Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Those Darn Rain Crows and Frogs!

We had a little teeny blast of cold and the rains started.  Winds are blowing from the south; this brings muggy and warmer weather.  We have been in the 40's at night and 60's during the day.

 The other day I had the back door open and I suddenly tuned in that the frogs were peeping.  I yelled at them  "Go back to sleep.  It is not Spring, and please don't get cold." 

Yesterday I woke with the sound of wind and rain, and I crept to my studio to do some spinning.  Patty hates the rain, and it is a struggle to get her out into it.  I had about 30 mins of peace before she woke up and realized I wasn't around.  So out we go into the rain for a bit of a walk about.  She can really do her business fast when she is wet.

Today it has been overcast and muggy.  Rain was supposed to begin around noon.  So I hurriedly dressed, ate breakfast, got Patty outside, and thought about going to the grocery store.  RC and HC are coming for the weekend, and I wanted to have things to eat and drink available.  While I was in the store, I heard the rain on the roof.  It was a deluge.  I finally got to the car and groceries loaded and home in between the rain. 

Since this morning the rain crows have been croaking out their message.  I glared at them as I was carrying sacks into the house.  Since I have been settled in, the rain has begun in earnest. 

So I guess we are in the transition phase of between late summer, early Fall, and the blast of winter.  Sigh!  I just know it is getting darker and I don't have as much time to knit on the stranded sweater as I would like.  It is too difficult to see the chart with my lighting-yes I have natural lighting directly over my chair, but still hard to see.  I can strain with my reading glasses, but I refuse to do that.  So I sit by the window and get the perfect light without any glare and knit a few rows.  It is growing slowly, but progress is being made.

The red homespun sweater is growing rapidly.  It is a top-down raglan and the plain knitting is a joy compared to the stranded work.  I know in the past that I have complained when there is so much stockinette to do before the fun starts.  Well, this time it is going fast.

I am spinning some BFL that has rather interesting colors.  I bought this at the fiber show in July.  It is Mountain Colors, and the colorway is Evening Star.  It is deep, deep purple (almost black), lighter purple that sometimes has pink showing, a teensy bit of blue, a teensy bit of dark green, and a teensy bit of cinnamon-y brown.  When it is spun it is much darker than I imagined it to be.  I think it needs to be a pair of socks.  We will see what the yardage is when finished.  I think this one is mine-maybe.

Noodles has been spending a lot of time outdoors with the warmer weather.  I heard the cat door slam this morning and then heard a squeal.  I looked for body parts when I woke up, but so far have not found them.  I guess he ate everything but the squeal.

I have two projects in bags sitting by my chair in the knitting room.  I also want to get back to my sewing.  I know all of this will happen, but I still feel guilty about the sewing.  I just never go back there and sit down and do it.  Sigh!

Well, I guess I will go bake some cookies.  I am trying to get things cooked before the company.  I hate to cook while I am visiting.

If it continues to rain, I guess I will pull out the rain boots.  Crazy.  We are supposed to have thunder storms.  The southern mountain range is supposed to get as much as 5 inches of rain. 

Have a good rest of the week.  I just heard thunder and I am going to shut down the computer.

Monday, October 21, 2013

A Simple Life

I listen to my friend's complaints.  When I hang up the phone, I take a deep breath and I let out a HUGE sigh!  My life is simple.  My parents are dead, and I do not face the end of Life issues that so many of my friends are facing with their parents or parent. 

Another friend calls frequently and tells me the same things she told me in the last conversation.  She has a very serious threat of Alzheimer's in her family.  She and I both are thankful that we have pared our lives down to simplicity.  She lives alone, but has a system of friends (including me) who check on her regularly.

I have another friend with multiple medical problems and she is faced with HUGE medical debt.  Her life is not pleasant and a husband who does not understand why she is depressed.

I have a routine, but frequently I do not stick to the routine.  I do enjoy my spinning and I do that daily.  I knit daily.  I enjoy the complexities of patterns.  I love to see the progress made daily on projects. 

I do cook, but not as frequently as before.  I make things that I divide up into meals and freeze these portions.  Then I can microwave them or heat them up in the freezer.

I do keep the dishes clean and I do sweep the kitchen floor every other day.  I dust or sweep the main floors when I can't stand it any more or if something is on the floor.  I clean the floors regularly.  I do laundry once a week. I keep the bathrooms clean.  So I don't think I am a sorry old woman that is so often shown on t.v.

I did cancel my cable service.  I like to watch Netflix instead.  The cost of that is a fraction of what the worthless cable shows were costing me.  I have a budget, but I can't resist if I find things that are real bargains.  I like to go to Goodwill and buy any clothing I need. 

So really my Life is Simple.  I am grateful and thankful every day that I have that is simple and blessed. 

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

I Haven't Forgotten My Bees!

Most people think I should take down my hummingbird feeder.  It is almost mid-October!  But obviously some critters still need the sugar water.  This is taken from inside the house through the window.  On a warm day there can be 50+, but on a coolish morning or day there are only a hand full of bees.  I am happy to keep them going.  With the bee shortage, I am happy to see them on my flowers in the summertime and now on the feeder.

I know the downy woodpeckers like the sugar water, too, but I have been putting out sunflower seeds for the birds for a week now.  They like that, too.

I am recuperating from the show.  I am not so tired.  Yesterday I did finish the second bobbin of red thread to ply today.  It is destined to be a sweater.  I finally made a decision to rip out the hat I was knitting and recalculate the number of stitches.  I have done that and I am now 2 inches on the ribbing.  I dropped three stitches on the green Norwegian socks, and I will have to sit in good light to pick those up.  I finished my book and have started a new one.  So I am steadily moving back to normalcy.

I did put my knitting down last night during NCIS.  Abby was knitting!  Yeah!

I have been getting phone calls from friends that are checking on me and to ask about the show.  I guess I did invest a lot of time and energy into the show.  That is the opinion of everyone.  I am only disappointed that perhaps it wasn't the best show for me to sell.  It is hard to know until one tries.

The weather is changing.  The light is decreasing slowly.  I want to get as much done on the knitting that requires light while I can.  Some things work fine in artificial light, and some things are better in natural light. 

Nothing else new.  Just wanted to show off my bees.  I am so happy for them.  I know that most people find them a nuisance, but I am happy to keep them going.

Monday, October 7, 2013

A Strange And Wonderful Experience!


 Crow and I got all packed up to go to Greenwood.  Her window would not go up.  The electrical wire was messed up somehow.  So she put duct tape on it.  At times she had to hold the tape in place as we are rolling down the highway! That meant she had to put MORE duct tape on it!

We had a wonderful time visiting our old friends and catching up with each others lives.  Most of these folks we only see at fiber shows. 

Friday afternoon was a good afternoon of sun and warmth.  We were all optimistic about Saturday.
Saturday it gushed and poured rain as if someone unzipped a cloud!  Sigh!  It's a chance everyone takes at shows.  Needless to say, traffic was really slow and buyers were few.

So now I have to regroup and think and plan a different strategy.  I am still tired and my mind is still muddled.  I got my deposit into the bank this a.m. and that is all.  I did take the things off the website that sold and added some other things.  More tweeking later.

I tried to knit on my Norwegian sock yesterday, and I dropped a couple of stitches.  I decided to just roll it up and wait and take care of the problem another day.  I am too tired to think right now.

Patty came back from her adventurous boarding experience all groomed and pretty.  One of the other dogs chewed up her bed.  First he took it outside in the rain Saturday, and then it got ripped apart.  Luckily I left her a blanket, and that was intact.  It has been washed and is out on the clothesline now.

Noodles was Mr. Lovey Dovey all afternoon and night.  Now he is back to his normal behavior of "Who Cares?  We are all together again."

I think I am going to go sit in the lounge chair and relax.  I just want to be still for a while.

Happy Fall!  The leaves will turn soon!