One of Each...

Something simple, for now..

I had a bad weekend... (or at least bad Saturday)...

I had A vet out on Friday to review a continuous issue with my filly's front leg(s) - take your pick - on any given day she is either as sound as a dollar or lame as a three legged table... On Wed, lame, and of course, on Friday am when vet was there, sound as anything else in the barn and was lunged for over 40 minutes...

So, Saturday, 15 min into my ride with our trainer, at a NICE, SOFT, EASY trot her leg collapses and we go DOWN.. I swear to GOD and all that is Holy, that I thought when she got up and was holding the right leg straight out and it quivering and shaking like a leaf that she had broke her leg.. and that my Barn Owner/Buddy who is a cop was going to have to shoot her right then and there on the spot...

It's not broke. I'm bumped and bruised (thought I had cut my archille's tendon, however) but it is not.

So, back to the freaking drawing board... Xrays to come SOON to see if there is ANYTHING at all going on or she is just messing with my head.

In the meantime, I started a pair of socks, tried them on 2" down and they fit - get 3/4ths the way done and can't get them over my heel, ripped em out and am now on my 6th rendition of same sock trying to get the sizing to work.. Am NOT happy about that. I feel I have knit this pattern 3 whole socks already..


So, a group of us were thinking of knitting this one complex sock pattern by a designer named "Cookie A" - call Pomatomus - I affectionately refer to them as the "Potty socks" - So, to remove the bad spirits hanging over me, I have started working on this! And I like it. I like it alot. The Yarn is Socks That Rock in the Bleeding Hearts Colorway... Here's a pic of it started... And a closeup


And, to show that Spring is STILL here in Northern Illinois and that the bad storms this past week didn't A) kill the buds nor B) Blow them ALL off the tree is a picture of our beautiful white crab tree in our backyard... I have been after my dear, dear, dear hubby to make the area under the tree a NICE, LANDSCAPED, flower bed type location instead of some Day Lilly's stuck in the grass back there looking like well, use your imagination... And this has yet to happen... So, be sure to check back.. I'm in just one of those moods that I need to take out some aggression.... and get er done!

I know it is Spring, because...

For the first time in several years, our Magnolia tree BLOOMED.. In the past it wold start to bloom and then we'd get another cold snap and it would freeze all the buds and then they would die... This year, we had enough warm days in a row that it was able to bud AND bloom.. It is SO pretty, and I love the way it is white showing up against our new front door... Take a peek.. It is getting SO huge - when we first bought and planted it, roughly 8 years ago, it was shorter than me. Now it's reaching up to the second story windows!



And I ALSO know it is Spring because we had a hell of a storm last night and there is not one petal left on the tree (rain, hail and winds of 25mph+) will do that to a pretty Magnolia..

Now, we have to wait for the flowering Bradford Pear, the flowering Crab Bush and a beautiful scented flowering Crab Tree to bloom....

Self Cleaning Horses...

Well, you know there are self cleaning ovens and I'm sure there are other "self-cleaning" things (kids would be a plus - ha) - but, I have proof that there are self cleaning HORSES! Yes, HORSES>..

I was at the barn to take pictures of a new sale string for my buddy whose website I manage and he was tied up so I was just going to help out - so I started to fill the water tubs for the outside horses... In the big outside hose there is this itty bitty pinprick size hole... and it sprays up a little bit.. I had forgotten that.

So, I moved the hose into the mare's tank and the little leak was spraying toward the paddock..

So, Bandi - my buddy's mom's Quarter Horse (who we affectionately refer to as the big black lab - as she is that friendly) - decides to "clean herself" - I hope in these blog photos you can see the stream of water.. It was HYSTERICAL - I'm putting them in order - she stood there for goodness, I don't know how long and washed her face!







It was hysterical!



And speaking of horses.. Here's a gratuitous shot of my filly - Jessie - She NEVER misses a chance for a scritch when she sees me - It's so nice to have one who comes to see you everytime!

The "Me" Knitting...

Well, I snuck in a few things for myself amongst all the other knitting being done!

First is a modular scarf called "ZigZag" Scarf by Iris Schrier utilizing Jen's most lucious worsted superwash wool yarn died to my perfection and appropriately she named it "Lorna's Blue Jeans" -

Also, a pair of socks titeld Broadripple made out of Cascade Fixation in once again (do you see a pattern here?) the Blue Jean colorway (#9030) - These socks are SO nice and soft - and with the little bit of elastic in them make them nice and stretchy! And Yes, that is Bree modeling the socks (keeping in mind that she is only 1/2 size behind me!)

American Girl Doll Day...

It's American Girl Doll knit item Sunday. HA!

I knit these items for Bree's Doll and perhaps to teach at Peggy's should anyone sign up - they are just adorable!

This is a cute little lace up V-neck Tunic made from Encore Colorspun Worsted weight (acrylic for throwing in the washing machine!)

Being Spring, prom must be right around the corner, so I made Bree's doll a Prom Dress - this is out of Plymouth's Baby Alpaca Worsted Glow yarn (same as Bree's Bolero - only different color) - It has a little metallic fleck in it and makes it glimmer - I love working with this yarn - very nice! And with a cute hairdo, this AG Girl is ready for prom!

Then when prom is over and its time to sleep, she's already to curl up in a soft, comfy robe! This is made using Plymouth's Heaven yarn in 2 colors (lavendar solid and a multi-white) - It is a fun knit and is so adorable!

Bree's "stuff" - knitting this time!

It's been a while since I posted pictures of knitted goodies and there are alot of them.. so, I am going to do them in batches...

This one is all Bree's goodies!


These are some soft comfy footies, she just loves this pattern! It's a cotton/elastic yarn in some fun colors!


A cute little top made from some completely lucious baby alpaca with a little metallic fleck in it!


More footwear for Bree (she's growing like a weed and her shoe size in ONLY 1/2 size less than mine - she's 10 for goodnes sake!) This is out of Jen's yarn, a superwash wool!


Again with the cotton/elastic yarn makes for the softest and warm wrist warmers (or arm warmers, elbow warmers, etc..) I converted the Jaywalker sock pattern to fit her arms and it was a great and fun knit!

So, that's the start!

A whole new look...

I read some very interesting blogs by folks who have much going on in their lives. I live a simple existence without much "news" on a daily basis. That being said, it just doesn't leave much to blog about.

My days are very similar to the movie "Groundhog Day" - kind of get up and it is the same old same old.

I would like to ask a question though. What the heck is it with me and "tradespeople"???? (scroll back about the great microwave fiasco).

Well, our new front door that we ordered back in OCTOBER (yes, about 6 months ago) has finally been installed rivaling the microwave installation debacle. But, instead of ranting and raving and spewing like a lunatic which I've done already, I'm taking the path of less resistance and am just posting these 2 pictures.


There is SUPPOSED to be a "storm" door in this picture - but said contractor didn't get to it "that" day...

From the inside:



I am quite amazed at how much light in allows in, yet you cannot see thru the leaded glass - it actually has like an 85% privacy rating! I am excited. Except, now I have to deal with ANOTHER tradesman to do the staining/varnishing etc.. all of the new trim work. I'm not good at that type of stuff - ya think I would be with a tradesman for a Dad... Am NOT looking forward to that step!