Fiber in the Forest Retreat

I have just spent a wonderful weekend with about 22 knitters and spinners.
The house we met up in was old and huge

The view that greeted up each time we stepped outside

Here are half the ladies that were there, the one in front was the organizer of the event. It was Saturday night and some had left for the evening or headed to bed already. I thought better late than never for the group photo.

More about the retreat on my next podcast later this week.

Ravelry Anniversary

Two years ago, I got my invite into the wonderful site of ravelry.com. At the time, I was a little skeptical about what a "great" site it was. I had heard news on many of the newsgroups and yahoo groups I was a member of about this site. I had listened to a few podcasts, they had talked about it for a while and in mid October, and I finally went onto the waiting list to get in. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that a website would change how I craft. Ravelry has done just that.



I have met a lovely group of people, both online and in person since joining this site. I have been able to give back to the site by making meet up buttons with "Ravatar" pictures on them for other users. I have been able to both get patterns not found else where and also put up a few of mine for others to make. I have had a blast for the last two years and I hope to have many more years of fun.



This is a thank you to Jess for the idea of the site and to Casey for having the knowledge to put his wife's idea into reality. (Big bonus for good husband material as he gives his wife what she wants).



Another way to thank them that you and I can help with is the $12.12 on 12/12 donate party that is happening on Ravelry. This is a donation through PayPal of $12.12 on December 12 of this year to Ravelry (info for donating is on their site).



Ravelry is a free site, but people donate in order to gain bigger, better servers for faster surfing, trips for the paid employees of Ravelry to fiber events around the world. I have heard that the actual cost of Ravelry is covered by the advertising that happens on the site, so really this is just a thank you for them doing such a great job at giving us a site to go and play on.



I will make sure there is $12.12 in my account to give to them on this date. It is the least I can do for them making a site that has occupied many hour of my life in the last two years.

Fast week

It's only Tuesday and it seems as if that the week is flying fast. No pictures today, sorry.

Last night I crocheted another 6 inches on my sweater.

After college, I hope to crochet to the bottom of the body today. Tonight is NCIS so good TV to yarn by. Sleeves tomorrow and then blocking.

Thursday is the beginning of the Fun in the Forest Retreat that Trish is putting on in Holland. I am excited about everyone I get to meet and looking forward to a weekend of fun and relaxation. Deborah and I will be commuting for the retreat instead of staying there, so we might miss out on some, but not much.

The "S" Word

Today has me thinking of my family and how we are a mix of people, raised in different generations by the same parents. The mom I knew was not the mom my oldest sister grew up with. My mom had raised a bunch of kids and was a bit more relaxed with me than what she was with the oldest in the family. I "got away" with things that I am sure my parents had already dealt with and just didn't feel the need to cause a stink about it with me. Other things, I knew better than to try because of what happened to my older siblings.
My sister had a mom who was a widow, had to open her own printing business and become a seamstress to keep her two children fed. My mother ran the household, my father went out each day and brought home the money in which to run it. Yet, we grew up with the same parents.
Yes, My dad was her dad. We did not use that dirty "S" word. You know step. Shh it is a bad 4 letter word (in my opinion). This went into my family as the way you raise kids. Yes, my sister's husband has kids that she did not give birth to, but they are her kids, just ask her. This is just like my husband who has helped me raise our kids. He is not the biological father, but ask him whose kids they are and he will fight you tooth and nail that they are his. I am also thankful that my husband feels the same way about that "S" word as I do. Ask my kids, he is Dad.

I know others do not feel the same way about this word as I do, but really, if you get married, you are a family. Why put labels and ostracize because of a silly little 4 letter word. My father had many kids. Only 4 of them did he "father" but to all of us, he was dad.

I don't know why I chose to talk about this, other than I am missing mom and dad, my family are all across the nation, in other states and I am feeling a bit of "family sickness". Not home sick, but just missing the way my family feels about me. Accepting who I am, problems, issues, attitude and all. I am planning next year to get around and see a lot of them on my vacation from life.

Anyway...

Talking about kids, Boo decided to go as MJ for Halloween. She grew up with his music as I love it and chose to have fun with dressing up as him this year.

Hope you have a great family day.

NaCroSweMo

Yes, I fell in with the crowd. I am going to make a sweater, for myself in a month. OK, I want to do it in less than a week, but I can call it what I want. Right? Right.

I started the sweater this morning. I am using Wool of the Andes from Knit Picks in Grass. I have 22 skeins, we will see how many I use.

Here is what I got done today.



Before I started the sweater, I finished the Cherry Mustard Scarf and blocked it.




Yes, it is blocking hanging on my wall. I had it on the blocking board, but the cats love the wool so much they would not leave it alone. I can't blame them, it is my hand spun and I also love it. This is my first time really knitting with yarn I have made myself and I am eager to do this more often.

Happy Halloween

I love Halloween.

When I was little it was always a day we looked forward to. One filled with fun, a bit of fright and tons of imagination.

This year we will hand out candy to all the good and bad goblins that come to our house. We are lucky enough to live in an area that gets lots of trick-or-treaters. The candy stash is at the ready, just waiting for tonight's hordes to come.

This last month I have been busy trying to catch up on my reading for 52 in 52. I have read the new Dan Brown book Lost Symbol, The new Diana Gabaldon book An echo in the Bone, Sherrilyn Kenyon's books Acheron, Bad Moon Rising and have started Born of the Night.

I love the Dark Hunter, Dream Hunter and Were-Hunter series. Yes, I am a sap for a good romance filled with gods, myth and powerful beings. Unlike Twilight (sorry I couldn't get into that series) this is for grown ups. If you care to read them, the chronological order for reading is a bit different than how the books were published and really they should be read in order. You can find the list here

Oh, After all the candy is done for the night, remember to set your clock back. It is the end of Daylight Saving Time.

I want one

Phone sheep

Nuff said.