Home for a pony

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)

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

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.

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

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!

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

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: