too. I love that raspberry sherbet color. Snap a picture when you give it to her. I bet she will love it.


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## Wind in Her Hair

the scarf is gorgeous, Woodpecker! YOU DID IT!!!

I am so very proud of you and your determination!!!! YOU
DID IT!!!!

:clap: :bow: :bouncy: :nanner:
she is gonna be so touched! Wish I could be a fly on the wall to see that special moment.


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## Kasota

It really would be precious to see the look on her face! All the hours and care and love you put into it truly shows that lovely heart of yours...


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## Woodpecker

Thank you all you are way too sweet!:kiss:


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## weever

Good job, WP!

WIHH, we saw the movie at its premiere, and met the star (the one with the long ears). The bunny was from the Critter Barn, a nearby educational farm. Love what they do teaching kids about ag. And having one of their bunnies star in that movie didn't hurt for PR reasons, either.


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## BlueberryChick

WP, love the scarf! It looks so smooshy and warm and the color is absolutely yummy. Nicely done!


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## Marchwind

I think a friend of mine may have done the training of the animals for the movie or maybe just the bunny. It would be cool if it was an all Michigan movie. It looks fun, I'll have to look for it.


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

I love Christmas movies - even the made-for-TV ones, but this one even showed FIBER bunnies!!!

*hotzcatz,* did you hear that?!?!!? FIBER bunnies!!!!

and like *weever* said, there is huge "pet responsibility" and "ag" influence evident! I even learned something about bunnies!!!

I still haven't seen the beginning or the end - just the middle - but hopefully I will remedy that this weekend!


----------



## Taylor R.

WP, that color is fantastic! She will love it!

I have two crochet hats to finish before Thursday, and unfortunately my left wrist is having some issues. Hopefully I won't wind up having to mail them to Baltimore (lesson learned; don't save the two people who are furthest away for last).

There is so much sickness going around right now..I'm sincerely hoping we don't wind up sick while my baby brother is back this weekend. I'm being diligent about everyone taking their immune boosters, so fingers crossed!


----------



## MDKatie

I love Christmas movies!!! The cheesier the better!


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## hercsmama

:teehee:
Hi. My name is Debi and I am a Hallmark Channel Christmas Movie Junkie.:facepalm:

WP, Love it!! So proud of you for finishing it, and in such good time too! I'm sure she will love it.

Well, we are having 30+ mph sustained wind, and snow Naturally over about an inch of ice. Dh just left to head to Grand Island to replace a grease trap, and sewer main in a restaurant. I told him I didn't think it was such a good idea today, but we have another job scheduled to start Thursday, so if he doesn't get this one done by then, we ill be even further behind.
He is so freaking stubborn. He will not let us fall any further behind, he'd rather end up in a ditch and wreck the other van. Men!:hammer:
I needed to head to Kearney today, but don't see it happening. Maybe in a few hours if this stuff blows itself out, otherwise it can wait until tomorrow.
Think I'll just sit in front of the fire, and knit.:thumb:


----------



## hercsmama

Here's the critters out in the pastures.
I knocked a lot of ice and snow off of Shiner before I took these. Apparently he chose to stay outside of the shelter last night, as he was completely covered this morning.
Elmo is a goof, and staying outside his shed as well, while Honey isn't that stupid. lol!
The last pic is looking across the top pasture from the 'Paca pen towards the house.
Dontcha wish ya lived here? LOL!


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

your ice and snow is heading this way! Thanks a lot, hercsmama! It would be fine - as long as I didn't have to leave the house!  

(duty calls)

HALLMARK Channel - are you serious!??!?!?! when we retire, I can see us (finally) getting cable - then I can catch up. Hey, one of these days we might even get a TV big enough to see!


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

It's just blowing and misty here. . . But I know the nasty weather is coming! 
My yarn rep just left the shop. For the first time ever I got no samples. 
Time to get a few things at the store then head home and knit!


----------



## Woodpecker

I gave the scarf to my nurse. It couldn't have gone over better! She was really touched, especially since I had it blessed also. It's also her favorite color. She said she is going to wear it at night when she walks her dogs. I feel so proud of myself, that was the best reaction I could have hope for! 

I'm thinking now that that project is finished. I will learn to finally join in the round and make my oncologist a cowl instead. I only have 200 yards, would that be enough? I found out a few months back that there has been an lys in a town nearby for over a year. I plan on brining my work there. Mabye they even have classes, that'd be really great.
Have a blessed all!


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## Marchwind

Suppose that stuff is headed hear after WIHH and Kastoa are finished with it. It's been very warm here, 40's and 50's since last Tuesday. I want winter to come while I don't have to worry about it.

Here is a picture I took earlier today. Look at all TNR bruising on my fingers  I have no idea why they are all bruised. They weren't injured and they aren't sore. I can't believe its just pooled blood from the break, my wrist didn't even turn black and blue. Oh well! I've been half tempted to dye some roving in these colors


----------



## Taylor R.

Cheese and rice, Marchie! That looks wicked, funny how things pool like that. When my oldest was young, she sustained a pretty serious burn to her forehead (we don't do birthday candles anymore, btw), and all the lymph fluid from the burn settled in right under her eyes, then the swelling there caused horrible bruising.


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

so glad the gift was a big hit, Woodpecker! We are all so proud of you for sticking to it and making it over the rough spots! You did it and it is gorgeous! She will treasure it. 

Marchie, that's some icky bruising. You're purple! What are you doing with your time since you can't work or knit? Anything fun, decadent? luxurious? Listening to good music, watching a TV marathon of your favorite TV show or series?


----------



## Woodpecker

That looks like it would hurt Marchie. Hugs!


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## MullersLaneFarm

Ouchie, MarchWind. Hope your pain meds are keeping you comfortable. 

WIHH, if you like the Hallmark channel, you're going to love the UP channel!


----------



## Kasota

WP, I am so, so glad the scarf was a big hit! Woooot!  

MW, that looks positively painful. Ouch! 

Debi, your pictures are priceless! Love the look on their faces. Did your DH get home safe and sound? 

The bunny movie looks like it would be a real tear-jerker. Not sure if I could watch it. I'm a wimp when it comes to sad movies. lol 

Taylor, I hope you all stay healthy! 

I am in the midst of doing annual reviews at work. I will be glad when they are all written. I have 19 to do and I need to give my manager a list of all the things I did in 2014 by end of day on Wednesday. I found the perfect color purple yarn to make a scarf for my son's girlfriend - have it 1/2 done. Need to finish that, need to knit a hat for her and one for my son. 

My mom and sister and I have decided that since my brothers have basically "unfriended" us in real life that we are going to use the money we would have normally spent on their gifts to bless another family that is on hard times. There is a family we have learned of in a friend's church that had a horrible year. First there was a fire and they lost everything...then the father passed away unexpectedly. The woman has a couple little kids and pretty much nothing left. She and her kids are moving back in with her mom. They have really fallen on hard times so we are going to do what we can to bless them plus it will help us to get through this oh, so difficult season. 

On a positive note...it has been raining all day long...and my roof is NOT leaking! I am just doing the happy dance on that one! My 10.00 can of spray rubber sealant did the trick, at least for the short haul. Yay!


----------



## MullersLaneFarm

Dreamy, Love, love, Love your scarf!! Good job!


----------



## Kasota

Yesterday it rained and rained. Last night it switched to snow. I woke up to a Winter Wonderland. Not a horribly heavy snow - maybe 3 inches? - but oh it looks so pretty! My dog is all happy and rolling about in the snow and acting like she's a puppy.


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

It stormed and blew all night, and I was sure I was going to wake up to a lot of snow. Nope. But it's sure cold out there! 
We barely even got a proper dusting!


----------



## BlueberryChick

We're baking Christmas cookies today! My children are helping and they are finally all old enough to be genuinely helpful. The youngest is 9, so they are reading the recipes, measuring and rolling dough into very nice balls for baking. Right now, we are taking a quick break while the first batch bakes (almond cookies).










Earlier, I made popcorn with white chocolate drizzle and sprinkles. Mmmm...


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

Kasota, we got the same storm you got with the same results - rain, ice, sleet, snow - cars are frozen shut and the walkways and roadways are treacherous! And the temps have plummeted - tonight will be single digits. 

I am bracing myself for the walk to the post office. 

Love those cheerful WARM SUMMERY SUNSHINE colored socks, Cyndi! 

I love cookie baking!!!! I have never baked cookies on a baking stone, BBC. Does that work well? Maybe I should give it a try!

Stay safe and warm, everyone!


----------



## BlueberryChick

WIHH, the baking stone is wonderful for baking cookies. They cook evenly, not getting overdone on the bottom while not quite done on top. 

Here's the popcorn--








It's hard to tell in the photo, but there's red and green sugar sprinkled on the popcorn.


----------



## IowaLez

Hi Guys,

I love looking at all your holiday baking, everything looks so delicious! Wish I could to all your homes to get in on the tasty eating and nibbling!

Love your scarf WP, it turned out really nice, and it's wonderful you made that special gift!

Love all the animal pics, too!

Marchwind, I sure hope your wrist heals fast! Glad you can take the time at home for it to heal, and not have to go back to work for a while.

I hope all of you guys have a really wonderful Xmas with your families!

Well, tonight will be 11 nights at my new apartment. It really is so great to have this nice space of my own, all to myself. My kitties are so much happier, and back to their normal, calm selves. My oldest cat, Missy, has developed a new behavior, tho. Sometimes she walks a round making this meow I haven't heard from her before. It's not the "Hey Mom, I've got a present (dead mouse) for you", it's more like a Mommy cat calling for her kittens thing. Well, last week she was doing that, and came from the bedroom into the livingroom, carrying a sock! Then 2 days ago, she was carrying around a large stuffed mouse toy. I'm wondering if she'll try to take it to the litter box to show it how to use it, next! Silly girl!

Last week I spent some time with my neighbor "Vickie". It was an evening, dark outside, and I heard her sobbing and loudly wailing (very dramatic wail) out on the steps below the landing outside our doors. So I bundled up, and went out there to see what was the matter. I don't want to get too involved in her crazy life, but her grief was distressing to hear. 

Well, she had had a bad time with her Mom that evening; it turns out she lives downstairs in the front apartment (8 per building) and her Mom isn't very supportive or kind to her sometimes. So I just sat there with her for a long time, listened to her talk through it, and tried to validate her feelings and validate herself as a good person. She said lots of self-harmful things, like maybe her family would love her more if she became anorexic; well she's 6'4", and if she went down below 150# that would be pretty extreme. So I suggested she not do stuff like that to herself. I learned a lot about her, and the difficult conflicts she faces each day, being a woman trapped in a man's body, since she was a young child. I don't judge her, I consider myself a good person, and want to show her plain old human kindness and be a kind neighbor. She appreciated my caring a lot.

Two days ago I also spent some time with her out on the landing, as well. We sang Cher, Tina Turner, a bit of Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin songs, and she's crazy about Karen Carpenter. She told me she was doing daily bible readings and she was wading through Hebrews, so I asked if she was a member of a study group or church. She had already said she wasn't a Xtian, so I was curious. She told me she does it by herself each day, and feels it's the only thing that is going to "save her", I assume from her conflicted life and to have a better afterlife. 

Well, last evening I went outside for a few minutes and she was doing Hebrews 5-7. The apartment doors aren't very soundproof. So I have to say it was the most "interesting" reading I've ever heard! Every sentence she would say the last part with her voice going up and down the tonal scale of English, kinda like when a man does that whistle when he sees a pretty lady. And when she was reading what God was speaking, she would lower her voice in a stern, manly way. Without making fun of her, I did have to laugh a bit. She's always dramatic no matter what she is doing! She does have some mental illness going on, I'm sure.

Yesterday I was feeling rather down. Stan's lawyer pulled a manuever 72 hours before our hearing was supposed to be heard, he made a phoney motion and had my case transferred to be heard by a higher-up Districet Court judge, and now it's delayed until APRIL 17th!!! I was really ticked off that I wasn't given any notice to protest this trash. He claims he has a "conflict" being a sitting magistrate in an adjoining county, hearing small claims cases. So I contacted a really good lawyer I had gotten advice from last September, and he told me this is bogus, and I have the right to be heard in small claims court; that something is fishy. So I'm retaining a junior lawyer at that firm, I'm waiting for him to call me sometime today, and the retainer cost is really gonna hit me hard, what with the utility and apartment deposit payments I have to make. At least $700. But I have no other choice now, I can't do this on my own any more. I hope he can do something to get it moved back to the lower court and get heard a lot sooner than mid-April. That doesn't count the time until I'm actually able go to the property and get my stuff! Scumbag's atty during the trial conference call, said it would take an hour or less for the hearing, so I think Scumbag and Friend are only contesting the conditions of me coming to the property with my kids to help me, and the truck and vehicles. I am so mad, I could spit flames at them both, frying them to a crisp!

My Mom has been gloating over my concerns about my budget for this month, after paying deposits on my electric acct and this apt I have almost no money left for food and cat food, and she was gleeful when I spoke to her about it. Altho she can be a good Mom, and she is loaning me money for stuff, she has done this gloating thing and wishing me difficulty my whole life. I have had a LOT of adversity in my life since I was born, and I don't need her wishing me more. So I felt really hurt by this recently. I would NEVER do this sort of thing to my kids, ever. Never have or will. 

And altho in general, "reinventing" myself into a new life is exciting and positive, this time it's proving to be more complicated than I want, with lots of sadness. I'm going to have to give up some things in my life that have been very central to who I am for years, that have been important to me, and how I see and define myself. I'm feeling kinda lost, and full of grief, about how to let that go and reorganize things differently. I feel like I'm floundering the last few days. So I'm lost in thought a lot. And this morning I woke up from having another distressing and hurtful dream about Stan; triggered by my extreme rage since Weds morning and that conference call. So I've been sitting here reading, crocheting and enjoying my morning coffee.

Well, I need to get back to my crocheting now, I've just got to bind off the last row of a nice cowl for a Xmas gift to my future son-in-law. He calls me "Mom", which makes me feel so warm and loved.


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## Wind in Her Hair

aw, Lez. Such trying times. 

I know what you mean about the "reinventing" yourself and taking the time to determine your own direction. Most of us seem to live our lives by "default", falling into situations - without ever stopping, taking the time to really look at all the options and then DETERMINING a direction and a goal. 

It can be a daunting task - trying to visualize a picture of your life in the future. Been there, done that, got the Tshirt.  I remember taking a long walk at midnight on December 30th on the eve of a New Year, on the eve of a new millennium - and standing at a literal crossroads in my life - and making a decision to live my future life PURPOSEFULLY. It meant losing so very much of what I had worked so hard to attain - but it saved my life. 

You can do it, Lez. You are stronger than you imagine. You will find your way through the darkness. I know you will. 

Try not to let your mom get you down. In her heart of hearts, she wants to see you safe and secure and standing on your own two feet. Moms tend to see their children through different eyes than the rest of the world and those lenses are often colored with a lot of "history", remembering "bad" decisions, behaviors and choices she didn't always agree with - but in her heart, she wishes you only peace. Remember how very old and tired she is and that she wants only peace and predictability for herself - and YOUR choices and difficulties affect that for her. 

I am so glad you have found a friend - albeit a conflicted one :grin: - and that you are able to share your wonderful gifts with her - your insight, your compassion and patience. Whether she knows it or not, Vickie is a lucky girl. :grin: 

BBC - the popcorn looks so festive - wish I was there to taste it!

It has not stopped snowing out there all day - not enough to amount to much more than another inch today - but it looks like a snow globe out there! So beautiful! 

Oh, and SOMEBODY stopped in my office today and delivered a pretty neat SOMETHING for SOMEONE that shall remain nameless until he/she decides to announce it. :teehee:


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## SvenskaFlicka

In other news, I am selling my Norwegian Double Table, Eistla. 

I need to make room for another new wheel. :teehee:

Philip is going to make a new footman for her before she leaves. The problem is, I don't love her. I've spun about three bobbins full on her in about two years.


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## Marchwind

Lez, everything WIHH said. I've been working on reinventing myself or rediscovering pieces of me I had to put aside while married and then raising my kids on my own. At those times holding it all together and my kids well being were the most important thing back then. Now I get to sit back and watch all my hard work come to fruition, nothing more rewarding in the whole world. And.... I get to work on me. WIHH is right, it is daunting but we are all stronger than we know.

SvenskaFlicka you are asking how much for this wheel? Pictures?? Sheesh, you should know better that that. Maybe someone here would like to give her a home.

I wish we would get some of that snow. We may get a bit here but not enough to sweep away.

I continue to heal. I haven't needed any pain meds today which is nice. I think they are making me a bit depressed, I'm sure this gloomy weather doesn't help any.


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## Woodpecker

What can we do to cheer you up Marchie? Hugs!


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## BlueberryChick

Woodpecker said:


> What can we do to cheer you up Marchie? Hugs!


Ditto--Hugs to you!


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## Woodpecker

BlueberryChick said:


> Ditto--Hugs to you!


I love this forum, you all are so sweet!:kiss: Hugs right back at ya!


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## SvenskaFlicka

Cheer up Marchie! 
I'll be taking some pictures of this wheel tomorrow and I'll post them here.


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## BlueberryChick

Today--Chocolate mint cookies


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## Wind in Her Hair

BBC - how I cherish the memories of being a SAHM when my children were growing up. I actually baked ever day for the 31 days leading up to Christmas. Every day a new cookie or bread recipe. My daughter would run into the house and ask me "What did you bake today?!!??" she was always so excited. I had tins stacked high with goodies for all the festivities and visitors and to give as gifts. 

(sigh)

Now with just the two of us (and we certainly don't NEED all those goodies) and with full time jobs, "squeezing in" baking isn't near as much fun as making it a relaxed, every day thing.  I did go on a baking binge last Saturday morning and made Old Fashioned Soda Cracker Candy, Snowballs, and Coconut Macaroons as well as making a Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball and my mother's "Pink Perfection" fluffy mini-marshmallowy cherry Cool Whippy salad thing. 

But oh how I adore seeing all your goodies baking. 

Marchie, we finally got sunshine just a few minutes ago - and even though its only 8ÂºF : and windy, I went outside and shoveled and salted the walks in front of the office - the sunshine feels soooooo good~:bouncy: :happy: :nanner: Hope you get some soon. 

Marchie, my big sister had surgery on her hand the same day you did- we are awaiting the pathology report - the surgeon described it as a "tumor".  Not a word you want to hear.


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## Woodpecker

Prayers for your sister WIHH.

I decided to learn to do double moss stitch by making a washcloth. I've found that now I'm used to knitting again it's nice to have my hands busy.


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## BlueberryChick

WIHH, thanks so much! My children are so far apart in age (22 to 9) that it seems I've been baking with children forever. The thing about having a much older child, though, is that it is a constant reminder that these days go by so quickly. Before I know it, my nest will be empty and I want to have as many warm memories of little ones as possible.

Almond cookies--


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## Wind in Her Hair

so sweet of you, Woodpecker. Thank you, I do appreciate that more than you know. Even though she is my big sister- really, she has always been "Mamacita" - or "Little Mama" to me. &#9829;


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## Woodpecker

Wind in Her Hair said:


> so sweet of you, Woodpecker. Thank you, I do appreciate that more than you know. Even though she is my big sister- really, she has always been "Mamacita" - or "Little Mama" to me. &#9829;


If I can do anything for you WIHH please don't hestitate to ask. :kiss:


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## Marchwind

"Tumor"? Yea, not at all the word you want to hear. But it seems there are as many if not more "tumors" that are "nothing" that ones you need to worry about. You still worry though. 

I went today to look at baby sheep. Letty has two on the ground and one due in the next 24 hours . Nothing sweeter that lambs, awwwww. No, I didn't get any photos, I should have though. If I go again I'll snap some. Letty is a fleece and sheep judge extroidinar! She wrote a book about making braided rugs from roving. She breeds Karkul sheep (they are a rare breed). Then we went to the hospital to get my bandages changed. The swelling has gone down enough that I'm concerned they may fling off when I removed a shirt and they were dirty. I called and the surgeon's nurse said to come in and she would change them for me. I got to see my incision, it is bigger than I though it would be, but it looks great! It was nice to get out of the house a bit. WIHH I hope we get some of that sunshine, I don't care about the cold.


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## MullersLaneFarm

Prayers for your sister, WIHH, putting it all in His hands.


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## Taylor R.

Sending good vibes to your sister and the rest of your family, WIHH. ((Hugs))

BBC, you are on a roll, girl! Almond cookies sound delicious..now I'm thinking spritz cookies! We did most of our Christmas baking all at once, but we will squeeze in some more next week while I have my monkeys home.

I have the preschool princess's Christmas party today, then the big kid's winter party tomorrow afternoon. Then we're home free!! I don't work until the day after Christmas, so we will have almost two whole weeks together!


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## hercsmama

WIHH, thinking of you and your Sister. I'll be keeping you all in my thoughts.

Marchie, OUCH! That bruising looks painful, it really doesn't hurt, at all? Crazy.

Everyone else, you are all in my thoughts! Big Christmas time Hugs all around!:kiss:

So, we have a tree, and I did the baking, but I'm just not "feeling" it. I realized this morning that this is my first Christmas in all my 49 years, without either of my parents. Daddy passed away last January...I suppose that's what my issue is. That and of course all the drama of oldest ds's divorce.
Ah well, this too shall pass.
I'm heading into town in a bit, need to run to the Plumbing supply house for dh, and then I think I may attempt to do some shopping. Maybe if I get that going, I'll start feeling a bit more festive...either that or more stressed with all the money going out the door, lol.:facepalm:
OH!
I almost forgot, we made out well on the wrecked van! Really well!
The original estimate on the parts alone, was right around 1400.00. The mechanic wants 480.00 for labor.
Well, dh found a van, one year older, that has a blown something or other in the engine. The owner of it sold it to us for 500.00, and all the parts we need for ours are in perfect condition on this one. It gets better, the scrap van, has a brand new transmission, and rear end, the tires are only 6 months old on it, and there are other bits and pieces we can use.
The mechanic asked if he could have the engine in lieu of cash for his labor, apparently the blown whatever is an easy fix for him, so we are giving him that. He also found a guy who wants the rear end, for anther 280.00.
We are pulling the other bits, and the local transmission shop wants that for another 450.00. Then we will scrap the body and whatever is left, for around 300 or so.
So we are actually coming out about 3-400.00 ahead in the whole mess!:sing:
Plus we will have 4 new tires, and all the windows, and a new seat in dh's van.


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## Taylor R.

Woohoo Debi!! Now that's making lemonade!!

We have SNOW! Let me tell you, it's gorgeous out there. I was going to take a picture for y'all, but then I realized my dog has left so much nose art on them that you can't really see out of them :ashamed:. Driving in it on the other hand..not so awesome. My mom is picking up my baby brother and SIL at the airport (an hour and a half drive on a good day) this morning, so hopefully the snow will stop so the plows can really get down to business. We're so excited to have them home that my kids have been using their 'days 'til Christmas' sign as an Auntie and Uncle countdown instead!


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## Kasota

WIHH, I am sure keeping your sister in prayers. When will she get the pathology report? 

Marchwind, I'm glad your surgery site is healing up so nicely and I'll bet it felt good to get the bandaging changed. 

WP, I had to look up "double moss stitch." That looks like a fun one to learn. I think I'll put that on my to-do list, also!  

BBC, I love all your cookies. I wish I could just lift one off the computer screen. LOL! 

((((Debi)))) I can well imagine this is a rough Christmas for you and would be even if your DS wasn't going through so much. Hang in there! And what great news about the van! Wooot!  

Taylor, that is great news about some time off!! 

Hugs to anyone I missed. 

I have today and tomorrow off of work. Yay.


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## BlueberryChick

Hercsmama, lots of hugs to you. My mom died almost 12 years ago and my dad almost 8 years ago. It's taken a while for me to get back my Christmas cheer, but this year is definitely better. It will get better. I don't think the hurt ever completely goes away, but it becomes a scar, not an open wound.

Today in the kitchen--peanut butter mice








And sausage balls--








Kasota, I wish you could be here!


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## SvenskaFlicka

I so feel you. This will be our first Christmas without my grandpa. I miss him so much. 
The radio keeps playing this song. It will make you cry, but it's also very healing. 
"A Different Kind of Christmas"
http://youtu.be/ziCbpoeUfDU


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## susang

I don't know why we live where we do, except we've lived in this town for 30 years for me and 50 for hubby. Our kids are up north. Our granddaughter and her family live here but when she finishes school she and family will move up north. Yesterday found out our daughter won't be coming on Christmas but News Years Eve instead. We will do a faux Christmas Eve and Christmas. No holiday spirit here just can't get into it. Hubby and I will stay home our granddaughters in-laws are, well drunk and high most of the time. Not that I'm above having a drink, but it is a day for kids not a room full of staggering drunks falling every time they get up.
So for our menu I just don't know, money is tight, very tight. Maybe a roast chicken with the fixings, small ham, I just don't know.
On other fronts stilling getting our house back the way we like it after four years of my sister. Things are looking so much better.
The socks Oh! the socks, I really like knotting socks, but the pair I am working on now bugger. It was the poorly written pattern, I kept notes as I did first sock. Sock two a mess unknit, unknit, finally just letting it go they are for me so perfect isn't necessary. Next sock adventure may be two socks at the same time.
To those with health issues my healing thoughts going your way. I want all of us to move into the new year happy and healthy. You all have made me feel so welcome.


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## Wind in Her Hair

Hugs to all those missing loved ones.  (I admit, I am shedding a few tears as I read about your aching hearts - and now...I miss my mama and my daddy as I remember all their antics around Christmas time...thanks a lot! 

I remember Daddy giving us older girls his savings from his meal tickets at work that he hoarded all year, then cashed in so that he would have some "secret money" for us to go out and buy Muzzy perfume or perfumed body cream (she loved Oscar de Laurenta and "White Diamonds".  He loved her so much. :kiss:

I remember the oranges, apples, and nuts and candies that filled our stockings. (Kids nowadays look at me like I am crazy when I talk about fruit and nuts being a luxury, a delicacy, and a rarity in our home.) Muzzy always saved out several pairs of Daddy's new, clean, white, boot socks for our stockings. 

And I remember on Christmas Eve, we would have a nice dinner, Muzzy would make fudge and other yummies and punch - what a treat! Then, when Daddy gave the word, all of us kids, in our pajamas, would load up in the family station wagon while Muzzy and Daddy lingered awhile in the house. 

We would ride through the neighborhoods and enjoy the Christmas lights and sing Christmas songs and before we knew it, Daddy would ask "Hey! What was that? I think I just saw something - up there- above the rooftops. I think I just saw SANTA CLAUS - and he was coming from right about where our little house is! Maybe we better go home and see if he's been there!"

We would get home, jump out of the station wagon and nearly bust the door down. There weren't many presents, but with a big family, even a few presents for each person looked like a mountain! 

(sigh) memories


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## lexierowsell

I'm so sorry to hear of everyone's losses. My thoughts are with you all. This is my 3rd holiday season away from my people. 

My bound-to-be-insane lambing season (20 first timers between now and March...) began today! 

This TINY little girl is a keeper. She needs a name. Her mama is 0564, and her papa is Mr Washington.


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## Marchwind

How about calling her Noel for the season . She is precious!


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## Woodpecker

Thanks for sharing the pics, she is so adorable! Now I want one.


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## lexierowsell

Marchie- I'd wager that I have 4 more to pop before the end of the year. We need to come up with plenty of holiday names I think ;-)

I love the lambs so much. Every time a girl lands I have to force myself to not make it a bottle baby. Having a dairy makes it too easy to bottle them all...


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## Kasota

Oh, she is precious and then some.


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## hercsmama

Cuteness overload!
She is just darling, but she sure is a tiny one. 
Let's see 4 more due huh?
Well, if this is Noel, how about Joy, Faith, Hope, and Merry (Mary), (did ya see what I did there with that last one?).:sing:


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## MDKatie

Wind in Her Hair said:


> I remember the oranges, apples, and nuts and candies that filled our stockings. (Kids nowadays look at me like I am crazy when I talk about fruit and nuts being a luxury, a delicacy, and a rarity in our home.)


We always got an orange in our stocking as kids, and I loved it. Now the kids also get oranges in their stockings too. I find it incredibly sweet that DSS (11, in 6th grade) still mentions an orange every year, hoping he'll get one in his stocking. 


Hugs to all of you missing loved ones. I have been incredibly lucky so far (well, and my parents are still young...Dad just turned 60 this year) that I have not lost any loved ones. DH lost his mom 2 years ago, and it's hard on them without her, but it gets a little bit easier each year. 

BBC, I love seeing pictures of your baked goods. I haven't been in much of a baking mood this year, since I've been trying to eat better, but I think Sunday the kids and I will have to bake some cookies....after all, it's Christmas! You can't have Christmas without at least SOME cookies!


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## Wind in Her Hair

love the name suggestions, hercsmama, I was gonna suggest reindeer names!


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## Miz Mary

Thanks all for the happy Christmas stories , they cheered me up ! Without my FIL here, it's just DH & I here ...... first time in 20 years ..... kinda weird . Didnt get to putting up a tree , dont need to plan ANYTHING ....which is kinda nice I have to admit ! 


Praying for your sister WIHH .... worry and anticipation is the worst! 

That baby lamb doesnt get any sweeter ... how amazing it would be to be able to snuggle a baby like that !!! My hubby laughs when we go to fiber festivals- I spend more time in the barn that in the shopping area ! 

This poor dog of my FIL ... a mini black poodle, 10 years old .... even though we have lived with this doggie all it's life, we didnt have the decision making abilities with him until now .... his breath has been so icky he will smell up a room and make me literally gag ..... Monday he goes in for teeth pulling and cleaning ..... I'm worried about the anesthesia on him -- he is only 7 lbs !!! I hope he will be able to eat after this .... have him on canned food already .... poor guy, hope he will be pain free after this !!! 


On the fiber front, I finished my first 4 shaft loom project , turned out to be a table runner on my new kitchen table !!Not fancy at ALL, but completed ! 
I have an order in for 2 pairs of socks, been working on them .... 
Itching to get my wheel back out and going !!


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## susang

Finally finished the dreaded socks, looking at them they are fine and fit well, I guess I just know all the mistakes. So what did I do start another pair. I really like knitting socks, I guess.
Miz Mary Christmas for two will be enjoyable and cozy. I'm so glad you are taking such good care of the doggy.
Last night hubby says well are we going to put up decorations? I said Christmas is one week from now. Oops guess not. I watched 'The Taste' last night and got some ideas for Holiday dinner. I used to say I would live in a tent in the woods with this man. We have lived off the grid no electricity or running water. We have lived on our small farm with the kids. Yes Christmas with all the grandkids and greats would be wonderful. However, spending Christmas with hubby is exactly where I want to be. I guess going back to our childhood, doing what we want to, playing with our toys. Hubby working on truck, me knitting and cooking. That's all we want.


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## lexierowsell




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## MDKatie

lexie, thank you for posting those lamb pics. It is helping me get through until mine lamb. Hopefully it'll be sometime in late Jan.


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## lexierowsell

This makes me squeeeeeeeee!

http://youtu.be/mBwBtRWDSuU


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## Osiris

Wow so cute! Good mama. Lexi, beautiful lammie!


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## Marchwind

Love the little tail wagging double time 

Those of you who are on my FB may have already seen this, sorry. Every Chirstmas my wonderful daughter-in-love has made me these beautiful cards. These are all cut by hand. The first one was the cat, then the Partridge, this year it's the sheep . I need to start framing these treasures. She has to be one of the most talented women I know.

I'll have to get it right side up later, gotta run.


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## Wind in Her Hair

thats adorable! She should be selling these- she is very talented!


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## crobin

Finally caught up with everyone. I finishe handquilting one quilt and have the next one started, it is a Texas Longhorn quilt for my dil. We picked up our leased bull last weekend, baby longhorns next year! Getting the garden ready for potatoes and onions, should get them in in Feb. Starting 1500 tomato seeds in the greenhouse this week and about 1000 peppers. Is Christmas over yet? It has been crazy here since Thanksgiving. I had about 35 for Thanksgiving lunch and 15 stayed the weekend to hunt, what a suprise! I had no idea that was the plan. My house has been a revolving door for company. Friends and family in and out everyweekend. I love seeing everyone, but I am an only child, so most are ds' friends, hubbys long lost relatives, friends of dil, etc. Next year I am charging a fee for hunting, lol. Christmas crowd starts arriving tomorrow, only one of my kids can make it, but looks like I will be cooking for about 50. Thank goodness for piggies in the freezer. So sorry for everyone with sickness and heartache, my dad has been gone 20 years now, and mom, even though she is here, has no idea who we are, alzheimers is so sad. Love the lambs, they are soooo cute. Well off to put my feet up while I can. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!!


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## lexierowsell

So I tested the fetter of my heart this evening. 

I have a dairy. Right now I only have a pair of Jerseys in milk, but this evening I was late (due to obsessive lamb-checking; see previous posts) to milking and my girls decided it was time for bed before I got to them. 

They have a 14' x 30' run in shed where they loaf, inside their 7 acre pasture. 

Headphones solidly inserted into ears (listening to book 5 of Outlander!!) I walk into shed, shine flashlight (on iPhone). 

OMG ALL OF THE SUDDEN SOMETHING IS CAUGHT IN MY HAIR! It hurts and it screams. Ok, maybe it's just me screaming. 

I flail, madly. Phone goes flying (yay for wireless headphones and lifeproof case!), cows freak out. Reach up and disentangle from my waist length blond curls A RED TAIL HAWK!! 

I got knocked over by my cows. Falling hands and knees in cow ----- does not make my evening better. 

Just a wee baby it turns out. But still, ---!?


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## Osiris

Wow Lexi! That's amazing. What a beautiful bird! Still, even a baby has VERY powerful talons! I'm sure you know that tho. 
Positive thoughts and energy to everyone here on HT. Happy hearts to you all. 

I haven't ben lazy!! I got my jammin' on! 6 cases so far. Is there *anything* on God's green earth that will keep strawberry from FOAMING??? And please don't tell me butter! Only drawback to strawberry jam is the foam. That and the fact that the fruit likes to float. But if you turn it over once it seals you won't have fruit floating on top. 

On the bright side, all that foam scooped from the cooked jam makes a GREAT fruit leather! Just heat it back up, spread it in a dehydrator and you got some good fruit snack in a couple days. 
Just the Strawberry, Apricot/Pineapple and Concord grape here. I use the low sugar sure-jel. You may notice the top right batch - grape. You can see what looks like wax or scum on the top of the jam in one of the jars. It's not. It's the butter!! Apparently with grape, it likes to reconstitute itself. I just tell everyone when I give it to them. It's not scum - it's BUTTER!. Only Raspberry and Blackberry left to do, and I'm done. 

Fiber-wise - I just put on another 7 yard warp. Gonna try a couple more scarves - see if I can get them done b4 Christmas. A 'checkerboard twill'. Gonna use blue wool/silk for one and a light blue wool/mohair for the other. More pics as I progress! 

The Solstice is upon us! The light returns!!!


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## Kasota

What an experience, Lexi! I think, however, it is a female Kestrel, not a red tailed hawk. (I used to work with Raptors at the Raptor Rehab Center in St. Paul MN.) Either way, quite an adventure. 

Everyone's projects look so lovely. I hope everyone has a wonderful day!


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## Taylor R.

Child with impulse control issues plus tons of presents under the tree equals sheer and utter disaster. My son unwrapped ALL the Christmas presents last night while we slept, said he couldn't see the name tags in the dark so he had to open them all to figure out which were his. He feels awful about it this morning and we just don't know what to do with him....It's been a long morning thus far.


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## SvenskaFlicka

Could be a kestrel. Could it be a Nighthawk? We get those here, they fly around at dusk and eat bugs. We literally see a hundred at a time. 
Not a thing I would want in my hair!


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## Kasota

Nope it is a female kestrel. Nighthawks are more gray and don't have the golden undertones to them. Merlins are a little larger and a little more stocky. 

I used to work with Kestrels a lot at the Raptor Rehab Center. They are actually a very little falcon - the smallest of the falcons in North America. They're awesomely agile birds. The males have a lot of color to them but the females are a little more muted. They love living around farmsteads because the added critters create more opportunities for them with mice and such. They also love voles and grasshoppers, too. Frogs. Anything smaller that moves. I always considered it good fortune to have nesting pairs on my old farm. They are such airborne acrobats that they can catch bugs right out of mid-air the way a swallow or a martin will do. 

They're one of my favorite ever birds. Lexi is very fortunate to have some - even if one did land in her hair.


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## weever

Lexi, do you feel like you've lost a few years off your life from the excitement? Did the Jerseys give any milk after all that?

Taylor, I'm sorry for your trouble. What would a natural consequence be for a child who opened all the presents early? For one, he's lost the surprise on Christmas morning. Perhaps that will be enough.


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## SvenskaFlicka

Cool. You know a lot about birds Kasota! So does my mom. I know only a little bit. My first thought was nighthawk because of it being dark. 
I learned intarsia and doing intarsia in the round today! Wooo!


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## Kasota

Svenska, I recently saw an Intarsia bag that was sooo beautiful! They made it huge and then fulled it. Someday I will learn how to do that but I'm still so new. I'm tickled pink to be able to make a hat! LOL! 

Osiris, your jams look so yummy! I have a friend who makes pear butter that is sooo good. I have not made jams/jellies or butters in some years. Maybe next year I will do some. Heaven knows I have enough canning jars! What I really want to do next year is some peaches. There is nothing like home-canned peaches. Yum! 

Lexi, the first dairy cow I ever worked with was a Jersey. They are sure easy to fall in love with! 

Taylor, bummer about all the presents being opened. Oh, life with kids is never dull! My sister used to open hers every year but she was good at re-wrapping them. LOL! 

Weever, it is good to see you. You have PolyPays, yes? All these lamb pictures from Lexi sure make me miss my girls. I used to raise PolyPays. 

Susang, I'm glad you were able to finish up the socks! I finished a hat and scarf set today for my son's girlfriend. It turned out real nice. I have a scarf done for my son but I need to quick knit up a hat. Maybe someday I will tackle socks.  

Miz Mary, sometimes simple is nice. This was the first year in forever that I put up a tree. It was fun, but I also enjoyed the simple years when I did not. It's nice at this stage of my life to suit myself and not feel like I have to do something one way or another. 

MD Katie, did you bake up some cookies? I was going to and then I didn't. Son had to work today so I cancelled the trip down to the cities. I'll bake cookies for him another time. We could swoop down on BBC's house. She has Christmas MICE and they look yummy! lol! 

Marchwind, those cards are just beautiful! They are certainly framing quality!  

Crobin, it sure sounds like you have your hands full! Egads! That's a lot of people to be cooking for! 

WIHH - reindeer names would be cute! I wanna see a blinking red nose on one.  

I am bummed I will not see my son for Christmas. He is working. It is going to be a very quiet day around here. He is going to try and come up sometime between Christmas and New Years. The stress got to me and I practically spent two days in bed. Feeling a little better today but I sure didn't accomplish much with my days off. UGH. I hate that. I feel like I wasted the days, but there's nothing for it. At least I finished the hat and scarf.


----------



## lexierowsell

Terrible awful day here, so bad I wish I didn't have sheep. 3 deformed stillborns, and a tiny little ewe that I've got in the house now because she's got a deformed hoof. 

Anyone here ever deal with Cache Valley Virus?

http://ag.umass.edu/sites/ag.umass.edu/files/pdf-doc-ppt/Cache_Valley_Virus.pdf


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## Kasota

Oh, no, Lexi!!!! That is terrible!!! ((((hugs)))) 

I have never had to deal with that one. You must be utterly heartbroken. What a horrible disease!!


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## hercsmama

Lexi, that is awful!
I've never even heard of it. I use Permethrin-10 during the summer here.
Everyone gets sprayed every morning. Keeps flies, mosquitoes and several other little "nasties" away pretty well.
You have to follow the directions, and do not let your cats get around the animals until it is well dry.
We have Blue Tongue up here, that's it's own special kind of he-double hockey sticks. As it causes abortions in the ewe's, and sterility in the rams. We inoculate in June here for it.


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## hercsmama

Taylor, bless your heart. The challenges of being a Special Parent, with a Special Child are unbelievable.
I don't know what to tell you to do about it, but maybe the fact that he realizes he ruined it for everyone is punishment enough? Poor guy.:kiss:


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## Wind in Her Hair

oh no, Taylor R! How difficult this must be. Poor little girl and poor you! 

Just an idea for next time, no gifts under the tree until Christmas morning! 

lexi, the heartbreak of animal husbandry has come knocking at your door.  How awful. Sounds like you have a good vet to have diagnosed that so quickly. I used to work for TAMU Animal Science Department when my (former) husband was in vet school there and I have never heard of that illness. Crazy.

Kasota, I cannot imagine the likes of you in bed for two days! I know I can't manage to stay put for 8 hours - much less two days! I'm glad you are feeling more like yourself. Bless your heart. I am sorry you won't be seeing your son on Christmas. I do know how hard that can be. Maybe God thought you needed a few more days to yourself to get stronger. Enjoy a little more time off!


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## Marchwind

Lexi hugs how aweful! Love the live ones and try not to dwell on the others 

Taylor hugs to you too. I think Weever has the right idea. We're you able to get everyone else's wrapped?

Osiris yummy jams!

Kasota hugs coming to you also <sigh>. You have to look after yourself.

Corbin way too busy. I think I might lock myself in the bathroom.


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## MDKatie

Kasota said:


> MD Katie, did you bake up some cookies? I was going to and then I didn't. Son had to work today so I cancelled the trip down to the cities. I'll bake cookies for him another time. We could swoop down on BBC's house. She has Christmas MICE and they look yummy! lol!


No, not yet. Hopefully tomorrow!! Went home (to my home town) to see my dad today, so that was fun. DSS had a fever, so he and DH had to stay home. It's uncanny how kids get sick on important days. Why is it they can't get sick when there's nothing going on? They have to pick holidays or days you have something special planned. Darn it!


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## Woodpecker

So sorry Lexi, hugs.

Marchie if you lock yourself in the bathroom you might as well take a relaxing bath.


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## Marchwind

I agree WP . With headphones and soothing music and candles.


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## Miz Mary

SO sorry lexi, that must be a major bummer ...... hugs for the little one in the house !

Taylor, maybe make him have to wrap them all back up himself, and teach him the other side... the anticipation of somebody else opening a gift from HIM ? A good sign that he feels bad at least , just have to work on the impulses .... at least he didnt un-do the whole tree, and eat all the goodies as well !!! 

Sold my couch and bought my first ever MY CHOICE couch ..... how funny that such a simple thing can bring joy ....


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## lexierowsell

The little deformed lamb has neurologic issues too. I am at the point that I don't care if it's stoooopid of me to try, if she can live and be healthy I'll just have a special needs pet. 
















Her mama was still having a tough time after her. Delivered a dead, deformed twin around 2:30pm. In the pm after milking I noticed she was STILL struggling. 

She's a wild one, so I had to carefully figure out how to trap her. I finally managed to get a hold of her at 10pm, and found a retained triplet, deformed and stuck (brings my total to 4 dead lambs, one pet, and one healthy in the field, not how I wanted my season to go). Went in and pulled the lamb, managed to get mama to the barn (1/2mi down the driveway...) and hit her with the arsenal-- abx, b12, iron, probios, Nutri-drench. Molasses water, grain and a big pile of fully fresh hay. She's still alive this morning, so here's to hoping.







.


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## Wind in Her Hair

:grouphug:, lexi. Sometimes animal husbandry just sucks.


----------



## Woodpecker

I've been meaning to tell you that Lorretta started laying again! I gave her first egg on Thursday which I gave to my nurse who has been asking me. I wasn't sure she was going to keep laying since she hasn't laid since before molting in September added to that she will be 4 in March. Well today I was finally blessed with my own egg. That's what homesteading's about.


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## Osiris

Wow Lexi, Bad news indeed. Can't say I understand because I don't have any animals, but I admire you for trying. 

Woodpecker, so cool.... It's the simple things in life that really matter. 

I finished my canning. About 80 jars. Somethin like that. Strawberry, apricot/pineapple, raspberry, concord grape and blackberry. Phew! Just labeling them up tonite. 

Now back to the loom. I don't know what it is but if the loom is empty I feel guilty for some reason. Now i'm onto the silk/wool recycled. It's a subtle twill pattern in 1 inch boxes. But I really like it. 32 repeat gives you 2 inches. A different color might stand out more, but this is fine and it has a textured appearance from a distance. Got it on handweaving.net of course...! Good to be back on the loom!!! I'm nuts I know!


----------



## Jacki

Boy, some days it is important to just put one foot in front of the other. My prayers go to those having rough times.

I have been refinishing the partial wheel, bought a mini lathe, and drill press. The newer wheel says her name is Martha. Best guess is she is Maple, built in the seventies, and not fancy. The workmanship is clean, not busy, and very nice wood. Because the MOA adjuster is all-thread, and not wood, I may buy a replacement assembly and make the adjustment hole larger.

The double flyer wheel looks more like oak, but still needs a LOT of cleaning. I think I am going to draft the plans for her as I clean her up. That way I can make new parts as needed.

Then I made the mistake of looking on e-bay for antique wheel parts, and there was a CPW with an opening bid of $200. I kept looking and arguing with myself. The seller just had it listed as an antique wheel, and knew nothing about working etc. It does not appear to have a footman, but looks pretty complete. Sooooo I sucumb to temptation, and bid on it. I won. :sing: Now I have to figure where I can make space in this cabin. 

I am going to make a separate building for my fiber equipment. That is definitely on the list for next year. Otherwise I am not going to have room to move.

Jacki


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## MullersLaneFarm

No Raptors allowed in barns!! Put up a sign!!

Hoovers (i.e. inhales air i.e. sucks) about the mosquito passed disease. Just one of the reasons we won't keep sheep here

Hooray for a New Egg!!!

Oh Kas .. don't feel guilty about being in bed for 2 days ... you have been through so much stress lately. If you don't take care of yourself, you can't be there to take care of others. It is not wasteful or selfish to take care of yourself!!

We're not sure about Christmas celebrations. We were going to spend it with son and daughter-in-love but she is not up to a family celebration at their place. Well, she confided in me at Thanksgiving that she just doesn't want son's father there. If we went ahead and had Christmas at their house, the ex would hear about it and there would be hell to pay. They don't need the stress and I don't blame them. DIL & I are trying to find a solution to this. (The ex is one that totally lost it on son & DIL last year when he found out they bought me a set of plates/cups et al for Christmas .... because they didn't buy him anything .... because they have been paying for his verizon cell phone every single month for the past 5 years). I have so much compassion and empathy for DIL in this situation ... son is trying to 'do right' by his father, but his father is a major putz ... it has to be hard for their relationship.


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## MDKatie

Lexi, I'm so sorry about the lambing troubles. This is supposed to be a happy, anticipated time...not a dreaded one! I sure hope things turn around for you and the sheep!!


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## Taylor R.

Sending good vibes to your lambs and their mommas down south, Lexi!

Osiris, my littlest lady is suitable impressed with your weaving. We've done some kid friendly weaving projects (wire hanger weaving, cardboard mug rugs), and she's a little mind blown that weaving can be so intricate.

The little guy kindly put all the unwrapped presents under his bed and arranged the blankets so you couldn't see them, so no one else's surprise was ruined, and he hasn't said a word to the girls about their gifts. WIHH, this is the first year we have ever put gifts out before Christmas eve, and we've learned our lesson!! As it stands, he's grounded from electronics for a week(a real kicker since my brother got the kids a PlayStation with Disney Infinity yesterday), he will have to help re-wrap.


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## lexierowsell

Well, another awful day here. Thanks so much for all your kind wishes, and reading about y'all's days is a great distraction. 

We decided to put the special lamb down today. We realized that on top of being three legged with neurological disorders, she was blind. She would never be able to survive autonomously even as a pet. We're both devastated-- I've been 24/7 tending her, and Steves been taking care of me and spelling me off so I can do my other chores (the animals are all mine...)...

Just a bad day, so sad and so tired. And now working on drunk too. 

Tomorrow is another day right? Thanks for holding me up you guys.


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## hercsmama

Ah geez Lexie. I just can't tell you how truly sorry I am.
Seriously. I wish I was there to help somehow..even if it is just to mix the drinks.


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## lexierowsell

<3 Debi <3

The only mix tonight was with ice cubes. Good bourbon, a whole bottle between us. 

I'm just so tired and so sad. And I'm beyond terrified about the other 11 ewes I have left to lamb out. 

On a higher note, the mama I have in the barn is doing well considering: 12 hrs labor w deformed trips, and my going elbow deep to pull the last one. No fever, minimal bleeding, no smell. Appetite is up, have my only orphan (wee Annie, front) from last year in with her for company.









And, to continue on my positive note- 0564 and her ewe lamb are rockin it.


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## Kasota

Lexi, thanks for the update. I have been wondering how things are going and how you are holding up. What a difficult road. I'm so sorry about the one lamb you had been tending 24/7 but you did the right thing. Hard as it is, you did the right thing. Sure have been keeping you in thoughts and prayers.


----------



## Woodpecker

Keeping you in my prayers to Lexi.


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## MDKatie

Ack, the creeping crud has got us!!! DSS came home Friday evening not feeling well. There's a virus going around the county and he brought it with him, lucky us. No way to avoid it really, it's so wide spread through the schools. It has flu-like symptoms and a nasty cough. DH got it Sunday, and now I have it. Fun stuff! Not. I'm just hoping we're all well enough to go to the annual Christmas eve dinner tomorrow! It'd stink to miss it.


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## Marchwind

Oh Lexi :sob::sob: I couldn't handle it I know I couldn't. Bless you for doing what you could for that baby, so sad. Is there anything that can be dong for the ewes who have yet to give birth? I suppose you don't know who does and who doesn't have this aweful desease. It has to be sick making the anticipation of what may be coming, ugggg! Big huge hugs sweetie. We are here for you, I wish there were at least a few of us who lived closer to you.

MDKatie, oh no!!!! Get well soon all of you.


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## kandmcockrell

So sorry lexi. It stinks to loose babies. Kinda glade I gave up my goats for that reason. Miss their faces and milk. 
Well 3yr old DD had crud last week and still has the cough. Now 8 month old DD has it. She has slept on me for the past two nights in a recliner. I am so tired my vision was blurred this morning. Better after two cups of coffee. Hope I don't catch it. I know it would knock me for one heck of a loop being pregnant.


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## Wind in Her Hair

Lexi... Heartbreaking. Been there too many times to count. Hugs.


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## hercsmama

How ridiculous is it that I am bored?
I have a ton of things I could be doing, but just don't feel like doing any of them.


----------



## Taylor R.

Today is one of those days where my son's sensory issues absolutely break my heart. He 'hurt' his finger, and he's obviously in real pain, but the finger isn't actually hurt and there's nothing I can do to fix the pain signals he's receiving from an imaginary injury. Poor guy  The holidays are so rough on him and we tend to see his SPD rearing its ugly head beyond what he's equipped to deal with this time of year, which leads to episodes like this. Hopefully he's coping better tomorrow so we can both make it to the girls' Christmas pageant at church and Christmas Eve with my husband's family.


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## Kasota

Lexi, have you named that ewe-lamb yet? Maybe you should name her Zoe. She is life in the midst of death and heartache. Or maybe Hope. I am glad that she came first. It is hope that not all the ewes were infected at that critical time of gestation. 

I wish I were closer to help you. 

Prayers for everyone who is coming down with the creeping crud. My manager has it. She was sick for days and then decided to come to work today. I hope it doesn't get spread around. 

Taylor, all you can do is love him through it. You can't always fix it. You sure can't always even understand it. Some times all the "I can't fix this messiness" of life can about drive us all a little bonkers. But love covers a multitude of brokenness, broken heartedness, ills, sins, goof ups, craziness and confusion. He will remember the love and you will remember the love and it will all be okay. By and by it will be. And loving him through things is something you are ever so good at!  

Debi, I can't believe you are bored. I really honestly can't believe it. :facepalm:

So I have a leak in the pipes for my kitchen sink and not just under the sink where I can reach them...in the portion that is IN THE WALL. Really? Ugh. Neither of my brothers is speaking to me so I can't ask them for help. The plumber I normally use is on vacation. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve and I really do not want to ruin some other person's holiday who is on the other end of the "emergency plumber" phone number. 

But the thing that really took the wind out of my sails today was getting into my car after work and looking at my cell phone and noticing there was a voice message. I listened to it and (I still can't believe this) it is my DOCTOR and she wants to know how the weight loss is going. ACK! Who calls in the middle of the holiday season the day before Christmas Eve and asks whether or not you are on-target with your weight loss????? Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh, heavens. 

Not. Even. Close. 

I think I am going to go have some eggnog.


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## lexierowsell

Kasota said:


> Lexi, have you named that ewe-lamb yet? Maybe you should name her Zoe. She is life in the midst of death and heartache. Or maybe Hope. I am glad that she came first. It is hope that not all the ewes were infected at that critical time of gestation.
> 
> I wish I were closer to help you.



Kas- I was thinking of calling the fiery wee lass Mira, because what a miracle she is. I have a Hope already, she came late last March when we were faced with a frost that cost us around $10k in plants and labor, including all of our acres of blossoming fruit orchard, then another frost a few weeks later in late April (unheard of here in Cen Tex) that cost us all that we had replanted. 

You all are the sweetest group of folks I've ever come across. I can feel your caring buoying me as I try to cope. 

Mama got to who was struggling got the all clear to go back out today. I noticed her original scrapie tag (that I bought her in from another farm with) was missing, so she got our farms very first personalized Turpin Heritage Farms (THF) tag!


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

I'm so sorry you've been having such terrible Sheep troubles Lex! 
Today a lady canner into my shop and she absolutely had to have the arm knitted scarf I had on display. I told her I'd worn it a lot and she said "I don't care!" She ordered a second one for tomorrow morning too!


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## hercsmama

Oh Kas!!
Call a Plumber!
Being married to one, and having our own business, I can tell you, it is best to deal with it now, rather than wait. No decent one will mind.
Heck dh has been working so much, he hasn't even gone shopping yet for tomorrow. Whatever, it is all part of the job.:thumb: Now relax, go call the guy, and enjoy that eggnog.

Lexie, how cool is that that she got the first one!

So, my major Bath and Body works order arrived last night. I'm candled up for at least a year now! I do love me some smelly candles. They have a Sandalwood and Vanilla one that is just so nice, and I don't normally like the smell of vanilla candles, but this one is yummy!


----------



## Forerunner

Wow. I thought I was the only insomniac.

Hope you Ladies got hot coffee on.......




:grouphug:


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## hercsmama

LOL, FR.
I gave up sleep years ago. Didn't see a point in wasting all that time with my eyes closed. Too much to see and do in this wide world.


----------



## BlueberryChick

Kasota, definitely call that plumber. The job he (or she) does for you could provide that last bit of income they need to make it through the month.

I didn't take notes on all the posts, so I know I'll miss a lot, but hugs (((Lexi))) for all the heartache. I'm so sorry.

Taylor, your poor little man! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, even with all the craziness of recent days.

Kelsey, congratulations on the sale!

Debi, enjoy your Bath and Body Works treats. I love stuff like that!

Merry Christmas, everyone!


----------



## Marchwind

Well I'm back at work. Today is my first day back after having two weeks off. Of course my alarm didn't go off this morning so it was a mad dash for the shower and to get everything done, I over slept by an hour. I hate when that happens and you wake up with a panic, yuck! I was still on time for work :sing: I'll make sure my alarm is properly set for tomorrow.

I went to se the doctor yesterday. I have no cast, just a removable brace. The stitches are out and I have x-Rays of my hardware. It's pretty impressive if I do say so myself. I am amazed that I can go from breaking a bone, having surgery and be back to work in two weeks. She reminded me that the hardware is what is holding me together right now, the bone isn't fully mended yet. PT was very impressed with the amount of movement I have already  Below is a photo of one of the x-rays. You are looking at my wrist as it laid flat on the table.

Kasota don't look at it like you are ruining someone's day by calling. They make extra money and most hourly people are more than happy to earn the extra cash. And on the other side, the person they send may not even celebrate Christmas.


----------



## Woodpecker

Glad you got your stitchs out Marchie.

I can't seem to figure out double moss stitch. The yarn I was using was way to think, well at least for me to learn on. That and after doing some research I see people do it a few different ways. Talk about confusing. Lorretta blessed me with 3 eggs so far. One I gave away and I ate the other two. Yummy!


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

Am I the only one that hates clicking "like" when people are talking about their struggles? I mean, I want you to know that I read your post and that I sympathize, and that I care - but clicking "like" seems weird.  I do *NOT* like it when my friends are struggling.  

But I *DO* want you to know that you are loved. :grouphug:

*Kasota*, I hope and pray you are spared the crud- it is going around with a fury. 

*Woodpecker*, I am so happy Loretta is well and laying eggs for you. I LOVE free range chicken and duck eggs. Nothing like them in all the world. Do you have any plans to add to your flock anytime soon? Maybe in the spring? 

and *Lexi*, I want you to know- hearing of the awful lambing season you have had so far - - I am really learning to have a greater appreciation for the fleeces I buy and to appreciate just what it took for my shepherd or shepherdess to provide them for me. 

*I will never ever ever grouse about the price of fleece ever again! I do so solemnly swear!*

I am working a short day today -then off to church for a candlelight service. The quiet, reflective service always does my heart good and brings me back to what this day is all about for me personally - the Gift of a Messiah - the Gift of Light to a world in darkness. 

Merry Christmas to everyone -and may we all learn to share the Light and to BE the Light for others. Merry Christmas!


----------



## Osiris

Agreed WIHH. There should be a 'hug' button. 
Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday.


----------



## Miz Mary

Love this years card WIHH !! 

HUGS to everybody, may you find peace and serenity during this holiday !


----------



## Jacki

Very much agree with the need for a hug button. I have been blessed with much this year, and have to remind myself to be thankful for all the blessings I have. It is soooo easy to find little things complain about that I forget all the good things that I have. 

Last year I lost a brother, and my dad, this year I lost an aunt, and uncle. In February I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. But the second half of 2014 has been relatively smooth. So I have been thankful I am still on the right side of dirt. I am thankful for friends, family, and my pack of pits. I am thankful for those who raise the wonderful fiber creatures who provide me with fluff. I am thankful for the beauty that surrounds me, and I am sooo thankful for the reason we celebrate the season.

Jacki


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## Marchwind

WIHH I also agree, I do not like clicking the "like" button when people are having a difficult time but I also want them to know they are in my thoughts. There have been a few time I have not clicked the "like" button just because it would be way too inappropriate to do so, IMO. But I also don't always have anything to add nor do I always have the time  I too wish there was a hug button.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Hello to all of my friends here in the fiber forum.
I just wanted to drop by quickly and wish you all a Merry Christmas.
May you all have a peaceful and blessed Christmas and I wish you all well in the coming new year.


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## Kasota

Merry Christmas, DBA and everyone!


----------



## susang

Yesterday was fun, our granddaughter came over with her kids 7,3 and 2. We decorated sugar cookies it was so much fun. The three yo decided every cookie she decorated needed a mountain of sprinkles, the two yo ate more frosting then he put on cookies and Ali the oldest she was very careful and just kept practicing with piping bag. Fun was had by all.
Hoping all are having a wonderful day and happy memories.


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## MDKatie

Merry Christmas, all my fiber friends!! I just had to come here and show you this amazing gift from my husband. He MADE me a wheel!!! It's a spindle wheel, and he adapted the plans and personalized it, using a bit of his mechanic expertise to change some of the parts and fittings. I love it! I need serious work on my drafting, but I've got lots of time to practice before I go back to work after New Year's. 

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!!


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## gone-a-milkin

Katie, that is super cool. I cant wait to see the yarn you will make with that thing. Awesome.


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## Marchwind

Yay for husbands who are clever and work with their hands. Enjoy the learning and be sure to share your progress with us. Lots of pictures!!!


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## SvenskaFlicka

This was a very good Christmas with my family. I didn't really get anything fibery, but Philip did surprise me with a pair of sapphire earrings! And one of my brothers got me a t-shirt that says " I'm silently correcting your grammar." It's really too perfect for me. 
Everyone really liked the things I knit them. My SIL and mom got duffers, my brother got an Alpaca sweater vest he couldn't stop petting, my dad got socks, and of course my littlest brother got his Zero the Hero hat. And yesterday and today I knit Philip a scarf out of some Alpaca-wool thick and thin. 
My mom cooked and served us lutfisk. It was a real Swedish Christmas. 
I am so blessed with such a lovely family. I am so blessed to have people who like the things I make and don't think that my homemade gifts are chintzy or cheap. (My SIL gave me a really cute pincushion this year in a tiny picture frame I can stand up by my sewing machine. It's so special to know someone cares enough to take time to make something for me! )
Merry Christmas all! I pray you all have a wonderful last week of 2014!


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## hercsmama

Merry Christmas all!
I hope everyone had a wonderful day.
I got fencing!!:sing:
It's perfect! I got 5 300ft. rolls of woven wire fencing, love it!
Yes, I am weird, but that will be enough fencing to section off two more pastures, and that thrills me to bits. Now when we go down to Texas in April to pick up the next new Ram and ewe's, we will be able to rotate through 4 full 4 acre pastures!:sing:
I also got a really gorgeous sweater, and a pair of knit slippers with real fleece lining, and a sheep skin rug for under my wheels.:thumb:
But the fencing is the best!


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## BlueberryChick

Katie, that's an amazing wheel! Your husband did very, very well.

Kelsey, it sounds like a wonderful Christmas with a knit worthy family.

Debi, yay for fencing! 

My family knows me well. My son (13yo) got me a pound of superwash roving. It's white because he knows I want to try my hand at dying fiber this year. My younger daughter (9yo) got me sock yarn and my older daughter (22yo) got me The Field Guide to Fleece. She said she had ordered it at the same time she ordered my birthday gift, which was The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook.

My husband got me a gas firepit for our new deck. I had said that I wanted a way to have light and maybe roast marshmallows out there. I'm hoping to have everything finished and set up by New Year's Eve.


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## Forerunner

I didn't get anything fer Christmas, which is rather the way I like it......
But I did surprise Lori and her entire family with an extremely (to them....I had it planned for weeks.  ) impromptu trip to her Mum's for the holiday.
Of course, I went prepared......and spent the entire 24th sitting at Mum-n-law's kitchen table knitting three pairs of hot pink, braided cable mohair mittens fer two nieces and one Sis-n-law. I had one pair in camel/caramel already done for the other SiL.



:grin:


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## Miz Mary

We opted for a new couch this year for Christmas .... and I bought a silly computer game called "Goat Simulator " !! Your a goat and you go around wreaking havoc ! Hee hee ! 

It was nice to have no stress, no plans , no dishes, and no tree to take down !

Debi, LOVE the fencing .... I totally get that !


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## SvenskaFlicka

My brothers play goat simulator! They keep saying I should get it!


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## Taylor R.

My son loves Goat Simulator! I'm so glad we aren't the only family entertained by that sort of thing!!


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## Osiris

Wow MDK, Beautiful wheel. Good on DH!! Nice work. 
Hercs, Not weird at all! It's something you NEED! Well, you needED! Those are the best gifts!
Sven! Love the tshirt! 
BC, superwash is SOOOO nice! You'll love it. 
FR, that's WAY cool that you could make the gifts on the spot. Better than buying!
MizM. A comfortable couch is worth 1000 fruit cakes! ;-)

I just spent it quietly. Got a few things and gave a few things. Jam and scarves: Fruits of the harvest and yields of the flocks! Off til Monday so just relaxin'

No goat sim here.... ;-) Sounds fun tho!


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## Osiris

ROFL! I just think this is so funny. Obviously the poster doesn't think it's funny. I'd gladly trade her. 
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkZWMhG5WNo[/ame]


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## Kasota

Osiris, what is the matter with her loom? Or is there nothing the matter with it? I don't get it. LOL! 

I have never hear of Goat Sim. 

I still have not found a plumber. I can't seem to find anyone who will return a phone call. I finally got through to some Benjamin Franklin service but they are just a nation wide call center and they told me they will find someone to call me. That kind of makes me feel rather uneasy. The person I spoke with obviously had no clue what I was talking about and was reading from a script. Tomorrow I will talk with my neighbor and see if he knows anyone who can help. What a mess. I cannot let anything drain down either my kitchen sink or my bathroom sink. It doesn't leak under the sink itself...it is the pipe in the blessed wall that is broken. I'm quite sure it is cast iron given the age of the house. Thankfully, the bathtub drain is just fine. No leaks there. 

My boss at work told me to call Krause but I can't find any plumbers by that name when I search. Maybe tomorrow my neighbor across the road will know of someone. My poor little house...


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## kkbinco

Kasota said:


> Osiris, what is the matter with her loom? Or is there nothing the matter with it? I don't get it. LOL!


It has to do with using pulleys at each end of the frames. The pulleys allow the ends of a frame to act independent of each other; the pulleys should be removed from the loom. Instead, the ropes should loop around the wood rollers so that if a rope goes down on one end of a frame it will also go down at the other end of the frame.









Her treadle problem is just a question of adjusting the tieup lengths.


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## Woodpecker

Hugs Kas! Hopefully your neighbor will know a good plumber. I've used many plumbers around here but few are good.


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## Marchwind

Those aren't even harnesses are they? They looked more like lams to me but I'm not really a weaver. Then again if it's a counter balance.......


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## kkbinco

From the video...







Treadles tie to lams, lams tie to a frame; for this style of loom. Because a lam arcs as it pulls down her frames are going to tilt.


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## Woodpecker

WIHH I am sorely tempted to add to my flock but I promised Lorretta I wouldn't. She has really become accustomed to being by herself and is quite spoiled. I got another egg yesterday for a total of 4. That's 3 in a week, not bad!


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## Marchwind

kkbinco I've just never seen harnesses that weren't really frames. Those just look like parallel wooded bars with heddles stringed on them. No wooden side pieces on the "frames".


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## Kasota

Good morning, everyone! 

WP, I just love hearing about Loretta. Congratulations on all of the eggs! Woot!  

It is still cloudy here...but I detect a little thinning in the clouds where a wee bit of brightness is coming through. It would really lift spirits to see some blue sky and sunshine so I am hopeful. 

The hunt for a plumber continues. I *might* have found one. I called one service and they said they couldn't do it because apparently they only do clogged drains not broken ones - but he gave me the name of a regular plumber/contractor person that he said is very good. I called them and left a message and now I'm waiting for a call back. 

It's amazing how efficient a person can get washing dishes when you have to dump the dishpan in the toilet.  Never dull. 

Mom is still in a deep state of saddness and trying to be strong and put on a bright face but it's really hammering on her. And she is now also in a state because some people from the fiber forum sent her Christmas cards and she can't remember where she put them to tell me who sent them or to say thank you "I put them someplace for safekeeping....it was such a lovely thing they did...and now I can't find them!!" So to those who sent cards to her - many many thanks!!!! 

I hope everyone has a delightful day!


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## Wind in Her Hair

Kasota, we saw the sun for about 5 seconds yesterday- couldn't believe it! Here's wishing us all blue skies very soon!

It is so easy to succumb to the gray/whiteness /darkness of this weather and time of year- I can easily understand the pagans bringing in live greenery and lighting candles to dispell the darkness and to bring in something living to time of year. 

Breaking with a rut or established routine also tends to help "liven things up" a bit so...

I am hosting a fiber together on New Year's Day to get the New Year off on the right fibery foot!

Y'all come!


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## hercsmama

Afternoon all!
Took a drive around the neighborhood this morning, just to enjoy how gorgeous our little corner of the planet is.
Here's a few pictures I took, around immediate area.


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## hercsmama

Here's a few of Christmas morning at our house.


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## hercsmama

ROFLMBO!!
I so did NOT mean to include the pic of youngest ds being a smarty pants about his undies! OMGooddness!:facepalm:
Those are a family tradition, and a bit of a family joke...sorry...:ashamed:


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## Marchwind

He's cute being a smarty pant about his holiday nickers . Is he the daddy of that adorable child? Such cuteness! I see you are hogging a lot of the snow in the country . It looks like you had a great family filled Christmas Hercsmama.

It's still gloomy and gray and about 50+ degrees here, uggg! This is so NOT Christmas type weather in the north country. I only remember one Christmas as a child when we didn't have snow. I was so worried about how Santa would get to all the houses in time.

I went down to my sister's yesterday for a few hours. I sure wish my family would stop telling me to get rid if my animals . It was nice to see my great nephews.


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## hercsmama

Yeah my boys are a batch of lookers aren't' they?
But no MW, that is youngest ds being the goofball, oldest ds is Coltons Daddy, the one in his ever present, in the winter time anyway, black felt hat. Naturally in the Spring, he switches it out for the white straw one. You never wear a felt hat in the Spring and Summer you know.:thumb:


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## Kasota

> I so did NOT mean to include the pic of youngest ds being a smarty pants about his undies! OMGooddness!


:cute:

Priceless.  

It's a family tradition here, too. 

I love the photos! Thanks so much for sharing them. It sure warms up my day!

Marchwind, I know exactly what you mean. I can remember only a very few years where we had so little snow in December. 

I have had a GREAT day. I FOUND A PLUMBER!!!    Sorry for shouting. I'm just that excited about it. He did not seem one bit off-put by the fact that this is an old house and probably has some cast iron drain pipes and that he will need to remove a vanity and cut through a wall to get to the offending pipe. Boy, was a relief! He has two jobs right now that he is working on that are true emergencies so I told him it was fine to wait until next week. (Plus I don't want to pay for emergency rates.) For us this is an inconvenience. And it gives me time to shop for a new bathroom vanity! I have wanted to replace that thing for YEARS! Happy me! Anyway, he is coming early Monday to see what he is dealing with and then he will either fix it Monday or Tuesday, depending on how those other two jobs are going. 

I'm getting a new vanity. My old one is icky and dark colored. The new one is going to be either white or cream colored and there will be new fixtures and everything.


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## Osiris

Beautiful scenery Hercs! Nice happy family photos too!!! Love 'em!

Marchi, many of the 'European style' cb looms looms have just that - two parallel bars held together by string heddles. They're technically harnesses, just not 'framed' It's not uncommon in the Euro looms especially the old ones. The US has been overrun with jack looms (lighter and more portable, yes, but not as capable) and it's one of the reasons everyone seems to look to the Scandi's for expert weaving advice, experience and tradition. They still work with the old ways. Nothing is successful like success.

KKB! Thanks for explaining it about the loom vid. I don't have a CB loom but I'd love one. And this poor girl has a gorgeous hand made (by Amish) loom and doesn't even know how to operate it, but _claims_ she wants to _warp_ it!!! Sort of like having a Steinway 6' grand but not knowing how to play piano..... What are these black and white things for??? 

I just bid on this:
http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=19305905

If I get it there will be a lot of green/ish scarves for the shelters next year!!!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good evening all.
I love your scenery pics, Debi. I really enjoy looking at snowscapes, in pictures much more than out my windows.
Kasota, once again, I wish I lived closer. I use to be a carpenter, and my dad worked several years as a plumber, I have learned a lot from him, to the point I can plumb, replumb, and repair plumbing in about any house. It's not something I ever enjoyed, but I can do it. When i worked construction it was actually nice, I knew all of the construction stuff, except foundations, I never learned nor did i want to. My dad was a certified plumber, my brother a certified electrician, and now my cousin is an HVAC guy.

I hope all is well with everyone. Getting busy around here. Been building more rabbit cages, my daughter gets her new rabbits new years eve. Built a new brooding box for baby chicks, and sent 2 1/2 dozen eggs to my sister for her to incubate. Well her incubator screwed up and moat of the eggs fried. They should hatch in the next few days but she thinks only 5 or 6 will make it.
But, I stumbled across an ad on CL tonight and tomorrow I am going to pick up 40+, one month old chicks. Getting them for less than $2 each.

In two weeks I will start getting my tomatoes and peppers started.
Then i have to start getting fencing and posts for a goat pen, and then start getting my supplies together to start tapping maple trees when the weather gets just right.

Then I get my break until garden planting time and firewood cutting.

Wow, I need a break now from just typing all that.

Happy New Year to y'all in a few short days.


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## Kasota

Osiris, I hope you win the bid! Greenish scarves work!! 

DBA, it is soooo good to hear how things are going for you! Sure sounds like you know your way around home repair! What kind of rabbits is your daughter getting? And you are starting tomatoes already????? I cannot even imagine. What a score on the chickens, too. And goats, too!!! Wooot! You are going to have your hands full!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Yeah, I like to start my seeds around mid to end of January. 
Daughter is getting a pair of mini lops. Wife has one already, and that's the breed daughter wants to show in 4H.
Oh, and goats, well, that's the plan as of now. We have decided on pygmy goats. The smaller size means less space needed, and less feed. It does mean less meat and less milk, but that's fine. From a couple I talked to the other day, and some online reading, it seems like the fencing requirements for them won't be as expensive as with alpines or nubians.


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## lexierowsell

Dixie Bee Acres said:


> ... it seems like the fencing requirements for them won't be as expensive as with alpines or nubians.


See, I found the absolute opposite of this. The tiny creatures take more expensive "pet" fencing (2" x 4") where as my nubs and alps have regular, $75/330' woven wire with electric. I got nearly 2 gallons of milk a day from my superstar alpine, and 1.5-1.75 from my other goats. They ate 3qts of feed, twice a day and were on pasture. Cost me $24/50lb bag (organic specialty feed), milk was priced at $10/ .5g gallon... And they weigh out at 150lb...


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## kandmcockrell

DBA i have had both. The smaller ones jumped my fence as adults, my larger girls did not. The smaller ones also rubbed the fence, because i did not have electric to keep them off, and ended up stretching it and getting under it. If i ever have goats again, it will be the larger breed. Make you fences stronger than you think. My goats got out and decimated my garden one year, you sure don't want that.


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## Wind in Her Hair

LOVE the Christmas morning pics, hercsmama. The boys are adorable and even Colton has your beautiful eyes. So, is Keith's "Invictus" the poem, the movie, or the fitness program? Got a chuckle out of the undies - I always put a package of new undies in the kid's stockings when they were growing up - and all my boys were boxer brief kind of guys. hee hee

Loving the snow pics - we got a dusting last night so its beautiful out there. I went out to throw some corn out for the deer and the chickadees panhandled me for some sunflower seed. It's just 10ÂºF out there this morning. 

I have high hopes for getting a lot done today - laundry, cleaning, cooking. Last evening I knit the cowl part of a Katniss Everdeen wrap with a different pattern than my first attempt - this one is WAAAAYYY easier and super fast - only took a couple of hours and now all I have to do is join it. THIS one is the way to go!

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/district-12-cowl-wrap-knit


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## susang

Wind in Her Hair said:


> I have high hopes for getting a lot done today - laundry, cleaning, cooking. Last evening I knit the cowl part of a Katniss Everdeen wrap with a different pattern than my first attempt - this one is WAAAAYYY easier and super fast - only took a couple of hours and now all I have to do is join it. THIS one is the way to go!
> 
> http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/district-12-cowl-wrap-knit


I did this cowl/wrap a couple months ago, easy enough. I did have to modify the wrap part it just doesn't lie correctly, bunchy. So I decreased on the side that would be against body giving that whole piece a curve. I'm still not happy but then I'm a bit chunky so I look like a giant blueberry. I will do it again but in grays and smaller more fitted. Oh and the way they have you connect the two not very sturdy so I secured higher on inside of cowl. 
I love the one Katniss wears and pretty sure I could do it. The problem is the cowl part is fiberfill with a basket weave stitch so if it rained I don't think the fiberfill would hold up?????


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## Kasota

Susang, I'm a bit chunky, too. FR's sweaters are my great motivation to lose weight. They are so, so awesome. I would love to have an orange one but I'm afraid I would look like a pumpkin on stilts. LOL!!! 

I found a vanity that will work but it came with a sink that I hate so I ran around and found a different sink for it. I also picked up a faucet in brushed pewter color. I'm so excited! The vanity is white and the sink portion is speckled in browns. I can't wait for it to get installed! :sing:


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## SvenskaFlicka

Yay for a new vanity and sink! 

It's snowing here.  My shop is closed today but I'm supposed to get a big shipment of yarn in so I will probably be spending the afternoon down there anyway. I need to print price labels.


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## Taylor R.

Well, Christmas went fabulously at my house. We seem to have a fearsome little cold bug going through the house, though, and it made my weekend at work pretty miserable. Everyone else has gotten right over it, but it's kicking my booty (probably due to the cruddy sleep I get when working overnights).

Debi, what a handsome bunch you have there!


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## SvenskaFlicka

Got all the yarn labeled and shelved. Wow. That took three hours. 
There was more than what is pictured. The first picture just has new stuff on the middle shelf. There are also new colors and restocked in other kinds of yarn. 
Also I had to scoop the sidewalk today. It's already drifted shut. And I feel down the stairs in the house. 
New yarn makes it all better.


----------



## lambs.are.cute

One more evening of house sitting with a border collie in town. She a sweet dog but boy you do have to watch her, she follows orders to the letter as long as you are looking, but turn your back when she wants to do something? Your done for. And I have never met so much energy. A 2.5 mile hike doesn't slow her down. 

I don't know how people live in town. It's loud, people can see in your windows (ie don't get dressed in the guest bedroom), strangers walking by at all times especially late at night, cars too, drivers speeding down residential streets (can't do that on washboardy roads......), near constant light, and just strange. Of course I haven't spent any length of time living in town since I was 7 so it's all scary. I miss my little farm.


----------



## Kasota

Oh, did it ever get cold! It was -9 real temps when I went to work today with windchills -20 to -25 or so. Brrrrr. I felt like a chilly willy today. 

The plumber came and did a check of what needs done and made sure everything I bought is the right size. He'll tomorrow and destruct the bathroom, fix the pipe and then install the new vanity and sink. I am so excited. 

Mom has a doctor appointment tomorrow so I have the afternoon off. My sister will come over to house-sit while the plumber is here. Hopefully when we get home everything will all be done!  

Work was crazy busy today. It's nice to be home. I just want to knit.


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## MullersLaneFarm

Punky got a 'toy' knitting machine & 3 skeins of acrylic yarn from Santa.

Her response was priceless! I can't wait to introduce her to working with good yarn.



















Go to my farm FB page (Mullers Lane Farm) for a cute 'yarn drunk' video


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## Osiris

Beautiful Cyndi! Passing on a timeless tradition! 

Kas , yeah it dropped all right. We're not as cold as you, but still low 20's. 
I look at it, 3 more months til SPRING! As long as we get 'precipitation', snow can wait til next year! I'm not liking the cold. Just goes to my bones! I think I was a tropical dweller in a former life! ;-)

Kelsey, nice stock! Hope business is good for you in '15. 

btw: I won the green Caron yarn on SGW. $21 for 6 big cones!. Gonna have to figure how to make a production line out of this now. I love these kinds of challenges.


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## MullersLaneFarm

Just had to update you! Punky got her knitting machine last night. Tonight after work her and her Mom (my DD) got it set up.

This is what my daughter posted on her FB:

"Punky is using the knitting machine Meme (Cyndi) got her for Cmas and every few minutes she'll exclaim the following
OMG I CANT WAIT!
THIS IS SO COOL!
OMG I LOVE THIS!
MOM LOOK HOW SUPER DUPER LONG THIS IS!
THIS IS GONNA BE THE BEST SOCK/SCARF/SWEATER (she keeps changing her mind) EVER
OMG THIS IS UH-MAY-ZING!
I CANT WAIT TO WEAR THIS!
OH MOMMY! OH MOMMY! THIS IS SO AWESOME!
OOOO! I LOVE THIS SO SO SO SO SO MUCH!
EEEEHEEHEEEHEEE! I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE THIS!

Then she keeps a running commentary of Punky's comments ...

OH MOMMY! I CANT BELIEVE IT! I LOVE IT!

DID YOU TELL THEM THAT? ON FACEBOOK!? I HOPE SO!

MOMMY, YOURE REALLY GONNA LIKE THIS!

COME SEE HOW LONG IT IS! RIGHT NOW! YOU NEED TO PULL IT!

I JUST LOVE THIS! ITS GONNA BE LONG LONG LONG! SO VERY LONG!

(DD then comments, "dude, my kid is geeking out HARD CORE!")


----------



## lexierowsell

Thought maybe I'd share this pretty picture of my flock in the frost this morning.









And my one wee firecracker baby, Mira. I am so grateful to have her. 









So far the rest of my girls are holding off. I have 11 more to lamb. I'm at 1/6 surviving, and couldn't handle that ratio continuing. I am so glad for the chance to catch my breath before there are more babies...


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## hercsmama

Lexie, that is good news, that they are holding out.
According to the write up you posted, if they became infected after the 45 day mark in gestation, the lambs may be alright. Fingers crossed and many good wishes sent they continue to wait at least another week or two.

Cyndi, that's so awesome about Punky. Loving that video of her!
When I was a very little girl, I remember getting one of those knitting machines for Christmas from my Granny too!
I thought it was so amazing that I could finally go faster than my Granny! LOL!
Kas, I hear you on the cold!
It was real temp 4* when we went to bed, and is now -3*, with a wind chill of -25* . Supposed to stay right about there all day today too.
I put extra straw in the sheds Sunday, when we heard this was coming, but I'm still sitting here worrying about if everybody out there is alright....


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## lexierowsell

Yes Debi, I am sincerely hoping that the nasty skeeters were gone by the time the rest of the girls hit that tiny window. In all of this, I keep reminding myself that at least my girls are all ok, and will be immune next year. 

I remember asking for a knitting machine, and my granmere saying something derisive in French along the lines of "I will teach you to knit if you want to knit!". And so I was 5ish, with my angry, chain smoking granmere teaching me to knit and purl, and having me undo it all and start over if I messed it up. 

I loved every minute of it, and since I was the only grandchild who was interested at all (and "bothered" her all the time to learn more) I became a special favorite. I miss her, I miss being able to knit. <3


----------



## kandmcockrell

Kelsey, is the yarn in 1st picture, 2nd shelf, 7th from left in your online store? What is it? Love the colors!!


----------



## Wind in Her Hair

it was -13ÂºF this morning with wind chill I am not even going to think about...argh. 

The walk from the office to the post office was ...cold. And it is likely to be colder and windier tonight according to the weatherguys. 

Brrrr.

In knitting news, I got the Katniss Everdeen wrap pieced together with a few alterations that made the neck cowl part sturdier to handle the weight of the wrap. I am happy with it and will plan to steam block it and send it out tomorrow to my sister to give to her daughter-in-law to be.  :nanner: :bouncy: :grin:

Where in tarnation is *hotzcatz*? Do you think the lava got her?  I hope not!

*lambs.r.cute* - I do know what you mean about town living. I am going to be going to my daughter's in Texas for 10 days when her baby boy is due to make his arrival - and I will be thrust back into suburbia for that time. yikes :run: I just don't do well with so much humanity any more -rules, borders, don't do this, don't go there, don't carry your gun in here...:rollseyes:

Thankfully, my daughter knows how I am - she even sent me an adorable hand-stitched little mini-banner that reads "My Happy Place". She said I could hang it on my spinning wheel, or on my knitting bag, or my lawn chair by the campfire or anywhere else I need to remind myself of the fact that I carry my own happiness with me. I &#9829; that kid. 

Cyndi, I am so happy that Punky is embracing her inner fiber artiste. How cool is that? 

Happy New Year's Eve _eve_ everyone! Time to put the champagne on to chill as we prepare to welcome a New Year -2015!


----------



## SvenskaFlicka

kandmcockrell said:


> Kelsey, is the yarn in 1st picture, 2nd shelf, 7th from left in your online store? What is it? Love the colors!!


That's one of my new colors in the Balder Bulky by Viking of Norway! I'll have it on my website by 2:00 today!


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## hotzcatz

Mele Kalikimaka & Ha'oli Makahiki Hou!

Aloha WIHH! Perfect timing to wonder if the lava got me, this is the first breathing space I've had in several weeks so a quick check in with ya'll seemed in order. 

The lava is about sixty miles away and it's reaching for Pahoa then slowing down when it gets right up to it. One graveyard, one transfer station and one house have been eaten, but that's all. At least, so far. We may jaunt over there to get some fish & chips from the fish place before the lava eats that. It's been spewing lava that direction since last June, but lava flows are pretty slow, this could go on for a couple years. 

We're up on the sides of a different mountain, Mauna Kea (white mountain) instead of Mauna Loa (long mountain), so lava shouldn't ever be a problem in my specific area. Mauna Kea is considered "dead" and not merely "dormant" as far as I know. 

Mauna Loa has long slopes so when the lava comes out the sides of the mountain (it doesn't come out the top like the classical cartoon volcano) it kinda spreads down hill pretty slowly. If Hualaulei on the Kona side of the island goes off, that's a steep hillside and the lava would go much faster and cause all kinds of chaos. Folks would have to run and wouldn't have any time to take their stuff. Hualaulei is "dormant", I think. I'd have to go check, though, to be sure so don't take my word for it. I've not been tracking the possible/probably lava flows much. They have been building some severely expensive houses down slope of Hualaulei, though. As well as that huge resort on what looks like a fairly fresh lava flow. You'd think that would clue someone in that it might be possible that lava would flow there, but they built it anyway. Rather similar to the shopping area in front of the current lava flow in Puna. That shopping center is about ten to fifteen years old, I think, but lava may eat it next year.

Things have been crazy busy so I've not had much computer time. End of the year work got crazy busy for me since I've been doing drafting for a guy who installs solar systems. Everyone wants to get their system installed by the end of the year for the tax credits, so it's not only holiday season, but end of the year get it done this tax season time as well. I wish Christmas could be moved to the third week of January. But I just sent the last set of plans off yesterday and I doubt there will be any more since there is only one more half day for the Building Department to be open this year.

What's been keeping me crazy busy is the new house project. At the tail end of October we got a "new" house. Well, an extreme fixer-upper, anyway. Which we've been working on since then. Until we get moved out of this house and get it rented we're basically hemorrhaging cash so that's a pretty high priority. I'm thinking probably February will be the actual moving month. 










It's a house close to the high school and within easy walking distance to town. It's a small town of about 2,500 people with a little main street and no franchise stores anywhere in town. All little mom-n-pop places where everyone pretty much knows everyone else. Comfortable little town so being closer in is a good thing. Here's link to a picture of town from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honokaa,_Hawaii#mediaviewer/File:Honoka%27a,_Hawaii_main_street.jpg 

This year our big town crisis was saving the People's Theater: Honokaa Landmark faces challenging times Which eventually got a video in the NY Times when their crowd source funding worked spectacularly well: NY Times - Saving the Peoples Theater in Hawaii So, it's a great little town to be able to walk to. At the new house we will be able to walk to the theater, the library, the swimming pool, main street, the hardware store, etc.

But, before we can do this, we have to make the house livable. It had been vacant for 27 years and it was actually in worse shape than we thought so it's taking a bit longer to get it habitable again. We knew the termites had eaten the plywood ceilings, but I'd not expected all the water pipes to be rusted solid. The termite damage was a bit more extensive than we'd thought, but it's all fixable. 

It's a three bedroom, two bath house built in the mid forties on a sloping lot above the school so it has lovely ocean views. I haven't seen any whales from there yet this year, but we frequently see the barges and cruise ships going by. It's on a third of an acre at the end of a dead end road so not much traffic. We will hear the football games perfectly although we are just out of view of the field. Oh well, there aren't that many football games each year. I've not gotten the new garden area figured out yet and it's time to plant already. Guess I'll miss the first planting time this year. 

So, we've gotten the water lines up to the house, (fortunately, Hawaii has no freeze zone, so they don't have to be dug in real deep). There's cold water to the kitchen sink (although not officially away from the kitchen sink yet), one toilet is fully functional, the downstairs shower works as long as you want a cold shower and there's lots of spigots out in the yard that work. The electrical was all ungrounded circuits and done with that old black fabric covered wire so it's all being replaced. My electrical solar guy is doing the electrical in exchange for drafting work so that's all good. But, his schedule is crazy busy so it's going slowly. There is a new electrical service drop to the house, new circuit breaker panel and some limited circuits done already. Power and lights in most of the downstairs and partial power to the kitchen so far. My DH is up on the roof working on the roof leaks, I'll be scrubbing walls and getting rid of mildew in the kitchen later today.

Here's some of the "before" pictures of the kitchen which were taking during the first walk through. The Realtor had us sign a waiver that if we fell through the floor we wouldn't sue. They considered the house a "tear down" and a liability so we got it at vacant land price.



















So, we tore out all the termite eaten ceilings, had the whole place termite tented and I've been cleaning the kitchen among other things. Which has really cut into my computer time!










Then, last week we went to the big box hardware store in Hilo to get a nail gun (our tiny local hardware doesn't carry everything). Just for giggles we looked at refrigerators, too. Have you noticed most of them are stainless steel or black these days? Who has time to wipe off that many fingerprints? One of the few white ones was sitting over by itself, rather forlorn sorta like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. It had a dented door so it was discounted. It was a discontinued model, so it was discounted. It had a Christmas sale discount and one or two more, although I forget exactly what they were. This is my DH shopping, he's good at that sort of thing. So, instead of the original $1,400 retail price, it was discounted down to $540. Which is $40 above the free delivery price. And, the power company will give a $100 rebate if an old model refrigerator is turned in when a new Energy Star refrigerator is bought. So, on Christmas Eve, we got a new refrigerator! Woot!

However, we had forgotten to measure it. Ooops! The kitchen door had to come off, a bit of the door trim had to come off, but the guys got it squished in there. 










Obviously, it's not gonna fit behind the door like the old one did, but that had been a problem anyway since it blocked off a lot of cabinet area and made all sorts of unreachable places. We swapped the stove & refrigerator areas and now the how to reach into the corner cabinet has been solved, too.











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Since the refrigerator backs up against the wall into what will probably become my sewing/fiber room, I'll cut a big hole in the wall and set the refrigerator back in line with the lower kitchen cabinets. In my fiber room, I can build some built in shelves to even out the bump made by the refrigerator set back.

Well, now I've used up all my computer time and need to get back to the house restoration project again.

Happy New Year!


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## SvenskaFlicka

Wow! What a house project Hotzcatz! I need to show my husband! (He thinks our house needs a lot of work, HA!)

The new Balder yarn is online, and I'm working on the Odin yarn now. I like the days when I work on website stuff. It's relaxing.


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## lexierowsell

Healthy live ram lamb born unassisted overnight! Mama is doing GREAT, baby was up and running around this morning!


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## Wind in Her Hair

CELEBRATING what I hope and pray is whole bunch of healthy lambs, Lexie!


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## BlueberryChick

Lexie, that is excellent news!!


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## lexierowsell




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## Woodpecker

So cute Lexi, glad he is here and healthy! What are you going to name him?


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## Wind in Her Hair

I kind of like the name "Phoenix" since this little guy rose from the ashes.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Good evening all.
Tomorrow my wonderful wife turns 40 years old. 
Today my daughter got her pair of mini lop rabbits that she will be showing in 4H this year. They are a beautiful pair with excellent pedigrees.

Happy New Year to you all!


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## Jacki

I got my CPW today, and it is not quite in spinnable condition. I think the maker is Fredric Bordua, but have no maker mark that I could find. One spindle is missing, and the wheel may be slightly warped, but I don't think it is enough to hurt it's spinnability. The wheel is thirty inches across , and has two repairs on the rim, which I think were professionally done.

It only has one secondary wheel support, and that is original, one of the flier leathers was unusable, and the flier needs minor repair. The bobbin is not damaged at all!! There is no footman, but that is an easy fix. All the metal needs cleaning....actually the whole wheel needs a serious spa day.

I am looking forward to getting this wheel up and running, but my water is frozen, so it is going to be a little slower than I want.

I had my three month diabetes check-up, and am doing well. My A1C was a little higher than last time, but I was sick with the creeping crud for a couple weeks, which is guaranteed to make BG hard to control!!

I hope everyone has a good start to the new year, and healthy babies for those expecting, both human and critter. And please stay healthy, and injury free with all this cold, slippery weather.

Jacki


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## Marchwind

Oh Lexi that is excellent news!!! Wishing you many more healthy lambs in the new year.


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## Marchwind

The new FAC is up. Please post there from now on. Here's the direct link http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/country-homemaking/fiber-arts/530943-fac-~-january-2015-a.html


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## MDKatie

Sorry to post again when the new FAC is up, but I had a question for Kelsey!! I love the shelves of yarn! What is the yarn on the bottom shelf in the first picture? I love all the colors!


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## SvenskaFlicka

That yarn is Ushaya Suya, made by Mirasol. It's a tonal bulky yarn with a chain construction, making it lightweight and bouncy. It's 98% merino, 2% nylon. I love it!


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## MDKatie

SvenskaFlicka said:


> That yarn is Ushaya Suya, made by Mirasol. It's a tonal bulky yarn with a chain construction, making it lightweight and bouncy. It's 98% merino, 2% nylon. I love it!


I had never heard of it, so I googled it and your shop was the first link. It is pretty yarn!


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