Onward to a new project!

Hi everyone.  It is that time again - we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Amis' Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet !

I am happy to report that I finished my daughter's sweater over the weekend - Hurrah!!  Such a relief.  I am really happy with how it turned out, and am thinking that another (maybe in a bigger size....) may be in my future.  

AND....drum roll please....she EVEN wore it!  Well, for about 5 minutes, but in my book, that totally counts!

Next up is a scarf for myself - selfish, I know ;)  *giggles*. 

I am using the spider web lace pattern that I used for a holiday gift back in December.  Something nice and easy.  And a tad bit relaxing :)

  Head on over to Ginny's, Tami's, and Ambassador's Crochet other interesting ventures of fiber fun.



Winter in Vermont...a little late...

And here I thought Spring was right around the corner... ;)

Fiber, seeds, and trees...

It was a good day. 

I finished my daughter's sweater, which was a huge relief.  She has been asking for it daily since I began work on it 3 weeks ago.  Foolishly, I did not use a pattern, so the process entailed many, many bouts of trying on the interim project.  Next time, though, I will have more of a clue and will know where to start.

Now, I wonder what to do next....socks, anyone?

Our first order to seeds arrived today.  March is typically my seed starting month, so soon I will be spouting greens and turning my dining room into a Chia pet... I ordered 100 Jiffy pellets for seedlings, but I am now realizing that my starting order should have been closer to 200... I will use 100 on onion sets alone.  Oh well.

The logging has begun on our property across town.  Since the land is part of the Vermont Land Use program, there are certain things that need to be done to increase the health of the land and habitat for natural residents.  This year, that is includes a large amount of logging.

We drove by the property today and saw the progress.  The stacks of cut wood was shocking.  I wish I had my wits about me enough to have taken a picture.  Huge trees that used to tower above us...

After seeing the sight, my six year old son immediately cast in to a lecture about how awful we were for having cut down those trees.  It hard to understand how such an act can be good for the land.  But, we know that it is...and dream of a green and lush wildlife preserve of sorts that may occur once the sun is allowed to shine down on more of the ground cover.

It will be a beautiful sight. 

Coming along...

Good morning everyone!  It is Wednesday, and we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Amis' Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet today!

Just a super quick update.  As you can see above, I am working hard to finish my daughter's sweater, which will be a larger version of the sweaters we made for the ladies last week ( picture at left). 

I am not following at pattern, which means that I constantly making my daughter try on the sweater over and over again....but we are getting there!

I am just shocked that she is actually planning to wear the sweater....this, from the girl that I have to BEG to wear a coat during the winter... but that is another story ;)
Cross your fingers for the grand finale this weekend!!

  Head on over to Ginny's, Tami's, and Ambassador's Crochet other interesting ventures of fiber fun.

Not your typical Vermont winter...

Now, I am not complaining - no, not at all - but this is not a typical Vermont winter.

Spike peers out the back screen door and grasps a scent of fresh air.  'Cause it is 38 degrees.  Seriously!!  This time last year, we were stuck in FEET of snow.

Not today.

Sugar is tramping on the strawberry patch.  I just hope the warm weather doesn't take that patch out of winter hibernation too early....

The ladies are enjoying a nice graze in the sun.  Not a normal occurence, which makes it all that much more special.

I can now see the ground that we will be planting in a few short months.  I placed the first seed order yesterday, and am eagerly awaiting the excitement of starting my seedlings.

Spring is truely right around the corner...

Awesome awesomeness....

I have a new love, and she is Juanita the Weasel.

Yes, you read correctly.  A Weasel.

I think that for now on, Juanita will break all of my breaking news. 

If I have breaking new, that is. 

Which is kind of unlikely...given the season.

What season, you ask?

  Mad love to The Bloggess providing this awesome bit of awesomeness.  Did I say she was awesome?

A sweater? Naturally....

Good morning everyone!  It is Wednesday, and we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Amis' Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet today!

So, after last week's fun of making dresses for the 'ladies', we had to move up in the wardrobe.  Seeing that the ladies arms were bare, and well, it IS winter, it was natural for my daughter to ask for some sweaters to keep them warm this winter.

And then, of course, it makes total sense that up next was a request for sweater for herself.  Naturally!

I asked my son if he would also like me to make him a sweater....

'No", he said, "I want a movie".

Naturally :)

As you can see from the top picture, I am using Fisherman's Wool for the fiber, and it has been delicious.  So good to work with.  The stitches are limited to a V-stitch and a half double stick, so nothing complicated, but quite soothing to work on.

And, on that note, I must bid 'ado'.  The shower is calling me - it is time to begin the morning!

  Head on over to Ginny's, Tami's, and Ambassador's Crochet other interesting ventures of fiber fun.

The done and undone...

Yesterday, I awoke with the moon shining down from the silvery sky.  The lightness glowed through the room and brought a general happiness to my thoughts.  I love awakening naturally like this.  The fact that it was 3:35 am did not change this feeling.  Instead, I took charge of the morning, resetting the alarm for my husband, who was home and able to care for the kids before they were off for school, and headed down for the start of the day. 

The kitchen found me brewing two double espressos, which I up-ended into a thermos, and after a quick dressing, was out the door.  It is an early morning at the office - which continued into a long productive day. 

And then found me returning home with the stars.

Today is a different story.  My husband was the early riser, setting off before the dawn for a hunting excursion with a friend.  I remained warm and sleeping in our bed until my son awoke and snuggled in.  Soon after was my daughter, who, with a new sense of independence, set about to beginning her day without us.  She feels, that a the ripe age of seven and one half, a new need to take more responsibility for starting her own morning, heading downstairs, turning on the heat, and finding her breakfast.  I can't complain for this new movement, but is does leave me a bit nostalgic for the days that I was a bit more needed.

Now the day is seriously underway and I am trying to right my sails and figure out just what needs to be done.  The chickens are cared for, but the guinea pigs still need their cage to be cleaned out.  A quiche is in the oven, but I have not yet started a new batch of hard cider.  The list of done and undone is spread out before me, and I may need some more fortification before I can jump on board.

It will be a busy day.

Chicken gold...

I went out to the coop this morning to let the ladies out, and found a lovely surprise.

Six beautiful eggs lay in waiting.

And these six were in addition to the several my husband uncovered late yesterday evening.

What a wonderful late winter gift to see that our chickens are well and thriving, despite the crazy weather we have been having.

We are lucky indeed.

Three little dresses

 

 

Good morning everyone!  It is Wednesday, and we are Yarning Along with Ginny and joining in with Tami's Amis' Work in Progress  and Ambassador Crochet today!

This past week, my daughter had that nasty stomach bug that has been going around.  So, to make her feel better - or at least put a smile on her- we whipped up a few gifts for 'the ladies' ('cause goodness forbid that we call them dolls....).  It was nice to work on something smaller that I could actually start and finish in a few
hours.

That is all on this end :)  With the ramping up of tax season, any literary fun is limited to IRS publications and tax literature...and I just have a feeling you would rather I didn't share all of that fun ;).  So, three little dresses it is...

  Head on over to Ginny's, Tami's, and Ambassador's Crochet other interesting ventures of fiber fun.

A new home...

A new home for the fair guinea pigs.  Spoiled?  Maybe...

But, the ladies are happy, with plenty of room to stretch their legs. :)  We had no idea that guinea pigs would grow so big! This is their third, and hopefully last, home.

Blessings - from a weary weekend.

Joining in today with He Sows and She Sews today, for "I'm Blessed"

And my blessing for today may sound a bit odd, but from this Monday morning tired momma, it is is true one.

I feel blessed that my kids are at the age where they can tell me what hurts.  Gone are the days where I blindly guess why they are sick - they are not shy at telling me what hurts, why they feel sick, and just what I can do about it.  And that there - is a great blessing.

'Course, if we could get the illness to leave the house entirely, that would be a GREAT blessing, but we'll save that for another day.

A great night and a early morning...

It was a good evening.  A very good evening.

The kids had been planning it all day.  Since around ten in the morning yesterday, my son was asking "is it time?".  The sun may have still been shining, but he didn't want to be late.  He put on his pajamas at one in the afternoon and started packing his bag.  Heavens, even my daughter came around and began to admit she was excited.

Where were we going, you ask?  Why, the local elementary school for movie night, of course.

See, it is a great affair.  Families from all around gather together and pull up space in the gym.  The floor is decorated in a patchwork of blankets, quilts and Pillow Pets.  Kids arrive clad in pajamas and dig into burgers and hot dogs purchased on site.  It is something that my children love. Delightfully organized chaos.  The kids run about before the start of the movie and during intermission, enjoying the sheer joy of being in the school after hours and in their pajamas.  The parents gather and chat.  Snacks flow in plentiful abundance.  It is good times.

I am really loving this community and the way you can just sit down and join up.  As a matter of fact, upon walking in the gym door, I got the "Hey Lee Ann!" call and was motioned over by one of the volunteer mothers.  They were needing a parent volunteer to help with the recycling and composting program for the cafeteria and thought I might be interested.  And I am...just need to know some details on the where and when....and how I am going to fit it in between tax returns...but we will get there. 

But, like all good things, the fun did come to an end.  At 2:35am, to be exact.  Right about when my daughter came down with the stomach bug that has been haunting the corners of this house.  I will spare you the details - it wasn't pretty.  And now that she has fully exhausted herself, and is starting to doze off, I am finding some reprieve as I ready to prep another espresso and consider some work.  Naps will come later.  Many, many naps. 

It was a great night, but a very early morning...

Random thoughts....

I am a woman of many random thoughts this morning.

For starters, it occurs to me that there are two types of people in my tax season mind.  Those who take to the caffeine, and those who don't.  And, of those who do, there are the ones who are satisfied with a nice cup of coffee and those who prefer mainlining the darkest espresso they can brew.  I am of the latter company.

I had to clean the guinea pig cage this morning.  We always use a bedding of wood shavings, but, today, I am out.  So, I have borrowed hay from the chicken shed and used that instead.  A riot broke out in the guinea pig cage - I think that they have been spoiled by the soft cleaning shavings of the past.  Either that, or I am really just a bad guinea pig owner.

My son just woke up.  There are two sides to my view point on this one...1) Oh man!  This means I need to share the laptop; and 2) You know, he really is quite warm and cozy.  Almost wish he got up sooner.  And than, maybe he could have cleaned the guinea pig cage!  Well, not really....

There are more thoughts to share, but now my son really wants the laptop.  So, my time here is done!

The first day of February....

So, it is official.  February is here and the days are escaping me.  Wednesday has arrived, and while I normally linked up to some crafting sites to share what I have been working on...the day has arrived, and I have nothing to share!  Oh well - 'tis the season.

I am looking forward to the weekend.  And not for a football reason.  This weekend, I will rack the first batch of hard cider and start another.  I will make some chili and package it up for a week of lunches.  I will hopefully order my seeds for the gardening season, and make a final decision about bees.  All big happenings.

But, until then, I will continue taking one moment at a time and work through this first day of February.  Happy February everyone....