Warm Chicken

It particularly touches my heart when people find it in their own hearts to care for the very least of us:  the animals.

Some of the animals most in need of help are the battery hens. The ones who have probably made your breakfast a time or two . . . or twenty.  

A battery hen is a hen that has been kept in a large egg-production factory farm all her life.  Their quarters are so tight and the conditions are so poor for these poor dears, they are often deprived of darkness (and therefore valuable rest) and even room to move.  And once these hens fail to produce eggs at their maximum rate, they are typically destroyed.  Quite a sad little life. 

The good news is, there are incredible human beings out there who rescue and rehome these hens.

Little Hen Rescue in the U.K. is one such collection of awesome human beings.

They take these hens from the battery farms and organize to find new, happy homes for them.

If you have it in your heart, you might consider adopting a few ex-battery hens.  How rewarding it must be to watch them roam free in the sunshine for the very first time. 

Perhaps you would like to help in another way, .  The way I have chosen to help in the past is to knit up some little hen jumpers.  That's right, chicken sweaters!  It's not as silly as it sounds.  Most ex-battery hens suffer from some degree of featherlessness.  When they are removed from their tight conditions, they are bald and cold -- having become accustomed to sharing the body heat of their neighboring hens.  While they regrow their feathers, they are helped by wearing a little sweater to help keep warm and secure.

Now how cute is that . . . 

If you're interested, you can find patterns for knitters and seamstresses here.  Just whip one up and send it to the address they have listed on their page.  I bet you can't make just one!

Decency and good deeds abound . . . if you only look for them.

 

Saturday 9

It's Saturday.  Time for the Saturday 9.  Check out Crazy Sam for more participants or to participate yourself.

1. When was the last time you were told to go your own way?  Probably when I was in college.  I was trying to decide whether to go on to law school or not, and asked the advice of one of my English professors (who was also a practicing attorney).  He encouraged me, reminding me that you only get one chance at life, to grab what I want.

2. What one experience has strengthened your character the most so far?  Raising my daughter who is a highly traumatized former orphan who cannot feel or accept love.  She challenges who I am, all my parts, every single day.  It is my most fervent wish to help her, to heal her, but it is my deepest concern that we will not be the ones to do it.

3. What's your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?  Get all my "musts" done quickly and then curl up, knit, and watch chick flicks. 

4. How long can you go without your cell phone?  Having it?  Not long at all, because I like to feel like I'm reachable should my small kids need me.  Using it?  I could go quite a while.  I've worked very hard not to become dependent upon it.

5. Do you wish you were somewhere else right now?  Yes, I wish I were off on the outing my son and husband are on, but, alas, only one parent to a child, as usual at these things. 

6. Of all the people you've ever known, who have you most feared?  My mother.

7. Do people tell you that you look your age?  Some people tell me rather emphatically that I look younger, but I don't honestly believe them.

 8. Your ex shows up randomly at your house, what do you say?  Kiss me, you devil!  (kidding, only kidding)

9. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance?  No.

Have a weekend!

Knit Spring

I'm really in no better mood than I was yesterday, so I will take mercy upon you all and divert attention away from myself.

I have such a fun knitting project for you!

Look at this sweet thing:

And this:

These are knit!  Felted nests.  Does it get any better?

It is a free pattern available at the designer's blog (I love this name):  After I Finish This Row . . . .  She is a wonderfully creative woman who needs to be encouraged to keep her blog current.  (That means:  she doesn't post often enough for me!)

I have made several of these nests, and it is so much fun.  (I have no pictures because of other issues that I will spare you from for the moment.)  I bought one skein of feltable brown wool and then poured all my scraps into a bowl.  (I keep them in a coffee can all year and then put them out for the birds during nest-building season.)  Always knit with the brown, but grab spare scraps and remnants and knit them in here and there as you go along.  It is so addicting and fun!  (When I get my camera downloading abilities back, I will regale you with photos of all my creations so far.)  I've even made one for my little Lester.  She has no idea what to make of it because it looks nothing like a typical, pitiful mourning dove's nest -- but nothing but the best for my girl!

  You don't know about my Lester?  Click here.

I've been having so much fun, honing my dpn skills, and using up some of those newly-useful scraps.  So pop on over to After I Finish This Row if you're interested.  

You're welcome!

Entanglements

I can't talk now.

I have become obsessed.

With this:

And this yarn will not prevail. 

It will not win.

What is it about a tangle?  It quickly becomes personal . . . a vendetta . . . a statement on my capability in all things.


Do you think throwing it would help? 

Well, you would be wrong.  I think it will help.  And I've actually just done it. 

I will let you know whether it began to see things my way once I retrieve it. from the dining room.

Right now, it's thinking about what it's done.

If it still resists, I will fashion it into something like this:

Then it will be sorry.

Don't cross a knitter.

And the winner is . . . me!

Well, One World, One Heart 2010 has come to an end.  My magic carpet has been washed and hung to dry before I store it away for another year.  Whew!  What a fun-filled, but dizzingly busy few weeks it's been.

I've been all over the world . . . Moldova, Germany, Scotland, England, Israel, and Australia, just to name a few. It is humbling, exciting, and somehow reassuring to find so many talented and kind people strewn all around the world. And I do believe that was just the intent of this event as it was conceived by Lisa Swifka years ago.

I asked my personal random number generator to produce a number between 1 and 254 (omitting one duplicate and one who took herself out of the running -- she'd won my earlier giveaway).  Precious random number generator, who had the day off of school today for the federal holiday, exclaimed "thirty-six!"  And so it is.  Astrid MacLean of Astrid's Artistic Efforts wins the scarf.  Astrid, I'll get a'knitting right away.  I already had the yarn, but wanted to wait to knit it until I knew for whom I was knitting.  I hope you wear it in good health and deep happiness. 

Thank you to all who visited and for all who hosted me and, most of all, thank you to that wonderful Whimsical Bohemian for bringing us all together. 

A Taste of Freedom, Humiliation, and More Snow

So I haven't been off my street in several days. Snow, snow, everywhere.

With a forecast of at least another 12 inches due last night, I had to get out. I had to get somewhere, anywhere.


The minute my husband got home last night, I jumped in the van and headed to the closest thing I could think of:  JoAnn's. I took mercy upon my son and took him with me.  He hadn't been anywhere in days, either.  It had just begun to snow, but the roads weren't bad yet.  "What's the worst that could happen?"

 

We got to the store just fine.  I found my bamboo size 8 24" circular knitting needles easily, too easily, actually; I needed an "outing."  I wouldn't be out again for several days.  So we had a stroll around the store some more.

Ever the bargain hunter, I didn't stop until I found the clearance aisle. They had a bunch of those big tin stars 70% off. Those stars have never been quite my style, but I don't hate them. Honestly, I think I was desperate for something else to think about, so I went over to look at them. There were about 10 on one rack and one by itself on the other. I cleverly reached for the one by itself so as not to tangle with the rack full. The next thing I knew . . . and I still have no idea how it happened . . . they were all falling. One. By. One. Crash!  Bang!!  It sounded as if someone was banging two aluminum trash can covers together, over and over.  And then these long boards painted with rosebuds and girly sayings also began careening off the bottom shelf. No idea how or why those would even move! The noise seemed to go on forever. It was as if it was happening in slow motion.

Being that we were way in back by the employee stock room, an employee came running out of the break room still chewing her food to see what had happened. She said she thought the roof had fallen in. Ooops I focused my efforts on apologizing profusely while I helped her pick it all up.  She then went back to her dinner.

Still not to deterred from our scamper of freedom, my son and I continued shopping.  My son could hardly walk for holding his stomach from laughing so hard. The child can be quite the teaser when given some material -- no idea where he got that trait.  He was having a field day. And I couldn't really blame him; all the times we've told him not to touch things in stores.

We found a few more things to buy, and reluctantly proceeded to the check out. The checkout clerk rang everything up and suddenly I realize I left my wallet at home.  It was sitting on the desk at home (from when I needed a business card from my wallet). In my defense, I am usually fanatical about putting my wallet right back in my purse, but this one time I wasn't -- probably because I didn't think I would be going anywhere for days and days.

Well, I did have my checkbook and asked if that would be alright. Fine, as long as I had a driver's license number, the clerk said. Nope. My driver's license is in my wallet (right where it should be) only my wallet is currently at home on my desk!  I pleaded my case. The clerk said she would have to check with the manager. So she makes an embarrassing, and slightly hostile, call over the loud speaker. Who comes . . . you can guess, can't you?  Of course, the still-chewing woman from the stock room.  She turns out to be the manager. Imagine how happy she was to see me waiting earnestly and perhaps pitifully, at the register.

I again explained the embarrassing situation -- people were now, of course, gathered behind me in line -- and she refused. I offered to call home and have my husband tell it to me. Nope. Then, as nicely as I could, I implored her, it was only $35, it was not as if I was buying a sewing machine. Somehow, that changed her mind. She finally relented, but insisted I call home and have my husband read me the driver's license number (something I had regrettably offered earlier).  So, as if I am not embarrassed enough, I now must also bring my husband into the situation.  How completely humiliating. But I was not going home to face the next several days snowed under without the specific knitting needle required to make a certain felted bag that had been nagging me for days now.  Nope, I neeeeeded this stuff; it was essential.  (By this time, my son was practically rolling on the floor with smug laughter, but trying his best to hold it together because I had, by now, explained -- twice -- how this was not at all funny. anymore.  And to think I almost didn't bring him. No good deed goes unpunished.)

I finally walked out of that store with my dignity and pride battered and bruised, but I had my stuff, my bag of treasures.  I felt a peculiar mix of victory and defeat.  All just to get out of the house, once, before the next storm submerged us all in snow. again.


Now we have at least another 12 inches of snow added to the 30 from the weekend.  Everything is closed.  Everyone is at home.  No idea when the snow will stop or how where we'll put it all this time.

Good thing I've got my new bamboo knitting needles.

Come Take a Magic Carpet Ride

Don't you think the world gets to feeling quite large and quite cold and quite lonely sometimes?  I sure do.  But, quite by accident, I came upon a wonderful antidote to that feeling this morning.

Lisa, A Whimsical Bohemian, artist, storyteller, and dreamer is the founder of One World, One Heart (OWOH).  OWOH begins today.  It is an annual event, now in its 4th year, wherein bloggers around the world mix and mingle and perhaps make a few new friends in corners yet unseen by them.  Such an inspiring concept.

I am very excited to participate in this worldwide blog-block party.  Beginning today, my door is open to guests far-flung geographically, philosophically, demographically, and even artistically.  I warmly invite you to come in, make yourself comfortable, and have a look around.  Visit.  Being the hostess, it is only customary I offer you some comfort or refreshment.  In that tradition, I offer you something made by my hand and with my heart.

I am a knitter, and I enjoy using luxury yarns when I can.  I recently knit this scarf for its luxurious softness and beautiful sheen.

This particular scarf now belongs to someone, but I will happily knit another for a new guest.  It may be a different color (depends on what looks good at my yarn shop), but it will be just as luxurious and wonderful.  (By the way, should a gentleman win, I will gladly reincarnate the scarf into a more masculine stitch, if you prefer.)  

Now, the way you become eligible to win this scarf is simple:

1.)  Visit this post --

2.)  Comment on this post BY Saturday, February 13, 2010, midnight EST -- so I know you came.  Make sure you comment in such a way that I can find my way to contacting you if you win.

That's all.  After all, you are my guest and it is my pleasure that you visited.  The winner will be chosen by random and announced on February 15, 2010. 

I do so appreciate you coming by and sincerely hope you will enjoy my humble blog.  It is a work in progress in many ways, but it is work from my heart as I try to recover that critical creative part of myself that had been left to slumber while my babies were babies. 

Should you wish to participate in this wondrous worldwide block party, stop in at Lisa's blog for all the details. 

No Dogs Were Harmed In the Taking of This Picture

Well, all my wonderful Sinsation yarn has been knit, and here is what I made:

 

Nevermind, the look on the model's face, it is a wonderful scarf!  So soft and with such a lovely sheen.  It looks SO much better in person, of course. 

Anyone wanna pool their funds and send me to a photography class or nine?  Okay, okay, I didn't think so . . . so bear with me, and I'll show you some more shots; maybe you'll be able to glean something from it if I show you lots of different pictures.

Perhaps a sun-drenched saint will wear it well:  

Nope, guess not.

Well, maybe if you get really, really close to it:

Well, whatever.

You'll just have to believe me. 

Luscious, luxury yarn + simple drop-stitch = lovely scarf.

Merry Knitting Day/s

If you're a knitter . . . happy holidays!

What's the holiday?  Prime Knitting Time.

Winter makes knitting seem as natural as breathing.  Long evenings.  Cold weather.  Perhaps a bit of free time as the presents have been found or finished, wrapped, and given.  (Okay, okay, my tree is still up, but so!)

For such an occasion, I broke out some yarn I have been saving for quite some time and just have to tell you about. 

Sinsation by Plymouth Yarn

This is a rayon/wool blend.  It is the softest yarn I have ever felt, and it has a sheen that makes whatever you make look like expensive, vintage velvet.  I'm very tactile, and how a yarn feels in the hand is important to me.  This yarn feels amazing.  

At approximately $12/skein (38 yards), it is expensive, but two skeins will make you a lovely scarf or bag . . . just enough to add a look and feel of luxury.  So worth it.

I recommend treating yourself.

Quiet Sunday

Seems like a day to knit, watch football games, and possibly carve up a pumpkin or two . . .

Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday.

Wordless Wednesday

(In case you can't see . . . she's knitting.)

Hugging My Tree

This past Wednesday was an extremely windy day.  So windy, it made the dog nervous.  So windy, it blew all of the papers off of my desk; my desk does not sit near a window.  So windy, it cracked a branch on my favorite tree in our backyard.

I love that tree.  It is awkward and misshapen because it was neglected when it was young; much the same way many of us are.  Someone planted it and never paid it any more attention.  It needed pruning and more sun, but it had to march on without.  (That all happened before we lived here.)  So it looks kind of weird now.  But it's awkwardness is what I love about it.  It drapes itself over our deck and cradles us in shade on the hottest summer days.  It holds the other end of my laundry line, making it possible for me to hang laundry out while standing inside my laundry room doorway.  (The day my husband installed the pulley, I insisted he tie it around the tree, no holes would be burrowed into my tree.  She has repaid me by holding whatever I hang on that line, even on the windiest days.)

The branch that cracked was a large branch and the lowest lying one . . . the one that fancies itself an awning for our deck.  It was large enough that, had it broken completely, it would have smashed the side of the chicken coop . . . the one that has taken our family (my husband, mostly) all summer to build.  So my sweet tree held onto that branch until we could have it removed.

The tree service came today and removed that branch and gave her a little shaping while they were at it.  She looks much different; I'll get used to it.

But I can't help feeling sorry for my poor little tree.  It seems she's been through a lot this year, this cracked branch being the most recent.  A severe gnawing by a dastardly squirrel being the worst.  That darned squirrel gnawed off a section of bark bigger than a dinner plate.  All the bark is gone, down to the bare wood.  I see that spot each time I look out my kitchen window.  It looks so much like a wound.

Then I saw these pictures and got an idea:

This was the work of Carol Hummel, genius artist.  Doesn't it just make you smile?  It's all crocheted.

Now, I am no genius artist, but I am a copy cat.  And I don't know how to crochet, but I can knit.  So (you see what's coming here, don't you?), I think I am going to knit up a little cozy for my tree.  I think she could use a good hug and a little scarf for the winter.  Yep, that's what I'm gonna do.

I'm off to research a little to I don't do her more harm than good.  Then I'm going to have at it.  I have some lovely pink Peace Fleece, that just sounds right, doesn't it?

We Have a Winner!

This is a two drum-roll day . . .

I can't remember the last time I had a two drumroll day . . .

But I digress. 

So I printed a copy of all my lovely followers, cut them into individual tickets, put them in a hat, and, at halftime (I'm watching the Packer game with my husband . . . he's needing some help through this.), drew a winner.

The winner of this week's giveaway is:

Missy from Stitch Girl Stitch!

Yay for Missy!  

If you're Missy, send me an email with your shipping address and look for your package!

Thanks so much.  Seeing these new faces along with my loyal faces inspires me . . .

Please keep reading . . . I'll have more festivities during Blogtoberfest and beyond.

 

Lavender Jelly & Hand-Knitted Washclothes, Oh My!

Good Day, My Blogger Lovelies!

Last summer was a wonderful summer for the lavender in my garden.  It bloomed and flourished and almost crowded out the roses next to it.  No bother, I find those roses tedious anyway.  It was such a lovely, lush, fragrant cloud of cooling silver-gray and blue, it inspired me to capture it for seasons ahead.  And here is the product:

Lavender Jelly.

I made a beautiful batch of lavender jelly.  I'd never made anything like it before, but had complete faith in my beautiful lavender, and it did not disappoint.  Each time I open a jar, I am greeted with the sweet and spicy aroma of that fresh lavender.  When you open your jar for the first time, you'll find a sprig of once-fresh lavender from my garden; remove it and proceed to enjoy this wonderfully flowery yet spicy jelly.  No worries, my garden in completely chemical and pesticide free.  I think this jelly is especially wonderful on a faintly lemon-flavored poppyseed muffin, but I'm sure you'll find your own favorite combinations.

You may also notice a hand-knitted washcloth there in the picture.  That comes along with the jelly . . . just because.  I really enjoyed knitting this, and hope you enjoy using it.  It is 100% cotton and is completely usable as either a facecloth or even a dishrag -- that's how I use mine.  It makes doing the dishes and wiping the counters so much more pleasant.

A little bit of lady-like indulgence is good for the soul.  It can turn the mundane into something beautiful, even if only for a moment.

Now, be sure and join up as a follower and do have a look around.  Hopefully, you and I will find lots to say to one another.

All the followers go into a hat Monday night, 9pm EST; one will be drawn . . . so comeback here late Monday night and find out who has won.  Thanks and good luck!

R~

Five Things I've Forgotten to be Grateful For

While reading today, I realized that sometimes having a grateful heart and a thankful attitude toward the important things in life isn't enough.  Sometimes you must stop and be thankful for the little things; for they, truly, are the bounty.

So today I remind myself to be thankful for these forgettable things:

1.  Carts at the grocery store.
 Imagine carrying all your groceries through the store . .

2.  Mashed potatoes.
The taste, the tradition, the comfort . . .

3.  Knitting.
Fashioning something useful out of tatters of time and material . . .

4.  The over-eager committee-driving parents each school has on the PTA.

Lord only knows what the world would be like without them . . .

5.  Apples.
It doesn't get simpler, purer, or sweeter than that . . .

What have you forgotten to be grateful for?

We Did It!

Whew!  I'm exhausted.  Exhausted, but . . .

Ta-Da!!

I knew the fiber goddesses -- you included -- wouldn't let me down . . .

Okay, here it is . . .

(I haven't blocked it yet -- since I've spent the better part of the day fiddling with this thing, I thought I'd better take a picture and post it before it's time to go retrieve my offspring.)  

The colors are not this deep; they are about half the intensity, which I like much better and wish I had time to correct on this photo, but time is fleeting.

It is made of out a luscious (but sadly discontinued at my LYS) Noro silk, wool, and cashmere blend.  Yum.

It is my own design, but I borrowed heavily from the "Braided Neckpiece" in Loop-d-Loop.  When I began this piece with pre-bought yarn, I was sure to have enough.  I did.  I had too much.  Too much left to waste and too little left to make anything worthy of this delicious yarn. 

So, I decided to remake the scarf/collar the way I really wanted it which would also afford me the extra yarn to make matching mittens -- one of each color, with contrasting cuffs to make it clear the do go together.  ;-) 

Whew!  All done!

Now, onto the next project . . .

This is the part my family really hates.  When they hear I am looking for a new project they all say, "Oh, no!  Head for the hills!!"  Yeah, I'm known to get a bit obsessed into it until I find something I like AND am in the mood for AND have yarn for (since I am a chronic "buy yarn I like without knowing what I'll use it for -er").  It's an interesting process.

I'll keep you posted.

In a Ball of Trouble

Stress.

Big trouble.

Oh boy.

I'm stressed today.

Sick?  No, I'm feeling better everyday, thanks.

Kids sick?  No, they're unstoppable this week, thankfully.

Money troubles?  Blessedly, not really.

Marriage?  No.  Love you, Hon.

No.  I'm talking real stress.

KNITTERS OF THE WORLD -- UNITE!!

I need the pull of our sisterhood to help me through the finishing of this scarf!

I had a bit more to go when, gah!, there is the end of the skein!  No more to buy, it was a closeout.

So quick, I'm begging you . . . light a candle, say a prayer, send out a vibe, plea to the knitting goddess . . . I need us all to pull together.

You have NO idea the problems this project has given me and I'm not ready to talk about it until it's finished.

Okay, deep breaths . . .

Stand up, stretch, look outside . . .

I feel like a surgeon stepping out of the OR to stretch my back and have a look around a moment to clear my head.

Okay, I'm going back in . . .

Hopefully, I can pull this baby through . . .

If I can't well . . . let's not even think that way.

You wait here.  Get a cup of coffee.  Put something pleasant on the community tv.  Play cards, maybe.  I'll be back when I can . . .

Knitting, Napping, and Modeling

I'm feeling better today, but still have a ways to go.  With appointments and other commitments every day beginning tomorrow, I decided to really rest up today and spent the day pretty much doing nothing.

Well, the brood got fed and off to school and work.  The non-school goers also got fed and tended to.  Then it was pretty much saltines, pills, fluids, knitting, and America's Next Top Model.  I think I watched the entire 2005 season, in between naps. 

And I'm on the last bit of a fun little scarf I'm knitting which, for some reason, seems to be taking forever.  Once it's finished, I'll show you.

I also learned various modeling proverbs such as "one's neck can never look too long," "you smile with your eyes, not your mouth," and "there is such a thing as being too pretty."  Sadly, I've never come across these proverbs in my own life. 

Oh well.

Today I can breathe, and I'll bet tomorrow I will lose the sweats.  Life is good . . . even with a short neck that's never been accused of being too pretty.