Spring in Tucson

It's amazing that almost every plant blooms when spring comes to Tucson. The amazing and colorful blossoms are just starting up so I had to snap a few pics. We'll start seeing more and more each day......as long as the critters don't eat too many.

On a knitterly note, I'm managing to finish up some old projects. I'm trying really hard to not start anything new, but I just get so darn excited about new projects.

More Kitchen Adventures

Still practicing with my Kool Aid dyeing. I finally found some liquid food dye so have been playing with that a bit too. All white yarn that I can find in my stash is slowly ending up in the pot. I've received all my ordered fiber, yarn and dyes, but figure it won't hurt to keep practicing on leftovers. This sure is fun!

Fun in the Kitchen

I have a new addiction, but a very fun one indeed. I took a dyeing class and had such a great time that I came home and immediately ordered dyes and yarn and fiber. While waiting for the acid dyes to arrive, I decided that I should practice with Kool Aid dyeing. Seems like you can hardly go wrong with fiber and color. My only problem so far was the critter that tried to steal my yarn while it was drying on a rock. The little bugger chewed thru the yarn in about 3 places. No more leaving yarn to dry while I go work out.

Morning Visitors

We had a whole herd of Javelina running around the house this morning. They were really enjoying all the grass that has been growing with our recent rains. There must have been 10 or so roaming around and 4 babies. Two were pre teenager size and two were really little guys....sooooo cute.

The Great Cowl KAL

This is the first of my 5 cowls in 50 days. I was happy to have a perfect yarn in my stash that had been sitting around for quite a while, just waiting to be knit up. It was a fun and fast knit and may even get some use on chilly days. It's called Flurries Cowl, but we sure don't ever see flurries down here in sunny Tucson.

I did keep to my finish or rip program last month. I ripped a sweater and rewound the yarn for another use. Took a while to rip it out, but it felt good to get it out of the closet. Just need to figure out what skill I'm going to learn this month.

I also need to dust off the spinning wheel and play with some fiber. It's been too long sitting in the corner untouched, and I have so much great fiber to spin up.

New Year and New Tricks

Well it's about time that I learned a few new knitting skills so I've compiled a list. I wrote out my list right after Jan. 1st but I've lost and refound it several times, so decided I better put it somewhere safe. This year I'd like to learn :

Provisional cast on

Entrelac

Intarsia

Beading a knitted item

Advance my meager crochet skills

Brioche

Nupps

Moebius

Continental knitting

Contiguous

Fair Isle

Make a toy (poor Sheldon)

Cable without a cable needle

Toe up socks

I'll probably come up with a few things to add to this list, but figure this is a healthy start.

My first "trick" was cables without a cable needle. I've got the hang of it, but have only done three items with cable to the front, so I can't quite check it off yet......but I'm still happy with all three projects. Next to find a pattern with cables to the front and back.

Winter in Tucson

It was quite a surprise to wake up to snow last week. I was very busy running around outside in my pajamas taking pictures as I knew the snow wouldn't last long. It was a rare but beautiful morning. Had to throw in another great sunset photo from the night before last.

Cold in Tucson???

It's actually quite cold here, although I really shouldn't complain. A few plants have tried to freeze, but desert life is pretty tough. The cold weather has also gotten the javelina hungry. They've been busy digging up and munching away on anything and everything. They'll just dig down to the roots if something has a few too many spines. Jack had to scurry back to the house when he went to get the newspaper this morning because of a mother and her babies. Later they decided to stroll around the house and see if there was anything new to eat. I finally had to make loud noises and chase them away when they started in on the munching again. They're so ugly, but also so cute, that I have a hard time getting mad at them.....especially the furry little babies.

Is it winter?

I can't believe how much I love being away from snow and cold weather. Friends are talking about below freezing temperatures and I'm running around in a tank top. This is my idea of winter!

Have decided to not do the knitting frenzy for Christmas this year....just making a few small gifts for the gals at the club where we work out. Hopefully Jack can get back to some walking on the treadmill next week. Everyone at the club misses him and he's been hampered by his bum hip for way too long. I must say it's a brutal surgery and I really hope I never have to have it done. All the PT gals at the hospital said that Jack's doctor would be the one if they needed to have a hip or knee redone. We're lucky to have so many good doctors down here in Tucson.

Have a few summer tops on the needles....one of my friends was giving me a hard time about that....guess I better get going on more wooly items. Azzu's shawl was a lifesaver for hours of knitting at the hospital, and I really like the way it turned out.

Rip-O-Rama

It's been a week of backwards knitting. Sometimes you just need to have projects go away and get on with the new. First we had the sweater that was almost finished, but the yarn was unraveling, then the shawl where I absolutely could not find my place. I may just rip out a few more things while I'm at it.

I'll need some easy projects for the near future anyway, as Jack goes in next week for his hip resurface. It's pretty close to getting a new hip, all the same recovery, a lovely 12 inch incision, and all the same physical therapy afterward. Guess I'll be playing nurse for a bit. It will be so good to not see Jack in pain. We were on a run in June and he just said he had to stop as his hip was really hurting. Turns out his joint was almost bone to bone. I was glad when the doctor said it wasn't caused by running since we both used to run marathons. It was great that they squeezed his surgery in so he can get healed up and back to his normal active life....just no more running for him.

Terrific Tucson

It's always fun in Wisconsin, but I'm really happy to be back to our new home in Tucson. My friend Meggan did the drive across the country with me as Jack is having a lot of problems with his hip. Meggan and I did the leisurely trip with stops in Denver, Santa Fe and Sedona. I was home for two days and then off to Hawaii. September was a whirlwind, but I'm getting settled back into my normal exercise and knitting, spinning routine. Finally getting around to finishing some knitting projects. I had quite a few neglected projects that deserved some attention. I can't believe the end of the year is closing in.

Friends from Down Under

I'm still a click off for sleeping, but hey...what's new. It was a fast and fun filled two weeks with my sisters , nieces and great niece in Australia. It seems that I always inspire people to rekindle their knitting or begin knitting. Must have something to do with my not being able to just sit without doing something. Have a couple of new "Cowgirl Knitters" in the family and also made some new animal friends. The pig is actually the grown up piglet from Charlottes Web and all the kangaroos and sheep etc. are from Clare's sister's house. The baby kangaroo was just taken in the day before to be housed for the next few years while it rehabilitates.

I 'm so glad we'll all be together again in a few months....I have soooo much fun with my sisters!

Finally Warming Up

After a cool month in the Northwoods it's finally getting to be comfortable. Guess I shouldn't complain as everyone in Tucson is cooking. We're very busy up here...playing in the lake, running, canoeing, biking, and of course our Thursday night pontoon get togethers in the middle of the lake. Have been enjoying the change in wildlife viewing.....people here don't even know what Javelina are. A change of scenery is a good thing. It makes you appreciate everything.

The Eagles nest is the tree picture and the little brown thing is a toad house....and yes, I put it down near a toad and it hopped right in!

Wisconsin

Well, we made it to the Northwoods....our butts are a bit more flat from the 2000 plus mile trip, but we're running and walking the kinks out. We didn't come to Wisconsin last year as we were busy finishing up the Tucson house, so it is especially great being back here. We have a cute baby Pileated Woodpecker living in a tree right by the house, and we can always rely on the Bald Eagles that have had a nest for years on the other side of the house. Looking forward to a busy and fun filled summer.

Fiber Fiber Everywhere

Today while I was swimming, doing the backstroke, I was looking up at the clouds and started thinking that they looked like some really nicely drafted wool. Then I glanced at a woman relaxing by the pool and thought, wow... her hair looks like a lovely blend of silk and merino, and what a wonderful golden color it would spin into. Guess I'm starting to look at things a little differently now that I've started spinning.

Spinning...as in fiber

I am now the proud owner of a Kromski Fantasia Spinning Wheel. For the last month, whenever I've told someone that I was taking a spinning class, I always have to say "as in fiber". Most everyone thinks it's on the bike. I'm still trying to get my feet to slow down a bit, they just like to go fast. I'm having a great time learning and now that I have my wheel I'll be able to practice every day.

Spring in the Desert

I need to go on a hike with my camera. We had so much rain last month that it's going to be an amazing spring of wild flowers and blooming cactus. All the cactus that we transplanted last spring are finally having massive new growth. The best part is that the blooming is stretched out for so long....it goes on for months. And some people think the desert is just a bunch of sand .....

My Feathered Friend

This morning I just happened to be in my office when my feathered friend, the Roadrunner, just happened to start pecking at my window. I also just happened to have my camera sitting beside me. I slowly picked it up and started taking some pictures. After clicking off about six I realized he really wasn't too bothered by me. He was jumping around so much that most were a bit blurry. Since he really likes hanging around our house I should have a few more chances for some better pics.

Florida Frenzy

Just back from 8 days in sunny Florida and yes in deed, it's definitely spring break. The beaches were pretty crazy and also a little cool. Nothing like walking down the beach in a turtleneck while everyone else is in bathing suits. We were able to do some up close gator viewing...glad they're not like the crocs in Australia...and had some great seafood and fish. Good to be back to the normal exercise routine.

The Critters are Active

Spring has hit the desert and all the critters are out and about. We've seen quite a few coyote, this morning I saw a Javelina and her baby, and a few days ago our resident Roadrunner was sitting on the ledge to my office pecking at the window. Quail are scurrying about off the west patio and some mischievous critter keeps stealing my flip flops. I was able to find the first one out in the shrubbery, but the one they stole this morning from the other side of the house is yet to be located. I'm thinking it's a Packrat that has hauled it off . We'll see if I ever find this one.