Winter is here!!

Wow it certainly has been cold here the last couple of days. Tuesday gave us our first taste of snow. Just enough to make driving fun. Fortunately it did not last long and by the end of the day it was gone. It still remains cold and for the weekend it is going to be warmer. Has been a long week. I have some health issues that have really started to take a toll on me. Since July I have been battleing high blood pressure that just came on suddenly. I went to the cardiologist on Wednesday, he increased my meds that I am currently on and started a new one. Since I have started the new meds. I have had a headache like you would not believe, and extremely tired ( more so than usual). This does not give me much time to get any spinning or knitting done. As much as I hate to say it the desire is just not there. Hopefully once my body adjusts to the meds it will be better. My hope was that Christmas this year would be better. Last year was horrible, with my husband hurt and out of work and me not working Christmas was hard. I made alot of gifts last year and I am feeling guilty this year because I am not making things like I usually do. I am working on finishing the Irish Hiking Scarf that I started last year, Hopefully it will be done in time to give it to my sister. The vest will not be done. Might have to be a birthday present. My daughter yells at me for bringing my knitting to her basketball games, but she will just have to get over that. Maybe I will have pictures of some finished projects next time.

They are done!!

This is the sunset off my deck on Thanksgiving night. Beautiful

It has only taken me months to make these socks. I bought the yarn from Janet Lynn of www.the-wheel-thing.com during our Hot N Hazy spin in. Started them shortly after but I guess life was just to busy. Finally they are done. I am thinking they are going to be for me, but now with Christmas so close they may be part of a gift for my mother. I am still working on the vest. It is coming slowly. Of course now I am itching to start a new project. Not quiet sure what that will be. Since my last post only the other day. ( I don' know what has gotten in to me. Usually it is months before I post again. ) Things have gotten very stressful here. So I need to find something to keep my hands and my brain occupied. In July I started with panic attacks, started on medication, it seemed to help but yesterday I had to work very hard to hold one back. They scar me and it means that things are going down hill again. I am letting things bother me that perhaps I should not. Well now that I have vented and don't feel anybetter it is off to do some blog reading.

I got pictures!!!!!!

Wow time does fly when you are having fun,( I think it is fun that I have been having, not quiet sure). Things in my life just seem to get more hectic. Rhinebeck was a great relaxation for me. Here is the fiber that I purchased. The white is cormo silk blend from Foxfire, the blue is a blend of mohair and wool with some Angelina in it. The dark is a red and black Lincoln. The fiber pictured in the front is moreno tencil blend from the Sheep shed. I had purchased some in May at Cummington and fell in love with it. So I just had to have some more.

I also added to my dropspindle collection as well. I purchased 2 Hatchtown spindles one is a Lady Anne made out of Fishtail oak. It is one that I have wanted for a while, more for the looks then to spin on. The other is inlaid with Lapis. It spins wonderfully. In the picture as well is the 3rd spindle that I purchased, a Vermont Spindle made of Zebra wood. The other is one that I purchased before Rhinebeck,( I just could not wait) It is a Spindlewood spindle, exactly 1/2 ounce in wt. It has become one of my favorite spindles. Thanks to Janet Lynn of www.the-wheel-thing.com for getting these new spindles. They are beautiful.

Unfortuantly I have not had a whole lot of time to spin. My wheels keep giving me dirty looks. My suzie currently has beast on it. I am in the process of spinning more to finish the vest that I had started as a gift for a friend. I don't think that it will get done in time. The back is done and the front is about 1/4 done. My country craftsman has silk on that, but it has been awhile since I worked on it. Time just seems to fly. I miss spinning. It was a great way for me to relax. With some of the health issues that I now have and person things going on, I really need to do more.

Tuesday was our Christmas get together for our spinning group. What alot of fun. It is always so nice to see my fellow spinners. One of our fellow spinners, Lisa of http://spinaround.blogspot.com was there. Lisa had been ill and had not been coming. It was so nice to see her again and know that she is feeling better. She does some beautiful knitting and spinning. I can't wait for our next spinning get together. Well that is all for now.

Chachachanges

The weather has certainly taken a change, it feels like fall. One of my favorite times of the year. The colors of the trees and the crisp air in the morning, are what make it my favorite. Life here has been going through its own changes here. I have started working full time. I love my new job. I am a Medical Trainer for a bordering counties ARC. It is hard to get back into the routine of getting up and going to work every morning. The kids start school in a few days and perhaps that will help everybody get into a routine. Things at home have been very stressful as well as some health issues that I am having. I have been walking just about every night. Hoping that it will help lower my blood pressure. Has not helped and now I am on a b/p med. Not what I wanted to do. Unfortnately I have not had alot of time to spend spinning. All of my wheels sit in the living room calling to me. Only one wheel has a project on it. I know that is sad. I do have some projects in mind so that may be my inspiration to start again. Also have a sock started and slow progress is being made on it. I did get to turn the heel last night. That is something that I like to do all in one sitting. I do like the yarn that I am using. It is Opal that I purchased from The Wheel Thing in july at the hot n hazy. The pattern and colors are really nice. If I can keep the batteries in my camera I will try to post some pics. Have a great Labor Day!!

Hot and Hazy II

No I did not fall off the face of the earth. Life kinda carried me away. Since my last post in April alot has changed. I had a job at the local icecream shop as manager. I was working 40+ hours aweek, but that was not enough for her. I asked for a day off to go to a job interview, because the icecream stops flowing after labor day. and she fired me. Oh well! I do have a new job that I start on Monday. I am very excited about it. I will be working for a local county ARC as there Medical Trainer. July 1st was Hot and Hazy II. We had a good turn out compared to last year. I want to Thank all the vendors for coming. I will try to include some pictures. We are hoping that next year is an even bigger turn out.
I bought 2 new spindles from Janet Lynn of The Wheel Thing. A Tabachek and a Forrester, along with a skein of sock yarn. From Grafton Fibers I purchased 2 batts of fiber, a bright blue and one that is orange and turquise blended. I am hoping to make socks from them. They are already spun.
Some of my other spinning purchased happened at Cummington. I bought my pretty Saxony wheel, A Country Craftsman. I have wanted one for a while. Yes I now have 3 wheels.
I try to give them each equal time. I also picked up a Russian Lace spindle from Janet Lynn. It is walnut and beautiful. I have not learned how to use it yet but I will. Also bought a fleece from Mary Pratt. Sad that you have to travel 2 hours to purchase from you neighbor, but that is how it goes.
My knitting has come to a stand still. I joined the Mystery Stole 2 knit along and had to rip out the first 9 rows and I just have not gotten back to it. I need to. It might be something to do at lunch. I am also working on a vest, the back is just about done. I am thinking that I am not going to have enough yarn. It is beast that I spun and I am going to have to get some more. Maybe I can get it done in time for Christmas. We shall see. Things are just going to get crazier.
Yesterday, I had a follow up visit with the eye doctor for a retinal tear that she discovered 3 months ago. She found that I had an occluded vessel in my right eye. So off the the retinal specialist I went. He took all kinds of pictures and injected dye. He is not quiet sure what the couse might be. High blood pressure is one theory. So now I am off to the primary for a complete work up. Then back to the specialist in 6 wks so we shall see what happens.

It's a little white for April

It has been snowing like crazy here today. We were only suppose to have slushy stuff on the grass. Oh well. I have some time off between jobs. I start at the local dairy bar at the end of the month. It should be fun. I love to make ice cream sundeas. With all my time I have been working on the Alpaca (someday it will be finished). I got the urge the other day to work on the beautiful silk that I purchased last summer. I have been spinning it on my moosie, it is one of my favorite drop spindles. On other news. Carla, Melissa and I are planning our hot and hazy day again. This time it will be in July. We are very excited. We have some new vendors this year and hopefully Bosworths will be able to come. They have emailed Melissa. I am still working on my license to drive bus. Hopefully by the end of the month I will have my license. It will be nice. It will give me some extra money for the upcoming fiber festivals. Well off to do some more laundry.

Is It Spring yet?

I just had to have something springy. You walk out the door here in the northeast and you are not sure if it is Janurary or the end of April. Monday I had the windows open airing out the house and last night it was snowing, tomorrw it is going to be in the 40's again. You just can't figure it out. Since my last post life at my house has become even more hectic. My job at the local ski area has been very busy. I am also working towards my drivers license to drive school bus. I have decided to put away my knitting for now and work on getting some of my spinning done. It has been so long since I sat down at my wheel, it felt really nice to just sit and spin and not think about any thing but the fiber going through my fingers. I am still spinning the alpaca that belongs to a friend. Hopefully I can get that done soon. I have so many other things that I would like to spin. I have added the pictures of the vest that I made for my mother for Christmas . I am so glad to that done . It turned out beautiful. I my make one for my self some time.