Farming At The Kitchen Table

I have always loved that saying ~ I'm not sure why ;) I guess it invokes images of Dad, Grandpa, Uncles or in more recent years Husband, Nephews, Neighbors sitting at the kitchen table discussing the farm plans for the day or week or season.

Saturday was that kind of day..of farming, shepherding and fellowshiping around the various "kitchen tables" of my life.

It started out as it usually does with morning coffee with my husband. Then off to Sip 'n Knit for our Middle of the Mitten Fiber Group meeting...a monthly get together of friends who spin, knit, crochet and raise animals. I was especially excited to think that I might be meeting a long lost friend, of sorts, a fiber friend and fellow shepherd met via the Internet, on a sheep list. This friend had lived through the kind of unplanned events of life that change all of us forever and now, years later, through what could only be called the working of unseen Hands, I might actually be meeting him for the first time in person! (we had only ever spoken via computer or Internet) Also planning a visit were fellow shepherds from here in Michigan, Tom and Margaret.

And it happened. It all came together, and in a wonderful place full of creative energy....with crochet and fiber and felting at one corner of the building....spinning and knitting in another, by the fireplace....and the usual fare of delicious food and out of this world coffee in another!


(Above, class in session with instructor Cathy Adams)

There was so much that I can't even begin to name it all! I almost feel like I was riding a wonderful carousel ride of lights and music and magically painted colors, full of laughter and breathlessness ~ that is the way the day spun around for me. It was a day of feeling the laughter catch in your throat, of sitting at a table with Tom, friend Hilda, Harry and me discussing sheep raising experiences. Of discussing with Margaret her trip to Orkney Island with Liz Lovick (okay, I told Margaret, now I can't be your friend because I am so envious of you taking that trip!!!) Of making plans for an upcoming day of Spa and Spinning. And of visiting as we often do, the "regular" friends who make each of these days so special...I won't name them all, but the Sip 'n Knit group know who you are!

I left that part of my day to hurry home and share my excitement with my husband, again over coffee at the kitchen table, when another of our dear friends arrived to discuss future plans for haying and planting time....I am going to have corn stubble to turn my ewes in to this fall and a new seeding of hay, too! Talk of changes to my pasture fences to better utilize what I have now (are you ready for all the work, Dad? LOL!)

And finally, after I finished my night chores, I came to the house and stopped to look around the farm with a sense of joy and gratitude for the many blessings God bestows on me every day.

And this is what I saw in the sunset ~



It seemed to me that the clouds gathered beneath the sun were wings and I thought of some verses from Psalms "To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because Thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee...Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice"....Psalms 63



It was a good day around the table.

Stained Glass Window...or Mitten

The mittens I made for the No More Humdrum Mittens 2 swap are finished. What fun they were to knit and I already have another pair planned for myself. I don't really like this shot (below) but it does show the different colors pretty well:



I much prefer this picture of the mittens making a snowball before getting ready for their trip to my swap partner in a different wintery state:



In the photo above, the mitten on the left is turned inside out because I think it looks pretty cool that way, too! Details:

Pattern: Honeycomb Mittens by Jean Newsted, from the book Homespun ~ Handknit (love that book!)
Yarn: Mostly Cascade Yarns Bollicine, 100% extrafine shrink resistant Merino wool in various colors. There is also just a little bit of a special handspun in one mitten that I won't talk about here...until after my partner receives the gift ;)
Needles: Size 4 Addi Turbo (knit Magic Loop style)

Though the pattern is called Honeycomb, I think that in this colorway (which includes most of my partners favorite colors!) it looks more like stained glass.

This was such a fun, no-stress knit a long...if there is a third, I would really like to be a part of it ;)

The Promise

There hasn't been much writing going on here at Serenity Farms...people in this household (and the extended family) have been sick, sick and sicker ;[ I hope the worst of it all is behind us now.

Of course, sickness does not excuse a farmer/shepherd/wife/mother/grandmother from going to work or doing her work, does it? But somehow (on the farming/shepherding front), I feel that making myself get up, bundle up and trudge through the snow in sub-zero temperatures builds strength and actually keeps me going! At a time when I read or hear over and over about how people are fighting the "winter blues" or wondering how they can overcome depression or sadness, I realize again how blessed I am to be given the privilege to be on a small farm and care for livestock. It doesn't allow time for those feelings, and when I am least expecting it ~ something or someone does something to cheer me and lift my spirits. It might a ewe who pushes her nose into my hand for a scratch, or the antics of lambs or it might be the glory of a sunrise or the moon glowing over the fields that bring peace and joy. Or best of all might be a special moment shared on the farm with a family member!

Most of you know that I LOVE winter...it probably is my favorite season. But today, the photo I am leaving you with is one I took last spring and called "The Promise"...a row of lavender plants that border my long perennial garden, just beginning to show their promise of what will come. Here is to the promise of spring soon to come (and of course, the weeding of the garden that will go along with it...you might notice the pile of weeds that I had been pulling on the lawn next to the garden!)

Colorful, Creative Friends

I am blessed beyond measure to have so many talented friends. Many of these I have gotten acquainted with through the Christian Artisans yahoo group. Recently, I was able to meet one of those long distance friends, Lee, when she paid a visit to Michigan.



The photo above shows just some of the glorious colorways she has designed and dyed. Lee has an etsy shop, where you can go to purchase your own luscious sock yarn from her ~ it is Wild Meadows Yarn. She sells out quickly, but I know for a fact that she just received a large shipment of blank yarn that she is working her color creativity on, so more should be available soon! When she left my house, she was carrying three less skeins than what she arrived with - LOL! Be sure to check out her shop, I know you won't be disappointed.

Another friend is Cheryl. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting her face to face, but she only lives one state away (Ohio) so maybe one day soon! Now, many of you know that I am a soap maker. I love homemade soap, and I love making my own. However, life is no longer affording me time to pull out the soap pots and get creative myself, so I am always happy to find another soap maker who's quality matches mine (at least in my opinion) I was thrilled to try Cheryl's "By The Hearth" soaps...here is just part of my recent purchase from her, along with some beautiful stitch markers she made and sent to me for my birthday.



Don't her soaps look pretty next to some of Lee's "Wood Violets" yarn? Cheryl does not have an online shop, but if you would like to contact me I can put you in touch with her. (Note ~ in the photo above, the yarn is by Lee at Wild Meadows Yarn and the soap is by Cheryl at By The Hearth Soaps)

I'll end this post with a photo of the Creation of another very special Friend of mine, the most important Friend of all. It is my Heavenly Father's morning sky:



Isn't it lovely? I hope you will find time to visit Him as well....

Finished Sock, Spinning Sock

My first small finished object for 2008, proudly displayed for SAM5 as well as Socks From Stash. I present my Autumn Joy Comfort Socks ~



PATTERN: Railroad Rib Socks by Evelyn Clark, from Fiber Trends
YARN: Handspun from my own Autumn Joy roving. Autumn Joy is a blend of Maxine's Corriedale wool (a warm, cinnamon sugar brown) blended with dyed mohair and some autumn colored firestar (just a glimmer)

First, I weighed out four ounces of the roving, and then divided it into two 2-ounce bumps. From there, I divided one of those yet again and spun two bobbins with one ounce each on my Louet S45. I plied these two singles together to get a sport weight yarn. Next, I divided the other 2-ounce bump into three roughly equal strips and spun each strip onto its own bobbin. I plyed these three singles together to make a 3-ply yarn that was also a sport weight, and got the same gauge as I did with my 2-ply sport weight. Grin....is that clear as mud? In the photo below, the softer 2-ply yarn is on the left, while the firmer, rounder 3-ply is on the right. I used size 2 needles (the pattern calls for size 3 on the sport weight yarn, but I wanted a firmer fabric)



My plan was to knit the top of the sock with the 2-ply and the foot, heel, toe with the 3-ply in the belief that this is going to wear better. When I finished spinning the two yarns, I washed them as Judith MacKenzie directs...first in hot, then in cold, roughing the yarns up a bit ((grin)). I love the finish this gives to my handspuns



What I didn't expect was the joy of working with my own fibers and watching these socks unfold. The fiber felt great in my hands as I spun it. The finished yarns bloomed and took on star power all their own. I love this Railroad Rib pattern and could hardly bring myself to put the knitting down until the socks were complete.

The ultimate joy, however, was in finally putting this finished creation on my cold winter feet!



Ahhhh....bliss!

Snow Falls

A look at my world this past week...

What I see when I look out the window next to the computer desk ~



What I see when I walk out the back door to head for the barn ~



That is pasture field and the woods beyond are the Burnham Woods (some of you remember the fall photos of the same woods) What these photos don't show you is the bitterly cold temperatures! Usually when we have this much snow, things warm up a bit. But we have had consistent temperatures in the single digits, often minus when you consider the wind chill.

Now THIS is a winter that I enjoy! I love a real winter like this ;}

Really Lonely Socks

Because I have been knitting lots of samples for things - our sock knit-a-long nights at the yarn shop, as well as samples for an upcoming class on spinning for sock yarn - I find myself with lots of lonely socks (meaning, only one half of a pair - LOL!) This is second sock syndrome taken to the next level. I give you proof below (and by the way, these pictures were taken a week or so ago when we were having unseasonably warm temperatures):


(This is the Railroad Rib Sock Pattern by Evelyn Clark from Fiber Trends, knit in L - Cascade 220, just a little to big for my foot; M - handspun Corriedale and R - started in Meilenweit Inca...that one is now finished by the way)


(The Cascade and the handspun on the feet)


(These are both from handspun. L - my own coffee cup sock pattern, only I call this the toe up, tea cup version, knit from a Hampshire-Mohair blend and R - my Shepherd Sock made from Corriedale)


(This is just a closer shot of the tea cup sock)

So now I am busy working on the second sock to each of these pairs ;) It is almost like getting to knit a new pattern/yarn all over again! I just have the toe to finish on my handspun Railroad Rib sock and just the leg to finish on the tea cup sock. Then I will have some pairs of socks to show for my work in January!

I was going to show a photo of my gathered supplies for my mitten, which I had planned to start today. But that may wait till middle of the week...I am on a sock knitting streak!

No Hum-Drum Questionnaire!

LOL...I have joined a swap to jolt me out of the winter doldrums - No More Hum-Drum Mittens Swap 2!

I have been knitting almost as many mittens this winter as I have socks, so when I followed a link from Anne's blog about this swap, I decided to take the plunge. It will be something different for me and I know I will enjoy it. There are still a few days to sign up for this, so if you would like to do away with the boring, follow the link above and join in ;)

One of the things we have to do is answer a questionnaire, so I have answered mine below. But before I do, I thought I would share a picture of some mittens I was working on before Christmas (and just picked up again) I had made the simple cable pattern then decided these mittens needed a lining. That is handspun Corriedale lamb/Angora bunny. I usually would knit the lining first and then the outer mitten, but the lining was an after the fact decision. So I picked up stitches at the cuff and started knitting away! We'll see how well my fit is doing things this way!



Okay, now on the question and answer portion of this post!

How long have you been knitting & how did you learn?
Since I was 12, about 36 years now ;) I learned when my Granny decided she would like to learn (she also learned to play guitar that year!) and she took me along. We took lessons that were offered at the local school – I was the youngest and she was the oldest in the class! So I always joke that I learned to knit with my grandma, and it is a very special memory for me!
Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced?
Intermediate
What are your favorite colors? Any you dislike?
I don’t think I have a favorite, I like them all at various times and places!
Do you like Latvian type patterns? If so, what are your favorite patterns?
I do like admiring Latvian patterns, but I don’t have a favorite one and have never knit one.
Do you desire mittens for yourself, your "special someone else" or your child?
For me please ;)
What is the measurement from your wrist to the tip of your longest finger?
8 inches, but I prefer a bit longer mitten, so would say a length of at least 9 inches
What is the circumference of your hand at it's widest point?
Around my palm is 8 inches, around the widest part just below my thumb) is actually 9 inches
What other things do you enjoy knitting?
Socks and lace
What sort of needles do you enjoy working with? (straights vs circs, bamboo vs aluminum)
Circulars – I rarely use straights. I like bamboo, love my Addi turbos, too. But my very favorite needles are my Denise interchangeables. I have wanted to try the Knit Picks new bamboo ones.
What’s one project you’ve not yet tried but are dying to make?
A sweater. I mean, I know that I could knit one, I have the skills. But I get bored so easily that I don’t usually take on larger projects. I will one day though. I am actually contemplating making the Central Park Hoodie this year. I have the pattern and yarn.
What’s one yarn you’ve not yet tried but are dying to work with?
Nothing comes to me, though I am sure there is something out there…
What other hobbies do you have? Do you spin? Sew? Garden? Cook?
Yes, I spin. Raise my own sheep for the wool ;) I also am an avid gardener.
Besides yarn, do you collect anything?
Fiber! I’m not sure which “stash” is bigger, fiber or yarn!
What kind of goodies do you enjoy? Sweets? Salty? Anything you hate or are allergic to?
Yes….LOL, I mean I just love goodies. Although I am getting a little tired of dark chocolate – I was obsessed by it for awhile so probably ate to much. No allergies.
Do you have any kids? Pets?
I have three grown children and my husband and I recently became legal guardians of our foster son – a fourteen year old boy. So we are not empty nesters! Our pets are all of the outdoors variety…approximately thirty sheep; a half dozen chickens; one goose and two very special barn cats. No indoors pets though.
What is your favorite part of Winter?
I just plain love winter! I love that there are no bugs and I can use wool (my favorite fiber) to its best advantage.
What is your least favorite part of Winter?
Well, I don’t like driving on bad roads.

Quietness of Mind

Give us through the coming year quietness of mind ~
Teach us to be patient and kind.
And show us that in quietness we can feel Your presence near,
Filling us with joy and peace throughout the coming year.
~ Helen Steiner Rice



One of my favorite things about starting a new year is starting with a new calender. All of those pages waiting to be filled! As I take down my old calender, with its pages all marked up and littered with now past information and reminders, I am refreshed by all of those shiny, clean, hopeful new pages. So many possibilities!

My new desk calender is a Helen Steiner Rice calender and January's page starts with the quote above. So no resolutions for me this year, no determinations to accomplish things I know won't happen for me. Simply a prayer to never miss the opportunity for quietness to refresh me and prepare me those times in life that are not so quiet!

Happy New Year....

The Christmas Goose

My daughter says we are becoming a regular Charlotte's Web around here. This is our latest:



About a week before Christmas we had some nasty weather move through our part of Michigan - very dense, heavy fog and moisture in the air that began to freeze on roads and everything else! When the fog finally cleared a bit in the early afternoon and I could see out to the pasture, I saw a goose. (I had to get the binoculars to really see what it was - at first I thought it was an injured deer or dog - LOL!) Anyway, I didn't think any more about it until the next morning, when the goose had moved closer to the barn. I watched it for awhile and it appeared weak. When I went to do chores, I took some corn and oats out to throw to it. It moved away from me but when I went back to the barn it quickly moved in and gobbled up that feed!!!

A little while later it seemed to be feeling brighter and was even honking some. It is in the pasture with the sheep and comes close to the barn but will not go in. Now, this wasn't so bad when the temperatures were hovering around 36 degrees, but now we are getting very cold temps and more snows! But, I can't coax her in (I don't really know if it is a he or a she - LOL) I took out a flake of straw for it to make a bed plus a small rubber water pan and I keep taking her feed.

I guess a goose knows if she gets to cold/wet that she needs to come in the barn, right? I mean, geese do live in the wild, so I am not to worried about that - the barn door is open and she is free to come in if she chooses to. But so far she has made a nest in that straw and seems content to let me come within about ten feet of her and throw her some feed.

So we have a Christmas goose that came to visit and decided to stay. A goose is one animal that I never had any desire to have...but Bill and Alex tell me they have always wanted one.



And now, I feel like she has chosen to live here with us, for however long, that
I kind of like having a goose, too!

(If anyone has any tips on goose care, I would be happy to hear them!)

Happy New Years Eve Everyone!

Christmas Around The World....

And at home ;)

With the hustle of Christmas, I am late in getting this photo and thank you posted about my Christmas Around The World Swap package. It did indeed arrive before Christmas from JoAnn, the Cape Sox Knitter!



Her card read:

Christmas Around The World 2007
Something to knit from ~ Sugar & Cream Yarn
Something to knit with ~ Patterns for Kitchen
Something hand knitted ~ Scarf...100% wool (see photo below); dishcloths...100% cotton
Something for taste ~ Chocolate Snowmen (ummm, already eaten when this photo was taken!)
Something for soul ~ Book "Five People You Meet In Heaven"
Something to hang on tree ~ Snowmen (I'm not sure if you can see the two little fat guys hanging on my mini tree, but they are there) There are also a row of snowmen candles

Thank you JoAnn!!! And I must tell you, the beautiful scarf you knit was hugely popular at my LYS Christmas pajama party!!! Your package arrived the day of the party, and my "pajamas" (also known as my "pod") are the perfect shade of blue to show off the scarf. We were all looking at it, to figure out the stitch...(seed stitch on large needles???)

Here is a photo from a grand evening of fun from the shop:



That is me and the scarf on the far right, next to Suzanne (shop owner), and two of our very favorite friends and knitters, Lois (in red looking like Santa's favorite helper) and Nellie (in flannel) on the far left. Both Nellie and Suzanne are wearing handknit socks, and Nellie is also wearing her felted slippers. I don't know if you can quite see them, but I am also wearing my sheep slippers (both my pod and my slippers were gifts from my sister!)

We had a great turn out that night and so much fun and food and fiber/yarn was shared! We are trying to think of a good excuse to have another....hmmmm...By the way, if you are ever in the middle of the mitten (mid-Michigan) be sure to stop by a really fun yarn shop and coffee house ~ Sip-n-Knit in Ithaca!

Finally, thank you to the hosts of Christmas Around The World Swap, I had a great time. It was especially fun shopping for and getting to know Kathy, who I gifted to. As she said, our lives are so very different and far apart and we might never have met but for this swap...and isn't that what swaps (and Christmas') are all about?

Merry Christmas Everyone!

While Its Still November....

Looks like blogging only once a month is becoming a habit for me - LOL! I'd really like to blog once a week, but sometimes don't get the chance. Maybe next month ~ famous last words, right?

I couldn't let November go by, though, without noting a memorable event in our family. My daughter's 30th birthday ;D We got to celebrate with family...those who were such an important part of helping me raise this very special young woman. I did not do such a good job by myself, but thankfully I have a large and close-knit family who wouldn't let me fail. Here is a picture of my child with her youngest son, and her horse, Lisa. And yes, Aunt Mo, those are Curious George pants!



While wondering how my baby got to be thirty years old, I wonder, too, how Lisa got to be eighteen? My dad bought her for my daughter and me when she was only a weanling, six months old. It was a time of traumatic single motherhood/daughterhood and being the wise parent he is, Dad recognized a need for something postive for us to share.



Lisa has filled that need for eighteen years now (nearly nineteen) and has shared many stories, tears and laughter. My daughter said once, when she was in high school, that Lisa was the best kind of friend because she always listened and never judged or told anyone else what you had said ;D I know that is true of many children and their horse. Lisa and Samantha are the only two horses left on the farm now, and they will live out there days here. We owe them much. Here they are together in pasture, Lisa is closest to the camera:



I have been thinking about something else relating to these two horses and to horses and life. Lisa is my horse, Sam is Bill's (my husband). When we got married, of course Lisa came with us to this farm. Then came some times of adjustment, for both people and horses. Lisa had always been boss mare. Sam had always been boss mare. Neither one was willing to concede to the other. For all of the following years, we kept them in seperate pastures, because if they were together they squealed and kicked and bit and would not give in, one to the other, to co-exist.

It was a little like that for Bill and me at first. We had both been single for quite a few years. I was used to living my life and deciding for myself and my daughter. He was used to the same, as well as running a business and being the boss. We loved each other, there was no doubt, but there was adjustment. Luckily, we did not have to live in seperate pastures (grin) but it has taken a good bit of fifteen years and some life crisis' to teach us to appreciate each other! And we do.

When all the other horses left this farm in January, I knew I was not going to keep these girls in two different spots and make more work for myself. I put them together. There was some jostling for space. There was ear pinning. There was some half hearted grunts at each other. They are both to old and arthritic to put much effort into fighting. Besides, they were kind of lonely.

This summer saw them standing head to tail, swishing flies, or scratching each others withers (shoulders). They will even eat out of the same hay feeder now ;)

Finally, on this last day of November we also cheer Bill's oldest daughter, all the way out in Colorado with her husband and two precious boys (we just don't have enough time with them!) Today is her birthday and we are happy in knowing that (in Julie's own words) she is happy and fulfilled in her life ~ isn't that a wonderful thing to be able to say? Her bubbly voice and infectious laugh on the phone are always a treat to look forward to!

All in all, with daughters celebrating milestone birthdays; with changes in life that make me appreciate and love my husband with new respect and gratitude; with thanks for parents and family who watched out for my child and me when we weren't doing a very good job of it by ourselves; for the rhythm of life and passage of time that makes friends of old enemies...for all of these things and so very much more ~ I want to say "Thank you, God" while it is still November. Your hand was always on us, You were watching over us even when we didn't realize it was You. Thank you.

As October Ends....

First I have to share this picture of a darling little sheep, crocheted by my sweet friend Carissa. She (the sheep, not Carissa!) arrived as a surprise in my mail box this week ~ just as a pick me up and a reminder that I have friends who pray for me! She is made from handspun wool, from one of our sheep named Coryn. Carissa washed, carded and spun the wool herself.

It is the last day of October. Do any of you read Glady Taber of Stillmeadow fame? I think I began reading her books when I was in sixth grade. Our old junior high library had them on the shelves and so did our local Carnegie Library. At even a young age, and even being the farm girl/tomboy that I was, I loved her stories. I still do, and have a few of them in my personal "library" that I re-read often. From one, a collection edited by Mrs. Taber's daughter Constance called The Best of Stillmeadow, I read this:

"As October ends, the air begins to smell of windfalls that have been frosted. The leaves drift down and most of the branches are bare. We see more sky. Night shuts down early.....the mornings have a sparkle and I love to see the shadow of the house silver with frost when sun has melted the rest of the crystals on the lawn. Next week, I think, we might take the screens off."



This morning I stopped along the lane that runs next to the woods on our Burnham Farm property (maybe you can see the hay wagon in the distance?) As I paused to photograph the view, the wind kicked up and leaves came drifting down around me.

Maybe next week, we will take screens off, too.

Evening Chores...

(Evening chores ~ and a nice, clean barn!)

By tomorrow night, the October moon will be full, in all of its glory...but it is already close! Last night it shone brightly in my bedroom window, which faces east. This morning it hung over the western sky and peeked in on me as I did the breakfast dishes. As it sank towards that horizon, it grew larger and brighter - glowing red orange before it sank behind the trees.

Tonight as I did the evening chores, the ewes left their pasture and crowded into the newly cleaned barn to see what I was up to. As I looked out at them, I could see the moon rising above the trees again. I couldn't get a great picture because of the fading light outside, but a few of them turned out okay. Here is one of the group:



And this one, though even more blurry, is of Alex's yearling ewe Coryn - sniffing to see if I might be hiding any sheep cookies.



I stayed outside until it was really dark and getting too cold. I expect a hard frost tonight.

Good night, Sheep. Good night, Moon.

Simple Home Gifts

Recently, I participated in a simple autumn swap with some of the ladies that read Peggy's blog. Here is what I received from Peggy, who was swapping to me:



This is a discloth (knit by Peggy?) and the sweetest little tea light candle holder in the shape of a leaf! I just love it and have it sitting here on the window ledge next to my desk. Oh, and there was also a fragranced tea light that I have already had burning in the kitchen ;)

I have a package to send to my swappee - Kay at The Rustic Cottage (who might think I have forgotten all about her....I haven't Kay, I promise!) I have had the package ready, all it needs is a trip to town and the post office. I hope that might happen today or tomorrow. I need to get this off before Autumn becomes Winter!

Yesterday, we had a work-bee at Serenity Farms! Friends (and my Dad!) gathered to help me clean out the barn in preparation for winter. The skid steer loader and younger arms and backs than mine made some pretty quick work of it all!


(Note to Family ~ a skid steer loader is now at the top of my Christmas wish list - grin. Only I would like one with a smaller bucket across the front...something that will fit through the five foot wide box stall doors, please. And thank you in advance ~ I know I will love it and use it often!)

The manure pile is gone - spread across the now empty bean field to fertilize, and I have a pile of mostly composted sheep manure sitting next to my perennial beds waiting to be put away. I made a simple lunch for the workers of beef stew and buttermilk biscuits, warm homemade applesauce and chocolate cake with ice cream for desert. I know that Bill really enjoyed the company, especially at lunch! Last night was a lovely full moon that rose in the east to shine in my bedroom window and set in the west in a glow of orange while I did the morning dishes.

Next up is putting the storm windows in the barn and then - happy day - putting the rams and ewes together for breeding season. Autry is more than ready, and spends his days at the gate to his pasture staring intently at the barn (ewes are on the other side of the barn) This is him, along with his buddy, Alex's wether Carson (who has managed to lose his coat. And Autry's is torn, needs patching) Don't you think he looks a little lovesick?



There is always work to be done on the farm. Simple, satisfying work.

Rest Secure This Eventide

The sun declines; o’er land and sea
Creeps on the night;
The twinkling stars come one by one
To shed their light;
With Thee there is no darkness, Lord;
With us abide,
And ’neath Thy wings we rest secure
This eventide.

Forgive the wrong this day we’ve done,
Or thought, or said;
Each moment with its good or ill
To Thee has fled;
O Father, in Thy mercy great
Will we confide;
Thy benediction now bestow
This eventide.
~ THE SUN DECLINES by Robert Walmsley

Somehow, I feel like my prayer for the night should be these words...a verse, from STARS OF EVENING SOFTLY GLEAMING by Mary Whiting
Heavenly Father! watch beside us
Till the dawn of light,
And whatever may betide us,
Guard us by thy might!
Trusting in thy gracious keeping,
Calmly sleeping
Through the night.

~ Amen

(If you have never visited this site, Cyberhymnal, you should treat yourself! It is a treasure)

And now Cherries....

Or rather, Cherry Blossoms in the form of the Hanami Stole - another brilliant creation of Melanie at Pink Lemon Twists.

Here is my very slow progress on Hanami. I am working as part of the Hanami KAL, which ends in less than two weeks - LOL! I doubt I will be finished by then, but it is so enjoyable it shouldn't take me to long. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you may remember that I was spinning for and started working on Mystery Stole 3 earlier this year. I just wasn't feeling a good connection to the pattern, but loving the yarn and having the utmost respect for Melanie I wanted to continue on with one of her patterns. Along came T & J (Baad Medicine) with the Hanami KAL and I jumped in.





You might notice a faint line towards the bottom of the knitting where my yarn was spun a little thinner in that area....I am hoping it doesn't show much in the final product. I can feel it more than I can see it.

And a few close ups of the beads on the edging - I love the ivory pearl classic sheen of them against the creamy ivory of the Corriedale yarn from The Whites (the white sheep in my flock) I had not originally intended to include beads, but after seeing several of the progress photos at the KAL site I changed my mind!





One thing that I don't think the photos properly portray is the total squooshiness of this yarn! I dont' know if "squooshiness" is even a word, but it accurately describes the way my Corriedale yarn feels. It isn't silky, it isn't fuzzy, it isn't slinky or drapey....it is 100% Michigan Corriedale - soft, bouncy, warm, soft, comfort wool (and yes I meant to say "soft" twice!) It spins like a dream and brings me such joy to knit.

I am so happy with it, I spun another full bobbin this morning and then had to go and share my joy with "the girls" Its raining today, so they are hanging out in the barn.



Thank you, Girls. Even though Charlotte, on the far left next to the wall, is the only white sheep in the photo...the rest are there, too.

(Can you believe it - no posts for a month and then two in one day!?!)

Peaches, Pumpkins, Apples

At shop knitting last night, I was firmly reminded that I had not updated my blog in quite some time and that I better get busy ;) So here I am...would you like a look through the lens at some of my creative activities lately? Lets start with this, my attempt at an "artsy" shot (I call this one "Peachy Flock"....grin):



The yarn is some that I dyed for a workshop I taught last weekend. The wool is 100% Michigan raised Columbia from my friend Lori at Country Willow Farm (no website yet). I blended dyes and came out with some great warm peachy cream colors that just glow! So I had to hang the yarn from my lonely peach tree and the flock just happened to be in the background!

More dyeing for that weekend are these lengths of Corriedale top:



I used exactly the same colors on both, but the one on the left is "spot dyed" leaving plenty of white space and the one of the right is in solid blocks of color. I love the autumn tones in this. It is a real mix of dyes, though, with Cushings Hunter Green, Jacquards Pumpkin Orange (toned down with a little Jacquards Chestnut) and Gaywools Garnet and Raspberry. I will try to remember to post a photo of the resulting yarn in a future post.

While we are on the subject of dyeing, I want to say a huge thank you to my buddies Maple and Mary for their help and contribution to the dyeing workshop. Maple taught and Mary made treats and the three of us together organized! Also, thanks to the wonderful "students" who participated...they were a great bunch and we really appreciated them all.

Hmmm, what else have I been doing? Lots of knitting and some spinning, as well as trying to prepare the house and gardens for the winter that promises to be just around the corner. Had the furnace serviced, son-in-law took out the air conditioner and it is stored away. I put the storms back on the basement windows. Next week one of our dear family friends and my dad are coming up to work on getting my sheep pens completely cleaned out (haul manure!) so I will be ready for lambing next spring. Manure will be spread on the farm fields. We are changing our system a bit at Serenity Farms this year. With all the pasture available to the sheep now that the horses are gone, I will be lambing later in the year to take best advantage of the grass feed for the ewes and lambs. So the rams have to wait a few more weeks before they go courting ;) They will be turned in with ewes the first week of November, with a goal of April lambs.

What knitting, you ask? Where is the proof??? Well, here is a peek at my coffee cup socks, warm and toasty on my feet (along with my attractive plaid pajama pants!)



The pattern is my own, and it is a simple one really, though I have written two variations to go along with it (think Latte with Whipped Cream on top, and for my tea drinking friends, we have a Tea Cup variation) In our sock knitting group at my LYS, we are knitting this pattern - the group is kindly working as test knitters for me. When we are completely through and have possible errors corrected, the pattern will be available.

A project waiting to be started is this future felted bag:



Working at the yarn shop one day, I just couldn't resist these colors! In some light, they remind me of the colors of the leaves turning in the Burnham woods and in others they remind me of McIntosh Apples!

I also have some unbelievable new rovings to show you. Just imagine some luxurious, plush, inspiring blends of Corriedale - some with silk, some with kid mohair, some with pygora, some with alpaca....yummy! That post will have to wait a few days ~ I think maybe on Friday I will have some pictures to share with you.

What projects are you all working on? I love to hear and see what everyone else is doing to prepare for cooler weather!

Another Lime & Violet Friend!

Woo-hoo! Another of my fibery friends has been featured at Lime & Violets Daily Chum blog! Go and check out the September 18th ESotD (Etsy Shop of the Day) here

It is a very deserving friend, Sharon of Ewe 'n Me! I have been a friend/customer of Sharon's for a while now and am always singing her praises to all who will listen ;) Here is some of her beautiful, soft sock yarn in action!



This yarn was called Roses and Violets, but to me it is the exact shade of some of my lovely orchid colored irises that bloomed in the spring (see the proof below):



It was an absolute dream to work with ~ soothing in color and texture. The pattern is called Scallop Stitch Sock and is a free online pattern, I think from the Socknitters website. It is now on its way to a sock swapping pal across the country.

And if you think this yarn is pretty, be sure to visit her Etsy site (link above) and check out some of her handdyed and carded spinning batts, especially those with silk....ooooh, dreamy stuff! And yes, I have some (several!) of those in my stash as well!

Congratulations to a very special lady for a very deserving focus on her talents ;D

Christmas Around The World Swap

Yes I did ~ I signed up for the Christmas Around The World Swap! And here are my answers, as best I can, to the 25 questions......one for each of the 25 days of the Christmas season!

Are you religious?
I am a Christian. I believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior
How long have you been knitting? Would you consider yourself a Beginner, Intermediate or Advanced?
I have been knitting on and off for 36 years, but consider myself an intermediate knitter
Do you have any other hobbies besides knitting?
Spinning
Favorite color(s)?
I love all colors, but generally think of yellow as my favorite
Do you collect anything?
I don't think so ~ except yarn and fibers to enhance the stash!
Are you allergic to any fibers or animals?
No
Do you have any pets?
Yes, cat
Coffee, Tea, or Hot Chocolate?
All three, but coffee is by far my very favorite!
Cookies or Sweets?
Yes ;)
Do you knit socks?
Oh yes!
If not socks then what? (tell us about your favorite knits)
I also really enjoy lace
Do you put up a Christmas tree? If not then what do you do?
Usually, and Christmas stockings
Favorite holiday treats?
Any treat is a favorite to me!
Favorite holiday smells?
Fresh pine
Do you celebrate Christmas in a traditional or unconventional way? Please elaborate.
Traditional ~ church, Christmas music (both hymns and classics), presents on Christmas morning
What are your favorite holiday traditions?
Reading the Christmas story and watching both A Charlie Brown Christmas and Rudolph on television
Finish the sentence: “For me Christmas is all about....”
For me, Christmas is truly all about the gift of Jesus. Without the birth of Christ, there really would be no Christmas, would there?
If you were a Christmas ornament you would be……?
A candy cane ;)
What was your favorite gift you've ever received? Or given?
I can not select a favorite
When do you start your Christmas?
Not until well after Thanksgiving, usually around the second week of December
Do you send Christmas cards? Do you make them or buy them?
I send a few and I buy them
What is your favorite Christmas dish?
No particular favorite
Carolers are at your door. What do you do?
Open the door and sing along with them ;)
When do you open presents? Christmas eve or Christmas morning?
Christmas morning
Do you celebrate with family or friends or both?
Family