Merry Christmas!

XOXO

♥

Happy Pre-Christmas Eve!

XOXO

♥

4 Days until Christmas!

XOXO

♥

Multiplied Joy

Oh, noooooo!!!

I miscalculated!!!

My Picot Bind Off estimation in my last post was wrong! 
Every picot only uses up 1 stitch, not two.  

That means for 500 stitches in my final row
x 10 steps for each picot, à 5000?!?!?

No wonder it is taking me awhile! 
Yikes! 

Good thing I didn’t know,
or I mighta freaked out a wee bit.  LOL

Thankfully, it is progressing nicely,

and hopefully it will be off the needles very soon. 

Then I will need to block it and take photos to share with you. 

<wow>

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

December Pix

It has been such a nice warm December so far.  Even the wildlife seem to be enjoying it.  And they’re forecasting a high of 70 tomorrow!

I caught a photo of this mange-y looking dog cruising down the creek bed yesterday.  Okay, I actually caught him in the act of pooping.  Do you believe that??  Once I caught and photographed a fox pooping in the creek bed, too. 

 
What is up with that???  hahaha

Do you think it’s a dog?  I don’t know.  I mean, it’s obviously canine, but it’s so weird looking.  It’s sure not anyone’s pet. 

 
And this is only the second time that I’ve seen it.  I think it's a coyote.  Wow.

And this pretty hawk was sitting on a branch for quite a long time, taking in the sunshine, I guess.  (Or waiting patiently for some supper.)   (Yikes.)

I was very happy to get such a sharp photo of him.  Sometimes I just have to go get the real camera, and not use my phone!   :)

And here is a photo of some sweet little baby raccoons.  For the first time, this year we have had an autumn set of babies.   (They’re usually born in the late Spring.)  Fortunately, they seem to be thriving and growing well, and we are always happy to see them come for food every night.

And lastly, here is a photo of my current lace shawl project.  I have been knitting on this for quite awhile (months and months and months!!), and am finally binding off. 

The bind off, however, is a “picot” bind off where you make extra stitches for each picot.  I have over 500 stitches in my last row, and each “picot” only uses up 2 stitches, but it takes 10 steps to make it!  250 picots x 10 steps = 2500?!  To say that it’s taking me a long time is quite the understatement!  I hope to finish it before the end of the year!  We'll see.  LOL

Well, I hope your December is going well, and isn’t too mad-crazy yet!  …‘Later!  :)

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

Happy Thanksgiving!

XOXO

♥

Frost

After we came home last night,

we noticed some frost on our car

in this cool pattern.

Isn't it unusual?

XOXO

♥

Dreamy Deck

Let's go hang out here!

XOXO

♥

Branson Vacation

Mr. Man and I just had the nicest vacation over in Branson, Missouri.  We don't go for all the shows, we go for the scenery and to just relax.  We rented a beautfiul little cabin and just enjoyed being there.

And to take a break even from my lace, I took my new project, the Color Play Mohair Wrap.  It has turned out to be such a nice knitting project and I have thoroughly enjoyed working on something so easy.  The colors changing as you knit are so appealing and entertaining.  (And it’s just knits and purls!)

Among other things, we had to visit the National Tiger Sanctuary again!  :)  It’s just north of Branson.  Oh, those big cats are so gorgeous.  I took so many photos and videos, it was ridiculous!  One of the tigers was very vocal, and it was sooooo cool to hear that deep growling sound -- it sounds so surreal.  I just love it.

But it was kinda crazy...  There were tons of ladybugs by the panther's cage up at the front.  It was kind of like walking through a swarm.  They were all over us!  Mr. Man was kind to flick them out of my hair and we spent more than a little time flicking them off of each other.  But later when I brushed yet another one off my arm it turned out to be a little bee and not a ladybug.  He did not appreciate my interference and he stung me!

Gosh, I don't think I've had to deal with a bee or yellow jacket sting in 40 years, and I swelled up horribly back then, so I generally try to avoid them like the plague!  I put ice on it as soon as we got in the car, and Mr. Man drove me to the local Walmart for Benadryl capsules and cream.  Thankfully, they worked and it all turned out to be a minor nuisance.  But, whew!  A little too much excitement for me!

After dinner that night we got to see the most amazing sunset on the way back to the cabin.  The sunset photo that I posted the other day was one of dozens that I took that evening.

I remember saying that the sky looked like it was on fire.  I got out my phone and started snapping photos as Mr. Man was driving!  I'm so glad that we happened to be at the right place at the right time.  It was such a beautiful sunset.  We've never seen such colors before!

I posted probably the best of my many photos the other day, but I wanted you to see this one.  I didn't crop out the road or anything, so you can really get a sense of what it was like to be in the car and seeing the sky so incredible.  :)  (We were just about to cross Table Rock Lake.)

(You can click on each photo to see it bigger and better.)

It was such a great vacation.  The cabin was just charming and so pleasant to stay in.  It was funny, though, because it "creaked" fairly often.  And not the floor, the whole cabin.  That was new to me.  I guess it was all the wood being affected by the temperature changes and sunshine, but it took a little getting used to.

In fact, the first night I heard so much creaking that I was positive that someone had broken in and was walking around!  LOL  (The next night Mr. Man turned on one of our phone apps for background noise, like crickets or rain or purring, so I wouldn't be bothered by all the creaking, because otherwise it was almost too quiet, ya know?)

We took the little dog with us and he was such a good traveler, but he seemed very happy to get back to our wall-to-wall carpeting!  Right after we arrived home, he ran for joy up and down the house at top speed, with the wind rushing through all his fur!

I guess dogs don't like wood floors.  No traction.  Or maybe he was just homesick.  haha  The kitten was very happy to see him running and have someone to play with again, and he ran behind the dog and then jumped right over him!

It's great to get away and it's great to come home.

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

Sunset over Table Rock Lake

(straight out of the camera!)

XOXO

♥

Philippians 4 verse 8

XOXO

♥

Color Play Mohair Wrap

So, I was at my local yarn shop on Monday and I fell in love with a new project!

The pattern is called:  Color Play Mohair Scarf and Wrap, and it is designed by ChurchMouse Yarns and Teas.  (You can look it up on Ravelry.)

The yarn that is used is made by Rowan, and is called Kidsilk Haze Stripe.  (The colorways are designed by Kaffe Fasset!)  You use 4 different colors of variegated balls of yarn, holding 2 strands of yarn together at the same time.

In fact, the wrap is designed to where you hold 2 different colors at the same time and then you switch to holding 2 strands of the same color, progressing through the 4 different balls. 

With the variegated self-striping yarn, this yields a “color play” that you can’t predict and truly unfolds before you as you knit it!

I just cast on today and watching the colors change as I worked was just mesmerizing.  This will be a fun knit.

And hopefully it should also be an easy knit.  It is really just a stockinette body with a seed stitch border.  So, just knits and purls! 

I am thinking that this will be an excellent foil to all my lace knitting.  It’s nice to have different projects of varying difficulty, and I think this one will be really special.

I’ve always said that Rowan Kidsilk Haze (or Kidsilk Crack, as some knitters call it!) is so beautiful on its own that you could just do the knit stitch with it and it would be gorgeous.

In this project, the variegated colors and the soft mohair will take center stage.  No fancy stitches, just inches upon inches of joy, and hopefully a wrap made out of clouds at the end.

I’ll letcha know…

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

Lace as Art

I finally did it!

Here is my first framed lace piece!

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

Romans 5 vs 8

XOXO

♥

Happy October!

It's finally Fall!

The weather has cooled down…  Summer is gone and
Autumn is slowly creeping into place.

October is one of my very most favorite months, probably because the coolness is always so welcome after such hot summers.

Today was 64 degrees, 

and I planted some pansies in our mailbox planters.

I really enjoy working outside in the flowerbeds, just not when it’s so hot.  If only it could be in the 60’s more often!  Unfortunately it seems like I have to cram all my weeding, deadheading and garden stuff into October and April every year.  I would enjoy being outside all summer if it could’ve felt like it did today!

I also enjoy the instant gratification of yard/garden work.  And being the type who likes things neat and tidy, I really like getting back outside (after looking at the chaos all summer) and finally getting to put things back in order.

The prep was the hardest part, because the volunteer (read: weedy) trumpet vine has really taken over this year.  I heard that this year’s weather was perfect for vines to go crazy, so I guess I am not alone dealing with this aggressive volunteer.

Don’t get me wrong, in the right location, I love trumpet vines.  We had some at our previous house, and it was dense and lush up against a fence and it bloomed all summer long.  It was gorgeous.

Unfortunately at our current home, it's in a shady flowerbed, so there are no pretty orange blooms.  Only vines and greenery.  (which I am usually thankful for, but they really took over this year, along with the Virginia Creeper!)

Anyway, to close, and hopefully to bring a smile to your face, here is a photo of some turkeys that visited us last week!  They are always so awkwardly funny and fun to watch.

Happy October!

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

Friday Funny

TGIF, y'all!

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

An Experiment with Essential Oils

http://www.stopthestomachflu.com/do-essential-oils-like-thieves-really-kill-germs

Click here for the experiment.

This gal has a Ph.D. in biochemistry

and

decided to test how effective essential oils were against germs.

She doesn't sell oils.
She isn't affiliated with any company.

She doesn't even use essential oils.

It's a bit of a read,
so feel free to skim...

But the bottom line is:

yes, they actually work!

And she even tested 5 different brands:

one of which is the popular

Young Living's "Thieves"

and another is the very affordable brand

Plant Therapy, and its "Germ Fighter" blend.

I'm thrilled to find such a scientific study
using essential oils.

(I love unbiased opinions!)

Just thought I'd pass it along!
Happy Fall!

XOXO,

Lucky Dog
♥

p.s.  I may have to put some 3% hydrogen peroxide
in a spray bottle and use it for cleaning after reading all this!

Pink Lace Swatch

Here is another in my series of knitted lace swatches.

This stitch is called
"Curving Lattice Lace",

and was knitted with Rowan Kidsilk Haze yarn.

The color is called Hibiscus,

and I used Chiaogoo Red Lace needles, 

size US 7.

The stitch is from the book:

The Knitter's Handbook

by Eleanor Van Zandt, published by Hamlin,

page 91.

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

My Knitted Lace Swatch

Hot off the blocking boards,
here is my latest knitted lace swatch.

Pattern:  Orchid.
Yarn:  Shibui Silk Cloud.

Color:  Velvet.
Needles:  ChiaoGoo Red Lace US 7.

Size:  8x8 inches.

You know how much I love to knit swatches!

They are like a bite-sized lace project,
and for lace,
that's saying a lot.

I have been wanting to take them a step further,
and I had my "eureka" moment today
on how to do it.

Now I just need to try it out.

It'll take a bit of work and $$, though.

<oy>
Doesn't everything?

Stay tuned...

XOXO,

Lucky Dog
♥

Contentment

I saw this today and wanted to share it,

but...

I believe the real secret to Contentment is

being thankful.

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

Sobering Quote

It sure makes one pause and think...

XOXO

♥

Great Definition of Being Introverted

It's all about energy.

Where you spend it,

and where you get it.

XOXO

♥

The Black Dot

XOXO

♥

Matthew 7 verse 7

XOXO

♥

Note to Self

Right after I wake up,

before I even open my eyes,

thank God for giving me another precious day.

And at least once during the day,

raise both arms upwards in a V

and say loudly, TA-DA!!

XOXO,

Lucky Dog

♥

Furry Babies

Mama raccoon finally brought her 5 babies
to dinner on our deck!

They're so cute, especially at this age.

As are our indoor furry babies:

XOXO,

Lucky Dog
♥