Hat And Scarf

My hat

and a ball of yarn

that I am going to turn into a scarf.

There are so many scarf patterns out there

that I'm having trouble

finding a simple one.

I just want a scarf to wear to keep warm

out walking the dog.

No cables, etc...

I'm thinking a k1p1 rib maybe.

So I'm making test swatches.

And maybe an i-cord border?

Or how about the linen stitch?

Or...

There are so many choices.

Windy Flag

We knew that there was a storm coming through today.

Wind advisory, rain, possible power outages...

So I'm posting early

to beat out the possible no power threat.

This morning when I was walking Morgan

I noticed the wind.

Noisy rainy wind.

Usually the house flag just hangs limply.

But today it was flying horizontal!

And the tree tops were dancing!

I'm not walking Morgan under those trees

while they are dropping branches.

I tried to get some of the trees dancing

but naturally they calmed down when I was videoing.

I tried 3 times.

But it gives you an idea...

the trees bend much farther in stronger wind.

I came back to the computer to post this 

and I heard the wind start up

very loud crashing through the trees.

But I'm not going to get up again and try to catch it

in action.

The wind is great at pruning the trees

but I don't want to be 

under them while that is going on.

Looks Like Snow

Yesterday, morning I looked out the window

and I thought I saw snow!

But, Kristine told me later

that it was just leftovers

from the terrific hail that fell

the night before.

I went to bed early 

to hide from the thunder and lightening.

So, I missed the hail storm.

Must have been some hail storm

to have it still hanging around and making it

through the rain.

I am very glad we are having rain 

but some snow would be ok too.

We still don't have the tree up.

We made cookies though.

Somehow, cookies and Christmas

seem to go together.

Nature's Cleaner Upper

December 1st.

Dead leaves were still hanging on.

But.

this morning.

The rain and wind the last couple of days

have done a wonderful job

of clearing out

the dead leaves from the oak trees.

Which means that I can get outside

and rake my paths and the driveway

and not have them 

covered up with leaves again

inside of a few days

and have to rake them all over again and again.

I'm old and lazy and now wait each year

for the wind and rain to 

clear out the trees

before I get outside and rake.

Acres of oak leaves out there.

Gingerbread House

At least the gingerbread house

has some snow.

So far we have had a lot of wind and rain.

Very noisy outside last night.

This morning most of the leaves are out of the trees.

All good!

This was a lot of fun.

That is some neat cake mold.

Sifting powdered sugar

over the house

was a lot easier than decorating

it with colored frosting.

A lot less calories also.

What? No Water?

Got a phone call this morning

informing us that the water would be turned off

due to a repair

that needed to be done.

Since they didn't know

 how long the water would be turned off 

I filled up everything I could find

with water.

Even the bathtub 

so the water could be used

to flush the toilet.

Ha!

Turns out that we were the only house

with water

while the rest of the houses

near us were without water all day.

When we lived in the Santa Cruz Mountains

having to deal with no water

was faily common.

Either drought or damage

to the well tank

would mean no water

sometimes for days...weeks.

I think I over reacted to the 

"no water" scare.

Oh well...

I had lots of water

for pasta and steaming veggies

for tonights dinner.

Tree Dressed In Moss

Well, it does look like the trees

are dressed in a velvet coating of greenery.

During the hot. dry drought

you would have thought the moss was dead

if you could even see there might have been some there.

But it only took a few rains

and the moss came back to life.

I took these photos this morning

on my walk with Morgan. 

Not all the trees have mossy coats.

Usually, it is only the older, shady, biggest oaks.

Pillow Cover?

Well, so far it is a wall hanging.

A while back 

I gave some fabric and things away

because I wasn't using them.

Hate to see things not used

and go to waste.

A few months later

I received this lovely gift in the mail.

It is made from bits of

the items 

I gave away.

Pretty neat, huh?

Lovely lady made this

lovely gift.

Gift Animals

Yesterday, Kristine brought me a gift from

her friend, Mary.

A bag of yarn

and a booklet with directions on how

to knit animals.

Well, this will certainly keep me busy.

When I tire of knitting hats

I can start up an animal

to work on in fits and starts.

Christmas tree is still not up.

Sigh...

Christmas Decorating

Here is a photo taken by Kristine

of Tom and Bill 

decorating at Bill's house.

We still have to put up our tree.

Maybe we will put the tree up in the loft this year?

 Here is the beginning of a new hat. 

I did the German cast on with two different yarns 

and am continuing with them K1P1. 

I’m making it up as I go along.

Wood Toss

Gee, that sounds like a carnival game.

We got a load of wood delivered today

Oak and Madrone

tossed in the shed to keep it dry.

This was the shed yesterday.

I think we may need more wood

this Winter.

So there will be more deliveries.

Usually we have big piles of wood

on the property

drying out over the Summer.

But this year was so dry

we really didn't want all that fuel

laying around.

Hats Under Fire!

Tom and Kristine are watching NCIS.

The wood stove is going great guns!

 Morgan came over and laid down near me

 when I sat on the floor to take the photo 

of the bag of hats spilled out on the chaise longue.

 Kristine says that Gibbs is shooting the hats! 

Ouch!

I like word play...

hats under the wood stove...

under fire from Gibbs...

I think that counts as

hats under fire. 

Thanks to LindaG for comment caps

but so far I am doing fine reading text on the computer.

Soon I will have cataract surgery

and that should/may

have a positive affect on the glaucoma?

I can still see to knit 

but the yarn loops are not always easy to see

on needles of about the same color.

But I can still make them out.

I find myself changing needles sizes

according to color 

to contrast with the yarn

instead of sticking to 

the size of needle I should use.

Works for me.

It would be nice to have

a set of circular needles in two colors.

A white set for dark yarns

and a dark set for light yarns.

Wonder if there is such a thing.

PS

The hats are intended for my daughter

and family in Idaho.
But if I can't stop knitting hats
I will donate them.
Or become known at that hat lady?

PSS
It's raining!!!
Yay!

First Slouchy Knit Hat

Beekeepers Hood?

Hmmmmm...

No pattern.

You can tell!

Just me knitting

and knitting

and not stopping.

Straight knitting

is 

Zen.

Well, maybe not

but it is relaxing and fun.

Wish I could see better though

'cause I'm not too sure what it really looks like.

I'm having way too much fun knitting hats.

So far there is a shopping bag full of hats.

I think I should maybe switch

to gloves and socks.

PS

Those are Morgan's meds

in the background.

Poor little ol 'doggy.

Early Morning Light

Wrote this on Dec.1

Late posting.

Love how the sun lights up the woods

in the morning.

View East

View West

Took these photos this morning 

while walking

Morgan around the fence line.

Kristine and Tom

are off to Bill's house

to help put up 

Christmas decorations.  

I'm home taking care of Morgan,

knitting hats, listening to Mrs. Polifax audiobooks

and keeping the wood stove full