Flooding

This is Route 11..about 14 miles outside of town, heading towards Brownville. The heavy rains Monday and Tuesday took its tolls on our roadways. The road was closed to traffic both ways until DOT could get it fixed. As of 9 pm tonight the road has been reopened. There are many of the sides of the road that are washed out and very deep. And quite a few areas on the road were covered with debris due to the water covering the roads.


This is the Underpass on the Lake Road. This road goes to the mountain. The people on the other side had to travel to the lake and then back down the golden road to get to town. There are many houses with flooded basements all over town today.


The town has had school buses in the past to get the residents from one side to the other, but this year the water was too high for that. The road is still closed tonight. Word on the street is that they will be opening Rip Dam tonight and that will cause even more flooding to us and all the way downstream to the ocean. So glad I live on this big hill away from all that. We do not get water very often in the cellar, but when we do it's usually a good one! No water again today down there.

This is the Millinocket Foundry in town. They had the water running right through their business today. The men and women went to work and it was business as usual for them.


Finished the two fronts on the hooded cardigan tonight and started the two sleeves. I hope I can get this finished soon and in the mail to Texas. Then I can finish the other hooded sweater for Sarah and then the wool lace skirt I have been working on for my DIL.

KNIT ON!

WIP'S are coming along great!

I took this picture in hopes that you can see the price of gas in our little town. I was driving and only took this one. When I got home I noticed that the trees seem to be covering the price, which is $3.65! And my little car broke down yesterday so we have to use the truck for a while until we can get it fixed. We are going to need the car soon, so hoping our stimulus money comes in this week! It will probably take the whole check to fix the left back wheel...it started grinding and then you could smell metal heating up...can't remember what I was told needed to be replaced, but we just had the right side done in Feb. Oh well. No car payments and repairs are a lot cheaper then buying another car! And it does get up to 30 MPG when I don't drive it over 80! lol





The back is finished! I have a lot of half used balls left over from Sarah's sweater and another I did a little bit ago and have used them on the two fronts. I really like to knit this pattern. Wish I had the brains to sit down and make the pattern large enough for me and DH. Would be a sharp looking hooded cardigan if you ask me!



Here are the two fronts. I am to the point of starting the neck shaping tonight. I have only two small balls of yarn to use up and then can open a couple of new ones for the sleeves and hood.
I have enough buttons like the ones I put on Sarah's sweater for this one. They are big enough so that Sarah will be able to button it up when she's a little bigger. And I did knit hers in a size 4 so it will last a little longer.

I had given one of these sweaters to one of my sons friends little girl a few years ago.(She was 2 at the time and very petite.) They had a house fire a week or so before Christmas and had only the clothes on their backs when it was done. They lost their 3 dogs in the fire too. There was really nothing left of the building but some timbers and rubble. It was very sad for the family to lose their beloved pets. My son helped his friend dig through the rubble and find their remains. The dogs were bought back to this area and buried on her fathers property. The couple and their daughter were renting the house and it was a wiring caused fire. Their communities came forward and really helped them out...people are so wonderful when something like that happens here in Maine. And Lydia is still wearing the sweater. Her grandmother told me it was her favorite one because the buttons were large enough that she could be a big girl and button it up all by herself!

We have had heavy rains all last night and all day today. It is still raining heavily and some of the roads in town are flooded and the police have closed off the roads. And on route 11, the road we use to go to camp, they have had a total road washout a few miles after the road we would turn off to get to our camp. The culvert is completely gone and the rushing waters have opened the little brook up to a raging river. The water has taken the huge culvert out and the state is trying to get the road closed off to all traffic from both ends..which is our little town and another small town about 35 miles from here. We only have one other road in and out of town with this one closed. What a night it will be for the hydro people and state road workers all over the state. Some places have already gotten over 4 inches of rain. We are closing in on 3.61 inches now. And it hasn't let up yet.

DS called at supper time to let us know he got a wild turkey yesterday with his shotgun. He decided not to use his bow as he didn't want to waste time and gas! He was only out of the truck a couple of minutes when her heard one. He got set up in the brush and called for them. He said it was what is called a Jake. They had some for supper last night and tonight! He said that they were getting snow over there today too. It have been cold enough up in the higher elevations for snow. Hope we don't get any...have had enough of that white s*** until December...or January 2009!

Well, I am going to go back and watch Law and Order and knit before I head to bed shortly.

KNIT ON!!

WIP'S

Here is the little squirrel sitting on the pallets eating sunflower seeds. DH cleaned the yard yesterday and today and moved the pallets to the back of the yard so when they deliver our wood next week they won't get broken. The little guy decided to jump back and forth from the feeder to the pallets and eat his dinner. Tonto decided he wanted to eat the little squirrel, so had to go out and shoo it away...hate it that the cat does that, but it's what he does! lol
The neighbors have their platform up for their pool this summer. I am so glad we don't have one of those.. a royal pain in the ass to put up and take down every year.



This is the hooded sweater that I am knitting for my granddaughter. I have taken a picture of the yarn so that you can all see what it is I am using. I haven't seen this yarn in many years, so don't know where I got it..what distributor sold it to me. I want to say Reynolds, but can't..so won't ha ha!!
It has a single strand of green in it, though the picture doesn't show that at all. It is aran color with that one strand. Love the way it knit up and the feel of it. Wish I had more of it to make another sweater for me out of it.



Started another Aran hooded cardigan today for my friends grand baby in Texas. I am knitting this one in the smallest size as the baby isn't a year old until October. Their weather is nothing like Maine's so trying to knit something the baby can use and be used.




Here is a picture of the yarn, book and the started back of the cardigan. I really enjoy this pattern and is probably why I have made so many of them and given them as gifts to family and friends. This one is the smallest size, 22" chest, finishes up at 25". I will make it to the exact size the directions call for.

I started this around 2 p.m. today and have quite a bit of it done. The pattern is a 28 row repeat and now that I have it in my memory again, I am off and running without having to look at the pattern. And only mark the rows when I take a break..lol love it that I can just knit this one without all the hassles of keeping track like the first one I did for DGD.








Have a fire in the woodstove today. Very cold and damp all day. Only 46 F right now and the sun is trying to come out. We have had many rain showers all day but it didn't stop DH from getting more of the yard picked up and hauled to the dump. At least the town leaves that part of it open for everyone to use. It is just for leaves and brush. No trash. That part is closed today.

We still have a little bit of snow in the yard. Down the hill by the mill fence there is a LOT of snow! The sun doesn't hit that part so it will take longer to melt.

Can't wait to get to camp...should be in about 2 weeks. Waiting for the road to reopen and the ice to go out. No water - no me at camp! I like flushing a toilet! And taking a shower!

Well, back to knitting on the hoodie for my friend. Take care all and

KNIT ON!!!!

New Sweater on the Needles

No pictures to post, but I have started a new hooded sweater for Sarah. I got the pattern from Lionbrand. I had the yarn from my old shop, it is called "ARAN" by Moby. I do not remember what company I bought it from, but I know I had made a small sweater for a lady for her grandson with it. It is 85% acrylic and 15% wool. Just went and got a skein of it. It is made by King Cole Ltd in Bingley U.K. It is aran with a single stand of dark green twisted through it. I am quite pleased with the way it has knit up. The pattern is Vanna's Choice Hooded Sweater. I am knitting this in a size 4. I have the front and the back done and working on the two sleeves at once and they are almost done. Finished the last increase on them a little bit ago. Now I need to find my tape measure and see if they are long enough to bind off. Then I can put it together and start the hood, which is picked up from the cast off stitches, not knit and sewn on.
When we went over last weekend to visit, my DIL brought out 3 other hooded sweaters that I have already knit for Sarah in size 2/3. So this one I will give her for Christmas this year. Hopefully she won't grow too quickly and not wear it a lot like I want her to.

The weather here in Maine has been wonderful. The snow is going, going but not gone! The lake road is still closed and won't be opened until May 11. DH has the week of May 19Th off, so this will give me time to get up there and get the place cleaned up...dust and all that stuff from the winter months. And DH can put the ladders and snow shovels away, not in the kitchen. LOL We had a huge thunder and lightening storm last evening. I hate them!!!!! It was a little early in the season for one, but Mother Nature has not been doing things according to the seasons at all this year, so why not throw in a good summer storm in the spring...ha ha. The temps have been in the high 60's and mid 70's the last 6 days. Today was only 53 F but still nice out after the clouds cleared.

I started my cucumber seeds yesterday. Also my tomato and morning glory seeds too. I am going to put them into hanging pots or 5 gallon pails this year as I will not be able to do any bending to weed my garden again this year. Last year I didn't do anything because of my back surgery the end of May. This year I hope to have it all planted and on the deck before I go in again. I missed not being able to pick fresh cukes and tomatoes last year. And the price of veggies right now is off the charts, so this will be a money saver in the end....IF I can keep the raccoons out of them...especially the tomatoes. They always eat them or tear up the pots at night when they are hungry. I asked DH to get someone to till the garden out so I can at least have a couple of rows of radishes...which are my absolute fave! He just laughed at me. I bought some seeds of mixed flowers for hummingbirds. Hopefully he will plant them for me so that at least there will be something there besides the weeds we had last year..ha ha

Had the studded snow tires removed from the truck today. State law is that they have to be off my May 1st. DH is going to have to find 4 more rims so we will not have to be paying to change the tires twice a year. To have the mounted and balanced ran us $53.00 today.

Gas prices hit $3.65.9 a gallon yesterday. One station was still at $3.53.9 a gallon so I went up and filled my little car up...if you pump it yourself and are 55 or over they take .02 off a gallon. Then when DH got out of work we went up with the pickup truck...it only cost us $83.00 to fill it..good thing it still had 10 gallons in the tank...can't imagine what it could have been if it had been really empty...OH MY!! My little car was $17.36 for 5.07 gallons! OH MY!!!!! DH wants to buy a motorcycle to ride this summer back and forth to work. I think he may just get one if we can get one cheap enough. I haven't driven a bike since I broke my ankle in 1982 when I did that on my sons little dirt bike. I have had three surgeries on that ankle and now I am going to have an ankle joint replacement this fall! So glad I never had it fused! I wouldn't be able to have this new surgery.

I am going to make another Aran Cardigan for my pen pal in Texas. Her granddaughter is going to be 1 in October, so I am going to make the size 2. Judy said that they wear sweaters, but nothing heavy. So this worsted weight will be great for her in the winter time.

Well, time for me to get off the PC and knit some more on the sweater for Sarah. Take care all and

KNIT ON!!

Sarah

OK Baxter, bring me the stick! Sarah loves to throw the stick for the dogs. This one is a bit too big for her so her Grampy threw it!




Here Baxter, I have a snowball for you! She kept trying to get Baxter to catch the snowball, but wasn't able to throw it high enough for him.




MOMMY MOMMY, I found somthing in the garden!!!!! Bruski is right there to make sure no one gets in Sarahs way! He's checking out the plastic that Sarah found.




Hi Grams and Gramps, see my new sweater I have on! I love you so much for knitting it for me Grams!!! LOL

She loves to be outside in this nice weather. Next month the bugs will be so bad we won't be able to enjoy the sun without getting bitten to bits when outside!

Sarah playing in the mud

Still a lot of snow on the ground in the northern part of the state. We went to visit our son and his family this weekend. Sarah decided to check out the mud for the first time! She is having a blast in it! The temps hit 70 F Saturday.

Look at me! More water and mud to play in! The dogs had a blast running around with Sarah too. Grams and Grampy had a wonderful time watching and laughing at her!


In a month or so this will be their garden!


We waited for her to fall in the mud, but she didn't. She was sure-footed today!


KNIT ON!

Sarah

Sarah in her new poncho and hat! It was made from Streetwise yarn that I have had for a long time. I think I am going to have to crochet around the neck to make it stay on her. She kept trying to put it around her waist. LOL





Sarah wearing her new hooded Aran cardigan! I made a size 4 hoping this would be something she will wear later this year...but it is just a little bit big for her.




Dad put the sweater on her today and met us for breakfast at the little restaurant by the hotel we stayed in this weekend. We had a blast playing with Sarah for 2 days!




Sarah is trying to get the dogs to play with her. She wanted them to come over so she could throw her little snowball in the air so Baxter could catch it.

More tomorrow on our visit...heading to bed to rest and watch some tv.

Take care all and...........


KNIT ON!

Aran Cardigan

Here is a picture of the cardigan that I am knitting for Sarah. I am using Encore,worsted weight yarn from Plymouth Yarn. It is 75% acrylic and 25% wool. This way Mom can wash it when it gets dirty. I have made many of these sweaters as gifts for friends and family...HAD to make one for Sarah! The pattern is from "Country Arans for children". It was put out by Plymouth Yarn. The first printing came from Paton's in the late 80's. I have this one left over from my yarn shop days. Have some buttons that I had purchased in Canada many years ago when we went to a big craft fair in New Brunswick. Can't remember the person who made them, but will be perfect for this sweater.





Here are the roses that I got from my son, daughter in law and granddaughter for my birthday today! Also got cards from family and friends, both email and snail mail. (And you can see all my knitting books in the background in the book case.) DH took me out for supper tonight too! And then we went to the local greenhouse to see whats growing there...NOTHING! Debbie won't be starting up the furnace until Wednesday when all the plants arrive. Got my order in early for some hanging planters of vegetables for camp. Won't be able to bend to tend the garden, so will just have them in planters and on the deck. We have some 5 gallon buckets we are going to put tomato plants in along with cukes and peppers. Hope to get the big half potato barrels filled again and plant some radishes in them. LOVE fresh radishes. Love fresh veggies anytime! But to have them fresh in Maine is a hard thing to get in the winter months. They are either not fresh and coated in wax or just not tasty when we get the hot house ones.

Well, off to work on the cardigan for Sarah and go visit Aunt Bubbles at the nursing home with DC.

KNIT ON!!

More Deer Pictures

Duck and deer...lol


Duck and Deer.


Just a few more eating


Supper is served! More coming from the woods to eat.

Snow again & Deer

Well, woke up to snow Saturday morning! Just a little bit, but enough to make us stay home instead of going to Bangor to the Home Show. There were many accidents and the odds made us make a quick decision to stay home and for me to bake a nice spiral ham! So we stayed home, I cooked, cleaned and knit on my aran cardigan. I now have the hood started. The sleeves are done and so are the button bands.

We went to Bangor today (Sunday) and got some stuff on modular homes at the Home Show. (Not a lot of stuff there...people do not have the money to invest in these shows like they did years ago.) Hoping to have home built in a few years near our son....want to watch the grand daughter grow up and once DH is retired, we can move. Just a few more years to go.


We stopped in Medway at the Gateway Inn and watched the deer. Had heard the cops talking about them on the scanner last night, so when we pulled off the interstate I told DH that we were going to stop and watch the deer if they were there. And were they!!! In the 20 minutes we were there, 20 of them came out of the woods to eat the grain the Inn owners have been putting out. There were seagulls and a couple of female ducks there too! One of the ducks was right next to the deer and didn't care if they were close to her or not. The deer were not phased by anyone getting out to take pictures or of all the coming and going cars! The deer were in the woods and some were near the edge of the woods watching. They all came to eat while we were there and more were coming as we pulled out of the parking lot.


This picture shows a duck landing in the deer to get some food. The deer moved and it took right off again and the other one followed suit and took off to. Did get a picture of it in the deer.


This shot shows there are 13 deer. More came from the right and just mingled with the rest to eat. DH didn't want to sit and watch long. Told him I should have left him home...he's a party pooper! I was talking to the people at the show and he was standing there huffing and puffing to move along. You'd think I'd learn after 38 years...go by myself...get to see more and do more. LOL Gotta love him!!! ha-ha

Aunt Ellen

As I posted last night about my aunt Ellen, she passed away. She is now with her family, as she has wanted for the last few months. I will miss you Auntie!!
I love you!!

Aunt Ellen

Just to let everyone know..I did go to the hospital tonight...Auntie is in a coma and is not expected to live much longer! They have stopped all her medications and IV. She still has oxygen, but it is not helping her at all now. She may not make it through the night is what the grandchildren are saying. I am praying that God will take her soon and stop her suffering. She has said all this week that she is ready to go.

Today is the second anniversary of her sons death. She has outlived her husband, son and daughter. Her grandchild have been there for her forever. She lives with one of her granddaughters since her own daughter died just a short time ago.

GOD BLESS YOU AUNT ELLEN!!!

Snow Dump today and collapsed garage

Here a picture of the snow dump I took today. DH wanted to stand in front of it with a shovel and post it to some bow site he goes to. LOL And this has melted in the last 2 weeks! The dirt is showing now and that will slow down the melting of the snow until into July.
Men!! Just have to love them! lol


Here is DH walking back from the snow trying not to step into the mud like he did when he walked to it...lol. I stayed on the road that goes into it and used the zoom lens to get the closeups...haha. Now to go to Rite-Aid later and print them up for him. (cheaper there then for me to print them with my printer I bought for my Sony camera.)


These next two pictures are of a house that the attached garage collapsed yesterday. The owner had her car in there and it was heavily damaged too. The problem with this type of thing happening is that our insurance company won't cover the damages because they didn't have it shoveled. Paying to have someone clear the roof would have been a lot cheaper then rebuilding. This second picture is closer up and shows the crew hired to tear it down and clean it up. This means Mike will have early work for his crew this month. Most carpenters have to lay off their crews for the winter months.

KNIT ON!!!

Green Grass in our yard and Sarahs Aran Sweater and slippers

 

Washed the slippers and I do not think they are small enough for DGD's little feet. I might try felting them some more today. I think I like them, but not sure...will have to wait and see how Sarah likes them. I just wish they had felted smaller...look to me like they are still as large as when I knit them. Her little feet are only 6" long and these are a lot longer than 6 inches...lol Oh well, hope to try them on her this weekend...if mother nature doesn't mess up the weekend again with snow like the last one! We are planning going to visit on Saturday, and staying over night, but the hotels are all booked for Reggae weekend at Sugarloaf USA.



 

Have the back and the two fronts done on the Aran hooded cardigan for DGD. I have the two sleeves started but haven't really worked on them much these last couple of days. My back ache has increased and now I just want to lay still in bed and hope for the pain to ease up. Have pain meds to take, but hate taking them. Saw my doctor on Monday and he said I shouldn't have the second back surgery...just increase my meds and live with it. Yeah right! He should walk a mile in my shoes and then tell me if he wouldn't take the chance to have this pain reduced like it was before I went and moved the wrong way and now have the vertebrae slipped over so I have pain 24/7! My surgeon is now wishing she had fused this when I had surgery last May. Oh well, and I was doing so good. Now to decide which to do first, back or knee replacement...haha Get-R-Done!!



 

We have some green grass in our yard. LOL Still have a ton of snow, but what grass is showing is turning green. Our back yard is so muddy, (Mud season has arrived!!) that we are going to have to start parking in the driveway or on the street for a while. Hate parking on the street..never know what will happen to our vehicles! Do not want the alarms going off at 2 in the morning!!


 

As you can see, there is snow and now grass! I hate the thought of the bugs and mosquitoes coming in May, but will gladly put up with them after this winter and all the snow!


Aunt Ellen is still in the hospital. I haven't been back up...just so hard to see her struggling to breath. I am not a very nice person, but I hope the family can forgive me for my short comings in life. I understand that the doctor has put her on morphine now to help her relax and hopefully able to breath better. I am just going to have to go up today and see if the family can use some support. Enough of me feeling sorry for myself and not being there when needed!!!

Well, got to get going. Promised a lady to send her a yarn care package so she can design some more socks! She is such a great talent, but like is always looking for donations to help with her limited income. And I hope to get a couple of her wonderful sock patterns too!

Take care all and

KNIT ON!!!!