Finished up with the Christmas knitting

 Hurrah!  I'm done!  Since October, I've knitted 4 pair of socks, 2 pair of gloves & 2 hats.  I finished the last pair of finger-less gloves last night. 

I knitted a pair of socks for my niece, Tricia.  I think they came out well. 

 

Tricia's socks

I also knit a pair of shooting gloves for her husband, Patrick. This is an interesting pattern.  Basically, you make a pair of finger-less gloves, then you go back & knit a "toe" or "mitten" cover to fold back down over the fingers.  Making a mitten... Great for shooting, or general outdoors type work when it's cold.  The loop on the end is to slip over a button sewn onto the cuff.  Keeps it out of the way when you have your fingers exposed.

Shooting gloves

I mailed the package to Tricia on 11/5/20 and it still hasn't arrived yet!  I checked on the package yesterday while I was at the post office in Hardy.  I guess Tricia's package has made it to Jim Thorpe PA.  Why it went to Thorpe is beyond me... But at least the package is still moving & not lost.

I got alpaca socks from an online farm friend of mine, for our daughter's partner, Rickey.  He requested alpaca socks.  I knit daughter Tammy & granddaughter Ariel each a pair of wool socks. I also knit 2 hats for charity.

I got the sock yarn at Strings & Stitches, a great yarn store next door to the dinner Tammy works at.  They have a wonderful selection of yarns & patterns.  The owners are very helpful & full of information!

Why I love wool... (from an admitted fiber junkie)

 I love wool!  I love the feel of it!  I love the smell of it.  I love spinning it, weaving with it, knitting with it.  I love dyeing it... I love wearing it.  Yes, I even love crocheting with it.  It's been a life-long love... ever since I got my first wool blanket eons ago.

I'm knitting socks & gloves for Christmas this year.  One pair of each got sent off to PA last month & still hasn't arrived.  The box is "in transit" somewhere in rural PA... I hope it's not lost & gone forever!

I'm on my 2nd pair of socks to go to GA to daughter & granddaughter.  Daughter's partner wants alpaca commercial socks, so those are en route to our house. Once I get the fingerless gloves done I'll get that package on the way.

As I said, I love wool.  So... I saw an ad for this merino wool dress on Facebook. Wooland  I checked it out.  Now I'm trying their 100 day dress challenge.  I'm wearing the Sofia midi-dress.  I'm on day 11 & I'm loving it!  I got the dress in navy blue...

I've laundered the dress twice.  When it first arrived and then after the first week.  I simply washed it in warm water in the kitchen sink.  I used a dab of my shampoo, then rinsed it well.  I squeezed out the excess water then hung it up to dry.  It worked well.  The fabric didn't stretch and the color didn't run.

Wool keeps you warm when it's wet... It has natural elasticity, so it has some give.  And you can wear the same garment for an extended amount of time.  I have 1 pair of wool socks that are over 10 years old.  I don't wear them all day every day, but I have been wearing them for those 10 years.

Knitting for the family

Every year, I stress my self out trying to knit or crochet something special for the members of my extended family.  I really believe Christmas is for the kids. The little ones are the ones I try to focus on.

My nieces and nephews are all grown up now.  My step kids are too.  My granddaughter, Ariel, turns 14 today.  WOW!  That doesn't seem possible.  My niece, Tricia, has 2 little girls; Nevaeh and Revan.  I'm crocheting slippers for them right now.

I made Ariel some special socks, 1 pair just because, and 1 for her birthday.  I'm working for a pair of socks for Tammy (my step daughter), for Christmas.  I will also try to get a pair of socks made for Tammy's partner Rickie.

I also knit hats on my knitting looms, which I send to Children's Hospital in Little Rock.  I really love sending hats of all sizes.  All those sick little ones need a nice warm hat.  A good hat in cold weather makes everyone feel better.

I knitted several hats and a scarf before I went to PA this month.... I recently finished a huge crocheted afghan, Mandala Madness, which I am keeping for myself.  I rarely keep anything I make, I like giving my handmade items to people I love.

Mandala Madness

I track most of my projects with Ravelry.  My username is PennyTeem.  You can check out what I'm working on, if you're interested.

I am still weaving dishtowels with the pattern Ariel used over the summer.  I finished and passed out 4 all ready.  I have 4 more on the loom, and will probably have enough warp for 3 more.

Ariel weaving on a jack loom for the first time

I knitted/crocheted Nevaeh & Revan some stuffed animals earlier in the year.  They really love them. Revan will not sleep without her giraffe.

Nevaeh's hippo

Revan's giraffe

Summer has slipped away

Joshua and I made a trip to Ellijay, GA the last week of May to pick up granddaughter Ariel.  She spent the summer with us.

We didn't plan any exciting adventures for this year's visit.  Instead, I focused on teaching her some of the artistic skills I've learned over the years.

I bought several paper crafting and mixed media books at Barnes & Nobel's and Hobby Lobby.  These included:

Coloring Flower Mandalas

Coloring Your Prayers

Coloring Mandalas 2
 
She also got watercolor pencils, felt tip markers, origami paper, and some pastels.

We did our daily walks in the woods with the dogs.

This big oak came down over our lane after one thunderstorm.

We picked mushrooms...

 Chantarelle mushrooms in the woods.

After cleaning.













We did some sun dyeing on silk with our friends Gena Stout and Erika Schindler and Karna McFadden.

Sun dyeing is always so much fun!

I hatched out some chicks (in the incubator) just before we left for Georgia.  And while we were gone, our banty hens hatched out 10 chicks!

 Rhode Island Red chicks and 1 tiny batam chick behind.  We also hatched out 2 Black Copper Maran chicks.

 Bantam chicks are always so cute!

And a mama bird made her nest in the glove compartment of our golf cart.

Ariel and I went to The Pig n' Whistle in Hardy, along with Gena Stout and Erika Schindler, for a tea party.  That was fun.  Julie and Perry Morgan came in while we were there.  It was great to see them.

Sweets to go with our tea.

Erika and Gena

Tadpoles (pollywogs) in our "pond".

The addition that was built last fall is complete now, the cedar siding was put on by our friend Chris Graves in July.

Custom cedar siding on the bedroom/mudroom addition.

Our house, with the addition now complete.  I think it looks great!

Ariel sewed some aprons, and she did a great job on them.


Tammy and Rickie came to pick Ariel up the last Monday in July.  They stayed until Friday morning.  That was a teary day, here at the Teem household.  I really enjoy the summer visits.

I did manage to finish a few projects.  The tunic and sandals were for Tammy.  The alpaca shawl is for sale ($50).

Tammy's cotton tunic.

Cotton crocheted onto flip flops.  Tammy loved them!

Baby alpaca shawl in a nice, summery green.

Mushroom gathering

My granddaughter, Ariel, and I have been learning to identify and harvest mushrooms.  I invested in 3 books:

National Audubon Society American Mushrooms
Good Mushroom Bad Mushroom
Mushrooming without Fear

We also got a great Pocket Naturalist guide, Familiar American Mushrooms folding guide

After taking the field guide into the woods with us, we've discovered we have at least 6 different types of edible mushrooms on our property.  They are:

King Bolete (also spelled Blewit)
Chanterelle
Smooth Chanterelle
Cauliflower (also called Coral)
Giant Puffball
Old Man of the Woods

Wow!  I guess I'll be doing some mushroom eating!  We've  been dining on Chanterelles all week.  We picked another 1 1/4 pounds yesterday!  Happy, Happy!

Here's an update to my posting, one day's mushroom gathering on July 25th.

Chanterelle and smooth coral mushrooms.

We tried the coral mushrooms for the first time.  The Audubon guide stated they were very delicate tasting, and were good with fruit.  We tried them sauteed in butter, and they were bitter.  I don't know if they were past prime... or were cooked too long.

I finished knitting a tunic for my stepdaughter, Tammy.  I think it came out pretty well.

Projects around the house

We've been staying close to home lately, puttering around.  I've been playing in the flower  beds and knitting, baking and making soup.

Monday and Thursday, Chris and Jack came over and worked on the finishing the interior work on the windows.  They milled some cedar logs into boards, and framed around the windows.  It smells VERY good in here now!

While they are here working, I like to make a large meal for lunch and feed them.  Heck, they are working for us, helping us out.  Besides, I like to cook.  So the other day I made some beef stew, baked bread and made cinnamon rolls.  YUMMY!

Our friend, Joe Barnett, also stopped by and had a "fresh & hot from the oven" cinnamon roll with us. 

I started a new lace knitting project.  I'm making another circular shawl with some lovely lace yarn I got as a birthday present from my friend Nancy Bjerke.  I decided to use the pattern "Old Shale" (also known as Feather and Fan).  I really like knitting that pattern.  It's easy and looks lovely!  Here's the Raverly link to my project.  Feather-and-fan-stitch-or-old-shale

Yesterday, I went to a few yard sales with Gena Stout and Karna McFadden.  That was a lot of fun.

I guess I'll spend my day today puttering around outside.  Maybe we can get the seedlings planted in the veggie garden.  I'll take some more pictures of things growing and post them.  I really LOVE Spring!

Dealing with health issues

I guess this week was "doctor" week for me.  On Saturday, I had a little surprise!  I passed a kidney stone!  OUCH!  So Sunday morning bright and early, Josh took me to the Urgent Care in Ash Flat.  Not how I like to spend my Sunday morning, for sure...

But the staff were really nice.  They took an xray to see if there were any more stones in my system.  Yep, a nice big one in my left kidney.  Wonderful!  More adventures in health care!  Just what I need....

So I called our family doctor, Dr. Douglas Bernard in Batesville.  They didn't have any appointments open on Monday.  We had a previously scheduled appointment on Tuesday morning, so that was when I went in.  John and I really like Dr. Bernard.  He's a good doc.  He takes time to talk to us.  And listens to us.  And we get to talk about "farm" type stuff.  He referred me to a Urologist, Dr. Emery, and got me scheduled for an xray/ct and an appointment on Wednesday.

So, Wednesday morning bright and early, we head back to Batesville.  The xray was uneventful.  Dr. Emery's staff was nice.  They listened to my situation, did a CT scan of my abdomen, and put us in an exam room to wait for the doctor.  He was very thorough.  It seems this stone is too large to pass out the duct from my kidney.  In fact, it's probably been growing there for several years.  So, there are 2 courses of action.  1) put a stent in my bladder to enlarge the duct to the kidney and then use ultrasonics to try and break up the stone.  This will involve 2 outpatient procedures in Batesville 10 days apart.  Once the stone is shattered, I would then have to pass the pieces... Fun, fun!    2)  Have a 2-step surgery which will involve making an incision in my back and installing a tube.  Then, in a second procedure, Dr Emery would use the tube to remove the stone from my kidney.  This would require staying in the hospital for several days.  Again, more fun.

We opted for option 1.  Doctor Emery will be out of town all week next week, so I have the stent put in on 4/1. 

Wednesday was also food co-op day.  Since I was in Batesville, Gena and Kevin received the order without my help.  And my help really wasn't needed.  Gena said it took about 15 minutes to divide up the orders.  The driver was very nice.  Our next order is in 6 weeks.

My friends, Linda and John Smuzer, from Concrete Washington are here visiting his Aunt Vivian in Mountian View.  We were supposed to get together for lunch on Thursday.  Because of the doctor adventures earlier this week, I asked Linda if we could re-schedule.  We're going to Mountian View for lunch on Monday.

Linda and I have been friend since 1992.  We originally met during a knitting class in 1989.  In 1992, I found the Spindrifter's Spinning Guild in Bellingham.  What a wonderful group of ladies!  I became good friend with many wonderful people because of this group.  Linda, Margaret and Nancy are special people.  Very dear to me.  Debra and Terry helped me a lot when I first hurt my back.  Debra took me to many a doctor appointment when I couldn't drive.  We learned a lot together.  We had many "fiber adventures". 

As with many things in life, things have changed.  Some of us have moved, changed our life circumstances, divorced, married, found new loves, had our children grow up and move from home (and find their own loves and have children)...

I moved away 9 years ago now.  But I still keep in touch.  Seeing Linda and John is always wonderful.  And a bit hard on my heart.  It makes me miss my friends... 

I love my life here in Arkansas.  John and Josh really make life worth living.  I love being in the woods, having my birds, dogs, cat.  And my spinning and knitting keep me busy.  But, sometimes I miss watching X-Files with Margaret while teenager Virginia (changed her name to Alex years ago) playing with the cats while Margaret's mom was quilting away...  Or going to St. Distaff's Day Spin-in in the snow...  Driving to the ferry in Edmonds to go look at fleeces with Terry.  Having Irish coffee and scalding hot pot pie because we missed the ferry... all in the snow.

Spending time indoors

The weather has been cold the past few days.  Since I'm spending all my time indoors, I'm working on finishing some of my knitting and crochet projects.

I finally finished my Year in Temperature scarf on Monday 1/19/14.  That was a project I'll never do again!  Too many ends!  One of the colors I picked ran out before I was done.  It was discontinued.  So I had to find a replacement - not easy!  The color I picked was very close to a color I was already using... and not to the one I needed.  Frustrating.  But, I finished the darn thing anyway.  I gave the scarf to our friend, Jerry Friend.  He loves it!

I saw that my cousin, Terry Knorr's wife Maggie was starting a new crochet project.  It's called Circle Dance.  There's a knit along group and a blog.  Very cool.  Since I need to crochet a blanket for my stepdaughter's partner Rickey I thought this would be perfect.  So I ordered the yarn from Knit Picks.com.  Knit Picks

I posted this project on Ravelry, if you're interested in following along.  My Raverly profile.  Here's the blog for this project.  Carolyn Christmas Designs: Circle Dance

Cricket and I went for a long walk yesterday.  We hadn't been walking the past few days because it was so cold.  We walked for about 2 hours.  It was only 35, but I bundled up.  She didn't seem to mind the cold, as long as we kept moving.  When I stopped, she whined and complained.  She sure is making me get in shape!

I've had Parkinson's now for 10 years...  and walking in the woods really helps!  I have to concentrate on every step.  All the rocks and downed branches/trees,  and holes make me really pay attention.  I think it's helping my gait.  I don't seem to hesitate like I was.  Or maybe it's just that moving so deliberately makes me feel less unsure.  I still can't run or jump.  But I can walk with confidence.  Once I start getting tired, I trip a lot more.  But I don't fall down like I did last summer when Ariel and I started walking in the woods.

Here's where Cricket and I have been walking.

The little pool at the bottom of the spring on the East side of the property

A cool pile of rocks on the NE side of the property

Michelle Friend, Cricket and I took a long walk on Monday morning.  Then our 2 families piled up in the living room, watched TV/You tube,  enjoyed food and conversation. I really like it when they come and visit.

Happy New Year!

Well, it looks like we survived 2013!  Hurray!

We had a nice holiday season.  We didn't make our usual trek to Georgia to see family.  My husband John just isn't up to that trip any more....

But, our daughter Tammy skyped us on Christmas morning.  Grand-daughter Ariel was chomping at the bit to get those presents open!  She's 11 now, so it's not quite as exciting as it was those first couple of years.  She got all her presents opened without incident.  I had knitted her a pair of fair-isle fingerless gloves.  She really liked them.

I also knitted a mosaic blanket for Tammy and Rickey, and that was a hit too.

Now I'm crocheting a matching ripple afghan with the yarn leftovers.  It's coming out nice.  I hope to have it done in the next week.

After the nice skype call, we had a quiet ham dinner with just the 3 of us.  John, Josh and I had already decided NOT to buy each other gifts this year.  We really didn't have any wants or needs.....

I found a retailer on line who could send 25 pound bags of coal via UPS.  It just so happened that I got in touch with them on the 23rd, so they offered to overnight the bags.  "No, that's NOT necessary", I told them.  "My son wants to learn blacksmithing, and we now have a coal cook stove in the summer kitchen.  I just need a source for coal..."  They thought the coal was a joke Christmas present!  I guess I hadn't considered that when I contacted them.  Anyway, the coal came on Monday.  The guys haven't even opened the package yet.  John's really under the weather with back pain, so Josh is just waiting until John's feeling better.

I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions.  I try to make changes in my life when I realize I need to, not based on the calendar.

I did get a lot of things on my to-do list accomplished this past year.  Highlights included:

- enjoying the time I have with my family and friends
- paying off the farm loan (7 YEARS early!!!)
- painting the porch and pump house
- getting the soffets replaced/repaired
- learning to make other kinds of cheese
- surgery on my elbow
- getting John new dentures
- surgery on John's neck to alleviate some of his pain
- having Ariel spend the summer with us again
- putting a roof on the chicken enclosure
- getting a puppy

- teaching some of my skills to others
-knitting hats for Children's Hospital in Little Rock

My goals for the upcoming year include:

- replacing the windows on our house (these are 30+ years old!)
-volunteering with the AARP/IRS program to help with taxes.  I'm studying the materials right now and will be taking the required tests this month.
- building a pond
- replacing the flooring in the living room with tile

I'm sure other projects and adventures will crop up as the year progresses.  Has ANY year EVER gone as planned?  Hum... not that I remember!

I made a lot of changes in my life back in 2005.  I'm glad I did.  They were the right step for me, in the direction I needed to go.  Sometimes I regret, that in order to make the changes that were best for me I had to let go of some of the connections that were important to me. But change is never without consequences.  I'm where I am today, who I am today because of those changes.  It was the right move to make.

I really enjoy living here in Arkansas.  I love my husband, my (step) children, grand child, friends and acquaintances.  Life is good.

If you are finding yourself needed to make some changes this year, have to courage to GO FOR IT! 

If you're interested in following my knitting and crochet projects through the year, I'm on Ravelry.  My user name is: PennyTeem

Windy nights and hurting elbows

It was very windy and rainy last night.  Another wind chime got broken!  Darn it!  And the rocking chair on the front porch got blown off!  That has NEVER happened before.  Good grief!

A windy night, for sure!

My elbow has really been bothering me.  I've been trying to finish this sweater for about 2 weeks.  But I can only knit for an hour or so at a time.  Then my hand goes numb.  Typing doesn't help at all!  Even scrolling down the page to look at Pinterest or Facebook is getting painful...  So I guess I need to make that call and get on with getting the repairs done.

Anyway... I finished a sweater I started back in October.  It got put aside for Christmas knitting.  So, it's been going slowly.  But now it's finished.

It's made with yarn from Knit Pics, called Wool of the Andes.  The color is Queen Anne.  I love anything in the peach/melon/orchid hues. 

I wanted to have some ruffles, so I added a crochet lace edge.  I'm very happy with the way it came out.

I found a nice pewter pin to use for closure.  I didn't want any buttons.

See that darn elbow brace peeking out?  I guess it helps, if only to remind me not to be stupid.

But I'm a slow learner.  It takes me a long time to admit I need to change what I'm doing.  I guess pain and a numb hand are the price I have to pay for being so stubborn. 

Teaching

When  I was 9, my great-aunt Jean Cragle taught me how to crochet and knit.  Why did she do this?  She was tired of me chasing her chickens!  She told me I needed to learn to do something constructive.  I wonder if she had any idea how important those 2 skills would be in my life.

I crocheted doilies while riding on the school bus.  I made rugs, bags, blankets, scarves, hats.  I didn't knit as well as I crocheted, so I let it lapse for a few years.
 


By the mid-1980's I got bored with crochet.  I decided I wanted to knit a sweater.  I was stationed in Japan at the time (US Navy 1979-1992).  I think it was 1986...  anyway, I went to a local department store and got a Vogue Knitting magazine.  I picked out a pattern, got some yarn and the needles required.  And I went home and started knitting.   Man, I had a lot to learn.



Knitting patterns aren't held to any standard.  Some are very well written.  And some must be written my aliens.  Aliens because I can't understand them - even after knitting for these past 27 years.

I love teaching people, sharing my skills and passing on what I know to another generation of artists.  My aunt shared that gift with me & I want to pass that love along.  I wish I had a photo from those days, but I don't.  Oh well.  I have the memory, and that's what counts.

When I lived in Washington State, I was lucky enough to find a wonderful community of knitters, spinners and weavers.  I met some wonderful people and had many wonderful adventures with them.  I traveled to some places I never imagined I'd visit on our "spinning adventures".  Imagine a car full of women laughing, knitting and sharing their thoughts and dreams.  Emphasis on the laughing.  That's what it was like.  I miss those ladies!  Northwest Regional Spinners Association (NwRSA)2015 is a great organization.  They meet monthly in Bellingham, WA.  Locations vary.  They have a Facebook page.Spindrifters-Area-2015-nwrsa  Northwest Regional Spinners Association

I met the Skagit Valley Weavers when I moved to Mount Vernon in 1989.  Wonderful ladies.  Many of them went on to join the NwRSA, as I did. Skagit Valley Weaver's Guild

I wasn't always as active with the Weavers as I had been, but I enjoyed meeting with them.  I learned about the State Fair system through them.  I helped man their exhibits at the Fair in Mount Vernon.  That was always fun.

NwRSA loom at the Highland Games in Mt Vernon, WA

 I made some wonderful friends through the NwRSA.  I learned the most from Billie Eby, Margaret Magic, Nancy Bjerke, Debra Lacy, Linda Smuzer and Terri Larkin.  Talk about talented women.  Tiny Stratton and Jean Molinari were mentors to me.  Jean Nelson took me under her wing.  Jean Lehman and Anna Mae Kindaid did as well.  (Sounds like I only knew ladies named Jean.. maybe it's because that was my aunt's name....)  Anyway....  The ladies I met through the fiber organizations will forever be part of my life.  And I thank all of them.

Anyway, I also went through a course to get certified to judge entries at the State Fairs.  I met more wonderful people doing that!  And the quality of the workmanship (or should I say workwomanship?) was amazing.  I was truly honored to be involved in the State Fair program.

I also taught some of the kids at the local school.  If you want a challenge, try teaching 10-year old boys how to knit in one 45 minute session.  HAH!

I was fortunate enough to be able to share my skills, and offered  classes through Knot Just Yarn in Burlington, WA.  My friend Becky Sumners owns that store.  She's a great lady.  Her store is wonderful!  If you ever  get a chance to visit, be sure to stop in.  It's worth the trip.  Knot Just Yarn is also on Facebook.  Check them out. Knot Just Yarn

I also got to teach through Northwest Handspun Yarns.  My friend Nancy Bjerke owned the store at that time.  She was located in a little shop in Bellingham, WA.  Her shop expanded into a wonderful location.  I had since moved to Georgia and then on to Arkansas, so I haven't visited the new store.  Nancy has since sold her shop to Meg Jobe, and it's still in beautiful Bellingham.  It's a wonderful store.  The staff is excellent.  I spent many wonderful hours at the shop in the early 2000's.  Nw Handspun Yarn is on Facebook.  Nw Handspun Yarns


Since I moved to Arkansas, I haven't connected with many fiber artists.  My good friends Gena Stout and Erika Schindler are yarn addicts.  But I haven't found a place to share my obsessions with others.  But I may have found one now.  My friend Vicki Huskey-Mann  has decided to offer classes at her store Sugar Creek Goods.  We've only had 1 class so far.  It went well, lots of laughs.  Check Vicki out on Facebook.  Sugar Creek Goods

My husband and stepson have reconditioned some spinning wheels that we're selling.  I haven't found a buyer yet.  If Vicki's spinning class gets going, I may find a taker yet.  John and Josh fixed the wheels, I cleaned them up.  They all spin well. 

Anyone interested in a wheel???

Scandinavian style wheel

Saxony style wheel

Parlor style wheel with ivory accents