No Im not a Hooker

LOL I am spinster though ;)  And in the case of the Ontario Rug hookers conference here in Kingston this weekend these ladies sure know how to make hookers look good :)

My mom and dad stropped by and my dad commented to Daryl -Never thought I would see you in a room of hookers LOL

M is for....

Magnificent Merino :) Springy and buttery soft. Lovely colours dyed by Maggie from her shearer Jim Baldwin's merino flock. 10 ounces - 280 yards spun up.

Signs of spring

Finally blogger has decided I am who I thought I was and is allowing me access back on the blog.
Spring has been so hit or miss here -sunny and warm one day, snow and hail the next. I went looking and found some signs of spring:

 Asparagus fresh from the patch.

 Dragonflies in the wild violets in the backyard - its too cold for the real dragonflies but Maggie's amazing BFL roving Dragonflies is a great stand-in there is 280 yards here -approx 8 ounces -have to weigh it to be sure :) 2 ply and so soft and the colours are stunning!

 Scamper's tree - a dwarf cherry tree -in full bloom -please no more frost -I'd really like some cherries from it!

Happy Spring All!!!

Happy Birthday Jared!!!

Happy 15th to my Baby boy!

Port Hope Gathering 2013

First show of the season up here - much hugging and greetings after the winter of friends from far and near.  Had a wonderful day with Peggy hanging out in the booth. Very good reception of buttons and other goodies. Came home with some lovely smokey maple syrup -cooked over open flame and wood burned kettle -yummy.
Also came home with the wheel that will evetnually make its way to a Ravelry friend I made two years ago -this is the second wheel relay between myself, Jody and Vicki in Texas :)
Here's the first pic of the second wheel delivery :)

Getting geared up for Maryland

So when I'm down I like to work on stuff -lots of stuff apparently - yarn bin is almost full of lovely handspun yarn including some angora -yummy! Made more drop spindle kits and needlefelting punches and now have started button production with some wonderful horns from Zoar Farms which is run in Otego NY by Mother Katherine and her sisters at the Holy Myrrhbearers Monastery -http://www.holymyrrhbearers.com/


Here's some button pictures to show you how marvelous these horns are!

Life and Death in equal measure

Last night we gathered to celebrate my dad 70th birthday a milestone for sure. As we gathered to wait to yell "surprise" and see his face, my sister sat with her beloved father in law and watched him pass away.  He fought so valiantly but finally he knew the peace of passing.

We thank the universe for both of these lives, both wise and caring and family men.  Both such vital and wonderful part of our lives.  We will gather together again later this week to once again celebrate life as a family.

Life and death intertwined in the eternal loop that is life.

I have been blessed beyond measure to have both of you in my life.

To Grandpa Rex - we are so grateful to have you in our lives every day.
To Grandpa Larry -safe travels as you move onto your next adventure - we are so blessed to know we have a wonderful guardian angel looking down on us.

Larry your plant is just fine ;)

My sisters father in law is very ill and is not much longer for this world.  He has good moments and bad moments and a wonderful sense of humour and still wants to know things. This morning he asked my sister to ask me how his plant was doing. She thought he was having a weird moment but dutifully asked me and I told her to tell him it was just fine. She asked me if I really knew what he meant and I said yes.  5 Years ago at a show his wife was selling plants and had dragooned him into service. She told him when he sold 5 he could go home. He kept offering plants to everybody and finally told me I had to buy one. I told him I have a black thumb when it comes to houseplants and I would kill it immediately. His response "I really don't care you make number 5" so I laughed and bought the plant. Well surprisingly it has survived and everytime we see each other he has asked me if it was dead yet and I laugh and tell him no,
So Lartry your plant is just fine and I will look after it forever and think of you everytime I see it there on the table.

Lindsays new Kitty

Didn't she do a wonderful job?  Its made from a pair of socks!

Happy Easter!

May the light of the resurection of spring fill your hearts and minds with joy!

Easter bunnies :)

Just cause its Easter and everybody needs a cute bunny picture :)

And here's the latest little project done - my travelling spindle project is done - from a fibre swap -cashmere and silk - 2 ply - 2 ounces - don't know the yardage yet.

Happy Easter all!!!!

Happy Birthday Lindsay!!!!

I know I'm not good enough and not the mother you deserve. I am impatient and fallible and I raise my voice. I am sorry. I love you and your brother more than I love anyone else in the entire world and I always wish I could be better for you. I'll admit I don't always love your behavior, and I'm quick to tell you that. But every single day, I love you with every fiber of my being. No matter what.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!!

Vikings!

I am in love with the new TV series Vikings both Daryl and my family can be traced back to vikings and celts -sailors, adventurers and craftsmen.  I especially loved that they showed weaving in the first episode :)
Here's my own Vikings taken a few year s ago -they have both grown so much since then!

Funny what becomes a treasure

Isn't it funny how sometimes the simpliest items become a treasure.  Today when getting ready for work I came across one of my grandfathers old hankerchiefs.  The sight of it flooded my mind with memories - of him walking in the garden and wiping his sweat, his holding it so a tear could be wiped from a wounded child with a scrapped knee, of his blowing his nose so hard we laughed at the sound.  Its not just a piece of cloth its memories.
I folded it up and put it back in the drawer to be savored and held onto.
Other small things are treasures too that only make sense to me - an ashtray I made my mom years ago in grade school, a rock Lindsay brought me when we went to the beach, the very first little diaper left from the package when Jared came home -how I laugh when I see it and think he was once that small.
What are your special treasures?

Daddy, daughter and a dog

We have recently been given my uncle Ken's lazyboy chair. It is well loved and so soft and comfy Lindsay has named it the snuggle chair. and Lindsay is enjoying her snuggle time with her daddy very very much.
Of course somebody else likes to snuggle too :)

When do I get a turn??? I want a Lindsay snuggle too!!!  If I have to I'll take the dog as well LOL.

Happy Valentine's Day

hoppy happy valentine's day to all of you out there :)

Hard done doggies

The dogs want you to know they are neglected and not loved here at all. Java wants to point out she must SHARE her couch with a rapidly growing young man ;)  She also has her little boyfriend hiding out behind her LOL

Bogie Update

So today we had our one month follow up home visit with the shelter regarding Bogie.  The person who came could not believe the difference in him. At the shelter he was quiet and wanted nothing to do with people and tried to hide. He his majesty made his presence known laying on the couch with Neme,  coming over to meet and greet (hiss) at the shelter worker -I think he was frightened they were going to take him back and that was not happening.  She laughed at him as he hopped up on the counter for his morning milk break with me and then ran back to find his boy.  He made it very clear we are his forever home and she was happy to leave him here with us.  And she loved his new name -she agreed Albert was not a good name for this regal grey boy :)  So Bogie is now a Parkinson for good (like there was any doubt)

Bogie says "this is MY boy!! I will not share him with anyone do you understand dogs??"

I think I need to get knitting again

I think I need a pair of these for myself - I want lime green thrums though with some of Maggies amazing mother fiber yarn -hmmm wonder if I have any LOL
I've made 5-6 pairs of these this winter and am really getting the rythym of thrums.

Vest yarn?? Maybe

Love BFL fibre for spinning -its soft and squishy and has such a luster to it.  This is 500 yards 2ply natural BFL raw fleece -washed, carded spun and then dyed with Jacquard dyes.  I used red/yellow/blue and let the colours soak in as they wanted to.
Vest yarn?? Maybe -we'll see :)