Finishing Things Up

The knitting didn't take long, but the marinating ate up almost an entire year! I present the "Dixie Shawl," finally complete:



The pattern is Garnstudio Drops 108-47. I wish they would name their patterns - I can never remember the number, and it's not exactly a catchy phrase that'll top the Ravelry charts.

I made it in Garnstudio Alpaca and Glitter yarns, purchased at Yellow Dog Knitting. Can't remember if it's their regular Alpaca, or the fine Alpaca - Dixie will know! I will definitely knit this pattern again because I love this alpaca yarn. I hear that it is processed correctly, so it will not "grow" to the same degree that other alpaca yarns can.

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Otter is dreaming of sugarplums by the fire, and sending you...



We are getting ready to finish things up around this old house - our move up the hill is scheduled for Friday, after the new house's inspection by the County on Thursday. Luckily, anything we don't wish to take with us can be left here to be incinerated when the fireperson training program ignites it in early January.

I will so be dancing around that bonfire...

Happy Holdays, all!

ETA:

Get One At - Friendster Comments

Moving Right Along

The house construction is moving along so quickly that I can't even get current photos posted before they're obsolete!

I posted on Facebook on Oct. 30th that Dixie mentioned that she couldn't believe how calm I was about the house project. I realized it was because Wausau Homes/Dick Hieb Homes have the process down. No worries. Everything on schedule. The contractors show up on time, right after the last ones have finished their work, and they're all polite and conscientious (they are even friendly to the goats!) We had a single, small concern with one tradesperson - but that was someone we'd insisted on using, who was not part of the usual Wausau crew. We just can't say enough good things about Wausau Homes/Dick Hieb Homes of Black River Falls. If you ever build, check them out if you want a hassle-free house project.

My father was a home builder when I was young, and I remember that there were always problems with the coordination of tradespeople, theft from construction sites, and arguments between contractors (when and if they bothered to show up). I was prepared to have to micro-manage this whole process, and really was not looking forward to it. I have never been so relieved to have my expectations proven wrong. I'm sure that having this house progress on-time and on-budget has saved my marriage and my sanity.

Chef Jeff and I love that this type of "panelized" construction (not modular) is better for the environment, as is the geothermal heating/cooling we chose. We like knowing that the structure didn't get wet or moldy since it was up and roofed in about three days. My good friend Denise sent me this link to share about construction of panelized (different from modular) homes - hope you find it interesting.

To get you up-to-speed, this was the status of the new house on October 2nd:



This was October 27th; the house was up, and they were trenching for the well and the electicity:



And this was yesterday. The interior drywall is almost finished! The UPS man, who is here almost every week, said, "Hey! When did you guys start building a house?!" He was shocked to see it appear suddenly, as if by magic.



The current house is the white building on the right (sinking precariously, day by day, into the hill!)

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The 2009 chicken harvest has been deemed a success by Chef Jeff. We experienced only minor losses to a great horned owl and Otter. That would be our dog, Otter - not an otter otter. Let's just say that, for a hunting dog, she does not have a very soft mouth - and apparently has hunted her own vittles in her past life on the run. I learned not to walk her, even on-leash, near the pastured poultry.



If our chickens look oddly bright and yellow to you, that is because that is what natural, pasture-raised, healthy chickens look like. The anemic, chalky chickens one sees in the grocery store are not only devoid of color, they taste as bland as puffed rice crackers. If you haven't experienced the flavor of organic, humanely-raised, free-range chicken, well... you have no idea what chicken is "supposed" to taste like.

Wish I could get Chef Jeff to let me raise a heritage breed hog, because the same is true of pork (and beef, of course). What passes for meat at the supermarket isn't worth purchasing - I'd rather eat tofu. However, seeing as we have an overabundance of guinea fowl at present (25 at last count) and Chef Jeff finds himself unable to take them off to be made into roasters, perhaps a cute pig is not such a good idea.

Most important to us, of course, is that we know that our meat animals lived happy, peaceful lives and didn't suffer - either here, or at our great butcher's shop. Many thanks, Enos Hoover! And thanks to Julie and Vince at Coon Creek Family Farm for recommending him! (Julie's goatmilk soap makes a wonderful holiday gift - she even has bars with a skein of yarn on them!)

The pumpkin crop did not fare as well as the poultry; I grew three, two of which are in this photo. I wouldn't let Chef Jeff make them into pie so he was forced to buy others from the farmer's market. I was pleased to see that though my crop was not abundant, at least my pumpkins were larger than the ones he bought.

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Blogless Denise keeps asking about my mitten class at Yellow Dog Knitting yesterday. It was wonderful! Cindi taught me many things I didn't know. I'm so glad I went and got to pick her knitting brain for tips.



As usual, there were plenty of goodies to nibble on during class. It wasn't knit nite (nor was it yet 5 p.m.) so I was good and didn't ask for wine. :D

Michelle and Dianne (the friendly, fearless leader of the CraftLit tour of London, Bath & Wales in 2010!) are taking a class with Cindi for a specific Drops cardigan. It is great to have access to a local yarn shop where one can request a class for any topic! They have some free patterns on their website if you are interested...



My mittens are working up very fast in superwash Garn Studio Karisma. I love the simple pattern that Cindi wrote, and I think these are going to be very comfy and toasty. You can see here that I've made my thumb gusset. Cindi is a great teacher because she knew how to handle my Eastern European uncrossed crazy knitting style and didn't bat an eye when I needed help with the mount of an increase. She told me how to do it my way, and didn't tell me I had to learn to knit like a normal person. How great is that kind of personal attention?

My other WIPs are a Baktus in Garn Studio Fabel sock yarns, and a Multnomah (the Fall-colored yarn, the name of which I can't recall at the moment). I love small projects, especially for gifts!

This is a behind-the-scenes shot of my stylist correcting the layout of the subjects to be photographed. Emma's such a great assistant.



And here she is with the baby sister she picked out herself from the Humane Association - Miss Molly. Molly always looks small until one sees her next to Dobie Emma! My girls - love 'em to bits!

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The winners in the contest for the funny Yellow Dog Knitting totes will now be announced! Drumroll, please! They are:

Jen

Linda M

ciuccia

Congratulations! Would you three please email your mailing addresses to me so I can send you your totes? Thanks to everyone who left a comment on that post, and to Dixie for donating the bags for the drawing.

I love to read what you have to say, so I hope you'll always comment, even when there isn't a contest going on. Have a lovely weekend!

Mitten Class!

Yay, my mitten class at Yellow Dog Knitting is tomorrow! Any locals care to join me? Just call the shop at 839-7272 and I'm sure they'll reserve a spot for you. I am really excited to make some wool mittens with soft alpaca liners. Here is the yarn I've chosen.

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Miss Molly was a doctor for Halloween. She was so humiliated that she refused to look at the camera. (Nah, she was really a good girl. We just dressed her up for the photo op - didn't want to freak her out by taking her to the vet for trick or treating!)

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So, anyone else get sucked in by V? Between that, Eastwick (on tonight - yay!), and Dollhouse, I should be getting in some good knitting time (which will hopefully make up for the brain cells I'll be losing). At least the current series of Masterpiece Contemporary is addictive as well. I hope that watching it on PBS will ease my conscience about too much TV time. Andreas Viestad is on again in reruns as well - awesome. We love his recipes.

Since the big switch to digital TV, we lost our CBS station. Our flimsy antenna has been broken in assorted walk-by accidents, so now every time we want to watch something, it's a matter of lifting what's left of the asymmetrical rabbit ear up in the air above our heads and moving around as if running a metal detector upside-down over the ceiling. Once a program is tuned in, nobody can move anywhere in the house until the TV show is over; if a person or a pup passes by the TV (even walks over it upstairs), we get snow.

I have a feeling (and a hope) that TV and cell phone reception will be much improved in the new house, as it's up high on a hill. I also have a feeling that the bad juju in this house may have a lot to do with electromagnetic energy!

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Comment entries are now closed for the Yellow Dog Knitting tote bag - and Dixie kindly gave me another to give away! So I will be choosing TWO winners and will let you know who they are in my next entry!

Have a wonderful evening, and do some Sudoku or something to make up for any TV watching you may be doing along with me. ;) It'll be our little secret. Along with my current nail polish obsession... what's your guilty addiction?

Ooo, I hear Andreas talking about lingonberries and caviar (NOT together) - got to run while the reception is good!

Selling Something? Use A Kitten.

It amazes me that, with all the charming and unique animals we have the privilege to care for at Tuppinz Farm, the most popular by far has been the kitten we found under Jeff's tractor, Nellie, when we went to pick her up.

The video of little Yoda on YouTube has been viewed over forty thousand times.

It seems to me that advertisers who use sexy models to promote their wares are seriously missing the mark. If manufacturers are smart, you will see lots of commercials featuring tiny kittens during the Superbowl this year.

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Did you see what Steve Leveen, president of my beloved Levenger, tweeted today?

SteveLeveen Tip to shoppers this season: retailers have cut inventory to the bone. Buy early from wherever you shop.

Knitters, you have been given fair warning!

To prepare for any global yarn shortages, I made a quick trip to Yellow Dog Knitting before the holiday rush (and winter road slush!) It was a successful Stash Enhancement eXpedition (subliminal, that phrase.)

You may laugh now, but when I am enjoying the luxury of full yarn bins while others are shoving each other out of the way of picked-over LYS shelves like so many Babushkas in pre-Perestroika GUM, who will be sorry then? (If you can't make it out this week, Yellow Dog Knitting ships for a very reasonable cost!)

So, let's see what we have here...



Trendsetter Tonalita (soft!) for a (soft!) similar-to-Noro (except soft!) take on the Brooklyn Tweed Scarf.



Drops Angora Tweed for a cowl. Word on the street is that Miss Michelle is going to be making a lovely cardigan out of this yarn also.



An assortement of Drops Alpaca and Drops Classic Alpaca (a little heavier weight) yarns for shawlettes and cowls.



Some Fabel Superwash for socks, cowls, and Baktus scarves. I am SO darn addicted to the Baktus pattern! It is just the greatest thing for a mind that needs some Zen time.



And some Karisma Superwash (love this stuff!) for Nordic socks. Which do you like, this, this, or this? All three are so cute, I may have to run back for a few more balls of Karisma; there was some lovely lime green, some red, and a gorgeous deep blue... Hey, since we're not having carpeting in the new house, I'm going to need lots of cozy socks!

I left with a very funny Yellow Dog Knitting tote, which made its hilarious debut at Sock Summit:



I have another of these totes from a previous YDK S.E.X., so... if you would like the chance to win one, just leave a comment below before I make my next blog entry! (And you never, ever know when that might be!)

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Funny, seen on PolitiFact.com - we could all use a little healthcare humor about now. Go ahead, lighten up and laugh. It's healthy for you.

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In a recent post I'd mentioned I've been into the color orange lately. The lovely Carrie wrote:

Hey, have you seen the website called How About Orange? http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com
It's a design/craft website.

Very cool site, Carrie - thanks for sharing!

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I leave you with a view of Miss PaddlePaws (Otter) enjoying a lovely fall afternoon in front of the fire...



Looks to me like she has the right idea.

Yee HA, Back In Business

Yippee, something got fixed and my entry page is back to normal. Phew! Thanks to those of you who suggested WordPress - I did set a new blog up over there and it was indeed very easy to use. I'll keep it there, just in case Blogspot goes wonky on me again.

Summer on a farm - even a hobby farm - doesn't leave a lot of time for blogging, as you can imagine. Add to that new Facebook and Twitter accounts, and my life took a major detour as I caught up with friends old and new. Sorry - I have missed you and your wonderful comments!

We had many more hatchings of guinea keets than anticipated, the most recent being this week! We are inundated with guinea fowl. They really are the cutest babies - much more adorable than baby chickens. They're like little "scrubbing bubbles" that zip all over the place on their huge, bright orange feet.



We are still awaiting the shearer to clip the Icelandics and the Angoras, both of which must be shorn twice a year. We had snow this week, so I hope he gets a move-on, since I want the goats to get a decent growth on them before the truly cold weather sets in. At least they have a snug barn, and we have heat lamps should we need them.





Speaking of the snug barn, the Golden Laced Wyandotte chickens that Chef Jeff pasture-raised for the freezer are now having a lovely night's rest in the box stall, before their first (and only) car ride to the humane Mennonite butcher tomorrow. They had a week of feasting on cracked corn, carrots, and apples, as I spoiled them a bit. Perhaps I should have fed them garlic to pre-season them? Well, joking aside, they will receive a blessing from Chef Jeff before they make their journey. I hope we have treated them with the respect they deserved, and that they had very happy days here at Tuppinz Farm.

The livestock are all well. The dogs are all doing great.


Otter sleeps very soundly.


Molly stops chewing her cow ear to watch the big machinery pull up the driveway.

We did have to say good-bye to our wonderful kitty Max due to liver failure. He had never been a healthy cat since he first appeared here at the farm. The other four cats are all just fine. Despite our feelings about outdoor cats, we made the decision to move everyone but Abby out to the goat barn. There, they have two levels of room to run about; a large, heated bed; windows to let in sunlight; and no dogs to chase them. Boris and Otter were a little too interested in some of the cats, and the floorplan of the new house will not allow us to keep the cats and dogs separate any longer. Abby is older and keeps to herself - she will live in the studio and loft in the new house, in which the dogs will not be allowed.

The new house - ah, the new house. Did I mention the new house?

Suffice it to say, the old farmhouse in which we now reside is going to fall down soon. Literally. It will cost less to build a new one than to fix up this one, which in all likelihood isn't even possible. We also have five dogs living in this one - can you imagine trying to repair it? So... we have begun building a new house up on the hill and hope to move in in December.



The old farmhouse will be burned - not only to give students in the firefighter program at a local college experience, but also to get rid of all the awful karma, bad energies, and evil spirits which have clouded our lives for the past three years. I wish I could be excited about it, but the fact is, the experience of moving to a place where dishonest folk left so many very, very bad things really took a toll on me emotionally.

Thank goodness Chef Jeff has been up for the task of choosing counters, cabinets, flooring, and fireplace rocks! I never could have made a decision with so many choices, but he narrowed things down very quickly:



The interior will have a warm, Southwest feel to it. We will have geothermal heat, so the puppers will enjoy a heated floor in their rumpus room downstairs. I will have a larger studio in which I will be able to spread out my knitting, spinning, quilting, and painting, and I can hardly wait for that!

It has been a long and troublesome journey but I am confident that moving on up the hill will make all the bad mojo a thing of the past.

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Crafting kind of went by the wayside as Chef Jeff's company underwent a "rearrangement" of sorts, resulting in much, much more traveling for him (and many, many more chores on the farm for me - ouch!) Absence - and doing without someone else to haul the hay - really does make the heart grow fonder.

I am almost finished with my Drops sparkly shawl A/K/A "Dixie Shawl" (Ravelry link) - just doing the lower edge border now:



I've done two Baktuses (Bakti?) thanks to the pattern suggestion (Ravelry link) from Professor Nannette. If you are looking for a relaxing, mindless knit that will result in something infinitely giftable and wearable, and will let you enjoy your favorite sock yarn in a new way, this is IT!


Baktus Scarves In Drops Fabel and Koigu KPPPM from Yellow Dog Knitting


I'm loving the Fabel sock yarn's stripes.


There are more colors here than meet the eye initially. Very pretty.

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Things I'm Liking:

The color ORANGE.

This Swedish (or Norwegian?) shop's clothing - I wish I could get it here in the US!

I follow a number of Scandinavian blogs and I like their aesthetic. I'm a big fan of Carl and Karin Larsson, white rooms and white furniture with handmade accents, and the simplicity of the Gustavian style. I can't read the text of some of these Scandinavian blogs, but I enjoy them nevertheless.

http://miaslandliv.blogspot.com
She has many more great links in her sidebar!

http://posidriv.blogspot.com

http://shabby-roses-cottage.blogspot.com

http://kathrinesquiltestue.blogspot.com

http://blomsterverkstad.blogspot.com

http://maalaiselamaa.blogspot.com

http://angelattable.blogspot.com

http://mykindofblog.blogspot.com

http://whitecountry.blogspot.com

http://ljo-s.blogspot.com

And now I just realized that my RSS reader isn't working properly; those blogs have some new entries I haven't yet seen. Argh! If it's not one thing, it's your mother...

I'm thankful for Birkenstock Central, who restored my stinky old Birks and kept them out of a landfill!

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And so, dear readers, as the chickens go off to market and the "top" of the new house arrives tomorrow by semi truck, we embark upon a new season at Tuppinz Farm - one of gratitude for abundance. We are indeed very grateful.

Have a lovely week! I'm off to listen to the new episode of Electric Sheep!

Ysolda at YDK Tonight!

The beautiful and talented knitting designer Ysolda Teague will be at Yellow Dog Knitting in Eau Claire, WI, tonight! Hope to see you there - Knit Night at The Dog is already fun, but tonight will be extra special.

Ysolda is on a US book tour for Whimsical Little Knits, which will be available at YDK tonight. It is the neatest little book - I just love it. Ysolda will have her samples along, and Dixie and Cindi have whipped some up in their fantastic Garnstudio Drops yarns for us to fondle.



Ysolda's being hosted by our good friends at Kellane Farm, which means she gets to play with cute baby lambs during her visit. I'm jealous! Must get over there soon.

Daily Gratitude

Still day with snow on the ground and a cloudy sky, peaceful and quiet.

Cheerful pitter-patter of paws on wood floors.

Clean kitchen.

Hockey on TV keeping someone (else) busy and contented.

FREE Metta yoga practice from YogaDownload.com... not that I could actually do it, but it was great to listen to while doing my own simple practice. You could just sit and breathe while listening and still get a lot out of it!

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Fiberarts





Drops scarf; "Inka" yarn from Yellow Dog Knitting.

What Was I Thinking?

Musings on the February Lady Sweater:

1) A lovely pattern... for someone who isn't pear-shaped like me.

2) I like the color I chose, but I don't like the "Factory Farms" yarn. Splitty.

3) Come to think of it, I don't much like "Factory Farm Yarns" itself any more. I had an awful time with their interchangeable needles. I did some research online and found out many people had trouble with them. Yes, I know they are exchanging them out... but for how long? And why should I have to wait when I want to knit?

I also had several poor experiences with "Factory Farm Yarns'" customer service. We're talking bad enough to make me cry.

I then heard that "Factory Farm Yarns" allegedly asked for information from an American craftsman (someone I actually know) about how his product was made... and promptly took that information, and resources from the craftsman's supplier, and had their own similar product manufactured overseas. The craftsman's handmade items - and his family - took a hit. Not cool.

I realize that "Factory Farm Yarns'" prices are "good" - but with those low prices comes a lack of personal attention. When I made a goof on this sweater using "Factory Farm's" yarn, I certainly wasn't going to be rude enough to take it to my LYS to ask for their help. So I saved some money, but who did I have to help me out?

And if I don't support my local LYS, they may not be there in the future! That's more important than ever with the little hiccup the economy just had. I'll be damned if I'll see Dixie ever go out of business, after she and Cindi were so kind and welcoming to me. If not for the LYS, I probably wouldn't have any friends in this town, as that's the only place a farmer lady gets to meet others - and I've met so many dear people there! (Hi Sue, Sonja, Dianne, and of course Michelle!)

I don't buy factory farmed meat. As with my food, I want to buy local when it comes to my yarn and needles - needles that I may just need the same day in an emergency, rather than a week later... and ones which I expect to last a lifetime rather than fall apart on their first outing.

So I'm making a couple of resolutions for 2009:

Buy local in all things and support vendors in my community. If I need something they don't have, I'll buy from another small vendor (I will be loyal to YDK but I can continue shopping at The Loopy Ewe for Araucania, and because of their great personal service.)

No more "Factory Farm Yarns". I'm not sending my dollars straight to their executives' pockets, with no benefits going to the poor people in other countries who make their allegedly copied stuff.

No. More. Sweaters. I need simple, meditative knitting that I can pick up at any time, without following a pattern - especially with Chef Jeff here after his company's reorganization! [SHOOT ME NOW, SHOOT ME NOW!] I just gave over half of my clothes to Goodwill because, living on a farm, I never wear anything that isn't sweats/fleece or Polartec or denim.

With four dogs jumping on me all day, I definitely do not need a lace cardigan. (A lace shawl, though, to take away this constant chill, would be a good thing. And that's what I'm going to cast on with my YDK yarn just as soon as I've ripped out this cardigan. Maybe before.)

And I would like to knit more for charity in 2009 - helpful for my mental state, and helpful to someone who actually needs clothing.

Now, what to do with my "Factory Farm Yarns" stash...? It's bugging me to look at it. I feel like a sellout having it here.

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Chef Jeff is cooking duck a la Francais tonight; olives, capers, fennel, and red wine. He's also making duck stock. The smells here tonight are making my stomach growl! I guess it isn't so bad having him home for a time (but ask me how I feel after I've seen the pots, pans, dishes, and glasses in the kitchen later tonight!)

A Few Of My Favorite Things, Part Five

As the countdown to holiday gift giving continues, I have a few more of my favorite things to share with you.

For the environmentally conscious on your list, may I suggest a basket from Juniper Ridge? Their organic, sustainably-harvested natural goodies smell just wonderful. Chef Jeff loves their Siskiyou Cedar soap; my favorite is Desert Piñon. Wreaths, tea, smudge sticks, incense, sachets - you can give your recipient the true scent of the West.

For someone who isn't feeling very well, how about a package from Healing Baskets? They have some simply wonderful ideas for sharing comfort and helping you to say what's in your heart. They have specific items pertaining to cancer, divorce, loss, or the blues - touching and thoughtful items. You can choose to have them sent as a prepared basket if you so desire.

Not sure of someone's shoe size? Zappos offers free shipping, exchanges, and returns! I have purchased several pair of shoes and boots from them and their service is fantastic. They offer super-speedy delivery, even with the "standard" option (it always comes faster than they say it will!)

I didn't realize that walking around on farmland would be so traumatic to my feet. The Birkies and Keds were abaondoned after bouts of plantar fasciitis and twisted ankles. Next came waterproof workboots, which were great for a while, but the ground here is as tough as farm life, and the leather soon became too loose to offer any support. So what does the modern farmerette pick as her footwear of choice? Technical hiking boots with outstanding support! Oh geez, they're on sale now! Shoot! Well, I'd buy them at twice the price after wearing them - they are awesome and I can't recommend them highly enough. I have narrow, flat feet and they are the most supportive and comfortable shoes I've ever worn. They're standing up great to daily farm use.





Zappos also carries Ariat riding and western boots, which are lovely for any horse (donkey, mule) owner on your list.

Speaking of farm duds, I'm really pleased with the Lands' End jacket which arrived a few days ago. I can pretty much guarantee you that you will not be the least bit cold while wearing this coat, whether in Chicago, North Dakota, or Alaska! It's fantastic and super toasty... even without a bunch of layers underneath, even while standing still!

I now understand why Inuit coats have fur around the hood - the (fake) fur on this hood keeps the wind and snowflakes off of my face, kind of dispersing them before they can hit me. Love it. Another thing I really love about it is that it has a two-way zipper (very helpful when bending to fill chicken feeders or pick out the donkeys' hooves). It zips up past my chin, but no metal touches my face - just cozy polarfleece. Great design - nothing worse than a cold zipper on your chin or neck!

This jacket gets an A- - the minus being only for the fact that the pocket openings aren't angled. But as I'm usually carrying an egg basket or water bucket while wearing it, that's not a big deal. Sign up for the Lands' End e-mails before you place an order - they're offering great sales and free shipping bonuses these days.

For your favorite epicurean, what about a custom tea blend from Adagio? Choose their favorite flavors, name the tea, and then upload artwork for a custom label. Yum! (I believe you must create an account and be logged in to have access to this option in the "blends" section - yes, I just checked, you do.) Not sure what your tea lover likes? Adagio offers several samplers of "trial size" tea tins.

I have my own blend there - it's called Chocolat Framboise Caramel. Guilt-free indulgence.

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Here's my favorite pic of the day: Molly sleeping.



When she's awake, Molly has a curly tail like a Husky. Sometimes, when she's very sleepy, or asleep, she forgets to keep it curled up.

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I have already fallen behind on my holiday preparations. I have some caramels made and ready to be shipped to dear friends in Belarus, but my plum pudding has not yet been steamed, nor have I started on the liqueurs or sugar cookies (though I have received all my orders of cutters, decorations, and ingredients, thank goodness!)

Having Chef Jeff home for a long holiday weekend meant the kitchen was in a constant state of messiness, and I'm only now catching up on the cleaning, and making room to work.

I also have been a bit distracted by that DROPS alpaca shawl that I started - once I had a few rows completed, the pattern was easy to memorize, and I'm enjoying listening to Jaques Pepin's biography while sneaking in a few rows a day. The shawl is knit from the center top (10 stitches) downward and outward - my favorite construction method. The yarn is super soft, and not at all splitty - yay! Mine came from YDK, of course.

Have a lovely week!

A Few Of My Favorite Things Part Four, Which Does Not Include The Cats

Heritage turkey, hand-harvested and wood-parched wild rice, and winter squash were greatly enjoyed last evening.

All that business being through, today is the day to avoid car crashes near mall entrances, and instead stay home and work on the holiday plum pudding (a/k/a "famous flaming booze cake"). I am now soaking dried organic raisins and cherries in sherry in the fridge, and making some candied peel (since we didn't have the called-for citron).

Candied peel is easy to do, and you might enjoy having some around to snack on (or to give) this month, so give it a try!









I had homemade ginger syrup left over from this fantastic cocktail recipe, (danger, Will Robinson!) so I'm using that on the lemon and orange peels. I think it will add great flavor.

I also found that old recipe we used for liqueur for gifts. It's from a very old issue of Victoria magazine. This might be nice to make now and have on hand for Valentine's Day.



I would suggest you consider using organic fruit for anything calling for peel...

I made some caramels the other day, and they were delicious. Definitely a new favorite recipe. It's from the latest issue of MaryJane's Farm Magazine; it's a nice publication about organic living, "making do," crafting, cooking, and farmgirl attitude in the oughts. You may be able to find it at your local bookstore (Borders carries it here) or you can subscribe (or give a gift subscription!) online. If you'd like this holiday issue, you'd better give them a call before they're out of it.

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All this cooking, and no time for fiberarts? I was determined to spend some time in my little hideaway today, as Miss Emma Dobermint encouraged me to do.



Some lovely new yarns arrived today, and I've swatching to do.

The pic below is Dream In Colors "Starry" from The Loopy Ewe. They sent a gift of a Loopy stitchmarker with my small order - how nice!



I saw an ad for this Sunday Knits scarf on Ravelry, and learned that it was made from "leftovers" from a mitten pattern Carol Sunday has in the current (Winter '08) Interweave Knits magazine. She offers the mitten yarns kitted up, with the scarf pattern included for a small extra charge. I love the colors and both designs, and have read good reviews of her yarns, so I made a little splurge. The kit arrived very quickly, beautifully wrapped, and was inside a free tote bag - cool!



I am this far on the February Lady Sweater:



Just trying to work the bodice long enough before I begin the lace pattern of the body. It's going well; the KnitPicks Swish worsted is splitty, though.

I was going to start my Drops shawl today, at Dixie's prompting, but just as I went to photograph it for you, I discovered that one of the five ungrateful wretches of our feline freeloaders had absconded with the silver Garnstudio Glitter which I'd wanted to strand along through this project. Blast!



Chef Jeff and I have hunted high and low for it, to no avail. It's probably been dropped through one of the air returns, or is buried in lint behind a piece of furniture. Oh well, good excuse to go in to town to Yellow Dog Knitting and pick up another spool... not that I need an excuse to visit and see what new goodies have recently arrived!

Miss Emma has grown tired of waiting for me to stop looking for that spool and just sit down to knit or spin.

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Chef Jeff took Nellie (tractor) and Smelly (manure spreader) over to the neighbor's to help them clean out their sheep shed this afternoon.



I have to say, after just two years of farming (if you can call our inept attempts at keeping pet livestock "farming"), it is kind of nice to be called upon to assist with birthing a goat or a tractor task. We don't feel like such neophytes now. Of course, we're not so naive as to tell other farmers that our tractor actually has a name...

One very nice thing about this community is that when there is someone in need of assistance, there are always folks available to help out. Our neighbors helped us with the first goat birth here at Tuppinz Farm (when we couldn't even tell a buckling from a doeling yet!), and we'll forever be in their debt for helping us to keep alive those little kids born in the middle of a very cold January (Tulip's Samson and Delilah).

The neighbors are very different from us, and we don't see each other that often, but it's really nice to look across the fields on a dark night and see their safety light on; we know they're just a phone call away if there's any trouble. I hope they know they can count on us as well.

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I'm Listening To...

...my favorite favorite winter music - consider downloading "The Holly and the Ivy" - especially if you have visions of Dickens and plum pudding floating around in your head at this time of year. It is my personal favorite rendition of a holiday carol!

Please remember to enter my CD drawing from yesterday's post - I'll pick a winner Sunday night! You can comment on either post.