Animal Tales

I am thankful for a lot of things in my life but I want to take a special moment to be thankful for the animals who share our lives. This is Shadow, my 9 year old daughter's "baby". Shadow is a Russian Hamster. When we moved to another state during Christmas Break last year, my daughter had a really rough time. She is shy and to uproot everything and everyone she has ever known was especially difficult. She needed a friend. So she picked Shadow. Shadow has helped her tremendously by being her little buddy that she could confide in whenever she didn't feel safe to talk about her feelings and frustrations. As A. (my daughter) said, "Shadow gave me confidence".

We came home this holiday weekend to find that Shadow had passed away. She was struggling for a few weeks but it was heartbreaking when my daughter carried her hamster to me and said, "My baby has died." A. cried all night and most of the rest of the weekend. She talked that she wished she had one more moment with Shadow and also talked about how she wished she had given Shadow something special.

I told her that animals that share our lives are gifts. Shadow's gift to her was to give her support and confidence until she could make new friends and get comfortable in her new home. I told her that A's gift to Shadow was her heart. She cared and loved Shadow and gave her a good home and took good care of her. I told her that it hurts so much because we love so much and although that doesn't feel good right now, it is a good thing. So we will take one day at a time to ease the heartache and when A. feels she is ready for another "buddy", we'll find one. Mommy is as heartbroken as A.

Meet Jaguar (left) and Tigger the supercats. When my daughter was potty training, she was showing her obstinate side. We had an older cat, Gracie, then and A. wanted kittens so badly. However, she knew she wanted two and one had to be black. Dad promised her we'd find kittens if she would just use the potty. Well, potty training came and went and we could not find the "right" kittens. We looked everywhere and A. was not satisfied. My husband and I decided two kittens would be better because then they could keep each other company since Gracie was growing old.

We were travelling back from a park one night in late August. It had been raining the previous days and the air was cool in the 50's. It was dark and we were travelling a country road. Up ahead there were two sets of eyes in the middle of the road. I thought they were baby raccoons. Hubby stopped the car and went to investigate. There were two of the tiniest kittens huddled together to keep warm. They were not used to humans and wouldn't come. A french fry that the kids had left over was the bait. The poor things were starving. We bundled them up in a baby blanket and took them home.

Many weeks went into nursing these kittens back to health before they even had enough weight to be vaccinated. They were flea infested, had their whiskers chewed off, and were only an inch wide behind the ribcage. The vet said we found them just in time; they would not have made it through the night. Unbelievably, these were the kittens A. described and wanted and even more unbelievably, they were not from the same litter. They had found each other and had survived by keeping each other warm.

Both are very pampered housecats. Jaguar is the independent one but is a huge "lovey" whenever the kids go to bed or when A. is crying. Tigger, although now 18 lbs, is afraid of his own shadow and is a "Mama's Boy". He follows me around and talks to me until I sit down to pet him and snuggle. They have been wonderful and we love them so.

The cats' gift to me was being able to love and care for them during a difficult time in my life after my father died from cancer. I was lost and needed someone who needed me even if it was two little flea bitten kittens. They have been a blessing in more ways than one.

Simba, my 80 lb. gentle giant, is a Rough Coat Collie, just like Lassie. He is now 4 years old. I grew up with dogs but have always been more of a cat person until Simba. A. (my daughter) always wanted a dog. Let's face it; she would bring home anything that moves. Haha. J. (my son) never showed an interest when he was younger and also seemed to be afraid of dogs. But then again, J. was a serious young boy who tended to worry about a lot of things including playing outside by himself (until Simba came along). Eventhough he is two years older than his sister, when he was little, he relied on A. to always be by his side. She was like his protector.

Frequenting zoos and pet stores is a favorite past time of ours. We love animals. So one cold day in January, we stopped at a pet store while out running errands. We always love to pick our favorites. Well, Simba was mine. He was as small as our cats at the time and just a little bundle of fur. I asked if I could play with him and the most amazing thing happened. My son, who never showed an interest in dogs, could not wait to be lifted over the cage to play with the puppy. He laughed and he played and he said, "I could play with this one all day long." It was amazing.

After a few days of debating, and much to my husband's chagrin, I wanted to get Simba. We brought him home on a night with 26 below windchill factor and going outside with him every two hours was an event! He was so tiny that he could not climb the one porch step by himself. This dog was smart! He was bell trained, potty trained in about a week and he has learned so much. He is the only self disciplining dog I know who will put himself in his kennel if he does something wrong while we are out. Usually, he is feeling guilty for sleeping on the couch. Haha. Since we moved here, he has full reign of the couches so doesn't feel the guilt any more. He is also so well disciplined that he will not take people food that is placed right next to his nose until he is told he can do so. By the way, one of his favorites is watermelon. If we bring one home, he will follow you until you cut him a piece.

He has a natural herding instinct. In our old house he liked to herd the cats back upstairs, the kids to the couch and my mom to a certain couch. I kid you not. The kids were used to playing that game with him but with my mom, it was a different story. My husband travelled a lot and I was thankful to have Simba who made me feel protected. My mom came to visit one time when my husband was away. She would wake up earlier than I and come downstairs. Simba, not being aggressive by any means but also being protective of the kids and me, would gently nudge my mom to sit on the corner of the couch. When she would sit down, he would bring her his toys as a reward. Then he would patiently sit beside her and watch her until I came downstairs. I would have to tell him it was ok and he'd let mom move around the house. Too funny!

Here at the new house, he is "Guardian of the Hill". He loves to stand or to sit on our hill outside the front of the house and keep watch. He will herd deer back to the woods. He never crosses into the woods; he knows his boundaries with nothing more than being walked thru the yard and being told yes or no. So the deer don't pay too much attention to him when they are near the perimeter of the woods. However, he will chase them back in if they are in the yard. He is intelligent, beautiful, so very gentle and we love him dearly.

Simba's gift to me has been a sense of "peace and presence". He has always been there when my husband was travelling or when we were separated 6 months during our WI/IN move. I could sleep easier knowing that I was not "alone" in the house with two small children. Simba would alert me if something was amiss. As I said, he is my "gentle giant" who is all heart and soul and our guardian.

I feel blessed for not only the people who come into my life but also the animals who join my life. They are truly gifts.

Inspiration: Spinning Jenny

Sorry, no pictures today. Remember? I was the DUH who forgot to take a camera to the spinning workshop here to learn from Jenny. You may want to check out Beth's blog or Jenny's for pictures. However, I do want to share some insights from my experience of taking two full day classes. Friday's class was Spinning Thick, Medium and Thin Yarns. Saturday's class was Plying Techniques. I learned so many tips that it would make your head spin to hear them all. (I took 20 small pages of notes and that does not include the handouts!). I could describe all the details until you say, "Egads, girl! Get over it already!" but I choose not to. You could learn every one of these techniques in various ways. I choose to put a more personal twist on my experience.

I truly believe there are no coincidences and that once a need/wish/want is planted in your brain and heart, avenues open up to guide you towards that journey. That said, I have been feeling "stuck". Spinning and knitting for about 4 years, I still consider myself a newbie. There is so much more to experience and learn. Once I learn a new technique, it opens a door to a myriad of others I want to try. I love to learn; I love challenges, and I love to grow.

I currently production spin but I have been feeling frustrated and want to take it further. I want to be in more control of the outcome and not have to rely on other people's shipments of fiber or deadlines. I don't mind deadlines. However, when I am waiting on other people, it sometimes makes it difficult to plan or schedule my own time. This is further compounded by a very busy husband and two very busy children. I have been feeling anxiety and frustration where I want to find balance.

I have been feeling "stuck" in my abilities. I love to experiment, to create, to challenge myself. However, since first sitting down with Lisa, and watching her spin which opened the world of spinning to me, I have been basically self taught. That includes anything that I have read or tried on my own. Yes, I can make nice yarn but I wanted to know the why's and the how's and have some guidelines. So, once I understood the mechanics, I could troubleshoot, plan, experiment and control what I'm doing. Also, once you learn the rules, it gives you a base knowledge and a starting point of tweaking and bending the rules. See, I do really have a bit of renegade in me; the nuns didn't repress all of that. Haha. That being said, it is very hard if you are on your own to decipher what is the "best" approach from myriads of differing opinions in print.

I said aloud to no one in particular (possibly my cats and Collie) that this was the year I wanted to learn all the options my wheel could do. Hey, give me a break! I often talk aloud when I am home by myself! Sometimes it keeps my sanity if only briefly. Haha. With so many wheels on the market, I have my favorites but before I ever invested in another wheel, I wanted to learn more about my own. I love my Schacht Matchless Double Treadle and would NEVER sell it. However, Sadie (my wheel) may want a bigger sister someday...a Saxony production wheel. It is an investment; so I wanted to learn all my options. First, however, I felt I needed to know the basics of wheels in general, different ratios, etc.

Another thing I said to myself, Tigger, Jaguar or Simba, was that I really wish I knew more about spinning so that I could do more. I have quite the stash of wonderful rovings but I promised myself that before I touched my favorites, I would learn how to get from point A to point B. For instance, if I had a sweater in mind that I wanted to spin for and I wanted a certain weight of yarn, say DK, how do I use that fleece to the best of my ability to produce a lofty, consistent, luxurious yarn? Or if I want to spin laceweight the size of frog's hair. What??? You've never seen frog's hair?? Okay that's what I mean...so fine and delicate that it would make angels sing. HOW do I do it?? It is very difficult to learn to ask the right questions about something if you have not experienced enough to learn what to ask. I wanted to learn as many basics as I could so that I could try on my own and then grow to ask the questions that would eventually follow. AND I wanted to meet people who could answer these questions.

I know that is a pretty tall order and I may want it all. People say you can't have everything you want. Well do you know what I say? Why not? If you want it bad enough, you'll find a way. One of the best things I have learned over the years is that when I get to a point where I am "stuck" or frustrated in my life, it is a time to sit back and reflect a bit because it usually means big changes are coming. Change can be hard, change can be scary but change is also wonderful and exhilarating! I know I am headed for a big change now but in what direction or where it will take me is the mystery. I will try to remain open and relish the adventure.

On my personal quest to grow in the spinning realm, I was fortunate to hear that Beth was hosting Jenny Bakriges at her shop. The title of the classes grabbed me...short, sweet, to the point and describing what I wanted to learn. I have to admit, so sorry Jenny, that I had NO idea who Jenny was. Being a newbie to blogging, Beth did point me to her blog and I did peruse the last post or two. Plus after seeing Jenny's portfolios at the workshop, I had realized I have been reading her articles in Spin Off without even making the connection. However, I went into this workshop totally without any preconceptions, without any expectations. and without any specific questions. AND I AM SO GLAD I DID!!!

I am so fortunate to have crossed paths with Jenny. She is a woman who appears to be very comfortable in her own skin. She is gracious, giving, genuine, diplomatic and absolutely hilarious. She presents TONS of information in a fun, creative and very entertaining fashion. It was wonderful to spend two days with her. Her knowledge of spinning techniques was astounding; her personal stories and shared experiences were fascinating and her willingness to take the time to trouble shoot and help her students obtain the comfort level they each needed was truly impressive. She makes spinning intuitive.

I was so impressed by her heartfelt words spoken of her mentor, Rita Buchanan. I believe we owe a lot to others who have "gone before us". I have always said that "Not one of us is as great as all of us together". No matter how "expert" we are in a field, we can always learn and grow from others. It was truly inspiring to meet Jenny and see her in action, represent qualities that I admire. I believe when someone does a job well, they need to know it. Life is not a competition. It does not hurt us in any way to bolster another person. Often as women, we tend to downplay our accomplishments in the attempt to not come across as conceited or to offend anyone. That is all the more reason to tell someone when they have done a good job. JENNY BAKRIGES, you do phenomenal work and I thank you wholeheartedly for your dedication and willingness to share with others.

That being said, if you ever get the chance to take a class from Jenny; run don't walk! Grab your wheel and go! Do not hesitate. Consider hiring her for a workshop for your guild. We need people like Jenny to expand our spinning horizons and let us expand her horizons by bringing her out of VT more! Haha. Thank goodness a genuinely talented and gifted person is willing to share her knowledge!

Finally, let me take this just one step further, we all have talents to share that someone may really want to learn. We all don't have to jump on a cross country circuit to do that. Please take the time to consider what you can share in your everyday life. It might even be as simple as teaching your new knitting neighbor how to knit socks (Hi Sue!). The simplest of things may actually change someone's life or at least open doors for them. Just think about it.

Introspection

I had a wonderful weekend at a spinning workshop which I will discuss in the next few posts as I get some time in to rest and process the myriad of ideas in my brain. After the first full day of class and a wonderful evening with new found fiber friends, I was driving to a hotel and something interesting happened. I was faced with insights on myself.

I am an observer. I love people and I am always fascinated by them. Their eye contact, body language, facial expression, ease of laughter, what is said and what is told by what is left unsaid is amazing to me. The interactions between two people versus group dynamics is fun to watch and to analyze. I love to try to figure out why people do what they do. I am usually pretty good at sensing people's "vibes" which has been a great asset in my life.

That being said, when I turn the tables and look at myself, which I was presented an opportunity to do this weekend, I am constantly learning new things. I love hearing other people's stories but I am hesitant to tell my own. I get so excited about hearing other people's stories that it is often difficult when "on the spot" to share, to think of something to say about me. I am generally not the focus. I guess this presents a challenge in blogging doesn't it? One that I will try to overcome gradually by "coming out of my shell" so to speak.

Which brings me to pictures, I unfortunately did not take a camera this weekend. DUH!! I have a blog now where I want to share my experiences! Why did I not take a camera? First of all, I guess it is ingrained in me from way back when, not to interrupt or disrupt a forum as a show of respect for the person leading it. I know, I know, I need to relax a bit. Hey, in my defense, 8 years of parochial education with handsmacking ruler rapping nuns in charge puts a damper on some very basic instincts to be a "renegade".

Another reason for not taking a camera with me probably goes a lot deeper. I rarely have my picture taken. That being said, I posted a self shot with me holding the camera above so that you can truly see that I exist. Haha. Relish it now folks, pictures of me are usually scarce. My children will probably look back on photos decades from now and say, "Did we really have a mom or was that a figment of our imaginations?" I am usually the one behind the camera taking the photos. So it was very interesting this weekend when Jenny was taking photos while we were spinning. I didn't mind having my photo taken but it was a really weird sensation as to "what does she want me to do in this photo?" Should I look serious and keep spinning with my head down? Should I look up and smile for the world? Or should I jump up and dance gleefully exhibiting my latest handspun? Going back to the ruler rapping nuns, I was not a renegade, I quit laughing or chatting or whatever I was doing at the moment and demurely looked down in "deep concentration" at my wheel. Why???

I'm going to tell you a secret. Come a little closer and listen carefully... I am shy. Now people who really know me say, "YEAH RIGHT!" "Once she gets talking, she never shuts up! Egads!"
Seriously, I was extremely shy as a child. The first 8 years of school were spent with basically the same 14 kids in my class. It varied a bit from year to year but mostly it was 9 girls and 5 boys and then I was thrown into a public high school of 400 people and although I was in gymnastics and cheerleading...yes, I was a cheerleader and pom pom girl. I know some of you are gagging right now! I was considered in the "in crowd" so to speak but I never felt part of the crowd. I was often mistaken as being stuck up when basically I was still extremely shy and overwhelmed by people. Eventhough I loved people, it always surprised and amazed me when they liked me. I was like Sally Field, "They like me! They really like me!" Ha ha. Over the MANY QUADRILLION years since then, it is funny to see that part of that shyness still exists.

A friend once summed it up that I am very careful who I give my heart to. That being said, I will share a few more secrets about me.
I am: humble, extremely grateful, playful, inquisitive, creative, love challenges,intelligent, intuitive, compassionate, passionate and extremely loyal. I love to laugh and be around people who make me laugh. I would give the shirt off my back to you or do anything I humanly can to ease your pain. If nervous or really excited about something, I will "chatter" like a squirrel. (That is in reference of never shutting up.) I find pleasure and greatness in nature and the simplest things. I am a hugger and when my heart encompasses you, look out world; I'll defend you until the day I die. It may take a while to get to know me but all in all, not too bad, eh?

Snow???

What a difference a few weeks make!
From BRIGHT
To BRISK!!!
Yes, that is snow you see. Northeastern IN has had flurries off and on all day. Mother Nature is trying to tell us that winter is indeed coming. Isn't it amazing how quickly the days go?
Rain, sleet, snow or the dead of night, I am heading off to here tomorrow to have fun with Beth and new fiber friends yet to be met. I am taking two full day spinning workshops from Jenny!

So Mother Nature, bring it on! This brisk weather is great for playing with fiber and happily spinning away at the wheel! I'll update you on what I've learned when I return. Until then, stay cozy and Happy Knitting and/or Spinning!

Starting Mystic Waters Lace Shawl

I have always loved water. Whether it was playing in mudpuddles or sending leaf boats down the street drainage system during a heavy rain when I was a kid or swimming in anything bigger than a puddle, I have always been naturally drawn to water.
It is mesmerizing how it moves, how the color changes, how the light plays with it and how it changes "mood" with the wind or calm. Now I get to play with a new kind of water: the Mystic Waters Lace Shawl KAL.
This is just the very tip of the iceberg so to speak for a very intricate large shawl. However, it is fascinating to see clue by clue how it is evolving. I love working with the Angel Hair laceweight from here. The yarn is soft, lofty and oh so wonderful with very subtle variations in color.
To add a bit of sparkle and to add a little weight for drape, I am adding beads from my stash along the border. I am only adding them to the top and bottom of the large diamond motifs. They are "Black Opal" colorway beads from my stash and are green/blue/purple/bronze which compliment the subtle yarn variations well. I wanted something very subtle so it would not interfere with the intricacy of the lace pattern.

This is definately a "thinking" knit and I know the progress will be slow. I just started and so I have 3 clues waiting to evolve and the 4th of 8 will come out on Wednesday. I am not so concerned with "catching up". I just want to enjoy the process and being part of my first KAL.

KNIT ON!!

Friday Eye Candy: A FO!!

This is the Noro Silk Garden 1 x 1 ribbing scarf that I posted in October. You can read more details there. I did make some minor changes to Jared's pattern. I cast on 40 stitches on size 6 needles and slipped the first stitch of every row for a nice edging. Finished size unblocked is 6" x 78". I can't wait to feel how the yarn softens with a gentle soak.
It was a lot of fun to knit because the colors line up in unexpected surprises. It was a relaxing easy project for the times when I just wanted to mindless knitting to relax in front of the tv or in the car.

Unfortunately my pictures cannot show the depth of the colorways. It really is a lot darker in person. I named it my "Fall Into Winter Scarf" because the colors go from bronze/brown/golds/greens/rust/reds to cooler colors of teals/turquoise/purple/grey/black. I rarely do a project twice. However, I might have to cast on another one of these since it is fun to play with the different colorways!! :-D

Shopping My Stash

Hey! When yarn speaks; who am I to argue? Especially when it can spell with coordinating beads!! Such a deal!! This is going to be my Mystic Waters Shawl. As the clues, keep coming, I am getting further behind so I decided I don't want to spin and dye for it right now. I'm too busy with other things. However, I want to be knitting at least part of this with the KAL group. I was looking thru my stash and here was this beautiful 100% wool laceweight, in Denim colorway from here . It had been a Shoalwater Shawl in progress that was stalled. RIP!! I was ecstatic to have the yarn work so well for my new project! I guess cleaning closets can be fun. Yeah right...okay only sometimes! :-P

I have been shopping my stash or The Lee Store as my husband says. I've been in the mood to reorganize projects and STUFF!! If it is a WIP that I've stalled on, do I want to finish it or frog it? Is this a yarn that I still really love or can I find another use for it? Etc., etc., etc. I happily frogged a shawl in progress for my wonderful SIL. She had some health issues recently and I wanted to knit her a "hug" but I stalled out on the project. It was turning out beautiful but then I really got to thinking that maybe she wasn't the triangular shawl kind of gal. However, she had picked out this STR colorway of Chapman Springs as her fave so I wanted to make something she'd use and love. So I ripped out the triangular shawl and then started a rectangular simple lacey stole/scarf. However, I was not pleased with the pooling of the colors. So having just finished the Peaks & Valleys sock pattern from Mountain Colors, (see previous posts), I though it might work out great for a scarf. WHALAH!! I cast on and knit while I was waiting for a doctor's appointment and I am loving it and the yarn. So eventhough it will be a smaller item, I think it will get more use. I hope she loves it because it still is a "hug" and well wishes for someone I love dearly.