ADD knitting

That's Attention Deficient (not deficit) Disorder knitting and that would be me in a nutshell right now (and, possibly all the time......just sayin). Since my blog banner does include the word knitting, I thought it might be nice to at least mention a few of the things I'm knitting on right now. No, I'm not finished with my Christmas knitting and, yes, I realize it's less than two weeks til Thanksgiving. I'm edging up to the panic line, but I'm not there yet.

These are just a few of the many, many, many projects I have on the needles. Some are for gifts, some have no designated receiver and some I will keep for myself. They are scattered between the house, my room in the barn and the car, which minimizes the impact of the total number (somewhat). No matter where I am, at any given moment I can gaze upon several. My problem seems to be lack of focus and being too easily motivated to start new projects as soon as I think of them.

Pictured here, almost a pair of Maine Morning Mitts, (from the "The Knitter's Book of Yarn" Clara Parkes) knitted in some handspun of mine. Love this pattern. I could make these over and over again (actually, I have). The other lump of knitting will be scarf, from a kit I bought at Rhinebeck from Orchard House Knits. I loved their display. It was soothing just to walk into the space.

Next, a real conglomeration of things. Back left, a hat that is so near finished, I'm ashamed to have you see the needles still stuck in the top of it (I think I couldn't find a tapestry needle at the moment I needed to get it off the needles. Why is it, no matter how many tapestry needles you have, you can't find one when you need it?) The hat is knit from some bulky, hand-dyed and handspun yarn of mine. That pumpkin orange thing is the body of a "Box-the-Compass Sweater", an Elizabeth Zimmerman-Meg Swansen pattern, (the sleeves are somewhere around here). It is a Christmas present and I need to get on it, pronto! In the front, a sock in some self-striping yarn, that I swore I was not going to buy any more of......it was the colors.......I couldn't help myself. That green and purple blob will be a simple shawl in some Noro sock yarn. I'm loving the look of it.

Next, half a pair of Cabled Thumb Mitts (free pattern on the Misti Alpaca website). These are fun and the yarn looks and feels amazing. Unfortunately, I can't find the label. I'm thinking it might be Mountain Colors, but I'm not sure. Lastly, a scarf that I started yesterday afternoon (I know, I know). It's the Meandering Stripes from "Knitting New Scarves". I'm having so much fun knitting this and already I'm thinking how great it would look in some Noro Silk Garden (and I wouldn't have to keep switching yarns).

So, there you have it. I hope this makes you feel better! If not, just let me know and I'll add another installment of "Things on the Needles"!

Lucky?

Unlike my friend, Sara, I hardly ever find a four-leaf clover. Some people just seem to have a gift for seeing them. Instead of four-leaf clovers, I find feathers, feathers and more feathers. Do you suppose that could be considered lucky?

Glorious

That's a one word description of the weather lately. This has been the one perfect week of fall weather and I have enjoyed it sooooo much! In fact, I'd go so far as to claim that all the inhabitants of Tanglewood Farm have had a pretty good week. Ollie has marked three ewes, Strawberry and Pippi are doing okay and everyone else is just doing their thing.

We've had the most amazing sunsets and moonrisings (if there is such a word). There are beautiful colors all around at this time of year and I wish the season could be stretched out just a little longer. (I'm feeling the "holidays" breathing down my neck.)

Tomorrow I'm taking my spinning wheel and going to Sara's new Wool House event and just generally planning on having a good, relaxing time all weekend. I hope you can do the same, whatever your plans.

Mother daughter reunion

This morning I decided to bring Strawberry out of the field, where she has been with the alpaca boys all summer, and into the field where Pippi and the lambs are currently grazing. Strawberry needs to be fed a little better now that she is getting so far along in the pregnancy. It was not the happy reunion I was anticipating.

Pippi - "Oh Mommy, I'm so happy to see you. I've missed you so much!"

Strawberry - "Oh, hi kid. Uh......sorta nice to see you."

Pippi - "Look Ma, here are some of my friends. They're happy to see you, too!"

Strawberry - "Likewise, I'm sure......................not!"

Pippi - "Oh, Mommy, I'm so happy. We can spend all our time together now."

Strawberry - "Look kid, I hate to break it to you, but I'm busy carrying your little brother or sister around right now and I'm kinda tired........so I'm just going over here to take a little nap."

Pippi - "???????"

Needless to say, we are going through a little transition period right now. Pippi tries to get too close and Strawberry gives her the evil eye that basically says "I need my space". Pippi is confused and has her feelings hurt (though I may be reading more into it than I should). I'll give them a few days to work things out. I'm hoping Pippi will learn to back off and not invade her mother's personal space and Strawberry will lose a little of that attitude (which, in her defense, she has had to use on the alpaca boys all summer, just to keep them in line!)