One last look at Kansas

This is a picture of a buffalo that I saw at Levenworth, Kansas. This one came right up to the fence where we were standing. It was a small female. She was so cute. The other picture is of those round bales of grass that were every where. I just loved those round bales.

I have been spinning like crazy and have a bunch of new yarn finished. I will take some pictures tomorrow. Christmas is behind us and so is the rain for a while, so I hope to have more time.

My father-in-law fell on the 23rd and broke his hip, so we have been distracted with that. He had a hip replacement done on Friday the 26th and is doing well. I can't believe it! He is 90 years old and survived a hip replacement.

Later,

spin on........................Sheena

Kansas Yarn Barn in Lawrence Kansas

This is the first thing you see when you enter the Kansas Yarn Barn. This loom is ready to go. If you want to try it you can. There are so many looms on display I can't remember all of them.

There were little ones and big ones and all the med size ones in the middle. They also had everything you would need to make anything on a loom. I only have the knitter's loom from ashford, so I am not much of a weaver, but I sure can appreciate what this place would mean to a weaver. Also they have classes so you could learn if you wanted to.

There were cones and cones of every kind of thread, yarn, what ever to put on the looms. the colors were over whelming. I bought some just because and I'm not sure I can even use it. I will try and then if not, give it to someone who can.

Then there was books. All kinds of books. Every book I have looked at on line and wished I could see was here for the seeing. I looked at a lot and bought a couple. I wanted them all. I have so many already, I vowed to make something from each before I buy another Book! (we'll see)
I want a book shelf that covers the wall like this. I probably have enough books to fill it.

Then there is the yarn!!! Yarn everywhere! Every kind I have ever heard about seen, wished for and drooled over. Every sample from their catalogue was there in person. So wonderful to see and touch and wish I could make. There was this long table you could sit at and look at patterns. How great is that?

They had pattern books and leaflets of every pattern I have seen in all the magazines. I had to take a break from looking at all this stuff and go eat pizza next door before I could move on.

Then...................................there were the spinning wheels. I was shaking just looking at them. They were lined up in row and I really enjoyed looking at each one. There of course was roving and lots of other interesting things to spin. I bought 2 ounces of angora to blend with some of my wool back home. They had every fiber I had ever read about. You could buy it by the ounce. That way you could try a little to see if it was what you wanted to spin.

This is a picture of Katherine (my granddaughter and other yarn crazed person in the family) in front of the store. We had a wonderful time shopping and looking at all the stuff. Wow, I think this was my favorite day of my trip.

If you are ever in Kansas, well, you gotta stop.

spin on.........................Sheena

Busy busy time of year!

These are some of the things I knitted on our road trip. Socks on the left that will become Christmas presents. Next my Adult Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman. This was really fun to knit and I learned so much. EZ was truly a genius and amazes me.

I use to get car sick if I did anything but ride, but I have found that I am so messmerized while knitting that I don't get sick. I truly loved that I could knit along and look at the scenery and talk all at the same time. Much to my husbands amazement. I seem to be able to talk while doing anything. Who would have guessed? I don't know what I did to the camera, but it looks ok until I take the picture, then it blurs. anyway these are not the best, but good enough.

These are two face cloths I made just for fun, and some handwarmers I made out of some yummy moreno and silk yarn I bought at Kansas Yarn Barn. I was really proud of the cables. This was the first time I made something from a pattern with no help and it was one of those things that I had to shut myself in the bathroom and read the pattern without interuptions.

I also made 5 baby wash cloths for my daughter-in-law's girlfriend that was due any day. She thanked me by having her baby on my Birthday. She didn't name her Sheena though, she named her Ava. Oh well.

Spin on.....................................Sheena

More pictures of my trip

As we left Colorado we saw so much more open country. Before you get to Kansas, there is the beginning of the Great Plains. This includes the east side of Colorado. Lots of Cattle and some wheat growing there. The landscape became really flat and alot greener that what we had seen in Colorado.

Then we got to Kansas. Wow ! the fields of Sun Flowers were as far as you could see. I have never seen so much yellow, except maybe at Amy's (that is her favorite color) Very little housing or towns that I could see in this part of the country. They must be large farms because they were growing lots of Sun Flowers. I tried to take some pictures from the car, but they didn't turn out very good.

The houses or towns were always off in the distance, but lots of those yellow Sun Flowers. I loved all the green and think this part of the country is over looked and definitely has it's own beauty.

Mostly I knitted along the way. My daughter-in-law's friend was expecting a baby soon so I knitted on my Adult Surprise Jacket and then made baby wash cloths in between. I got 5 done from Las Vegas to Leavenworth Kansas and almost finished my Jacket.

I really started enjoying the freedom we were feeling just driving along and stopping where we wanted to or eating when we felt like it. This was the vacation of a life time. Every other time we have traveled we had a mission and were in a hurry to get where we were going. This was much more relaxing and I definitely want to make another trip.

I am still unpacking and finding things as I go long. I also have more pictures to download. For another day.

Spin on............................Sheena

I'm Back and still recovering.

We have been home for a couple of weeks now and I still feel like I am recovering. I loved being on the road and am having a hard time getting back to a routine.

I took so many pictures and don't know where to start. This one is of the river running next to the highway going through the Rocky Mountains. Quite a site.

This one is from one of the rest stops along the way . The Mountains were all around us and they really are " Rocky."

I really love Colorado and I think it was my favorite. All along the way there were beautiful trees and we even saw a rainbow after what must have been a thunder storm, but we just got a little sprinkle. In fact traveling so far and for so long I can't believe what wonderful weather we had. Not any real rain and lots of sun shine.

This was taken from inside the car. It was so hard to take pictures along the way, but I practised and got pretty good at it. There were times that I got so crazy with it I really took some crazy pictures.

Anyway I got a lot of knitting done along the way and still haven't taken pictures of that. Coming soon.

Spin on.........................Sheena

Still on vacation

I am still on vacation. Now in Kansas. Last week we were in Alabama to visit with my daughter and her family. It was great and we had such nice weather. It was trying to turn into fall, but still wonderful. We originally came to Kansas first, but there has been some problems so we are back.

Our Son Brian has had what they are calling a TIA. A stroke or something. We are here now waiting to see what happens. We came to help with the kids and see what they think is wrong. So far they thought he had a heart attack, and a Grand Mal seizure. I don't know for sure. He had an allergic reaction to some medication they gave him and that has complicated everything. We are going to see him tonight for the first time. Soooooo I don't know when I will get back home.

On a brighter note, we have had such a wonderful time seeing the country. We have been through so many states and I have taken lots of pictures. I have had to master taking them from the car which is such a task. I am not a photographer anyway so what a riot. I did discover that my camera does video too. ( that was by complete accident) I think I need to read the book that came with my camera. I have been pretty much the trial by fire kinda gal so far. I loved the trees and the greenery everywhere through the southern states. I also loved the Rocky mountains. I will have more details later when I get home and can add pictures.

I have continued to work on my Adult Surprise Jacket and it is almost done. I finished one pair of socks this week for a Christmas present and started another. I also knitted 5 baby wash clothes from Las Vegas to Kansas. They were for a friend of my daughter-in law's who was due to have her baby and had it on my Birthday! 10lbs and 1oz. I have been doing a little drop spindling, and hope to do more this week. I brought lots of yarn and projects to work on and have bought some yarn along the way. That is another story for later (with pictures)

Later................................Sheena

On the Road

We are heading out. This is a long awaited trip. We are going to Kansas and then on to Alabama.

Kansas ???? you might say, yes Kansas. Our Son is stationed there while attending school. I know there is no ocean in Kansas, but the Navy sent him to school there anyway. So from there we will go to Alabama to see our Daugher. She was sent there by her company "Fast". Yep that's their name. Computer programs for doing taxes at the State level or something like that.

I plan to stop at several fiber related places along the way. Wahoooo. I am so ready to hit the road. We have lots to come back to so we might as well go now.

Now what?

I've been home from work for one week. Can it be true? It seems a lot longer. I have been very busy and running around getting things done. I feel like I have "jet lag". I have been sleeping later and just pooping out for no reason. I have continued to work on wrapping up loose ends such as unfinished knitting and spinning projects so I can start on something new. WHy? Because I start feeling rattled and have nothing to show for my time? partly, but the real reason is so I can start a bunch of new projects without guilt! I have two new pair of socks I want to knit, and two new sweaters in the wings. There are no knitting or spinning police (nice to know) but I have to disipline my self, or I am all over the place. Enough!

We have been having such beautiful sunsets I have to share. This is my favorite. See the awsome palm tree. It reminds me of a view I had as a kid. I am miles away from that place, but there is the palm tree in the sunset. That's incredible. We had a bunch of humid filled days and I think that is what caused the sunsets. It is usually pretty dry here.

Yesterday Rhonda came early in the morning andwe finally got to shear Molly. Oh my I can't believe how beautiful her wool is. It is pretty dirty because she wasn't jacketed, but still pretty nice. She is the new one that is 3/4 Morino. I don't think I will be getting any more of those kind, or atleast not if I have to shear them myself. They are so thick and full of lanolin that they are hard to shear. Now with 10 to be sheared next spring, we will probably have a shearer come here.

Poor baby, not her finest look. But I have all her awsome wool in a big bag. Yum, ready to be processed. Until next time, sit and spin on.....................Sheena

What a sun set

Here is a picture of our itty bitty lamb. Her name was Cao Coa and then the kids named her Dutches. Now she is just Itty Bitty. She is a Border Leister. She is the same age as the others, but just hasn't grown much. She's not skinny, just tiny. Even her little hoofs are little.

It's been really hot around here lately. But we get the most beautiful sunsets when it does. Some of it is caused from the cloud cover that comes from the east. It also causes humidity. Oh well, there's always pluses and minuses in everything.

I only have one more day of work and I am off until next spring. I am so ready to have some free time. I have lots to catch up on and alot of cleaning to do.

We are having a baby shower for one of the girls that work at the races. She has been such a blessing to all of us. She just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I didn't think she would make it until the races were over, but it looks like she did. (unless she has her baby tonight)

I've been knitting alot of little things to finish up things I had started and for a few gifts.

Sit and spin on.............................Sheena

Summer's Over

I keep trying to get pictures to show how the chickens follow Ron across the yard. It is so hilarious I can't believe it. Every evening we let them out an hour or so before dark so they can free range and get bugs and green grass for a while before they head back to their chicken coop. They run out and follow after Ron. At first they didn't go very far because it was unfamiliar territory, but now they don't care. They follow him all over the yard.

This is the last week of Horse Racing. We have 4 more days, Wednesday Sept 3rd is the last day for this year. I'm ready. I can't wait to sleep in. I can't wait to spend time with my sheep and work on my plants. I am really anxious to get to my knitting machine. It has been so long and I really miss that.

This has been a great season and I will look forward to next season. I always miss it at first, especially the people. There are some really nice people there and I always miss them.

We will be leaving on a road trip very soon. I'm not sure of the exact date yet, but we will be heading to Kansas to see Brian and his family and then to Alabama to see Dana and her family. I have never been to Kansas and Ron has never been to Alabama. I know we will have a good time, because we both love road trips. I have a couple of fiber places I want to see along the way. Like I need more fiber. Oh well, I love it.

Ginger said I should say:

Sit and spin on...........................................Sheena

Ron has a following.

These pictures don't begin to show how these chickens follow him

everywhere he goes. He's on the phone and they followed him over

over there from the back yard.

They were raised by the kids and got lots of petting and holding and still crave that. So they follow him everywhere when they are out and it is quite a sight. Pictures don't do it justice.

Then there are the sheep. They also follow him around. If the gate gets left open they come up to the house and are at the front door because they know he's in there somewhere.

My favorite girls with my favorite guy. They also want to be by his side at all times and want a friendly scratch under the chin. He is truly their Sheppard now.

I am busy spinning more yarn and workin on loose ends of things I have started and never finished. We call them UFOs and I have many. I am really happy with the progress, I have finished three pairs of socks and two slippers, and a sweater and a hat that I started last winter.

Spin on.......................................Sheena

DA DA.......................FRECKLES' SWEATER FINALLY FINISHED

Here she is in all her glory. I am not a photographer, but I am a knitter. This is the first sweater I have handknitted from my own sheep's wool that I also hand spun. I started when the fair started and finished this week. I tried to take a picture of the ribbing with cables detail but it still doesn't do it justice. I love the feel of it and I know I will be able to wear it this winter.

I am really proud of this one. Now to spin the wool from Isabel's first shearing this last spring and make something from her wonderful fiber. I have 10 sheep now, so I need to speed it up. I have lots of ideas too.

Spin on........................................Sheena

Lambs in pajamas OH MY! itty bitty egg

I've been trying to get a picture of the lambs since Saturday. We finally put their jackets on. They are so cute! To me they look like "Lambs in Pajamas." This keeps their wool clean until time to shear them. This gives me the gorgeous clean wool to spin into wonderful yarn. It really does make a difference and is well worth the effort and expense. And they really look cute too.

I also finally got to down load the pictures of the itty bitty egg. These chicks were raised by my grand kids this summer and are so tame and sweet. One of them has been trying to copy the big girls and laid a tiny egg. It seems lost in the egg carton. I know they will be great layers by next spring.

That's it for now

Spin ............................on Sheena