Mamascrapalota-Blogga

Camp White's Landing

When I was a Brownie/Girl Scout I went to Camp White's Landing on Catalina Island, an Island 26 miles off the coast of Southern California..  Now, I had grown up going to Catalina a lot, but always stayed on my grandparent's boat, or on my parent's boat.  I'd never before stayed in a tent, on a cot, actually overnight, on Catalina.  One thing about Catalina you might not know (I know you Californian's know this), is that there are wild boar and wild Buffalo that hang out all around the island, brought over there a long time ago by the Spanish Conquistadors.  Just kidding, I think, I do know who brought them over there, I just can't remember, and it was a long time ago and not really key to this story, who brought them over.  Anyway, they are there, and those boars are huge, black, with big tusks, and mean, and we were told to stay still if they come near.  They move fast.  The Buffalo on the other hand, were like giant grandfathers, who ambled slowly through the camp and would just stand there and stare at you, or the ground, munch a little grass, then move on a few steps, and then repeat the whole process. Usually there would be two or three at a time moving through the camp together, and all things Girl Scouty would stop.

The girls in my tent and I decided that we wanted our cots outside under the stars. Well, one night we had a wild boar standing in between my cot and the girl's next to mine.  This thing stank to high heaven and in the moonlight I could see the coarse  hairs rising from it's back.  I could hear it snuffing around in our bags and rooting with it's nose, pushing around clothes and strewing them everywhere.  I guarantee you, one of us had some forbidden food in our suitcases and this was the cause of the rooting.

An aside note is needed here.  We are a skiing family.  And, my mom made all of us down jackets from a kit.  SHE MADE them!  Mine was big, poofy and red.  My mom, who always says she is not a crafty person, sewed and MADE these cool down jackets for my 6'6" daddy, and my sister and I.  This jacket went on the trip with me to Catalina.  I do believe it was only about 6 months old.

So, back to the clothes throwing wild boar.  My friend and I, laid still in our sleeping bags until that thing was gone and when it moved on, we ran hi-tailing it over to our counselors tent and stayed there until morning.

The next day we had a huge mess to clean up.  Our clothes were trampled in the dust and were everywhere.  We two girls had to tell our dramatic story to anyone who would listen.  And, of course the story got better and better with each re-telling.  Who knows what version you are getting right now.  Just kidding.  I think this one is pretty accurate, if not embellished a tad.  Har.

But, the story I brought back to tell my parents was even better.  While I soaked in my second tub of bathwater, and while unpacking all of my VERY dirty clothes my mom asked me, "Hey, where's your down jacket?" I told her that the wild boar stole it and ran away with it when he was playing with all of our clothes. I told her that I looked all over the camp and in the oak trees behind the tent and I couldn't find it.  That boar took it.  He took it and brought it back to his nest for his wife's babies.  Ok, I made that last part up for your enjoyment (as I made up the whole wonderful story for my mom).

You know what really happened to that cool jacket that my mom worked so hard to make for me?  I left it on the Catalina Flyer, the ferry that brought all of us campers, and all the tourists to the island.  I forget to pick it up on the way off, and there you have it.  No wild boar stole it for his family, I forgot it.  Mom, if you are reading this, I know you know the truth, but I'm sorry again for all the hard work you put into my cool jacket, and most of all for lying.

The moral of the story?  Never make (knit,sew) your kiddos something that they can leave on the bus or a ferry somewhere.  Or, let them take that homemade (knit, sewn) item somewhere a wild boar can steal away your hard work. 

Now, you know the reason I don't make anything bigger than hats and scarves for my kiddos.

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And, on the knitting front....I have nothing to show. Still more of the same, but I have decided to do a bit of ripping back on my Rusted Root on those puffy sleeves.  Kristi, you are right.  Puffy sleeves are coming back, I am seeing them everywhere.  You just won't see them on me.  Nope.  So, as usual, I'm following your directions.  Thank you!

Rusted Root Progress

First off, I DO NOT like the sleeves.  They're poofy.  And, in the arm area (or any other area) I don't need any help. I'm about mid-torso, and that part looks ok.  I have NO idea how to fix the sleeves, without drastic measures.  A) ripping back the whole way or B) getting out the sewing machine and take out about two inches of sleeves.  CRAP.  I so don't want to do either of those things.  Seriously!  Any tips?  Ok, no laughing when you see the picture.  Shhhhh, I can hear you giggling.  My arms look HUGE!  Like they are in a big bell. RING, RING, RING !!! 

Dang it!

If you want, click for big, but seriously, don't freak out....  It's big (meaning my arms....)

Insecure much?

And, that's all she wrote...

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Except for this:  Lynda, if you are reading this, your contest yarn is ready to mail out.... Can you email me your address?  Thanks!

Yarn Update

These are some new yarns that went to Colorful Yarns here in Denver as of about an hour ago. Enjoy!

50% Merino/50% Tencel- 400 yards. 4 oz.

Artichoke

Iris Sings

En Fuego

30 Feet Under

Down South

Blood Orange

Bunny Jump

And, there is a new yarn base that I have just gotten in that I dyed 4 sample skeins.  They are stunning! I'll tell you all about that at a later date.  It's some scrumptious yarnage, I tell ya.

That's it. That's all she wrote.  KNIT ON my knittah's!

I Remember..... And our own personal Wildlife.

I have been an animal lover all my life. When I was a kid we had zoo full of animals at our house.  So much so, that my mom's personal license plate was "Pegyzoo" (Her name is Peggy Sue).  To recap we had three show horses, two milk cows, four dogs, tons of "barn kitties" only a few of whom were allowed  in the house, a bird named "Buddy," two finches, and whatever else my sister, mom and I, could collect.

Some years we had some baby birds that fell out of their nests that we nursed back to health and then released.  One time I found a completely bald baby sparrow, and about a week later I (thought) I found another one. I put them both in a cage, hand fed them and noticed that one of them had freakishly LONG legs and a huge mouth.  Within a week it was twice the size of the other baby, and we figured out it was a "Mocking Bird."  And, they do just that.  Mock.  He told me I was too skinny, and I needed a hair cut.  Just kidding, but he did make fun of his baby brother, "You're soooo small, grow up, why dontcha!"  The worst thing that ever happened with these baby birls is that they would poop on your shoulder, or your hand.  Easy, put a towel on you shoulder and your safe.

Did you know that when a baby bird sees it's mother, it flaps it's wings very quickly, it flutters really, and opens it's mouth and chirps really loudly?  It does this even full grown.  Even after these two grew up full grown, when they would see me, they would do that fluttering wing thing and try to sit on my shoulder and get really close to my mouth. We released these two and up to about a month later, they both would fly down to sit on my shoulder and flutter.  After that, I would go out and see if I could call them back, but they were back into their wild state.  I always had that "empty nest" feeling. 

Remember those two cows I told you about up there?  They were "Clover" and "Daisy" or according to my loving father, "MissTake" and "MissTake #2"  Get it?  Miss Steak?  We girls didn't think that was so funny. For 4-H we chose to work with dairy cows. We picked up those two from the dairy farm down the street at an hour old.  We brought home the mother's colostrum and fed that to them, and then they had formula after that. We put the little babies in the posh custom made van my dad had and prayed that they would NOT poop on the way home, (he would just die.)  Cow poo is NOT nice poo like horse poo.  Trust me.  My dad made them a little heated nest in the barn and we fed them every three hours or so.  I don't know how many of you have seen calves feed, but they push REALLY hard on the mother's udder so the milk lets down.  Get this, when they see you, YOU are the mother, so they push on you, or the HUGE milk bottle, complete with the hugest n1pple you've ever seen, to get the milk out.  And, when they are two years old, 1,800 lbs, and HUGE, they still think you are mom, and they STILL push hard on you to get you to give them some milk.

Here is the embarrassing part of the story. I grew up on a neighborhood of boys.  And, these boys were always over at my house checking out my dad's motorcycle, asking to go horse back riding, or whatever cool thing he had going on at the time.  I can't remember why, but a few of them were over, (I think we were going to go on a trial ride or something) and for some reason, I had to go into the cow pen.  Clover and Daisy had made quite a mire of mess in one corner of the corral about 6 ft. by 6 ft. if you know what I mean, and, I had my back to Daisy who decided she wanted some LOVIN', and NOW.  She put that big wet nose in my back, and pushed - HARD. I went face first right into that mire of muck and landed belly down with my long hair on one side smashed full of COW-PIE-O-RAMA. I seriously did not even have a second to react.  One minute I was standing there, the next I was down.  In the guck.  Yes, the boys were there, David Day, and David Burns, and Kelly Wash His Hands (you know? I never knew his last name, we had always just called him Kelly Wash His Hands).  Oooo I was burned up and dang embarrassed.  My mom wouldn't let me come in the house and hosed me off outside.  I think we even threw those clothes away, or burned them. Heh.

I guess the moral of the story here is, if you are going to become "Mother" to an wild animal, choose something small.  It's much less painful in the end.

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Speaking of wild animals, we've got it going on over here in my part of Denver!  Guess what's in my back yard (really in the park one block away)? 

Seen Yesterday, April 29, 2008

That's right, we've got three bull-elks just a-hangin' around chewing their cud, and a-growin' their antlers. Those antlers grow fast y'all.  Get this - they can grow 1 to 1 1/2 inches per day, and in 90-120 days the bulls can grow a full set of antlers. 

I'll never forget seeing my first elk with it's full set of antlers.  I drove into my new neighborhood here in Colorado, and there he was about 5 feet away from my car.  HUGE.  As big, or bigger than an average horse.  Seriously this one looked to be about 17+ hands high at the withers.  With those antlers attached to his head, he just looked massive and mean. I guess they aren't mean until rutting season, but I didn't know that.

Also seen yesterday were a herd of deer:

...and going up my driveway we saw this little lady, (that's our house way up there, you just can't recognize it because there is NO snow...)

And the last wild animal to be seen at our house yesterday was an unusually happy, bounding, excited Missy.  Look at the air the old girl got.  That's at least 4-5 inches under her front paws.  Very impressive.  She was excited to see her mama. I love that dog.  She's a real love.

Stay tuned for some knitting content.  It's going along.  Of course I've added some more new things.... WHY oh why can't I be monogamous? In EVERY other aspect of my life, I can be.  Knitting?  NOPE.  I'm so disappointed in myself.  Sigh...

Same Day Posting... 2fer

I just couldn't wait.  I know I just posted about 10 minutes ago (read below).

Here is my second Barn Raising Quilt square.  It's Red Rocks Fiber Works Aspen Sock, color "Boylyn Girl."

Hope you like it!

I Remember... and a Yarn Update

I remember my childhood pretty clearly.  In fact I remember things that my mom says that would be impossible for me to remember. Mostly I remember my *embarrassing moments, and for those of you who know me well, there are many.

One in particular stands out in my mind. Back in the day I thought I was pretty hot.  And, speaking of hot, we had one HOT UPS delivery guy who came to our house quite regularly. On this particular day I had just gotten back home from a tennis lesson and I had to use the facilities.  While in there I hear the door bell ring, so I rush to get out of the bathroom.  I tuck my Izod shirt (yes, I'm dating myself, it's pre-"Polo" days) in my high white tennis shorts, zip them up and run to the front door to answer it.  What'daya know?  It's the hot UPS guy.  Mind you, I'm hot too, so we stand and chat for awhile, him holding the package for my mom, and me posing and flipping my long feathered hair and giggling. So, it's time for him to leave, I take the package, trill a goodbye, and walk back in the house.  For some reason I look down and notice that most of the bottom of my shirt is sticking out of a large space in a gap of the front of my shorts.  Sort of like a flagpole standing at attention and straight as an arrow.  Seriously, about 3 to 4 inches straight out.  I was in agony, how in the world could I have NOT noticed that while posing and flipping my long feathered hair?

Oh yes, folks.  I was hot.  And, really humiliated in that adolescent way.  Hot.

*Stay tuned in for more stories of my life, embarrassing or not.  I think I'm going to make it a regular part of my postings. 

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Above are the new "spring" Red Rocks Fiber Works yarns in at  Colorful Yarns as of yesterday.  Get 'em while they're hot.  I saw a lot of them walking out the door right after they were put out on the floor.  I only did 56 of these so you better hurry! And, if you want some and you don't live here, call her.  She WILL ship them right to your door.

By the way..... The Tuesday night "Knit Night" at Colorful Yarns is getting HUGE!  Last night there were barely enough seats for everyone.  I thought it was great.... It's almost as big as Knitting In La Jolla gets.  (But, that's hard to top) Everyone sitting in the walkways, on the floor, and NOBODY caring! They all just want to be together.  Time for some more chairs Tiffany.  Your store ROCKS!

I  got another square done, and I'll show that to you later in another post.  It's real purty.

Knit on!

And, that's all she wrote...

Hey Lady, Can You Spare a Square?

Well, it's not all that exciting to see one square is it.  But just think of how it'll look when I have the required 40 + squares that make up the Barn Raising Blanket.  Friday night Jenni helped me learn how to do the "Magic Loop" method, and I cast on for my first square using (gasp) not my own sock yarn.  I didn't have any with me and a new shipment came in from Shibui (is that right?) and so I bought a skein, and cast on.  There are 7 of us who are knitting 7 squares, and we are then exchanging them to put in our own personal blankie.  I've been cheesily calling it our "Friendship Blanket" and I've been teased.  But, you know what? I don't care.  I'll keep it forever. And, these girls have become very TRUE friends, and I will  remember each of them in this gorgeous blanket we are all making.

That's all she wrote.
So, KNIT on!

P.S, These Squares are addicting.  It's like trying to eat just one chip.  Impossible.

I got to DYE today!

With the help of Byron we dyed 56 skeins this morning. 

Gotta run, time to make dinner!

Enjoy the beauty of the Spring Yarns.  Info as to where they are going, coming soon!

uhmmm... It Snowed. A lot....

Tuesday was a beautiful 80+ degrees. 

Wednesday at noon it started snowing.

We got about 6in. of snow.... 

Spring..... Come back!!!!!!!

 

Great Mail Day!!!

It is extremely cool to have "cyber-fiber" friends. Some fiber friends of mine sent me a VERY cool surprise package in the mail. 

In my "Poor is Me" post down below, I said a very short Send Dark Chocolate line at the end of my post. (Poor me)

Look what I got in the mail!



Chocolate...................................................Check
Chocolate and Vanilla Suckers....................Check
Puzzles.......................................................Check
Comic Book................................................Check
Readers Digest............................................Check

Read it, puzzled it, licked it, ate it. (I think that sounds bad, but you know what I mean)


What more can you ask for in a "Poor is Me" care package?

Thank you so much Linda from k2togwonderfullymade, and her daughter Kaity Knits...a Lot .  You guys really made my day. This duo can REALLY knit, and we have made some sort of a cool connection in the last few years.  Few and far between, but it's there.   

Can this serve as my Thank You note? 

Knit on, my sista's  ====>

And, that's all she wrote!