Celtic Cast On

No your eyes are not deceiving you that really is snow! Yes I said snow, and its October 14th…… *sigh*

Sarah posted a few days ago that they got a skift but I did not think the “chance of snow” the weatherman talked about was THIS MUCH!!!

This is what our yard looked like just as the fluffy stuff started to fall….

Amazing huh??? Apparently the trees weren’t prepared for this either, they are all bent over and we even lost one on our trail down back, I had to detour through the pine trees to get around it this morning.

Molly was not impressed with the wet flakes falling last night….

but when she realized the fluffy edible stuff was back to romp around in she was ok with it.

Boston enjoys being outside in any weather but I think he too is a bit partial to the fluffy stuff. He’s just waiting for a snow bank to perch on top of so he can survey his land.

I on the other hand would prefer that my winter jacket buttoned, my snow pants zipped and that I wasn’t currently wearing the winter woolies I would usually be donning in February!! Tadpole will get a shock to the system when he arrives!!

This last week I’ve been quite miserable as I seem to have caught a cold that I really needed to get with just over 2 weeks to my due date. I seem to be getting a bit better but it will be nice when I have some energy back and can breathe through my nose again.

I have WIP’s, FO’s and packages to get caught up on so I best get posting.

After month’s of not being able to find buttons to match…..

I can finally show you my finished BSJ!

Pattern:Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann

Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sport  multi in Bittersweet

Needles: 5mm circs

Start Date: March 3rd 2009

Finish Date: April 6th 2009

I don’t seem to have ANY notes from knitting this sweater… bad knitter! I do remember that I didn’t want to knit it again anytime soon, it seemed very fiddly to me always having to count to make sure I had enough stitches on either side etc. Once I got nearer to the end it seemed to get easier but it definitely wasn’t the relaxing knit that I was hoping for.

Luckily for me this sweater is for the Tadpole so I won’t need to make another one anytime soon

Just because they are soooo darn cute……  My babies!!

They were perched on top  of the sand pile we were using to make a level spot to put the pool…. don’t ask how it went, we no longer have a pool…. Bosty however loves to dig and enjoyed snoking and digging his little heart out while Molly preferred to use it as a crow’s nest to keep a close eye on her Dad.

Enjoy the sun we are finally getting!

Enough already with the SNOW!!!!

At 8 o’clock this morning I was out shovelling snow from the fence, no not the driveway the fence!!! 

We’ve had to dig a trench all the way along the fencing of our property. There is just sooo much snow that it was actually higher than the fence we put up and Boston was able to just walk right out on to the road. Leave it to my little devil to find a way out.

We were blattered with 30cms of snow in a meer 7 hrs in the early hours this morning which easily filled the previous trench we had dug on saturday. This morning it was back to trench digging while Moose plowed out the driveway.

All that work for this little Bohemian trench jumper!!

I did of course have my trusty trench guard on duty to make sure there was no trench jumping while I dug it out again. 

After 3 hours of digging we’re back to a jump free zone only to find out we’re getting another 5-10cms before the day is out.

PLEASE SEND SPRING!!!

January was bitterly cold, wool hats, helmet liners, snowpants, nothing seemed to keep you warm. I had finally accepted the fact that I was going to be cold when I was outside and I’d just have to suck it up and get warm when I came back in.

 I cast my wellies aside in SEPTEMBER because my feet were too cold and I needed my winter boots to keep  my wee tootsies warm. Moose however continued to wear his throughout the winter and  I just assumed his wellies had  winter liners in them and thats why he was still wearing them even though his feet were always cold when he came in. I asked him if he’d like me to make him some winter socks to block out the cold and was pleasantly surprised when he replied that yes he would like a pair.  I thought “man he really must be feeling the cold!” he’s always sweating.

I started knitting the socks and then realized that Moose had been wearing plain old  rubber boots this whole winter, no liners and with only store bought socks on his feet. GOOD GRIEF!!! We immediatley went out and bought WINTER boots, apparently the ones I THOUGHT he was wearing this whole time had started to leak so he through them out .  I  worked solely on his socks, so I could get them on his feet pronto,  no knitters’  household should have cold feet!

The day before our anniversary he asked if the socks were done yet, geez he really did want these things. I was almost to the toe on the second sock so I told him I would have them done sometime the following day.

Pattern: Briggs and Little Heavy Socks

Yarn: Briggs and Little Tuffy

Needles: 3.25mm dpns

Start Date: January 3rd 2009

Finish Date: January 15th 2009

They fit to a T! They are very warm and most of all, HE WEARS THEM!!!

SUCCESS!!!! This goes down in history as the first pair of socks made for and worn by Moose…. maybe someday he’ll actually wear sock yarn socks….. or maybe that’s still wishful thinking!

While knitting these my dad complained about the cold, he works outside in it everyday and wears 2 -3 pairs of socks sooooo I wasn’t about to let that go unnoticed. He tried on one of Moose’s liked them, said he’d wear them so I told him I’d put him on the list.

 Mum and Dad are actually on vacation so I started them in hopes of having them finished by the time they got home. I chose green for his and am off to a great start….. I can foresee winter socks for the whole family in my future!!

The socks were definitely worn during a big ice storm we had in January. There was at least 4 inches of ice on our main road so Moose took that opportunity to go skating.

He actually skated up the driveway and out onto the road, it was crazy!!

 Poor Boss was stuck behind the gate, watching all the action!

We’re gearing up for another storm this afternoon.

Stay warm!

So yesterday marked a day…. the day Moose and I officially became farmers!!

This is the pasture! We’ve be working on it for months now. See before it was pasture it was tree’d ferny land that we morphed into pasture. From clearing the land and picking rocks…….. picking rocks over 2 and a half acres I might add TWICE!!! Tilling, disc harrowing, are you getting the picture yet??

Yesterday was the day! We walked the pasture and sowed the seed. I am offically a farmer! Aren’t I??? Heck yes I am I sowed seed now all we have to do is wait for grass to grow and we’ll have us a dang good pasture! We’re hoping to get the fencing hung before the snow flies, at least on the outside posts!

A lot of you had noticed in my last post that Autumn has finally hit the ridge.

This is what we get to enjoy everyday!

At first when September hit and  I took the dogs for a walk I could just see a few trees turning yellow. Then it seemed like a whole line across the valley was colourful but when I walked down at the start of this week I was blown away. Full blown colour staring me in the face!! How could you NOT be in awe of that view!! I must say though its even more wonderful in person, you just can’t capture that on camera! Once I hit the clearing I gasp EVERYTIME, its soooo wonderful, I’m so blessed to be living in amongst all this beauty!

We don’t have many red trees around the house, most seem to be orange or yellow but there is one. One lone tree that I can see while i”m knitting, through the front window and I wish I could just scoop it up and replant it in my yard. It currently sits right across the road from our mailbox.

 Its so bright it just pops out from between all the green foilage. I love it so!

Our CSU *counter squirrel unit* have been busy, chasing squirrels, partridge, and enjoying all the new smells that Fall brings.

My little fern eater Molly is such a good model!

Boston…. not so much. I’m lucky I captured this shot before he bounced off in search of something else.

As much as I love my woodstove… I don’t want Fall to end, its such a short time, and my favourite time of year. Soon though the cold will set in and the snow will fly…. I’m not quite ready for that yet!! Hang on Fall, Hang on!

Pattern: Cashmere Neckwarmer by Kim K.

Start Date: September 1st 2008

Finish Date: September 1st 2008

Yarn: Queensland Kathmandu Aran in Brown

Needles: US 11

This was a quick little knit I polished off while watching my newest obsession 24. I’m nearing the end of the first season and can’t wait to get stuck into the next 6.

Queensland Kathmandu is such a yummy yarn, I had two balls left over from Moose’s Cobblestone so I thought i’d whip up a nice little neckwarmer just in time for fall. The weather here as been rather fall ish with the odd hot day here and there so i’m thinking i’ll be using this soon rather than later.

It’s long enough that I can tuck it into my jacket for a little bit of extra warmth when it gets really cold…… I’m trying not to think about that yet but it will be fastly approaching!

I finished it off with a nice chunky wooden button, delic!!

I have been getting geared up for the cold season, but this week, and for the last few months now I have been sweating my hole off piling wood. We ran out of wood last year so this year we ended up getting 6 cord and it was lucky me who gets to pile it.

Last years process took a LONG time because I was using a small 4 wheeler trailer to cart the wood from the pile, to the basement door and then wheel it inside with the wheelbarrow. Not this year, this year I have the tractor and a large trailer that I am piling as high as I can get it before taking it around back.

I was doing pretty good, the pile was slowly but surely getting smaller with each load but I was really getting sick of seeing that pile of wood everytime I walked out the door so I grabbed Moose on Sunday and we assessed the damage. He figured I had a good 6 trailer loads full left before the pile was finito so a challenge was born.

My challenge was to get it done by the weeks end. If I did two loads a day for 3 days it would be done. Of course things and appointments happen that cause 2 loads not to get done in a day but I still figured I could get it done by the weeks end. Today is Friday and baby I just finished the last load of wood!!!!

I had one load left to do and was determined to get it done today and then I wouldn’t have to look at another wood pile until next year.

Of course it had to be boiling hot out!! The heat factor paired with coveralls, gloves and wellies makes it sweaty work. I did however have my trusty helper.

And….. my not so trusty helper……

Sweet victory was mine when I picked up the last log from the trailer!!!

Those coveralls look hot huh *wink wink*

Challenge complete!!! Done for another year!!!

*you can’t see them but there are two more rows behind that one*

Last week we took the dogs to Cassidy Lake for a bit of a paddle to get cooled off. It was a scorcher for sure and even I *won’t get in unless its bath water* took a little dip. When we arrived at the loading zone it was empty and ready for two big dogs to frolick. Being so close to the road was a bit of a concern as Boss and Moolly normally roam free on the Ridge but Moose took them down and then tied their leads to a long rope that we could just grab if the need be.

Molly is like her mother, in that she doesn’t like to get wet so we weren’t sure she would even go IN the water but with dad by her side, anything is possible.

After some wading around Moose got out the Dingy we had brought along to fart around in it. There’s a story to this dingy. I won it in 1999 at an Irving Mainway Convience Store. The manager called to say I had won a dingy, two paddles and pump, when could I come pick it up……… I won….. but how did I win??? Apparently I had put my name in for a draw….. ohhhh right the draw…… I’d figure out who entered me in for the draw later, but for now I’ve got me a boat to pick up. Turns out my mum had entered my name, it ALWAYS happens to her, she never wins unless she puts someone else’s name on the ticket.

Now that dingy has been sitting my closet at mum and dad’s house for 9 years now!! I guess I never really had anywhere I could use it and it got forgotten about. Mum brought it down to us the last time they came over and when we discovered Cassidy Lake was not far from out house while out on a bike ride we knew the dingy would have its first voyage.

Moose took it out for a paddle while I stayed on shore and kept an eye on the dogs. However someone didn’t like being left very much and followed.

Wait for me Dad!!!!

Of course he came right back for her, in she got and off they sailed leave poor Boston and I on the shore.

She absolutely LOVED it and had a grand ole time. I still laugh when I see this picture, Captian Molly leading the way! She lay down in the boat with her head hanging over the side having the time of her life! Of course dad came back to get Boston but he wouldn’t get in without me… can you tell who’s dog is who’s???

Of course I couldn’t get pictures when all four of us were in it together but next time we come i’ll be sure to bring my tripod to capture Boston. It was an awesome day and we’re now looking into Dog lifejackets so we can get farther out and not be worried about Boston jumping ship

It was a good doggy day!

Things have been a little BLAH around here as of late but through it all I have been knitting. Keeps a body sane right?? First up I have the cutest pair of baby bell bottoms you ever did see!!

                                                                            CUTE HUH!!

I wasn’t sure how the striping was going to turn out or that I would be able to match the legs but I think they are as good as I could get them to be.

       Baby Bell Bottoms

 Start Date: March 30th 2008

 Finish Date: April 13th 2008

 Yarn: Regia Canadian Colour 4733

 Needle: US 6 circs

If I were to knit these again I would definately knit the legs in the round, sooo much easier than seaming each leg. I did a little picot edge at the bottom of the legs and left out the drawstring. I put an elastic waist band in instead to keep them up. No need to ask who they are for because if you don’t know by now…… well you either must be new to the blog or just haven’t been paying attention. These are for a future Mooselet They have been tucked away with the others until the time comes.

We have been busy clearing land and getting ready to soon be putting up fencing. Burning bush has been the the task for the past few sundays and i’m glad to say it is almost finished. Here are just a few shots I took during out burning adventures. Click on any to make them bigger. I love the picture of me and Molly. We keeping snapping pictures of with her eyes closed. Makes me giggle everytime

I seem to be knitting everything in three’s as of late. By the third i’m definately ready for another project so its just as well i’m not knitting in four’s.

These are the cutest little tissue socks I whipped up over my lunch break. Simple and small enough to mindlessly knit and finish within the day. I used left overs of sock yarn that I had laying around.

From left to right are knit picks spring prairie, *top* spunky eclectic neopolitan, and sugar bunny boulevard Kelly. ahhhhhh such cutess will fit perfectly inside my knitting bag. Now which one do you want mum???

Mister Owl happens to be hanging around none other than MY house. I let Bos and Molly out to pee friday morning, Bos ran out and starting jumping up in the air at something. Mister Owl was hanging out on our telephone line until Boston scared him off. Hopefully he will return again.

Boston loves his Nanny and Granda. He gets sooo excited when they come, dad tends to wind him up too so that only aids in the excitement.

 ~ heheheheh only at nanny and granda’s can you sneak on the couch. When are we going back there again? ~ Boston

                                                                 D is for Duffle Coat

            Pattern:  Duffle Coat by Zoe Mellor in Double Knits

            Yarn: Cascade 220 green 8903

            Needles: US size 7

           Start Date: January 2008

           Finish Date: 24th February 2008

*Waves white flag* Ok Jeanne, you win, I’m done with Moss stitch for a while!!! This project was getting very monotonous at the end, I just wanted it to be done but what a cute outcome.

I love this little duffle coat, and although duffle coats are supposed to have toggles I couldn’t find the right toggles. I found plain wood ones but nothing at all like the dark stained toggles I had imagined. Mum came down last week with some mini buttons, a miniture version of what I have stashed away for a special cardi. I placed them against the coat and it was instant love. I couldn’t have picked them out better myself. She only brought a card of 4 as she didn’t realize there were 8 on the coat so when we were out yesterday I popped in to Fabricville and got another card. An pleasant reminder from Missyvanee to hurry the frig up and finish it already *and no she didn’t say it like that * was all that was needed to pop those buttons on this afternoon and get some pictures taken. Sometimes all thats need is that gentle nudge for me to get something done. Thanks Missy!!

D is also for Drive

All you need to do is say the words “Wanna go for a Drive?” and tails are wagging like helicopters and paws are dancing all over the hardwood floors. No not Moose’s paws!

Molly and Boston’s of course. Molly is pretty low key and doesn’t dance about as much as Boston does on a regular basis but when you say Drive she is gone to the truck like a lightning bolt.  She runs from one side to the other wondering which side she’s gonna get in. She WILL push her way through Boston to get into the truck first, while poor Boston has some trouble getting his footing for the step up.

Molly is the console driver, she has to have her head rested on the console, close to dad of course, while Boston likes to look over my shoulder or rest his head on the bench seat and look at the cars behind.  They are our constant driving companions and I couldn’t ask for better.