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