# FAVE~~~May 2015



## Kris in MI (May 30, 2002)

Can you believe it's all ready the fifth of May?!? Obviously I can't, or else I probably would have started this thread sooner!

This is the FAVE for May-- where Fiber Artists Visit Eachother!

May is a busy month on the homestead, what with most of us gardening and all that goes on with growing your own food. Please take a minute from time to time throughout the month to pop in and chat with your fellow fiber artists about what is going on in your neck of the woods (or field, or neighborhood). Doesn't have to be fiber related, we're just curious what our friends are up to. :grin:


As for me, my younger son just graduated from college on the 2nd. Dh and I made the trip to the Upper Peninsula for that. It is always so hard for me to leave there; it is the first place I lived after moving out of my parents' home at 19, and it is where my heart lies. Some day, some day, dh and I wil l retire and move back up there again.

We had a great time; rented a cabin at the state park instead of staying in a hotel. Had a few campfires, enjoyed sunsets and sunrises over Lake Superior, attended ds's graduation (from the same college Dh is an alumnus of, and the same degree, but ds got higher honors--summa cum laude!), and then ds took us on a several mile hike to see a waterfall we hadn't seen before.

Meanwhile, back at home, my youngest dd went and bought two market lambs to raise for the fair this year. This is her first year with sheep, and she is working towards her State Degree in FFA with them. She bought two Suffolk wethers, and of course I am interested in learning what their fleece is good for because I put dibs on the wool when they get shorn for Fair.

(sorry for the huge pics; I'm still hopeless when it comes to computer tech stuff). Pics are:
1. Sunset over Superior
2. sunrise over Superior,
3. DS, (he got 2 tassels; the orange is his 'college' (engineering), the yellow & black is because he is a 'legacy student' since dh is an alumnus) 
4. DD's lambs.


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

Gorgeous photos Kris! You must be so proud of your boy too. :bowtie:

Happy May, everyone!

I find myself out in my own yard more every day, now that I am not at the dairy.
Today I planted a big handful of pole bean seeds. I must be crazy! 
I have nearly gotten through the bottomless cupboard of canned green beans from a couple (few?) years ago.
Ever since I was a little girl I have had a love/hate relationship with beans.
My mom canned soooo many of them and it was one of my chores to pick and snap beans,
one row every day. 
I still remember vividly the day I realized that my hand wouldn't fit inside a regular jar any more. 
It meant my little sister got the jar-washing job. 
We were slaves, I tell you. 
So now I try to pace myself when it comes to how many rows of beans I want to contend with all summer. 


My DH was home for one night this last weekend and should be here for a whole week sometime soon. 
Its weird not knowing how his schedule is going to be. Hard to plan stuff, but oh well. Its good to be surprised too. :teehee:


In the meantime I am just moving forward steadily on some of my own projects.
Still working on the avocado sweater. 
Still hitting the ball out there with the tennis racket for my young fast dog. 
Planning to do some concrete repair work on the rock wall in front of my house. 
Need to run the weed whacker first, hopefully that will start right up for me tomorrow. 
Generally, I am managing to stay busy enough all on my own. 

Here are Reggie and CeCe shortly after their spring haircuts.
I need to get those fleeces washed up too. Plenty of stuff to do here.


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## Ana Bluebird (Dec 8, 2002)

Everything around here: animals, gardens, yard, meals, all get smaller each year. I spend a lot of time following behind my retired husband picking up and putting back and cleaning up.


> I still remember vividly the day I realized that my hand wouldn't fit inside a regular jar any more.


 I think my hand still fits, think I'll go check now. Love pole beans and sweet pickles, can't give those up yet.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

May? Holy Cow!
Lovely pics Kris, especially that handsome young man of yours - Congrats to the grad!

GAM, love those goaty faces, they look like they are asking "hey, where's our treat?" I think I need a tennis racket...the throwing the ball over and over is doing bad things to my arm.

We are working on cleaning out the second (of 5) small barns. They all came full of stuff when we bought the property a couple years back. This barn was packed full of fun (and some not so fun) stuff...china, pottery, old electronics, magazines.....we've gone thru most all of it, rehomed tossed and sold. Have got to get the ---- thing empty so we can fix it before it falls down.

Other than that, all the critters are sheared, baby chicks are doing well. Have been mowing and weed whacking like a mad woman. Garden is still waiting to go in.....sigh.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Yeah, I suppose a check-in would be in order.

Needed a slate blues stash buster project, so I conjured a new design, tailored just to use my wool/alpaca/mohair accumulation in that color scheme......

Now I've got another on the needles, just a little more sassy and "editorial" than this one. :grin:


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Forerunner said:


> Yeah, I suppose a check-in would be in order.
> 
> Needed a slate blues stash buster project, so I conjured a new design, tailored just to use my wool/alpaca/mohair accumulation in that color scheme......
> 
> Now I've got another on the needles, just a little more sassy and "editorial" than this one. :grin:


The hat is terrific but that sweater is amazing!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Tell that to GAM......she thinks my knitting style is "absurd".

:indif:









:grin:


I am having fun with those hats. Got about 7 or 8 of them done over late winter.

I do like my new sweater design.
Going to rip back prolly a half dozen or so wonky early version T-necks and refurbish the yarn to bulky cardigan jackets like that one.


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

What I actually said was that putting tassels on the thumbs of mittens seems absurd to me. I stand by that statement.  

Your latest sweaters are much more manageable, in my opinion.
The sleeves are an appropriately functional length 
and the shawl collar is a big improvement in wearability over some of your earlier turtle necks.
I could go on but should really pace myself with the compliments.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

But.....but......the HAT has a tassel.......

:ashamed:










:whistlin:

.


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

Tassels on hats are a long standing tradition.
Not so much on mitten thumbs.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

While we're on the subject of practical....... 

.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

LOVE the hat with the tassel. The berry colored monk outfit.....well......


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## Kris in MI (May 30, 2002)

LOL Dragonflyfarm "berry colored monk outfit". When I saw the picture, I thought of druids. Then I read your comment. Perhaps the modern druid has done away with the drab outfits sort of like how the more contemporary Amish wears colors other than just black? :teehee:


Forerunner, that thing looks seriously warm. Perfect for January!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

That particular piece was done just a little thinner knit than a lot of my work.

I had Druids in mind there, toward the end......hence the cape.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

Forerunner, I hope I did not offend. You do beautiful work!

Kris, a bit of color is always a good thing, yes?


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Maybe you'll like this one better.

Did somebody say "go big or go home"?

:grin:


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Forerunner said:


> Maybe you'll like this one better.
> 
> Did somebody say "go big or go home"?
> 
> :grin:


But no tassels on the mittens!


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I could always add some......

There ARE leather ties on the wrists.....

:shrug:


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