squirrels, purls, & ponies

Changes

2012-01-17T14:58:00.002-05:00

These past few months have been surreal. I keep telling people that, but "surreal" is really the most fitting description. Ryan's blog has the basic rundown - no need for me to rehash it here.

He's gone now, and I'm back in Florida at Dragon's Lair. Ryan knew that ponies, lab puppies, and calico cats are good for the soul, so I have yet another thing to thank him for.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts, prayers, and love.

Scattered

2011-10-05T13:56:00.002-04:00

I've always found time management to be difficult. Seems there are always far more things that I want to get done than I have time to do them in. This is especially true right now, as fall is arriving. My new barn job is fantastic, but leaves me with little time for my husband, let alone my hobbies. And any knitter knows that as the leaves start falling, the needles start twitching.

I suppose I should make a list of things that I absolutely "have" to get knit. Like the gray (handspun) cabled sweater and silvery (handspun) shawl that have been looming in the back of my brain for the past few seasons. I'm actually well on my way to having most of the yarn spun up for the former project, which makes me happy. And I have the fiber carded (from Sequin) for the shawl. But then I also want to knit a riding vest (designed by myself *last* fall), a few hats, and oh.. a couple of surprises. All of this has to wait until I finish the other 2 shawls on the needles....

Not to mention, I have many pounds of fleece in the basement that desperately need to be washed. And all sorts of lovely fiber that I'm dying to spin up. And photos to be edited, food to be cooked, friends and family to catch up with. Oh yes.. there's life to be lived.

Sigh.

I guess I'll get to all of it someday.

Or not.

So it goes!

Cat, I'm a Kitty Cat....

2011-08-11T06:40:00.002-04:00

We love our "feral" kitties....

Not so much a catch up post.....

2011-08-08T12:20:00.007-04:00

Wow, so.. it's been awhile! Since the last post: Maryland Sheep & Wool, my brother's graduation, a trip out to CO/UT/AZ, a new job... and certainly lots of other stuff that I don't remember at the moment.

There would be far too much to write on and on about to catch up.. and nobody wants to read all of that anyway. So let's just do a couple pictures:

on to grad school!

Timpanogas Cave, UT (notice the Rav shirt!)

Bryce Canyon

camping at Zion Nat'l Park

Grand Canyon

And finally......

Addy!

..whose face I now get to see every day in my new job as barn manager! She doesn't normally look quite that worried. But she's always that adorable. :)

Three Fleeces

2011-04-25T07:14:00.008-04:00

Spring means shearing season.. shearing day at Feederbrook Farm (so much fun!!) and all the posts on Ravelry got me a little excited. I seem to have acquired a few more fleeces.

The first is a Black Welsh Mountain fleece, 3 lbs 1 oz of Mabli, from Desert Weyr. This breed wasn't even on my radar until I saw some black black yarn on Rav. Most "black" sheep fleece is really dark brown, with or without sunburnt tips. But these sheep have rich black fleece, and the particular one I received had been covered to prevent sunbleaching and dirt/veg.

I was a bit wary about working with Welsh Mountain fleece, as it can be a bit coarse and has kemp - short bits of hair in among the wool. However, it's proving to be enjoyable and rewarding to process. The staples of the fleece that I have are fairly short, about 2-3". It's clean, low grease, and washes up easily. After washing, I can sit on the deck and comb the kemp fibers out with a dog comb.. then later I can sit inside and comb the fleece up with my Valkyrie combs. And the sample I've washed, flicked, and combed so far is plenty soft enough for me. (But then, I like wooly wools. And I haven't gotten to the coarsest part of the fleece yet.) I'm loving it.

Kemp hairs on left, flicked wool lock on right.

The second fleece is a touch over 1 lb from a Gulf Coast Native sheep named Chana. She's owned by Margrett of Running Moon Farm. The GCN is a fascinating rare breed that has adapted to living in the hot, muggy south United States. They have a very soft fleece with the most tiny crimp. One of the really cool things about the breed is that they have developed resistance to some gut parasites. Oh, and that they can live and produce spinnable fleece in Florida!

The staple length of Chana's fleece is 3-4", and is low grease. This is the first I've bought that hasn't been covered. That, combined with the fact that the fleece is quite fine, had me a bit scared about processing it. However, I happened to purchase a copy of Margaret Stove's Spinning for Lace at about the same time as I received this fleece, and now have the confidence to work with this fleece. I've washed up 2 test batches - the first, a cold soak overnight and then my normal washing (hot wash in Dawn, 2-3 rinses in water). This method left me with still dirty, jumbled tips, but the remaining dirt flicked out with combing. However! I then watched the above-mentioned video, and tried washing a batch using Margaret's method of lock by lock. This method was super-easy, resulted in lovely clean, open locks, and was actually much quicker.

Cold-soaked, normally washed fleece on left. Lock-by-lock washed fleece on right.

A small staple of the GCN fleece next to my dog comb. It's still hard to see, but look at that teeny tiny crimp!

The third fleece is actually only part of a fleece. I'm participating in a Pound Along (PAL) with some Ravelers on the Gleason's Fine Woolies forum. We're each using a pound of fleece from one of Joanna's lovely Bond sheep to process, spin, and knit into a shawl. The fun will be seeing all of the different results from the same fleece.

The Bond sheep is a much younger breed than the Black Welsh Mountain or the Gulf Coast Native. Unlike the former 2 breeds, which are used for both meat and fiber, the Bond sheep has been bred primarily for its fiber. The staple lengths on this one are 4-5", nice chunky staples, lovely uniform crimp, and soft luster. Drool-inducing. I washed up a few locks using the abovementioned lock-by-lock method, and they turned out beautiful. However, I think I will be washing them in batches (in tulle) when I do the rest. We'll see.

Part of the fun of getting these 3 very different fleeces has been the challenge of figuring out how best to scour and process each one. I'm still learning, and am hoping that I won't seriously mess up any of them. Thankfully, there is a ton of information freely available on the internet, and fleece happens to be more forgiving than not. I think we'll be okay.

Left to right, scoured locks of: Black Welsh Mountain, Gulf Coast Native, and Bond.

Spinnin' spinnin' spinnin'

2011-03-28T19:10:00.004-04:00

Lots and lots of spinning going on around here...

Fat Cat Knits BFL in "Buster," 2 ply:

Fat Cat Knits Falkland in "Electra," navajo plied:

Cosy Makes Falkland in "Memory" (club fiber), singles:

Fat Cat Knits (noticing a trend here?) Falkland in "Wizard Island," navajo plied:

Mystery (Ashland Bay?) merino in greens:

And, a very proud moment... my first 6 oz. of Sequin (my first fleece)! This skein is 2 ply, spun from the carded waste left over from combing my first paper bag full of fleece.

I know that the combing waste is normally tossed in the trash, but the waste was every bit as long and pretty as the fiber that survived the combing. So rather than trash it, I carded it up and savored each minute of spinning it. It's really lovely stuff, if I may say so.

The yarn surprised me - it has shine, halo, and is going to drape well. It's also not as soft as I'd envisioned, which is perfectly fine with me. Gonna make some lovely shawls, I think!

Spring?

2011-03-26T09:06:00.004-04:00

Well, despite the fact that it's now spring-time, the temperature today is in the 30s, and we're supposed to get snow tomorrow. Ugh. But! Ryan and I were in Florida a few weeks ago (very short weekend trip) soaking up the sun... and spring was in full swing there.

I think it will tide us over for a bit.

Here is our spring so far: Buds!!

While in Florida visiting wonderful family, we also got to visit with our other family out at Dragon's Lair. Everyone is looking well, but Dafydd (Addy's sire) was the only one to pose for the camera.

He makes my heart pitter patter.

Spring? C'mon!!

Washing Fleece

2011-02-14T10:42:00.000-05:00

A milestone in any spinner's life appears to be purchasing and preparing the first fleece. While I had an interest in doing this, I knew it was a large process that I perhaps wasn't quite prepared for. So, I figured I'd wait until I was ready.

Then I walked into the Juried Fleece Sale at the Shenandoah Fiber Festival.

We were there very early; perfect time to wander around and drool on the fleeces. (This is pretty much impossible to do at the much larger Maryland Sheep and Wool Fest.) Perhaps learn a thing or two.

And then I saw Sequin. A mixed breed longwool fleece in a lovely silver gray. Tons of luster. Beautiful soft, crimpy locks. Love at first sight.

So of course I brought her home.

Thankfully, there is a huge amount of information available on the internet (especially Ravelry) about sorting, washing, and preparing fleece. I spent several days reading up and collecting materials, and then got down to business.

First, I sorted my 7+ lbs of wool into 2 piles: mostly clean, and mostly dirty. The nastiest bits went over the deck railing for the birds. (But there really weren't very many of those, since the sheep had been covered.) I decided to work on the dirtiest bit first, since I'd be least upset about screwing it up.

Next, and very importantly, I locked the oh-so-helpful kitties upstairs.

And then I gathered my materials into the bathroom.

There seem to be 3 main locations to wash fleece at home: the bathtub, the washing machine, and outside in a tub. I don't have access to piping hot water outside, and the thought of putting a dirty fleece into my clean washing machine grossed me out.. so I decided to use the bathtub. This also enabled me to use an open washing method, rather than the common method of putting the fiber into a lingerie bag.

I chose the open method rather than the lingerie bag method because of a discussion on Ravelry. People had been getting what they felt to be superior results (cleaner fleece, better lock definition, etc.) with the former method.

I laid some window screening in the bottom of the tub, turned on the faucet, and glugged some blue Dawn into the rising water. When it was several inches deep, I added 2 stock pots full of boiling water. (To hopefully kill any bugs/larvae.) Then, I carefully placed a lb or so of fleece into the bath.

It was dirty, and smelled like barnyard. Not that I mind, but some would.

After 30 minutes of soaking (no agitation, and careful to not let the water cool too much!), I lifted the screen-with-fleece out of the water and placed it into a waiting container.

Drained and rinsed the tub, then re-filled with plain hot water and the screen-with-fleece.

Since this all happened several months back, I cannot remember how many rinses I did. Probably 3-4. Enough so that the water ran clear after 30 minutes of fleece soaking in it.

Then it was time for the drying. I gently squished as much water as possible out of the sopping fleece, and spread it lightly on our hammock. After sitting on the porch for a day, the fleece ended up in the basement on a makeshift drying rack made from kitty litter boxes and a ladder. It took several more days to dry completely.

The portion above, being the dirtiest part, still has some stained tips. I don't mind so much, because I'm planning on dyeing it. Perhaps the tips would have come cleaner had I flicked them before washing.. but since I have many pounds of fleece to play with, I'm not too concerned. The rest of the fleece came out shining and lovely.

When the time comes to wash my next fleeces (see Whiskey and Tequila!), I'm going to do a little more prep before the washing - including separating all of the locks and laying them in tulle, which will help retain lock formation even better. Experimentation is so much fun, and Ravelry is such a great place for information and inspiration.

Whew! That was quite a post. It has been sitting in my drafts folder for quite some time, so I figured I might as well get around to hitting "publish." Things have just been a little slow around here lately. Ryan's most recent few posts will explain.

Finding Emilie

2011-01-30T08:41:00.002-05:00

I spend a lot of time listening to the radio. A long-ish commute, plus time spent knitting and spinning.. equals lots of free listening time.

Radiolab, on NPR, is one of my favorite programs. This story, about Emilie Gossiaux, is pretty incredible.

If only stick-to-it-iveness and love healed everything.

Sheep Sampling

2010-12-25T16:02:00.009-05:00

About this time, all across knit blogs and Ravelry, one can find New Year's resolutions like "knit/design 12 sweaters/shawls/pairs of socks in 2011." I've never much been one for New Year's resolutions, let alone committing myself to knitting a dozen of anything. But, my newfound addiction to spinning makes life a little more interesting.

When I was simply a knitter, I didn't really know much about wool. (Admittedly, I still don't.) For sheepy yarns, there was the generic "wool," the more luxurious Merino, the scratchy Icelandic, and the (enticing) fingering weight Shetland for colorwork. I had a vague notion that other sheep breeds existed, and was always fascinated when I visited the Solitude booth at fiber festivals because she had yarn spun from all different breeds of sheep.

So when I got into spinning, I was in for quite a surprise. At first, I was drawn to the hand dyed braids of Merino that abound on etsy. But Merino, with its short and slick staple, is not the easiest to spin. Blue Faced Leicester (BFL) quickly became my best friend. It's soft, silky, has a nice long staple, and is pretty forgiving. (And Chris over at Briar Rose Fibers dyes it into some pretty kick-ass colors.)

Gradually, I became aware of more breeds: Polwarth, Wensleydale, Romney, Navajo-Churro, and the tantalizing Cormo started showing up on my radar. CVM, North Ronaldsay, Romeldale, Bond, Corriedale, Targhee,Cotswold, Jacob... the list goes on and on.

But it wasn't until I purchased my first fleece (Sequin!) that I realized just how different fibers can be. And how differently they might like to be prepped and spun! Oh, the possibilities!!

What would I like to spin? How would it behave when prepped and spun in different ways?

My plan will be fleshed out more later, I'm sure, but here's the general gist: each month I'll try out a bit of fiber from a particular breed (or cross) of sheep, bringing it from the raw or washed state all the way through a knitted swatch or two.

I know that many before me have done this. I'm hoping to find their blogs or forum posts, for inspiration and guidance. But mostly, I'm excited to learn from the sheep.

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T15:47:00.005-05:00

Man - I can't believe it's already Christmas 2010! This year has flown by.

The past few weeks have been busy, busy here in our little household. At the beginning of the month, my dad and stepmom drove over from Kentucky for a fantastic visit. We hadn't seen each other for almost 4 years, so it was really wonderful to spend several full days with them. On top of the good company, we got the chance to eat at some excellent local restaurants. (We still drool every time we think about the duck fat french fries at Salt. Mmmm!) We also toured some interesting old houses, including the stunning Garrett-Jacobs Mansion.

Unfortunately, the weather was ghastly-cold while they were here, so we didn't get to show them many of our favorite sites. And somehow, none of us managed to get a picture the entire time! I'm pretty sad about that. Hopefully we'll get to visit them next year though, and can remedy the picture situation.

Then last week, Ryan and I flew down to Florida for a whirlwind trip: 2 days in St. Augustine, 2 days in Orlando. It was our first time joining the family for Christmas at Disney.. and it was certainly magical. Christmas is so much more fun with kiddos!

We're finally getting a bit of down time; Ryan had chemo on Tuesday, so has been mostly resting since then. I made a big pot of chicken noodle soup for our Christmas dinner, and have plans to try out my new apple peeler/corer tomorrow!

I hope that Christmas and the New Year finds all of my bloggy and real-life friends happy, healthy, and warm. Merry Christmas!

Spinning Seasons

2010-12-05T08:11:00.003-05:00

The last few nice days of fall, I managed to spin outside on the deck. I've decided that I really love spinning outside - though I usually spend more time looking around than I do actually spinning.

Now that winter is upon us, I'm stuck inside, and Squirrel takes full advantage of this. During the cold seasons, Squirrel is nearly glued to me. Any time I sit down, she's immediately in my lap. She doesn't mind my treadling legs, either. Perhaps it's soothing.

I haven't gotten a whole lot spun these past few months, mostly because I was knitting. The roving below took me ages to spin.. and I'm not quite sure why. It's the Cosy Spins Falkland Fiber Club in the Rocket colorway (I forget which month). Lovely to spin, but endless!

It ended up being my first true 3ply, and boy am I glad it's done. I spun low-twist singles, and plied a bit tighter. It's pretty, very soft, and lofty. I ended up with about 270yds (pre-wash) of aran weight yarn from 3.6oz, which astounds me. Just shows how fluffy the stuff really is!

My next spinning project was on a deadline (Christmas!), and didn't take nearly as long. The fiber is a luscious blend of black Shetland, alpaca, and French Angora from Spiderweb Specialties. The angora is mostly in the form of little neps, which gives the finished yarn a nice tweedy texture.

Despite the fact that I'm allergic to some part of the roving (the alpaca, I think), it was wonderful to spin. Smells faintly of lavender, and there are little bits of vegetative matter every so often to remind you that this came from a small producer.

It was absolutely a pleasure to spin, and I'm pretty pleased that I still have plenty more left to play with. (They sell the roving in many natural colors, and it was hard to pick just one!) Like the Falkland above, I spun this into low twist singles, which I then plied slightly stronger. I ended up with over 300yds of worsted weight yarn from 4oz. Wooo! Lofty fiber really makes a difference with yardage.

I was also quite pleased with my wheel and scale. The jumbo bobbin was able to fit every last bit of the 4oz of plied yarn.. just barely!

And my little scale helped me to divide the fiber so evenly that I ended up with astonishingly little yarn left over post-plying.

Overall, a hugely satisfying and successful spin. And now I get to knit with it!

I was also finally able to get a cute picture of the "feral" cats we've been caring for. Our neighborhood, like any one around here, has lots of feral cats. We have a little family of all-black kittens that we've watched grow up this summer. A neighbor had them all spayed/neutered when they were quite young, so we've had no qualms about feeding them. They're super-friendly.

This picture shows 4 of the 6 of them, which is the best I've gotten yet. Also in the shot are Scatter, the neighbor's "feral" tabby cat, and O.K. Kitten, who Ryan and I caught and spayed a few months ago. O.K. Kitten is quite the queen, and my special favorite (shhhh!).

(O.K. stands for "Obnoxious Kitten.")

A few weeks ago, we built them winter shelters. Our neighbor also has some straw-lined shelters for them. Hopefully they'll all make it through the winter alright. They sure are sweet.

Joanna Newsom

2010-11-22T17:15:00.000-05:00

Last night, Ryan and I went to one of the best concerts I've ever been to. I've loved Joanna Newsom's voice from the moment I first heard it, her lyrics are smart, and she plays some interesting instruments. The mixing was good (as opposed to all of the other shows I've seen up here) and the venue was intimate. (Even if I thought we might be murdered in the empty parking garage.) The best surprises were the musicians that she's touring with, and the arrangements on her new and old songs. Inspired and absolutely beautiful.

Her voice has gotten stronger since this video, but this was my favorite "old" song of the night:

My only disappointment of the night was that she didn't have her harpsichord with her. :)

Happy Birthday, Jeff

2010-11-17T17:58:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe that he would've been 44 today.

Fiber Diet

2010-11-07T08:26:00.008-05:00

Since buying my wheel, I've gone a little crazy with buying fiber.

Just a bit.I won't even post pictures here, because they're far too embarrassing (if drool-inducing, heh).

I kept saying that I was going on a fiber diet, but it just never stuck. Damn etsy! But after attending the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Fest, and buying.. lessee.. 20oz of roving and (cough) 7lbs 12oz of fleece, I swore that I'd be off buying fiber/yarn until March 2011.

Somehow though, I'm still managing to acquire fibery things. Ryan brought me some very yummy yarns from England, then bought me a beautiful skein of locally grown and spun alpaca while we were in West Virginia. Mom purchased some roving from Pocket Meadow Farm for me to spin up for her, and I just won 2 skeins of Sanguine Gryphon Eidos in a West Knits contest on Ravelry. Eeek!

The contest, Westknits in the Wild!, had some fantastic entries, and was very inspiring. There were 10 winners total, and I was incredibly excited to be among them. These were the pictures (which Ryan took!), of me and Mom walking by the river. I'm in my Boneyard Shawl, and Mom is wearing my recently completed Clockwork. Isn't she gorgeous?

If you haven't knit one of Stephen West's patterns yet, you should. They're well-written, distinctive, and kinda addictive. Well, really addictive.

Coming up soon: a post on processing my first fleece! :)

Bad Blogger!

2010-10-18T16:40:00.016-04:00

Well, who's a bad blogger now? Yup, that'd be me! I keep thinking "I need to write a post!".. but then of course, I never get around to it. So I was a little horrified to see that my last post was in July..... oops!I do have a pretty good excuse for not updating the blog though - I've been busy! Almost every weekend has been packed chock-full of travel, fiber, and/or ponies. Hardly a moment for rest.

Let's see how well I can condense this. At least I have pictures to help me remember!

The end of July:

Montgomery County Farm Tour:

Chicken in the goat field, stealing the goat corn

Pigs contentedly expressing their pigness at Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary

Alpaca at Blue Ribbon Alpacas (check out his buddy's 'fro!)

Pat and Minh Chau came up for a visit the next weekend, to check out the Cylburn Arboretum. We love it there - tranquil gardens and woods, right in the middle of B'more.

Burr-in-the-beard

August! Seems to have been somewhat of a black hole month. I can only remember one thing from August.. knit day at the Mannings!

There were plenty more people there.. but this shot is of my knit night buddies. We chose to sit across the street from the store and the rest of the people - to get a great view of the river and bridge. Very peaceful.

September was wild. Ryan got a new 'do:

Super-talented Kerry hosted a knit night dye party, where she taught us about dyeing, and then let us loose with her dyes:

(This is just a small portion of the fiber we dyed!)

And then, Shenandoah Valley Fiber Fest, which actually deserves a post all it's own. Alas, I'm out of time and wind.....

I almost brought home a puppy!

(Not really, but how irresistible is this little dude!?)

But I did bring home My First Fleece!

So.. a bit of a silly & scattered post, but I feel better now that I've gotten somewhat caught up. I'm going to try to be a better blogger from now on!

Another quick one...

2010-07-26T16:28:00.005-04:00

Lots has been happening in our little house lately! I have tons of photos to post.. of ponies, the garden, food (mmm!), stray kittens, fiber, and from mini vacations.. but of course that means that I have to edit them first. And who has time for that?

These were cute even without any further help, though.

This is Ray, our new foster pup. He had just begun a promising racing career when he broke his leg. Now he's all healed up and looking for his new home. Sometimes adjusting to the "real world" can be a little difficult though, especially when you're so good-looking and are used to being King.

He's getting the hang of things quickly - smart boy! If only he were a little smaller.....

Baby did a bad bad thing

2010-07-21T18:09:00.006-04:00

During a weekend bout of unexplained insanity, I did something very bad.

I totally should have known better.

But, no.

Lust won.

She's a new-to-me Kromski Sonata. Everyone who asked me when I was getting a wheel.. you were right. :)

Stuck in my head

2010-07-15T06:04:00.003-04:00

Often, songs get stuck in my head. This one's been stuck for days, though. And I'm totally fine with that. :)

While Bob Dylan's version is the one that first got me singing, this version by the Swell Season has me smiling big:

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere

Such a great performance, I just had to share!

In other news, Ryan has upcoming appointments at Johns Hopkins and Georgetown. Looks like he won't be going right back into chemo. While that's a welcome thing, it's also a bit terrifying. I guess that's how it goes. Thank you, everyone, for your notes and support.

It begins again

2010-07-08T16:36:00.004-04:00

Things had been going so well, but we knew, in the background, that it wouldn't last. Ryan's PET/CT results have come back, and he'll have to start treatment again*.

I guess we went into it knowing that it would just be a break. But the news still sucks.

Thank you everyone for your continued thoughts, prayers, love, and support.

*Knit night ladies - I don't usually talk about it all that much, but Ryan has stage IV colon cancer. I feel now like I should've said something on Tuesday so the news isn't out of the blue. Oh well. There it is.

2010-05-30T06:40:00.009-04:00

Another busy month has flown by. Last weekend we went camping and hiking at Greenbriar State Park. This weekend we visited the Baltimore Herb Fest, had sushi in Bethesda, and have a super-special project to work on. :) Oh, plus a BBQ tomorrow. Mmmm.

In the middle of all this, I've gotten a little spinning and a little knitting done. My multi-talented knit night friend Kerry has opened her own Etsy shop, Fluffy Stuff Yarns & Fibers. Right now there's washed fleece, dyed roving, hand spun yarn, and hand dyed yarn up, all of it gorgeous! My first purchase was some of the Targhee fleece that she picked out at Sheep & Wool. I have 4oz, and it is incredible. Pictures can't do it justice (though it looks just like hand-whipped whipped cream), because it's the softness that really sets it apart. I wish you could feel!

Kerry was wonderful and loaned me her Ashford cards so that I could get my 4oz. carded and spun. I think I spend more time oggling the fiber than actually getting any real work done, though....

Sometime last week, I finished spinning up singles from a braid of Fat Cat Knits Falkland Wool in "Clay Pigeons."

I had originally envisioned fingering weight 2 ply, but my singles themselves were fingering weight (oops!), so that was obviously not happening. I settled for a 2 ply sportish weight, but when I went to ply, I hated the look. My singles didn't have enough twist, and I didn't like how the colors were mixing and getting muddied. So, I wound it all off, gave it a hot/cold/hot/cold bath, and then smacked it against the side of the tub. Ended up with this:

Couldn't be happier! I think it's what I had in mind for it all along. (I love the long color repeats.) It's 530yds, 18-20wpi.

And finally, Squirrel pictures. I feel terrible.. every time I post photos of my beautiful kitty, she's doing something ridiculous and looks like a dork. But these were too funny to keep to myself! (Plus her grandma will appreciate them!)

Squirrel will eat any green plant she can reach, so we've kept the deck mostly barren. Ryan had the idea to build her a box with grass that she can gobble up to satisfy her green craving. (So that we can put more plants out.) And gobble up she does......

I love animals!

Sheep & Wool

2010-05-15T08:34:00.011-04:00

I can't put it off any longer - I must make a Sheep & Wool post! Unfortunately, while I lugged my camera around with me all day, I only took one photo!

Yes, it's well established that I am a Dork. Oh well.

Mom and I arrived bright and early, which turned out to be a very good idea. By the time we got there, the lot had at least 100 cars in it already. And that was an hour before opening. By the time Ryan and family showed up, the (HUGE) lot was full and they had to park down the road and across the street. After waiting 1 1/2 hours to park. Not fun, I'm sure.

Mom and I had a blast though, despite it being completely overwhelming and crazy. My prize purchases are my new Bosworth (shown last post) and 6 ounces of North Ronaldsay fiber from Spirit Trail. Mom picked up a spindle from Spanish Peacock as well as some very pretty yarn and fiber. Though I hear that she's not spinning as much as she should..!!!

So that's it for Sheep & Wool 2010. At 3:30, Mom and I had an appointment for a photoshoot at the barn (just down the road from S&W). This is Scout, the barn manager's new lesson pony. Isn't he cute?!

While family was up, we also went to the Cylburn Arboretum (in Baltimore) and the National Arboretum (in D.C.). I highly recommend trips to either if you're ever in the area.

That's all for now - time to start the day! Here's to another awesome weekend!

Ply on the fly

2010-05-07T18:20:00.004-04:00

There should be a huge post coming up, since my mother and in-laws just left and Sheep & Wool has gone for another year, but here's a quick one. I think my (crafting) life has just completely changed because of this:

Ply on the fly.

[Okay, so I might be a huge dork. But if you're reading this, you probably knew that already.]

And the epiphany might not be entirely due to plying on the fly. I think the real Big Deal might be my gorgeous new Bossie. So perfectly balanced it's incredible.

Either way, I no longer dread plying. And I think my sweater knitting might be on the backburner for awhile!

Pollen

2010-04-26T15:26:00.008-04:00

It's that time of year. The time for itchy, watery eyes.. runny noses.. clogged up heads... Ugh. Pollen!

But someone sure likes it!

This year, it's effect on her was catnip-like. She couldn't get enough of it. My little honey bee.

If you click on this picture, you can sort of see the yellow haze on her coat...

Maybe it's just the season, but the colors in my latest spinning project are very Pollen. (Though when I began to ply it, parts definitely reminded me of chocolate covered bananas. Hmm.) The fiber is 4+ oz. of Finn wool from CosyMakes, purchased for me by my awesome hubby at the Homespun Yarn Party.

This was really easy to spin, though I'm still nowhere near consistent. At least the colors are pretty! :) (It's more yellow than the first photo below, but less yellow than the second.) Very squishy, very soft. I wish I had more of it!

This upcoming week is going to be an exciting one. My mom, and Ryan's mom and sister are coming up for a visit. *And* it's Sheep & Wool! We have lots of other stuff planned too.. I can't wait to get started!

Happy Spring!!

2010-04-04T14:56:00.005-04:00

Spring is finally here, and I couldn't be more excited. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous, so Ryan and I have been taking advantage of that with lots of barn, garden, and hammock. We did manage to get some spring cleaning done today as well... Oh, and Opie's is open!!

Last weekend we stopped at South Mountain Creamery on our way to West Virginia. We met lots of adorable calves and some amusing roosters. The calves (like our kitties) think that humans are only on earth to provide them with food.

There's a lot more to say about the trip.. we had a great time exploring and ate some wonderful food.. but now it's time to eat more food! ;) Happy Easter!

Blame it on Bea!

2010-03-27T08:58:00.007-04:00

Yes, I've started spinning. And it's all because of Bea and Jody. Jody posts such beautiful pictures of her handspun.. and then that Olympic sweater! So gorgeous. But Bea's Wurm is what really pushed me over the edge. So here I am... a budding spinner.

I bought a spindle kit a few weeks ago from Pacific Wool and Fiber. Not long after that, my first merino roving arrived in the mail. The timing was perfect, because as soon as that was spun up, the Homespun Yarn Party was here! Ryan, dutiful husband and expert enabler that he is, bought me quite a lot of roving to keep me busy.

So let's back up a little. That first merino roving was from Freckle Face Fibers, in "Ocean Glass." I forgot to take a photo of the braid before I dug into it, but here's a shot of some of it unwound. I was a little terrified by how much there was!

The fiber was fluffy and easy to draft, and I spun it up in about a week. Nowhere near perfect, but I'm working on that. ;)

Plying it was interesting - I'm definitely going to have to work on that. I think I put a lot of twist in the singles, and then tried to put a lot in during plying as well. I'm not sure how that will work out in when I start knitting, but the yarn looks pretty similar to what I envisioned. The finished yarn is 2 skeins of about 70yds each, and varies from dk to aran weight.

The Homespun Yarn Party was a blast. Yes, it was a little warm.. and yes, it was very crowded.. but it was totally worth it. All of the vendors were super-friendly (and talented!).

I ended up bringing home 4oz. of BFL from Wild Hare, 4.25oz. of Finn Wool from Cosymakes, and 3 2oz. braids of merino cross combed top from Folktale Fibers. I've already broken into the blue braid - spun up about 50yds of fingering weight singles. I put a bit too much twist in, but that was because I was actually planning on plying it. But I think I want to spin all of the merino cross up as fingering weight singles and then (someday!) crochet a granny square scarf with it. Someday. Maybe.

Ryan and I are headed out for a weekend in WV soon, so I supposed I should go get ready. But.. Happy Spring! And thanks, Bea and Jody! :)

Time

2010-03-25T21:32:00.007-04:00

Feels like it's been awhile. Or maybe a lot has happened.

Miss Radar has been adopted...

..and the house is a bit more empty...

But I guess that's a good thing, because now I have more time to spend with my pony. And apparently we really need it.

Don't ask.

But I also have more time for basking in the warmth (in my hammock), gardening, knitting, and my two new time-sucks: knit night and spinning. More on the latter later.

Because now it's time for bed. 'Night!

Thank you!

2010-02-25T19:22:00.004-05:00

Thank you everyone for the kind comments on my finished knits and photos. Those definitely brighten my days.

These past few days have been a bit weird, for some reason. The worst of it was the death of a starving, freezing, terrified stray kitten that Ryan, myself, and a few neighbors had been trying to coax into the warmth. Poor little one was so tiny, but so loud. I feel awful that we couldn't save her.

But at least I do have my silly fat Squirrel-cat, who chose my steps to sleep under 5 years ago.

And I have Radar for a bit longer, too.

Who wouldn't fall in love with those hopeful eyes?

Well.. chili's done (I hear it's National Chili Day?), so I'd better go heat up the bread!

Percy

2010-02-21T06:47:00.007-05:00

I've finally knit my first full-sized shawl. Kind of a personal knitting watershed moment. Now I can certainly knit anything! ;) I remember being mystified the first time I picked up a lace chart, thinking that surely it would take me ages to knit anything from that. But after knitting many cabled pieces from charts, lace is no big deal. Much easier since there's no cabeling, actually!

Anyway. Here is Percy.

Percy is massive. 6 feet wingspan, massive. Well, maybe that only seems huge to me, who's never knit a proper shawl before. But really, I have no idea what to do with it. Here's a shot of it blocking on the futon:

It spilled over each end.

Thankfully, Percy is also gorgeous.

I don't think I'll ever wear it, but it was a great deal of fun to knit. The pattern is free, well-written, well-documented, and changes quickly. Plus if you change the number of repeats of any of the charts, you can end up with a very different shawl. Mine was knit exactly as the pattern is written. Other versions are on Ravelry, and are very pretty.

My version was knit from Zen Garden's Luxurious Lace (50% silk, 50% merino) in color Midnight. I reluctantly passed it up at the Cloverhill booth at last year's Sheep & Wool.. but couldn't refuse it again when I saw it at the store after the Fest. Oddly enough, it's almost exactly the same color (but with some variation) and yarn as the Zephyr that I knit my Swallowtail with. Guess I "needed" a gray-blue shawl?

Anyway. I love it, and I'm proud of it. And I can't wait to make another! Though I don't think that makes any sense at all. ;)

Sweaters

2010-02-11T15:34:00.011-05:00

Being snowed in allowed me to take the time to find, learn about, and use my camera remote. (Not that using it is difficult. At all. But from the notes on Amazon, you'd think it was rocket science.) So I spent 2 afternoons taking pictures of some finished objects that didn't previously have modeled pictures.

And let me tell you, it's weird taking pictures of yourself.

Do you cut off your head? It's only the knits you're after, so who needs a face?

Do you look serious?

Do you look mad?

Goofy?

Or do you just go crazy?

I honestly still don't know.

The green cardigan is Mrs. Darcy, knit with 3 skeins of Harrisville New England Highland in the most amazing green. It's a bit wide at the shoulders, but other than that, I love it. Very wearable, especially on top of my favorite outfit. :)

Rav link for Mrs. D.

The orange pullover is Kate Davies's very popular Owls. I completed this over one holiday weekend in the fall. It's actually been on the blog before - Mom took some great photos of it last time she was up for a visit.

It's probably my best-fitting sweater yet, thanks to the fact that I tried it on every hour or so while knitting it. Had I not done that, it would've been enormous. As usual.

My Owlie took 6 skeins of Classic Elite's Skye Tweed, which I think is now discontinued. :(

Rav link for Owlie.

That's all for now. I have some photos of my first finished object of 2010, but that's for some other day.

P.S.

2010-02-10T17:30:00.001-05:00

Squirrel just informed me that I forgot to include her picture in the last post. So, here she is, being thankful she's an indoor kitty:

Happy now, Squirrel?

Snow.

2010-02-10T16:57:00.009-05:00

We survived the first snow with no major catastrophes. Ryan made it home safely (if grumpily). And I went on several awesome walks. The day after the big snow was clear and sunny. Perfect walking weather!

There's a definite air of festivity once the sky clears and people emerge. Neighbors collaborate on ideas for snow removal and car excavation. Music and laughter abound. And the local Farm Store becomes The Destination.

Unfortunately, just as Baltimore was starting to get all of us dug out, it began to snow again. I'm a bit dismayed because the our roads haven't really been plowed - and it looks like I may not make it to work (or anywhere else for that matter) for the rest of the week. One more foot of snow on top of almost 3 feet of packed snow.. no good!

But we're safe, warm, and have plenty of food and water. And since Ryan's home this time around, he got shovel duty! ;)

And he baked some pound cake, which I'm going to go eat now...

No more snow!

Apparently not.

2010-02-06T12:49:00.013-05:00

Ryan's gone off to N.C. to visit friends. And I'm snowed in. Very.

Can you find my car?

Yeah, that's my side mirror.

So what's a girl to do?

Bake.

Knit (while watching Torchwood).

Take pictures.

Play with a "new" (rescued from the depths of the closet) camera remote.

Drink coffee. (Don't worry - it's not done yet.)

Oh, and of course, play in the snow!

Fun, fun!!

Are we there yet?

2010-01-30T08:47:00.006-05:00

I know I'm not alone in feeling that spring is long overdue. 20 degree days make just about everything not-fun, unless you happen to enjoy swollen, cracked fingers and snotcicles. ;)

Even Squirrelly is ready for some warmth.

My riding has been very sporadic, and even my knitting has slowed down to monogamy. (Of course, that might be the backlash from the insane holiday multi-project marathon...) 2010 might become my year of selfish knitting. I have at least 8 sweaters worth of yarn, and numerous design ideas floating around in my head. We'll see what comes of that.

Ryan and I spent last Saturday afternoon spending Christmas money at the Red Canoe. I do think it's a very good use of a cold day and extra money... I forgot to take a picture, but we also got a half dozen of their incredible muffins. Perhaps we'll spend this Saturday afternoon there as well. ;)

So that's about all. Except, I think I may need to knit a pair (or 3!) of these!

Spring, anyone??

2009 Knits

2010-01-04T15:09:00.002-05:00

2009 was my most productive knitting year thus far. I was surprised to look back and realize that I completed 4 adult-sized sweaters (and half-completed 2 more). Yay!

I already have at least 9 sweaters queued up to knit in 2010. I'll be interested to see how many I actually get around to! There are finally plenty of hats and scarves piled around the house, so perhaps this will be the year of the sweater. (Maybe the year of lace though.. I cast on for Percy just this morning!)

New York City

2010-01-03T10:24:00.014-05:00

When my mom was little, she used to go into NYC with her dad to celebrate her birthday. Her birthday being so close to Christmas made it a perfect time to go - the city was even more decked out and sparkly than usual. It's been years since Mom has been to NYC in December, so it was time for another trip!

Ken, Ryan, Mom, and I took a very long drive to NJ, where we stopped at a friend's house and devoured her wonderful homemade eggplant parmesan. Dottie and her son then escorted us (through high winds and cold rain) halfway to the city on the train. Somehow, after they turned back for home, we managed to board the wrong Path train into the city and ended up far from our hotel. We got some help in the subway though, and finally made it to our warm beds.

We took full advantage of the warm(ish) weather and clear skies our first day there to walk 50 blocks to Central Park, and then all throughout the park. The boys donned their Christmas hats. (On the left is Ryan's Botanic, knit with "lettuce" Malabrigo and black Paton's merino. Ken's Koolhaas is on the right, in "Vaa" Malabrigo.)

I was very excited to see Tom Petty in bronze: ;)

And the Guggenheim was gorgeous.

The lobby of the Empire State Building was absolutely incredible. The craftsmanship that went into making this building is rare, and it looked impeccably maintained.

Our second (and final) day in the city started off with fantastically yummy bagels. We managed to see a lot, including Habu Textiles, Purl Soho, Murray's Cheese, and Uniqlo.

I was fascinated by the architecture in the city, and took more pictures of buildings than anything else.

I'd love to go back again, perhaps with a bit more pre-planning and a bit more time to spend. It was quite a trip!

White Christmas

2009-12-24T06:10:00.005-05:00

We have snow. Lots of it. (Don't laugh - 20" is a lot for MD!) The dog thinks she's a Husky...

The cat, while first being quite sure he wanted out, is now quite sure he loves indoors....

Icicles galore... (I think that means our insulation hasn't been updated since the 40's...)

I hope yours is a warm, merry Christmas!

Tuck in B&W

2009-12-17T19:40:00.001-05:00

Been a bit busy...

2009-11-21T19:13:00.003-05:00

No, she's not ours. :( But another foster pup! Isn't she cute?

She loves Ryan!

Racing Stripes

2009-11-21T08:06:00.007-05:00

Unfortunately, they don't make her go any faster.

And she still prefers this:

(Kinda) huntin' kitties

2009-11-10T18:05:00.009-05:00

The cats, who are strictly indoor cats, think the deck is a Really Great Place.

They stalk. They pounce. They kill. They devour.

Such brave kitties.

Kinda.

Mud ponies!

2009-11-02T17:47:00.009-05:00

There's been lots of rain lately. Which means lots of mud. And some very muddy ponies.

Anybody want a pesky Morgan gelding?

He's really quite adorable...

I'm not sure how sad Indy would be to see him go. Indy's a bit of a saint to put up with all the antics next door.

But Prince Charming would certainly love to meet you! :)

And Brecca would love for Ryan to share the peppermints.

(My pony, muddiest of all the mud ponies, has eaten them all, though!)

Fall!

2009-11-01T11:01:00.018-05:00

As seems to be usual this year, we've had a lot going on lately. Fall is fully underway.. complete with a visit from Mom, apple picking, sweater knitting, trail rides, yard work (sometimes), fiber festivals, comfort food, and Christmas knitting.

Mom's visit was jam-packed. Saturday we drove to Virginia for the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Fest. There were bunnies, llamas, and alpaca galore, as well as lots of fantastic local fibers. It wasn't nearly as huge and nutty as MD Sheep and Wool. The vendors all had time to talk about their animals, their dyeing, and their spinning. I was a little sad to see that people weren't buying as voraciously as they do at Sheep and Wool, but I hope that sales picked up on (less rainy) Sunday.

I picked up the last/only 2 skeins of rust-colored sport weight 100% Romney wool from Day Spring Farm. I was able to (barely) resist its calls the first 3 times I went by, but only because there wasn't enough for a sweater. I finally decided that I could find *something* to do with it, and happily made it mine. My only other purchase that day was a skein of luminescent silver 80% baby alpaca, 20% bamboo fingering weight from Maple Creek Yarn. Should make a perfect scarf or shawl. Had I had more money on hand, and no Christmas-yarn-buying to do, I would have purchased much, much more. Most of the vendors don't sell (or don't sell much) online, so it was a great opportunity to support small local farms/artists.

After the fiber fest, we stopped at Harper's Ferry. I hadn't known that there was so much there to see. I highly recommend a visit.

Sunday began with the requisite visit with Mom's favorite fuzzy grandkid, Miss Adventure.

From the barn, we went to Larriland Farm for some apple picking. Unfortunately, so did the rest of Howard and the surrounding counties!

Then it was off to Frederick, for some strolling, yummy Italian food, and more yarn. Whew!

**Thanks to Mom for the majority of the photos in the post....

Weekends at the barn

2009-09-26T08:48:00.009-04:00

Yesterday started out not-so-good, then turned into a very good day.

Ryan had a colonoscopy, which went well after he finally got checked in. The woman at the front desk was a bit harried, and didn't realize that he'd signed in. So, over an hour after his appointment was due to start, Ryan finally was taken back for the procedure. Thankfully, everything went smoothly, and he was out quickly. He's generally very talkative when coming out of anesthesia, and yesterday was no exception. He was quite amusing. Next time I'll try to catch it on tape.

After scarfing down some lunch, we began our next adventure. A barn friend had asked me to videotape her lesson that afternoon. Nearly two hours of driving later, we pulled up at the gorgeous farm where she boards her horse. We were loudly and enthusiastically greeted first by the resident pair of German Shepherds, and then by the resident pair of Chinese Cresteds. Ryan chose a seat in the gallery, and was immediately joined by Cutie.

Cookie, on the other hand, was not quite so happy to have strangers at the barn.

We watched a few rides, half-filmed one of them (darn dead batteries!), and thoroughly enjoyed the company. By the time 7 o'clock rolled around, we were once again starving, so made our way through the countryside to Nido Italiano in Frederick. It was our second visit, and we were once again very happily surprised. They serve real garlic bread (spicy garlic! mmm!), homemade sauces, and homemade pastas. YUM.

On the way out of Frederick, we hit some traffic. Turns out the carnival's in town! I very much wanted to stop for photos and funnel cakes, but we still had an hour's drive ahead of us.

All in all, a very good day.

Last weekend, Ryan ventured out to the barn with me on Sunday. Another gorgeous day. I took advantage of having another person around, asking him to hold Addy for me while I snapped some photos.

I got one decent one before Miss Adventure decided that one of us must have treats for her somewhere.

Was it mom?

No. Possibly Dad?

Nope.

Poor Addy.

Here's to many more beautiful fall weekends at the barn!

Knitterly weather, knitterly things

2009-09-20T09:08:00.009-04:00

The weather this weekend has been incredible. Crisp, clear.. very fall! Sweater weather! (Almost.)

This is my Tempest cardigan, knit this past spring from 2 skeins of the Woolen Rabbit's Harmony sock yarn. It's not actually complete, since I haven't finished the hems and the button band needs to be re-done. That hasn't kept me from wearing it often!

It knit up quickly and mindlessly - it's a great pattern. I have plans for at least one more, though that one will likely end up a scoop neck pullover instead of a cardigan. Rav link.

Labor Day weekend we had our first hint of fall, and I cast on immediately for the Owls sweater. Mine was knit with Classic Elite's sadly discontinued Skye Tweed, which is a lighter weight yarn than the pattern called for. However, modification was easy, thanks to all the notes on Ravelry.

I completed the sweater in 4 days, and blocked beautifully. Hopefully I'll get some action shots of it soon. The owls are adorable! Rav link.

And of course, with fall, the Christmas knitting season has officially begun. This hat ended up a bit too big for its intended recipient, but that's okay, 'cause it's gorgeous. The photos are dark and the hat unfinished, but trust me.

This is Stephen West's Botanic Hat. Since it's a two-color hat from worsted yarn, it's great for using up those little leftover balls laying around. And if you're a knitter and somehow haven't checked out Stephen's other designs, do! They're fun, innovative, and very wearable.

Botanic (rav link) is reversible. I can't decide which side I like best. This one, my first, is knit with Cascade 220 in light gray and Malabrigo in Stonechat (which Mom purchased for me several years ago in Richmond, and became a very long scarf with just a little leftover...). If I didn't have plans to use all my leftovers for a stripey pullover, I'd have about 6 of these hats already...

There are other Christmas knits as well as baby knits, but I'm feeling a bit too rambly today. So, some other day!

Florida cont'd

2009-09-05T09:04:00.002-04:00

While in Florida, I was given several yarny gifts. I requested some washcloths from my mother for Christmas.. well, Christmas came early! She let me pick from a stack of them, and I chose 3. This one is my favorite:

I love the way the colors pooled.

The other 2 are actually for Ryan. A nice guy-friendly blue/green cotton one, and a beautiful linen one. I may just have to use the linen one from time to time...

I love handknit washcloths, but never take the time to make them for myself. So these are a big treat. Thanks again, Mom! :)

My grandmother also had a few surprises for me. The first is an afghan of cream, white, and pea green. It's been in the family for years, but I can't remember ever seeing it before. It's just perfect.

Her other surprise for me was a box of Angora yarn that she purchased in Atlanta over 30 years ago. The yarn is stunningly light and soft. Little bits have been used as accents on special projects throughout the years. I hope to continue that, slowly, with the rest of the box.

In my last post, I mentioned visiting the farm. Our visit happened to coincide with a driving lesson for Dafydd. It's been quite awhile since I last watched this pair drive.. they make such a good team!

It's obvious where Addy gets her temperment, work ethic, and talent!

That's all for now, though I am due for a knit post....

Vacation!

2009-08-21T22:30:00.007-04:00

Ryan and I recently got back from a week long visit with the family in Florida. I was so happy to be back with everyone, but a little sad to see how big my nieces and nephews have gotten in our absence. I wish that we lived closer and could spend more time with them before they're all grown up and off to college.

There was lots of splashing in the pools...

Some walking on the beach...

Sand castle construction (and destruction)...

Quiet neighbors...

Obligatory afternoon storms...

And a trip to the farm. (More on that later.)

There was also of course lots of good food, but I was generally too busy when it was around to snap any photos. ;)

I miss it already.

Chaos?

2009-08-03T18:23:00.011-04:00

My desk is a bit of a mess. Perhaps there was a yarn explosion. Or, at least, some yarn multiplication. No finished projects in awhile, just a lot of teeny tiny stockinette and a good deal of frogging.

There is a half-finished cardigan. Paper Crane, designed by Kirsten Johnstone. Certainly the most ambitious project I've embarked upon thus far... laceweight linen from Habu, nearly 1 mile of it when completed.

I still have the arms to go, obviously. But I couldn't resist blocking it and reveling in the incredible color and drape of this yarn.

The garden is a mess as well. We've had a week of rain, and the plants are overjoyed. I love it!

My therapist

2009-07-25T06:50:00.003-04:00

Look at that sweet face. I love my pony.

Not-so-new knits

2009-06-28T19:45:00.011-04:00

These have both been finished for a full year, and I've only now gotten around to blocking them and taking photos. Absurd, considering that I'm very happy with both!

Drawstring Chemise, by Connie Chang Chinchio
from Interweave Knits, Spring 2008
Blue Sky Alpaca Skinny Dyed Cotton, 3 skeins "Squash"
US 1 & 2 needles
Rav link

A fun, quick knit. I only took so long to block it because I couldn't find a cheap white camisole to wear underneath it. But I finally found one, and wore the top out yesterday in Alexandria. No one even asked it I made it myself - yay!

I modified this to knit in the round, slipping the "seam" stitches. That ended up being a pretty little detail. I also modified stitch counts because I couldn't get gauge.

I completely love it, and have a feeling that there will be more of these in my future.

Then for something completely different:

Swallowtail Shawl, by Evelyn A. Clark
from Interweave Knits, Fall 2006
Fiddlesticks Knitting Zephyr, less than 1 skein "Blueberry"
US 2 needles
Rav link

Not a whole lot to say about this, other than that I'm smitten. I think I took close to 100 pictures of it. (Thank goodness for digital cameras!)

The Honeycomb Blanket has momentarily stalled - I'm trying to finish my Paper Crane in time for a trip to Florida in August. With 8.5 inches of the body finished, I'm feeling mildly optimistic... but wish me luck! ;)

Pony pictures

2009-06-27T14:51:00.005-04:00

Ryan has been awesome enough to take some pony pictures for me in the past:

He does a nice job, doesn't he?

Well, I've been making friends out at the barn, and so Ryan doesn't have to come out as often.

Addy has taken very well to working again. She has such a fantastic temperment - always ready and willing to do whatever I have planned for the day. I've really been enjoying lessons with our new instructor as well. Though I can only afford 2 lessons a month, I feel like we're progressing nicely. Christine constantly pushes us to try new things, operating on the philosophy that if you don't push the envelope, you won't move forward.

Well, we're off to Alexandria, VA for the afternoon. Tomorrow Christine rides at the PVDA Ride for Life show, and I'm going to get to really watch her ride for the first time. I'm excited! Pictures of that later...

Crazy garden

2009-06-20T08:15:00.015-04:00

The front garden is finished for this year. I made it about halfway across the hill, but have run out of inspiration. That's probably a good thing, because when I get the bug next year, I'll actually still have somewhere to plant. ;)

Being the dork that I am, I have plotted the layout of my garden in a pdf. Eventually it will also include pruning and fertilizing schedules for each of the plants, but.. that's for some other rainy day. And I won't bore you with that here. Instead, pictures!

The inspiration for this plot was crazy cottage gardens. My color scheme was to be mainly lavender and white, with some yellow here and there. Big plusses for plants with a propensity for spreading rapidly, for attracting butterflies/bees, and with long blooming times.

What cottage garden would be complete without a happy little English Lavender ("Jean Davis")?

Added some Salvia ("May Night" and "Snow Hill"), as well as some wild Bergamot / Bee Balm.

Some creeping thyme precariously placed by the parking pad.. as well as some catmint ("Little Titch") that the neighborhood cats have joyfully destroyed. A bit of baby's breath underneath a silvery juniper. The yellow was taken care of by some tickseed ("Jethro Tull" - pictured in a previous post), and the MD state flower: black-eyed Susan. Neither is blooming at the moment, so no pictures of those...

Then my whole color scheme was destroyed with the addition of another variety of bee balm:

Yes, it really is HOT pink. And I love it. Who knew. I guess it will be a crazy cottage garden after all.

The walkway around the side of the house is quite a sight right now, with lilies blooming in our yard and the neighbor's.

They're far from my favorite color, but are kinda cool paired with the tiger's eye sumac that we planted last year. It's chartreuse. And pink. Wheeee!

For some reason the colors of my photos are different once they've been uploaded by blogger. :/ I tried to get the color on this plant correct, because it really is weird.. but they've thwarted that plan. Oh well.

Happy gardening!

New toy!

2009-06-19T06:07:00.004-04:00

I got a new toy for my camera! A Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens. Yay!

I'm going to have lots of fun with this, I think!

Keeping busy

2009-06-07T13:14:00.012-04:00

Weeks have been flying by. Friday night brought PJ Harvey and John Parish to the Warner Theater in D.C. Amazing venue. Kick-ass concert. I've had a bit of a crush on PJ for the past 8 years or so. Now it's full-blown love. ;) Oh my.

Lots of knitting:

Boneyard Shawl, from Watch Stephen Knit
less than 2 skeins Garnstudio DROPS Silke-Tweed (droool!)
size 5 Knitpicks Options needles

*Love* this. Started and finished just in time to pack it away for the summer.

And some cute baby knits for co-worker Jackie's upcoming grandbaby:

Baby Surprise Jacket, by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Koigu KPM & KPPM mill ends
size 5 Knitpicks Options needles

Oh-so-retro.

And the as yet unfinished Honeycomb Stroller Blanket.

There hasn't been nearly as much hammock-ing as I'd hoped. We've had lots of rainy days. But the view, when we're able to get one, is great. Too bad I get blurry pictures because the hammock swings.... (Though this one is intentionally blurry. Why fight it?)

Tuck has been doing much window-hunting:

And now it's Hammock Time.

Weekends outside

2009-06-01T18:10:00.001-04:00

Gardens are way too much fun. I'm very happy to have a yard. My plants seem very happy to populate the yard. All is well.

I love how vigorously most of the plants came back in the spring, after withering away for the winter. The foxgloves are my favorites right now - I'm horrified to think that I almost tore them out because they were so wimpy last year! The rains we had took down my purple foxglove, but my white one is going strong with 8 wands of flowers.. one of which is at least 4 feet tall. It's stunning.

The weather has been perfect (in between the rainy days), so Ryan and I have spent a lot of time outside. Last weekend we took a spontaneous trip out to western Maryland, to ride the steam train and do some mild hiking. [He has more about the trip on his blog.]

We were surprised this weekend to find ourselves with a new deck. Ryan called on Wednesday to find out when construction might start, and a crew was out the next morning. The deck was finished by Friday afternoon, and a grill was set up on Saturday. So of course we had to celebrate.. twice...

All in all, life's been good. Exhausting, but good. I love spring.

Long weekend...

2009-05-10T18:57:00.008-04:00

In short, this:

became..

(..not quite there...)

This!

Unfortunately, that's only about 1/4 of the width of our hill. I still have much to do:

Heartthrob, the neighborhood Watch Cat, proved once again what a helpful guy he is.

At least he's cute.

Whew. Time for Thai!

Done for another year

2009-05-05T06:17:00.004-04:00

Well, Sheep & Wool is over 'til next year. We had a blast - I think we visited even more vendors this year. So many talented people out there! I was encouraged by the huge number of people at the fest, even though it was a rainy Saturday. I'm not sure if spending was down, but surely attendance was up!

I scored some awesomely retro-flavored Koigu (my first) at a mill ends sale. The best part about that was that the skeins were all much smaller than usual, so I picked out 5 colors for the price of 2. It's already been cast-on for a Baby Surprise Jacket for a friend's grandbaby. Pictures soon.. I can't even begin to describe the colors.

My only other yarny purchase was 3 skeins of Fleece Artist Blue Face Leicester sock yarn that's the most gorgeous dark silvery blues. This is destined to become an Apres Surf Hoodie. I think.

The rest of the weekend was spent taking Mom and Erin around to our favorite eateries. Of course, we didn't have time to hit them all.. but we gave it our best shot. I really enjoyed having them around - they're so much fun. Plus I get a big kick out of seeing how similar we are in behavior...

I also had a movie buddy in the form of Mom. It's nearly impossible to get Ryan to sit down and watch an entire movie - which kills me because I adore movies. I think Mom likes them even more than I do though.

A post is barely a post without pictures, so I'll have to post some soon. But that seems like entirely too much work at 6 in the morning. ETA: pictures! From Erin. My camera didn't want to brave the rain.

First lessons

2009-04-22T19:16:00.004-04:00

I've had my first 2 riding encounters with my new instructor, and am now even more excited to be at the new farm.

Wednesday was a rainy rainy, but since the barn is 40-something miles from the lab, I figured I'd make my way out anyway. The weather cleared up beautifully, but there was a worrisome black storm cloud looming a few miles from the barn. I decided that since no one else was around, let alone tacking a horse, I'd go ahead and ride. (The indoor we have access to on M, T, W, and Sa is Small). Silly me forgot to check the other barn.. Christine was tacking up a very cool grey horse. She was kind enough to invite me into the indoor with her to ride. Since I was all tacked up at that point and it had started pouring, I accepted.

Addy was quite unhappy about the situation. She had never been in an indoor that *enclosed* before (the indoors in FL tend to be just covered, rather than actually indoors). Not to mention that the wind was making papers flutter on the wall (oh my!), the rain was pounding on the tinny roof, and a Big Gray Monster was being lunged (complete with whip popping noises) in the opposite corner. She sucked herself up into a little ball and did her best impression of a spring-loaded racehorse. Completely uncharacteristic for my pony, and not what I wanted Christine to see for her first ride. Oh well. I walked some circles, trying to keep her from exploding, and barely succeeding. When Christine was done lunging her horse, she climbed aboard him and then took control of the situation. Her coaching turned us from a bouncy ball of energy to a bent, almost supple, almost rhythmic pair in about 5 minutes. I was utterly amazed. Her biggest complaint was that I ride like I'm trying not to make any mistakes and "hurt" my pony. Which is spot on.

Yesterday was my first scheduled lesson with Christine, and it was too cool. Again, within minutes of Christine opening her mouth, my pony was a different animal. She bent better than ever, came properly through, and started tracking up under herself at the walk and trot. No work at all, except I actually had to Ride (ie: wrap my legs around her and ride her with my seat). I am completely confident that we have the right instructor to bring us as far as the pair of us can go. Yay!!

New farm!

2009-04-19T08:53:00.007-04:00

Addy has safely settled into her new home. Yay!

The views aren't *quite* as gorgeous, and we've lost the incredible trails.. but everything else is fantastic! Addy (the plump little dumpling) is now in boot camp. No more grass 24/7, 4 days a week of work. Poor pony. ;) She definitely tries to convince me she's being starved, but she's clearly enjoying the daily attention she receives from the barn staff and her rides. She's such a people-pony.

We now have access to 2 indoor arenas, 2 outdoors, a little loop of a trail, and (soon, hopefully) a track. Even better, the barn manager and head trainer are extremely competent and inspiring.. and the boarders are all very active. Woohoo! Heaven!

I've yet to schedule my first lesson with Christine, but am looking forward to it. She seems to be very exacting, which I like. I want someone who will help Addy and I reach our fullest potential. First we need to get into shape - but I don't think that will take terribly long.

She's not looking too bad for a pony who's been out of work for 6+ months, is she? I, on the other hand, could definitely use some help with my seat/legs/position...

Pony goals

2009-04-13T16:35:00.003-04:00

With Addy's move actually in sight, I'm once again getting very excited about riding. I can now pick up Dressage Today without feeling depressed, and I daydream about sweat-drenched summer afternoons at the barn.

This will be a new beginning for us. Since we've both been out of work, correcting bad habits (hopefully) won't be too difficult. She's been out in a pasture using her body as she naturally should, not being forced into any unnatural way of going by an uncoordinated me.

I've been thinking a lot about my goals for the two of us. It's been over two years since we've been in training, and that's quite a long time. So first, we need to get fit. While she's trotting long easy curves on the track, I'll try not to interfere. I'm going to concentrate more on my own body, making sure I'm correct.

My long term goal is to be a balanced, effective rider with a balanced, happy horse. I'm hopeful that I've finally found the right trainer and facility in Maryland. It's taken a few years, and several tries, but I think we've got it this time. Time will tell.

Lime Green & Tangerine!

2009-04-11T16:42:00.006-04:00

I'm totally, utterly, drawn to make this quilt. Nevermind the fact that I don't really know how to sew. And the fact that I don't have (and don't want) a sewing machine. My great grandma could make giant, gorgeous quilts by hand - why can't I? ;)

Monday afternoon, in between appointments for Addy, I stopped by Jo Ann's Fabrics and picked up some, well, fabric. (Go figure.) Who knows what possessed me, but I have jumped right into a [Top Secret] sewing project. I've found that I actually really like sewing.. In my usual style, I immediately had grand plans to sew shirts and skirts for myself. Since I find it so difficult to buy anything in my size, it seems like a great idea. Except, not. I think I'm going to have to think about it a little more. I need another hobby like I need another kitty.

Lately I've found monogamous knitting difficult. Perhaps it's all the changes in weather (warm days make me want to knit linen or bamboo tops.. chilly ones bring on visions of warm woolly sweaters)... perhaps it's also the influence of Ravelry. Either way, I have too many projects on the needles to keep track of.

Also in knitting news - I won a contest over at Cloverhill! My prize was a gift certificate to Three Irish Girls, and I have absolutely no idea how to spend it. There are way too many gorgeous choices! Thank you Jolene and the women at Three Irish Girls!

On a completely unrelated note, Ryan and I had late lunch at the Red Canoe today. (Killer blueberry muffins, I swear!) A couple brought their large, lovely greyhound to sit with them on the back porch. While there are definite downsides to having a dog at this point in our lives, I can't help missing having a grey around. They're such cool, soulful dogs.

Someday!

Sheep & Wool!!

2009-04-03T06:44:00.003-04:00

Life's been full of ups and downs lately.. Ryan just had his 3rd round of chemo, we had a fantastic trip to Florida, and I *still* haven't gotten Addy moved. (The last is a huge source of stress for me right now - I've had her new farm picked out for a month now, but just can't seem to get it all properly worked out.)

But good news is on the horizon! Sheep & Wool, Maryland's huge fiber fest, is in less than a month! I know that non-fiber types think I'm crazy for even considering attending this event. I wish I could drag them all along.. all the adorable lambs and alpacas are sure to convert them instantly. And then all the colors and textures will hit them....

Admittedly, my favorite part about Sheep & Wool is that my mom and sister are coming up for it, just like last year. That's actually the last time I saw my sister, a fact I can hardly believe. And it's been almost as long since I've seen Mom, so this visit is well past-due.

However, I'm also pretty excited about seeing a lot of indie yarns in person. I've had iffy luck this past year with buying yarn online.. often when it arrives, it's not quite the color I expected. (Though it is almost always gorgeous anyway.) So one of my first stops at Sheep & Wool will be to the Cloverhill booth, where Jolene has gathered yarn from many different indie dyers. (One stop shopping!) She'll be posting about these dyers on her blog as well as holding contests up until S&W. So check her blog out!

Last year I went to S&W with a project list and my budget in cash. This was extremely useful, since I was able to buy yarn for specific projects on my "to knit" list. The year before, I came home with several random skeins of gorgeous yarn that I had no plans for. Cowls are always nice, but I think I will get more for my money if I figure out what I "need" beforehand.

Today's Friday, Rita's is open for the season, and there's a native plant sale this weekend. Things are looking up.

Bad kitties

2009-03-08T13:58:00.006-04:00

Our cats don't really like each other. They do, however, like sunshiney windows. And too-long bunched-up curtains.

Can you tell who's the boss? (That look of annoyance on his face!)

Tuck successfully defended his prized throne. But that's okay, because Squirrel got the good view later:

Isn't she adorable?

Home for a pony

2009-02-21T13:42:00.004-05:00

My girlie's looking for a new home. Not a new mom, mind you.. just a new home.

We both like the farm she's at now, but there are some issues. 1) Buddies. No one out there ever rides, so the inspiration I so desperately need to make me seriously ride just does not exist. Addy's prime years are being wasted away. 2) Facilities. Being a Florida girl, I didn't quite realize the necessity of an indoor arena. Not only am I not disciplined enough to ride outside when it's 30 degrees.. but the footing freezes! Ugh. 3) Grass. There's just too much of the stuff! Leaving Adventure on pasture 24/7 will surely end poorly. I do not want a foundered pony. Unfortunately, the farm we're at will not stall boarders' horses, and I do not want to muzzle Addy 12 hours a day if we have an alternative.

So I've been farm shopping, which is no easy task! Yesterday I visited 2 farms, and I'm hoping to visit a few more in the coming weeks. My ideal farm would be small, have an active group of dressage riders, offer full care stall board* with group turnout, have knowledgeable caretakers, and be within a 30 minute drive of home. Too bad all that, if it even exists, will cost far more than I'm able to afford....

We'll see. We have until the arrival of spring to get this sorted out.

*A happy alternative would be group turnout, 8-12 hours on pasture, the rest on a dry lot. Unfortunately, most farm managers up here don't seem to understand that while ugly, dry lots are necessary for some horses.

2009 Knits (so far)

2009-01-28T08:26:00.005-05:00

I don't feel much like typing, so here:

Cashmere Cowl from The Purl Bee
1 skein naturally dyed cashmere from Habu, A-169
size 6 bamboo needles
Rav link

This thing is light as a feather, and not good for actual winter weather. It also stretches/sags a lot when wearing, but is easily pulled back into shape. But who cares - it feels amazing and is completely gorgeous (in a rustic sort of way).

Turn a Square from Brooklyn Tweed
less than 1 skein Noro Kureyon, less than 1 skein Plymouth Galway Highland Heather
size 4 & 6 bamboo needles
Rav

My 3rd TaS, this one for my brother. 'Nuff said.

Shedir by Jenna Wilson, from Knitty
less than 1 skein Sundara Sport Merino (discontinued) in Grass
size 1 Addi Turbos and DPNs
Rav

My favorite* of the bunch thus far - finally got to use my Sundara Sport Merino. Other than the color though, which is a brilliant green with touches of yellow, I wasn't terribly impressed with the yarn. (Maybe that's why it's discontinued?) All sorts of un-soft.. and I love wool. Guess the superwash is to blame.

With my husband's surgery** coming up, I was desperate for something to knit in the waiting room. I'd planned on knitting a Tempest, but for all the yarn I'd ordered, I couldn't figure out which 2 colors to use. So I needed a new project, and quick. I don't swatch for hats, and I had the yarn, pattern, and needles.. so Shedir was it. The project worked well - it was interesting enough to keep me occupied, but not anything near demanding. And since it's all cabley and knit on less-than-worsted yarn, it lasted. And lasted. All through the waiting room, all through the hospital stay. Perfect.

* So it fits, the pattern is gorgeous, the yarn is cheery for these winter days. Why don't I completely love it? It reminds me of the surgery, the waiting, the pain, the uncertainty. I suspect someday I'll adore it, and will wear it constantly, but.. not yet.

** The surgery was a colon resection. We found out about a month ago that Ryan has colon cancer. He starts chemotherapy in about a month, so I'm guessing I'm going to have lots of little knitting projects going on.

Happy 1 Year

2009-01-17T08:51:00.003-05:00

Ryan and I celebrated our first anniversary last weekend. Our excitement about a last-minute stay at a gorgeous country B&B was dampened by upset tummies. Plans for hiking and eating thus squashed, we spent most of the time curled up on the love seat with this view:

The place was wonderful though - not froofy or flowery. Fireplaces galore. Lovely grounds. Helpful, not overbearing, owners. Someday we'll go back, when we can better appreciate the location and food.

Well, that was fast.

2009-01-04T09:18:00.003-05:00

I guess this is what happens when I get 5 unexpected days off with a sick husband:

All the pieces for a sweater, just not sewn up yet. I'm dreading that, a little. But I'm excited about it, a little, too. We'll see how I feel when it's done.

This is what it started as:

(Squirrel agreed to model to show scale.) Two 750 yd skeins of aran weight wool, hand dyed by Chris at Briar Rose Fibers. I only used one.

What next?

Unfinished knits

2009-01-01T07:55:00.005-05:00

One of my not-so-brilliant last minute Christmas gift ideas:

Thrummed mittens.

Really, I thought I was being smart. Worsted weight wool - should be a quick knit! Warm fibery goodness - perfect for long mornings waiting at the bus stop! ...Right?

UGH! Thrums are a pain in the butt to make. And a pain in the butt to include in the knitting every 3 stitches every other row. I wasn't helped by the fact that my thrums were a bit too large, and I could barely fit my pinky into the mitten.. let alone a whole hand. So half a day's work got frogged, and I spaced the thrums out more.

This is where I stopped, several days before Christmas. I just couldn't take it any more.

Too bad I purchased an entire braid (!!) planning to make a family of mittens....

Maybe I'll have to take up spinning. This fiber (handdyed here in B'more by Mama E) is far to pretty to waste!

I'm working on finishing up a second sock (to actually make a matched pair! Oh my!), as well as a sweater. The sweater has been flying along, and I hope to have it completed by the weekend. We'll see....

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T08:33:00.004-05:00

This year, we're having a decidedly unchristmasy Christmas. I can't decide if I wish I were back in Florida, surrounded by hordes of excited family members.. or if I'm happier here, spending the day quietly with my husband and kitties. I guess I wish for a little of both.

I managed to satisfactorily finish two Christmas knits this year.

Persephone for Nanny
Details at Rav link here

The first, Miriam Felton's Persephone, is perhaps one of my favorite knits. (Though don't I feel like this every time I finish something? Haha) I will certainly be knitting more of Miriam's patterns in the future, and already have more of Heather's amazing yarn stashed. ;) I did 5 repeats of the pattern, and my scarf ended up 12" x ~60" post blocking.

The second is a simple garter ribbed scarf for R, out of less than one skein of Henry Galler's Prime Alpaca. (Gorgeous stuff, I just want to snuggle it.) Super easy, and flew off the needles between various lace and cable projects. Hasn't been blocked yet.. I wasn't sure how to work that without him seeing.

Suppose I'll stop here. I have entirely too much knitting going on for one post, and I have some wheaty/oatey/corny cranberry maple muffins on the counter that are demanding immediate attention. And a hubby to wake up....

Merry Christmas!

The countdown begins

2008-11-19T19:10:00.006-05:00

The Christmas knitting is well underway, but I'm afraid that I didn't get started soon enough. That, and I keep getting distracted by things I want to make for myself. 'I will not be a selfish knitter! I will not be a selfish knitter!'

And then my coworkers (thank goodness there are only 3 of them) keep not-so-subtly hinting that they'd like handknit scarves and hats of their very own....

So I guess I better get back to knitting. And perhaps I should check on the chili I left simmering!

But not before I post another picture of Addy in her fall colors:

New pup!

2008-11-08T10:46:00.007-05:00

Introducing: Miss Macy Gray!

Macy is our new foster pup. She arrived from Daytona two Saturdays ago, and has settled into the routine of house life incredibly quickly. She never raced, so perhaps she was simply destined to be a pet, rather than an athlete. ;)

Macy has the cutest waggly eyebrows. For the first several days, we thought that they were permanently crooked. Now I think she was just worried and watchful. She also has a hilarious almost-helicopter tail. It zooms around in circles when she's happy, but she doesn't seem to have full control of it..

She's really a darling. I think she'll even be totally cat safe - yesterday Tucker climbed up the side of her crate, crisscrossed all over the top, tried to share her dinner, and even chewed on her ear.. and she pretty much fell asleep. (Maybe now we know why she didn't race?)

I'm not sure how much longer I can do the foster mom thing. We keep getting such wonderful dogs, and it gets harder and harder to part with them. Poor R had to put up with me begging to adopt Mimi for at least 6 weeks. And we only had her for 1 week!

Anyway. In other news:

Innit gorgeous?! What better to cheer up those nasty damp days? Sunshiney tweedy cabley bobbley mittens designed by the immensely talented Jared Flood. Yay! Now if I can just find the time to finish the pair...

Woohoo!

2008-11-05T06:28:00.001-05:00

I am so excited for our country!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-02T06:41:00.009-05:00

Well.. a few days late, but then, that's right on time for me! ;) (Yes, he has a little foil hat on. Paranoid, that pumpkin is!)

I hope everyone had a safe, fun, Halloween!

Ladybug, ladybug...

2008-10-25T10:48:00.005-04:00

In the gardens of Monticello.

Turns out that my old camera didn't in fact die - just the rechargeable batteries (every set of them). Of course, I only figured this out after I bought myself a shiny new camera. Not that I'm complaining..

My mom has been in town, so we've been all over the place, and have eaten more than our fair share of really yummy food. Then Addy was sick.. then I was sick.. and now some friends are in town. Hopefully I'll get around to playing with my camera, taking some FO shots, and updating this for real someday!

No, I haven't died...

2008-10-12T07:55:00.011-04:00

..but my camera did!

This is the last shot it took, courtesy of Ryan:

Evidence that the kitties are actually finally tolerating each other! (And yeah, I've cleaned the windows since then!)

My dear little camera was a graduation present from my mom. Maybe it wasn't the fastest, and maybe it wasn't the bestest.. but it braved mud, rain, fog, and cold to capture 'on pixel' memories that I'm glad I have. (Since my memory is an utter failure, I rely heavily on pictures, haha!)

Squirrel and her sweet, mischievous, darling Sampson.

The cobbie who stole my heart, Dragon's Lair Spring Edition.

Miss Squirrel, and my little Gainesville cottage.

Mom driving Piwi (DL Prince William).

Summer camps with the kiddos.

Tie dying with Glabra, Ken, and Trevor.

The sudden, happy arrival of Little Man.

My first vacation with Ryan.

Nights in St. Augustine...

And so very much more. Thank you, little camera! You served me well.

2008-09-01T06:54:00.004-04:00

Life, as usual, has been chugging right along. I can't even remember everything that's happened since the last post (big surprise!) - but most notably, we had a little vacation.

Ryan, my brother, and I went to play and gorge ourselves in Chicago for 5 days. Neither of the boys had been to Chicago before, and they both loved it. We ate, and ate, and ate. And then went to see:

Wait.. Wait.. Don't Tell Me! Very exciting. (Yeah, so I'm a dork. But you knew that!) I've listened to this show for years, and have gotten Ryan addicted as well. The show was even better live.

Anyway. The point of this post was actually to write about Miss Adventure. I'd been struggling to get out to see her regularly, and worried about both her crappy feet and her weight. Being an air plant, she doesn't need much food.. yet she's out on grass 24/7. She looks like a tick about to pop. I figured I could keep her weight under control by exercise, but that hasn't been happening much, because of her crappy feet. So I haven't been going out.

However, I think I've finally found a farrier in this area that I'm comfortable with. Addy's feet look better already, and the farrier suggested that I purchase some boots so that Addy can more comfortably deal with the rocky trails. I hate to do just ring work, especially with an out of shape horse.

Yesterday we ventured partway down the least rocky of the trails, scouting for fairly level, open areas for trot work. We found several that work immediately, and a few more that will work once Adventure has her boots. Even better, some are hilly, forcing Addy to rock back on her haunches and balance herself for the downhills, and use that big ol' butt to power up the uphills.

So now my plan is to get us both back into shape. My goal is to ride 4 times per week, starting mainly with loose, open trot work. Bareback a few days (mostly to help me get balanced again), in the pastures, on the trails.. and then slowly begin introducing ring work, with lots of transitions, circles, and lateral work. At some point, I'd like to get an instructor out, as well.

We'll get to 2nd level someday!

Puppy Love

2008-08-03T17:14:00.006-04:00

Monell has moved to his new home. I miss my big ol' boy.. he was just about the perfect dog. Never mind the dog aggression (who could blame him?), the resource guarding (he is getting so much better!), and the fecal obsession. He is my ideal dog - big, quiet, friendly (but not overbearingly so), gorgeous, a gentleman on his walks, and generally well-behaved. Perfect.

So when we got the call less than a week later that an emergency foster sitter was needed, I was a bit reluctant to volunteer. Mo is a hard act to follow. But I had no reason to say no, and thought it might be nice to have another dog for awhile. Along comes Mimi....

Now really, who could resist those eyes?

Mimi is another return, so she is well aware of what houses are all about. She's very much a lady, most of the time. She tolerates the kitten, even allowing him to sleep on top of her crate at night, and chew on her tail during the day. And she roaches. In the middle of the hard floor.

She is also a very patient model.

I'm very surprised she hasn't found a new home yet. She's just as wonderful as Monell!

In the above picture, she's modeling what I have so far of a dog coat that I started back when we first got Abba. It's not perfect, and I'm not a huge fan of the yarn (Dark Horse Yarns "Fantasy").. so it's taking me longer than usual. Perhaps it will get it's own post someday.

FO! Rusted Root

2008-07-28T17:08:00.008-04:00

Finally - pictures of a finished object!

I've had a relatively productive summer as far as knitting goes, and have actually created things I can (and probably will) wear! Whoa. Creating clothes out of sticks and string is almost as fascinating as creating bread out of flour, water, and yeast. Such magic! Who knew?

(Side entrance to the Howard County Court House. So gorgeous!)

I'm about the gazillionth person to have knit a Rusted Root.. and I can certainly see why it's so popular. It's a quick, easy knit that is super-easy to customize. The recommended yarn comes in any color imaginable, and is reasonably priced. The pattern is well-written, and there are hordes of people to help you out if you get stuck. I'll definitely be knitting another Zephyr pattern in the future.

My only complaint about the pattern is that the yarn is worsted weight, which makes it somewhat hot and bulky for a summer knit. I guess this will be relegated to spring and fall for me...

While down at the Ellicott City section of the Patapsco River, we noticed some fun rocks. These were striped like zebras:

And these had up, one on another! Ah, the wonders of nature. ;) (Actually, it was fun to watch people cross the bridge and notice the stacked rocks. They made everyone stop and smile.)

Eeekk.. a roach!

2008-07-14T17:31:00.004-04:00

This is the first roach we've seen in our new house!

Way more fun to discover than the ones we found I'm used to from Florida.

Mo had his first potential adoptive parent come by yesterday. As much as I don't want him to leave, I think that this person could offer the perfect home for him. We'll see. In the mean time, he's Tucker's only friend...

I had big plans for a photo shoot this weekend so that I could finally post pictures of some of my recent (and not so recent!) FOs. Unfortunately, it didn't quite happen. Didn't even come close to happening. Perhaps I'll get myself together for next weekend.

However, I did make it out to the barn for an early-morning ride. Mornings at the barn are perfect. I miss waking up to my ponies in the fog....

About time...

2008-06-29T15:06:00.007-04:00

..to introduce Monell, our latest foster.

I was a little unsure about fostering him, since he is a return and has some issues. He's turning out to be incredibly easy, however.. as well as a lot of fun. This boy already knows all the basic commands, and will perform tricks for you (without solicitation) if he thinks you might be hiding a treat. He can be a bit aloof at times, but loves it when you get down on the floor with him.

Dogs have been flying out of here, and I'm definitely enjoying having this guy around. I hope he sticks for awhile.

As for knitting... this orange Blue Sky Alpaca Skinny Dyed Cotton has tempted me every time I've gone into Spinters. I haven't been able to capture it's color properly, but the name does it: Squash.

It's being turned into a Drawstring Chemise from the Spring '08 IK. I had to modify the pattern for a heavier weight yarn, and my own measurements. I also lengthened the midsection by about 1.5". I'm hoping that during blocking I can squeeze another inch or so of length out - it still seems a little bit short.

Perhaps I'm just abnormally proportioned, though. ;) I did have a heckuva time finding a backpacking pack that would even come close to fitting. I'm too skinny for even the XS size of the Gregory Deva (my top choice).. and it was about 3 inches too short for my torso. (I finally ended up with an XS Osprey Aura 65, though it's still about an inch too short.)

Anyway. I enjoyed the pattern, and would even consider knitting it again with a different yarn. Something wool/silk, possibly.

Next new project in the knitting queue is the decidedly girly Rusted Root. Thanks to a wonderful destashing knitter on Ravelry, I have some brilliant red Cotton Fleece that I am extremely excited about....

Goals n' other assorted things

2008-06-08T08:10:00.004-04:00

Not too long ago, a friend posted 101 Things to do in 1001 Days. I had never seen this before, but became instantly intrigued with the concept. Since then, I've found myself creating a list in my mind, adding to it as the days go along. So perhaps it's time I make the list and goals a little more concrete.

The main site for this idea seems to be here: Day Zero.

While making concrete, one-time goals is a good thing, I would also like to create a shorter list of things that I will repeat on a weekly or monthly basis. I'm terrible at keeping in contact with people, so that would play a large role in this particular list. I'm going to start with this list first, since it's much much shorter and I'm still working to attain 101 TTD. ;)

1. Hand write a letter twice a month.
2. Call someone every Sunday.
3. Read 2 new books a month. (I tend to reread the books I already have)
4. Ride at least 3 times a week. (I used to ride several times a day, every day.. so this is getting ridiculous!)
5. Go for at least one hike a month, and not always in Patapsco.
6. Update this list every 6 months.

That's it! We'll see how it goes.

In other news, life is moving right along. R leaves for England soon (grr!), I'm going "camping" in a few weeks, and we just found out this morning that we're getting another foster dog. This guy is definitely a dog in need - he was returned after 3 years living in a home. He has some issues that we will be working on, but I hear that overall he's a sweet little dude. Pictures soon! :)

Attack of the kittenhead!

2008-06-07T06:37:00.005-04:00

I love an underdog. Given a choice, I will invariably pick the runt. It's just not in my power to resist.

Except when I have a grown up runt at home. A grown up runt who, while certainly my favorite living cat, is the only cat like her that I can handle.

(She's long since been put on a diet.)

So when we went to pick out the newest addition to our little family, R and I resisted the call of the runt. We totally resisted. We picked the "big boy" of the litter - the precocious one. And boy, is he full of it. He's non-stop. No time to cuddle. Must climb the curtains. Must eat books. Must attack feet. Must kill Squirrel. Must destroy yarn.

He's being a normal kitten in these pictures, and I only don't have pictures of him being bad because I need both hands to stop him. ;)

This is one crazy kitten. Good thing we adore him.

2008-06-04T16:25:00.004-04:00

Today was a long day. One of those days that would make you swear that time was moving backwards. And it was made even longer by a faulty a/c unit at work and an afternoon rain storm that left the highways at a standstill.

So what a pleasant surprise to find a package in the mail at home! And not just any package, but one from a person living in another country.. a person I've never met. A package full of the most wonderful things!

Included were two booklets about the New Forest.. one is a Visitor's Guide with enticing pictures.. the other is a book of stories. (And oh, how I love stories!) But I was most amazed by the lovely hand knit mohair scarf. I keep looking at it, amazed that someone who knows me only through Ravelry and blogs would take the time to knit this for me. It is beautiful, and I will cherish it. (And as I told Bea - it will get lots of use because I'm not at all fond of the cold!!)

How refreshing that there do exist, in this crazy world, people who are so thoughtful and kind. I'm inspired.

Thank you, Bea!

(Someday I'll get a better picture of the scarf!)

All tuckered out

2008-06-01T18:26:00.002-04:00

Finally!

A farewell and a greeting

2008-05-31T13:10:00.004-04:00

Zaaz was adopted on Memorial Day. I was completely unprepared for that to happen. I think she found a great home though, so it's hard to be too sad. (But oh how I miss those eyes!)

Another reason not to be sad is Tucker!

This one's *ours*! His mom and siblings were rescued from a kill shelter 7 weeks ago. The day he turned 8 weeks, we picked him up. He's the biggest boy of the batch, at 2lbs, 3oz.

We've been wanting to get Squirrel a buddy, so I was very excited to find out about these kittens. Unfortunately, Squirrel is not yet interested in being his friend - though she is fascinated by him. We'll see!

2008-05-24T12:42:00.006-04:00

The rain has finally stopped and has left nice cool days, acres of green green grass, and some very satisfied horses!

Aren't they a cute little herd? Really though, this is such an ideal situation for a horse. 24/7 turnout on 30+ acres with a happy, healthy group of horses. Safe fences, shade, and a natural watering hole. I love it, and I hope Addy does too.

Speaking of love - who doesn't love feathers?! Addy's are thin for much of the year (darn that Thoroughbred half!), but they're looking pretty good at the moment. So freakin' cute.

I think I've finally figured out a way that I can actually ride several times a week, even when we have a foster dog around. And it will be perfect for when the days start getting hotter, too. Just need to talk to the boss. I get so depressed knowing I have such a cute, capable mare just living her life out in a pasture. She's one of those mares that likes to work too.

Someday we'll get back in shape. Hopefully before winter. ;)

Zaaazie!

2008-05-18T07:00:00.009-04:00

It's been awhile! Life has been busy. No real knitting content to add, as all my current projects are top secret. ;) (Well, except for the Puppy Love sweater, and I have yet to get good pictures of that.)

So, here's our latest foster hound, Zazie!

Is that not the most adorable face!? I was smitten with her the instant I saw her photo online. When I found out she was to be our foster dog, I was incredibly excited. And then I met her!

I seem to fall for animals that are timid and/or skittish. Maybe it's the underdog in me? Whatever it is, Zazie seems meant for me.

I wish wish wish we could keep her. Unfortunately, it would mean hiring a dog walker several days a week just so I could go ride Addy. I asked around - that's ~$18 a pop. Ugh. Adopting Zazie would also restrict our ability to go backpacking on random weekends, which is something we hope to start doing now that we have most of the gear we need. And then there's also the issue of moving to another country. I know that animals can be imported/exported.. but do I really want to put a pup through that twice in a few years? (Since we'd be moving there and back again.) I'm unsure about doing that with the animals we currently have. I don't want to be irresponsible just because those cute little eyebrows look worried, or the one ear flops over. And I don't want to fall for that enormous smile.

Hopefully she'll get adopted into the perfect family soon.

In other news, we have a (partial) garden! This was a huge undertaking, and I nearly turned it over to the pros a few times. It's not nearly as fancy as it could be, but I am so proud of what R and I accomplished.

It involved lots of planning. (If only I still had all those sheets of paper!) Many trips to many nurseries. Digging out hard-packed clay. Extracting rocks and roots.

And the trellis. My darling R actually built that for me!

We dug all those rocks, and piles more, out of the little bit of ground that was to be the garden. The exciting part is that I got the rock border that I wanted at the price that I wanted to pay ($0). Jackpot!

I wanted native plants that would grow in morning sun, require minimal care, and would attract butterflies and bees. I think I accomplished all that.

There is still a little left to do, but we have gotten the hard part out of the way. Wooohooo!

Process

2008-04-25T17:27:00.007-04:00

Knitting has taught me a lot about following through from inspiration to planning to finished product. I'm easily inspired, but easily frustrated. Especially when I start digging deeper and realize that things aren't as easy as they might seem.

Like, for example, just about any pattern made to fit a an adult female. Hey! Looks great on the model. Looks great on knitters in blogs and on Ravelry. But hey! I'm generally too tiny for even the smallest size of most knit patterns. So anything I knit for myself from a pattern is going to take some modifying.

But of course, modifying isn't always as easy as it sounds. Sure, you can take out a pattern repeat here or there - but then it affects how the sleeves come together or how this-or-that is shaped. I often feel like I'm in way over my head when I start doing all those gymnastics. However, some projects inspired me enough to do the math, think of all the alternatives, try it out, rip it out, think again, try again, rip again.. etc. Like my darn Hourglass Cardi. (More on that monster some other day.)

I do have a point.. somewhere.

Spring is doing its thing, and there are beautiful flowers and lots of green popping up in all my neighbors' yards. My yard, however, looks like a wasteland. Well, okay. We have some dandelions.

And some cute little purple flowers. And some more cute little purple flowers. And some not-entirely-unpleasant white flowers that I'm fairly certain are weeds. And lots of nasty spikey things.

I guess there are things growing. But all in all, it's a darn pathetic yard. (It could use another good mowing... guess I should get on that.)

A few weeks ago, I hopped over to Lowe's to buy some edging, mulch, and flowers. Uh, yeah. The edging was ugly, and I didn't even get past that. Haha.

So I've been reading, researching, and wandering around nurseries. Each time I start, I'm motivated and excited. About 10-15 minutes into it, I'm completely dismayed at the amount of planning necessary.. as well as the extreme lack of knowledge I possess.

I need plants that grow well in shade. I need to test the soil. We have an erosion problem, so I need to grade the area in front of the house and build a small barrier. We need retaining walls - 2 on each side (leaving that to the pros!). I need to make sure that everything drains properly.. away from the house, but also around it and down the hill.. instead of forming a lake in front of the house. There are pipes and wires to consider. Termites to beware of. Clay soil to amend.

I'm beginning to realize that this will be a long process. I want to do it right, and I want to do it (mostly) myself. I've got a lotta learning to do.

But I'm pretty sure I can at least stick to it.

Abba has gone home

2008-04-20T07:21:00.006-04:00

Yesterday an approved adopter came over to see Miss Abba, and was instantly smitten. I convinced her to take a look at one other dog (she already had the appointment), but she called me right after to say that Abba was the one. So - Abba went home yesterday! I'm so happy for the pair - they seem very well suited. And Abbs was extremely happy to see her when she came back that second time!

I'll miss having her around and going on our long walks.. but I am very excited to have more time now. There has been a definite lack of Squirrel and Addy time lately. Plus, we'll be getting our next foster in May.

I went out to see Addy yesterday, and all the horses were snoozing around the watering hole. I guess they've finally gotten their fill of that green grass! This is just one corner of their 40-something rolling acres...

Addy is shedding - I love this time of year. Haha. I was covered head to toe in orange hair almost instantly. You can't really tell from the picture, but her undercoat is that dark purpley chestnut.. so gorgeous.. but it looks funny with all the sunburnt orange! Too bad her dark coat will get bleached very quickly this year. (She lived in a shaded sandlot (perfect for ponies!) down in Florida, and had the most amazingly shiny, dappled coat)

We had our second "real" ride of the year. She was, as always, wonderful. We are both decidedly out of shape, unbalanced, and uncoordinated.. but I don't think it will take too long to get it back.

Edit: I forgot to add the Proud Mommy brag.. Addy's with the "cool kids" in this picture. That's Pie, behind her.. the boss man's main girl. And those dark legs and ears sticking out in the far back are Boomer, Mr. Boss Man himself. Addy attached herself to Boomer almost immediately upon becoming part of the herd, but she teases all the other boys too. Asifa, the older unbroke Arabian gelding, screamed for her the entire time I had her out yesterday. Silly boy. Or maybe my girl's just a little slutty. ;)

Spring time =....?

2008-04-18T18:15:00.007-04:00

Being from Florida, I never thought much of spring. It's not really a season that exists there. The one thing that marked spring for me was the arrival of the foals.

This is my second spring up in Maryland, and my second away from the farm. I really need to go visit and see the new babies. Actually, I feel terrible - I don't even know which mares are due!

It's hard not to fall in love with every foal. They are so full of wonder, and are so darn cute! I really miss working with them.. and I miss being greeted every morning with nickers and love. *Someday* I'm going to work with foals again!

Unfortunately, I find it difficult to justify breeding more horses/ponies when the U.S. is already swamped with them.. so my kidhood dreams of being a small time Welsh pony breeder will likely never come true. But I'd surely like to go play with other people's babies!

My first tag! ;)

2008-04-12T18:33:00.006-04:00

So I guess it took me awhile.. but I finally figured it out. Thanks Stellify! Here goes!

The rules:

1) Link to the person who tagged you.
2) Post the rules.
3) Share six non-important things / habits / quirks about yourself.
4) Tag at least three people.
5) Be sure the people you tagged KNOW you tagged them by commenting what you did.

1 - I harbor a bit of an unhealthy fixation for Publix. (Wow, their website is ugly!) We moved up to Maryland last year from Florida, and I still complain on a weekly basis about how much I miss a good grocery store. Nothing compares, nothing compares.. to you....

Haha. Sorry.

2 - I always swore I'd never own a chestnut mare. And yet.. I do. And I wouldn't trade her for anything.

3 - My sense of smell is terrible. (And there are times that I am truly thankful for that.)

4 - I get a little crazy about symmetry. Always have. Even my Lego creations had to be symmetrical.

5 - I dislike drinking water. Actually, I dislike most drinks other than tea. Black teas are my favorite.

6 - This really has nothing to do with anything.. but I guess that's what this tag is all about. ;) I miss the beach. Diving under crashing waves, listening to the gleefully squealing children, absorbing all the warmth of that hot hot sun, dry salt on every hair of my body. And sand castles! Walking down to Publix for sushi and pineapple. :( Beach. sniff sniff

I'm tagging.. Bea and Meredith! (Yes, I'm aware that's not 3)

In other news - more Abba pictures. Two families are coming to look at her this weekend, so she might be moving on to her "forever" home... I'll definitely miss her, but right now the weather is so gorgeous and it's killing me that instead of going riding I have to go home to take the dog out.

How can anyone resist this face? (She was having a pretty bad day. Lots of new dogs around.. and not just greyhounds! Who knew there were other breeds of dog?! ;) It's amazing how sheltered these dogs are...)

Baltimore

2008-04-05T10:21:00.002-04:00

I'm well aware that violence is high in Baltimore. But, wow.. check this map out.

Homicides in Baltimore

Astounding.

ABBA!

2008-04-01T18:32:00.005-04:00

Meet Abba.

Pretty, isn't she? She's our first foster-pup, and we're in love. Well, we're not quite in love with the whole dog thing.. getting up at 6am for a 40 minute walk before work.. rushing home after work (and thus skipping the barn) for another 20-40 minute walk.. being serenaded until midnight... But I'm sure falling for this dog!

Look at how good she is on a leash! She pulled a bit on the first outing, but now she stays right by your side, keeping pace.

Every time I interact with her, I'm amazed by how smart she is. Who said greys were jocks?! ;) (Of course I have the nerdy grey.) She has adjusted very quickly to life off the track.... Cats, stairs, wood floors, baths, back seats of cars, strange dogs and unknown people.. notta a problem! Abba is one confident little lady.

The one thing she doesn't understand yet is how to play. I think she needs a nice, safe, fenced in area and another grey or two to help her out with that....

Blessed are the broodmares

2008-03-25T17:29:00.008-04:00

Pecan Creek's Musique (Section B Welsh)

In that same batch of film that I found the other day, there were a few good pictures of the mommas. Of course, they're not just broodmares. They've each taught countless children to ride. Madoc Erian was a Reserve Nat'l Champion Driving mare (I think I got that right), and was also trained through 2nd level dressage. Her full sister, Madoc Rhiannon, has done Pony Club and gets pulled out of the field whenever anyone needs an extra competition mount. And Pecan Creek's Musique.. well.. I remember her way back when (14 years ago?) at the First Coast Hunter Jumper Shows. My friend Kelly and I thought she was the most beautiful pony we'd ever seen.

Madoc Rhiannon (Welsh Cob)

Madoc Erian (Welsh Cob)

These mares will never want - they're loved by many. That makes me so happy.

The usual suspects

2008-03-22T16:21:00.010-04:00

Dunkirk

This morning, as I was waking up, I had an epiphany. There was at least one roll of film *somewhere* in the house that had pony pictures on it from almost 18 months ago. I scrambled out of bed, determined to find them. I do like pony pictures. ;)

I was happily surprised to find the film moments later, in a box in my closet that had yet to be unpacked. Even more happily, the film had buddies. 2, in fact!

Here are some of my favorites from the found-again and finally-developed film. Nothing spectacular, but it makes me all warm and fuzzy to see my boys again.

Bogart (Moosie)

Eddie (Happy Birthday!)

Bogart

2008-03-21T17:26:00.006-04:00

Life's been busy! While I like that, it sure doesn't leave me with a lot of time for blogging.

I've finally found a job - and a science job, at that! Not as cool as working for the Smithsonian with the Przewalski horses (a girl can dream!), but interesting nonetheless. And hey, check out our Chief of Security:

Cute, isn't he? That's him letting loose after a long day in the lab - normally he's hard at work making sure the delivery men and women leave the correct packages and pay the "biscuit" toll.

The best part is that it's a small business owned by one of the women who works there. Everyone's smart, does what they do well, and takes pride in their work. I *love* not working for someone I'll never meet, or worse: someone who can never take the time to remember my name.

In other news, this:

is no longer an accurate shot of what I see when I look out the window. Yay! Of course, it's not nearly as warm as I'd like yet.. but I'll settle for the 50's. It's actually pretty decent riding weather (when there aren't 30+ mph winds). I just can't wait to break out the tank tops, skirts, and flip flops again. I'll take sweat over goosebumps and chilblains anyday.

One of the many ways the oh-so-helpful Squirrel helps me stay warm.

Ravelry rocks!

2008-03-05T16:41:00.001-05:00

Rav has been voted a top 10 Web App! It's in incredible company...

http://webappcharts.com/

Casey and Jess are my heroes!

Trials

2008-02-25T18:53:00.013-05:00

My first sweater has been an interesting experience. Thank god for Elizabeth Zimmermann and the helpful folks on Ravelry. They've all kept my spirits up and my damned determination (perfectionism) has kept me trying.

Incarnation #1 left me with no blood getting to my fingers. Tight, tight shoulder caps. No problem - I frogged the whole yoke back, and then back to the elbows on both sleeves. I then began again, and added more increases in hopes of increased circulation.

Incarnation #2 left me with lumpy wrinkles at my armpits. Ugh! Turns out when I increased the number of stitches at the sleeve, I was also supposed to increase the number of stitches put on hold at the armpits. Grr.

This is incarnation #2. It doesn't look too terrible, but that's only because the picture is horribly dark and I have the wrinkles stretched out. Tricksy me.

Incarnation #3 is still in progress. I'm hoping that I have all the info I need this time and have done all my math properly. I guess we'll see.

It's also worth noting that the Beaverslide yarn is holding up admirably despite all my frogging and cursing. I actually think it gets better every time.. And the color has completely won me over. How did I ever think it was too blue??

All Beaverslided out. (In a good way.)

(That's my Beaverslide Zeebee making a cameo above.)

Oh! More good news! We've been approved by Greyhound Welfare as suitable foster parents! I'm not sure when we get our first dog, but am positive the blog will be full of grey pictures as soon as we get one. I can't wait to go tromping around Patapsco with a pooch!

Gaagaa

2008-02-22T21:22:00.003-05:00

I love me some Radiohead. And of course The Smiths and New Order...

So these are pure happiness:

Radiohead - Ceremony

Radiohead - The Headmaster Ritual

On swatching. And ponies.

2008-02-07T10:07:00.006-05:00

Just as I was lamenting the demise of my knitting mojo, I was inspired. This is what my very blue, very not Central Park Hoodie, Beaverslide worsted weight yarn wants to be. The knitting is plain and simple, letting the yarn do the work.

So I eagerly cast on for my swatches, growing ever increasingly dismayed as I realize I just can't get gauge. As in, if I knit this patten in the smallest size, with yarn the recommended weight, and needles *4* sizes down, my cardigan will still be *6 inches* too big. Something was majorly wrong.

And yeah, it was.

See the problem? (I cast on the same # of stitches, but knit only as many rows as I had to on the blue.)

While supposedly these two yarns are exactly the same except for color, the red is obviously not worsted weight. Maybe it got mislabeled?

Whatever the problem, I no longer care.. my blue swatched perfectly. I'm in love, and my mojo's back.

The body is done up to the yoke thus far. And I got most of the first sleeve done yesterday when the power was out. Unfortunately, while a wide sleeve might look good in yarn with some drape in it, it definitely does *not* look good in a relatively stiff wool. Especially one someone with toothpick arms. (cough, cough) So I frogged the darn thing, calculated and recalculated #s, and cast on again.

And since I haven't posted any pony pictures lately, here are a few I dug up from the files.

Dragon's Lair Bogart, Welsh Cob (Shenandoah Ensign x DL Uppercrust, Bristol Valiant), with an itchy hock. Yes.. he's the dreaded D x B cross! Fear not - he's a gelding and is embarking on a promising dressage career.

And here is the little Ferrari - DL Pjoey (Bristol Valiant x Arabian mare). Valiant's kids are known for being smart and sensitive.. not unlike Arabians. So you can imagine this guy...

Word is that this flashy fellow is going to kick butt in upper level dressage someday. He's not a kids pony, and not a training level pony either. But he sure is fun!