Woolybuns

Foto Friday

Why, as often as possible, I serve water to the dogs on the deck instead of in the house:

Bread machine honey oatmeal bread that tastes good even if it caved in.

Some parts of Connecticut are still beautiful.

Fibery fun: Spunky Eclectic 
plus Woolybuns   

equals

Yum!

There Has Been Fibering Here

Sock One done.  (ok, so not yet kitchnered but you expect that of me by now, right?)  Sock Two is on the needles.  While I waited out a meeting at the dog show on Saturday to pick up Keeva, I knit on sock two.  Got a couple inches done.   Now compare these two photos.  The outside of the sock looks ok.  The inside clearly shows a round of stockinette that should have been a round of garter rib.  Oops.  I'm gonna fish out my small crochet hook sometime today and hope to fix rather than rip.

I also dusted off the drum carder earlier this week.  I've had it for at least two years and just have not bonded with it.  I'm not sure why the prospect of climbing on 1000+ pounds of muscled but untrained equine excites me but the prospect of feeding soft fibers into a drum carder intimidates me, but there it is.  One of my weaknesses.  But I need some batts for felting, so I turned my longe whip on myself and spent several hours with the carder.  I'm pleased with what's happening, especially since there is improvement.  I'm blending merino and angora.  I did several batts of natural white, a couple of green, purple and blue with natural gray angora, and a couple with some variegated merino roving in colors of pink and black blended with natural gray angora.  Color is not at all flattering in the photo. 

And now for some precious puppy moments.

Molly n Keeva Dog and Puppy Show

 

   

So That Was Too Easy

Congratulations to Michelle.  Yay!  You won the skein of something.  Michelle correctly answered that Caoimhe is pronounced Keeva.   The name means "gentle, beautiful, precious" according to the list of Irish names I consulted. I like this list because it provides an audible pronunciation as well as the phonetic spelling.  I also very much like the closely related meaning Kim mentioned: beautiful, loveliness and grace. Now, since the contest ended  about 2 seconds after I posted before most of you even knew it existed, I decided I should offer another contest with a deadline, toss all eligible names into a hat and get someone to pull out a winning name.  All you have to do to enter the contest is leave me a comment to this post telling me what you think is the best yarn for Michelle.  You have until Friday, Sept. 1, 2007 at midnight EST to enter.  I'll try to remember to do the drawing by Monday, Sept. 3.  The prize?  Another skein of something.   

Baby Stuff

My wayward baby sweater pattern flew home! Apparently, the wind grabbed it while I was still at the Fiber Revival (ok, so maybe it was a bit more than breezy as I described the day).  Somehow, it flew into the hands of the folks who sold it to me.  They hung on to it, not knowing if one of the customers lost it or if it blew off their table.  My mention here on this blog  that I'd lost the pattern came to their attention and the outstanding customer service of A Knitter's Garden kicked into full gear.   Heather, the very sweet lady I thought I bought the pattern from, emailed to let me know they had the pattern and just needed my address to get it back to me.  Joanne, owner of AKG, mailed the pattern back and I received it today.  But that's not all.  She not only reunited me with my pattern, but she sent me a folder of stuff, including a very nice note and a gift of another pattern, a keychain sock blocker sock pattern, complete with a miniature sock blocker.  See how cute this is??  I will be knitting one pronto.  Joanne and Heather, thank you very much.  I am impressed and grateful for your kindness above and beyond any call of duty.

And this is the reason for the pattern purchase in the first place.  My granddaughter, Danni, due Oct. 8. 

And as long as we're talking baby stuff, I went and did it.  Yep, there's a new baby here at Woolybuns.  A baby sister for Molly.  Ever since Molly arrived, I knew I wanted to get her a little sister and I've been actively working on this ever since the dog shows in western New York in early July.  There was an adorable litter of Irish Setters there, pups just 7 weeks old.   Molly arrived with her  registration name already decided, but I get some say in choosing this one's official registration name.  The guidelines: Connall is the first part of the name and Evening must be part of it, too.  Nothing's set in stone yet, but I think her registered name will be Connall Evening Delight.  And the Gaelic spelling of the name I choose to call her is Caoimhe.   Show of hands: who knows how to pronounce that?   Yeah, I thought so.  I'm quite intrigued with Irish as a language and am idly thinking about trying a home study course.  But, for the sake of others being able to pronounce her name, I will be using the Anglicized version.  But since I like a good tease, I think I won't tell you yet.  I think I'll open this question up as a contest.  The first person who tells me the Anglicized version of Caoimhe wins a skein of... well, something.  I've been a puppy proofed house for a while and I don't know what's where when it comes to stash.  But I'll make it a nice something.

So what does Molly think of this new arrival?  At first, she was intensely curious, then she got pushy and scared the poor puppy, then Molly took her regal self off to consider this new circumstance who was taking a nap in Molly's crate.  The pup usurping her crate definitely upset Molly, so I quickly hauled the pup's new crate in from the car and let her nap in there and Molly reclaimed hers.  Outside, both of them jockeyed for my lap for a while and they each got lots of hugs and kisses.  Eventually, the games began.
   

One Flew Out of My Cuckoo Nest

Apparently it was just time.  About an hour after the first photo, this is where I found the baby.  So I stuck it back in the silly hay bowl while mom watched from above, none too pleased with me, I'm sure, given the steady stream of chip chip chip.  But she didn't dive bomb me or drop anything on my head.  I went about my business with the bunnies and by the time I finished feeding the rabbits, baby had moved up onto the branch I put the nest under.  Which is where I wanted the baby in the first place.  And within another hour, baby and parents took off.  Internet info on cardinal fledging times says they do that at 9 to 11 days old.  Why?  Mom will already be working on another nest.  And we think time with our babies goes by fast! 

Time to Lock Up the Cat

I love my cat, Corky, but this time of year, she's not so sure of that.  She is once again locked up for a while.  Next to my deck, there is a large cement slab surrounded by arborvitae, a plant species I really don't care for.  But that stand of trees shelters so many birds and shades the back of my house so well, that I can't bring myself to cut them down. Spring and summer the arborvitae tend to harbor Cardinals, one of my favorite song birds.  Chickadees and some other small birds, probably juncos, take over during the later fall/winter, while the cardinals move further back in the yard.  Last night when I was feeding rabbits as evening light waned, I heard the cardinals making a big fuss and glanced over to see what was up.  What was up was a baby bird down.  My usual response is to put the baby as high up in the trees as I can, lock up the cat for a while, and let nature take it's course.  But this baby was extremely intent on jumping off every branch I tried.  Since I can't keep the neighbors' cats locked up, baby birds are not safe on the ground around here.  I pulled out one of my rabbit nest boxes, stuffed a bunny feed bowl with hay, squashed my fist in the hay to make a depression and stuck the baby in there, on top of a bunny hutch with a tree branch hanging down over the opening and into the box.  I wished it luck and stayed away.  First light this morning, I peeked out the door and saw cardinals flitting in the area of the nest box, and lots of "chip, chip, chip" sounds.  Mom and Dad apparently found the baby.  I waited until the parents stayed away a bit, then got a photo for y'all.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Step by Step

CC's new digs: a 120 acre farm adjacent to a state forest providing an additional 1000+ acres of riding.  We have to get started under saddle!  But first, CC needs to get over her bit resistance.  Previously, she refused to close her mouth around the bit.  When the vet pulled her wolf teeth, he found she reacted to his slight pressure on her nose just as she did to the bit.  Vet and trainer both started suggesting the possibility of scoping her to see if there is a physical problem.  That would not be my approach, an d fortunately for CC, I as the owner get final say.  My decision: I moved her to a new barn much closer to home and I am now CC's trainer.  Our first small foray into training: use a headstall with no noseband so the only thing CC has to deal with is the bit.  I let her wander around the round pen with hay available and she soon settled down to the more important business of munching.  Bit?  What bit?  With just a few such sessions, she's much more accepting of the bit.  Yesterday, after she had the bit in her mouth for about half hour while wandering her paddock, I moved her into the round pen for our first attempt at round pen communication.  The seminar I took last month introduced me to that amazing dance.  In the seminar, though, the horses already knew the stuff.  CC doesn't.  It's up to me to teach her.  At the same time I'm teaching me.  This could be interesting.  So what happened yesterday?  CC stood there looking at me.  Which is actually a good thing.  I want her attention on me, not on the handsome Skippy watching us (see him in the photo?).  Next step: well, yeah, a step.  Please?  CC's approach with me is to just stand there.  She doesn't get crazy or mean or spooky.  She just calmly stands in one spot.  Ever feel a silent horse snicker?  Yeah, that's what she does.  Stands there and looks at me and I know she's just laughing her ass off inside.  When she first arrived here in Connecticut, she very calmly refused to get off the trailer.  Just stood there looking at me.  What are you gonna do about it, she asked.  We had to take the trailer apart to get her off.  Then, once she got used to all the other horses, she decided staying with them was better than leaving them.  I'd put the lead rope on her and start to walk and CC would not.  There she stood, just looking at me.  Her 1000 pounds or so against my - well, considerably smaller self.  My brute strength clearly wouldn't work.   That's what led me to natural horsemanship.  I love the concept and I grinned myself silly when I took the seminar.  One seminar and auditing another (which means I watched others work) and I am ... on my own with a little bit of understanding.  Yep, this could get very interesting.  So what happened yesterday?  I got CC moving and turning and stopping when I wanted.  And paying attention to me.  We ended with a good stop and CC not only turning to face me, but actually taking a couple steps toward me at my invitation.  I'm pleased.

My newest sock project also started out laughing at me.  I cast on the damn things 5 times and each time size was ridiculous and mistakes slapped me silly.  Then yesterday, after the good time with CC, knitting magic kicked in and the stitches just flowed forth.  Not very fast, mind you, but progress nonetheless.   I'm liking this sock now.  The specifics: Lorna's Laces Jeans, size 2 Addi Turbo 47" circs, Magic Loop method, garter rib stitch from Sensational Knitted Socks with a rolled edge top.

Fiber Revival 2007

 

My son happily agreed to tend to Molly yesterday so I could take off for the Fiber Revival in Newbury, MA.  Stress Free Zone indeed!  The day was a bit breezy but wonderful. The folks who organized this did a nice job so let's give them all a round of applause.  I hope you enjoy the slide show.

I did make a couple purchases.  With Linda's bunch of luscious colorways in 300 yards of laceweight alpaca and silk, how could I not?  And what do you do when you fall so deeply in love with a yarn and want to wear it immediately?  Knit it on the spot was not fast enough for me (remember?  I'm a  s l o o o w knitter).  Yarn drapes and wraps artfully even without the knitting, dontcha think?

I also fell in love with a delightful baby sweater pattern from Sereknity.  I wish I could show you a photo of it.  I did buy the pattern but it appears to have chosen not to come home with me.  The skein of yarn I bought to start the sweater made it here.  The pattern is a stockinette cardigan with bands of color separated by garter stitch, I think.  I'm sure I can recreate something similar.  I didn't buy all the yarn because the baby I want to make the sweater for is a girl (my third grandchild due Oct. 8) and Sereknity didn't have any more of the yarn colors for a girl.  That means another shopping opportunity!

What Some People Will Do

I moved CC yesterday to a barn closer to home (sigh - she's still about 30 miles away).  The new place has a round pen, a big level riding ring, three beef critters (2 of them babies - how am I supposed to not get attached?!!) and some guinea fowl.  CC has never seen cattle nor guinea fowl.  She put on a nice display of snort and prance in true Arabian style.  Wrong time to forget the camera!  The lady who transported CC for me is a spinning/knitting friend who definitely has her own style.  And a deep affection for her animals: rescue dogs no one else wants because of their ... untidiness, a couple horses, some ponies, a house cat whose idea of strenuous exercise is a stroll to the porch to  hop up on the cushioned chair for a nap, a couple feral cats, and a house pig.  She used to live in a ritzy suburb which was formerly rural until all the folks who moved to the country to get away from the city collectively shuddered because - ugh - there are animals in the country. Imagine that.  Animals.  Dotting the countryside.  Part of the bucolic scenery which drew them silly complaining folks to the country. The plucky lady wearied of disguising her friendly pig as a cocker spaniel and moved to a still rural home, installed a ramp and pet door to the back door of the house so the pig could come and go as needed.  And you know she ended up with a bunny.  Billy gets the pantry floor with a bunny size door in the wall so he can get to the lady's boudoir they both share with the pig.  Billy's pantry space is outfitted with a rag rug, his open cage, a litter box, a bench with another rug under it, a box full of hay to eat or stomp, and the occasional Wheat Thin for which he will scramble thumpity thump thump from one end of the house to the other, sit up and beg.  He should be named Riley, dontcha think?  But recently, Billy came down with the dreaded snuffles, upper respiratory illness that is not curable and varies in severity from mild in which symptoms go away but the disease is still hiding, to chronic in which symptoms can be almost ever present but the bunny still enjoys life, to severe in which bunny does not enjoy life, to fatal.  Billy's illness is chronic.  He still very much enjoys his life.  The little guy still grows his yummy fuzzy coat, so yesterday, after CC relaxed in her new surroundings, I addressed Billy's sartorial needs.  They are more complicated given his stuffy nose.  Much to my surprise, Plucky Lady pulls out a bunny sized nebulizer and inhaler to use if Billy's breathing is too compromised by the stress and positions of clipping.  She tells me she has a nebulizer sized for horses, too.  The bunny inhaler costs $180 out of her pocket. 

If, like me, you admire the amazing lengths people will go for what they love, check out Dave and Natalie.