knitting, snow, and more cold weather!

Tried to do this yesterday, but the site went down while trying to publish this. Just my luck! Here is a picture I took from the street I live on. The mountain is beautiful covered with snow. We are blessed to have this scenery every day. You can see we got a little bit of snow that last storm...lol


Here is a picture of the wool socks I knit for my DGD. She is only 5 1/2 months so these should fit her this season...I hope. She has really long feet and the ones she has from the store are too short. So Grandma to the rescue. If these fit, I have a lot of left over wool to make a couple more pair for her. As you can see, my foot is there too! It shows just how little this pair of socks are. They will keep baby Sarah nice and warm.

Starting writing this earlier today, and now it's 10:00 pm. The weather is very, very cold tonight. Tonto went out and I made sure I let him back in 10 minutes later. He was right there to come in too! No waiting for him to decide if he was coming in now or later...lol It is -9F and wind-chill is -19F. I went to my cousins house this evening to show her how to do the heel and to pick up the stitches. It was cold when I went over to her house, but it was extremely cold when I left to come home at 9. BBBBBRRRRRRRRRR Heater was just starting to blow hot air when I turned in my driveway.

Well, it is time to head to bed..too cold to be sitting here at the computer when I could be in my flannel jammies curled up next to hubby...he's better then a wood stove on this kind of night.

Knitting Sunday

Spend most of my day Sunday at my cousins house teaching her how to knit socks. She caught on really fast with just minimal help. Her husband teased her a lot and kept asking when his new socks would be done. So nice to see a husband encourage his wife to knit. I have a friend who is not allowed to knit when her husband is home. He can't stand the sound of the needles clicking together..LOL I told her to get wooden needles..they don't make such a loud clicking noise. She still only knits when he isn't at home.

I brought my cousin two hanks of Bartlettyarns wool in a nice rich brown color. I also brought DPs in size 5. (They have the curve already in them from a lot of use!) I copied my favorite pattern (a very old, 1945, sock pattern from Red Heart) and taught her how to use the 4 needles. We had a very relaxing afternoon and early evening knitting and talking and catching up on the family, our dads are brothers. I enjoyed myself immensely. Told her to call when she was ready to turn the heel.

The weather was horribly cold again yesterday and has started out very cold again today. supposed to have snow showers off and on all day. Hope we don't get any tomorrow..hate to drive in the snow and have my doctors appointment in Bangor in the afternoon. Don't mind so much when its daylight, but do not care to drive in the dark when it's snowing. Can't trust other drivers any time, but snow is even worse. They all think they can still drive at 70 when the speed limit is down to 45. They are the ones that cause the problems! Oh well, if its snow, I will just keep it in 4 wheel drive and take my good ole time!!

One of those Yucky Days

Well, finally got dressed around 3 pm...thought I would go to the store but when I stuck my head out the door...NO THANK YOU!! Too cold for me today. And windy. So I got supper started and played bingo on the internet for a little while. DH has some kind of bug..had a flu shot so he swears its not that. LOL Just know he is miserable and wants the whole world to know too!! hahaha.

Well, brownies are baking in the oven and writing in this blog is about it for today. Supper was good but nothing to write home about. As soon as the brownies are done, I am going to go knit and watch TV. Have one sock done for Rhonda and hope to get the other one finished tonight. Going to watch Hallmark Channel...new show on at 9.

Off to check on my brownies. Like I said, it'e one of those yucky days..too cold to go out and just couldn't get motivated to do anything but lay around and knit. ta ta

Snow again!

Took a ride to camp with DH after he got out of work. We got to try the new plow out. Put it in V mode and off we went. Only had part of the road opened up, so we had to plow in a little over a mile to our place...but we went to the end so the others could get to their camps and get their roofs shoveled off. We didn't have time to do that today, so just got the driveway plowed out...had two storms to take care of. I am so surprised how this truck handles. The bronco worked hard all the time and this new Dodge Ram 3/4 ton is unbelievable. It was like slicing thru butter with a warm knife. It moved the snow and ice with no problems at all and I didn't even work up a sweat...and the truck didn't either...lol This picture is of the woods were we turned around to head back into our camp. The ride was a lot of fun.

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The kids across the street enjoyed the day off from school today. They were outside sliding down their walk..and it's a steep one too! They shoveled out their parents van and then played for a while. The kids up a few houses dug a tunnel through a pile of snow..that made me nervous. I was afraid the town plow would bury them when it was plowing. Could not watch them at all!





I gave my neighbor Tom a pair of wool socks today for plowing me out. Last night I gave his wife, Rhonda, a pair of double thick mittens I had knit...made myself a pair and had enough left over to make another pair. Both were very pleased to have some nice warm home made gifts from me!! Love my neighbors!! lol








I knit 6 of these hats....this one is very small and will give it to my granddaughter Sarah, the next time we get over to visit them. Was hoping it would be this weekend, but with all this snow and the winds and crappy driving I am staying home were it's warm and toasty! DIL will get her birthday presents in the mail now instead of in person. boo hoo We wanted to see them and the baby!!!! LOL I do not know why they felted up so small...they all did. I am assuming that the fisherman wool that I used didn't need to be in the machine that long. I left them in for two complete washes, as I would with the other type of felted hats I made before. I like felting in my front loader at camp then this one here at our home in town. I think it just pulls the crap out of everything with that back and forth agatation. The round and round from the front loaded is not so rough on them. I will make Sarah another one for next winter and felt it when we move back to the lake.

Well, time to finish the next pair of wool socks I started last night. I am going to make these a short cuff pair for Rhonda, as she said she would prefer them to just go a little above her boots, not like the mens.

COLD COLD COLD

Well, winter is finally here. It has not been above zero all day or evening..right now its -8F. windchill is -23F. The cats go out and I set the timer for 5 minutes to make sure I don't for get them..too cold and do not need them to get frost bite on their ears or footpads. And I love them too much to want them outside when I don't want to go out.

Finished one blue wool sock yesterday, got a lot done waiting for the doctor to come in. (Don't you hate it when the put you in a room and don't come in for an hour or more??) Anyway, I am going to need surgery on my back to help with the stenosis. She wants to do a Laminetomy.....do not like the sound of this word any more then I did knee replacement 2 years ago. First I have to see the hemotoligist for my clotting problem and then back to her for scheduling the surgery. It will be just a one day thing..if I lived closer I would not have to stay overnight.

After the appointment I went to City Side Yarn Shop to see if they had any cotton yarn in DK weight..and they did...with 20% off. Got 5 skeins of a red DK for my granddaughters sunsuit. I also went into AC Moore and bought some 6 skeins of DK cotton in a peacock blue. Now can't wait to make the two summer outfits for DGD. She will be 1 this summer so I have plenty of time to get them done. And I will have plenty of time to do it. I will not be able to anything for 3/4 weeks except walk or lay down. No lifting, prolonged sitting, bending, prolonged standing....what a way to get some knitting time!!! It will be the hard way though.

I will get some more things ready and into bags with patterns, needles and notions before I go in. That is what I did with the knee replacement in Sept. I didn't do much knitting in the hospital..too out of it to concentrate more than one row an hour..lol But I did knit a little. Did a lot more at home after the pain started to go away...or not so intense. Thank God for pain medications. tee hee hee

We have another snow storm heading our way. Predictions are a Nor'easter. And our area is in the midst of it so we are supposed to be 8 or more inches of snow. The storm will start tomorrow night late and all day Friday and into the most of Saturday. Looks like that takes care of our trip to visit with our son and his family for another weekend. But it means hubby will get called in to plow the mill again and that will be so nice....need fuel oil..almost empty again~ And woodstove is pumping out the heat like crazy, but with the windchills so bad today had to use the furnace to keep the house at 68 degrees. The cold penetrates through the foundation walls and through any little crack in the insulation it can find. Liked it better with no snow and nice temps...spoiled I guess.

Time for bed...hope to get my other sock done tomorrow after I go grocery shopping..and I hope its not as cold!

Picturetrail photos

If you would like to see more of my knitting albums you can always visit them at

http://www.picturetrail.com/mainelywoolyns

I would love for you to veiw them...ENJOY

Spring In Maine

Here are Mane Lupines...their color is always breath taking. Wish they bloomed all summer, but don't.






Well, with winter coming tomorrow...supposedly...been hearing this for two winters now and nothing...now they are talking of mixing again....LOL Oh well, life goes on. I am so wishing for spring to get here so I can enjoy the beauty that God has to give us again. Here are a couple of pictures I took of the Maine Lupine and our Humming Birds that show up every spring...usually the weekend before Mother's Day the males arrive then the females arrive by Mothers Day. This last spring they were two weeks late, but we had so much rain up and down the eastern side of the US. We usually have about 10-15 females and 3-4 males and then in June we have an explosion of babies...2005 we had over 35 Hummers at our feeders. I used over 200 pounds of sugar that year...and still had to buy a couple of 5 pound bags the last couple of weeks in September. But last summer I only used about 75 pounds of sugar and we saw only 2 males and 5 females...we did have a few babies, but not like it usually is. There were times in the morning and late afternoon the would fill all the perches on the feeders and be waiting in line for a spot. And the males are always trying to hurt the females...it is delightful to watch!

Sue and Tammys Aran Cardigans

Front and back view!






Wonderful Arans!

Here they are finished with buttons on them. One has silver pewter buttons and the other has Moose antler buttons...home made at that! (But not by me)

They are both knit from Canadiana acrylic yarns in Aran. The pattern came from a very old knitting book I had. I can't remember the name of it at this time. I will post if if I come across it again.

Wish I could figure out how to turn the pictures I have so I could give you better close ups...but alas, I can not do that right now...more learning for me to do!

Baby dresses 2006

I knit these dresses in a fingering weight acrylic yarn. I can't remember the name of it, but I bought it at Walmart in Lincoln, Me. The purple one is at a local gift shop for sale. The white with spots was given to my granddaughter Sarah. I am hoping mom will send me a picture when she puts it on her for the first time.

Things I knit in 2006

Well, it's been over a week and I have not posted. Oh well. Have been going through my projects I completed in '06 and thought I would share them with you. I have knitted two pair of mittens for me. I have also received the books I won on eBay and have been going through them to decide which aran sweater I will knit for me!!!!! Everyone has one but me. So I think I will make this one for myself.

This sweater is the one I knit in June/July for my friend Sue. It ended up going to her daughter because it was too big for her. Made the next one the smallest size in the pattern and fit her to a T!! "Love it when a plan comes together" LOL

It is knit with Patons Canadiana in Aran. The new colors are more yellowish then the old company. But then they were made in the USA back in the day.

What am I doing????

I spent all day Friday trying to figure out where I am on this darn skirt!!! So I put it aside and started another pair of wools socks. These will be for DH. I know he will need them soon..if the weather ever decides we live in Maine and not down south. The temps yesterday were around 45 degrees. Today it hit 52! Here it is 10:40 pm EST and it's still 50 degrees. The cats do not want to be in the house at all. So they might just spend the night outdoors.

Had a young man go through the ice Friday afternoon at Fergeson Pond, just up the road from us. The fire department was called by one of the other men with him, using his cell phone. The rescuers had to wait for the cable people to get to the road to unlock the chain across the road. The man was very lucky. He was in the water for quite a while before they could get him out. He was transported to our local hospital and then transferred to the big city a little bit later. He is still in EMMC tonight. He is one lucky young man to be alive today! Can not believe anyone would go on the ice right now. There has been no cold weather to freeze the waters thick enough to hold the weight. And the man was on a snowmobile to boot! Some will never learn...and we the tax payer have to pay for those rescues. There isn't a fish in the world worth taking that kind of risk for. I love to fish, but will not go out on the ice for anything. I will fish in the summer and fall from my little row boat!! lol

Worked very little on the sock today. Roasted a fresh chicken for supper and all the good, fattening things that go with it. I haven't felt like cooking in a long time. I still don't have the strength in my knee yet to stand all the time and make sweets. I only made one pie for Christmas compared to the 3 I usually make plus the cookies, scotch-a-roos and jello molds. Oh well. We had a wonderful Christmas at our sons without all the extras! And no one missed them either.

Started reading one of my new books this evening. This one is Knit One, Kill Two. I got them at Amazon.com for less then half price with the shipping. And they were in excellent shape. Got the other two in the series also. I went to bed early tonight, but couldn't sleep. Decided to read a little more of my book, but ended up on the computer first. After I am done with this, I will read. Going to look for one of those little lights that clip onto a book so you can read at night...that way I can go to bed with DH and read after he falls asleep. He is such a light sleeper, I know that the light on my side of the bed would bother him. I hope one of these little lights wont.

Supposed to be really nice tomorrow but Monday the weather is going to be snow, ice, sleet and freezing rain before it turns into just rain. And in the mountains it may stay all snow. Tomorrow we will have to get the plow on the truck. Its been sitting all summer so will need to be hooked up before the snow gets here. Do not want to try to hook it up and it won't connect when we have a storm. Been there, done that many times before with the Bronco. This plow has all the parts on the plow and not inside the hood. So if there is a leak it wont get on the motor and start a fire like the old one did.

Well, time to shut this down and go read. If I don't read another chapter or two I will lay awake thinking about the book! Night

Jan 4, 2007 Mount Katahdin

Took a ride this afternoon up to the Abol bridge. I stopped at different places and took pictures of Mount Katahdin. We should have a ton of snow by now, but we have nothing...you can't snowmobile on tar or ice. The lakes and brooks and little ponds are still open and flowing freely everywhere. You can see the mountains reflection in the open water in some of these pictures. I didn't see any moose or deer today, but a lot of chipmunks and squirrels everywhere. Also noticed several out of state plates on pickups hauling their snowmobile on trailers looking for some place to use them! Hopefully we will get some snow next week. Then we will get us put the new plow on the truck and give it a good work out. We have owned it for over a year and never had to plow with it yet. Hubby said it will be so much easier with this 3/4 ton Dodge compared to the old '89 Ford Bronco we had up until I was plowing with it and the motor caught on fire...lol So happy to see my husband drive up behind me. He opened the hood and threw snow on the motor...darn thing started right up. He couldn't pick up the plow, so drove it into the drive way at camp and left it..and there it still sits..rusting out. We did have a few small storms that we could have plowed, but it would warm up and rain...so no need to.
The weather today hit 47 degrees. It was sunny and there was a slight breeze, but it was a great day. I went to the post office and mailed out the three packages to my son, his MIL and my niece. Hope they all enjoy their gifts. I sure enjoyed knitting them.

I got out Anna's skirt this evening. I have spent over 2 hours looking over the pattern and the shirt...and I still can't figure out what row I am on. I have all the papers where I marked each row, but it just doesn't seem to be right....NOT AGAIN!!!!!!!! Oh well. Tomorrow is another day. I will try again..if not, I will take out that part of the pattern (chart 4) and start it again. I feel like I missed a row between the charts, but can't find it. I should have finished it when I first started it. I am not even going to try to change the YO that I didn't like. Do not need that hassle. Just want to finish it and be done with it. Then off to my next project. A cardigan for me and three Christmas stockings for my little great nieces. Think I will make them the one with the Christmas trees on them with their names knit into them. I want to make them different from my sons. And I have enough yarn to make the tree ones and not the moose ones. Would have to go out and buy 6 or 7 skeins of yarn for them, and I am trying to reduce my stash considerably this year. I will die before I ever use it all up. Have some of it bagged to donate to our church. The ladies there make afghans and blankets to give to families when they have a tragedy in the family, like a fire or family injury. They will have 3 or 4 large trash bags full to use..and its all brand new. Next is the get to the spare bedroom and go through all that yarn there. Some of it I bought from Zayers when they went out of business ???????????? years ago. I remember buying all the yarn they had. It was all in boxes. I used up most of it, but I still have a couple of boxes of red yarn. And at this point in time, I do not plan on making the hooded sweaters I did with that yarn again. I used to sell my knit items at craft shows at Christmas time. I did very well back then. Now it seems no one has money to spend on knitted items today. And I refuse to sell things at just yarn prices. Today I want to get at least twice or three times what I paid for the item. I have not done a craft show in years, and probably won't do them ever again. Too much work setting up and taking down. Knitted the stuff is not the problem. Its the fact that no one wants to pay what you re asking...they think you should give it away. Not any more. My time is precious.


Well, time for bed. Rain is coming tomorrow and I have a lot of things to do tomorrow outside before it gets here.

Anna's socks are finished! Jan 3, 2007

I finished the wool socks for my daughter in law (DIL) this evening. I am going to start another pair for my husband (DH) from the same color yarn. I was able to make Anna's socks with just one skein of yarn with just a smidgen left over. Tomorrow I will get out the skirt I started a few years ago and finish it up. I hope to get it done for Anna by her birthday the end of this month. I will add a couple of pictures of the two pieces I have done.

The weather today was very nice, but the wind was nippy. I wore my new ice cleats out again today. The yard is so icy and slippery. Am hoping the sun will melt a lot of it in the next couple of days. DH went to the town garage and got some sand. He sanded the driveway and our neighbors driveway too. It will just melt tomorrow and freeze over again at night. LOL

It is a full moon now..took a couple of pictures of it this afternoon about 4:15 o'clock. It will be another cool night with no clouds.




As you can see, it was a nice bright moon.

Well, time for bed. Need my beauty rest. LOL Oh yeah, got my knitting book I won in eBay today. It is holiday arans from Sirdar. It is used and marked up, which I don't mind, but it smells like old cigarette smoke. UGGGGHHHHH I will have to put it in a bag with a bounce fabric softener sheet for a few days...that should take care of the smell.

Anna's socks

Here are some pictures of the socks I am knitting for Anna. They are going to be short cuffed ones for her. I can almost make a pair from one ball of yarn in her size. It depends on the amount of yarn in the hank. The color is Blueberry 2 ply from Bartlettyarns. I took the pictures at different angles to show the heel. I have used wooly nylon to reinforce the heels and use it in the toes also.

Fun Fur Scarves

Here is a picture of the scarves I have knit. I am keeping the green and blue ones to go with my coats. Not very warm, but very pretty when draped around the collar.
Hope the girls enjoy theirs.

Jan 2, 2007

Well, the weather is changing fast...its now cloudy again and the wind is blowing like crazy. Have to worry about power outages now. No snow from the big storm yesterday, just a lot of rain and ice. Supposed to be in the 40's all week. No ice fishing for sure.

Finished the other purple sock for my son. And started another pair for my DIL. Hers are in blueberry by Barlettyarns. www.barlettyarns.com they have some really nice yarn and I love knitting with it. Especially my wool socks. They have the lanolin in them. I remember the first time I used this yarn. I kept wondering what the smell was. It is Sheep! It smells like Sheep and feels like sheep. I like having the lanolin on my hands in the wintertime. It helps keeps my hands from drying out.

I was hoping to mail out the fun fur scarves to my niece and her 3 daughters. But because of the death of President Ford there is no postal service today. It will have to wait until tomorrow now. I will also get out the photos of my granddaughter that I took over the Christmas weekend to them and Anna's mom, Meg. The weather will be wonderful all week, so no excuses to get them in the mail tomorrow. LOL

Socks

Here are the socks that I am knitting for my son. I hope to finish them today. The weather is not nice so I know I am not going outside for any reason at all. Do not need to fall on the ice and do any damage to my new knee.

I have knit these socks out of Bartlettyarns wool..2 ply. I also have used wooly nylon to reinforce the heels and toes. My DH is waiting for his new socks but will have to wait until I have Anna's skirt done. Hopefully not to long of a wait for him.

I hope that it will not take me long to learn how to use this blogger...seems I have to do things two or three times to get them right. Like downloading the picture. Didn't see where you had to accept the terms...again! Dang, going to take all day at this rate. LOL

Hard to believe that it is 19 degrees out and its raining! Should be SNOW! Last year we had no snow at all. The businesses in town were really hurting for those snowmobilers. And it seems like it will be the same this year. We will never get to try out the new plow we bought for the new truck again this year if things keep on this way. Will just have to get out the boat! lol

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!