Outing

 We drove up North and a bit West to see Noah for his Birthday!  

He posed for the birthday photo! 

We visited and then went out to Lunch at Noah's favorite Mexican place.  The food was excellent and the company awesome...Noah, Adam, Jen and Andy.   We also had some marvelous cupcakes that Jen bought at a specialty bakery...I had the to die for Turtle Cupcake...dark chocolate with a caramel center! 

We got to meet Noah's puppy a Shiba inu/American Eskimo Mix sometimes called a Imo Inu named Aurora and Adams rescue cat Phoebe (Calico)...no photos I wanted to just meet them.  Of course we got to spend some time with Little Elvis too...he still loves us.

I finally got to hug both of my grandsons!  They have both been vaccinated!

Far Guy did okay...he helped drive...he said that is the easy part just sit and steer.  He is still not back to normal activity and is plagued with the shortness of breath.  We needed a day away...and this was a perfect outing!   We have looked forward to it for a long time! 

The old blue milk can has been transformed!  I still have all the contents of the milk can project ready to spin...someday. 

Far Side

Some Forward Progress

 We lost Internet, TV and phone again completely.  The repair guys finally showed up, it took them about an hour to find two problems...good thing all the equipment is theirs because two whatchamacallits had to be totally replaced.  So far so good, but Far Guy says "Don't hold your breath."

In our area of the boonies our only other choice is a Satellite Company that I hear is unreliable. ...so it is what it is.  

The quiet in our home was horrid, I could hear the clocking ticking away in one ear and Far Guy snoring through his afternoon nap in the other ear.   I finally resurrected the DVD player in an old computer and apparently played the Bee Gee's One Night Only too many times ...the last time I played it Far Guy started to sing Na na na na  and he wouldn't stop.  He put in an old Bob Dylan DVD which he quickly rejected  and he embraced the quiet for a few minutes until he started.singing Bee Gee's songs just to irritate me.   Well at least he was singing to me... :)

I got a number of projects done over the weekend.   I finished up some hearts for a charity( Peyton Heart Project)  I packaged them up to mail. 

It was a perfect project for bits and pieces of scrap yarn.  I would like to do more someday.  For now it is a project I can cross off my list. 

I have a few other new crochet projects that are rattling around in my head at the moment.  I have decided that a trip to Hobby Lobby and the local yarn shop will happen around April 1st (two weeks after my last shot)...although yarn could be ordered online....I want to line up the colors and look at them in my cart.  

 I am still working on wasp nests using up all the grey yarn I have on hand.  She who sees robins first dropped off a whole skein of grey yarn for me.  I will have enough nests for the entire neighborhood and even a few to mail off to friends.   The pastel mosaic scarf is almost done, and I have a cashmere shawl in the works too. 

I have made absolutely no progress on the milk can project this winter.  The rollags are stored in paper bags until I can figure out how to spin on that old wheel I have...I have a friend who said he could help me or maybe a cousin I could ask for help...next summer....after Covid...if there is such a thing. 

Far Guy has his wood carving out...so far it looks like a bunch of holes in a piece of wood.  Only he knows what it will be. 

Far Side

Leaves

 We ran an errand yesterday morning.  The Maples are coloring up nicely.

It was a nice morning for a drive. 

We always looks for this old barn...it is still there but has an extreme forward lean.

 The errand complete we headed back home.  Far Guy worked on his new old car and I mulched leaves...my new mulching blades work so good!   I have to calm down this time of year and understand that the lawn cannot be perfectly free of leaves for a month...some blowing around hopefully out of the yard is a good thing.

I finished the last bit of carding...all the dog hair rolags have been made...now we will see if I can spin.  I have my doubts...I cannot chew gum and walk at the same time without biting my tongue.  I was also a failure at the treadle sewing machine....I would be going along just fine and then for some reason go into reverse and break my thread...however Far Guy mastered the treadle sewing machine perfectly! 

We had a lovely day with the high around 80 F or 26 C eh!

Far Side

Milk Can Project

 The Milk Can Project began many many years ago. 

Photo taken about 1990.

We had two daughters and three Shetland Sheep Dogs or Shelties.   Jen with G'Day Mate, Trica with Misty and Moses.  Misty and Moses were the parents of G'Day Mate...and also Captain who lived for awhile with my parents, we took care of him when they went on vacation and one time he just stayed living with us.  

Moses, Mate and Captain in 1996.  Misty died in  the spring of 1996, Moses died in 1997 and G Day Mate in 1998. Captain held on and was a wonderful companion for us until 2002.

One constant was that I groomed them and cleaned their teeth...usually twice a week..  G'Day Mate loved double turns and Moses would fall asleep while I cleaned his teeth.  Bathing them was a group effort...I would wash and the girls would take turns towel drying them...we bathed them once a month more often if they found a smelly fish to roll in.

I saved all the dog hair.  INSIDE the milk can.  It has been waiting for me to do something with since about 1987.  

I began by sorting the hair outside in the evenings on the patio. 

Getting rid of all the twigs, burrs etc...  I rather enjoyed sorting...I could tell which dog was which and enjoyed the unique fragrance of all the dogs.  Just a few tears were shed.  When I had a bin full I washed it in the kitchen sink. I do like the smell of a wet dog...what can I say I am weird.

I rinsed it many times and took it out to the greenhouse/woodshop to let it dry out.  Batch after batch...I should have counted. I started washing and sorting mid June and finished the first part of July. 

Dog fur drying out. After it was dry I collected the fur in paper grocery bags. 

I ordered some carders.   Through the miracle of You Tube I taught myself to card.  It takes practice. 

I struggled with making rolags...but I think I have the hang of it now. 

The one on the far left  is correct the others will be carded again...although usable they will take up space! 

Otto Bruce my spinning wheel is waiting...Can I spin it ???...that remains to be seen...and that will be a winter project...right now I am concentrating on carding and making rolags. The rolags will be stored in old pillowcases or paper bags until I can work with them.  I have some special roving from some of my favorite sheep to mix in with the dog fur if needed when carding.   Did you know dog fur that is spun into yarn is  called Chiengora?? Someday I hope to make a lap blanket.

So my Milk Can project is coming along.   I hope to work on this project every day for awhile...the weather is cooler and I finally have time to concentrate on carding! 

The Milk Can itself found a new home and is going to be a project for Jen. 

I bet it will be painted burgundy or red and be used on her front porch.  ( She probably will not store dog hair in it as seeing the paper bags of dog hair made her gag.)

Far Side

Small stuff

The smaller Milkweed is blooming. 

I believe this is Asclepias ovalifolia or Oval leafed Milkweed...it is one of the first Milkweeds to bloom.   I saw some Monarch Butterflies...and will go check for eggs soon...the Common Milkweed was in bud.   Its thick leaves have lots of food for larvae.  Milkweed is a host plant for the Monarch larvae.   The eggs laid on the leaves begin as tiny tiny black balls.

I mowed most of our lawn before it rained just enough tiny drops to be called rain.

Scrumbles...that is what the small pieces are called in freeform crochet..  I am watching some videos...it is all very interesting.

I have finished with phase one and two of the milk can project.  Jen turned up her nose and gagged when she encountered the project last weekend.  Phase three is almost done and then phase four can begin...then maybe even phase five...then six...it will take me all summer.  I am still not certain I can do it all...but I am giving it a whirl!

I did not wood carve yesterday...I am behind on my goal of two ornaments a day.  Thinking I will woodburn the names and date on these ornaments...I can do that outside...before I paint them...I have to do a sample.

I tell you what...if I didn't have lots of projects in the works during this isolation...I am certain I would go nuts or worse yet drive someone else nuts!

Far Side

Summer stuff

Now that summer is officially here.  The lettuce harvest has begun.

Far Guy's garden; pear tomato plants and lettuce.  So far the deer and the rabbits have left it alone.

I harvested about half of the lettuce and will get the other half in a few days.  Then it will regrow a bit, we will see how it goes...I have more seed to replant.

We enjoyed it, it has so much more flavor than store bought lettuce.  I am thankful that I have a salad spinner as it really helps with the washing of the lettuce!

Our days are pretty much same old same old.  We wood carve on the Christmas Ornaments, and do household chores.  Yesterday I sprayed some Poison Ivy...it is what I do for fun.  It grew gang busters after the last couple of rains.  I worked on the big sort upstairs...and worked on the milk can project...it all keeps me out of trouble.  I am watching Alone: The Arctic on Netflix and I am really enjoying it!

Far Side

Cards etc...

We had thunder bumpers, wind and rain on Wednesday during the middle of the night, our rain gauge showed 2 1/2 inches of rain...lots of little sticks down in the yard.  I will mulch them up when I mow.  The grass is really going to grow now.

It was too wet to mow so I finished some cards.  I use watercolor pens, watercolor pencils, some solid watercolors what ever you call the watercolors in a tray and Prismacolor pencils.  Glitter in various forms to embellish the cards.   I stamp all my own cards on watercolor paper.  When I stamp I do many many cards at once cause stamping is messy...I throw them all in a box and then when I feel like working with color I have many stampings to choose from.

I mail out many cards and give some away so I need a good supply.

I bought this little stamp on sale...it was kinda ugly...but once I colored it and glittered it up a lot I really like it for a wintery card.

Far Guy worked on a project for me...a pair of tools to help with my milk can project.

Far Guy got his infusion and had something happen...a first for him.  His arm started to hurt and got incredibly cold.   The nurses wrapped his arm in a warm towel...but it was still cold and painful for a long time after we got home..

Groceries was an adventure...they were out of bread, yogurt and potatoes.  They had no print out for me, the young fellow said "It will be online for you."  It was...but a paper copy should accompany an order.  I don't let the delivery boy unload the cart...I disinfect everything but the fruit right there in the parking lot and put the groceries in my own bags.
 
Far Side

Projects and Visitors

Projects were varied yesterday.  It was hot outside.  In the morning I woodcarved  and worked on my milk can project.  (It involved water and Dawn dish soap and a trip to the greenhouse for drying.)

My brothers and wives were visitors.  During the day and in the evening.

Fawn in our yard.  My baby brothers bride took this photo.

I cleaned part of the linen closet in the downstairs bath...the shelves with baskets of like types of medications; cold stuff., cough stuff, wound stuff, stuff to make you poop or to stop you from pooping...(that is Far Guys stuff...I prefer cheese or dried apricots), all types of Aspirins PM, all day, low dose etc...I thought I was low on toothpaste....not so much as I found 5 tubes.

After that adventure I worked on some of my stamped cards...coloring with various mediums and using glitter!

After supper I attacked some ants that want to move near the house.   Toward dark Odda came to visit.

She still loves us.

Far Side