Monthly Archives: March 2014

The First Day of Spring for 2014!

Posted on March 20, 2014 by | Comments Off on The First Day of Spring for 2014!

It’s becoming tradition to re-post this on the first day of spring, and even though I’m far from home this year, we won’t disappoint.

Before I did this project myself, I did some research. I found a reputable source that recommended putting yarn scraps out for the birds (no less august an institution than  The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has posted about this very thing.) I also talked to my local Audubon Society to get their approval.

Below is the original post, with a few changes I have made over the years as I learned more about nesting material  and an update to reflect what 2014 spring will bring.

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Today is one of my very favorite days of the year. Today we celebrate surviving another cold and gloomy winter, even though it doesn’t much look like spring at the moment:

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(Thanks for the photo, Amy! I saw snowy Colorado this week instead.)

 

 

At the farm we are eagerly anticipating a new arrival of goslings and watching to see if ewes start to show fuller mid-sections, hinting at the lambs that are due over a month away. Spring is a magical time. A time of promise and new beginnings.

This year I won’t be able to do this project today, like I traditionally do, but I eagerly look forward to retuning home so I can. It’s crazy easy, so easy that you could do it with even the smallest of children, inexpensive and environmentally friendly to boot.

You will need:

A cheap bird suet feeder. I got this one at Tractor Supply for $1.99.

A couple of handfuls of yarn scraps, cut into 3-6  inch lengths. (I only knit with natural fibers, so that’s what my yarn scraps are made of. It might not be a good idea to use acrylic yarn scraps, as they may not remain warm when wet.)

Put the scraps in your suet feeder and voila! You’ve just provided nesting materials for all the birds in your area.

I’ve been doing this for years and I never fail to feel a thrill when I see a bright strand of yarn carefully woven into a bird’s nest. You can also fill your suet feeder with raw fleece, if you have any handy. In the past, our beloved Ernie’s fleece scraps have always been particularly popular with the birds.

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It’s Spring …

Posted on March 20, 2014 by | Comments Off on It’s Spring …

 

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- by Joan -


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WIP: Zig Zag Quilt

Posted on March 20, 2014 by | Comments Off on WIP: Zig Zag Quilt
I'm making progress!


Earlier this week, I pieced together the HSTs (half-square triangles) into groups of 3, then I pieced the groups of 3 into zigzags!


Hopefully, by the weekend, I can get the top done and go buy some batting!  I'm going to do the back and binding in fabric from my stash.  I wonder if I have enough binding from the Blue Sampler Quilt to bind this one, too?  Hmm...

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Re-Reading Changes

Posted on March 20, 2014 by | Comments Off on Re-Reading Changes

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I’ve asked before if you re-read your books (feel free to recap), but right now I want to know if that habit has changed? Did you, for example, reread more as a child and your access to new books was limited by how often you could convince your mother to take you to the library? Has the economy affected your access so that you’re forced to reread more often now? Have you grown to look at old books as old friends so that you’re happy to spend time with them rather than rushing the next new thing?

And, just to give you something to think about, here’s an interesting blog post about this very thing.

And here’s the relevant passage:

This week, I’ve been doing something I never, ever, ever, ever do. Or at least not since I was kid, when I did it all the time because I didn’t think I’d ever run out of time and there seemed to be a limited number of books. I’ve been re-reading a favorite novel of 2013.

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!


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Re-Reading Changes

Posted on March 20, 2014 by | Comments Off on Re-Reading Changes

btt button

I’ve asked before if you re-read your books (feel free to recap), but right now I want to know if that habit has changed? Did you, for example, reread more as a child and your access to new books was limited by how often you could convince your mother to take you to the library? Has the economy affected your access so that you’re forced to reread more often now? Have you grown to look at old books as old friends so that you’re happy to spend time with them rather than rushing the next new thing?

And, just to give you something to think about, here’s an interesting blog post about this very thing.

And here’s the relevant passage:

This week, I’ve been doing something I never, ever, ever, ever do. Or at least not since I was kid, when I did it all the time because I didn’t think I’d ever run out of time and there seemed to be a limited number of books. I’ve been re-reading a favorite novel of 2013.

Don’t forget to leave a link to your actual response (so people don’t have to go searching for it) in the comments—or if you prefer, leave your answers in the comments themselves!


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Sock Club Yarn Dyeing

Posted on March 19, 2014 by | Comments Off on Sock Club Yarn Dyeing

While Susan’s out west for a trunk show, I’m dyeing yarn for our sock club. You would think that because it’s the end of March it would be pretty warm, but the forecast on Monday said that it would by 28 chilly degrees! Fortunately it was above freezing, but not necessarily in the backyard where the house blocks the sun from warming up the hose.

After fighting with the hose for what seemed like an hour, we finally got the line warm enough to start filling up the bucket to soak yarn.

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I mixed up a few different very concentrated solutions to use on the yarn. The great thing about mixing up the solutions is that they’re shelf stable and will last a long time.

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We got a new burner to use up in Massachusetts to speed things along. At 60,000 btus per burner, it’s definitely got some oomph to it!

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It was so cold outside that as soon as we lifted the lid off the pots the steam rose making it impossible to see the yarn inside and made us feel like we were making a witches’ brew! Dyeing is pretty magical, after all!

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While we were waiting for the dye bath to come to temp on each bath, we were keeping busy inside – making labels, knotting tag strings, sticking the labels onto the tags, stamping bags, writing months, punching holes, cutting strings, and maybe a little snack pick me up when required.

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Yesterday was more of the first, with the added bonus of hanking up the dried yarn and putting it in the prepped paper bags.

Some of the yarn is still back-ordered at the mill, but will arrive to us in time to ready for the April 10th ship date, so there will be another two days of frantic dyeing, drying, and mailing when the yarn arrives!

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Wild West Lace 1: Preorders!

Posted on March 18, 2014 by | Comments Off on Wild West Lace 1: Preorders!

The Wild West: Patterns Inspired by the Flora, Fauna, Geology & History of Arizona, Vol1: LACE1 is now up for preorder!

Use code LACE1 for $3 off through March 24th 2014.  The e-book will be released March 25, 2014.

lace 1 promo collage

What’s in it?  All sorts of lacy goodness! Each pattern will get its own blog post, but here’s the short version.

Bisbee: One of my favorite garments. I love the lace panels, the little hems, and the shaping.  The 3/4-sleeves are so comfortable.

Cactus Wren: Another one of my favorite garments.  I actually get to wear this here in California. I love it.  It’s comfortable, flattering, and feminine.  You can wear it over a shirt as a vest, but I usually just wear it over a cami.

Cholla: Great lacy socks.  I love the stitch pattern and how it works with the gorgeous color!

Pinyon Jay cowl (shown in 2 of 3 versions, below): Lace and beads! Three different yarn weights; each fits a little bit differently, too.

Diamondback: Lace, beads, and a little bit of cables in this cowl.  

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SnowPatrick’s Day

Posted on March 18, 2014 by | Comments Off on SnowPatrick’s Day

For our 18th wedding anniversary, Paul and I got a snow day.

We had all been thinking we might be done with winter (especially with the first day of spring in just a few days!), but nope!

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The nice part was that Paul’s office closed, and even though he was still working, he got to be home for the day.

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And it WAS a very pretty day.  It was my favorite kind of snow; the kind that sticks onto every part of the trees and weighs them down (I know, this is bad for the trees and power lines, etc).  This is the kind of snow we wish for in December but never seem to get.

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Left to right: duck, goose, chicken.   The snow didn’t slow down any of them.

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Nor did it slow down Lucy or stop her stream-loving adventures.    This is how you know these dogs are built to withstand extreme weather.  She enjoys the stream no matter the weather (or the snakes, to my extreme concern).  In the summer, her favorite thing to do is lie in one of the shallower spots all day and stay wet, occasionally splashing at the minnows and tadpoles.

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The kids had a day of crafting and coloring pictures for school – mostly things they came up with themselves.  I tried putting on a documentary about the history of Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day, but it very nearly put ALL of us to sleep.

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This leprechaun beard idea came from Pinterest (it’s just scraps of paper, rolled and glued onto a beard-shaped piece of paper).

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Dinner was perfect for the snowy, blustery weather – our traditional Steak, Guinness and Cheddar Pie.  Comfort food at its best!  Everyone loves this – even Oona!

And for dessert:

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A Guinness-Chocolate Cheesecake. I have to say, this was my first real attempt at cheesecake and I’m thrilled with how it came out. It makes me want to try a plain one.  The thing is, plain cheesecake (with a smidge of fresh fruit on top) is one of my favorite things on this planet, and I’m afraid if I make it I will EAT IT ALL.  And really, who needs that many calories? Not me!

We topped off the evening, as always, with Darby O’Gill and the Little People, and I worked on my Shepherd sweater by the fire.  All of that cabling being worked into a natural-colored wool just seemed so right to accompany the day’s theme.

I’d say it was the prefect way to close out winter, just in time to welcome spring.  I hope Mother Nature agrees.

 


Tagged: Farm, food, Homeschooling, Knitting, Pets, Seasons

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Ugh.

Posted on March 18, 2014 by | Comments Off on Ugh.
Three days till Spring.  Do you think Mother Nature has the date on her calendar?







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St. Baldrick’s: an update

Posted on March 18, 2014 by | Comments Off on St. Baldrick’s: an update

Wow. I am speechless. We not only met our goal of raising $1500 for pediatric cancer research, we blew right past it raising $1865!!

I’m not entirely sure why this particular charity speaks to me so deeply. All of the kids I “know” who have fought cancer, I don’t know well. Only one of the moms would be able to identify me by name. Two may recognize me as someone they’ve seen around the neighborhood or school. Perhaps it’s the fear that one day I may discover a strange lump on my child’s back. I can teach my children to look both ways before crossing the street and what to do if a stranger asks them to help look for a dog. I can’t protect them from cancer.

While the St. Baldrick’s shaving day is essentially a big party (food, drinks, live music, raffles, photo booths), the days starts with a presentation. It introduces you to the children you’ve raised money for. It tells the stories of survivors and angels and their siblings and parents. It is always powerful and always requires several tissues. Then the celebration begins.

 

 

Thank you dear readers. Thank you JMF friends. Thank you family. Thank you friends that I see every day and friends that I haven’t seen since high school. I am amazed by your generosity and truly humbled at the support that has poured forth.

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