Some knitting news!

Ok, time to post some knitting stuff!!

First of all-

This GORGEOUS skein is "Sea Pearl" by Briar Rose Fibers that I won in a contest put on by Connie of Pick Up Sticks. She asked us to guess the correct total number of skeins of Briar Rose she had ordered. My guess was 94! This skein is destined to become a pair of socks for me, I think!!

Next - some works in progress:


These are a pair of socks I'm knitting for my Mom out of "Emily" by Posh Yarn. 80% lambswool, 10% cashmere and 10% angora - YUM!! Pattern: Openwork Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks Needles: Aero 2.5mm dpns. The beautiful beaded stitch counter is courtesy of my friend, Sherri D of Intuibead.

This is my very first soaker, intended for Wyatt. I'm knitting it with soaker wool by Doodlebird's Creations , colourway "Sailor's Dread", using the Mini WonderSoaker pattern by WoolyWonders. So far, I'm loving how the colours are knitting up, and the pattern seems really easy to follow and knit. I am kinda regretting choosing to do the Mini soaker though, b/c the way Wyatt is growing, if I don't get it done soon, I'm rather afraid he's not going to fit it!! Yes, those are Knitpicks options circular knitting needles pictured-I just got them, and learned how to do the Magic Loop, and am loving every minute of working with them!!


And finally-a Finished Object!! Actually-a PAIR!! Yes-can you believe it! LOL!! Here are Dad's Llama wool socks (80% Llama fiber, 20% wool). Pattern: Crossover Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks Needles: Aero 2.5 mm dpns. Now if only Dad would hurry up and come visit and get them before a) He moves to Belize, where it'll be too warm to wear them or b) I am tempted to keep them and wear them, even though they'll be too big!

Well that's all for now, folks! Stay tuned for more news on another upcoming project (yep, already forgot my "rule" of only onething on the needles at a time!)

It's a heifer!!

Gabi (finally!!) calved! We found a beautiful red/brown heifer calf, already on the ground and licked off this morning!! I was SOO excited to see it was a girl-her Daddy was Eric, my reg'd Dexter bull, whom I sold last falll. She's that pretty red/brown colour all over, except for some white on her tummy and a few hairs in her tail. I would say she is over 80 lbs-I can't pick her up!! But looong legs!! I'm planning on keeping her. I'm thinking of Taffeta (Taffy).

One of our mares, Wonder, kept getting in my way when I went out there with the camera to get some baby pix (this is the last one I'm waiting on to foal). Well, I thought she was just being curious at first. Then-she suddenly went for Gabi-ears pinned back, teeth bared. Gabi backed up, snorted, and shook her horns at the mare, then moved towards the calf again-and the mare repeated these actions!! I think maybe she thought she should be able to adopt the calf! She's never been agressive towards the cows before. Anyways, enough was enough for me! I grabbed a halter and tied up the mare, and moved Gabi and baby into the barn and shut the gate to give them some private time!

Gabi's bag is VERY FULL!! I had to milk her back teats out with thumb and forefinger-that's all the room there was on her overfull teats, til I took some pressure off!! And of course, she's a little sore (can't blame her!) and concerned about her baby. And the mosquitos here are TERRIBLE!! Still, she behaved quite well-I'm so proud of her! I cannot describe just what a joy it is to have a milk cow, even through the trying times, and times like this-new sweet baby calf and fresh milk on the way-are just perfection!!

A Sad Day...

Had a really rough day yesterday. We lost our Etta (Cartrs Blackjack Etta) to a complication during foaling. It was totally unexpected, and happened so quickly, we are all left reeling and sad, wondering what we could've done different. We also lost the foal.
Etta liked Leroy best, and he returned her feelings. She had an incredible temperament (typical of the Canadian breed) and allowed Jesse to ride her in his (and Etta's too!) first horse show. Keeping in mind, she hadn't been broke until age 9, although she took to it so well, one would've thought she'd been born trained! She also allowed me to watch her give birth to our "Wonder" horse, born on mine and Leroy's 3rd wedding anniversary-the first foal I'd ever seen born. She was our lead horse, and the herd out there, comprised of her daughters and granddaughter, as well as our stallion, are pretty forlorn and lost without her.
I know farming isn't always easy, but this is one of the toughest things ever to go through-I've seen death and loss before, lots even-but this is unimaginable-she wasn't even very old, and so unexpected...
Etta's loss will be felt for a very long time to come.