Knitting in the Methow

It's Days Like This......

2012-01-23T13:56:00.000-08:00

It's days like this that make you forget about the hard work of moving all that snow around, and trudging through it to get were you need to go. This is our view from our bed room window, and today it's sunny and it makes the snow sparkle, these are the winter days that make you feel better, and give you a new out look on life.
Coal and I took a drive to appreciate this beautiful day. Why do dogs like to stick their heads out of a moving car window at 22 degrees, he loves to, and I get cold. Makes him happy! So we took a drive to the Lower Beaver Creek Rd and took some pics.

This is the road that my walking buddie and I walk on every day, actually most the time it's at night, because she works. Here are some of the sites we see during the day, and that isn't a strange animal in the picture, well maybe.

Looking East

What a privilege to see an eagle

Then here we are home again, renewed from the breath taking beauty of it all!

Lonny thinks his yard art is the breath taking beauty here. Well maybe it is, it's in the eye of the guy with the sun in his eye's LOL

Yard Art

Here's a Quilt that I started last Summer, I'm making progress.

Snow..... a four letter word

2012-01-18T20:52:00.000-08:00

Coal

I suppose here in the State of Washington their are people who think snow is a four letter word, we have had lots of snow, mostly on the western side of the state. As of this morning, were I live we have around eight to ten inches, here in the North Central part of the State. This kind of weather we expect here, but in western Wa. not so much. This picture I took this morning, and it hasn't stopped snowing yet, and we are expecting a couple of days more of it.

As long as Dad keeps a trial going for little Coal we are happy, this is the trail out to the shop, you can see how deep it is, and this is just what we got today. After the first of the year, I had one more small sewing project that I wanted to get done. I had been putting it off because it seemed a little time consuming, but I have been doing small sewing projects at our open sew at our Quilt shop, The Quilting Hive.com I seem to have a focus problem, it seems I can't talk and concentrate at the same time. I got it done, but I did it mostly at home, and I think it was fun to do, and now I have a lovely use full item.

Believe me it took longer than two hours!

The Two Hour Tulip Bag

With my latest Knitting inside!

As a Knitting Bag

One nice thing about this weather is, you can stay inside and work on projects. Hope your day is fun filled with your favorite things to do.

I Blame Everything on my Computer

2012-01-10T13:31:00.000-08:00

I do, do you? Mine is so old and slow, that I could knit a pair of socks, while waiting. The changes in Blogger threw my off so much I thought my blog was for ever lost. I'm not computer savvy, but I can peck my way through most problems, but for some reason, well I just couldn't get it. Then on Face Book, I got the message, and guess what I'm back.
Since my last post, were all the Holidays, all I can say to that now is, good it's over for another year. Yes it was nice to see our parents and our Boys and Grand Daughter, but we are home bodies for sure. We're still looking at the same ole snow that fell before Thanksgiving, it's just been mostly very cold, with an occasional warm day. We have officially have added this wonderfull animal to our home, and have given him his official name, which is Coal, as in "Black as Coal" I knew you would get it. He is Chipped,shots and nuedered. We love him with all our hearts, he's all most perfect for us, I'm saying all most just to leave a little room for what might come up we don't know about.

In my last post, I told you about these " Tool Totes" I was making for my friends, I ended up making nine of them, and by the ninth one I knew what I was doing, they turned out well

Back from my yearly knitting retreat!

2011-11-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

The Fab Five!

F.R. Me and JoAn

B.R. Carol, JorJan and Holly

Here we are the

Fab Five, our 25Th year!

It's hard to believe we have been going together for all those years, and of course we haven't changed a bit, lol! For those who don't know what this retreat is, well it started out as a knitting retreat for a group who met in a yarn store in Seattle. they thought it seemed like it would be fun to get together for a week end at Fort Warden, near Port Townsend, Washington. Well as they say, let the good times roll, I'd say it's been a glorious success, and at one time we had 150 knitters. This year the numbers were down, but a lot of the same faces I've seen for all these years are still coming. Here's the Barracks we stay in, and if you have ever seen the movie "An Officer and a Gentlemen" this is were it was filmed. As you can see we are right on the sound, and we saw a pod of whales go through this year. Now we have no structure to this gathering of people, but we all have one love in common and that's knitting. So that's what we do , talk, eat, sleep and shop. I look mostly forward to seeing my dearest friends, and spending quality time catching up with them. We have a wonderful time. As usual, I came home and unknit my project, cause it's just to hard to concentrate with all the distraction. Fort Warden has an unusual building that sits high on a hill, and has an incredible view. The name of this building is Alexanders Castle, here's a description of it.
Alexanders Castle, it's a very romantic story, with a sad ending.

So another year till the next retreat, but they seem to be going by faster, and faster every year.

Off to bed to be kissed by a Prince in the spring

2011-10-14T18:55:00.001-07:00

It's getting closer to the time to put the garden to bed for the winter, to be kissed by a prince in the spring (maybe that's Lonny) when he uses the rototiller. I must get it done soon, because the forecast has been given, that we will have snow by the end of the month. Now tell me how can that be true, when we just got our summer, but now it's gone to the cold mornings and dark by six in the evening. I can't say I'm looking forward to winter yet, but then again I have no choice and will make the best of it. Here's one of the many beautiful vegetables from this years garden, a Hybrid Tomato, it weighed in at 1lb. 14oz. I made a Strata for my spinning (wheel) group, and it was delicious. The fruit is all canned and put away, and the veggies are canned or frozen.
Well I did find some time this summer to go to my sewing group on Monday evenings at The Quilting hive. www.thequiltinghive.com in the summer we meet in the evening, but this time of year we meet in the afternoons. Mostly I work on small projects there, like this little Tote, it was fun and it makes my brain have to work, to figure out how it's done, like a puzzle.

Then if you remember in my last post I had sewn a small table Quilt for the fourth of July. I decided to make the same Pattern for a Halloween one. this is another puzzle. I always do better the second time around. Mmmm maybe I'll make one for Christmas.

About a month ago this little creature showed up at my neighbors house, and I volunteered to be responsible for him, because she already has two dogs and works full time. We don't know what happened, but we haven't had any response of anyone looking for him. So we think he is our new family member, and we just call him Buddy and he's a great dog.

I continue to walk every day, three miles, with my walking buddy Deb. We walk all year round and have had a great year so far. We enjoy the beautiful road we walk on, all the sights are just awesome, and the wild life breath taking. I treasure our time together and having her to share it with. If you get into the habit of walking, you'll never stop and you'll feel so good. Well I guess I'd better take the puppy for a walk around the yard, befor he forgets his manners.

It's July and Summer is Here!

2011-07-04T15:39:00.001-07:00

Happy Fourth of July !

I haven't posted since February, and it's not like I haven't been doing anything, but a friend stopped by yesterday and wondered why I haven't Blogged. Well I've been busy with finishing my Quilting projects, and starting some new ones. This one to the side, was my way of adding a little Fourth of July touch, it was fast and fun, I really like it. Thanks to Dawn for getting me on to blog about it. I think the one thing that did keep me away was a project I couldn't show until my Grand Daughter saw her new Quilt for her self. I finished it around March or April, but her and her Dad were here a week ago and I got to give it to her then. I'm sure she Loved it, and was very surprised when she saw it. It was a year ago when your new Quilt shop opened in Twisp, her and I went there, and she picked out the pinks, then I got the rest of the fabric in Kingston, and Paulsbo while going to Knitting Retreat. So here's our picture!!!!!! I really had fun making this Quilt. Sewing seems to be my choice of creativity, I have started another Quilt from my stash from before we moved here, it feels good to get these done. Now that the very slow start of Spring and Summer, my garden seems to be doing very well, compared to others, why I don't know, but I'm having a bumper crop of Strawberries and Raspberries. I have a good feeling that this garden will do well, and we will eat well too. Hope your summer has finally arrived, be sure and buy your fresh produce locally, it's the best.

Why is it..............

2011-02-20T11:13:00.000-08:00

Why is it, that February seems so long ? I'm sure that's a question that's been asked many times through the ages. I have managed to keep myself busy though, I finished my kitchen table quilt. I used it as a sacrificial quilt to learn to free motion quilt, and I learned a lot, that's why I'm signed up for a class on free motion quilting, it starts tomorrow. No actually I did really well, and I think because my new machine does really well at making it easier. I still have a lot to learn! I have also been doing some spinning. I bought this wool from a local wool producer, and it's
Romney Lambs wool. While spinning it, I was having second thoughts about it, wondering if I should continue to spend time on it. So when I finished three bobbins, I then plied the tree strands together, this would be the deciding factor. It turned out really soft, well for Romney, it's not known for it's softness, but I was pleased. It has a real nice shine to it, so it will reflect lite nicely. So it's off to a class tomorrow, and then I'll be working on Samantha's quilt, I can't show a picture yet, because she doesn't know what it's looking like.

Couldn't help myself, I had to do it!

2011-02-09T14:38:00.000-08:00

What beautiful weather to wake up to, so I thought it would be a perfect day to hang sheets out. Look how high the snow is, the sheets almost touch. I just couldn't help my self, I had to do it!

Another U.F.O.

2011-01-22T11:13:00.001-08:00

What's a U.F.O.? Unfinished Object. I have two done in the Quilt category. The latest is the one on the fence. It's made of flannel, so it's extra cozy. I started it before we moved here, so that makes around seven years ago. I have over the last six years picked it up and worked on it, but now it's finished!

The flannel is difficult to work with, because it drags on the machine, your clothes, table. I'm liking it though, and I'm very happy it's done. Now on to the next one, and it's having it's challenges too, but I will get through them, and be done soon with it. There is a little gold colored mitten on one of the blue squares, there's a story to that one. A couple of years ago, I was sewing button's on , a way of quilting, and put the quilt aside for a brief time on the sofa. When I came back to work on it, there seem to be some buttons' missing, and with further investigating, I found some buttons had been mysteriously ripped off. I was left with a tier , well who would have done such a deed? No not the prince of all cats. Well not all was lost, a little patch, made to look like a mitten, with a few little buttons will be a reminder of Jr. He thought he was helping me.

Sage, Sand and Sunshine

2011-01-16T14:09:00.000-08:00

I miss the Sage, Sand and Sunshine on days like today. When it's warm in the spring the snow is gone, but it rains, so the smell of the sage and pines over load your senses. Then when the temps rise even more, the stronger it gets till you can't smell it anymore because your use to it. Then if it rains, you get a new rush of the smells, I love it, but when there's snow you can't smell it at all. So we have had lots of snow. but it's warmed up to around forty degrees, so it's melting and slimy, but I haven't smelled that familiar fragrance I so look forward to, but it will come, the time is just around the corner. So to pass the time I've been sewing, finishing up the quilts I spoke about in the last posting. I made this little bag for a friends Birthday.

This is Helen my Bear

Oops

Helen is modeling a head band and a neck warmer I just made. The headband is reversable, a double knit, so it's warm.

Helen is quite the Model is'nt she!

Holly Cow it's January 2011

2011-01-04T19:50:00.000-08:00

What has happened to the time? My last blog was I think in Sept! I can remember some things since then, I think. October I'm not to sure about, but I know in November, I was off to my yearly trek to Port Townsend for Knitting Retreat, and it was the best. Then when I got home all inspired,I knit two small but useful shawls

My retreat buddies!

The one on the left is dark, but has beautiful shades of blues and purple, and that one was given as a Christmas gift. The other one is mine, and I love the convenience of it, and the warmth . It's nice to have something to throw over your shoulders on a chilly day. Boy have we been having some chilly days here. Well at Thanksgiving, we were planning on going to the coast, but I became sick with the flu, not the flu, but you could have fooled me, sore throat, ear aches, chills. Yuck, I can hardly stand to mention it. So off to better things, like snow, we got dumped on after turkey day, we have had a total, now this is a guess, of 38in. I know when the snow was still soft and fluffy, it came up over my knees, and I wasn't touching the the ground. Then their was all the preparations for Christmas and I managed to get through that. So off to the Coast again, and had a very nice time, visiting with Family. When I got home, I decided it was time to finish some projects, so I finished my Quilt. I know the picture is dark, but I didn't use the flash, but the colors are Fall like colors, I love it, it's just beautiful. I just remembered, that I had pieced a table top quilt in Oct. and plan on finishing that one next.

Looks like it's going to be a quilting year. Now this Blog is called Knitting in the Methow after all, so I am working on more knitting projects too. So Happy New Year !

Bee Haven Acres: Fainting Fred

2010-10-26T15:06:00.000-07:00

Bee Haven Acres: Fainting Fred

It's time to Start Thinking Out-side the Garden

2010-10-14T19:18:00.000-07:00

The temps this morning were a reminder, that fall has defiantly arrived. So now is the time to put the garden to bed for the up coming winter. The days have started out cold, but have been warming up to a nice sunny 55. I just spent the last three days canning the hundred pounds of apples I bought at the Saturday Market in Twisp. I got 8 qts. of an apple pie filling, that always comes in handy on a cold winters day for pie, or crisp. then the next two days it's been apple sauce, 48 pints. Every year I ask myself, "self, why do you do all this canning?" The answer came to me last night when, I had to run to the store to buy more cnning lids, the checker commented on the price, and that it doesn't seem to be that cost effective. My answer was,"you know what your buying and you know what goes into it, and the flavor far is more better than anything you can buy on the shelf". We love having the reminders of summer, on the shelf, to open and get a taste, or a memory of the garden. That brings me to my title, thinking out side the garden, and for me it's time to finish other projects

, and what the heck start some more. Besides Spring is only five months away, gee I wonder what kind of Tomatoes I'll be planting!

Surprise ! A little more summer

2010-09-28T15:01:00.000-07:00

I really like some of these cartoons !

So it's officially Fall, but it seems that we're getting a second wind, so to say. The temps the last week have been in the high 70's, the Strawberries have still been producing, well and so has everything else. We are finally getting ripe Tomatoes, the Gardner's in our valley were sure this was going to be the year of no Tomatoes. I'm starting to mentally get ready to be done with the garden, all though I'll try to keep lettuce going for as long as I can. Earlier this month we had our Okanagan County Fair, and I had mentioned that our M.V. Spinners & Weavers Guild were doing a modified Sheep to Shawl. We found this to work out real well, the public enjoyed it, the day we did it was the day all the schools brought the kids to the fair. So we had lots of very interested children, they wanted to know all about what we were doing. It was a great success and we will probably do it again. This last Saturday, the Omak Spinners Guild came over to our valley and held there meeting here at Jan's house. We had a great time and of course great food too. I even pulled out my new socks I knit, they were knit two at a time from the toe. It's hard to tell in the picture, but their is some silver thread going through with the yarn. I also have been doing some spinning on my Lendrum Spinning Wheel, Some Alpaca I purchased from a local breeder. I think I still prefer Wool, I've got two of my spinning wheels going, and I'm spinning wool. I'm also working on a Table Quilt, I just got all the fabric cut out and placed on my design wall, to make sure I know were everything goes, then tonight I will be going to our new Quilt Shop "The Quilting Hive" to do some group sewing, we will be working on our own projects. Well my Dad has left today to go home for the winter, we're hoping he will be back next summer. Love to all Diana

Alive and Well Here in the Methow

2010-08-15T18:07:00.000-07:00

Wow, it's been six months since I've blogged, but I'm still here and happy that summer finally arrived, just in time for fall. It was a very slow start to summer, we had lots of spring rains, more than I can ever remember, it's still a little green on the hills yet. The rains did bring out the spring flowers, as my first picture shows, this was taken in the back yard. Last year was my year in the garden for cucumbers!

This year is the year of the berries! My raspberries out did them selves, and I made Jam till I was dreaming of it. Then we had some strong winds, and rain, along with thunder and lightning, and off came some of the last of the raspberries.

Now my Strawberries, they have been incredible, the plants have produce and produced, and their still coming, and will till the first frost. They are big and juicy, and I've gotten many batches of freezer jam, and frozen berries in bags. Of course, lots of berries for cereal, yogurt, ice cream and more. I couldn't be more pleased.

It was Lonny's B-Day this week-end, and I made him a pie from our berries, and boy-howdy was it good! Here's a picture of it before I put the glaze on it.

Now with the glaze!

I have had a very good garden this year, it's just taken a while for it to take off, but I have sweet banana peppers plants that come to my waist that I started from seed. I started most my plants from seed, the ones that take a longer growing season . It sure keeps me busy!

I planted some flowers that I mail ordered, they're called purple wave petunias. In person they are a brilliant color. Jens and Sam came for a visit in July, and we had a nice time. Sam turned 14 and is a very lovely young lady, and smart too, I'm not sure if she belongs to this family, LOL. One really neat thing that's new here in the Methow, we have a new Quilt Shop, called"The Quilting Hive" I'm looking forward to spending some time there. In the future, the fair is coming and my Guild here will be doing a modified Sheep to Shawl and of course as always we will be displaying our weaving challenge for this year. I hope summer has finally come to you. Diana

Call me crazy?

2010-03-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

Yes you may call me crazy, but I''m pretty sure about what I'm going to tell you. this was a fun week-end, Friday Lonny and I went to Wenatchee, just for a fun day of errands and shopping. The weather couldn't have been better, it was sunny and warm. We had plans to have dinner at the Olive Garden, since a new one was built recently, but when we got there it didn't open till Monday the 22nd. Oh well, so we went to Subway instead. So we got home just when it got dark, and when I came into the house, there on the breakfast bar were two gifts, one was from my friend Katie and the other was from my friend Jan, a very nice surprise, because the next day was my Birthday. Not just any Birthday, my 60th one, yes you read wright. So Saturday was not only my Birthday, but the first day of spring and so Lonny and I did some spring things, like take down the Christmas lights, and put away all the other Christmas stuff. Then we took the tarp off my Dad's trailer and took a look inside, just a couple of bugs, this is good. The best thing of the whole day was, while we were taking down the lights, something caught my eye, call me crazy if you like, but there were my blue birds flying in and out of the Blue Bird house, and you ask, "How do you know it's your Blue Bird" Well last summer. for those who may not know, I got very friendly with the pair that nested, I fed them worms, and when I did I would always call the female bird Mama, and she would fly to the fence post were the dish I would feed her in would have been. So when I saw them I said " Mama is that you, and she flew to the fence post and sat there waiting for some worms, and she wasn't afraid when I walked near by and talked to her. My heart is full of happiness, because I will be able to enjoy having Mama and Papa bird and their families to come this summer. We also added another nesting box for the off spring from last summer, ten live babies, lets hope all goes well for them this summer. Now I will digress, a week ago Saturday was spinning over the Mt. to Omak. This time it was at Diane's house. Now I had never been to Diane's, but I was really looking forward to it. She lives on property that was home stead by her Father's family, and Diane and her husband and kids have been building a house there near the old homestead. Well the road that you drive on to get there is right off of Hwy 97,but it's eighteen miles up the Mt. My friend Teresa drove, so her and her two little ones and I headed on up there. The land scape went through a lot of changes over the miles, but when you got to the top, and I mean to the top, it was awesome. Here was this big Victorian type house sticking up in the sky, and mostly nothing else around it, but a few out buildings. It was flat, and when you looked across the land you saw sky, and it was a beautiful warm sunny day with just a few clouds. This was a very nice adventure and fun to see Diane's home and she's a kind and a warm welcoming friend. So for a spinning project to take and do while there, I spun some fiber I got in Oregon, the fiber is Pygora. This is a breed that started out as a cross between a Pygmy goat and Angora got, which produces Mohair. So what you end up with is a small fiber producing little goat, and they are so cute and fun, and I really like their fiber. Another thing I had to say was one year ago this month, I join a weight loss club here in the valley, and a this point I have lost 42Lbs, I still have some to lose, but I'm feeling really good about the whole thing.

Lichen hangs off the cliffs to Diane's

Rock formations at Diane's, made by 1 mile deep ice glaciers

Diane's Ranch

1oz Skein of Pygora

I Won !

2010-03-06T18:40:00.000-08:00

I won this Pendleton blanket, isn't it nice. I bought a raffle ticket from a friend to support the school districts bowling championship. What was interesting is, I have a Pendleton poster that is on the wall in front of my treadmill, it has all the blanket designs they have used for the last 100 yrs. So while I'm walking I can look at all the beautiful blankets, and this one I knew was called The Spirit Salmon. I love it, but won't be able to use it because I have a cat, and seems the cat hair finds it's way to everything. So this last week I went to the coast, to help my youngest son out. Many of you know that five and a half years ago, at the age of thirty two he had cardiac arrest, we almost lost him. He has now recovered, and the battery in his defibrillator- pacemaker was at it's end and needed to be replaced. So last Monday was the big day, and all went well. I just talked to him and our Grand Daughter, and they just got back from Hiking, he said it feels fine. So every Spring we get lots of Eagles, and this year is no different. When I got home from the Coast Wednesday we had about six adults and two immature Eagles. Unfortunately a deer had to die, probably from a car, and it was in the field below us. Our place sits on a bench above a large ranch, and in our sight from the back yard is a large Ponderosa Pine, that grows on the land below us, so we can see the middle and the top real easily. Yesterday they were just hanging out on the tree, and I just caught this on taking off. They are a beautiful sight to see.

On a different subject now, this is a web site that someone sent me a link to, and boy is it the greatest. She has developed hundreds of recipes, that are low calorie and has the points for those who follow Weight Watchers, give it a try,www.ginasweightwatchersrecipes.com

I have also been doing some weaving, I have yarn that I got when I worked years ago for a local yarn store in Everett, Wa. Over the years I've used a lot of it up, or given it away, but this was a good yarn of worsted wool, called German town. So I think I had planned on an Afghan sort of thing but now I think it may become fabric. We shall see, and continue my stash reduction.

Holding Back

2010-02-16T19:17:00.000-08:00

It's hard to hold back the urge to start planning the veggie garden. What I mean is, starting to till the soil. Well it's just not warm enough here in our climate. We still have snow on the ground, but it is disappearing rapidly. I had to stop at my gardening mentors business ,www.Local 98856.com. Her name is Tess and the first thing she said to me was, "Are you getting excited about gardening?" I said I'm really trying to hold back those feelings, because I know it's way to early. I have started my Walla Walla Sweets and the green onions from seed, and they are coming up, but these need to be started this early if you want them ready in May to plant. Soon, in about a month I will start Tomato seeds, and so on. I just purchased another blue bird house, because after my large family of Blue Birds we had last summer, I thought I'd better be prepared. This just gives me the goose bumps thinking about it. I have to remind myself about all the extra work I'll have when the time comes. So I should just do what I need to do now, and not jump the gun and get to excited. I have weaving to do, knitting to finish, books to read and so on. I've been trying to walk no less than three miles a day, and hope to add more on as the days get warmer, the ole body just doesn't want to move to fast in the cold. Thanks for letting me talk this out with you, I think it's helped me to think before I leap into gardening to soon.

What's up for this week

2010-02-07T20:05:00.000-08:00

Well,tomorrow is "Spinners Monday" This happens at my house on the second Monday of the month. We get from three people to eight, I never know because I try to make it a non stress thing, so come if you can. I make a pot of soup, and this month its Black Bean. Most that come will add something to the table, Sandra's bring a salad. I'm making an old Weight Watchers recipe, Coconut Rice Pudding for desert. We have a great time. I'll have something to show, this sweater vest I knit from my home spun. This is some wool mixed with shredded denim blended in. An old friend of mine use to have a carding mill, and she would take Romney lamb's wool and mix interesting things together. This is the third project that I've spun this mix, each a different color.
this is a natural grey, with blue, white and bits of other colors that came with the shredded denim.

I find that it looks a little masculine looking at these pictures, I guess I'll have to try it on and see.

Some Catching Up To Do

2010-02-02T15:22:00.000-08:00

Well I hope the lights don't go out in the middle of this, like last time.

We have had an unusual winter as far as weather goes. It's been rather warm, but we have had some snow and our share of rain, and this picture I took was on a day after a snow shower the night before. This picture was taken at the top of a pass called Loup-Loup, our only fast route to the east of here. This is the norm for us usually to have cold sunny days. It snowed just a skiff last night, just enough to make things look clean and fresh. Well I haven't been totally idle since New years, I've been spinning on a fleece I purchased a few years ago, at the Whidbey Island Weavers and Spinners Spin In. this is from a Jacob sheep, which is considered a rare breed of sheep. They are multi colored animals, so I had separated the colors after washing the fleece, then carded it on my drum carder. I had to think hard, but I believe this was a lambs fleece, because their wasn't much of it. So this is what I ended up with. I was very nice to spin and it's soft and springy. I'm not sure what I'll do with it , so we shall see. I'm just about finished with a sweater vest, that is made of my hand spun, and I'll have pictures of that soon. I'm also threading my loom for a wool blanket, and that will take some time before that's done. Just after the first of the year I took the quilt that I finished last year about this time, to be quilted by a long arm quilting specialist. I'm not sure when I'll get it back, maybe by fall of this year. Hope everyone is getting geared up for the coming spring, I'm organizing my seed, deciding what more to get, and getting my caledare out and deciding when will be a good time to start some indoors.

My Imagination Was Running Wild in Seconds

2010-01-27T14:36:00.000-08:00

Just an hour ago I was on my daily walk. I have been walking on this quiet farm road since we moved here almost 5 years ago. In the last year I have been walking almost every day and with a friend that lives on this road, but today she was feeling the cold weather just a little to much and just walk a little ways with me and then I was on my own. This road has one of the biggest cattle ranches in the Methow on it, and often I will talk to the herd. Like how much they have grown, or how much they stink and so on, when suddenly this white tailed deer came running down the drive way right at me, so I thought I shouldn't look it in the eye so I turned and started walking the other direction, and at the same time one of the neighbors was pulling out of his drive way, and I thought he'll rescue me. I would look behind me and the darn thing was trotting up behind me , then it was to my side and I started to yell and wave my arms, and it ran away. then as I caught my breath and my senses, the neighbor pulled up and said "That deer is tame and thinks your going to pay attention to it. I have never seen this Deer before and I wasn't about to hold still so it could pummel me to death. I was frightened by it. Well thought it might be an interesting thing to tell. I feel silly, but you can't trust a wild animal or a wild man. Ha Ha Boy it's hard to catch up since Thanksgiving, but I'll try. Of course there was Christmas, and we went to the coast, had a great visit with the family, especially our two son's and our sweet Granddaughter. The weather was perfect for traveling and we were grateful. To go back before Christmas, my Omak Spinners group had a party and a hand woven towel exchange, and I got the most beautiful towel that was made by my friend Diane, it was made of fine cotton and the weave structure is call Huck, she did a perfect job of weaving it.

What lovely ladies we are! Diane is next to me front row second from the left. Sandra got my towel, and she is the forth in the front to the left of me. Seems like a long time ago already. Well again, I must digress, just before this Christmas party, I did weave a cute little scarf.

Well darn I'm not sure how to flip it now that it's in the blog, but you get the idea. When I go to knitting retreat, we have a rummage sale, that's putting it loosely, no not rummage, but there are some really great buys of yarns and books, most stuff has to do with knitting. Well I picked up this knitting yarn with the idea I would weave it. I really love the little thing, and the weave structure, which is called "Undulating Twill ". I wanted to find a way of showing off the many pretty colors in the warp

How we feel after Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T19:27:00.000-08:00

This is how most of us feel after eating our Thanks Giving dinner.

Well it's over for another year and now Christmas is around the corner, and I'm sure we will being feeling like the little kitten again. One surprising thing is we have no snow yet, we have very cold nights and cold days, but I've been able to carry on walking outside without to much clothing on, the sun came out today and it feels like spring is around the corner, but I'm not going to be fooled, I know we will get snow soon. The trip over to the west coast was a breeze, the weather was dry and no snow on the pass, and very little traffic, it might be because we left on Wed. I'm not sure. While there it did rain, so as not to be disappointed I'm sure, because what would a visit to the coast be without rain, and a reminder why we moved from there, well one of the reasons. We had a nice visit with our families, but it's always a special time to spend with Sam our Grand Daughter. Love You Sam! We had two dinners in a row one on Thursday and one on Friday, on Thursday dinner was with Lonny's Family, his sister one of the ten kids, her husband and a son who was up from Calif. for the first time in five years. Lonny's Mom who will be 90 soon, and we stayed at her house, we probably wore her out. Friday we spent at my brothers house, Got to see my brothers family and some of the Grand Children, our Dad and my oldest son which we never see often enough, and he look great. So weather permitting we'll get over there for Christmas. I'll write later on some of the things I did before Turkey Day, but I've got to get my pictures on the computer, so look forward to news on Knitting retreat, The Methow Valley Spinners and Weavers Sale and life in general. Hard to believe November is over, but I'm ollking forward to winter, I would love to do sme sking.

Time to Knit and Weave

2009-11-08T19:09:00.000-08:00

I was reminded just recently that I haven't blogged since August 20Th, this made me think about what I'm doing now compared to what I did last summer. My last blog I talked about the Blue Bird that befriended me, I have since said good bye to, and anticipating her and her family's return in the spring. I have not only said good bye to Mama blue bird but also to my Dad, as he always leaves in the fall to spend time on the coast in his apt. and with his brother and his son my brother. My boy's are over there to, and Dad does see my youngest son Jens often because Jens works at Albertson's just down the road. Ely is still working for Starbucks, and Dad stops in to see him on occasion. My Dad and I had a mean game of Yahtzee going every night after dinner, and from his trailer window we saw a lot of beautiful sunsets, we had lots of laughs, it was a great time. Then on Saturdays, Dad and I would go to Saturday Market in Twisp, and as I think I've mentioned just a few times, we would have coffee and a fry bread. Thinking back, it's hard because it already seems so long ago. I walked every day then, and now I walk every day and walk on the tread mill every day after dinner. I walk the treadmill because I'm not going outside and working in the garden, moving hoses,watering trees and just enjoying the beautiful summer evenings we can have here, it's to dark and to cold now. Just two weeks ago tonight, I got home from knitting retreat, I've been going for over twenty years. It's so good as always to see my dear friends and have a few needed laughs, it keeps ya going. When this fall arrived it came fast and cold, we didn't have the beautiful colors we usually have, but it is still gorgeous. When it was time to pick the winter squash and just clean out the garden, I knew it was going to give me permission to start thinking of the other things I love to do and don't take time from when gardening, and other summer things I do, such as getting my spinning wheel turning again, and my knitting projects, also it's this time of year that weaving becomes something I do feverishly because Nov. 20Th and 21 St is our big Weavers sale here in Twisp. So producing enough to have a good showing of what our guild is capable of doing and making a little money to pay my dues and by more things to do. The holidays are upon us, and this season we hope to get over to my Brother's house for Thanksgiving and be thankful for all we have and our health. I'm thankful for all the produce that I put up for the winter from my perfect little garden. I'm thankful for my friends and family. Lonny's doing well, he's working on a project just for himself, after working on everyone elses for the last four years, I think he's having fun. Thanks for letting me know that you read this rambling and caring.

Some impressive Broccoli!

My beautiful Grand Daughter being silly, what a fun memory to keep through the winter

2009-08-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

I have talked about the Blue Bird family that came to our Blue Bird House this last spring, and they were very successful having two nests and ten fledgelings. As far as I know they all survived, but for a while after the last batch left the nest we didn't see to much of them, partly because of the temps and the storms, I thought maybe they went were it was a little cooler. The other day I saw them back, flying around in the pine trees and in the vegetable garden, which is what I wanted, they are good little bug getter's. I was thrilled, because I thought I wouldn't see them again till next spring. When I get up in the morning, after a while I go out and water the fruit trees, and then I make sure that I didn't forget to close the gate to the garden, and the deer got in and had a feast. Then I noticed that a pea bush that I had missed when pulling the rest out had some pods that were ready to pick, so standing out side of the fence I bent over and picked them, when I turned around to go back to the house, there on the ground right in front of me was, and I'm sure it was Mama bird. This is what I called her when I called her to come and get the worms I fed her every day, and when she heard me she would come. Well she just sat there while I talked to her, I asked her how her babies were doing and if she was going to come back next spring. Well since then she has visited me many times, and always listen to me talk to her. We seem to have an abundance of these beautiful little creatures flying around, it's goood to have them back, even if it's just for a little while longer.

The simple things in my world

2009-08-13T19:43:00.000-07:00

This has been a great summer, and I hope there is more to come before we get signs of fall. Some times I'm surprised at how excited I can get over the simple things that come my way. A few weeks ago I was up in Mazama visiting Jay and Vicki, well we were out in the woods walking the dog, when something caught my eye, and there was this little double stainless steal sink from their old fifth wheel trailer sitting there, well I asked Vicki if she thought Jay would mind if I took it, that I had a use for it. So I asked Jay and he said sure, so it got to me via their Daughter Kelly who was delivering other things to Lonny. Lonny asked me what I was going to do with the sink, and I said, you are going to build me a table that I can put the sink in and wash veggies at the garden and my hands too. He rolled his eye's at me, so I knew it wasn't a happening thing. A couple of weeks ago we decided, before Jens and Sam came over we better get a new barbecue, so I was looking at the old one and wondering what we would do with it till we went to the dump, then it came to me, and here's the results of my vision.
This has been the greatest thing since bread, I just love it and it's portable, I even got little plugs for the drains. So I'm still doing pickles, last year it was raspberry jam till I thought I was going to get sick, so this year it the year of the pickles. I still have lots of beets , potatoes and tomatoes. I've been drying the little tomatoes for soups and sauces and the bigger ones I think what we don't eat I will can.

I started some seed last winter that I got at a quilt show, they were handed out like a business card. Well they turned out to be these ten feet tall giants. The flowers are huge, but very cheerful.
We had a great visit with the kids while they were here, Sam and I went swimming one day, and she spent a lot of time in the little pool we got for this summer, it's been a real life saver, we have had some very hot day's. I'll have some pictures and more about thier visit next time. Diana

This is what I've been doing this summer

2009-07-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

This is me picking cucumbers

More cucumbers and some Walla Walla Sweets
Cucumbers, pickles and pickled beets
Some really yummy berries
A visiting Grand Daughter who will be 13 this month! Happy Birthday sweaty!
My Dad and I like going to Saturday Market
Got my towels done and I like them allot
Thought I would throw in this cute picture of Jr.

Five Babies and Five More to Come

2009-06-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

My greatest pleasure this Spring and Summer has been the family of Western Bluebirds that took residence in our Bluebird House. The house has been up for four years, but this is really the first year that they decided this was just perfect for them. They kind of shop around for just the right place, and the requirements for placing the house is very specific, and we followed them carefully. The swallows are very aggressive with the Bluebirds, and that's what has happened in years past, the Bluebirds just get intimidated to leave. Well we have all ready seen the first batch of five leave the nest. Now Mama Bluebird is setting on a second batch of five beautiful blue eggs. I've done some research on these wonderful creatures, and found out that feeding them meal worms would encourage them to stay and thrive, the worms are very high in protein, and may I add expensive too. This has been so fun, because in the morning I go out and call Mama bird and she knows I'm going to feed her, no matter were she is she comes flying and lands on the fence and waits for me to put a couple of worms in the little dish I have for her on the fence post. She has even come out to the veggie garden, and we have had some long conversations. Now the first babies are grown and I see them flying around in the morning and they are keeping my garden clean of bugs. Speaking of the veggie garden, here is a resent picture of part of it. First I should tell you that I finished planting this garden on 26th of May, I had to be done with it because I was going to Spokane for the Association of N.W. Weavers Conference. I do a drip irrigation system that I designed and redesign every year just for for that particular garden, I have to make sure everything is in working order, so I can leave with confidence that it will be watered. So mid June we were already eating spinach and radishes and lots of strawberries. Now we are eating lettuce and snap peas. I put in a patch of ever bearing strawberries, so we can have them the whole season long. In this picture you are looking at, on the left to right, tomatoes and broccoli , them Winter squash, which are mostly Danish and I think a Deleca snuck in there too. Then three tomatoes plants, next cucumbers and a zucchini, potatoes and lots and lots of onions. I have three kinds of onions, Of course Walla Walla Sweets, Green onions that we have had in our salads now for a couple of weeks, another type of sweet onion and a storage onion. MMMM good ! This is a picture of the early strawberries we've been eating on everything, but mostly on cereal in the morning. A bunch of us from here in the beautiful Methow Valley, went to Spokane for the Weaving Conference, there were 430 people who attended. It was held at Gonzaga University, we stayed in dorms, that was interesting enough. I took two lectures, one on Sampling is not a Dirty word, and one on 8/2 cotton. It was a great time and I learned a lot and came home with some new enthusiasm for weaving. So the first thing when I got home I got a warp on my loom for some towels. The patterns a pin wheel, but its a triple one in three colors. It should be interesting when they are off the loom and washed,then you can see the twist in the pin wheels. kinda makes your eyes go weird huh. So that's about it folks, working on my veggies, and weaving. Soon I'll be making pickles, can't wait. After the Fourth of July Jens and Samantha are coming for a visit, and that means swimming and cooking and just enjoying their company. My Dad has been here since the end of April, and we've been having a good time, all most every night we play Yahtzee and have a great time and laughing a lot. Here's a picture of the lettuce and raspberries and one of the tomatoes. I'm wishing for a successful season

The rare and not easy to find Methow Whooly Sponge Bird

2009-04-20T18:58:00.000-07:00

This is a little miniture Spinning Wheel Music Box that I picked up last Nov at Knitting Reatreat.

Today was a perfect example of Spring! It started out a little cool, 38 degrees, but warmed up rapidly to the high 70's. I took advantage of the warm day, I went out and took some pictures, then came home and went out side and finished some paper work for the Guild Challenge, and read a book, you can't ask for a better day. When it gets really hot I don't do those things outside much. I've been taking a couple of gardening class, on growing veggies, and how to grow things up to winter. I've learned a lot, and have been surprised that some things I had already learned from experience through the years. You can all ways learn more, and I have, did you know that you plant potatoes when the dandelions start to bloom. Well I have learned more tecnical things than that, but that's one you'll always remember. I have been finishing some projects, like spinning, and and the Guild Challenge. Last Saturday I was off again to the Guild meeting in Omak, talk about a great time. The group is always a little different, because our schedules are of course different, so some can be there and some can't. So it's always nice to see some people that haven't been for a while. This week Lonny and I are going to make a trip to Wenatchee, to some poeple this is like a drive to the park, but it isn't for us, that one and a half hours is a long ways. We are going to pick up some fruit trees that we ordered from a nurser, and do the Costco thing and maybe Jo-Ann Fabrics. I have a gift certificate for Jo-Ann's so maybe I'll get to use it. The two runners I made with the Overshot weave structure

This is some yarn that has been one of those projects that you really don't want to do, kinda like being a little kid and not wanting to do the dishes, but it's got be done. The finished product did turn out to be nice.

Now this is a wool that I purchase at the Whidbey Island Weavers and Spinners annual spin-in, about three years ago.

Here's a picture of the wool after I got it back from having processed, this is when you send it to a professional to have it washed and carded. this was a very expensive raw fleece, and very costly to have processed, and I haven't been to happy with the way it spins. So was this a costly mistake? I'm not sure yet, the yarn is nice, and very soft and spongy, but it has a lot of little neps in it, this makes it hard to spin. Maybe when I knit a sample with it I'll end up with a big surprise and it will be really nice.

This picture I took for my friend Carol W. Carol this is a Methow Woolly Sponge bird, that is only found near a field of sheep. It gathers hay to feed it's young, and is usually hard to find, it's very rare.

The snow is gone!

2009-03-29T19:47:00.000-07:00

The snow is gone, and we're not sorry. Today was Sunny but cold, with the wind blowing from the north, and we had some gust, but it is pleasant this evening. Last week Lonny and I went to Sun Mt. Lodge for a couple of nights. We received a gift certificate about a year and a half ago, we thought we better use it. The Lodge two times a year runs a special for the Local folks, us being locals got to take advantage of it. It is a beautiful place, and the food is really good, but very expensive to say the least. Here's a small picture of the Lodge, see how it sits on the edge of the Mt., it's very cool. I think that might be Mt. Garner in the back ground. We had a westerly view from our room, we were in the garner building. The weather wasn't very nice but we could still see a little bit of the view. This week will be really busy, because our son Jens and Grand Daughter are coming over for a few days. We're looking forward to it. I've been busy baking bread and making all the things they like. Sam and I are going to watch the movie Twilight, she so crazy about this movie, she wants to share it with me. Sam will be thirteen this summer, she is such a great kid, of course I could be just a little bit prejudice. Here's the view from our room.

Part two A sure sighn of spring

2009-03-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

Please excuse my mistake, I have a new camera and I'm just learning how to use it. So here are my socks, now I do have to tell you that I have a light blue reinforcement yarn in the toe and the heel, so it does change the color just a bit. Yesterday (Sat) Katie, Teresa and I went to Omak for a Guild meeting at Rhonda's house. We had a last minute change in where we were meeting, but Rhonda stepped right up and offered her home. There were ten of us I think, and a new person, who's name I can't spell, but it was very nice meeting her, she is a neighbor of Ingrid's. She is an artist and teaches art too. We had sort of a formal meeting in that Dianne has been busy getting us back on track, and we are again members of N.W. Regional Spinners Association as a Guild and members of Association of NW Weavers Guild. We are so happy we're back to being a part of these organizations again. We had a great show and tell, but I can't show pictures for the same reason I couldn't post pictures on my last blog, to big for dial up. I can tell you though, Dianne, has made two beautiful scarfs one for her and one for her Aunt Marilyn, then she made a pair of socks, that her Daughter has claimed as hers, she also made the most adorable little baby sun hat. Dianne's Mom Carol also made one of the baby hats and she was working on a shawl. Then there was Ingrid who was using up left overs, not food but yarn, and wove a beautiful, soft and cozy throw, in colors of fall, I came close to leaving with it. Then Harriet, had her first weaving project, and let me tell you she did a fabulous job, they were so nice. The artist Minoan does the most interesting lovely hand painted silk scarfs. Last but not least Rhonda showed her quilt that she was finishing up for her grand Son, she has an embroidery machine and did some adorable little animals on it. You can't help but come home inspired by things so nice. To see the yarn I dyed for theses socks, just look at my last Blog. Lonny and I are taking a couple of days off to go to Sun Moutain Lodge this week, it will be fun. Have a great week! diana

A sure sighn of spring !

2009-03-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

A sure sign of spring has finally happened here, we've had a couple of warm days and the snow disappears so fast that you swear you can stand there and watch it, but it happens so fast you miss it. I have to say I'm happy to see it go, even though we need the moisture. So I put the picture of the yarn I dyed, just to reminded you what it looked like, because I made socks out of it and there done. I knit them from the toe to the end of the cuff, I knit them in a tube and where the heel goes I put a waste yarn to hold the live stitches till I was ready to take out the waste yarn and pick up the stitches on to the needles, to then knit the heels. So here they are all done, and I'm happy with the out com of this project, and I'll have a nice new pair of wool socks to wear next winter. Well it seems my pixels are to many for me to post my picture so I'll have to take them over again and get back with you, I so sorry Diana

Snow a four letter word !

2009-03-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

We got a little blast of snow today. I thought I was in western Washington, just kidding of course. It was really coming down for about four hours, but just as fast as it came down, it melted later and the sun came out. Well just five more days till spring, but we know around here it's going to be a little longer, but that's OK cause it won't be that much longer. Well it's been a month almost since I have posted, and I can't really think of anything new. Oh yes I got a new camera, and justified it by it being so close to my Birthday. So I'll be blogging a little more now that I can take decent pictures. Well I guess my social calendar has been a little busy, a week ago Saturday my Spinning guild from Omak met over here for a change. We held it at my friend Jan's house, and the turn out was good I tthought, and here's a picture I borrowed from Jan. Jan and her other half just had this sun room added on to their house. If you would like to see more just go to http://www.bigredbarn.blogspot.com/. We had a great time and conversation and some really good food. Then the following Monday, our little spinning group that meets at my house came and we had a blast, we talk about the darnedest things some times, and not always spinning. I fixed one of my favorite soups, although I haven't yet met a soup I didn't like. It's called a California Cheese soup, we had bread and some fruit and found it very satisfying. Well what I'm really trying to concentrate on is my weaving, and it's coming along nicely. I should get two runners from this warp, the second runner I'm going to use either a white on white or a nice blue, haven't made up my mind yet. I'll put a picture of them on my blog when there all finished. So you know what I'm doing this week! My friend Diana M. and I are making a point to get out and walk, we're tiered of being stuck inside, also this is a good time to try and take off some winter weight, don't ya think. Have a great week ! Diana

What kind of customer service do you expect?

2009-02-22T10:33:00.000-08:00

I was just reading a blog, www.myhomecoknblog.blogspot.com, and she was relating a story about customer service that she had received. Well this brought to mind a recent situation that happened to us on a trip to the coast, to visit the family especially our Grand Daughter. Well we, my husband and I decided we would go out to dinner with our youngest son and our G. Daughter. They wanted to go to Ivar's, sounded good to us because sometimes over here we get a craving for some good fast food, mind you Ivar's isn't and inexpensive meal out for what you get, and being on retirement income and our son watches his money really close. So we get there and my son and G.D. order and I said I would pay for it, so after they order I had ask Sam what she had ordered and she said chicken. Well I got chicken stuck in my head, so when I was making the order for us I guess I kept saying chicken instead of fish, well the smart #~% kid at the counter kept saying we don't have chicken on that menu and I just wasn't getting it through my head that I was saying chicken, so instead of saying to me, mam do you mean chicken of fish, but she wasn't nice at all about it. So finally my family said, "you keep saying chicken" So I apologised and then thought we had fixed the mistake in the order, till we actually got it at our table. So here's this big plate of chicken, I look up at the person who had delivered it and said " I thought we got this all figured out. She wasn't the girl who took the order, but right away she started to argue will us, she looked at my husband and said" I was standing right there when you ordered chicken, I heard it." My husband said back to her, " You didn't hear me make an order because I didn't make an order she did," pointing to me. I said don't worry about it, because our G.D was there and I didn't want there to be a scene. Well after we ate our meal, our son took the recipe and went up to the counter to tell them that they didn't handle this very professionally, and they started to yell at him, and the girl who delivered our food was the night Manager, she took some money out of the register and gave it to him for the chicken dinner. Then told him that we were being kicked out! So we left and she open the door an screamed something at us. Well we took care of her, and contacted the store manager and the district manager and the corporation....... and were satisfied with the way it turned out. We at no time gave them one bit of grief when we were there eating. Oh yeah, the N. manager said that the other near by Ivar's served horse meat. So these people must not find their jobs necessary. Well that was the short of it, but you get the idea. Today I'm going to make bread and do some weaving and forget about bad customer service. Diana

A fun way to dye wool yarn

2009-02-18T10:29:00.001-08:00

Here's the yarn as a reminder as to what I ended up with. This is not a precise way of dyeing, you usually don't get what you thought you might. So think of it as an experiment and then you won't be anything but surprised. The yarn I'm using is a yarn from Knit Picks http://www.knitpicks.com/ the name of it is, Color Your Own, 100% Merino, Natural, 100grams/440 yds. I've used this yarn in the past for making socks, but have found if you don't wash them gently the will felt, also I reinforce the toes and heals with a separate yarn made just for that purpose. So you want to start with making your yarn into two separate balls, don't get fussy with this either, just kind of guess at the evenest. I use a ball winder and a small scale and figure it out by grams. Now the dye I use is made to be used on wool, and I used two different kinds, Jacquard acid and Gaywool acid dye. The supplies you will need, a pan large enough to hold two balls of yarn, this would be a pan that you will never use for cooking again, latex gloves, a stick for stirring, timer, paper towels and vinegar. Now please excuse my pictures, they didn't turn out very well.

Here I am winding the yarn on the ball winder from a swift. You want to try not to wind it to tight, because you want the ball to be saturated with water all the way through. So once you have them wound, now you want to put the yarn in a pan of warm water, covering to the top, now add a little vinegar, this will help the dye stick to the wool. Now soak for a hour or more, if the yarn doesn't feel wet enough. When they have soaked, remove and gently squeeze the water out, you want to keep most the moisture. Now in your dye pan put just enough water to go half way up the balls of wool. Here's were you want to add your vinegar and dye. Now with this yarn I used four colors, but I have done it with just two. When you use two you want to pick two colors that will blend together and make other colors come through, example red and blue will make different shades of the red and blue but also purples. I used for the first half a yellow and the second half a green, put the lighter colors on first. now heat the water to a strong simmer, something you can still put your finger in quickly. Put the yarn in the water, both at the same time, now gently squeeze to get the dye to go up inside the balls. Let this simmer for 30 min. Remove and let cool to the point you can handle them with rubber gloves on, now gently squeeze out the water. Follow the same steps for the second color, I used yellow first then green. 1/8Th tsp should be enough dye.

So here I have the first two steps done. Warning, dispose your water with the dye carefully, do not dye were you have foods, do not use utensils that you cook or eat with. So the next step I came up with by accident. Make sure the balls of yarn are squeezed gently of most the water, we don't need it dripping wet at this point. Now I rewind the balls from the outside on to the ball winder, this distributes the first two colors randomly. Now repeat the process with two more colors, which mine were, blue and red. Again squeeze gently, as much water as you can. Then I wind it up on my Knitty Knotty, tie it up and let it dry.

I had the best time !

2009-02-16T14:27:00.000-08:00

Well, I know I'm a little late to talk about Valentines Day, but mine was so unexpected. That morning after Lonny and I got moving, and he headed out the door the phone rang, and it was my friend Jan, www.thebigredbarn.blogspot.com/ ; she said she was close to my house and had tried to call earlier, but I was talking to my Dad, and wondered if I was willing to run off to the bakery with her for goodies. Well anyone who knows me knows I'm all ways ready for something special. She all so had to drop her Golden Retriever Molly off at the groomers. This is a bakery that is very popular with the tourist, but especially with the locals. The Cinnamon Twisp Bakery is the place to go, they offer other things too, like soups and sandwiches. We had the best visit and time to talk about stuff. Thank you my dear friend for such a great surprise. Then I went home and made my sweetie some cookies. Later we (Lonny) and I went to Moon and Diana's house to pick up a exercise bike that I had lent them a couple of years ago, but they haven't been using it, so I thought I'd better, and we'll leave it at that.

So this week end I did some dyeing, and this is what I came up with, very festive. This is a sock weight yarn that I got from Knit Picks a mail order place for yarns and tools for knitting, they have a great catalog www.knitpicks.com This is 100% Merino wool and I'll probably make some socks out of it, I thought about using it for a woven scarf, but it's just to stretchy. I'll walk you through the process of how I did this later this week, it's very easy and fun, but not precise, for those who need to be that way. My pictures haven't been very good lately and I got to looking at my camera and the lens is really scratched. Mmmm when is the next holiday I could use for an excuse to go to the bakery, oh I know tomorrow is Wednesday, that would be a good reason! Oh yeah, I'm suppose to be using my exercise bike, well after maybe.

Some Days I'm just Thankfull for

2009-02-09T19:18:00.001-08:00

This is a cute kitty that's picture is floating around cyber space, but it looks like I feel tonight. Last Sat. Katie, Teresa and I headed to Conconully to go spinning with our friends and guild members at Eva's house. Eve lives off the grid up in the Mt's, and if I were a bird I could fly there in minutes, but I'm not and I have to go the car route that takes an hour. Oh my what a beautiful ride it is, climbing up the Mt's. through a scenic valley of ranches and alfalfa fields. I've been on the road that Eve lives on while snowmobiling, but at the time I didn't know her. They have a lovely home, an Alpine type home, with vaulted ceilings with huge windows that look out over their meadow. Of course you can't see much for all the snow, but it is nice. Thanks for having us Eve. Here's Eva in the mid

dle between on the left her sister Marilyn and on the right Debbie. It was a great day and made me look forward for today Monday. Some of you already know that every second Monday of the Month I have a day of spinning at my house, and it's always a great day. One of the things I like to do is feed them well and I really like to make soup and it's become expected, well this time I made a Black Bean soup. This was a fabulous choice, I know I liked it and so did everyone else. The people who come also contribute food, and today it was lots of sweets. So soup then sweets and coffee, then included, good conversation and spinning, WOW I'm a happy girl. L. Diana

Looking Back and Looking Forward

2009-02-06T13:28:00.000-08:00

Opps

I caught tis little lady busy flying around the flowers on a warm summer day! She's just beautiful.

Today I decided to look back on some of my favorite photos that I have had in my blog over the last two and a half years.

Starting with this one of the Eagle. We have this huge Ponderosa Pine right smack in the middle of our NW facing view, so when there is an unfortunate dear killing near by the Eagles seem to use this tree to rest in. Just last month we had two pairs of Golden Eagles and a pair of Bald Eagles. The Golden Eagles are by far much bigger than the Bald, but their both incredible to be so close to them and see them up close.

This was a really fun fall afternoon , my friend Katie and I had gone over to Conconully Wa to spin with our spinning guild over in that Okanagan-Omak area. Before we headed home we drove a little further north to a Lake Osoyoos. half of this lake is in Canada, so we were very close to the border. This Lady raised Alpacas on the lake, and she was selling out to move to California, And was selling all of her herd and fleeces. I got the most beautiful fleece, about the color of the little guy on the right. That was a very fun day.

Her in the Methow Valley, it's considered High Desert. So I think it means we have the best of both things, the Alpine like Mt's. and Pine trees and a hot dry summers. This is called a Rock Rose, not everyone has them in their yards, but we have the honor of having them in ours. They grow really close to the ground, and have no leaves, just these beautiful pink bursts of pink in morning and then they close up in the evening.

This is a fond memory of snowmobiling with our Son and Grand Daughter a couple of winters ago. We just rode around our property, but we had a blast. Sam will be Thirteen this year, it's hard to believe.

This is a picture of our Sunburst Locus Tree. Those people are L to R my Uncle Paul, me and my Dad. This was taken in late spring a couple of years ago. I was thinner then, oh well so it goes.

This year I'm not sure if Dad will be back, because since he left for the winter he has found out that he needs a four way bypass. He's made the decision at the age of almost 87 he's not going to have it done. Well who knows what what we would do if we were in his shoes. We will find out when it gets closer to summer.

So the things I have to look forward to in the near future is, having our Son and Grand Daughter visit at the end of March, my 59th Birthday on the 20th, the weavers conference in Spokane. Especially hearing from old and new friends on my blog, don't be afraid to leave a message.

Hope you enjoyed looking back with me! L. Diana Knits Plenty

Knitting ? Yes Other things too! Trying to keep warm in the Methow

2009-01-22T19:30:00.000-08:00

It's been very cold, we haven't had lately to many days with the temps below zero, which is the norm this time of year, but not getting over 20 and fog does try your patients. So what I do is take advantage of the time I'm spending in the house. One thing I did was finish a new years resolution, and that was to go through old recipes and try to eliminate, sorry Carol W. but yes eliminate some that I no longer use, and find some favorites to try again. I also finished piecing my quilt together, I most happy that I started and finished what I started, so now it's off to be quilted, that's something I don't like to do. That's OK, because if I had to quilt it, it will still be in a drawer long after I'm gone, then someone else will find it and have it done. So I would rather get some use out of it, don't you agree. I know there are some die hard hand quilters who think it's not quilting if it's done on a machine and I agree, but I cheat. Now you know! I would like to share a favorite recipe, it's one I count on to get me through these cold winter mornings, and I've had it for years, it's like instant oatmeal, but soooo much better. Years ago, and now, I love making mixes ahead for convenience and this is one.
Spiced Oatmeal Mix
8 C. quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 C. packed brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
2-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1-1/2 C. dried apple pieces or raisins

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a wire whisk until evenly distributed. Pour into 10 C. container with a tight fitting lid. Seal container. Label and date. Store in a cool dry place. Use within 6 months. Makes 10 C.

in a pan put 3/4 of a C. liquid, I use 1/2 C. milk and a little water, then bring to a boil and add a 1/2 C. Spiced Oatmeal. Bring to a boil for 1 to 2 min.

I hope you try it!

I've really been enjoying reading the blogs that keep, everyone is so interesting and we're all so different. So check some of them, or all of them out. Next thing I need to think about doing is putting some thought into my Methow Valley Spinners and Weavers challenge this year, and that is a weave structure called Overshot. You might have seen it before in old colonial history as coverlets. Of course we don't need to make coverlets unless we want to. I'm leaning to do towels, that's always a nice way to learn something new. So we shall see what I come up with. This Saturday, Katie and I will be going over to Omak for a spinning meeting at Sandra's house, it's been awhile since we've been over to see our friends, it will be so nice to see them again.

Seems lately there has been lots of fog sickle's, and frost, so here yet again another frost picture. Also a rare day to have blue skies, boy what a sight, I love it.

There hasn't been much knitting in the Methow lately

2009-01-15T18:17:00.000-08:00

Well it's true, there hasn't been much knitting going on in my house, I am trying to finish a beaded scarf that Vicki gave me, I love it, but it's easy to put down and start on something else, so I will get it done soon. Then earlier this last fall I knit a dickey, and I don't think I showed it in my blog, I love it, and I made it from the beautiful roving that I spun last winter. Boy does it keep you warm, and the cold air from your neck. I got this pattern from a Google search, and came to discover the pattern at a blog spot blog called Lost Arts, I have the link to it on the right side of this page. She has a unusual blog, but if you're into knitting and would like some different kinds of patt. that she designed take a look. The scarf patt. is one that Vicki got at Great Yarns in Everett Wa. We've been having as you've heard I'm sure, lots of fog. With the very frigid cold this makes for some beautiful sights around here when the sun does come out. I was doing some out side chores and came across this at my garden gate. The whole fence and the curly willow I use to keep the gate straight were covered with ice, and as you can see it was a sunny day. On days like this is when you stop to think on how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place as is the Methow Valley. There has been a couple of things that I've keep forgetting to mention, and one is a Artisan bread recipe that I found in the Mother Earth News, Dec Jan issue. Check it out http://www.motherearthnews.com/. Something else I learned in the last issue was a great way to build a wood stove fire that has less smoke when you first start it, I think it was called the upside down fire starter. Also about two years ago I started reading a new publication called Hobby Farm Home, they also put out one called Hobby Farm. It just became available to subscribe to. I enjoy this magazine because it has all kinds of cooking and gardening, for instants they might feature home made cheeses, and using compost for your garden. I was really surprised to find some of the articles were written by people who live in Washington. So look it up at http://www.hobbyfarmhome.com/ So last week we had decided to make the trip to the coast, but the Mt. pass were kept closed for about three days, so finally they opened and so on Friday we took the trip over. This was an opportunity to deliver those Christmas presents that were coming close to being Birthday presents. What a difference a day makes, it was free sailing all the way over, and the traffic wasn't bad at all. So Friday evening we spent visiting Ely, he looks good to us. Then Saturday evening we spent with Jens and Sam, that's always so fun to see how she's maturing and growing into an even nicer young lady. We went to Ivor's for dinner and well that is a whole different story I'll tell another day. Sunday I spent visiting my Dad. Dad and I went out to lunch at a pizza place called Boston Pizza, they have gourmet pizza that is so good. In between visiting I did some shopping and Lonny visited some of his friends, we actually broke down and got an artificial tree. We were happy to visit, but happier to get home, and to see our cat Jr. whom was so happy to see us. Happy Trails! Love Diana

Knitting in the Methow: A great time was had on Roc Day!

2009-01-13T19:32:00.000-08:00

Knitting in the Methow: A great time was had on Roc Day!

A great time was had on Roc Day!

2009-01-04T18:41:00.000-08:00

I'm not even sure on how many Roc Days I've celebrated, I've been hand spinning for 22 yrs this coming April, so I guess it must be around 22 yrs. The day started out cold, as have most the days since Thanksgiving, but the sun was out and shinning this day. My friend Jan came by at ten to pick me up, and off we went to the Methow Valley spinners and Weavers 1st annual Roc Day celebration. So Jan and I got there early to set things up a little and get a table ready for our pot luck, and a table for spinning related things that we were to draw names for. This celebration was to start around 11am till 3 pm. Well the first person to show up was someone who doesn't belong to the guild, a new spinner. She was so excited to get started, and she had bought a used wheel, this would usually make a seasoned spinner shake their heads, because we know the problems you can have with a very used spinning wheel. Her name is Heidi, and she had bought a used Ashford spinning wheel, so Jan and I set in on getting the problems this wheel had fixed, so this future spinner could get started. So finally we got the darn thing spinning, and Heidi was so nervous to start, but with in a short amount of time she was showing a natural ability to spin. I forgot that feeling, while talking to Heidi, she had asked me question's about my beginnings in spinning, so this made me remember how I felt such excitement, as if I was floating above the floor. I needed to learn everything from the beginning, washing the wool, carding the wool, dyeing and spinning. Boy did thinking about it while I told Heidi my experience's, it took me back and reminded me of why I do this magical , totally mind blowing thing of starting something from scratch, that has been done for hundreds of years, and some people don't even know that we're still out here doing it and feeling the presents of the past with us, and all those before us who celebrated Roc day. So to my dear friends who are not spinners and are wonder what I'm talking about this Roc Day, well I'll tell you, when women and young girls had to spin and weave on top of all the other responsibilities , they would stop during the Holiday preparations. So when all that was over they would take a day to gather with their friends, and and spend a day getting back to the work of the home and also start spinning again. So that was a short version of the story, but the modern day spinner celebrates Roc Day the first Saturday after New Years, by gathering and having food together and just enjoying the common interest that we have and to have new enthusiastic spinners to be remind us why we even got started in this ancient craft.

So we had, I would say, a very successful Roc Day for our first annual, there was eleven of us and we had a great time, when it was time to leave I don't think anyone wanted to go.

It's been trying to snow here all day, but it did'nt accumulate very much, I think it was just to cold, but the morning of Roc Day I got up a little early and the sun rise was incredible, so I hope you can enjoy this picture I had the pleasure of taking. L. Diana

Knitting and Quilting in the Methow !

2008-12-30T13:11:00.000-08:00

I have found in the last few days that people are under the impression that we're buried under several ft. of snow. It's not true, because what has been happening is the storms have been going from the north on the coast, then going south than taking a turn at the bottom of the state, then turning back north, on up to Spokane and Idaho. We here in north central Wa. have been getting the outer edge of these storms, we only have a few inches. Now yesterday we got more snow than any time since the snow's have began. Now yesterday was very strange, in that it snowed all day, but in the afternoon the sun came out, and the snow just came on down. You can't see the snow but this is a picture of it snowing and sunny at the same time, this is facing East. It wasn't twenty minutes later it started snowing really hard for about two hours, the sky got dark and you couldn't even see through the snow. Then we got about five inches, which was the most we have had accumulate in one day.

I'm really proud of myself, because of an idea I had to solve, and that was to make a design wall in my multipurpose room. When I did this in our house in Lake Stevens I just would use tacks or tape, but I really want to avoid using that sort of thing here. What I use is a plastic picnic table cloth and turn it so the flannel side is facing out. Then you can just put your fabric on it and it sticks. I still had to decide how I was going to do it without damaging the wall. Soon the idea flashed in my head, and I don't get many flashes except the menopause kind, well anyway back to the table cloth. I use a lot of those no stick, pull the tab hooks around the house, so I'll use those,and then I made button holes in the cloth and hung it up, and it still hanging there as of this morning. This picture is side ways but you get the idea, and I may mention the color is way off, my room is butter yellow, I might add that yellow is suppose to be the color of 2009!

Thought you might like this beautiful picture that Katie took a week of so before the snow's came, the sunsets here are just unbelievable!

Well the sun is out today here, I hope it's nice and sunny where you my be. L. Diana

Continue the Christmas story, or almost disaster?

2008-12-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

Well, to get back to the story, as I said I was fixing dinner, and I had most everything prepared till it was time to put in the oven, or what ever. I thought how nice, I'm going to have a cup of Chi and sit down to watch a movie, then I thought I better make sure I have enough wood in the fire place so that when I get settled I won't have to be disturbed to get more wood. When I walked into the living room something caught my eye. There was water coming towards me in the carpet, and coming fast. Well I just panicked, I'm usually calm in these kinds of situations, but no I panic. So I ran in circles for a while screaming at my self "What the heck do I do" then I started screaming for Lonny, now mind you I normally don't scream, but I found out if I have to boy howdy I can. No response from the shop, so I ran, I can't run, but I did to the shop and guess what , he wasn't there. So here I had wasted all this time, so I got it together, as I was speaking out loud at how I felt about the whole thing, I'm sure can imagine. I shut off the pump, then back into the house, to the bed room closet were the access to the water shut off is, after you take everything out of the closet, pull the rug up then the access door, jump down under the house and turn off the water. Climb out and hope for the best, then grab every towel you own, get on the phone to see if you can find help. By then I couldn't breath, really I couldn't and that scared me. So finally help arrived and we got a carpet cleaner from a friend and started sucking the water out, about ten gallons, the water didn't make it to the kitchen, thank goodness. So that was our Christmas afternoon and evening. The carpet was cleaner and dry in a couple of days. We were so glad that we didn't go away for Christmas after all. So the next two days I spent recovering from the whole ordeal. So today (Sunday) Lonny asked if I would like to go snow mobiling, at first I really didn't want to, but I also didn't want to be a total stick in the mud, but on the other hand I told him I didn't think my snow mobile suit would fit, it had been a couple of years since I wore it, and I was right it didn't, but I wore it anyway, I just sucked it up. It was a beautiful sunny day today and the ride was just as good, now I'm really sore, but I'll get over it. This will be the Christmas we'll never forget! Love to you all Diana

P. S. It was a outside pipe that broke, so Lonny just cut it off and will repair it next spring,

A work in progress

2008-12-27T19:02:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new blog template, thanks to my friend Carol W. who is trying, and I mean trying to bring me into the world of customizing, so I'm giving it a try! Well I hope everyone had a great Holiday, I know some of us didn't get to spend it the way we had planned. The Coast had more snow than we did here in the Methow, we have only about ten inches here were we are in mid valley. I was very sorry that we had decided to stay home instead of trying to drive over to see our family, but as it turned out we did the right thing. Christmas eve we went out to dinner at a new Mexican place called Salsa's Cafe, I guess there are some of these over on the coast, it was very good, we got home and had a visitor, we opened gifts to each other and went to bed. Then Christmas morning we were invited to a Friends for a Christmas brunch. We got home in the afternoon, then I decided to fix some dinner, and that's when Christmas got exciting. opp's got to go someone is knocking on the door! remember my new blog is a work in progress! Love Diana

Brrrrrrr it's cold outside!

2008-12-15T19:49:00.000-08:00

A week ago we were worried about the strange weather we been having for the whole year of 2008, we were having unusually warm weather this fall, don't get me wrong it's been cold but not as cold as most years. Then wondering wether or not we were going to get snow, because we usually do by Thanksgiving. Well the snow came, not much, maybe five inches on the valley floor, but the temps have drop dramatically, this morning it was 10 below, and at dinner this evening it was all ready that, so who knows how cold it will be in the morning. The one thing here in the Methow, is you can never count on the same thing every year, so it makes it hard to plan ahead. Well it's been awhile since I've posted, but I do remember some of the high lites since we took our trip to Canada.

Knitting retreat is all ways a high lite of my year, and this year was no exception. Here's a picture of the "Down Stairs Deva's" L to Right JorJan,Carol, Me, JoAn, Holly peeking from behind and Dorothy, what a fabulous bunch of girls! Thanks to Katie for getting us there safe and sane. Here's Katie and I getting a big chuckle looking at old retreat pics, Thanks to JoAn for keeping up a wonderful year by year book.

I just love all of my retreat buddies! Since retreat, lets see I have to think, oh yes, I've had my "Spinners Monday" and for those who might not know what this is, well it's the second Monday of every month, and it's open for anyone to come join in on the fun, but it was started so the spinners in the area could have a place to come and talk, share and have a little lunch, and we have the best time. The Guild I belong to over the Mt. and in the city of Omak have also been having some great meetings, unfortunately I haven't been able to make it to all of them, but I try. In November is our Methow Valley Spinners and Weavers annual Show and Sale. This is a big event not only for us, but also for the community. We have it on a Friday and Saturday, and I went to help on Saturday and I couldn't believe how many things had sold on Friday. It was a great success. Here's a picture of my lovely friends in the Omak Guild. Starting in the back is Diana, Sandra, Elaine,Katie, Bobby, Ingrid who's lovely home we're in, Debbie and here cute as a button Grand Daughter in the front row Kathleen, and behind here Carol, Diane Teressa, and last Me.

Well for the first three weeks of November, I was sick, and you know it never fails for me, and usually I'm prepared ahead of time just in case this exact thing happens, I get so be hind, especially close to the Holidays. For thanksgiving, we stayed home, witch tuned out to be a good thing cause I really got sick, but before I knew that, I got 8yds of cotton warped onto my loom and once I got though all the mistakes I made threading it, I got eight towels woven off, but not till I got all better.

Oh and I shouldn't forget the rayon Chenille scarf I made, I love this scarf so much, that I keep by me were I sit watching TV, so I can pet it, it feels so, ah, elegant and just plain cozy.

Well the Holidays and the New Year are closing in, it's hard to believe isn't it. I plan on finishing my quilt and a whole bunch of other projects I'll share with you next year. My Love to you all!

I would also like to thank my friend Carol W. for the really groovy new header on my blog, Love Ya Man. Check Carols blog out at www. curlywillowsranch.blogspot.com/

Jr's all excited about Christmas as you can see! We wish you Happy Holidays from our house and blog to yours! Love Diana

We took a fall trip up into Canada

2008-10-26T16:41:00.000-07:00

The beautiful sights on Hwy 33 in Canada

Greenwood Canada

The beautiful scarf!

Life is good here in the Methow! We have had the best fall weather, and the colors have been out standing. Last Saturday the 18th Katie and I took a trip over to Omak for the spinning meeting at Mary's house, couldn't have pick a better day for it, the sun was shinning and I think it got up to 62, amazing isn't it. There were just a few of us there, some were knitting and some were spinning, it was a great sharing experience. I have a few skeins of hand spun I just didn't know what I was going to do with, because there just wasn't enough to really make a vest, and just a little to much to just make mittens or something like that, but I ended up making a scarf, and I'm happy I did it turned out very nice. I just did a simple Feather and Fan pattern, The colors from the painted roving really show well, and besides I needed something to take to knitting retreat, also I decided to knit a dickey, yes a dickey with some more hand spun and it's coming along well,I should be done wit it tonight Ths last week Lonny and I took a trip, we left on Tuesday just after noon, and went East then North on up to Osoyoos border crossing into Canada. We thought we better do this be for they require a passport, so we dorve along the west side of Lake Okanagan, What a beautiful lake, it reminds me of Lake Chelan only much bigger. We drove all the way up to Oliver, which is at the end of the lake. In between was Penticton Kelowna and various other small towns. I was surprised at the big cities, and all the building going on, many housing developments, not many cute quaint towns. We got to Vernon just as it was starting to get dark, turned and went back towards Kelowna nd found a place to stay. The next morning we got on hwy. 33 and headed south down to Kettle Falls border passing. In between these two places were lot and lots of mountain road. We went over Sherman pass, and another smaller one, but Sherman pass is impressive, around 7o20 ft. Boy your ears do some popping. There was one cute little town towards the end of the Canadian side called Greenwood. The town reminds me a little of Snohomish, really cute. Low and behold there was a great yarn store there, and it had really nice quality goods, so I picked up a couple of patterns, you see I'm getting into gear for Knitting Retreat. We got over the border and to Kettle Falls Wash, we had lunch and tryed to contact some friends of ours from Lake Stevens that moved there just before we moved, but sadly they weren't home. So we headed home, got home in time to talk to our Grand Daughter Sam. Love to hear from her any chance we get. Love you so much Sam! So this week I am gearing up for Knitting Retreat, in case you haven't noticed. Katie and I will be heading out Wednesday morning, hopping to get over the North Cross this year, seems in the past it's been close this time of year. So I'll have lots to tell you when I get back. We had a surprise this week end, Lonny's childhood friends were back here in the valley this week end, and we all went out for dinner at a newest cafe here in sunny Carlton, and the food was great and so was the company. The farm on the south side of us is own by the niece and her family of Lonny's child hood friends, and I have to say it's nice living next to a young family. Well I'll be back to blog you next week! L. Knits Plenty Diana

Timely (in good or bad time)

2008-10-07T19:19:00.000-07:00

A local getting ready for winter

The ladies in the class!

What my quilt will look like when it's done

New table

I'm all ways amazed when it comes to good or bad timing, but I must say I've had some good timing lately. Remember our little visitor we had this last summer, Billy the bunny. Well I thought he was going to spend the winter here with us, but to tell you the truth, I really didn't want to take care of Billy through the winter, because it's just to hard with the cold and snow, changing frozen water etc. As much as I loved my bunnies when I had them, all these things that I didn't like to do came back to mind. Well one nice fall evening a week or so ago after dinner, I saw Billy and Jr. playing in the back yard, and went out to watch, so cute, but I was thinking that it's getting cold and I didn't have cage for him. Well not a half hour later, here came Jean @ Tyler, just taking a chance that they might catch Billy and take him home. So, I told them that I just saw him, so he must be close by. So I called him, he usually came when I would call, and sure enough there was Billy in a narrow wood shed, opened at both ends. So Jean and her son blocked Billy in till they caught him, took only a minute, he was just fine, but I could see it in his eye, that he was all ready missing his freedom. Ah, for me it was good timing that they came to get Billy, I was very happy and have visited him often. So my next, good timing, was when Vicki said she was going to take a class at Pacific Fabrics in Everett, so I thought that would be fun, and I needed some inspiration, so I checked on the class, thinking I would surprise her and show up for it. Well that was actually bad timing because I will be at Knitting retreat then. So I got on line and checked out our local quilt shop in Omack, Needlelyn Time. I found a great one day class and signed up for it. that was good timing because the class was starting in a week. The quilt is done by strip quilting, but the really groovy thing is the majority of the quilt strips are all ready cut, and you just have to pick a back ground fabric and a accent fabric. The strips that are cut come in what's called a jelly roll, and the color's match and the designs. So the class was fun, and I met some comical ladies from a town called Molson, which is on this side of the Canadian border, North of Oriville. This town also has one of the oldest ghost towns in the state of Wa. some day I'm going to go take a look see. Then there was another class member and that was Peg, she lives near Omack. Peg, was good timing for me, because she needed someone to go to a quilt show with her this Friday in Wenatchee, see how things work out. So sewing brings me to a resent good timing story. Do you remember about a year ago, I bought from one of my weaving friends a Singer Feather Weight Sewing machine? Well you all may already know this, but I didn't, the sewing machine has it's own table just for it. How did I learn this you ask? Well my dear friend Katie with her quick eyes and wit saw one at an antique shop in Montana, she called and left a message for me, that her and Rick found this Feather Weight Sewing Table, would I be interested? So I called her back, but the shop was far behind them, but that was a cool thing to learn about. Just this last Sunday Katie called and said "Rick and I have a surprise for you, we'll be over in an hour", Wow a surprise for me! Well they came and the surprise was truly a surprise. The same day they found the first table, they stopped in Reardan at another shop and can you believe the good timing, they found another table, the condition wasn't great, but they bought it and took it home, then Rick, a wood artist, took the time to finish the wood veneer and paint it around the edges, and some needed hardware. I am truly a lucky person, to have such good people for friends. Timing was good for my Dad today, he went home and missed the storm, but it was bad timing for me, I'll miss him terribly. Hope all your timing is good! L. Knits plenty Diana

Labor Day weekend in the Methow

2008-09-03T20:00:00.000-07:00

My Dad, eatting a brownie

Kim, who lives in Tonasket

Cathie and her children

Judy

The entertainment, the man on the left is another character here, Uncle Lester

2008 Color - and - Weave Callenge

WOW, Labor day weekend has come and gone. I get this feeling of something ending, and that's true in a sense, it's the end of summer for the children when they go back to school, and for me it's an ending to soon, the shorter day light hours, and the veggie garden that was pretty good, and the plants are saying please for give us but we're just done, let go. It's hard, but then I'm reminded of the things to look forward to, like the Okanagan County Fair, which is this week end. I'm getting ahead of myself, this last weekend my Dad and I went to Saturday Market, which I go when I'm able, and it's especially fun on the big weekends. This summer the markets been not as busy as usual, but that's maybe due to the gas thing, and what ever keeps people close to home. Well this time the market was a buzz with lots of visitors, so like we always do, I get the coffee, and my Dad gets the elephant ear, that my friend Lillie sells, and we sit down by the local entertainment and listen and watch the people, and what they buy, or how their dressed, you know how to do that, it's fun. Then we walk around to see all the vender's and what they are selling. Well one of the venders is an ole friend from my spinning guild from when I lived at Lk. Stevens, The Snohomish Valley Spinners Guild, her name is Kim. When I first saw Kim at the Market you could have knock me over with a feather, she said she had just moved to our neck of the woods in the Tonasket area, she has an glass etching business, and she doe's the most beautiful things, I'm at a loss for words. Then there is a gal name of Judy, she lives about five miles south of me, she has the most beautiful vegetables , and she's consider a character here. Then there's my hard working weaving friend Cathie, she sells her items at the market, and her children's help. The entertainment at the market is usually good, sometimes not so good, but always entertaining. We always come home with something yummy, or useful, the Senior center has a rummage room, and the sell stuff really cheap. Back to looking ahead to whats to come, well this Thursday my Uncle Paul is coming over to visit, and on Friday we're all going to the fair in Okanagan, that will be fun. Just today, my friend Kay and I went to the fair grounds to set up for the weavers from our guild, the display for this year, it looks mighty fine up there on the wall. Then yesterday I got the Knitting Retreat info for Nov, hard to believe it's that time again. So there's lots of things to look forward to. So I guess Labor Day was just the beginning of my most favorite season, Fall. The leaves are starting to change, and we hear that the winter is going to be pretty ruff, but I'll be ready for it, Lonny's just about got all the fire wood cut and stacked, so we'll be warm. I have some projects planned to get done for our sale in November. Well what was I worried about, before we know it it's going to be spring and I'm already looking forward to that. Knitting Plenty L. Diana

We had a visitor by the name of Billy

2008-08-21T20:43:00.000-07:00

Jr. and Billy

Our little visitor

Well it's been 4 months since I've posted, why is that? Well I don't really know myself, I think I get intimidated by other blogs that are so well written, then mine seems so, well you know, but I've been hearing from little fairies, that I've been missed, and I appreciate that. So much has gone by since April, I'll just hit on some of the things that were a high light. In May we went to Rochester N.Y. with Lonny's Mom for his oldest brother's retirement, that was for two and a half weeks. Then I got home in time to finish planting the veggies, and then leaving for Stehekin, for the yearly Spinning Rendezvous, and that was especially fun cause Vickie went with me, and that gives me one on one time to spend catching up with each other, this is nice. Then a couple of weeks go by and Jens and our beautiful and smart, kind and sweet Grand Daughter came for a few days, and we had a great time. Lonny and I had our 39Th Anniversary, we went out to dinner and then drove up to Mazama to see Jay and Vicki at their cabin. In the mean time I've been taking care of the garden, fighting, grubs,chipmunks,grasshoppers and tomato worms, but all in all I think it's been a success, I got 16lbs of Raspberries, Yeah! Seems like I didn't do much, but I must have because the month's have flown by. A couple of weeks ago our Son and our Grand Daughter came over for a week and the weather was hot, Sam and I spent a couple of days down at the river swimming and that was the best. So the signs of fall are showing and reminding us, by way of the change in the weather and the birds are gathering, the humming birds are leaving and the pine needles are starting to fall, it's coming faster than I'm ready for, but I don't have a choice. I am getting those urges to, knit, work on a quilt, weave and spin, but first I need to harvest the garden and enjoy that for a while longer. Tomorrow, Dad and I are going to the Waterville Fair, this is a small fair, about one third of what the Evergreen State fair is. You still get the fair food and I always get free Yeast for baking, I like that. It's a great thing to do with my Dad. Saturday the Guild members for Omak are coming here to spin, and I'm looking forward to that, they're a great group. So you're probably wondering who our visitor was, well one day in July, I think, arrives this little white bunny with a grey nose. Well next door to us is a pet farm, they have a little bit of every thing. So I called and said "I have a bunny in my yard and it's probably yours, so you need to come and get it. Well, they never came so I called again and again, so after about a month or more I finally caught him and took him home. Well we, especially my Dad was growing fond of this little feller, but our cat Jr. and the rabbit were crazy about each other, and play chase, and sleep ed on the front deck together, on and on. I felt it wasn't our rabbit and he needed to be home safe in his own cage. So, when I took him home, I said "If he comes back to my house I'm keeping him" I was sure that would keep him home. Well, just the other day I was out watering and talking to my Dad when something caught my eye, and sure enough, it was Billy Bunny back again. So I guess I have a rabbit, and need to get a cage and all the accessories before winter comes. I hope everyone who reads this is doing well, and maybe you'll be so lucky as to having a Billy Bunny come into your lives. With much Love! Knits Plenty, Diana

Here in the Methow

2008-04-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

Merino X Morit prossed fleece, mmmm love the color!

Jackies first Whidbey spin-in

The Whidbey Spin-in, Hi, Katie

My colors of the sea wrap

Here in the Methow we're know for having four seasons, but I question that, seems lately we have three seasons, winter, summer and fall, spring seems to have decided to be strangely different. Take for instant today, Lonny and I needed to go over the Loup-Loup Pass to Okanagan, well it was sunny and 60 in Okanagan, coming home, at the top of the pass it was 46 and sunny, then coming down into the valley the temp. dropped to 40 and cloudy. Then off and on it would be sunny, then cloudy and hail. My kid's and Grand Daughter called and said, they were getting snow on the coast. We have also had terrible winds, almost every day. I'm very happy to announce that the weather hasn't swayed the humming birds from arriving, yes I saw my first one day before yesterday! So it's been almost two weeks since Katie and I went to the coast for the 37th. annual Whidbey Island spinners and weavers spin in. We left on Sat. morning of the spin in, and arrived at noon, just a couple of hours behind, but we know now if we do this next year, we'll leave the day before. I had a wonderfull time visiting my dear friends from the coast, Dorothy was there, Anna Rose & Delores, but the biggest surprise of them all, was my friend and former neighbor and coworker, Jackie. Jackie had her Lendrum that I sold her, money I needed to buy my loom, and was getting lessons, and meeting some people that lived pretty close to her, so now she has some more people to add to her resource list. Of course the international queen of spinning was there, Judith McKenzie-McCune, So the gym at the Oak Harbor High School was packed with spinners. There were some great vendors there too, and our own Sara Anderson, from Snohomish was present, she and the Tea lady wrote an article in Spin-Off Magazine, on a technique that Sara came up with, and she also had a sweater that she designed and knit, it also won peoples choice at the spin in. So many talented people, and so inspiring. Judith did a wonderful talk on Bison, and some work she's doing with the local Native Tribes, in her area of Montana. She is so awesome to listen to, and the stories are incredible. So at the end of the day, some people leave to go home, and some go to an Inn, because their coming back for the Sunday portion of the spin in, which is some more time to spin and learn from Judith. As for Katie and I, well we hung out with some friends at the Coachman Inn, then decided to go eat dinner at the Flyer's Pub in Oak Harbor. Had a great dinner, then departed for Deception Pass were Katie's parents live and spent the night, in Katie's new A line trailer, we had a great visit with her parents, and went to bed. The next morning, we got up and going had something to eat, and I took off with Katie's car, and she and her parents went of to visit her Brother, who is building a new house. there were only half as many people at the spin in then there was the day before, but Jackie came back too, and we had a good visit and some great lessons from Judith, on spinning Bison, Yak and Cashmere. Jackie is really getting the hang of spinning! The day went to fast as usual, but well worth it. So I found my way back to Katie's parent's house, and that's putting it lightly, I don't have the greatest sense of direction, but I did sort of have some direction and got back just fine. The family was home and Katie, her Mom and I had a great visit, then it was time for dinner, and Katies Dad took us out for a lovely dinner at a Marina that is just a block from their house. So the next morning we were off for home, and arrived safely. Monday was catch up day, then Tuesday our son Jens, would be arriving . We had a wonderful three day's with him, it ended to soon, he left on Friday. So then it was time to get ready for the Monday spinner's day, this is a set day, every second Monday of the month. As usual it was a wonder day, I just love and look forward to this time. Well, I had a good surprise, the fleece that I had bought last year at the Whibey spin-in, had come back from being prossed by Osark Carding Mill, Gail White, an ole friend from my beginning in spinning, and it's fabulous. This is a Merino X Morit, and it's so soft and spongy, and the color is one I've been looking for, for the last twenty years, I hope it spins up really nice. This week was also the week our Guild Challenge was due, well I 've been running around to much and didn't get mine done, but there were some gorgeous things that members did, we had the challenge of doing a color and weave project, an unbelievable effect. Well I'll have mine done soon. Speaking of done, I did get my wrap done that Katie designed, and it is so cozy. Well I think I've rambled on enough, I'm sure I've forgotten something, but I'm sure we'll live. Tomorrow I'm going to Omak to spin with my favorite spinning group, it makes for a great day. Hope April was a great month for you too! Love Diana

It's snowing! That's just not right.

2008-03-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

Laurie calls this the baby hammock

Four little Cashmere Kids, so cute

Just to show you what I started with.

See the new snow on the logs!

My Hair!

Last week,the weather was very nice, but today it's snowing, and that's just not right. I know for a fact that last Thursday was the first day of Spring, because it was my Birthday. So I ask, whats with the snow! Having my Birthday on the first day of Spring is really nice, and it was made even better because I have such caring friends, all during the month my friend Jan was dropping off little gifts and telling me this is your Birthday month, my friend Vicki also holds that policy when it's her birthday. I got Lot's of great cards, but my favorite was from Katie, a rather humorous one. Then Katie took me out to lunch at Glover Street Cafe. If your ever in the town of Twisp you should try it, but like alot of places of business here, they change their opening times and days without any notice. Twisp has a lot of good places to eat and or dine. We had a great lunch, and visit, then off to our Guild meeting. I've been taking my spinning wheel with me to most the meetings this month and I have finally finished the Corridale pencil roving and the black Merino, and now I think I will go on to something I got from a friend who has Cashmere Goats, but is all so interested in the Pygora fiber and gave me an ounce of a pretty red color to spin. So that will be a whole new fiber for me to try. Also last week I went to visit my friend Laurie, who has her hands full this time of year, because she has a huge herd of Cashmere Goats, Romney and Icelandic sheep and it seems they are all having babies. The day I went wasn't as sunny as I had hoped, but those little ones didn't care they were romping around, and sleeping in the most unusual places. Since that day there has been many more arrivals. I rode my bike 15 miles last week, and I haven't since because my back started to flare up and I didn't want to get that started again. I been trying to get out to walk, I started to go back to the Mundey road were it's flat, I would like for it to warm up a bit, it would be more pleasant. Oh yes I can't forget Our Friends Butch & Carol came over for the coast to stay at their cabin at Gold Creek. We haven't seen them for a while, so we were happy for a nice visit . They all so spent some time with me and Lonny on my Birthday, I had requested to go out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant in the town of Brewster, we had a fab time, and the best food. This week I got some carding done, on my hand crank, boy what a difference from Katies big carder. This is a Jacob fleece, I think I got it a couple of years ago at the Whidbey Spinners and Weavers annual spin in. Well before I sign off , I all most for got to mention, I got my hair cut off short, and I can't do a thing with it. I'm not sorry I did it but I hate fooling around with my hair, so I'm really having to learn all over again . So we're all on to April, and this will be the month for the Spin in at Whidbey, I hope to see you there. Knits Plenty L. Diana

Getting what you hope for

2008-03-16T13:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter

My first ride of the year!

We rarely get what we really want, but there is that moment when it does happen, and that moment for me was Saturday. This was just a small hope, because our friends were coming over to visit us,and our area,from the coast, and with some out of town friends. This was a long time friend from the Lake Stevens area, and a long time knitting retreat Buddie, and neighbor to my good friend Dorothy. So JoAn calls Friday night to make sure we were still expecting them, and that's when I had to apologize for the possibility that the weather might not be very good. It's been over cast and cold, also a slight bit of rain. But JoAn said it is winter still after all, and we'll be dressed for the cold. Well I hoped that the weather would change by the time they got here. So Saturday morning came and it had rained, and it was cloudy, and cold. Well, soon it started to show a little blue sky, not much at first, but just enough to make you wonder if it might be possible for it to clear up. Then by noon it did clear, and it warmed up. Now let me digress a bit, to us who live here 40 degrees is a heat wave after a very cold winter, and we're ready to put our shorts on. So around 2 pm JoAn and Don and thier friends arrive, I was so happy to see JoAn, and to be able to share with them our beautiful home here in the valley. First thing we went out to see Lonny's shop (barn), then did the rest of the tour after.I don't think that JoAn and her friends thought it was very warm that day, they were bundled up pretty well.Then we countinued our visit in the house and had a great visit. We all decided to meet in Whinthrop for dnner at Three Finger Jack's, we had great food and I enjoyed the company.But far to soon it was time to leave and say our good byes. I was happy to see my friend. So today is Sunday, and and it's another beatiful day, so I dicided to take my first bike ride of the year, and it went well, I think I did about 7 miles. I surrvived! So next week end is Easter, now that a sure sigh that spring is coming. I hope you have a great Easter! L. Diana

2008-03-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

Just a thiught

The wased fleece, with red tips

It's a beauty !

First run through, just like a dream

First run through, noe we will divide and run it again

Three pounds of black sheep all carded

I took a walk after...

2008-03-11T19:11:00.000-07:00

I took a walk tonight after dinner. I know a lot of people don't like daylight savings time because they get up at the crack of dawn and it's still dark, but I love the longer evenings. So I took a walk after dinner and stopped to talk to Deb and Rozz. The snow is so close to being gone, I was looking around the yard and was happy to see the apple tree survived, we didn't think it was going to, this little tree has the spirit to keep going on. Then even better yet my rhubarb that I thought was gone is now coming up, the thought of rhubarb makes my mouth water, mm mm I can hardly wait. I need to get out in the garden and do some cleaning, since last year I was having trouble with my back and couldn't do it. I got my bike out (do you think I might have cabin fever?) it needs a good cleaning and air in the tires. Well I shouldn't get to carried away now should I. When I last blogged I started to tell you about the machine that Katie brought home from her adventure at the Judith McKenzie week long work shop. Well a year prior Katie had an interest in a electric wool carder, and this year it was ready. How exciting, and it needed to be broken in with some wool before using finer fibers, so Katie asked if I would like to wash my Romney Lamb fleece and then bring it up to card. Well I washed the wool and mostly it was just dirt, hardly and debris, the tips were sun burned just a little, but they weren't weak, I thought the reddish color of the tip would add some color interest after it was carded and it did. Really I wasn't going to worry about it anyway. So I took it up to Katie's last Monday the 3rd and we started to feed it into the toothy jaws of the carder, one after the other till we were just about through, and then there was a slight malfunction . We had put some fiber to close to the chain drive and it got suck up and jammed the works, it wouldn't work right, so we stopped for the day and Katie called Judith and they got it fixed with her advice. So the next morning I went back and finished carding the wool, and the second time through it turned out very nice. Katie is going to put together bats of fibers for spinners and I'm sure they will be beautiful. So then the following Saturday, the Omak guild had their meeting at my house, and you couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day either. There were about 14 of us all together including some from the spinners from our guild here. We had a great time and lots of show and tell, also good food. We also did a "whats this fiber" challenge. I put out little bits of unidentified fiber that had numbers on them, then each person who wanted to participate could mark on a sheet of paper that had the answer, which ones they were. This was fun and a learning experience, I think it was a enjoyable day all together. Then sooner than we wanted it was time for everyone to get going back over the pass for home. Well I didn't have much time to rest on Sunday, because my regular group of spinners were coming on Monday. The group was Small but that's OK, because some of them came on Saturday. We had a nice relaxing time, Sandra came back over from Omak, so that was a treat, and Jan came, that's can be rare cause she's usually busy working out of town, I was happy to see everyone. Tomorrow we are going to Wenatchee, I need to pick up my window blinds I had fixed and we're looking for a new dish washer, so that will make for a long day away from home. I'm knitting on the wrap that Katie designed, I took a break from it for a while, truth be told, Deb got hers done and it inspired me to get busy. I hope all is well with you and you'll be hearing from me again. L. Diana

February and the snow is meltting

2008-03-03T19:04:00.000-08:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The little Gems

The new toy, is'nt it cute!

The Twilight colored pencil roving.

The Snow isn't all gone but every day it's disappearing at a rapid pace, and that seems to work, it warms up during the day and drops down into the twenty's at night. So what do I do with these days that are getting longer, well I've been doing lots of spinning and knitting. Oh and just before Christmas I bought something that I've wanted for a long time, and that's a Singer Feather weight sewing machine. These are old machines, even though they have a model that I think they have just started to manufacture again.So a Friend and fellow member of the Methow Valley Spinners and Weavers Guild, wanted to sell a 1938 Feather Weight Singer, so I bought it from her and what a gem. Val said that her Aunt, who was a expert sewer in her day bought this machine new, well the Aunt took to a cabin that they owned and kept it there for her use. Well everything was there, but the instruction book, but luckily a friend of mine had one and lent it to me to copy. It sews like a dream and it's so cute. Also I'm spinning the twilight painted corredale pencil roving and it's coming right along very nicely. I also finished the little gem fingerless gloves, the pattern is in the magazine that Interweave Press put out at Christmas. This Saturday, my friends from Omak are coming to my House to spin, I'm really looking forward to that, it should be a good size group. Then, the following Monday the spinners that come to my house every month will be here and March is the month we celebrate us living here for three years. Wow! So this month is going to be a busy one, also my friend JoAn and her husband Don are coming to the valley with some friends to visit, so I'm looking forward to that too. So the next time I blog I will be telling you about the new machine that Katie came home with after going to the Madrona fiber conference and the next week going to a Judith Mckenzie-Cune week long workshop. So enjoy the coming Spring and keep on do the things you love to do. L. Diana

2008-02-17T12:10:00.000-08:00

Katie sking up at the Loup (my picture turned out blurry)

Done! this project turned out just like I wanted it too, it's just lovely

This is the next spinning project, can't wait

When the snow starts to turn brown......

2008-02-17T11:10:00.000-08:00

When the snow starts to turn brown here in the Methow Valley, this is a sure sighn that Spring is on it's way. This has been the most beautiful winter ever as far as the amount of sunny days. It's been cold though, but as the weather gets a little warmer each day, so the snow melts and along the roads it's definitly turing brown. Were ever I go I hear someone say, I'm so ready for winter to be over and I'm tiered of this snow, but then they say, but I'm not looking forward to the mud we get in the spring either. One thing I'm gratefull for is that I've been able to get around just fine this winter, I've been able to go to the Guild meetings here and over the Loup pass to Omak, as a matter of fact Katie and I made it over to one a week ago and it was held at Debbie's house, the funny thing is that without planning this, everyone seem to show up with knitting, rather than spinning. We had a great time and I'm looking forward to next Saturday, then I'll go over there again. This last Thursday, at Methow Valley Spinners & Weavers Guild, we had our yearly White Elephant party, now this is always fun. Everyone brings something wrapped, in some manner, it could be a box or as the other Diana did, in a bag for carring hot or cold food. So this is suppose to be things from our stashes that should challenge the person whom recieves it. Boy can some of the stuff be a challenge. After all the fun of finding out what people don't want to keep storing in thier stashes, we had some lovely desserts that Kay made, and Kathy, made two pies and they were not only tasty but beautiful, I made the pie for Lonny right away and he loved it too. So lets see, what have I been doing with myself lately. Well, I finished my spinning project and I'm working on the wrap still, and I started making this cute little fingerless gloves out of some hand spun I did. I've been working on my quilt, just as I said I would, and it's coming along nicely. For a spinning project, I'm soon going to start on a pencil roving from the same place I got the last stuff I just finished. I don't know how many times I have told Vicki, if I'm looking at fiber to buy would you please kick my butt, but you see she's not allways here so some times I just can't help myself, so I just purchased 3Lbs. of jet black Romney Lamb from my friend Laurie, who lives down the Hwy. She bought my friend Diana's Cashmere goat heard, and she also has Romney sheep, and Icelandic sheep, her animals are just beautiful, and I'm looking forward to getting some great pictures for you to see when the babies are here. The things I'm looking forward to are, Spring and April cause I'm going to Whidbey Island spin in, and Jens & Samantha are coming here during here spring break, also in June Lonny and I are escourting Lonny's Mom to Rochester N.Y., Lonny's brother is retiring and is being honored for his work at the college he and his son opened there. Also in Apirl is our guild challenge, and that is still not started yet, but I ussually get things done in time, also my Dad will start coming over to open his trailer for another summer season. Not to for get, but in March I'm having the Omak guild over here and then my spinning day the following monday, we will be celebrating my third anniversary since we moved here. Time flies when your having fun. Well I hope the snow up on the Mt. does'nt go away to soon, cause I would like to ski a little longer. I hope your snow is turning brown, and if you don't have any that's even better. Love to you all! Diana P.S. my spell check was'nt working, my appologies.

WOW! I can't believe I did it again

2008-01-21T13:05:00.000-08:00

Here's a silly kitty, warming his tummy

here it is being spun!

The fiber I'm spinning, on the left is the mohair and on the right is the Corridale

Our day at Katies, L. to R. Katie, Deb, Jan and Diana

What have I been doing, here again I waited for a whole month to post, and my memory doesn't last that long. Well lets see, there was Christmas, oh yes now I remember, we left here on Sunday, and boy was it snowing hard, it took us six hours to get to Marysville were we stayed at Lonny's Moms' house. Lonny's Brother Lewis and wife Cassie were there from Missouri, so we had an opportunity to visit with them, and that was nice. Christmas Eve morning was a very nice relaxing time, Mom, Cassie and I got to have a good visit. Christmas eve afternoon, we went and saw Jens and Samantha for a while, Sam got a Wii game and we got to see how it worked and of course Nana had to try it and fail miserably too. Sam and Jens had a clrinet duet for us and it was perfect.then we got pizzato take over to Ely's place. d see my Dad and of course Ely, who has taken over were I left off when we moved, he puts out a great spread of goodies and drinks, and we eat pizza. Ely loves and collects aluminum Christmas trees, and he collects antique decorations and so his house always looks very festive and cozy. Ely also collects antique Christmas cards and uses them, and he had a fire going on his T. V. a little homey feeling. My Dad enjoys seeing all of us and has a good time, and loves the snacks. We went back to Mom's and when Lewis got home him and Lonny put together a electric fire place we got his Mom, it has a real look of a fire place, with a mantel and fake flames, no really it was very cool, and she loves it. So Christmas d in the afternoon we went to my brother Bob's house and his wife Cheryl, for dinner and gift exchange, but when we got near there it started to Snow,I guess my Dad and Uncle were there be for us and the tiny bit of snow scared them off and they had left, so after awhile my Brother and Lonny went and got him so he didn't have to miss out on all the fun. Soon Ely showed up and my Brothers Daughter Erin. We did the gift exchange and had snacks , then soon ate a great dinner and had a great time. Well the next day we left and it was snowing in Marysville, and when we got to around Lk. Stevens it was really coming down, and when we turned on to Hy way 2 it stopped and we didn't see any more snow till Startup. It only took five hours to get home this time, and boy were we happy to be home! So now the New Year is here and boy have we had the snow, we have about three feet in some places, Lonny has a path to his barn with sides. Well I talked to Dorothy on the fourth and am so happy I did, I miss my dear friend so much, we talked about St. Distaff's Day or Rock Day to some, this was a day when women would take a day off from spinning and weaving and have a day of visiting with others, well spinners have of course used this day to gather and spin. Well we are no different here, katie had me, Jan ,Deb and Diana over for a day of spinning and sharing and a great lunch, and the day went way to fast. I embarked on a new spinning project, with some fiber I picked up over a year ago at the Oregon Flock andFiberfestival, some hand painted corridale, my plan is to be more consistent in my spinning and end up with what I had planned on. My spell check has stopped working boy am I in trouble now! So since the first of the year, I am continuing with my allergy shots and I've been trying to ski every day, Lonny made a trail for me and connected it to a road across the Field from us, it takes me about an hour if I do it twice, let me tell you what a work out it is, when I'm done I'm soaking wet and have to be careful not to get a chill after. We have had such a beautiful winter this time, it's been sunny and blue sky's, it's cold , like this morning 10 below. When I went skiing and started to sweet I could feel how cold it was on my head like it was going to turn into ice. I'm going to finish a quilt I started before we moved, that's my plan and I'm sticking to it. This is the time of year that our guild has to get serious about the challenge that was given us, so I've researched it and have decided on what I'm going to do and now I just got to get to it. Also my friend Katie has continued to design knitting patterns,and this time has make a kit out of the idea, it's a wrap and from the very moment I saw it I knew I wanted to make it, and it comes in so many color ways, when I finis it I'll show you. I promise not to take so long to write, and bore you with such long ramblings. Spring is around the corner and I'm also thinking about my Stehekin trip in May. Have a great rest of January! Love Diana

The sale went without a hitch but I did'nt!

2007-12-17T19:41:00.000-08:00

One of the many towels

The Romney mixed with Mohair

Our new home for the Spinners @ Weavers

Here it is a little less than a month since I last posted. I should know better , because I have the worlds worse memory. I do remember that I worked really hard one getting my back better by knitting retreat. Then coming home and preparing for the Spinners and Weavers sale, I had sold so many of the towels I had wove, that I had to start a whole new batch and that took some time. I've been going to the Chiropractor and twice a week taking allergy shots and that seems to take up lots of time. I finished, what I call a a life time spinning project, only because I would get bored and put it away and start something else that I'm sure will be way more fun and usually is. I finally finished and I'm very happy with the results. So we are always excited at the guild when the Holidays are here, because it's time to gather all the projects we've been doing just for the sale and set up for the sale. Well this year was different, in that we were changing the time and place, but with the support of our community, local paper and the local radio stations, the word got out. We moved into the new studio that one of our members built, and is so kind in sharing with us. I can hardly express the joy we have for this new building. This is a building that is large has lots of windows and lights, also heat which we were lacking in our last building, not that there wasn't any heat, you just couldn't notice it. So the sale went without a hitch, but I didn't. I volunteered to help on Saturday, Katie came and picked me up, and off we went to meet our public. Well when we arrived we were so surprised on how many things had already sold the day before. There was still lots of beautiful things yet to go. Well a couple of hours into the day, I was digging through some bags looking for tissue paper, and BAM! I got a hitch in my back. Well I knew I wasn't going to be able to finish the day, then came along Katies husband Rick, and nicely offered to take me home. Boy it took clear to Monday night before I could walk normal, but I'm doing fine now, but I won't stop holding my breathe yet. The sale was a huge success, we couldn't have asked for better. So now we are already planning strategies for next year, will it be the year for blankets, maybe towels again, it's always fun. Now , after the sale I was asked to weave a couple of more towels for some friends to give as gifts, it's always so satisfying to be a part of that. The spinners that meet at my house on the second Monday of the month came and we had a great time, Jan was back from her many travels and responsibilities, so good to see her. Our Friends, Sandra and Ingrid that come from Omak. This is always one of my most favorite days , love you guys. Now in December our Omak guild has a Christmas party, and boy howdy it's a good one too. Debbie opened her house to us all, and we had a regular Christmas Feast. There is also a gift exchange of hand woven towels, or if you don't feel like a towel, well then something else hand made. I was in the towel exchange, and my towel was made by my friend Ingrid, and it is beautiful.Thank you Ingrid! Katie and I left for home before dark, full and feisty, I'm mean festive! With your beautiful gifts in hand. So todayI got my Christmas card off in the mail, with a sigh of relief. I would like to wish all of you a merry Christmas and stay safe through the Holidays. Love Diana, Mom @ Nana

2007-11-19T19:53:00.000-08:00

Opps forgot the group picture, L to R Dorothy, Carol, Holly, JorJan, me & sitting JoAn

What did I bring home on my fall vaction? Part Two

2007-11-19T19:19:00.001-08:00

After we finally unloaded the car, we went our separate way, only because Katie stays on the top floor and I'm down on the second floor. When I walked in the building an old feeling comes over me, kind of like coming home, because there sat my friends of twenty years already there and waiting for me. There was Dorothy, who's birthday it was, and Carol, JoAn, Holly & Jan, my partners in knitting crime (if there is such a thing). We've been sharing this area together for a few years with another group. Now, you have to know there have been up to one hundred and fifty of us knitters at this retreat, and allot of them have been coming for as long as we have. So I get my chair all set up, and by the way I got this really nice new chair too, it has a table on the side and a bunch of pockets, I'm styling. Holly brought some home made soup, so we all decided to stay and eat that for dinner so we could catch up on the last year. I promised Lonny I would take care of my self, rest when I needed to and all that, well I told him when Dorothy says she going to bed then I will too. So when Dorothy said she was going to bed, I soon followed. In the morning, well let me not bore you with to many details, but we do get many of our meals there at the forts fairly new and very nice building were they have a restaurant feeling help your self cafeteria. Some of the most laughs we have have been there. As the days go on, and we have hit some new knit shops and some familiar ones, we continue to enjoy each others company, as we do every year and will continue to. When it's time to pack up and leave and take that group picture as we always do. I'm standing at the railing waving goodbye to my long time friends, all the emotions come and I'm thinking how lucky I am to be able to continue doing this every year. Crying comes easy, because I know it's going to a whole year before we do this again. So what did I bring home from my vacation? The sense of being cared for and loved, and knowing that because of something we have in common, knitting this will continue to bring us together year after year. Diana

What did I bring home on my fall vacation

2007-11-07T10:12:00.000-08:00

Beautiful hand dyed yarns, by Heidi.

Port Gamble Wa.

What did I bring home on my fall vacation? Well lets start from the beginning. My vacation is, every year at the same time, same place, and I love it that way, because I have learned that I am most definitely a creature of habit. This has been a habit now for twenty years, some people smoke, or fix cars etc, I go to my knitting retreat at Fort Warden. Now this was the first year in some time I have broken a tradition, I usually drive to Everett and pick up my friend Carol, and we have our routine. Well since I've moved this routine has become difficult because of the long hours of driving. So it only made good sense to change that and make a different plan. Well a year ago Katie moved here, and lives only a half mile from me. I originally knew of Katie from going to Knitting retreat, she had her friends there that she hung out with, and she lived in Seattle. Over the years when we were working on this house, I would run into her at the Saturday Market in Twisp, she told me she was also planning on moving here. Well long story short she did move and I'm grateful she did for many reasons, but one being she and I can drive to retreat together. Change can be good sometimes, and this has been good in that Katie knows and goes to many different places then I've ever been. So our route this year was to travel over the North Cascades highway, take I-5 to Edmond's and drive to Port Gamble, because there is a new spinning and knitting shop right in the beautiful down town area. The shop is called The Artful Ewe. The shop is owned by Heidi Parra, and she dyes beautiful yarns and spinning fiber and I came home with some. Then we were off to Bainbridge, well Katie has her trusty map with her and as Katie will be Katie we took a back road and found our way there just fine and pass up all the heavy traffic areas. The yarn store we were to visit is called Church Mouse, and its a very trendy yarn store. The store was having a display of Fair Isle knitted items, being Katie is prolific at this style of knitting she had plenty to offer them. So I believe I found the prefect cup of Espresso coffee I've ever had, after we went to Church Mouse we decided to get a snack so we went to a coffee shop called Black Birds Bakery, very awesome. So then it was time to go back up island to get to our destination, Fort Warden. We arrived about four thirty and unloaded and headed to our rooms and to see our friends. To be continued! Diana

Sometimes all you have to do is.....

2007-10-28T14:52:00.000-07:00

The Rancher and his toy, but runs like a champ!

Here is just three out of seven or eight machines. Th second from the right was built in 1884.

Here L. to R. Me, Karen and Betty Jo

Hello there!

Sometimes all you have to do is walk out your door and look around and see if somethings out there that you missed seeing or maybe it could be a small ride in the car to discover something new and beautiful. Yesterday was a day like that, so unexpected and surprising. Yesterday was Saturday October 27, and all I was expecting was for Katie to come pick me up for a trip over the mountain to go to the spinning and weaving guild meeting, that you often hear me mention.

So around ten A. M. Katie arrives, we load up and head out, we had a brief stop in Omak, for Katie to pick up some field seed, then we headed for Conconully. The weather was OK, kind of overcast, but comfortable, but the ride up the conconully hwy is always no matter what time of the year is just so pretty. We arrived a little early, so we decided to drive around town, which only takes two seconds, but they do have the oldest post office in the state of Wash. now that's pretty cool, the spinning day was to be spent at MJ's house. M. J. had her home so cute with Halloween decorations, but most of all when everybody showed up there were fifteen of us, now we are all from all over the area, but most the time those of us who come from the Methow come the farthest, but it's so worth it. We did do a lot of dicusstion about future projects and some things were decided, so next year things will be interesting and educational. Around two thirty Katie and I got ready to head to our next stop, Katie had arranged for us to go to this Alpaca farm in Oroville. The adventure begins, Katie knows a way to go on some back roads to avoid having to travel back down to the main hwy. So off we go, and what a feast for the eye's, we still have some fall colors here and that was a treat, but there were all these little lakes and cute cabins, forest ands ranches, the scenery was beautiful, Katie and I were like saying look at this and look at that, unbelievable. We started up at around two thousand foot level and as we were coming down we could see Mt's. and hills sides, then it started to get to be more ranches and farms a little closer together , we knew we had to be closer to the hwy. Suddenly on the side of the road Katie spots these old tractors all lined up, and there was a man out there messing around with one of them, so we asked him if we could take pictures and of course he said yes. So we took some pictures and then the guy says would you like for me to start this one up and we said yes, well this tractor was a 1912 what ever, but boy it started up first crank, yes I said crank. Well we had to go, so very soon we were to the hwy just south of Tonasket, we headed north to Oroville. Soon we came to our turn and found Alpaca Cloud Ranch, right on a lake called Soyoos, and part of this lake is in Canada, so we were very close to the Canadian Boarder. Katie knew she was at the right place, because here were all these adorable Alpacas milling around in the corrals. Karen is the owner, but we also had a surprise, there also was Betty Jo Roberts there to greet us, we were in her neck of the woods too. We went in and had some one on one with these gorgeous animals, and getting up close with the babies, so fun. Then was the real fun, and that was getting to see all the lovely fiber that these prize winning animals produced. Of course we had to go home with some and one of us more than the other. It's getting late, so we had better head home, not even thinking that there would be another surprise, but oh my stars, the sunset heading back up the mountain was spectacular. What a surpise of a day! I hope my dear ole friends and my dear new friends that you may have a day were you walk out your door and find something totaly unexpected. Diana

Fall is a time to share and make soup

2007-10-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

Even though it was grey and wet near Levenworth, the colors were so beautiful!

I always love the fall season, as do many people I know. I was thinking just this weekend about my dear friend Dorothy, and how beautiful it is to drive up her quarter mile drive way when the leaves are falling and the colors are to die for. Saturday the thirteenth of October was a beautiful fall day, and that was the day the Omak spinners guild was meeting at Ingrid's house. Luck would have that my friend Vicki just happen to be at her cabin at Mazama, the north end of the beautiful Methow Valley, and she was available to go with me ,and my friend Diana too. So we piled into my car and off we went up and over the Loup Loup Pass to Omak. I love going to Ingrid's house , it's so interesting and she has her weaving room right by the kitchen so a person can go in there and be inspired and just enjoy. There were I think about twelve of us there and as usual we are all fine cooks and love to eat and share soup, salads and desserts. We really do finally sit and spin, talk and share. I love my time with all these people. Then during the week I got to take care of Katie's kitties, and she has a very shy one that hides and won't come out, so there have been times I wasn't even sure she was there, but after a year of taking care of them off and on, I was there one after noon talking to the other cat Pushkin, and getting their food and water something caught my eye and there standing right by me was Teasel. Well I told her how honored I was and how beautiful she is, she made my day. Katie came home on Wednesday, then on Thursday Lonny and I left for the coast, then Katie will take care of Jr. for us, I'm so grateful that katie loves cats and it makes me feel good knowing that he's well cared for. I went to the coast, because I had a Dr's appt. and this Dr. is retiring, so it was the last one ever after twelve years, and then he tells me that the Dr. I was thinking of going to in Wenatchee is retiring too. After the appointment we went to Lonny's Mom's house and she took us out to dinner. The next day Vicki picked me up and we went shopping, I have been needing shoes for ever, we have shoes around here but for some reason they think their shoes are worth the price of gold. We ended up at the outlet center in Marysville, I have never been there, and we found all kinds of things we would have bought if we had an endless amount of money, but we don;t and I bought two pairs of shoes and called it good. We had lunch and then we went to Joann Fabrics and drop off some cash there. I loved my time with Vicki but soon she had to take me back. That evening Lonny and I went to Ely's and picked him up for dinner out. We went to the Olive Garden and had a great dinner and visit. It was raining so hard and of course it was the weekend of that terrible storm, but after dinner we went to Top Foods, because I forgot my tooth brush, and then we went to Micheal's crafts, that was fun walking around there and looking at all the fun things they have, we are easily amused. We went to Ely's Starbucks store he works at and got to meet his co workers and the beautiful new store, it was truly nice. Well we had to take Ely home an say our goodbyes, it's not easy, we love you so much. The next day we got up and headed home, but first we went to Jen's home to drop off a coffee table and to visit him and Samantha. It's always so good to see them, and even though it was a short visit, it was a good one and then again it's hard to say good bye. Love you Jens and Sam! When we left it was grey and rainy, Yuk! and it continued to be that way all the way to Leavenworth, but by the time we got to Wenatchee the sky cleared and the sun was out, we knew we were close to home. That's a great feeling. I hope you are enjoying the fall and cooking your favorite soups too. Diana

This one is for you Holly

2007-10-10T20:09:00.000-07:00

The first weekend in September is the Okanagan County Fair. I was there all weekend demonstrating drum carding, I couldn't sit so I stood the whole time. I entered four things, and got blues on them all, but on this skein of your I also got a Reserve Champion. So now it's October and the temps are dropping. We've had twenty degree mornings already, which made my Dad decide it was time to go home for the winter. The fall colors have been really awesome this fall and we even had a little rain, it's only rain maybe a total of two days this whole year. So thanks to Holly for calling me and wondering if I had fallen off the face of this earth, I will be back to writing in my blog!

The garden was beyond our expectations! The Kids, Jens and Sam came back in August and we ate allot of things from the garden. Here's Sam with one of our mouth watering water melons, this was a volunteer from last year, we got three big ones. Lots of corn, beans and potatoes. Also in August Something went awfully wrong in my lower back, but it's coming around now just in time for knitting retreat, I can't hardly wait!

Got four of these monster towels off my loom! My friend Jackie from Lake Stevens came for a visit, and we got her started on weaving and had a great visit, and then early in August she came back for a weaving lesson with our esteemed leader Kay. I enjoyed our visit so much!

Jens and Sam came to visit the last week of July, Sam turned 11. We always have a good time. Love you Jens and Sam!

Hello to all my friends and family! It's been since the third of July since I've posted. So I'll just briefly with pictures do a run down of what I can remember about my summer. Well here's some fire works we watched at Brewster, they have this fab show right out in the Columbia River, we went with our friends Ray and Jenine, oh yeah, we also had a great meal at a Mexican restaurant there too.

Fun was had by all!

2007-07-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

The wild flower picture

L To R Me,Betty, Katie and Deb

L To R Mj,Thresa,Eve, Betty,Liz, Sandra and Deb

Hello! I'm still feeling good about my time in Stehekin, even though it took me several days to come out of my jet lag of being away from home, I don't know how people travel, I guess you get use to it. So before last week end I finally felt better and prepared to go over to the guild meeting in Omak, but really the meeting was at Betty Jo Roberts house and she lives between Tonasket and Orville. Katie drove, thank you Katie! So it was me, Katie and Deb who went from our valley. I had never been any further than Omak for years, now you see, I'm not much of a traveler, and it was a beautiful day for this trip. It probably takes an hour and a half or so to get to Betty's' house, but before we got there we saw some beautiful scenery, what a lovely area this is. Oh, and of course we stopped for coffee at a very nice espresso place near Tonasket. We were the first to arrive and so we got a nice tour of the house and the best choice of chairs to sit in for spinning. Betty is an extraordinary person and I think shes been like a pioneer in her life, I don't know all the details but for those of you who don't know of her she has been building spinning wheels and looms for years, not just ordinary things but works of art. She spends hours collecting wild flowers and drys them to put in her wheels and looms, she also puts the flowers and butterflies into pictures. I can hardly touch the surface of what she does. While I was in Stehekin, a friend Norma gave me a box full of butter flies and I had told her that I was going to take them to Betty, so I did and she was thrilled to get them, so thrilled that she gave me one of her pictures she does with her dried flowers preserved in resin. So soon the others arrived and we had a good size group to visit with and spin. There was as always a pot luck, and oh my it was awesome. Then after that Betty took us on a tour of her flowers and her wood shop. It was a very pleasant day for us all. Soon it was time to say good bye and hugs all a round and we were off for home and lots of good memories with us. So now I have to get myself ready for this weekend, because I'm going to be at a garage sale extraordinaire, this is huge, and I'm going to sell the towels I just took off my loom, and most of my rubber stamps that I collected over the years, and if I can get to and find some antique do dads for the kitchen. Maybe I'll finally sell this antique spinning wheel too. Wish me luck! Diana

The Stehekin Valley Ranch

2007-06-26T19:38:00.000-07:00

Vicki thinking about her wonderfull time she had on her way back to Chelan

Nora, who will help Lindsey with her knitting

The roomies,in back Vicki, in frount LtoR Marge, me and Alice.

So sorry you had to leave a day early, LtoR, Marilynn, Evelynn and Debbie from the Omak area.

Welcome Lindsey to knitting, I'm hoping this is something you will find life changing !

How time flies, it seems like it was just a few weeks ago that I had been to the Stehekin Ranch owned and operated by the Courtney's, Cary & Cliff, also many family members. Here I was getting ready to go again, but this time with my good friend Vicki. She arrived Wednesday the 21, late in the afternoon, we had a good visit and we took Lonny out to dinner with us, we went to one of our favorite hamburger joints " Mick & Mickies " in Twisp. then we came home and finished getting things in the car for our trip. So the next day, we left here in my car about 6:45am and headed South down the Valley to Lake Chelan, we hardly saw another car on the way, it was a beautiful day too. We arrived at the Lake Chelan Boat Co. in plenty of time to unload and then to load on to the boat, also to park the car. When we arrived there was a few of my friends there from the Coast and Mariylnn and here sister Evelynn from the Omak area. So good to see my ole friends from the Coast, it had been a very long time, lots of hugs all around. So we loaded onto the boat and off we went. This was Vicki's first time on this trip so that was really fun to share it with her. While we were traveling up Lake Chelan, I noticed a young woman with her Mother, and she was trying to knit, I watched her for a while and thought it would be so much easier for her with just a couple of minutes of help, so I sat down beside her and asked her if she would like some help and she said yes. So I spent a few minutes showing her how to cast on, and how to pick knit. She was off and running and it pleased me so much to see that, I told her I would check on her because she was going to work for the summer at the restaurant in Stehekin. When we arrived we caught the bus to the ranch, that's nine miles from the town. We arrive just in time to unload our stuff and say hello to the friends that are already there and in time for lunch. The food at the ranch was so good this year. Thirty of us spinners were all there by Friday and what a great time we had, I got lots of spinning done and a pair of mittens , and lots of eating done. Saturday night after dinner and before it got dark, some of the staff from the Stehekin Restaurant, and there was Lindsey, the young lady from the boat, I was so happy to see her, she said she liked her job allot, and I told her I would introduce her to a local lady I know that would be glad to help her with her knitting. Show and tell was on Sunday, and you wouldn't believe the awesome things people brought to show . So much stuff I can't even begin to mention. We had such a great time and Vicki said she really enjoyed her self and would like to do this again. We bunked in cabin ten, with Alice and Marge. Alice and Marge were up in the loft, and Vicki and I were sharing a queen size bed. This arrangement works out well, and Vicki and I didn't kick each other out of bed. Monday came so fast and it was time for us to leave, we had some time before the boat came so we did some sight seeing. When we got to town there was still some time so we went to the Stehekin Restaurant for a soda and Lindsey was working, so we had a minute for a few words and an introduction to my knitting friend Nora, a hug goodbye, and we'll keep in touch(I hope). Off we went on the boat to go home, and it was over for another year, so sad. I'll be looking forward till next year, to see my dear friends again. So now it's back to the ole grind. Well I have Knitting retreat to look forward to in Nov. When I got home the veggie garden had grown so much in those five days I was gone I couldn't believe it! really am glad to be home. Love Knits Plenty (Diana

Knitting is still exciting in the Methow

2007-06-14T11:04:00.000-07:00

Sitting on the deck at the Ranch! Last years roomies, sitting in the commons area were we gather and have meals.

Hi, yes I'm posting again this week, but I had to tell you the great news. Went to knit night at the gallery and we got two new people who came for their first time wanting to learn how to make socks on two circular needles, how cool is that. They have been knitters, but had never tryed this method, so they started very well. It was a great evening. I'm also getting pumped cause in a week I'm going to Stehekin to the spinning Rendezous, which will be the 25th year, but this is my third year. Vicki is going too, and this is her first time. For those who may not know were Stehekin is, it's at the north end of Lake Chelan, and the only way to get there is by plane or boat, well you can hike in too from different trails. But me I take the fast boat from the Chelan Boat Co. It take around one and a half hours. We'll arrive at Stehekin and then we catch the bus to the Stehekin valley Ranch nine miles up the road. On the way we stop at the bakery to pick up pies for the dessert after dinner. What a wonder full place to be with good friends and peace and quiet, no phones no T. V. Well I'm off to Weavers guild today. Hope your having a great day too. Knits Plenty

I'm having grass envy !

2007-06-12T12:44:00.000-07:00

Towels on the loom, the pattern is "Monks Belt" Instant Grass

Putting down the top soil

Well after much moving of rocks and dirt, then adding top soil, Saturday Dad and I drove to Wenatchee and picked up some sod. Got home around three and Lonny had it all down by dinner time, instant grass. So it seems now we are having grass envy and are thinking about looking into hydro seeding, so more about that later. Well I got my towels going and I'm enjoying the process of weaving them. I really like to go to my weaving room and put on some nice relaxing music and just get in the zone. It helps that there's nothing worth watching on T. V. I'm also reading a trilogy about a young Norwegian girl growing up in the medieval time of Norway. The first book is called "The Wreath" second is "The Wife" and last"The Cross". The name of the author is Sigrid Undset. I enjoyed the first one very much and I'm just starting the second and so far it's good too. Well yesterday was Spinners Monday here at the house and we had a very good turn out, there was eight of us all together and we had a wonderful visit. Afterwards Katie and I went for a walk on the good ole Munday Rd. the road I walked on all last summer and I missed doing that, so it was really nice to start that habit again. Today I'm trying really hard to get the last of the garden planted. It was cold this morning, only forty eight degrees, but it did warm up quickly. Some bad news, I have two friends here that husbands are having serious health problems. My friend Val who is my T.O.P.S. Buddie and a member of the weavers guild, husband George has had a very serious stroke, and my friend Diana's husband just last night went into the hospital with Congestive heart failure. Well all the rest of us can do is keep on keeping on I guess. So I think I'm going to finish the garden and go do some weaving . Love Knits Plenty

Second time around

2007-06-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

L-R My Dads brother Paul, me and my Dad, standing by our Sun Burst Locus

My line dance buddies, thats me in the middle with the groovy hat!

Now this is knitting in the Methow!

Well maybe two times is a charm, because last night I had my whole posting all done I was down loading the pictures and playing solitaire too, and boom, I clicked on something wrong, and bam it was all gone. So here I am again, and my story hasn't changed. Last Friday was the big live band at the Whinthrop Red Barn, which is were allot of functions are held in the area. This was our first opportunity to try out what we learned at our line dance lessons. Great fun was had by all, we did find the music live was allot faster than we were use to, but we were warned about that. All in all we did very well, but we just heard yesterday that our dear teacher Debbie has an injury to her foot and may take the summer off (excuses, excuses). No really, we couldn't have asked for a better more patient person. This blog is suppose to be about knitting in the Methow, well I've been doing that among other things too. I just finish a hat and mitten set out of my hand spun of wool, this wool had been carded and designed by Linda Frymier , and then I knit another hat out of the same yarn. My next knit project will be some fuzzy mittens similar to the ones I post a while back (blue fuzzy ones). I'm hoping to make a couple of pairs for mine and your favorite gallery " The Ashford Gallery" in beautiful down town Whinthrop! Since the first of May I've been trying to warp my loom for some towels. This has been put back till the last couple of days, for one reason the weather has cooled down and it's been raining, so upstairs to my weaving room I can go. I had only made two threading mistakes and they were easily fixed. So now I'm on my way to about six towels. So my Dad has decided to put some grass around his trailer, so today Lonny rototilled it for him, pictures to come later. This week is "Wednesday Knit Night at the Gallery" I Hope everyone will be there. Hope we get some more rain before the week is out, than it can stop. Have a groovy June! L. Knits Plenty

Up Date on Butterfly !

2007-05-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

Seems our little Butterfly decided to stick around for a couple of days, so I got this really good picture of it before it disappeared.

Happy memorial Day weekend!

2007-05-27T15:59:00.000-07:00

The beautiful visitor! The Rock Rose

I must say I can't believe it's been a month since I've posted. This has been a great month for good weather, a little cooler than last year and a bit to windy. So most of us that are always behind on things to do in the spring, like the veggie garden, are lucky this year,cause being behind will likely to pay off. We've had some mornings here recently that were in the thirties and people have lost their tomatoes etc to frost. All I've planted are potatoes, and then this week the rest. The strawberries are doing so good, as a matter of fact today there is a bright red juicy one out there right now, also the raspberries are doing fabulous and there are going to be plenty of them. I've been sick this month with ear infections, all brought on by the irritation of pollens. Two rounds of antibiotics and some steroids will bring me around to my feisty self again. Don't think that this has kept me from my activities, not in the least. It did put a dent in my line dancing, my head and my feet just didn't connect. Now June 1st at the Red Barn in Whinthrop a band will be playing and they play for line dancers and the group that I dance with are going to be there and try out what we've learned, that will be great fun and an eye opener. This weekend has been fun, but of course we are getting lots of traffic going by. Went to Twisp yesterday to meet Vicki and a friend of hers, Dawn. We met at the Saturday market, we toured around there for a while. Always lots to look at, I found this great bead of a frog, this was made by a local artist, it's so cute, then we went to Whintrop and did some looking around. Boy allot of people love to come here and I can't blame them. I just finished reading a book called "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs. This was a fun book to read, any of us that are in with knitting groups and different kinds of close knit groups will relate to this story, with a surprise ending. So to close for now, and I hope you like the pictures, one of the rock flower, we have lots of these in our yard, not everyone has them, the conditions need to be just right. The little flower is only about an inch across. Then the visitor I had at the front door just today, and I think it's a monarch butterfly. Love to hear form every one, I get a little lonesome for my friends. LoveDiana

Hello, I'm still here knitting in the Methow!

2007-04-29T19:22:00.000-07:00

Manure producer ! So cute Square knitting needles

Weeds in the garden, house and Dads' trailer in back ground

Yes it's true, I'm still alive and well. I thought you were all tiered of my ramblings. So I thought I would give you a break, so here I go. So many things have happened since I last posted, a couple of things I remember is Jay and Vicki coming over here to their cabin, and what a great visit we had.Then I remember going to spin at Conconully, and what a beautiful day that was. Katie came with me, then we meet Ingrid and Mary and drove the Conconully Hwy. the hills were just gorgeous covered with the yellow Daisy that grows prolific here.The sun was shinning and you couldn't ask for more. We met at Elaine's house, that she alone has remodeled from an old log cabin to a beautiful log cabin. She is also a dog musher and a potter, also a weaver. There were thirteen of us and it was a lively group. Betty Jo Roberts was there and she was full of lots to tell us. For those of you who don't' know who she is, well shes a weaving loom builder and she also builds beautiful spinning wheels and has done this for years. There is a Yahoo group that is for Betty Jo Roberts, you should look it up if your interested in such a interesting person. Shes' ruff and ready at all times with a heart of gold. I haven't gone to my knitting groups much, they kinda wind down this time of the year cause people get busy with outdoor things. I'm still going to line dancing though and I still love it. Oh, I forgot to mention that Betty Roberts showed us her newest invention, square knitting needles, straights and circular . She said that she has had trouble for years due to Arthritis in her hands she could no longer knit, she also has a digit missing on her right hand, now how this happened I'm not sure. So I bought a circular from her and asked her what size the needle was and she said "I don't know" so I looked at it and said it's about a 5 or a 6, she said" looks about right to me".Betty says she can knit again now with these square needles. I gave then a try and they do work very well, but the edges sort of made my hands sore. So I've been getting serous about the veggie garden, I'm not sure what I'm going to plant yet, but first the weeds need to come out and the goat manure goes on, then rototiller it. My Dad was helping me today, I really welcome the help. Lonny was gone to the coast this last Friday and Saturday, he went to surprise his Mom with some of his other siblings for her 87th Birthday, and also to pick up some more of his stuff he's had farmed out over there. While he was gone, my Dad and I went out to dinner in Whinthrop at a place I've mentioned before "Vittles", it was so good. Then on Saturday we went to the Saturday Market in Twisp, this market is a fun place to go, and more so as the growing season goes on.It's been very windy here, so that drys things out really fast, so I'm watering allot already. I've been hiking down to the river almost every day, I love this walk, I see and hear so many wonderful things. Hope you've had a great April and have an even greater May! How'd we get from Jan to May so fast? Love you all "Knits Plenty", Diana

Time flies when your busy having fun!

2007-04-13T16:49:00.000-07:00

My finished Tea Cozy, the center is woven in Huck spot lace then embroidered. The final woven lace projects! If only you could see these in person !

Sam in Winthrop, looks like she hitching for a ride up north, hmm.

Easter Bunnie!

Wednesday the fourth of April , Jens and Samantha arrived around three in the afternoon. It was so good to see them, and My Dad arrived a little before them. So then we spent time getting his trailer really for another summer.Then that evening we all had dinner together, it was nice. The next day Sam and I went to town to have your coffee time together, she got to see the owners of "Cool Beans" in Twisp and had a nice visit. They told her when she's old enough she can get a summer job there.Like every Thursday it was Guild day for the Methow Valley Spinners and Weavers.It's a slow day of the month were we get together and just talk about anything. Then Friday morning we had horse back riding lessons with Lori, and Lori surprised me again by inviting me to ride too. It was such a beautiful warm day, we spent alot of time grooming the horses for this was thier first ride of the year and boy they were dirty and hairy. That was great fun! Jens love astrology, and brought his telescope with him because on a clear night you can see stars forever. We did see Saturn with its rings, that was so awesome. Saturday morning early we went to an Easter egg hunt at Perrigan Lake near Winthrop, it was set up really nice and had an Easter bunny for the kids to get pictures with, Sam is ten and was in that age group, but Lucky for them there weren't that many kids, so they got lots of fun things in there Easter Eggs. Friday the 6th was my Dad's Birthday, 85. So Saturday we had a Birthday/Easter dinner , with ham etc.Then Sunday morning came and it was over, Jens and Sam had to leave, but I told Sam it won't be that long befor she will be back. Love you Sam! So then Monday was Spinners Monday at my house and we had a great time visiting, Laurie brought her Icelandic sheeps fiber that she had prossed into roving, and it is just beautiful.There's nothing like sharing an interest with people and sharing ideas.I love these Mondays. So after Monday it was crunch time, the Guild challenge poroject is due on the 9th. So lesson are learned when you put off what you had a year to accomplish. I didn't get it done till the last minute and I suffered for it. If anything could go wrong it did. I finished it , and I must say it turned out just fine and was a hit at the unveiling of our projects. So Dad took me out to dinner and we went to "Mick and Mickes" for hamburgers and a beverage, Mmmmm good.So tonight Dad and I are going to the Native American feather dance put on at the Merc Playhouse in Twisp, I'm looking forward to it. I did finish the other Nordic style mitten and they turned out fab. Now I must get my shawl done and start working in the vegetable garden, cause next moth I'm going with Vicki to "The Stehekin Valley Ranch" for the spinning rendezvous, Opps thats in June, well what can I say I'm excited! Happy April and keep on keeping on! knits Plenty

Samanthas visiting

2007-04-05T10:30:00.000-07:00

Samanthas drawing of a woman Japanese warrior

Sam with Jr.

I would like to introduce to you my Grand Daughter Samantha!

Hi my name is Samantha. I visit my Grandma as much as I can!

I think my grandma is the best. I love her so much! On vacations I spend most of my time in Twisp. When I am here I like to visit my good friends Tony and Lee. Tony makes the best snicker mocha's. They own "Cool Beans" in Twisp. I also like to visit with my Grandma's cat Jr., he's a very sweet kitten. Today I am planning on visiting my friends Tony and Lee to have coffee, also I will be going to spinning and weaving guild. Later on I will be working on my scrapbook for my horse back riding teacher, Lori. Friday I will be taking horse back riding lessons with her. Thank you for reading this page. Have a great day!

Kaye Collins at Whidby Island Weavers and Spinners Spin in

2007-04-03T19:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter ! Jackie, Sonja and (Sinjeh Sp) we do knit too, not just eat.

Laurie was the first to finish a sock!

Heavenly, knitting while I'm getting my feet rubbed.

So many good things have happened in the last week. Wednesday March 28th was knitting at the Ashford Gallery. I got a special treat from one of our twisted sisters Jackie. She is a reflexalogist (Sp), and wanted to give me the works for helping her with her knitting, even though I was more than happy to help. Oh my, was that an experience I'll never forget. What a fun group, Sara of course, Jackie and her mother Sonya,Deb,Laurie, and I don't know how to spell her name, I'll have to find out. Then Friday Lonny and I left for the coast, went and saw Jens our son and had dinner with our other son Ely. Was good to see them and all was well. Then we stayed at Lonny's Moms' house. The next morning I was off to meet Vicki, Dorothy and Anna Rose for a day of spinning and catching up with each other at the Whidbey Island Weavers and Spinners Guild 36th Annual Spin In. Boy howdy were there lots of vender's there, selling everything you could think of that you might need to help make your spinning even more enjoyable. So we got there around ten thirty and the rest of the day went by so fast I couldn't believe it. One of the reasons it went by so fast was the guest lecturer Kaye Collins, who is an expert on camelids, these are camels, llamas and alpaca. She has a HGA sponsored certificate of excellence, level l &ll, in hand spinning. She was a great wealth of information and passionate about the subject. I really learned allot. Before we knew it it was time to say goodbye to Annie,Fonell,Anette,Mildred,Carol,Evelyn,Pam and our new friend Aurora. Before our goodbyes we got together for dinner in Oak Harbour, that was a great end to a great day. We had a beautiful ride home the weather was clear and sunny. I would like to thank Jay for making Vicki and I such a fab lunch and Vicki for the gift of a back pack and all the goodies she put inside. A great time was had by all. So now I'm looking forward to tomorrow, because Jens and my Grand daughter are arriving, and also my Dad is opening up his trailer for the summer season. My Dad is having a Birthday on Saturday, he will be 85. So lots to look forward to. Enjoy your Easter for those who celebrate it. Diana

Knitting and Weaving in the Methow!

2007-03-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

The Nordic Mitten

The warp put through the reed
The warp through the heddles

The beginnings of my lace, the Swathmore lace

The Methow Spinners and Weavers Guild has a great project every year and if you look back in some of my post I briefly speak of it. Well this year it is woven lace. So I finally got a start on mine.I'm using a white mercerized cotton. Now, the way I came across this cotton was through a purchase I made many years ago at an estate sale, when I purchased a table loom. All kinds of things came with the loom,books, notebooks on weaving , workshop note books and a life that was no longer with us. A woman who loved to weave, I could tell by the many projects that she kept track of, carefully keeping notes, lovingly putting samples in so one day when someone long after she was gone would find some treasure in all these items. I remember how excited I was when I found this lady and her loom, I all most got a ticket in Snohomish for speeding, but was given a warning instead. So when I got home I marveled at the site of all these things and thought of what I was going to with them. But sadly I never did weave on that loom, but sold it to purchase the loom I have. With the hope in my heart that some day the knitting, spinning, weaving,quilting etc. will mean something to someone and give them the inspiration to go on to try what brings happiness to their heart. So back to my weaving project! This cotton was already in a warped chain, so all I had to do was put it on my loom. What happens when you don't start from the begging? Well you end up sometimes with something you didn't plan on. Because I waited till the last minute to get started on this ( it's due the second week of April) I'm sort of stuck to figure something out. The warp is very long, but didn't come out very wide. Now if I had done my figuring out on paper I would have known that. I did think of something to do when all is said and done, that I'll show you later. I've been almost avoiding working on it cause I'm not very inspired ( there's that word again). I will forge ahead and do the best I can. Even though spring is here I'm still finding the time to knit, and the example in the picture of the Nordic style mitten. I have one done and the other on it's way. I got this pattern from a book called "Folk Mittens" by Marcia Lewandowski. This book has been around for a while, but I finally got around to making something. The yarn that I used is my hand spun, the fiber is Merino-Targee cross breed sheep.I'm very happy with the yarn. I also have some news about me getting a new spinning wheel. It belonged to my dear friend Vicki, but she was looking to buy a new Jensen wheel.This is a Country Craftsman wheel, but I haven't got any information on the maker yet. I have been spinning on and find it pretty fast, but I'm catching up. I really think I'm going to like it. So then that brings me to having a wheel for sale. I'll do another post on that later. I'm heading over to the coast this Friday, and Saturday I'm going with Vicki , Dorothy and Anna Rose for Oak harbor for the "Whidbey Spinners and Weavers' Guild 36th Annual Spin-in" This is a really great weekend, I'm only going for Saturday even though it's for the whole weekend. That's about all for now. I love hearing from everyone so keep it coming. Knits Plent! Diana

Whats New

2007-03-23T19:34:00.000-07:00

This is the cover of the Birthday card Sara gave me, the art work is by a local artist by the name of Corrinna Luyken.http://www.corinnaluyken.com

Whats new? Well last Tuesday was my Birthday. I had a great one too, Lonny washed my car and vacuumed it and took me to Wenatchee. The weather was beautiful, sunny, but a little cool.We did the rounds, CostCo, Wally World, JoAnn Fabrics etc. So happy Birthday to me. Wednesday was knitting at the Ashford Gallery, Sara gave a gift to the person who had knit the farthest on their sock and the winner was Laurie. She got clear to the turning of the heel but she is no beginner and has done socks before. Had a great time, and Sara gave me a birthday present and a card. Saturday our friends Jay and Vicki are coming to their cabin and I hope to see them. I'm now working on my weaving challenge project, and I'll soon have pictures. So have a great weekend. Knits plenty

Helping friends with knitting challenges

2007-03-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

Sara's Betty Jo Roberts wheel, it's a beauty!

Debbie Christopherson

Check this store out if you ever get to Winthrop!

Last Wednesday night I went to the Ashford Gallery, that is owned by my friend Sara Ashford and her husband Don. Don is a potter extraordinaire, he makes all the beautiful pottery in this store. Sara is also an artist,she does many things, spin, weaves knits, but most of all she is an artist of natural dyes. She has spent a couple of years studying with Michele Whiplinger. Sara has such an artistic eye for color and makes it come alive in silk. This shop is eye candy, but now she's taken it a step further to add a greatly needed source in this valley and that is top of the line yarns and needles. So this all brings me to helping friends with knitting challenges. Sara has been for several years offered help with spinning and knitting by opening her store after hours for a inspiring time of sharing. So last year I started going every Wednesday night and what a great group of gals. We are all so different but knitting has brought us together. So Sara asked me if I would help get the group started on a sock. We are using the book "Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles" by Cat Bordi. So last Wednesday night we got started,some of these gals are beginners. I thought they did really well, it's hard to see this method in your head if you don't have some experience and in truth I had never done this method, well I did, but different in that, I knit two socks at one time from the toe to the end of the cuff, with an after thought heel. So the same idea. So here are some pictures of the shop and the beautiful Debbie Christopherson, my friend and neighbor, who is the fastest learner on earth. This is an awesome life and these are awesome people. Diana

Did St. Patrick Knit?

2007-03-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

Heck I don't know! Have a great St. Patricks Day!

March has been exciting!

2007-03-12T18:41:00.000-07:00

Color and weave towells with twill structure.

Ingrid, with her hand woven blanketsKiki learning to knit with M. J. Kiki has red hair.

Well here it isn't even the middle of march and it has been exciting! Lets see, last Thursday was the Methow Valley Spinners and Weavers guild meeting and it was exciting. Kay Reiber, has broken ground for a new building next to her house that will house a studio for her and a large room for the guild to rent from her. This building will be so nice. For one thing the floors will be heated, so during the winter our little feet will stay warm. Room for all the guild looms and library. So back to the guild meeting, Kay gave a lesson on color and weave. We also did some practicing drawing draw downs of different weave structure. This I kinda knew about cause the towels I sold at the guild sale last nov. were a color and weave with a twill structure. Are you impressed? Ha Ha. Any way it was very interesting. We also had a great show and tell, so many beautiful things.

So then there was Friday and I was taken out to lunch and a nice walk.

Then came Saturday, Jan came and picked me up, then we went and picked up Diana, and we all headed up over Loup Loup pass to Omak. Did the Wally World stop, then went to Ingrid's house for a great day of spinning and enjoying each others company. Ingrid has the most lovely house in what I would call a canyon, surrounded by huge rock hills that are awesome when the sun shines,cause there are so many beautiful colors that come out. That day went by so fast, what a great time.

Then today, Monday was spinners here at my house. The month of March is my anniversary of moving here and this month is two years. So we have a pot luck, it's kinda my way of throwing a party for me and everyone brings food, pretty good huh. It's been two really fast great years. To add to it, the snow almost disappeared today. I'm a bit worried that we will get some flooding, I'll let you know.

I'm so disappointed cause line dancing was canceled tonight. I Really love line dancing,It's such a great way to exercise and not know your exorcising.

I wanted to mention who was here today for our celebration, Diana,me,Jan,Sara,Ingrid,Katie,and Laurie. Thanks to you all for such a great day.

Oh! I for got at Ingrid's we got a new person who lives in Omak and she wants to learn to spin, knit and weave etc. Her name is Kiki. So welcome Kiki and happy spinning to you. And happy spinning to you too. Diana

See what you think

2007-03-08T11:53:00.000-08:00

Today is a beautiful day. Well about a week ago my really good friend Jan Kuester took me out to lunch. She's gone allot cause her job takes her out of town and then I miss her. So we went out to lunch at a fairly new restaurant call Black Birds, and it's in Twisp. We had a great lunch. While we were visiting she said " I got you something on my last trip to Montana". The package said, Grow a Farm and in side it was this little sheep. So later I read the directions, and here are the results. The directions were to put the little sheep in some room temperature water. Than in about 2 hrs it would grow twice it's size. It took over night. I won't get any fiber off it but it did grow! So I'll just buy my fiber and save myself the time.

The weather has been so nice I've been back to walking on my favorite rd. the Mundy Rd. I've even have gotten to know some of the people there. One of my friends is Annie, she's a very nice lady from the south many years ago. Her husband Bud has lived here in the valley his whole life and has never left it. Anyway yesterday she saw me walking and called me to the house. The next thing I knew I was inside to have coffee and a visit. This was so great, we got better acquainted and I left knowing them even better. Annie likes an occasional glass of wine so I think we'll have to get together soon. Make new friends it will make you smile. I'm off to guile. Kay is giving a talk on color and weave. That's what my hounds tooth scarves are. Knits Plenty Diana

Mittens and Eagles

2007-03-07T10:38:00.000-08:00

The majestic bald eagle
The mittens

Yesterday was beautiful and warm. I went for a walk and wore my beautiful new mittens that I just finished. I wanted to wear them before it gets to warm. Yesterday I also saw a beautiful sight of wildlife.There are lots of deer here in this valley and sadly there are many killed by cars. There was one deer dead not to far from our house near the hwy, and it attracts different kinds of animals such as coyote, and all kinds of birds including vultures and eagles. Well I was distracted by something outside and there eye level in a tree in our back yard were two huge immature bald eagles and two mature bald eagles. Where is Jr.? Well when I called him he came running like a bat outta hell. So then I got my video camera out and spent some time capturing some footage. They are so awesome to watch, and majestic but they kill pets. So this makes me crazy to have them sitting right there not 20 feet away. Of course Jr. is band to the house for his own safety. They aren't even afraid of people not even if you holler, scream or bang pots and pans they just look at you like you're crazy. So I can only hope they finish up their fabulous meal and move on. I really do feel lucky to see such a beautiful sight. So enjoy your surroundings, take a look above your nose once in a while and maybe you'll see something as awsome too. So I started my hand spun Norwiegin style mitten and I think it will be pretty cool. Knit on! Diana

Welcome March

2007-03-04T10:49:00.000-08:00

Last years challenge ! Fat quarter bag

Woven hounds tooth scarves.

Groovy air balloons!

Welcome to March. This is the month we know for sure that it's close to spring. Even if the weather doesn't cooperate. There are many things going on in this valley, and last night we went to one of them. First we went out to dinner in Winthrop at a place called Vittles a cowboy cafe.We have been there once before and had a great meal then and had a great dinner last night. It has a great feeling of being in the west, try it some time. Then in the town of Winthrop there was a air balloon show, where three balloons are on main st. and when it's dark they make the balloons glow. Now this is a whole weekend of ballooning but we just go to this event. I haven't been totally idle lately. I did Finnish these three scarfs that are wove of baby alpaca and silk in a hounds tooth pattern. In total Iv' made seven since before Christmas. I'm done with hounds tooth, stick a fork in me I'm done! Then because I do miss working with fabric and need to Finnish a Quilt I started I decided to sew a small project just to get the hang of my sewing machine again. I made this bag that's called the fat quarter bag. It's huge and holds allot of stuff. This project turned out really well so now I'm ready to Finnish my quilt. But first I've got to also get started on my challenge project for the spinners and weavers guild. Every year the guild has a challenge project, last year we did a really fun one. We each got a photo that was draw out of a sealed envelope. Then we did some color studies. Then it was up to us to choose a project to do from all of this. So this year it's woven lace. It's not like the lace you have on a pillow case or on a handkerchief. So I have lots in mind as to what I'm going to do. I'm all most done with the mittens I'm knitting accept the last thumb. Then I have some hand spun I'm going to make a pair of mittens in the Norwegian style. I can't wait! So the rest of this week is same ole same ole. Monday night line dancing we've learned the electric slide, The rose,The cowboy strut and The smooth oh yeah the Cha Cha. Next Saturday I'm going to try to go to my guild meeting over in Omak again. Sighning out, Knits Plenty Diana

The word inspire

2007-02-27T19:19:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I only write once a week or maybe every other week, but today I was so inspired to write again today. Why do you ask am I so inspired to write again. Well, do to a call from my older son Ely I was inspired to think of who influenced me (that's another word to think about another time.) Who has inspired me. So then I had to shrink that thought down to a couple of subjects only, knitting & spinning. What Ely had told me was, a friend of his, who may be reading, this told him that I had inspired her when she was still in her teens, when she experience seeing some of the knitting and spinning that I had done. That she now in her very early thirties has taken up the inspiring art of knitting and had her first spinning lesson just last week. I am moved, because you never think that you could be an inspiration to others, except maybe your kids, be that good or bad. I was born with the need to hold some kind of needle, be it sewing or knitting or even the crochet hook. I begged my mom for a sewing needle so I could fashion a dress for my dolls, at the age of six I learned to knit from my Mother. I then taught my friend Lynn to knit and we would sit together even then in my little rocking chairs and watch cartoons on a Saturday and knit. So I guess I could say my Mom inspired me just from watching her. Than in High school she taught me to crochet. Instead of studying in study hall I would crochet squares for an afghan.Than when the kids were little and needing some kind of use of a needle I took up knitting again. So soon I was on my way to a wonderful journey. I was so inspired by Elizabeth Zimmerman, I bow down to you. Thank you so much for inspiring me. I could go on and on about her and so could so many other people. I think some times just a smile to a stranger can inspire, or a kind hello, but to think all those years ago this young girl just happen to know a guy who's mother is a knitter and a spinner and was inspired. I'm moved to tears. Who has inspired you today? Thanks Ely for the call, you inspired me to remember that someones might be paying attention and you may not know it and not find out for years to come. Knits Plent (spinning I'll have to tackle another day)

The new knitting fashions and coffee is good!

2007-02-27T11:17:00.000-08:00

Well thanks to Holly, I now know what I'm going to knit soon! This is whats showing on the N.Y. run ways. Boy let me tell you I'd even get looked at oddly here in this valley where the is already lots of oddness around. Well I'm really glad someone has the visions for the good taste we all should have. So while I'm thinking about what to knit, I'm also thinking about my espresso that I allow myself when I lose weight and think of the fun I have with my beautiful Granddaughter when we go have coffee at Cool Beans in Twisp. She always gets a snickers, mm mm. Last night was line dancing and we had a very productive time and lots of fun. My brain and feet actually connected. This doesn't happen often so I'm a little concerned. Not really! We did find out we have something to look forward to since we really don't have any were to line dance around here. We are going to have a dance on June 1st. with a band for doing dances like line and swing etc. So I'm really looking forward to that. So we had some snow again last night, but I sill got up and went to T.O.P.S. What a great group of people, I really enjoy their enthusiasm and their spirit and compassion when someone really needs it. Now I must get off and decide what I'm taking to knitting today, I've got one mitten done and just started on the next, they are so cute and fun. I leave the shawl for quiet times, soft music and no interruptions. So have a great rest of the month cause it is soon to be March. Love always, Knits Plenty

Ok, Ok , so I jumped the gun

2007-02-25T11:25:00.000-08:00

Well it seems it's still winter here. So I jumped the gun a couple of blogs ago. Talking like spring was around the corner. Ha, I was wrong. Yesterday I was going to over the Loup Loup to Omak to catch a ride to Connconully to go spinning with my Omak guild. Well I got up early and started to get ready and about 15 min. later it started to snow. This is Sunday morning and it hasn't stopped yet! We have gotten about 5 in. Which isn't allot unless your tiered of it. This does give a new opportunity to play in the snow before it's all gone.So yesterday I spent most the day working on my shawl, I'm all most out of the tress, thank goodness. So it's back to plowing snow. You know I think it's really pretty and so I think I'll enjoy it after all. The last post I made with the recipe search,is my friend Holly who has a great web site called Heritage Recipes.com Shes looking for these recipes so if anyone out there knows about this let her know. The pictures are a comparison of the snow last week till today. Well what should I do today? Oh I know after I do all those things that have to be done I'll knit.Diana

Old Recipe Detective: Artichoke Foam, Pumpish and Apple Sour Cherry Pie

2007-02-24T19:42:00.000-08:00

Old Recipe Detective: Artichoke Foam, Pumpish and Apple Sour Cherry Pie

You know it's not to long when...

2007-02-20T13:02:00.000-08:00

You know it's not to long when you see the sun hit the top of McClure at sun rise that spring isn't to far from now. Also when the snow starts receding and Jr. can get really close to the bird feeder. The quail have been showing up, this too is a sign. Today has been a good example of how not to get to excited, started out very sunny and right around noon it started to snow, that was a short spurt and now the sun is shinning. Lonny was planning on going to Omak to pick up some lumber, so we checked out the new traffic cam on the loup loup hwy.There was snow on the road, but not bad, so he's off to give it a try.

Been working on my shawl, it's been difficult cause it's so easy to make a mistake no matter how hard you try to keep track. I'll hang in there. I'm also knitting a pair of mittens from some yarn and a pattern my friend Katie gave me, and there really cute. Their done with a skein of sock weight yarn and a skein of lace weight mohair held together, I think I might try this with a sock patt.

I'm heading to town to get my hair done (wash away the grey) looking forward to that. Then off to knitting at the Catholic church.

Last night was my third class at line dancing. My brain just wouldn't connect to my feet. Your teacher assures us it takes allot of practice for it to come natural.

Tomorrow is weaver & spinners guild, and we are going to watch the video done by Judith McKenzie spinning exotic fiber.

Saturday I'm going to Conconully to spin with my guild over there, I all ways look forward to that.

Because I've been so lazy about blogging, I think I forgot to mention that a week ago Jens came over, just for the night to get help from his Dad on his brakes of his car. We had a very fun visit. Jens went with me to line dancing but he watched his ole mother trying her best.

Hope to hear from you! Love Diana

Thinking, how lucky am I !

2007-02-10T20:01:00.000-08:00

Today for some reason I'm thinking , how lucky am I . Well I have a great husband who enjoys what he's doing and finds pleasure in knowing I'm doing the things I love to do. I have great kids, who are adults (most the time) and are very different in their own ways but I love them both and I'm all ways surprised when I all most sure they think I'm pretty OK too. I think, how lucky am I for having the best Grand daughter ever born! There are so many things I want to share with her. How lucky am I for having so many great friends, each with their own ideas to share and to except me for me. I'm so lucky to live were I do, to be able to drive down the hwy and stop to watch a bald eagle fly by. To see the beauty all around me. I am grateful for all of this. So I begin to think of the things that I have to look forward to in the coming months, like my Dad coming over here for the summer and how lucky I am we still have him here to be in our lives. How lucky I am to have spell check, cause without it whom ever reads this would be going crazy by now. So today was one of those rare days to take note of these things and share them with the people I love. Knits Plenty (Diana)

Yes it's true the snow is

2007-02-09T14:36:00.000-08:00

The snow is melting! We're trying not to get to excited, but it's warmed up and there's hope for it to be gone. Don't get me wrong we like the snow but the cold weather that comes with it has worn on every ones nerves here in the valley, Every were I go that's what I hear, "boy will I be glad when the snows gone and the temps rise".

Well It's really been a long time since I have posted, but this time of year is so slow. There is one thing that I've been doing and that's line dancing with my friend Diana. It's for beginners and boy are we that. It's fun and great exercise. The picture of Diana and I was taken at the class, but the guy taking the picture didn't get our feet in so I'll try to get a better one. Lets see, oh yes I made a trip to Whenatchee, and think I'm jinxed cause after arriving there at ten am I shopped at a store called ShopKo for about an hour, I went out to my car and had a flat tire. So I called Les Shwabe to come and put air in it. That took an hour for them to show up, then I had to go to the store to get the problem fixed and that took an hour. That's two hours out of the short amount of time I have to get home before dark. It takes 1 1/2 hrs. to get there, so the hours your on the road is 3 hrs. So anyhow I decided not to let it bother me.

I added a picture of Jr. warming his tummy in front of the fire place, your sooo cute , we love Jr.

Yesterday was Spinners and weavers guild, and this time every year the second Thursday of the month we all ways have a little party to break the winter up a bit. This is so fun because everyone brings a container of things they don't want , or things they want to share, or junk. It was great fun cause people can steal things from you if it's something they want. I ended up with some very nice weaving cotton and in great usable colors.

Tomorrow is spinners in Omak, at Sandra's house. So I'll probably leave a little early to shop at Safeway and Wally World. Can't believe it's been a month all ready since I've been. Looking forward to it.

So what have you been doing to get through the winter? Knits Plenty (Diana)

Not all about knitting

2007-01-30T11:01:00.000-08:00

Hello from the beautiful Methow Valley! If you are receiving this e-mail and your not sure how to get into the rest of my blog, just scroll down the page and you will see Knitting in the Methow in blue. Just click on that and it will take you there. Check it out, I have some pictures and some ramblings.
Well we had a great week-end, on friday morning we left here to go to the coast. We where going to the retirement party for a friend who worked with Lonny at the bus garage. It was great for Lonny to visit with some of the people he worked with for so many years. We stayed at his Moms for the night. Then the next morning Lonny's sister took us all out for breakfast. Lonny got to visit Gary at breakfast, talking about cars etc. We went to the Marysville golf course, the food was great. So shortly after that we left and headed to Jens place to visit him and Samantha. It's always great to see them. We got home around four in the afternoon.
So then on Monday it was cold and overcast, but we still have things to do. One of the things to do was to take Jr. to the vets to catch up on shots and a general check up. The vet says Jr. needs to lose eight pounds, join the club Jr. So the pictures are of Lonny and his Mom and Jr. at the vets.
Hope you all take care of your selves. Knits Plenty(Diana)

Being subversive is'nt allways bad

2007-01-23T13:01:00.000-08:00

One of the members of the Methow Spinners and Weavers guild brought an article from a magazine she gets. I'm not sure of the name of the magazine but it was written by a Molly Marsh. This article is written about knitting and it's new revival in the world. She writes;Knitting is hip. Subversive even.She later writes,The meditative and spiritual qualities of knitting can also yield inward revolutions. It can be healing to stitch in a corner by yourself or in a group, working with your hands to create something beautiful out of a ball of string. For one thing, you can't rush. You have to slow down and focus on what's directly in front of you-a salve for the over processed, over analytical mind.

Perhaps one of the biggest benefits comes in stitching with others. Knitting circles are places for connection, for sharing the, the bad, and the ugly. After all, most of us don't knit because we need to make our own clothes (buying the sweater is actually cheaper); we knit because we need each other.

Well said!

So I'm soon to be leaving to go to the Catholic church to our little knitting group to be subversive and to share knitting and what ever else comes to mind. Knit On! Diana

January the slow month!

2007-01-22T11:05:00.000-08:00

Boy this month has been so slow. It just stays cold,I don't think it's gotten above 25 for what seems like such a long time.
But here in a place place like the Methow Valley there's no excuse for being bored.For me going to my Spinners and Weavers guild is a great change in my attitude being with people that have the same interest and excitement for the same things is invigorating.Here we have winter sports that are fun such as snow shoeing. My friend Katie and I went snow shoeing Saturday. We traveled up Valley, almost to the end of the road were they close the gate on hwy 20 over the north Cascades.I need to go back to the start,this is an organized hike and starts at the Freestone Inn. There were five other hikers and two guides.This took about two hours and was just beautiful.We also spotted the tracks of different wild life and identified trees. Boy what a workout. I thought I was going to be sore the next day,I wasn't! So then that evening we got a call from ours friends Moon And Diana. They asked us if we would like to meet them in Twisp for a concert put on by the organization Cascadia,this organization supports local talent in the area. So we went and had a great time. So many talented people here.
So the picture is proof that I do go out in the cold and enjoy it.So it's off to my studio to do some weaving today, then do some boring everyday stuff like go to the post office etc. So fine something you love to do and take the time and Do It! Diana

2007-01-16T12:39:00.000-08:00

Dear Katie

2007-01-16T12:29:00.000-08:00

I'm so sorry I forgot to mention that you were also at the Monday spinners group at my house.
Katie had the most beautiful bat of miscellaneous luxury fibers. The colors were so great but when spun lost it a little, but I'm sure there's a way to spin it and keep the colors from disappearing.
Well I'm off to knit at the tuesday afternoon knitting at the Catholic church. It's a great day to stay inside and knit, It's cold. Burrrrrr

We never get enough!

2007-01-15T11:12:00.000-08:00

Hello from the beautiful Methow Valley! Well it's been a week since I've posted and I have so much to tell, but I'm a little afraid that I won't remember what I wanted to say.Makes no sense.
The last time I talked about Rock Day. So I'll start here, the following Monday was spinners day at my house which is the second Monday of the month. This is also the day that the group I use to meet with on the west side meets at Dorothy's house. It's a fun day to spend catching up with friends that are spinners. We all bring our spinning wheels or maybe not and share, visit ,eat, spin and generally solve the world problems.We had a very good turn out, Jan stopped by but she had a harp lesson and couldn't stay.Diana was there finishing up some unknown wool that she was sick of ( we've all been there).Our friends from the spinning guild over the hill in Omak came, that would be Ingrid and Sandra. Ingrid is finishing the same wool that I'm finishing, which is a Targee/ Merino.Deb came with her brand new Lendrum wheel and is spinning some local Icelandic wool, she was so excited and loves her new wheel. Sara who is a very busy business owner has committed to spinning and knitting this year, right on Sara. She is knitting for some soon to be here grad kids.Sara spins on a Betty Jo Roberts wheels, who's is a well known wheel maker from Orroville.
Tuesday is the knitting day the knitting group meets at the Catholic church and some of them are starting a new project knitting a lace scarf. Speaking of lace scarves my is coming along but I've had to pull some of it out, oh well that's the way the knitting rips.
So just yesterday Diana and I took a trip over the Mt. to Omak to Ingrids house for the meeting of the guild there. This is a great group and allot of fun. This happened to be the meeting that is called the soup pot meeting. So if your coming to that one you bring things for the pot of soup or what ever you want to bring or nothing at all, it's very relaxed.So it was nice to catch up with the group
So It hasn't been getting above 10 degrees here and drops to well below 0. But it has been sunny, that helps. This morning it was snowing at 8 below.
Well I help all is well with you and yours. Talk to you soon. Diana
P. S. Picture # 1 My Targee Merino ( turned out pretty groovy, #2 the guild at Omak and ) and # 3 Our host Ingrid, Thanks again Ingrid.

Celebrating Rock Day

2007-01-07T13:16:00.000-08:00

Well here it is already the seventh of Jan. Yesterday was rock day, and Jan, Kaitie and I celebrated by spinning all day. We had a great time visiting and one of the questions on our mines was what in the heck is Rock Day. Most spinners I know celebrate it, so I looked it up and found out it's a real thing not just an excuse for spinners to gather ( not that we need any excuses). Well to make a very long story short It's the day,which was also know as rock day( referring to another name for either the distaff or the spindle) indicated that this was the end of the Christmas festivities and the return to the normality of spinning whenever there was a spare moment.As Anthony Fitzherbert, wrote in his book'Boke Husbandry' (1523) it's stoppeth a gap...it saveth a woman from being idle, and the product was needful'.
Oh my gosh! Am I glad I can spin when ever I want. Spell check doesn't even recognize stoppeth or saveth. Well in the end it's always a great way to start the New Year for us spinners. Spin on spinners!

Well we're waiting

2007-01-05T20:20:00.000-08:00

We're waiting for the next storm. The weather report is thirty mile an hour winds and five inches of snow for us and of course more farther up valley. I just talked to Jens and he said there already getting the wind on the coast.Well it's 8:30 pm.Friday night so we'll just wait to see.
The plans for rock day are changed. Instead of going to Omak I'll be staying here in the valley, as a matter of fact I'll only have to drive a mile to Katie's house. The group in Omak aren't meeting till next Sat.That's good something else to look forward to.
Well I think I finally recuperated from the holidays, so I've started one of the knitting projects I talked about earlier. That's the lace shawl I've been wanting to do for years. This is an Evelyn A. Clark design for Fiber Trends called the sheep shawl. For five years I have been selling my friend Diana Mullins Cashmere yarn that she produces from her heard of cashmere goats.She has paid me with skeins of yarn of cashmere .So my goal has been to make this beautiful shawl. So here's the start of it.

Weather the dictator~~~~~

2007-01-03T14:36:00.000-08:00

As it does sometimes seem like the weather is the dictator of the day. Yesterday I was looking forward to the first time of the year that the knitting group would meet, but it decided to rain ice. by the time I left here and got to Twisp the road had gotten very icy and the ice built up on my windshield,so I turned around and came home because I thought it was the smart thing to do and that was the right decision.
So this morning I thought because it seemed to be warming up nicely I would make a trip to Omak. When I left home it was sunny, by the time I got to Twisp it was snowing. So I decided to shop in town and go home. I don't usually let the weather bother me, but this year has been so unpredictable.
This Saturday is St. Distaffs Day. I'm hopping to Make it to Omak to spin and celebrate with spinners there. I'll miss my friends that I would go with on the west side and will be thinking of them a lot. So Diana, Katie and I are looking forward to Sat.