Crafty Nonsense

I'm currently knitting this improvised drape front cardi.  I've done the first front panel and am working to the back section (think rectangular, knit side-side).  Going well enough.  Then I have the blue jean shawl otn.  I also have a 198 Yards of Heaven shawlette otn using my hand dyed cormo yarn (the yarn was from MelissaSpata from MOHS group on Rav-she got it from her co-op and sent me this skein and one other that I have dyed).  Plus the pair of socks otn for mom (this is a different one-I finished ONE pair, now I'm doing this one).  So.  FOUR projects on needles.

I have been browsing patterns in my search for a good armhole setup for this cardi and saw the pattern, "Ecuador" and "Pole" by the same designer.  $6.00 for each pattern.  Throw in the overwhelming urge to purchase the "Beekeeper's Quilt" pattern for $5.50.  That leaves my PP empty.  Haven't bought anything yet, but that's where the brain is at the moment.

I HAVE patterns here for stuff that I want to make ("Silk Ribbed Corset", I'm looking at you here) but don't have the yarn requirements, and then there are the two Christmas things for Nikki (the hat she asked for and a Mario Mushroom I think she'd love).  I keep looking at my spinning wheel and the fiber I COULD be spinning, but right now I want to KNIT.

I should be making soap, too.  I could be expanding my Etsy store with pretty smelly stuff and instead I'm perusing Rav instead.  It doesn't take long, it's not HARD.  I would rather wind off mini skeins from my full ones for the silly hexapuffs.

I did buy a share of KP tonal sock yarns!!  They won't be ordered until after the 13th, so I MIGHT have new minis around the end of the month to play with.  If I can just remember that I need to be PATIENT.

Not complaining...just getting this out of my head so I can get a new perspective.

Oh, and someone has shown my munchkins the purpose of the Heimlich maneuver....

My shop

So we scheduled today as a "work outside" day.  Dropped the munchkins off at grandma's so they wouldn't be underfoot.  Got gas for the mowers and trimmers.  Came home and plowed into the gardens for the last harvest (cherry toms and carrots) minus the last row of onions that we'll pull for winter storage.  I got the last cauliflower out of the ground and was carrying it to the chicken run for a chickie treat when I hear "GAWK!!"

Scott, already headed into the house, turned and looked and both of us said essentially the same thing-"Is one laying an egg?!"  I stopped where I was in the driveway until all five birds were visible in the run, then we ran over to open the door to the nest box and found

THESE!!

One was cold, must have been from yesterday.  The other (clean one in this pic) was warm, fresh out of a chicken!!

Back in the Saddle Again!

The two littles and I got back from a week-long visit with mom on Monday.  We enjoyed ourselves immensely!   Aunt Pat and Uncle Charlie came up from Kentucky Wednesday night to spend the night and go to the Newport Aquarium with us (Mom, Don, me, Raina, Ryan, Jordan, Allen, Chris) on Thursday.  That was worth every bit of the 2+ hour drive one way from mom's house and almost worth the 9 hour drive to Indiana!  I think my favorite single exhibit was the snake-neck turtle.  The favorite grouping of exhibits would have to be the jellyfish room.

We were surprised by a visit from my cousin, Nick, who Ryan so resembles when he's wearing his glasses :D  I didn't get the camera out to snap a pic of Nick, though, so no comparison shots.  I visited with Jimma and Lisa as much as sleep and work would let us.  I discovered that Jim and Jordan play Rift exclusively now.  I just cancelled my subscription for the summer.  Figures.  Aunt Pat taught us how to play Train with cards, Mexican Train and Chicken Foot in Dominoes, and then the boys and Mom taught me how to play Cornhole.  I still need help with scoring that one.  I sucked.

Mom let me borrow her juicer long enough to know that I must have one.  We juiced up all of the tomatoes and peppers that I brought (along with one small onion and carrot) with her store-bought carrots and celery.  LOVE the flavor.  Brought the juice home to make soup with.  So Tuesday I made beef stock with soup bones and about a pound of stew meat.  Used part of the stock and half of the stew meat to make beef vegetable soup with the tomato juice, a quart of last year's tomatoes, a pint of corn from a bit further back than that, this year's green beans and onions.  I didn't get pictures of that but it looks like a red vegetable soup.  Trust me :D  Tasted AWESOME out of the pot.  I got about 4 quarts out of that, and another quart and pint of beef stock.

I made egg rolls out of my cabbage and the remainder of the stew meat, threw in a small onion and one cooked egg.  For the record, I HATE the smell of hot frying oil in my house.  The cabbage and grease don't really agree with my digestive tract, either.  But these egg rolls taste SO GOOD!.

I made banana bread today using my Amish Friendship Bread starter and 5 medium-sized overly ripe bananas.  Waiting for after dinner to determine whether these are a win or a miss.

I still need to make pesto to freeze for the winter.  I've got to do something with this mess of basil!  Not to mention all the *other* work that needs doing around the house.  Have pine nuts, parm/romano cheese, olive oil, and basil!  Need a bit of time in the kitchen.  Tomorrow.

I'm knitting again, though.  Spinning took a back seat while I plow through some knitting.  This is going to be a draping wrap.  Hopefully.  I'm not following a pattern, just an idea.  Knit a front panel, armhole slit, knit the back panel, armhole slit, knit the other front panel.  The two front panels have random cables (random size and placement) to give it some visual interest and to keep "drape" from becoming "sag".  Love the colors in this yarn, the yarn is nice-has a terrific sheen but is not next to skin soft, and I am not loving the pooling and flashing.  This is the Tintagel yarn in "Olives" that Kay sent me for the Summer Swap.

Thanks to the LSG thread, I must now own boots.  I'm heartily lusting after some Fluevogs.  Damn it.  We just got the news that our cow AND pig went to the butcher, so those two usually-spaced-out bills are now dumped on us at the same time along with the CC payoff and the property/school taxes.  Sigh.  No money for boots :(  Or to replace the Kindle that Raina broke yesterday (GRRRR!)

School started for Ri on Tuesday, Little Boy had his first preschool session this morning and Little Girl goes in for her first session of preschool this afternoon.  Yay, she graduated out of the Intermediate Unit!  Here she is with a bug bite and the cutest yard-sale-found jellies!