Thesockladyspins

After almost 16 years the old porch was dying a slow miserable death, steps on south side get snow and ice buildups most of the winter, making using them treacherous, then bottom two steps were so rotten as to really be unsafe to use. So along came local contractor Rudy, agreed to do the work and bingo. When he came with his tools & stuff old porch was demolished in about 45 minutes, piled neatly and ready to go to the dump. Once work on new porch was started he had it finished in less than 2 days, would have been done in one but rain (thunderman and lightfoot) slowed the job. Am really happy with the work done and complete cleanup of all the old stuff and bits of the new stuff. Sock knitting on Olly's wild & crazies is moving right along, if anything good on this afternoon should get the heel turned on second sock. Some things I am not fond of watching tennis, fencing, some gymnastics and enuff already of has been Michael P. Have yarn for next pair already to go, t...

Glorious rain so far this morning, enuff that I have puddles on my driveway. Would much rather have the rain & mud than the fires that can be so scary. In 2010 there were big fires to the east and west and for several days the only road (hiway 20) was closed, when we got a possible evacuation alert wondered where we could go if it really happened. Were lucky then to dodge the fire bullet. After getting my yard cut it turned so brown and crunchy, now can almost see it turning greener by the minute. Ear flapper for Anna B, local teen that helped with shoveling and keeping my car clear of snow the last couple of years. Have had this handspun flapper around for awhile and gave it to her last Friday (one of the hottest days so far). She gamely put it on long enuff for me to get a pix. The wild & crazy socks are moving right along, no pix tho until the pair are finished. Used lots of solid colored Koigu and Cherry Tree Hill yarns in the leg part but knowing how Koigu doesn't...

Saw another black bear this morning, was coming up from the south heading north, kind of scruffy looking. Bear sightings are way down this year, in the past by now would have seen at least 30, so far this year maybe a dozen. Wasn't real happy with the white booties (mukluks), so used more handspun BFL-Silk and made another set, light gray with blue and white, much better IMO. Now into the wild & crazy socks for Toni, so far so good.

Almost always knit both soles at the same time then slide one off onto a diff needle while I finish #1, except once #1 was done and I picked up a diff sized set of needles to work on #2 and not noticing the difference until almost to where I added the blue pattern. #2 was waaaay bigger due to going from a 2.5 mm needle to a 3.25 mm, but hey it was dark and light wasn't the best and I am OLDE. So ripped back to where I had added the bigger needles and using the correct size finished #2 properly. A full days reprieve from the almost to much heat we'd been having, from yesterdays 32° (mid 90's F) to low 70's F today and a really nice breeze coming in all opened windows. According to forecast one more day of high 80's then back to much nicer weather. And if it comes to pass I will make a trip into town, prescription refills and a large produce order. Neighbor Les was back and finished cutting my yard full of weeds, a nice fire break and should help with the mozzi...

Stored Emke's boat all winter in my old woodshed, today Sam came to haul it home, he brought a helper and 2 chain saws and cut up and got rid of the two dead trees on south side of where Les is cutting in blog pix from Sunday. Amazing what 2 guys that know what they are doing can do in just a few minutes. He will come back before cold weather arrives and take a look at my living room furnace.

Even tho there was still frost the mornings of the 4th thru the 6th, the clear skies finally got around to hotter sunny days. Today and tomorrow are forecast to be in upper 80's and even low 90's, and for the first time this year have sandals on without wool socks. Neighbor Les brought riding lawnmower on Friday and knocked down the weeds & grasses in front of the house and on east side, started on west side before he ran out of gas, will come back and do the rest in a couple of days. What a neighbor. Brown scrapper socks are almost to the heel, not sure I like this color arrangement at all, but in the grand scheme of things will be a perfect pair to add to the the sock gift basket. Have all the skeins wound into cakes ready to start on Toni's socks next. But will finish current pair first (I promise). Not much else new and excitingly different in my wild mountain valley, just the way I like it.

Had my Knit Picks order with yesterdays mail and a surprise package from Maggie via Kimmie Cornerstone (Parkinson). A bundaflicka tote (perfect colors, one I would have chosen from a rack full), many bars of soap, another container of Shepherds Friend hand creme (haven't had a cracked fingertip since I started using it). Almost like a late Christmas. Knit Picks order had the almost fuchsia yarn I'd been waiting for before starting on Toni's wild & crazy socks. On Tuesday had 2 black bears in yard, one grazing just in front of the old wood shed, the other over by the cattle guard by the driveway, no way would they get close enuff to get a pix of the 2 together. By the time I got a shot of the one by the cattle guard it had crossed and was on my driveway (left smelly things behind) on his travels. The grill master brother in VA sent me a pix of a grill full of turkey burgers and sausages, came thru on a night when I had an early supper, looked good enuff to lick the ...

Started this pair June 19 and finished last night, ends are all taken care of, now just need to get them washed and on the blockers to dry. Still waiting for the last yarn to come before I start on Toni's socks, meanwhile using more odds for another pair of the 5 row scrappers. This pair will have all the browns I can find. Critter count for today, 2 deer just before 7 am, then a smallish black bear around 8:30, then some sort of weasel running fast maybe a fisher. And that was all before 10 am. If I did nothing but sit in wool room all day am sure I would see even more. Big windows on 3 sides means anything wandering about usually comes into view sooner or later. 37° F at 6:30 this morning, house had gotten quite cool, so much so that I turned electric heat on until sun came in over east mountains. Upper 70's in forecast for mid to late this week.