News From The Nest

Oops! There Goes Another .....

WEEKEND! 

The boys stayed for a good bit this afternoon.  Usually, they jump up and hit the road but today they  didn't seem to be in any big hurry. 

Did  your breakfast look like this???  Chef Taylor made breakfast ---- for himself!  He did give me a bite and it was absolutely delicious. 

He called it Country Boy's Egg Benedict.  It's the adapted version of Eggs Benedict or Eggs Benedict Countrified!  Eggs cooked just right with bacon and tomatoes on an English muffin topped with a yummy sauce.

Taylor also tried his hand at blacksmithing.

He did a great job!  He's such a hands-on person.  He told Andy he wanted to make a hook to hang his keys on. 

Andy gave him a piece that he had already twisted and let Taylor make the hook and then a little loop at the top so he could hang it on a nail. 

The picture shows the hook but not the little loop at the top that goes over the nail.  Then, Taylor wanted to make something for his  keyring so he made this little straight piece with a twist . 

While they were busy with the forge, I was busy watching and laughing at Gracie pup.  She was hysterical and so was George. 

Gracie pup would chase George and then George would chase Gracie pup. 

George wouldn't let Gracie pup out of her sight!!! 

Finally, a little piece of shade.   

Then, it was time for a serious puppy nap on Brian's lap.

Well, on to Monday.  The sooner it comes, the sooner it goes!!

A Lot Going On

I had an early morning appointment in Winston-Salem, NC on Friday and GOOGLED for knitting shops   in the area the night before.  I found two and got directions for both but only had time to visit one on following my appointment. 

What a great little shop!  Knit Picky!  I was greeted warmly,  given a tour of the shop, and offered a cup of coffee.  The shop is in a house and consists of three rooms - 1) a main room with needles (had Addi Lace needles!), some yarn, and lots of little extras (knitting wine glass markers, knitty notepads, knitting journals, etc.), 2) the yarn room full of yarns arranged from fine to bulky, and 3) the book and relaxing room (with a great RED sofa, table and chairs, and a coffeemaker!) with lots of books and patterns to browse through.  I bought a skein (1260 yds) of laceweight 50/50 Tussah Silk and Merino in a mauve-lavender color from The Handpainted Sheep.  I also bought 3 oz. of roving to felt some of my soap.  A few patterns and some skeins of Louet Euroflax Fine/Sport Weight in Ginger found their way into my bag, too.  I also bought three skeins of 100% cotton Ty-Dy.  These were half  price and I can see a baby sweater or bibs since the colors are kind of pastel blue, pink, coral, green, etc.  I will definitely visit this shop again! 

This is what I tried today.  I felted three bars of my soap.  When I make soap, I always have butt ends.  In cutting the loaf, I cut a very slim piece off the end to give a smooth surface.  Then, I start cutting the loaf into bars.  The loaf very rarely ends up coming out even so I have what I call a butt end.  When you felt, the fibers need to be placed perpendicular so the scales on the fiber shafts will lock.  You need to take your roving, play with it until you get it kind of thin, and wrap the soap crossing the fiber like a "x".  I wrapped the length and then the width.  Then, I wrapped the sides.  I wet the soap and roving and rubbed and squeezed.  I alternated between very hot water and very cold water.  Wool doesn't like the change in water temps and this helps it felt.  The yellow/green one was the first one I did and turned out the best.  The other two - I should have thinned my roving more.   

Taylor and Brian came home today.  Taylor brought a friend, Mike, with him.  Mike works with Taylor at the Charlotte Knights Stadium and is a culinary student at Johnson & Wales University.  And guess who else Taylor brought!?!?!!?????  GRACIE!  Is she not THE cutest pup you've ever seen!???  She is a Dachshund-Pomeranian mix and is about 11 weeks old. 

Here's a picture of Taylor with his baby.  She is so sweet and she LOVES Taylor.  She cries whenever he goes out of her sight and follows him everywhere. 

Oh, I wish you could see her bounce along in the yard.  She is just tooooo cute!  She is soo funny with the cats.  She wants to play with them so badly but they pretend like they're not interested.  However, they will not let Gracie pup out of their sight!  Of course, George is the boldest -- goes right up to her or stands still when Gracie pup bounces over to sniff him.  He has raised his paw to her but hasn't swatted her yet.  Earl is the most friendly to her.  He even tried to rub against her.   

Here's a picture of her after a hard day's play. Out like a light!

There was the start of something new here today.  Rebel Hill Forge.  Our old house is named Rebel Hill so Andy has decided to name his forge after that.  Not sure how the house got its name - it was built in 1790 so I'm sure it's seen its share of rebels! 

Andy went to a blacksmith conference last weekend near Troy, OH.  He said there were about 75 people tailgating - selling things out of their trucks.  Andy bought several hammers, wrenches, two bags of West Virginia coal, and an old forge. 

After a bit of work, Andy got the forge going today and worked on a pair of tongs and made a tool to break apart / stir the coals.  Blacksmithing is great in that you can make most of your own tools that you need to do your work.  You can see a picture to the left.

I'm still working on the Mystery Shawl.  Everything went so well with Clue #1.  But, with Clue #2, it seems that I can't knit a couple of rows straight without having to TINK back.  Very frustating!  I haven't printed out Clue #3 from today because I want to finish #2 first.  This was the last week of the month so I haven't had a whole lot of time to spend on it which is also frustrating.  I'm still loving this yarn!  The color is wonderful!!! 

The boys will all leave tomorrow and the house will be quiet again.  Here they are playing poker.  From left to right, Mike (Taylor's friend), Brian (who is getting married in two weeks), and Taylor.  I'll miss them. 

Here's a picture of Earl Gray wondering what in the world is going on!  All these people today! AND, a miniature dog!  Nah, not worth the worry.  A nap is priority!

Hope each of you has a restful Sunday!

Kitties Are Back!

I collected George and Gracie today.  They were so glad to get back home!  George weighed in at a honkin' 7.4 lbs. and Gracie a teeny-weeny little 4.9 lbs.  You wouldn't even know George had the "procedure" done.  Gracie is doing well - eating a little less, which is normal.  I had to hold her and get Andy to snip the end of her sutures.  She's been working on them already and had pulled out several stitches.  I wanted to snip off the excess so maybe she'd leave it alone and wouldn't pull / bite at them anymore.  Here she is relaxing - showing off her shorn belly and incision.

The wedding soap is all done.  I ended up with 119 small bars to give Eryn and Brian for the reception favors.  Then, I have about a dozen full-size bars and another dozen small half-size bars for sale.  My whole studio smells like Pearberry!!!  So fresh!  I'll post a picture later!

I had to TINK on my Mystery Shawl last night.  Daggummit!  I did something that made me end up 2 stitches short.  I went back a couple of rows and found it, fixed it, and then worked back to where I started.  No progress made last night!

Kitties and Soap

I took poor George and Gracie to the vet this morning.  As I handed the pet carrier over, I peeped inside.  George and Gracie were cuddled up and George had his arm over Gracie.  How cute!  He was protecting her!  I called and checked on them this afternoon -- they are doing fine.  I'll pick them up tomorrow. 

I unmolded the wedding soap today to let it dry a bit.  Then tonight, I cut the two logs into 84 small bars.  I made another batch this afternoon so will have two more logs to unmold and cut tomorrow.  Smells soooo good!  Pearberry!  Very fresh and clean smelling.  I think the color turned out really well.  It's mottled sage green and creamy white.  Very pretty for a wedding.

Fast Sunday

Why-of-why do the weekend days go by so much quicker than the week days???  I swear just a minute   ago, it was Friday! 

I've been home alone this weekend and have gotten a lot done.  Did lots of work while I waited for Clue #2 of the Mystery Shawl to be posted yesterday.  Today, I did a little work and then made soap. 

Brian and Eryn's wedding is coming up - October 13th - and I'm doing the favors for the reception.  Eryn has fixed cute little bags with a fall leaf on each and crinkle paper inside.  They asked me to make little bars of soap for favors to put in the bags.  Eryn chose Pearberry scent.  I use Pearberry fragrance oil and color the soap green and white.  I made a big batch today and will need to make another big batch tomorrow to have enough.  Need to get them all cut and allow a couple of days for the soap to dry.  Brian is supposed to be coming next Saturday to pick them up. 

Taylor is also supposed to be coming home next weekend.  He's bringing Gracie!  I'll get to meet my newest grandpuppy. 

George and Gracie are going to the vet tomorrow morning.  George is going to be neutered and Gracie spayed.  Gracie is soo tiny and just seems so delicate.  I hate to think of her having surgery but it's probably time.  Not too worried about George.  He's a mess!  You can see in the pictures - there's such a difference in size between the brother and sister kitties.  Anyway, I'll be glad when their surgeries are over for them. 

Clue #2 for the Mystery Shawl was posted yesterday.  I printed it out, cut and taped it together - overlapping the chart, and got busy.  I love it!  Can't wait til it's finished!!  I'll definitely be signing up next time.

Well, it's back to work tomorrow!

Clue #1 - DONE!

I finished Clue #1 on my Mystery Shawl tonight.  This has been so much fun!!  I can't wait to get Clue #2 tomorrow.  The picture to the right shows my second skein of Schaefer Indira Ghandi and the ball of yarn I'm currently working from.  I love this yarn!  It is a dream to work with.  75% wool and 25% silk.  I'm also absolutely in love with these colors! 

When I was winding the first skein into a ball, I had gotten about 12 -16 inches into the skein and encountered a knot.  Then, I got a little further in and ANOTHER KNOT!  While I was knitting today, I found yet a THIRD knot!!  This just ticks me off!  Considering the price, it should definitely be knotless!

I LOVE AUTUMN!  Love the colors, the smells, the punkins, etc.  And, you know I love the color ORANGE! 

Here's Reeves Lawn & Garden in  South Boston, VA all decorated for the season. 

Critters and a Secret

I had a work appointment at Duke in Durham today.  Afterward, I stopped in at Cozy, on Ninth Street, to see what they  had new.  I found this tin.  It's a bank!  It says "I'm savin' up for knitting lessons!" and then "Is wool your dirty little secret, too?" on the front and on the back.  It has a slot in the top to put money in.  Around the slot, it says "Put Money Here For Wool Fix".  On the side. there's a government warning - "Sharing Knitting Needles Can Be Hazardous To Your Health!"  This is super cute! BUT, I have identified just a couple of problems -- 1) the slot is too small to put any significant cash into the bank and 2) the bank needs to be a WHOLE lot bigger for my wool fixes!!

After leaving Cozy, I headed to Whole Foods.  Man!  I love that store!  Such a feast for the eyes!  The colors!  Just rich!  I came home for all kinds of stuff that I can't find here at home.  I got a Florida Starburst Pummelo.  It's bigger than a grapefruit.  The label says that you eat it like a grapefruit, that it is red, sweet, and juicy, and is less acidic than grapefruit.  Can't wait to try it.  Looks and sounds delish!  I also got some Honeycrisp apples (which I have never heard of), huge wonderfully smelling peaches, some flax seed chips, heirloom tomatoes, date and nut cookies, two blueberry scones, AND a Monstera.  This thing is shaped kind of like a banana but has green scales all over it.  Check it out here.  The site says it tastes like a cross between a banana-mango-pineapple.  You have to let it ripen and the green scales will come off and then you can eat the fruit.  Sounds 'licious!

As I was driving home along the backroad, I came around a curve and thought I saw alpaca in a pasture set back from the road.  I whipped my car around and went back.  I parked, got out, walked up to the door, and introduced myself by saying "I'm a Spinner!  Are those alpaca!??!!!"  The answer was YES!  TWELVE of them to be exact and one llama! 

I met Diana, her two  children, and their whole mess of critters.  You have to check her web site - Thanes Neck Farm.  If you click on The Homestead on the left sidebar, it will take you to a page where you will see a link to her blog. 

Diana and her family are from Maine - by way of a few years in South Carolina.  They have settled in Roxboro, NC - which, along the  backroad, is about 20 minutes or so from me. 

Diana is a knitter and wants to learn to spin.  With all that fiber on the hoof in her backyard, she definitely needs to!  She  and her husband are aiming to make their farm self-sufficient to provide for their family.  Their critters consist of r bbits, turkeys, chickens, turkins, dogs, cats, alpaca, llama, cattle, goats, ducks, and donkeys.  

I've been keeping a knitty secret from you all.  I joined the Mystery Shawl Along  group!  I joined at the very last minute and received the first clue last Saturday.  This is the first time I've knit from a chart and the first time for true lace knitting.  Well, I'm hooked, I tell you! I LOVE it!!  I'm knitting my shawl with Schaefer yarn.  The colorway is Indira Ghandi.  I just love it!  In the close-up pictures at the left, it shows my progress.  I'm on Row 43 of the 60 row Clue #1.  I'm trying to pace myself.  I don't want to finish Clue #1 too early before getting Clue #2. 

Well, that's enough for now.  As always --- thanks for reading!

Beach Day #5 - The End

It was just NOT fair!  Today was the most beautiful, perfect, gorgeous day out of the whole week at the  beach --- bright, sunny, not a cloud in the sky, cool, and breezy --- and, we had to leave!  Bummer!

This fellow was really taking advantage of the breeze and he zipped across the sound.  It was a perfect day for windsurfing.  I wish you could have seen how fast he was going! 

Before leaving, I sat on the deck with a cup of coffee and knit on my Sursa  Shawl.  Two cups later, I was binding off the last stitches.  YEAH!  It was all I had to show for my beach knitting but at least it's finished!!  Mark that project off the "Works In Progress" list. 

Here it is for its photo-ops - indoor and outdoor.  How funny that the sofa colors matched my Sursa exactly. 

Pattern: Sursa Shawl - page 36, Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton Hand Knitting Collection Book #2.  This is a GREAT book with many wonderful patterns.

Yarn: NORO Silk Garden for the body of the shawl and Cash Iroha for the ruffle.

Needles: Size #15. 

Well, it's back to work tomorrow.  I got 3 new files on Friday while I was out.  UGH!  I'm already feeling the need for another vacation!

Beach Day #4

Packed a lot in today!  Andy and I headed to Morehead to see what the Saturday Market was all about.  However, it poured down rain and there was only one booth.  We didn't bother to stop -- just headed on to Beaufort.  First stop was Cru Wine Bar and Store.  I had a delicious almond latte and sipped and knitted while Andy ate a pastry and had an expresso.  I spotted this mega-huge Hershey Syrup can behind the counter with a pump for easy access!  Excellent idea!  Andy and I chose a table by the front window.  Very relaxing!!  Raining outside and coffee and knitting inside.   

When the rain subsided, we headed to the antique stores and poked our way through them.  I decided that you just can't throw anything  away!  They even had old postcards that people had sent.  These weren't blank cards - these had been written on and sent - for sale for $2.00 each.  They had EVERYTHING! 

While Andy was examining every tool in the shop (and believe me they have many!), I went across the street to visit the Mattie King Davis Gallery.  The gallery always has such neat paintings and other  artwork.  Today was no exception.  They had a great collection of watercolors and works by featured artist, Hsi-Mei Yates of Fredericksburg, VA. 

Next, we headed to Front Street Grill at Stillwater for lunch.  It was  delicious!!  Andy and I each had the half & half which should have been called the third & third & third!  We had a half sandwich, mixed greens, and a cup of seafood bisque (delicious!).  The restaurant was very nice and overlooked Beaufort Inlet and Carrot Island.  While were eating, we watched the boats come and go.  Then, we saw these!  I told Andy, we needed to hurry and leave -- someone was making off with our boats!  As you can see, these were huge!  The white one was towing the smaller (regular size) boat and the green and white one had a smaller (regular size) boat on top.  Can you imagine how much fuel it takes to fill these up and then wonder what kind of mileage they get?  Never mind -- I don't want to know! 

After lunch, we walked past and stopped at the Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center and watched as the men worked in the boatshop.  In the boatshop, visitors can watch as wooden boats are restored and/or constructed. 

On our way back to Emerald Isle, we spotted a new shop, Nice Figures Studio and Lumber Sales, LLC, in Salter Path.  What a cool shop!!!  I love the warmth of wood and, of course, the design and texture of the various kinds.  Inside, we visited with the owners and woodturners extraordinaire, Sharon and Paula.  They opened the Salter Path shop in April 2007 after moving from Chapel Hill, NC.  The woods were gorgeous!  Birdseye Maple, Burled Maple, Osage Orange, American Holly, Walnut, Red Palm, Ebony, etc.  All beautifully finished.  They had huge wood slabs cut to various thicknesses for mantels, counter tops, etc., as well as thin sheets for veneer and blocks for burls.  Finished items for sale included oil lamps (of which I  purchased 3 - a wedding gift, a Christmas gift, and one for me!), beautiful compacts, vases, key rings, pens, boxes, clocks, etc.  If you go to the web site and click on the oil lamp tab, you'll see one of the lamps I purchased - the light one with the turquoise inlay.  So pretty!  This one will be the wedding gift.

And, wonder what these two wood pieces on the left will be?  Aren't they wild!!  Paula said she sees them as swinging doors.  They certainly provoke the imagination -- what do they look like to you? I think some kind of lizard - iguana maybe.  What do you think?

We got back to the house and sat out on the deck overlooking the sound.  I saw this dogfish, or should it be seadog, in the water a couple of houses down.  He was having such a good time!  I knitted and Andy read his Astronomy magazine as the seagulls floated above us on the breeze.  A perfect afternoon -- cool weather with a wonderfully cool breeze!  Almost made me forget the hot as h*** summer we've had!   

Tonight we ate at Jordan's and it was just OK but followed it up with a scoop of Ben & Jerry's ice cream which made the day complete. 

I'm knitting away on my Sursa Shawl and will show a picture tomorrow.  I'm hoping I can finish it tonight.  So, I've gotta go!  I gotta KNIT!

Beach Day #3

Again, nothing much doing today.  But, isn't that what the beach is all about??  It was intermittently gray-overcast and sunny.   

I took this picture while sitting on the deck drinking a cup of coffee and overlooking the Bogue Sound this morning.  There have been times when we've been here that thousands of these little yellow butterflies have flown past.  They would just flit continuously - nonstop - all day long - singly or in a group - past the deck. 

Also, Mr. Pelican and friend were back this morning.  The pelican was king of the post -- at least for the moment.

Mom, Dad, and Lily left this morning but not before a little bit of knitting.  Mom called tonight and was starting the handle on her NORO bag.  If she finished it tonight, which I suspect she did, the bag only took her 2 days to make.  I worked on my Sursa Shawl - frogging it back to pick up the stitches again for the ruffle.

Lily packed her bag for home.  Here she is coming back up the steps from an exploration trip down to the sound.  She was glad to be going home.  She loves her chair with her pillow.  I suspect that she headed up to her pillow the second she walked into the house and Mom and Dad didn't see her for the rest of the day.      

Then, the construction workers came to work on the house.  Uncle Frank has been giving the house a make-over -- new windows, new siding, etc.  He's had a hard time getting them to do the job right.  So, I'm sure he'll be glad to know that they were here today.  But, with all their banging, I had to get out of here!  I grabbed my camera and left! 

I headed to the Big Oak Drive-in and got a shrimp burger.  Hmmm!  Then, I headed to Morehead City, NC to Arts & Things - a nice little gallery that also sells art supplies.  After that, I just rode around Morehead and then Beaufort - stopping to snap pictures when I saw something of interest.   

I spotted this boat in dry dock.  "Bite Me" must be some kind of theme this week -- first Lily's toy and now this boat!  What a great name for a fishing boat!  In Beaufort, I thought this pile of boats looked interesting.  There was another pile nearby that was more colorful but I liked the placement of these better.   

Andy got here about 8:00 tonight.  He had a luncheon for work to go to today so couldn't come down when I did on Tuesday.  Did I mention how the family vacation kind of fell apart????  No - better left out.  Anyway, he came in with these!  Centerpiece flowers from the luncheon.  They drew names at the end and he won them.  That's good - this is the second trip in two years that his work has interferred with.  The other one was an anniversary trip to Williamsburg.  I went without him and had a terrific time celebrating my anniversary at the Knitting Sisters!

Well, enough for Day #3.  Not sure what we'll do tomorrow.  There's a Saturday morning market in Morehead City where people bring handmade / homegrown / etc. things to sell.  We'll see.  Stay tuned!

Oh, and Lily says "BYE!" - er - I mean "WOOF!"