Emptyknitster

 The pandemic has dropped me into my lost hippie life... I'd been wanting some overalls for months but held off thinking I was to old. Well in August, seeing my future this winter, I decided to enjoy life a little and buy a pair of overalls - age be damned. After wearing them off and on for two weeks I bought a second pair!! They're the best. Anyway, these rainbow socks - with a little silver in them, like my hair -  are going to be a welcome addition to the overalls and Birkies this fall and winter!  Pattern: Fish Lips Kiss Heel Socks  Yarn: Two Sisters Yarn CO.  Colorway: Somewhere Over The Rainbow  Needle Size: US Size 1    

 This month I'm "traveling" to Norway and taking a mitten class from the lovely Patricia. Patricia raises a heritage breed of sheep on her farm across the lake from Selbu, Norway. The class has been broken down into weekly lessons which can be viewed over and over if necessary. Norwegian cast on, double pointed needles, setting up the the back and palm of the mitten as well as a few Norwegian words have been learned.  If any difficulty arises she will pop up an additional tutorial. I thought I'd properly completed my thumb gussets until I viewed a tutorial Patricia had uploaded. She explained how to use your phone to flip the mitten chart and BAM, I realized the left mitten gusset was wrong! I ripped it out and completed it correctly, learning a valuable lesson.    Class will be completed the middle of October but I've signed up for Patricia's next class, Selbu Socks.

Officially gave up on Stash Dash this year. Here are some socks I finished... Pattern: Groovy Socks by Caroline Hegwer Yarn: Schachenmayr Regia Tweed Color 4 fadig Colorway: 07497 green-blue Needle Size: US 1  Pattern: Over The River and Through The Woods, Vanilla Socks and Summer Sunset Socks Yarn: Schachenmayr Regia Colorway: ?? Covid Brain, I lost the yarn band... Needle Size: US Size1  

  On May 11, 2012 the family attended Berkley's graduation ceremonies for our daughter who was receiving her law degree. The commencement speaker was Kamala Harris. She was introduced, as "the future first female President of the Unites States" among other positive accolades. And now Kamala IS running for Vice President! Tonight, it was reassuring to hear Kamala speak with such joy, enthusiasm, honesty, and hope for our country and its citizens.    It's been a difficult three and a half years to swallow.   We need Joe and Kamala in DC working for the future of our children, grandchildren and country! VOTE IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION!! YOUR VOTE DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!

It's been very quiet around the homestead since Christmas. We now realize just how lucky we were to have everyone home then and aren't sure when we'll be able to be together again in the cold of winter.  Usually various family members are here for Easter and a bit of summer but not this year. With August rounding the bend we all were beginning to feel a bit lonesome and beginning to think of the coming winter cold and how the holidays won't have the same look.  With some discussion we decided to have a rather impromptu gathering in the front yard! We have a sunlight basement with an exit door so the NorDak family stayed in the basement, and the Chick stayed in the trailer. I made casseroles, French dip sandwiches and burgers which I put them in the freezer. There were plenty of paper plates and serving the pre-made food with salads made meals so easy! Kids were in charge of activities and the first thing they wanted to do was go paddle boarding... The rest of our days w

Each year in early August the babies begin to be paraded around the neighborhood. Today we caught sight of 26 baby turkeys and a very inquisitive fawn.

I happened to win the Bunco booby price in February 2019. It is a cute little trailer-birdhouse.  Last summer it remained empty, the birds preferring to live in the belly of the orange cat-birdhouse. This year we had noticed quite a lot of activity around both of the birdhouses with the cat-birdhouse quickly becoming inhabited and producing babies. The trailer was a bit later in the month and when the chatter finally quieted down I thought I'd make sure they were gone only to find these... It didn't take but another day or two and the little birdies had flown the coop!

 Today the girls and I went on a little trip south of the border to make street tacos! We all enjoyed the adventure, some were thrilled with how easy the tortillas were to make, others loved the salsa and I loved the addition of lime to the finished tacos. I can't wait to see where we are going next on our eating adventures!

I've just finished two more pairs of socks for the double competition I'm knitting for. This month's Sock Bash theme is holidays. I knit the Voting Socks earlier and now have completed the Cinco de Mayo socks. Both are a bit unconventional but will work.   Pattern: Vanilla with Fish Lips Kiss Heels Yarn: Patons North America Kroy Sock Stripes Colorway: Mexicala stripes Needle Size: US Size 1 I also knit some socks in my favorite color, purple. Grape Ape socks I'd call them! Pattern: Vanilla with Fish Lips Kiss Heels Yarn: Schachenmayr Regia Tweed Color 4 fadig/4-ply Colorway: 7495 Winterzauber Needle Size: US Size 1 And the last pair for the month:  Pattern: Groovy Socks Yarn: Schachenmayr Regia Tweed Color 4 fadig/4-ply Colorway: 07497 green-blue Needle Size: US Size 1

 Jo called and to say they'd picked all the cherries from their trees they needed and wondered if we wanted any. Hubby and I went down and picked enough for 14 quarts of pie filling. He was more than happy to pick because they would be used for his favorite dessert. Viv's Cherry Blossom Dessert 1 1/2 cup flour 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup oatmeal 1/2 cup butter 1 teaspoon salt  1/2 teaspoon soda 1 quart cherry pie filling Melt  butter and add dry ingredients. Mix until crumbly. Place half of the crumble mixture in a 9x13 pan and pat evenly on the bottom. Spread pie filling and add remaining crumble mixture on top. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes . After a long day of picking, pitting and canning cherries it was a joy to have the twin fawns and Momma visit.  

We met on our family zoom hour a day early because SadieLou is having her senior portrait done tonight. Yearbooks have to go on even in these crazy times distance learning times. As of now, the NorDak kiddos (and most of the kids in the US) don't know what school will look like for them in the fall. Will they go to school full time, part time and supplement with distance learning, or will it be completely distance learning?  As we have learned over the last few months, the virus can increase in numbers quickly making it hard to foresee what it will look like in five or six weeks. Onward this week's challenge was, "Like a King" from the Chef Offer collection (2013).  Above is this week's winner.

It became apparent last week Hubby and I won't be doing anymore traveling this year. The tour company has cancelled all tours until at least the 2021-2022 traveling season. We've been getting along very well at home with our social distancing plan in place. We live on three acres of land which keeps us busy outside much of the summer, we found a small lake just an hour away to paddle board and camp overnight, and we are both lucky to have hobbies to keep us occupied. However, the thought of spending six months, or more,  of a Montana winter totally at home had me a bit concerned. After very little discussion Hubby and I bought a hot tub to create a "staycation' atmosphere and keep us occupied a little every day of our long winter ahead. First early morning sunrise and coffee in the new hot tub!

These socks could be Memorial Day Socks or Fourth of July Socks but they are Election Day Socks. They are for my nephew who will be voting in his first presidential election this year. My hope is he will pull on these socks the second Tuesday in November and while taking each step to the polls he will carefully contemplate who is the best choice to uphold democracy, honesty and equality for all. I think this year may be the easiest choice ever! Pattern: Vanilla Socks with Fish Lips Kiss Heel Yarn: Schachenmayr Regia 4-fadig, and  Cascade Yarns Heritage Colorway: Blue and White Striped 01742, Christmas Red Needle Size: US Size 1

We received an update on our grandnephew born in December and can't believe the resemblance he has to Chloe! They easily could pass for twins, not second cousins!  Chloe Michael

The family didn't meet last week. We thought perhaps there would be some "normal" Fourth of July celebrating going on with just a little social distancing thrown in, but in the end it was spent very quietly. Hubby and I stayed home but did have burgers and potato salad, the NorDak Family went to the lake as usual, the Chick and the California Dreamin' Family stayed home doing home improvement projects. After a one week break this family was ready to renew the competition!  Marilyn's Lips (1962) by Andy Warhol  Above is this week's winner

While herding cats this evening Hubby and I spotted this doe with her very young twin fawns. In the valley down below the loud fireworks were booming and it was scaring this momma. She was running back and forth not able to get away from the noise and protect her babies. I had wondered in the past what the wild animals thought of all the noise and hoped they interpreted it as thunder but obviously it's more like the sound of gunshots to them. Good thing the Fourth is only once a year.

Pattern: Vanilla Socks with Fish Lips Kiss Heels Yarn: Schachenmayr Regia Tweed Color Colorway: 7493 Herbstlaub Needle Size: US Size 1