Dear Diary… the longest post you’ll ever see here!

Apr23

Every day when Himself comes home the first thing he asks is, “What did you do today?” I don’t think he really wants to know, it’s just a conversational gambit thingy but I usually am unable to answer. I know I’ve been busy all day but most of it was apparently not notable. So I thought I would let you suffer through a day with me and lets see what it is I do all day!

April 23, 2018

5:32 am: Woke, glanced at the clock, sighed and got up.
Bathroon first, as usual
Started the coffee, Himself gets it ready before he goes to bed so I just have to push the button.
Checked the temperature. It was 63 in here, not really cold but chilly enough to warrant a fire in my opinion so I built one.
Poured coffee and turned on the tablet, checked my usual morning sites and email, by that time Himself was up.
So I got dressed and started breakfast. Eggs and sausage this morning, toast & applesauce.
Then, lets see… Printed out paperwork for loom orders, boxed up same, let the cat out, printed postage and hauled them out the the truck so he could drop them off in the mail box (it’s a big one!) on his way to town.
Answered some more email, put my shoes on and managed to get out of the house in time to meet Tsuneko for our morning walk. Lovely warm morning, I left the window open we I left, the fire having been long out. Visited with a couple neighbors and our old mailman on the way. Jack has been delivering mail up here for many many years and loves to talk. It was his idea for us to put up the big box so i don’t have to drive to Trinity Center to the post office to mail the packages. He’s got his grandson taking over the route, (nice boy) but he still does Monday and whenever Peter needs a day off. I wore just a light sweater this morning and it was getting to be too warm by the time I got home. Cat weather~ see below!
12:00 Opened up the house, turned on the drier to freshen up the load I didn’t get folded yesterday, made my lunch salad and am now typing this. Next I’ll eat my lunch while defeating Evil with my Viking hero- that’s my noontime treat. Rest of the day coming later….
You know it’s a warm day when the cat naps on the deck. she’s loving the sunshine!
After lunch cleaned up in the kitchen, loaded the dishwasher and washed the bread machine pan, ready for the next batch.
Got sausage out of the freezer to thaw for tonight’s meatloaf. Brought in and folded rest of laundry while I was there also put away the soup I canned yesterday and straightened stuff out for the new shelves he built this morning.
Planted kale seed and some marigolds. Also some garlic bulbs that sprouted in the kitchen. Dunno if they’ll make new roots or not, but decided to chance it as they looked fat and healthy. The peas are showing leaves now, too. And I have some tulips blooming just across the path.
Gathered pine cones for a basket, found a checkered cloth, and “decorated” the corner table in the rental cabin. Mom-in-law says I am not to clean it before she comes in mid May as she’ll need a project while she’s here. All it needs is dusting and airing out, tho I intend to paint the back bathroom, it’s a gloomy place as is.
So now I’m ignoring the fact that the dining table is full of clutter again. I guess that’s next, tho, as it has reached the point where we have to push stuff aside in order to eat dinner each evening. Shameful, I know, but it’s such a handy spot to dump whatever you have in your hands at the time. I took off my pretty cut work white cloth, I had spilled gravy on it and he has what looks like coffee stains at his place! Yikes, I knew better than to put that on in the colder season. In summer we eat on the deck so the cloth would stay pretty. Table may still look cluttered to some of you, but the stuff in the top right corner is His. It’s a box that he sometimes hits with his mail and paper work. The turn-table in center top has stuff like salt & pepper, napkin holder, the electronic candle from my MIL and the SFGiants gnome from the same lady! On my place mat, there on the left, are a couple packets of arugala seed, last years, but I’ll offer it to Tsuneko, if she wants it. I found that I detest the stuff! Yuck, in fact. Right along with cilantro, and that stuff they make with basil- pesto! I don’t object to basil in reasonable quantities but pesto made of it… no thanks. I made some once when I first heard of it and had lots of garden basil. My buddy loved it so she got it all! lol
Tossed the kitchen rugs into the washer. I’ll mop tomorrow.
3:30 pm Himself has come in now and he & the dog are sharing a bag of salami. So I guess it’s time for me to head into the kitchen and assemble the meat loaf. I baked hamburger type buns and am planning meatloaf sandwiches and slaw for dinner. I might bake a batch of brownies for the game later.
Meatloaf in the oven. Decided against the brownies, too much oven. Had a graham cracker crust in the pantry (love $General!) and a packet of vanilla pudding plus a can of cherry pie filling. Not fresh strawberries but it’ll do until they come along in another month or so! And it’s pretty!
4:30 Dog has quit following me around, she was smelling hamburger and thought I was making her dinner. She’s ever hopeful! Disappointment! I don’t have to make hers for a couple more weeks, just made a new batch. Her dinner is thawing on the counter so she’ll get it at the proper time. The vet put her on grain free because of a chronic ear infection, says grain feeds the yeast. So I make her meat and veggies & freeze them in baggies, she loves it but I can’t see that it has helped her ear problem much.
But now I’m going to sit and read a new knitting pattern to see if I really want to do it. My loom and yarn is ready for when the game comes on this evening. The Giants are playing the Nationals, coming off a win and a fun game with the Angels!
5.35 pm: Meatloaf is done, slaw’s made, as is dressing. Do we need beans? Nay. Himself is reading the news, I’ve been doing x-words here, Jays are fussing at something. Who knows? Jays are always bitching about something. They are just a mouthy group. I guess that’s why I like them- We have much in common! The temperature is starting to fall, too, so I think I’ll close up now. Seems a shame but I don’t want it to get too chilly in here for old people!
Where’s dinner, Ma?!
Dinner’s over, time for the kitty to go home. She lives in the studio since there’s no room here for that necessary box that house cats need. Dishwasher is loaded and going. Game not on for another 10 minutes so here’s the end of my day. Game and weaving a square. Last email to my sis or both, take my melanin pill (it’s supposed to cure my tinnitus), brush teeth – all the usual bedtime stuff and off to dreamland.
Well, if he had asked what I did today, I could have told him.
He didn’t, of course.

I am finally going to learn how to use this blog thing… I hope.

Apr22

The tutorial says I should: Tell us about you and what we’ll find on your blog.

Well, I am Hazel. I haven’t always been this old but have always been more or less arty. I guess my main ‘art form’ would be drawing, extended to painting, but I have always been interested in any art form that crosses my path. I’ve dabbled in many, no point in listing them here, it would take all day, but they range from fiber crafts to metal & wood work. My Pop was a rock hound and lapidarist (is that a word?) and I tried my hand at those forms, too. Momma taught me to crochet way back and my 4th grade teacher taught me to knit so yarn arts have always been in there, too. Is gardening an art? I don’t know that I have a green thumb but I enjoy my garden, too, both flowers and food. I’ve written some poetry and short stories, designed birthday and get well cards, written children’s picture books, directed siblings & off spring in musical plays, just for our own entertainment. i can pick out a ragged tun on piano, cord a guitar, and used to be able to tootle a tune on a clarinet or flute. Badly in all cases and sing along as well, probably badly at that, too, but with Gusto! Well, I still sing along in the car! Randy and I celebrated our 34th year yesterday and he is having a birthday poker party with the boys for his day today. I had mine a couple weeks ago, but we won’t talk about that. What else? Well, it’s already more than you wanted to know!

So what’ll you find on the blog? Pretty much what you have already found I’m sure. Stuff about the looms and my weaving projects. Stuff about my dolls and what I am making for them. Pictures of my garden and our trips hither and yon. Things I bake and can and a few pictures of the dogs and cats and the deer & other wild critters who wander though the place. We have two Stellar Jay nests this spring, there’ll be baby birds all over soon!

My checkered lilies are blooming again. and my peas are up. I’ll plant kale tomorrow. So there you have it for my first lesson in how to make a proper blog. I think it’ll get better. Well, to be honest, I hope it’ll get better!

But thank you for reading this, both of you, even if you are my sisters.

Merry Christmas to me!

Mar11

Randy makes other things than looms, but it takes longer and happens less often. But I am delighted with this Christmas, even if it is March before it was finished. It’s up and filled now! Well.. there’s room for a few more! 🙂

The bigger dolls have a cabinet but these little ones were just stuffed in anywhere. I wanted to see them and now the bigger ones have a bit of breathing room, too!

But I am still weaving squares for my sweater and a couple more dish cloths from the Home Dec yarn. I’ve also got a couple weaving buddies hooked on it! Great fun! Getting loom orders out and trying to find parts for my bread machine which is not doing well. Still working, but limping. And it’s getting warm, the snow is almost gone. Be time to plant peas before long! March is my month for Bunko, too, so I guess I’m going to have to cook a corned beef. What a busy little girl I am! lol

I have been knitting, too, for a KAL on the Doll List. It’s Space for our new Stem Girl, of course. But I made my space suit for my faux Wellie, Piper. She off to Barsoom to meet Capt. John Carter.

She’s blasted off, hitches a ride with SpaceX for awhile, but then kicks in her FTL drive and finally arrives, to meet her Hero! A little disappointing, tho as he advised her not to stay long. The planet was not doing well and those left in their last city, on the Dark Side were about to blast off for a new world. So I’m afraid that by the time Space X arrives he will find only the same things that NASA has seen and no Baroomians. Piper won’t go with them, she’ll head home again, but she’s glad she went. Maybe She’ll join a colony on the moon when she grows up!

The other end of May… already!

May22

Summer time has hit here, even tho it’s still May. 89 degrees today! Well, I am actually enjoying the warm. Made a potato salad and we’ve been having breakfast and dinner on the deck. Nice! Supposed to cool down a bit this weekend so I will plant out the tomatoes and peppers then. did not want to get them burnt right off!

Another week and we head out for the Big Sky Festival in Hamilton Montana. Am I ready? Yeah, sure! lol But I will be. Sis will be coming down to house sit.

The Blue thing is on hold for a bit. I can only deal with that yarn for so long. It feels good, it’s beautiful , it’s a PITA to weave with. So I wove a bag, you may have seen it on Rav already, I am pleased with it and it’s gotten some nice compliments. The nicest of course, is from those who order the looms and the pattern to make one themselves! I call it Tamale Pie since that’s what the colors remind me of.

And things are blooming like crazy in this heat in spite of all the snow still on the mt tops. Coffee Creek it up and running, but staying where it ought. I thought my tree peony was dead but looks like not!

I know you are all out getting dirt under your nails in the garden and those who don’t enjoy dirt are probably planning big weekend parties. Either way I hope you have a fun and safe holiday!

Still weaving…

Mar24

Yes, I added on but found that this method of assembly really does take up a lot. It was barely enough but I decided to add a little more ease, just in case. Once cut you are committed and I can take up easier than let out on this project! So It will be another day before I cut.

Meantime the boobie prize for the Bunko was a hit last night. It ended in a 4 way tie for most losses so they rolled off. The winner seemed happy with her prize. I wove the napkin on the 14″ square and crocheted the edging to make it a bit fancier. The yarn is some nice acrylic in bright colors. I added a loaf of frosted cinnamon raisin bread. It was supposed to go into a bamboo bread basket but the basket proved too small for my husky loaf. Ah well..

And today it’s snowing. Again…

Back again

Nov15

I keep vowing to do better as a blogger and then falling behind again. It was a full canning season this fall with a huge apple crop, also pears and making relish of the green tomatoes after putting the garden to bed. Not trying to say I didn’t have time, just didn’t take time, I’m afraid. Here’s just a few of the apples canned and frozen. Not to mention eaten both raw and in a pie! And the relish which will be nice in potato and tuna salad next summer!

But I did finally get the yarn I ordered so have been weaving more squares with the Shawl In A Ball yarn. And now it’s nearing holiday season so have been making a few little things for the FireBelle’s fundraiser sale. I donated a couple of 4″ looms to be made up into a basket. But I got the tree ‘bug’ that a lot of other’s have also gotten.

And I also made up a few little needle books & some poinsettia pins and a couple tiny socks both woven and knitted. People will be looking for stocking stuffers, too.

I have a couple more ideas tho it remains to be seen if I get them done in time.

In any case, I hope you are all getting those leaves raked up before the white stuff starts falling. At least I hope it’s going to start falling, so far not even a good frost here. But lots of pretty leaves!

So… Wishing you all a great Family Thanksgiving! And for those who don’t have their family close, Blessings for you as well!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it….

Dec5

Finally we have some white stuff! It’s thin here, which is fine, but it was sure pretty to see it falling again! Randy and Stella took a ride up Scott Mt today and took some pictures where it’s deeper. If the forecast are right there will be more up there starting sometime tonight and it looks like its going to hang around off and on for the coming week. I have no weaving to show you but have been working in the shop. Stock is getting low so we have to go back to work. 🙂 But I did get some cookies baked today and I think it’s time to put the teapot on and sit by the fire and admire the snow!

July

Jul4

Summer time and the livin’ is…… Darned HOT! We actually hit 102 a couple days ago. I don’t remember ever seeing that up here. We have had 100 a c0uple times but never above it. And now tho it is cooler today (94) I’m hearing thunder rolling in the not too far distance. Keep your fingers X-ed that it’s also wet. Chances for that not great, tho, I’m afraid.

But the garden is lovin’ it!

My Sweet potato experiment. Dunno if I’ll get any spuds but the plants are doing fine. I keep them under this hood for the extra warmth. Keep your fingers X-ed for us!

The squashes are also doing fine.

And there’s tomatoes getting nicely fat.

The rest is looking good, too, from the cabbages and chard to the gloriosa’s and the bee balm which the hummers just love!

I do have weaving projects going but they are all big ones and going are to take awhile.

Hope you’re having a fun and safe and not too hot 4th!

Spring

May8

It’s the 8th of May and the roses are in full bloom. Definitely an early spring. A little cool this week and windy but still getting a lot of gardening done. My Alaskan corn is up and growing. this is going to be an interesting experiment. It is a small corn designed to grow in adverse conditions. I think the weather this year qualifies for that! But I thought that if it is successful in Alaska it ought to produce a couple ears down here. X your fingers!

Meantime,. I have not made any progress on the demo vest. I am thinking I may just give up and do the cut and sew. At least I’d have a vest I could wear. I don’t suppose everything has to be a big challenge, some thing can just be easy, huh? And I got out my bag of squares which I think are wool or silk or…? I’

ve forgotten, only that they are not likely to be machine washable. I am putting a couple things though the gentle cycle this morning and am adding one each of these blocks just to determine what will happen. If they dont’ entirely ruin, I will go from there. I am thinking another vest. This one ought to be lighter weight, tho, more fit for cool summer mornings and evenings.

Meantime back to spring… the rhubarb is also ready! I’m not a fan of strawberries with it but I made it half and half with a couple sweet apples and it is just yummy! Tamed the Rhubarb a bit and gave the apples a little jazz. We’ve made big holes in two pies so far and I have the makin’s for a 3rd! I think I’ll wait until next week with that one as sis is planning a trip down.

New family memeber

Jan18

We decided it was time and Randy found this lady on a rescue site. We contacted Shelby and Wyatt and they liked us and so Stella has a new “forever home” in Coffee Creek. I think she has been a city dog all her life (6-7 years) but seems to be adapting to country life rapidly! She did fine on the 4+ hour trip up yesterday, did not want her dinner but had a ‘bone’ for breakfast and has now gone with Randy, in the rain, to check his business up the hill. We are working on the No Dogs in the Kitchen rule, but when I point she knows already to back up! lol Randy is getting lessons, too. 🙂 Stella is a lap dog, something Randy isn’t used to.

No yarn stories again. I still haven’t been able to find what the heck I did with my pattern. I guess I’ll have to go see if I can find another one that will work. I know this one will show up, probably about the time I don’t need it anymore! You know how that goes. Meantime, I hope you are making better progress on your projects and keeping your looms dusted off!

Wishing you warm and dry!

Hazel Rose

My Life in the Country

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