Over the Hills and Through the Woods.... in reverse.

I'm going to be away for a few days. I'm going down to the Bay Area (Oakland, San Fransisco, Berkeley) to see my family..... to spend  some quality time with friends and family.
Be back soon....

Felting... with cows.

"I see you......"

" Hey, where are you going? I just want to take your picture."

"Mommy, mommy, It's the lady that makes that clicking noise."

Run baby run.....

Safe at last, in the arms of the herd.


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And after sharing a moment of "new calf in the Spring"....

Remember this yarn? Paton's Classic Wool- in Harvest.

This is the finished scarflet  with added pink and burgundy wool yarn in the middle to "Spring" it up a bit. I actually like this yarn felted more than just knitted.

I decided to add the button to the crocheted flower but I added a pink crocheted round under the button to add some contrast. Thanks for those of you who gave me your opinions on "with or without" the button.

Then felted some yarn to use as ties....I felted them to attach to the scarf so it stays in place around a person's neck.

 Made some knitted I cords with tails so that I could try some necklaces. This needs more work. I want them thicker in the middle. I will take them to my sister and have her work her" magic jewelry thoughts" on them. Stay tuned....
Have a happy knitting, quilting, sewing, reading or just sitting by the fireplace with hot tea kind of weekend.

Wordless Wednesday: Young Pallid Bat

                                                                    

Coming and Going... in the Sacramento Valley

Yesterday was the third time in a week that I have driven to the Valley. Twice I have gone to the hospital to see the eye doctor. Thursday for an eye exam and to order the eye glasses... then yesterday to pick up my new glasses. That's a record for getting a new pair of glasses. That's five days with a weekend in between. I've never received new prescription glasses that fast... ever. When they called yesterday to tell me the glasses were ready, I was stunned. Do you suppose that they are getting stimulated by the government?
On Saturday I drove down to Elk Grove for our monthly goat meeting. This was fun. The day was beautiful. I got to see Dick and Jane's farm, again, their big ol' dogs and their flock of Alpine Goats. We had a good meeting. Talked about the Cal-Am Goat show in Plymouth on May 7th and what needed to be done before the event.  I will host the next meeting. Guess I had better let Brownie Goat know that we are going to have company. I don't want him to stress out.
At one point after the meeting, I asked the really important question.... "Where can I get some goat fleece?" This was the right group to ask. I now have three different sources for wool fleece and yarn in this area. Thank you Jane, Elenore, Rebecca and Gwen for all the information. Especially Gwen who emailed me all of the names and phone numbers of the sources. I REALLY appreciated it

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Yesterday I drove down the highway to South Sacramento and picked up my new eye glasses, had some lunch and then (as a treat for all the weary driving and .... and for having to drive in all of that traffic.... and for the strain on my country bumpkin mentality.) I went to....

I needed a very small sized pair of needles for the knitted flowers that I've been making. I walked out of this store with a bag filled to the brim with MORE YARN and some wool fabric.

This wool fabric is so beautiful. I can't find it anywhere in the mountains. So I grabbed it up when I saw it. I thought it was on sale. There was this sign above the bolts of fabric that said 30% off. Well, I just grabbed it and had it cut before I realized that it wasn't on sale. I also didn't look at the price. I thought I did.... but obviously, I didn't. I'm embarrassed to tell you what it was per yard. I just can't tell you. All I can say is that I will save and use  every little sliver of this fabric... if I have to saute the pieces and eat them  for dinner.

The Paton's Classic Wool Roving is wonderful to work with. I just had to get more of it. and then I saw this yarn...

This is Paton's Classic Wool yarn that is wonderful for felted projects. This one is called "Harvest" but I think it's way too bright to be called something so autumny. I think "Gypsy" would have been a better name. It does have some orange and green in it but it also has purple, dark red and a bit of dark gray in it. This yarn is very pretty when it's knitted but I felted a swatch of it last night and it's even more beautiful when felted.
I did buy the needles I needed. I almost forgot in all my excitement.
Then, as I walked up to the check out stand, I saw the magazine rack and stopped in my tracks.  Low and behold, there was this magazine waiting for me. Isn't it funny how this happens. As if it was set out there for someone special. A MAGAZINE ON FELTING.... from Australia.

I had never seen this magazine before and I believe it's the only FELTING magazine on the Pacific Rim.... so I grabbed it. Most knitting magazines will have an article on felting once in a while but this is a whole magazine filled with everything felt.

Lots of articles by felt artists....

 How to make "Wannabees"...

and little pink pigs....

and beautiful purses...

I haven't kept the promise I made to myself... to finish each project before starting another. It's a promise I should have never made . I just can't do it. Too many ideas. Too many wonderful yarns.....
In this magazine there was an ad for a business called FIBREWORKS- hand dyed felting supplies.

And look who gets most of the credit..... THE ANIMALS.  Where would we crazy, knitting/felting maniacs be without these wonderful animals.

AUSTRALIA, YOU ROCK.


So now it's back to making some little flowers and handles for the purses in my head. 
What do you think? With or without the button???

To My Friends...

Please have patience..... all of you who are braving the longest winter of your lives. I hear you out there. You are trying to be optimistic and brave but Ol' Mother Nature is chewing you up and spitting you out in so many areas of the country.
I just want to say....Hang in there.

I see the snow that covers everything and makes it so difficult for you to get in the car and drive anywhere. Everything you do is an effort and the threat of another storm looms. To my farming friends.... the water will thaw and the mud will dry. To my city friends.... the snow will melt and the sun will warm your faces.
One day you're on the dark side of Winter.....

And you find yourself only facing one side of the world. 
But the sun will come back and the warmth will return with it.

  It always does.

Life is two sided.

  Pull back the dead leaves and the lingering snow. Take a look at what is coming.

How the Pittosporum prepares for it's yearly fragrant show.

and the little frog who winks at you from the yard art in the lavender.

Come sit on my porch, in the sunshine. Warm your bones and feel the sun on your face. I'll fix you some tea and bring you a sweater. The air is still cold but the sun feels so good.

Read the wall hanging that I gave to my mom many years ago and now hangs next to my front door.
 
  Sit here as long as you want.... until you know, in your heart, that Spring is coming. Until the sun sets.... as it always does and life feels good again.