Sampson is moping...

If you look into the back ground you can see what he is down about. Do you need a closer look?

HoneyDew and Skittles snuggling in Dad's chair.

HoneyDew says: "Snooze you loose!"

Happy DOT's!

Latest Knitting Projects...

Off the needles and just in time!

We had two additions to our family this fall which of course meant some heavy duty knitting time. I had two sisters expecting at around the same time and both my nephew and my neice came a bit earlier then expected. I had already posted baby Jacob's gifts...

Crib Blanket pattern from Debbie Macombers Building Blocks Crib Blanket the Shop on Blossom Street
and hippo from Itsy Bitsy Toys by Susan B. Anderston.

...but as everything was happening so fast I did not get a chance to post a pic of the baby! Here is baby Jacob with big brother Josh...

Then came Miss Maddie...

for her gift which was my first attempt for knitting baby clothes...

As you can see Miss Maddie has quite abit to "grow" for!



Back view of dress. Dress made from Debbie Bliss pattern Flower Frock.

 Then of course was the little boy who saw me knitting a hat for my son and 'hinted' that he wished I would knit a hat for him since his birthday was coming up soon! He even picked out the colors he thought would look nice. Of course I couldn't make him one without making one for his little brother, although he did get to choose first!

I bet their Mom thinks this is a rare sight to see the boys this close without it being something along the lines of a headlock!

Thanks for posing guys!

 Last but not least as the temps were falling I made myself a scarf using Mochi's Bodega Bay, which I did post the colorway in a previous post, but then since I had some Merino wool in a lavendar I decided to make myself a beret also from a pattern on Ravelry called Meret. I had some of the lavendar left over so I thought I would make a pair of mittens too so I could have a complete set...



The dogs will be happy to know their treat jar came in handy as a model!

How about you? Since the temperature has started falling have you felt the desire to work wth some nice comforting wool?

Skittles

So we have a new 4 legged addition to the household and her name is Skittles. When Skittles first arrived she was one hissing mess let me tell you. Not in appearance or anything like that. She was just...well....skittish! And she is a calico kitten. So that is how we came up with the name. Just imagine a colorful bag of Skittles hitting the floor, breaking open upon impact and candies flying every which direction at once, complete with sound effects and there my friends you have a pretty good impression of Skittles!

This kitten was hidden from people, with the rest of her litter by their mama, for approximately the first 5 weeks of her life. The person who brought her over for me to meet was bitten that very morning trying to catch her. When I met her (I had a choice between two calicos, the other one was friendlier, go figure) we seemed to make an instant connection. And within the first 24 hours no longer tried to hide from me or hiss at me. By the weeks end she was standing by the gated opening meeting the hounds, still hissing at them but no longer hiding in any cupboard/crevice she could find.

Two weeks in, she knew her name and comes running when called. She loves to climb up my leg and onto my lap. She has the dogs trained to her satisfaction. She will curl up with them and nap, plays with their tails, and their toys, and pretty much rules the roost at this point.

Trying to get a good picture of her though is almost next to impossible because she moves so quickly, even on the action setting. Here is a few that we have taken and she will be making frequent appearances here with the pups too!

Anytime I am on the computer, she is too! Loves to watch the mouse, flickering lights, etc.

Here she is telling me I have been on the computer enough by biting my finger and pouncing on my hands.

She likes grandpa and thinks he makes a nice climbing post.

Last but not least sitting with me being adorable while I am knitting! Isn't she cute!

A Real Date Night!

Every Friday, my DH and I go out for date night (generally with my Dad and Step Ma). This usually includes dinner somewhere, a trip to WallyWorld, Dunham's Sporting Goods, Ollies, or sometimes we just cut the evening short and go home. Not much to do around here on a typical Friday night unless it is near a holiday or one fest or the other.

As you know I do enjoy a glass of wine from time to time and therefore I am on the mailing list for a couple of the local wineries. About a month ago I got an email from Deercreek Winery about an event they were having last weekend...

"L ive Music This Friday Night, Oct. 29, 6:30-8:00
Cluricaun, Celtic Ensemble

The band consists of 5-7 members depending on who shows up! Hammer Dulcimer: Sally Ringland
...Tin Whistle, Concertina, & Voice: Mike McConnell
Bodhran, Harmonica, & Voice: Jim Rose
Voice: Linda Rose
Guitar: Greg Goodman & Rob Bullington
Fiddle: Karen SpuckCluricaun plays traditional Celtic Music.

Come out to the main winery and enjoy a nice evening with wine, snacks, and of course great music. This is our last one until May...be sure you make it!
~No cover charge~"

 

I am a big fan of Celtic/Irish/Scottish/ Dulcimer music and have collected a number of CD's over the years. So a chance to hear someone play my favorite instruments live time was a real thrill! After quite a lot of arm twisting recruiting the rest of the gang to go with, and a couple of others, good friends Denny and Kathie Z we were off to enjoy the evening. It was a blast! I wish there was something like this every weekend but I guess we enjoy things more if they don't come along that often.

 

Of course I wanted to share some of it with you! I did ask the group for permission to put the following clips on here so I am all legal and stuff ;-)

 

Please excuse the background noise, some people are totally RUDE, and of course this is my first attempt at posting a clip from my camera but here goes...

 

The second was a little better accoustic wise, but neither gave a true representation of just how good these muscians were...

 

 

Loving the Fall Colors-DOT Post

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love almost everything about it (except archery of course!), the scent in the air, all the colors, the leaves swirling around as they fall, the brisk air, the rustling leaves as you walk. And evidently the hounds feel the same as I do.

HoneyDew gets quite peppy in the fall, running, sniffing, she has lots of energy after being sluggish from the summer heat. She can walk for hours going in one direction. If we turn around to retrace our steps, she becomes quite obstinate, passive aggressive even! Can you imagine pushing, prodding, carrying a basset that weighs 64 pounds when she decides she does not want to move?

Sampson just becomes the Giant Idiot. Bone Headed even! He does the stupidest things. Running full on at HoneyDew and literally bowling her over. Barking at falling leaves. Chasing squirrels into a briar patch, without an escape plan and then looking pitifully at me like "heh, I am kind of stuck here, what aren't you going to help get me out?"

Me: Nope you were having fun getting in there you can have fun getting out!

He especially loved the mud holes that were camoflaged with leaves. You know *gallop, gallop, gallop, splosh, slip, slide = underbelly full of mud and leaves! Then the stiff legg walk trying to get the crackling leaves and sticking mud off of him.

Me: You better hope that falls off before we get back to the car!

A couple final scenic shots of our walk.

Wherever your trails and tails take you, have a happy DOT!

A beautiful fall day, 29 years ago...

A little country church and friends and family...

pledges made and meant...

a Blessing...

the happy couple...

the wedding party...

the first of many "meals"...

Some good natured ribbing...

Off to start our new life...

He still hangs the moon for me...



Happy Anniversary sweetheart!

Riverwalk...

Gorgeous afternoon so the houndies and I set off for a riverwalk...of course once again, I forgot my camera, but did manage a couple of snaps on my cell phone.

The fall colors are really coming out.

I don't know if you can make out the picture below, but it was clusters of wild grapes left after the grape leaves have died back.

So after this idyllic walk, imagine my horror, that in between loading up the hounds to come back home and unloading back at the house, HoneyDew's face and head must have been crawling with thousands of ticks! Well maybe not that many...but it sure seemed like it. Thank heaven the frontline was working because the ticks would go down into her fur then come right back up which made it a lot easier to get them off her. All I can say is eeeewwwwwe! Sampson only had like four on him, but he mostly stayed in the clearings unlike Miss Nose that has to go into every bit of underbrush and high weeds she can find.
Someone remind me of this next fall, k?

Rain, Rain, go away!

This past week, it hasn't done much but rain in these parts, so the Bassets caught up on some "much needed" rest...

and dreamt of days like this....

Happy DOT's!

All Mondays - Cancelled - Until futher notice...

I don't know about you but I could do without Mondays. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong on Monday...or at the very least that is when I will hear about it.

Somedays, I really want to put a sign on the door, an automated email response, facebook posting, answering machine message, etc, that says "Sorry but we are closed on Mondays, come back on Tuesday. Unless it is bad news. In case of bad news, we are closed for good!"

I am always hopeful for Mondays, they are the start of a new week. A new beginning. This week I am going to stick to my fitness plan, excercise plan, cleaning schedule, project schedule. I have energy, I have a plan! Then within an hour of getting out of bed, the phone rings, there is a knock at the door, I open the newspaper, turn on the tv, or whatever and bam there it is -bad news. Plans, projects, schedules are poof, gone. Lost. Scattered. or Hiding. Come on already, I haven't even had my cup of tea yet!

Maybe it is not really Mondays? Maybe it is that I get out of bed on Mondays. If I told you what Mondays have been like around here, you would a.) laugh, b.) cry or c.) just shake your head and say thanks for the warning I will stay away on Mondays just to be sure it doesn't rub off!

I should ask my mother which day of the week I was born on. I don't have a clue. And although we have all heard...

Mondays child is fair of face,
Tuesdays child is full of grace,
Wednesdays child is full of woe,
Thursdays child has far to go,
Fridays child is loving and giving,
Saturdays child works hard for his living,
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.

...I don't believe it for a minute. Of course this poem was recorded back in 1838 with early evidence of it being around since the 1570's. I'll bet they went by a different calendar back then. And it has also been rumored some of the days/fortunes may have been switched around.

If the two suppositions mentioned above are true, I'll bet I was born on a Monday. Yep, that would explain a lot!


Come back on Tuesday, it will be a more upbeat post. Tuesdays are great. Yep come back on Tuesday...and thanks for letting me rant!