Project complete

Here is one of my finished projects I posted about earlier. This is for myself and the weather being cold and snowy today -I think I will be wearing soon. It is knit in a soft gorgeous hand painted Alpaca and trimmed in felted balls and beads from an old necklace

Ahhhh-Fridays

We couldn't decide between staying home tonite in PJs or going to a wine tastIng and art exhibit at the Toledo Museum of Art---and good taste won out. We visited a special exhibit called Small Worlds. I was only allowed to photograph the entrance which was constructed out of art packing crates-and encouraged the use of cell cameras to photograph the small worlds visible through the peepholes!

The Winners

I guess I can't prolong this post any longer. Every year-on the final nite of our ski trip we have a not-so-friendly competition where we pit the ladies against the men! The winner gets their picture posted on a Wheaties champions box trophy -on display for all to see-at my mother in laws house. This year the ladies lost the title and this picture will appear on the Wheaties box!

Mead

We've been waiting---and waiting------and waiting for our Mead to slow its fermenting so we could take it to the next step and finally the airlock stopped making it's vodka bubbles. We used vodka so it wouldn't evaporate. We transferred it to a glass "carboy" while carefully keeping the yeast sediment behind. Now it will continue to ferment and then will go into bottles and hopefully by next Christmas we will be sipping the preferred beverage of King Arthur's knights----Mead!

Snow Day

Last year we did this every weekend-strapped on the snowshoes and took
to the trails. But aside from driving 6 hours north last weekend, this was the first day we could actually play in the snow. But tomorrow temps are warming up and it will be a return to unseasonal temps again.

Works in progress and one in reverse

No I am not living up to my New Year resolution . Here are my current works in progress---a soft Merino wool scarf with one of my favorite yarns from Shepherd's Wool of Stonehedge Fiber Mill in Michigan. This is for my son. And for me-the hot pink scarf that will be trimmed with felted balls and beads in lieu of fringe. And then the pair of socks for me----I could't resist the yarn-it was called Honey Bee. And finally the knitting in reverse----I made a small mistake in my cable sweater and had to rip out.

Yarn Shop!!!

It wasn't all fun and games while we were Up North. There was also business to attend to. There happens to be a LYS---local yarn shop----in Petoskey that has every little nook and cranny jammed full of the most beautiful things. It is easy to shop online but there is nothing like touching beautiful yarn and seeing the colors in person. This is my next project-actually I already started it- and I took a picture of the store sample and the balled fringe to look at as a sample. My New Year resolution on only working one project at a time has gone out the window!

Downhill Dan

Every year for the last 56 years my husband's family has been packing up the car and going to northern Michigan for a ski weekend! What started with my mother and father in law and 6 kids has grown to spouses, grandchildren and great grandchildren. As we have gotten older we have upgraded our requirements! When our kids were babies we would take over a corner of the day lodge and spread out toys, blankets and babies and take turns baby sitting! Now we require a condo with kitchen!!! But fun is always an ingredient! And I always get a thrill when my husband suits up to ski a NASTAR race!

Winter

Winter found us at last! Or rather we went looking for it. Aside from some craziness of drivers forgetting how to drive in it---I have missed it!! And it is cold!! Nothing like a lungfull of crisp, cold air in the morning to wake you up!

Fresh Horseradish

Now that I have tasted fresh horseradish, the store bought stuff just won't do. And not just any fresh horseradish either! This was grown across the country in my brother's garden, prepared my him and then jarred and frozen-sent overnight to me--and delivered to my work at 9am the next morning---still frozen!!!! And by dinner time we were eating it with smoked salmon !! Delicious!

My New Year Resolution

My "new thing to learn" New Year resolution is keeping me "busy as a bee"!! The cabled cardigan is starting to take shape and is moving so fast that it is never boring! And I am proud to have learned a new technique!

Winter in the hive

We paid the "girls" a visit Sunday and all seems well. Lots of dead bees at opening which was sad but normal. We were brave enough and the bees were quiet enough that we went without our bee suits.

Saturday

Saturday's around our house-as you can see-are a real whirlwind of activity! Magglio goes from the couch-to his bed- to the sunny spot on the floor-and then repeats the cycle. That's enough activity to tire anybody out!

Collage

Collages always seem to appear in my workspaces. They are never planned-but just random postings---kind of like a blog! But when I change workspaces,it is always sad to take them down. Yes that is a giant bee!

Just One More Christmas picture

The tree is now officially untrimmed and all Christmas decorations are packed away. But I left a few of these mini sweaters out for a later use. They were a quick knit with scrap yarn and were a great way to unwind after a busy day. Next year there will be mini mittens to go with them!