Knitting In Motion

Moving On

2007-03-06T14:42:00.000-08:00

In an effort to keep up with the cyber times, I have moved on to Wordpress and big time (for me) blogging. You can visit this and all my other blogs at: Island Zephyr

Click on the DK link for my blogs, or the Scott link for his.

Be sure to leave an observation if you have one.

Thanks for visiting, see you there...

New Lampstand

2007-03-01T11:38:00.000-08:00

I needed a floor stand for my daylight lamp and decided that I did not want to drop $60+ on a metal one so, as usual, I looked around for something I could use to make one myself. This is what I came up with.

The log is from a cedar tree here on the property that we were cutting up for firewood. I figured how tall I needed it and Scott cut it to length for me. Then it was just a matter of sanding it down and putting on several coats of polyurethane to seal it. I drilled a hole for my lamp to fit in and viola! This was my first attempt at any creative woodworking outside of cutting molding pieces, etc. I think It turned out great and it works beautifully.

Frost Flowers and Leaves

2007-02-09T14:15:00.000-08:00

In honor of the really crappy weather outside I thought I would post progress photos of my Frost Flowers and Leaves Shawl that I have been working on for %*#^% of months now. The progress is slow, but it is turning out quite pretty.

Moving

2007-01-06T10:40:00.000-08:00

For those of you that are looking for updates on our travels or our house building status please email me for the new blog address for those entries. This blog is going back to being about purely knitting and craft related posts. Thanks to all those who read my blog and knit on...

William's Hat Revisited

2007-01-03T16:50:00.000-08:00

It fits!! Yipee!! Now the rest of the family wants one and they are specifying colors too.

William's Hat

2006-12-16T07:08:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas William!! This hat is for you and I will be sending it to you asap. The model however will remain with me. Looks like I finished it just in time...

Red?

2006-11-07T07:32:00.000-08:00

I thought it was about time that I took another fun meaningless quiz. So, here you go..

What color are you?
You are the color red. You are a passionate color, and would die without your love life. You are the sassy one in your tight-knit group of friends, and can sometimes show a mean side. Take this quiz!

And, have you seen this yet? What a hoot!!
Tombstone Creator

A Perfect Patio (or, another place to enjoy a fire)

2006-10-18T05:31:00.000-07:00

We own a 4wd vehicle that has, in our opinion, no need for a driveway (or garage for that matter, but that is another story). Taking this sentiment into consideration, we looked at the driveway possibilities and decided to relocate the concrete that would have been used for a longer driveway. By designing and staking out a large and much more useful patio area off of the screened in porch we were able to maximize our $$$ spent on concrete which is very expensive these days. We used wooden stakes and orange string to layout the general shape and size. After tripping over the string for about a month we decided that we should use some of the outdoor paint that is made for creating lines on the ground (mostly for sports, I think) and paint over the lines then remove the string and stakes. We added a special design element that facilitates one of our favorite things to do, a fire pit. Since we love to have camp fires, not only for warmth, but for beauty we decided that we would put one permanently in the patio. Prior to this time we had been using a steel washing machine tub for our "campfire" in the evenings, which is great for an occasional outdoor campfire by the way.

Patio Framing

Pouring the Concrete

What a mess!

Front "driveway", sidewalk, and landing.

Our first fire in the new pit.

Beautiful!

This says it all.

The mirrors for the bathrooms were put in within the last week or so and I just love the one in the master bath. It is above the entire bathtub and makes the bathroom seem so much bigger. Check it out.

Yes, that is me.

An inspector was at the house a couple of weeks ago and left a list of things that needed to be fixed or whatever according to the building code. One of the things he identified that needed to be done was a railing needed to be installed at the top of the landing. (Can you say duhhhhh?) Because of the way things work with the inspectors all of the things on the list had to be fixed prior to the electric power being turned on at (or even run to)the house. SOOOO, the banister railing was installed at the top landing. The guy installing the railing also did the stairs. No, we still have no power.

Upstairs railing, now OSHA compliant.

Finished stairs.

View of railing from top of stairs.

The wood floor has been installed upstairs and it looks great. The floor contractor was more than a little freaked out when he arrived to find that there were already cabinets installed. He also strongly discouraged us from putting wood flooring in the bathrooms where there were bath tubs or showers. In addition to all this, he said that he should have installed the floor months before so that the wood had time to acclimate to the temperatures in the house. So, we took all this new information and after mulling it over for about an hour we decided to go with tile in the two full bathrooms. This meant another trip to the tile store and more waiting while the tile was installed. Regardless, the floor upstairs has been installed and it looks great. There has been no sanding or poly coating as of yet and no downstairs flooring to date, but we are hopeful this will happen soon.

Oak stairs.

Both upstairs offices with wood flooring installed.

Scott's office floor.

My office floor (this room gets great afternoon natural light.)

View of landing from offices.

A Cord of Wood

2006-10-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

Can you guess what this goes to?

October 6, 2006

YES!! The wood-burning stove has finally been installed.

Receiving Operating Instructions

It looks so good on our hearth and is ready to be used. We have already been busy gathering and splitting firewood. Conveniently, there is a mill nearby where log trucks haul their loads and for one reason or another they sometimes drop their loads on the side of the road near the entrance or even in the parking lot of a vacant gas station nearby. We have found this to be an unbelievable source of free fire wood for anyone who wants to haul it away.

FREE Firewood

In September, we purchased a log splitter on sale at Home Depot (apparently at about half price according to my parents) and got busy.

Log Splitter

Meager Beginnings (9-20-2006)

We have collected several trailer loads to date of both pine and mixed hardwood. My father in law is afraid, at this point, that we are going to go into the lumber business. HA HA

Wood Collection as of October 24, 2006

One thing we love to burn in our fire pit is cedar. We found a dead cedar on the back part of the property our house is on, hooked a chain to it and dragged it to the splitter with the community tractor. While cutting it apart with the chain saw the tree began humming. We didn't consider this normal so we investigated further. The tree was (and had been for quite some time) the home to a huge number of carpenter bees. These bees are extremely large and don't fly very fast either. However, they still look a little menacing. We left the cut apart pieces to rest for about a week thinking the bees would relocate. No such luck. So we claimed their home with our log splitter and a little delicate handling (and a little bee spray).

How bad do we want this log?

I've been accused of being a very patient person.......

2006-10-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

but, my patience is wearing pretty thin these days when it comes to house construction. So, pardon me while I rant a little. This will probably be the only time you hear me complain about the house construction, but I have to let it out or explode. So here goes.

We began building this house in January, 2006. It is now mid-October and we are still waiting for it's completion. Apparently, if you build a house out in the country the contractors don't like to come out to work. Go figure.... At the rate at which the house is being built we will be lucky to be moved in by Christmas 2007!!

Every day we make the 30 minute drive out to the house to check on progress and every day there is one more thing done. This would generally be considered to be a good thing, however, the one thing completed is usually a lightbulb being screwed in or a cabinet (singular) being installed. If you follow the dates of the photographs you will understand what I am talking about. The following photos reflect an entire month's progress on this house and I am photographing every thing that is being done. This is why there have been no photo updates of the house lately. I now have enough photos collected of house progress to compile into a couple of entries. Here is the first entry (September's work) of completed work, or partial completion as is more the case these days. These photos are ones I took up to September 27, 2006.

Paint on the Walls
The entire house is painted in Sherwin Williams "Kilm Beige", with "Extra White" for all ceilings and master bath walls. Only the downstairs powder room and the upstairs bath have walls of a different color.

Paint on walls downstairs (9-5-2006)

Cutie pie!

Paint and trim on stairs.

Cabinets Installed
In keeping with the spirit of a simple and clean style throughout the house the cabinets are all natural wood poly coated. We wanted the wood to show in the cabinets and floors so there is no stain involved in either process, just poly coating.

Kitchen Cabinets (9-7-2006)

Powder Room Cabinet (also paint color)

Master Bath Cabinet

Scott's Built-in Bookcase

Upstairs Bath Cabinet (also paint color)

Deborah's Built-in Bookcase

Lighting and Fans
The lighting and ceiling fans we had installed were as simplistic and unobtrusive (gaudy) as we could possibly find. The two areas in the house that we opted for some type of design was the lighting fixtures in the two full bathrooms and the ceiling fan in the great room. We both really liked this fan and thought it's design went well with the natural theme of the house.

Great Room Ceiling Fan (isn't it great?!)

Master Bath Laminate and Lighting (9-26-2006)

Wall Sconces on the Staircase

Fans on the Patio

What's this? A septic system?
We arrived on 9-27-2006 to find a monster of a tractor behind the house. The septic system was being installed. Whoo-Hoo!! The septic contractor was super nice and couldn't understand why he hadn't been called much earlier to put in the system. Like most of the other sub-contractors we have talked to so far. Again, go figure.....

Tractor/Backhoe

Cleared Area for Septic

Tank

Tile
There must have been some kind of lull in the sub-contractors world this week because the same day the septic was installed the tile guy came out and put in the kitchen countertop tile. While he was there he also laid the tile for the hearth that is actually a pad for the woodburning stove we are installing. We designed the hearth ourselves and drew it on the floor with a pencil for him to fill in. He did a great job!

Kitchen Tile (9-27-2006)

Kitchen Tile

Natural Light in Kitchen

Kitchen Bar Tile

Hearth

Master Bath Tile

Upstairs Bath Tile

Level?
We stood at the front entry for a while after the electricians had been putting in lighting and studied the front entry lights. If you look closely, they are not level, not even close. You know how sometimes things get so frustrating that you just have to laugh or you are going to cry? Well that is how I felt when I saw those lights. We just both started shrugging our shoulders and laughing. What's next???????

Auburn Football Season 2006

2006-10-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

Football season is in full swing and living in Auburn has given us the opportunity to experience it this year like never before. We have been to several games already this year with a few more "big" games to go. Auburn's only loss so far was this weekend to Arkansas and although the weather was perfect for a football game, high 70's and sunny, the game was quite sad. Anyway, here are some photos of the season thus far and a little explanation of some of the traditions of Auburn University Football.

Parking for the football games is always an adventure here. Generally, you get as close as you can and then hike the 1/4 to 3/4 mile trek across campus to the stadium. The walk is not difficult and when the weather is pleasant the tailgating atmosphere closer to the stadium becomes more festive and anticipatory. Here are a few sites to see on the way to the stadium.

Samford Hall

Toomer's Drug Store (more on this later)

Prior to entering the stadium the Auburn players walk through the fans down a long street that leads them directly into the tunnel. This tradition is called Tiger Walk and is attended by thousands of fans each game day who come to see the players (and coaches) and cheer them on.

This year Scott and I were treated to a tour of the field prior to one of the games. The field is crowned to allow for run off of water and you can really see this from ground level. Something else you can see from ground level is the actual size of the players. I knew they were big guys, but WOW!

Scott and Larry

Auburn Players

Tight End, Tommy Trott

The Defensive Line

The Quarterback, Brandon Cox

Just prior to kick off the band comes out from the tunnel and marches around the outer ring of the field playing for the fans.

Trombones

Tubas

Our seats for the games this year have been near mid field, but way high in the upper deck. I really like these seats because you get a wonderful view of the entire field as well as the campus. One advantage we had by having these seats was the ability to see the eagle, Spirit, take off in flight to circle the stadium before landing mid field. The trainers released her from right behind where we were sitting and it was so cool to see (and almost touch) her as she took off.

Taking Off

Pre-game festivities continue with the band taking the field and spelling out various forms of Auburn, AU, etc. They eventually end up forming the shape of an eagle and when the National Anthem is sung the flag is outstretched in the center. Following this there is sometimes a fly over by some type of military plane or helicopter squadron.

Band in eagle formation

Fly Over

Post game festivities consist of making the trek back through campus to the previously chosen parking location for the day. If the outcome of the game was a win for Auburn then this trek is rerouted by way of Toomer's Drug Store (see above). There is a long standing tradition in Auburn called Rolling Toomer's Corner . This tradition calls for the trees located across the street, diagonally from the drug store to be rolled, yes, in toilet paper in the event of a win.

Fans on their way to Toomer's Drug Store

Rolling Toomer's Corner

Hot Springs, AR - A cool place to ride

2006-09-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

What did you do to celebrate American Labor Day, September 4-6, 2006? This year we trailered the bikes to Hot Springs, Arkansas. Apparently, Hot Springs is a Mecca of sorts for motorcyclists. It is one of the more beautiful places to ride and there are several long, winding roads in the area that we had read about. These roads were supposed to be fantastic for motorcycling. They were touted as having some beautiful curves and vistas (See below). We were not disappointed.

We did a little geocaching on the way there and back, as well as during our motorcycle rides. We dropped off several travel bugs and picked up a few more to bring back to Alabama. One thing we enjoy about geocaching is that it takes us to places we never would have ventured into. We crossed the bridge in the below photo on our bikes several times, but it wasn't until we went to find the cache down below by the river that we were treated to this view.

Headed for a cache just off the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi

Found it!

One of the bridges we crossed on one of our bike excursions.

Found this one in Memphis, TN on what appeared to be an abandoned golf course.

While we were out caching on our bikes I came across this little guy and decided to go back and save him from squashing. Doesn't it look like I am giving him a lecture about the benefits of staying out of the road? Even though he wouldn't come out of his shell, I think he listened to me and will stay in the woods from now on.

The rides we took each day were tons of fun, with lots of winding curves, switchbacks, and mountain vistas. Once I got up next to the sign I couldn't believe how big it really was. These signs were one after another up and down the mountains. What a blast!

There he goes....

Here he comes...

There he goes again...

As I said this place is no secret to motorcyclists so the roads were filled with them every where we went. We had loads of opportunities to see all kinds of different bikes (and riders). Everything from trike riders with female drivers and male passengers to a man with his dog, front paws perched on the handlebars balancing nicely. We really didn't know that there would be so many bikes there. It really was a treat.

Two of the many riders we met along the way.

OOOOOOHHHHH Pretty!!!!

We stopped by Wal-Mart and bought a disposable camera for our rides after we realized that it might be fun to take pictures of each other and anything else while riding. Be sure to check out the last photo in this set. That is Scott in the back of that 1/4 mile long group of motorcycles roaring down the road. I was actually the last rider in the line and it was so much more fun to ride in a pack than I thought it would be. Some of the photos are a little blurry, but hey, try taking photos with one hand and cranking the throttle and steering with the other. YES, mother, we were being careful...

Everyone has to eat and of course we found some of the coolest local places to go. Dwayne's Bar-B-Q and Grill is located in Dover and their parking lot was full of bikes when we passed by. Since Dover was at the end of our route for the day, about a half an hour later on our way back we decided to check it out. We have learned to never underestimate the ability of bikers to find great food at fantastic prices. The food was abundant and excellent and we got out of there for under $20.

Our hotel was located on Lake Hamilton and there were a couple of resturants on the lake to choose from. Fisherman's Wharf was located one bridge over from our hotel and we decided to eat there, overlooking the water and the city's fireworks display on Labor Day evening. There was so much boat traffic going across the lake for the fireworks it was great fun to watch them all. Dinner was so good and the people/boat/firework watching was so much fun that we ended up staying long enough to watch the boat traffic returning from whence they came after the fireworks were over.

At the end of each day we made time to come into town and actually enjoy walking the city of Hot Springs and the National Park that is the heart of down town. I had been here many times before, but Scott had not. So, as we walked the streets I explained how the city had fountains that were piped from the springs and the water that came out of them was super hot, 115 degrees. The citizens of the city and anyone who cares to is able to go to these fountains and fill their containers (containers vary as much as individuals) with all the water they want, i.e. can carry. The water is pure spring water and tastes great once it cools off. He was a little skeptical so we visited one of the more famous fountains so we could fill up a few water bottles we had saved. The water is very hot and under quite a bit of pressure so when you open the spigot the water flows out very fast. It takes some practice to get it in the bottle and not all over yourself. We both got soaking wet, but it was a lot of fun anyway.

The bath houses here are all undergoing intensive remodeling, thanks to the federal government and are slowly reopening to the public. They are quite majestic and were very popular in their day. If you walk up to the windows of the bath houses they have displays behind the windows explaining the history of the houses and the redevelopment plan.

Where we have been lately... Panama City Beach, FL

2006-09-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, August 18-20, we rode our bikes down to Panama City Beach for the weekend. We were originally going to ride down with a group of riders from Hog Heaven, in Columbus, GA for the Ride to the Beach, an annual bikers trip to raise money for the March of Dimes. We found out about the ride a little to late to garner sponsors this year so we just decided to make the trip ourselves for the fun and sun.

Along the way we took time to do a little geocaching.

We arrived at our hotel just as it began to rain. Since afternoon showers are common here we hung around in the room enjoying the view for a while until the storm subsided.

Once there was a break in the storm we headed out to dinner and to observe the nightlife of Panama City Beach. We decided to eat at a place called Pineapple Willy's. This place is supposedly famous for it's ribs that were featured in a Visa commercial some time back. The ribs were average, but the dinner was quite memorable. We arrived at Pineapple Willy's just before it started to storm again. We were seated out on the far end of the gazebo pier and enjoyed our dinner while it rained heavily, complete with simultaneous lightning and thunder. Apparently we are braver than most because all the other tables in the gazebo cleared out as people finished their dinners and no one else wanted to sit out there in the storms. Eventually we had the entire end of the pier to ourselves. Magnificant!!

Saturday we spent the day exploring the city, marinas, and geocaching. We had lunch at a great little spot called Lime's that was tucked away and was a bit of a challenge to find. Dinner that night was even more fabulous as we enjoyed the boat traffic and the sunset from the upstairs open air dining area of a place called the Boatyard.

We made our way back home on Sunday taking a few detours here and there to investigate some of the backroads of Alabama. Although the trip was very short it was a lot of fun and we were able to get a feel for how far we can travel comfortably on our bikes in one day (and how much stuff we can take along).

Photo Contest - We need your vote!

2006-09-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

We are participating in a contest put together by Jeep and Geocaching.com in which the winner each month receives a new GPS unit and the grand prize winner receives a new Jeep. Below is our photo entry. Please take a minute to click on the photo and vote for our entry. Thanks!!!!

House Construction Continues (Finally!) - moved to NK

2006-08-19T09:44:00.000-07:00

It has been quite a while since there has been an update on the house construction. There is a good reason for this. There has been none. The time period between the framing and any other activity has seemed like an eternity. We now have real walls and the first stage of the trim is done. Now we wait on the painters to put on the first interior coat of paint, so the cabinet maker can come in, so the floor can be installed, so.......

Here are some new photos of the progress to date.

We have walls!

Window at top of stairs, unframed.

Window at top of stairs, framed.

Stairs

Stairs

View from Deborah's office with framed windows.

View from Scott's office with framed windows.

View from Scott's office with framed windows.

William the Ham

2006-08-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

Our son sends us a photo a day, via email, of our grandson William. We have decided that he is quite a ham. I have been collecting some of the best ones to put on the blog. Here they are, complete with the title our son deemed appropriate for each.

"You just twist this thing here?"

Trashman

"Just a bit off the top, please"

Working for Daddy

Life in the fast lane

Too sexy for my shirt!

New From Old

2006-08-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

We had the diamonds in my old engagement ring made into a pair of beautiful triangle earrings and a custom made pendant.

How do you like it?

Savannah & Geocaching

2006-07-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

Savannah
Scott and I decided to take our motorcycles to Savannah for a weekend of geocaching (more about this later), people watching and good food. Savannah is one of many places we like to go and relax. The streets, buildings, and especially the cemeteries are full of history and beauty. It is a wonderful place to just wander around on foot or bicycle. If you go to Savannah, here are a few of the dining places on the river that we recommend.

Tubby's Tank House

One-eyed Lizzy's

Spanky's

Riverfront

Geocaching

Scott and I found several caches in Savannah. Many times caches are hidden in cemeteries and that makes Savannah a great place for the game.

One of the beautiful places geocaching took us this time.

Have you ever been Geocaching? Geocaching is a world wide game that is played by using your GPS unit to locate a specific point on the globe where something is hidden. It is a lot of fun and can be done anywhere you travel. A typical (traditional) geocache is hidden in an ammo box or rubbermaid type container to keep the contents from the elements. They can be hidden anywhere and pretty much are everywhere. Here are a few examples.

Typical hiding place for a traditional cache.

I found it, finally.

We found several geocaches in Savannah and the fun didn't stop in there. When we got back home we found a few more within 5 miles of our house. During one of our hikes looking for a cache in a state park right down the road we were treated to a beautiful set of waterfalls that we never knew were there. After we did a little rock climbing to get to the cache we climbed back down to the falls and since the temperature was 100+ this 40 year old grandmother didn't hesitate to take a dip. The wet clothing made for a fabulous ride home on the bike.

Me

My partner in crime and geocaching.

Miami, Daytona & Motorcycles

2006-07-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

Coming Home
Another thing that Scott and I like to do is go to sporting events. These include, but are not limited to, all major league sports, minor league baseball, and college sports of all kinds. We planned this trip so that we could catch a Florida Marlins vs. Houston Astros game in formerly "Joe Robbie" stadium. This is a stadium that I have always wanted to visit. It was so hot during the game (mid-day game) that we left after about the 5th inning. You can see from the photo that 90% of the stadium was empty right from the beginning of the game. Heat and a "not so good team" were probably the main reasons for this, but we enjoyed the game none the less.

Dolphin's Stadium

After we left the game and went back to the hotel to freshen up we found a little place on the ocean to eat dinner called O'Mallys Ocean Pub. The dining was outside, with a live band and the tables were about 50' from the crashing waves. Magnificent!

While we were on our trip to the keys we decided to get serious about finding Scott a bike so we could ride together. We decided to take the "scenic" route home to Alabama through Daytona in order to pick up new bike bells for each other. There is a legend that goes with these bells and they are supposed to be given to a rider by a friend. We picked out our bells in Daytona at a place called "Hot Leathers" (hmmmm) and purchased them for each other, had a spectacular lunch at Johnny Rockets overlooking the ocean (one last time) and then it was back on the road for home.

Scott's Bike
After arriving home we wasted no time in finding a bike on eBay for Scott. We picked it up the next weekend and have been riding together almost every day since. Here are some photos of the proud new owner of a Honda Nighthawk 750 in the rare blue color.

Snorkeling, Dining & Shopping Key West Style

2006-07-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

The trip to Dry Tortugas National Park
Scott and I love to snorkel and there is a wonderful place to do this in the Keys called Dry Tortugas National Park . Our day began early with a half day trip out to the park for some snorkeling and sun. The last time we went out to the park we took the Fast Cat boat. This time we decided to take the Seaplane through Seaplanes of Key West. This turned out to be a great decision. We were treated to an aerial view of Key West and other keys as well. On the way to Dry Tortugas and back we spotted sharks, sea turtles, shipwrecks and even passed a biplane with rider. If you ever have the chance to go the seaplane is our recommended mode of transportation to get there.

Fast Cat

Our plane on the right. (yes, the little one)

Aerial view of Key West

Dry Tortugas National Park

The outermost wall that surrounds the moat is where most of the snorkeling is done. You are allowed to snorkel outside this wall about 200 ft out into the ocean. There is no snorkeling within the moat, but there are some very happy, super large fish that live there. When you are at the fort you can also take a tour of the fort itself. We have taken the tour before so this time the trip was all about the water.

Aren't we cute?

Me

Fish

Sea Turtle

Sea Turtle close up (Yes, we were that close and he was that BIG!

Scott, having a discussion with a Grouper

Tony & Maria Valles (our seaplane companions)

Here we are, sunburned and smiling.

Dry Tortugas Lighthouse

Cuban "boat"

Cuban refugees

As we took off from the park to head back to Key West our pilot informed us that there was enough time for us to do a fly by of the light house which is out on a separate island. When we flew by the pilot noticed a boat (if you can call it that) on the shore that he hadn't seen the day before. We circled around again and the pilot told us all to be on the look out for any people waving from the island. We were able to see several men waving shirts at us and after a few more passes we were able to count at least 6 Cuban refugees. Since this island is located so close to Cuba many refugees end up on this uninhabited little island and have to be picked up by the US government.

The pilot made one last pass over the island after calling in the situation on the radio to the proper authorities, waggled the wings of the plane back and forth as if to wave at the men and then we were off headed back to Key West.

This experience especially touched Scott and I because we once again realized how amazing it is that we live in the country that we do and how privileged a life we actually live here.

Shipwreck

Biplane with rider

We arrived back at the hotel for some quick showers and a little rest then it was off to Duval street for some food and fun. Our dining experience for the evening was at a place called the Tree Top Cafe. The food was fabulous and the restaurant is indeed upstairs and nestled among the tree tops of Duval street. We ate a rather early dinner and had the entire place to ourselves. Shopping was next on the agenda and so we were off to walk the length of Duval street going in and out of shops, not looking to buy anything in particular, but mostly just taking in the different characters we met along the way (and there were many). Our evening was topped off by sharing a piece of Key Lime pie at Margaritaville , Jimmy's place.

R & R = Reconnection and Recommitment

2006-07-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

This past month has been quite a whirlwind of activity for Scott and me. We have been so busy with work, travel, and other things that there has been no time to blog about it. It seems that the more "blog worthy" activities we are involved in, the less time there is to "blog" about them. Anyway, the house construction has been at a stand still since the siding was installed last month so I thought I would take the opportunity to update our handful of readers, yes both of you, on our latest adventures.

Scott and I took off for a long weekend last month, July 13-17, to do as Jimmy Buffet would say "just to try and recall the whole year". Actually, we did more than recall the past year, but more like the last 13 years of our married life. We took the time during this trip to reconnect to each other as husband and wife and to recommit our lives to each other. It is amazing how disconnected and alone two people can become when living under the same roof. So we treated this trip as a second (private) wedding and honeymoon, just for us. We had a wonderful time, saw and experienced many new things, as you can see in the photos in this post and the ones to follow. We came back home refreshed, more in love than ever and ready to tackle all our future challenges together.

Enjoy the photos and if you haven't already, tell someone you love them today....

The Beginning - Our New Wedding Day

We exchanged new rings on July 14 at the end of the 7 mile bridge in the Florida Keys. This was a perfect setting for our ceremony because it is one of our most treasured places. It is a place that we both love and now a place that holds a completely new place in both our hearts.

Deborah's Ring

Scott's Ring

The Hotel
We arrived at the Key Ambassador on Friday night and were excited to find our room overlooked, not only the pool, but the ocean as well. Throughout the weekend we were able to sit on our private, screened patio where we had long talks and even watched the sun rise several times.

Best Western Key Ambassador

We dined at the Island Dog on Front street just off Duval and around the corner from the famous Sloppy Joe's. The food at Island Dog was good and the evening was complete when we danced alone on the tiny dance floor to the music from the live band.

Krista

2006-07-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

Krista has been finished for about a month or so, but we have been so busy that I didn't have time to post a photo. She actually fits and here she is...

Siding

2006-07-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

The siding is on the house now and it looks great! Now we wait for the sheetrock to arrive.....

Beauregard All Stars 2006

2006-06-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

Gabriel made the Beauregard All Star baseball team this year and we have spent the last couple of weeks attending his games. The team made it through the first bracket in Valley, AL and almost through the second bracket hosted in Dadeville, AL. The boys made some incredible plays and really fought hard right to the very end. The final score of the last game was Dadeville/20 - Beauregard/15. A few days ago I made Gabriel his very first baseball card. The stats are not completely accurate because they played after I printed it. Regardless, I thought it would be cool for him to have his very own card. Here is his card and another photo of the entire team. Enjoy.

Tub and Showers Installed

2006-06-10T15:11:00.000-07:00

The bathtub and shower have been installed in the master bathroom and the shower is in upstairs, too. Making progress....

Abby's Socks

2006-06-10T14:35:00.000-07:00

There is no feeling in the world like making a gift for someone and seeing a look of total happiness when they open it and really appreciate it. This is especially true when the look is on a child's face. Today Abigail Marchio turned 6. Her brother Gabriel gave me some fuzzy yarn for my birthday about a month ago and I used it to decorate the top of the socks that I made for Abigail. Here is the result and her reaction. The pictures don't need words.

What I've been doing lately

2006-06-07T04:04:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been knitting last minute birthday gifts blogging quite a bit. New photos have been posted to the Tiger's Roost blog and you can see my most recent completed knitting endeavor there as well. Currently I am working on another birthday gift for this weekend and the Krista Tee for myself.

National Polka Festival #40 - Sunday

2006-06-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

Sunday we started out a little later than Saturday. We went to the KJT hall for some last minute dancing and to visit the hall since we had not been to this one yet. We danced there a while and then we were treated to a demonstration by the Oklahoma Czech Dancers. All of these individuals attend a Czech school in Oklahoma and in addition to learning regular school circulum they are taught about their Czech heritage. The costumes were phenominal and their demonsration was great. Here are some of the photos we took of them. Enjoy.

The Sokol happened to be on the way out of town so we stopped there for our final dance and then it was off to pick up our storage stuff at Mom's and head back to Alabama. I hear that my bathtub has been installed at the house so new house postings coming soon.......

National Polka Festival #40 - Saturday

2006-05-31T18:08:00.000-07:00

Jak se mas? or How are you? This is the phrase I learned this year at the festival. You can see other cool phrases and tons of other interesting Czech stuff by clicking here.

Saturday's activities started early. We made it to Ennis by 9am so we could get a parking spot for the downtown events. We landed a great parking spot and then went to a little grassy area on the side of the railroad tracks that gave us a good view of the parade route. Here I am again in my costume waiting for the parade to start. Scott said I looked like a little girl in the first one. Hmmmmm.

The parade started at 10am and like most parades had cheerleaders, bands, vehicles, clowns and of course horses. One thing that is different about this parade is that the floats are carrying the Czech bands on them and the demonstration dancers from Ohio and Oklahoma. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

After the parade we walked through the vendor booths downtown. Of course, there were food vendors too so I had possibly the largest corn dog I have ever had and Scott had a boring hot dog. I was able to get a souvenir cup though. HAHA

When we finished walking around downtown it was off to the halls for another afternoon and evening of dancing. We went to the Sokol hall to see the Dujka Brothers play and while we were there we saw a demonstration by the Sokol Greater Cleveland Folk Dancers. Their demonstration was a reenactment of a Czech village ceremony of sorts that welcomed in Summer. They did this by doing several dances and then the women of the "village" danced around the Maypole. The end result of this weaving of ribbons around the Maypole can be seen by the braid at the top of the pole when they are finished.

We had dinner at this hall that, for Scott at least, consisted of pork roast, dumplings, parsley potatoes, green beans and sauerkraut. I waited for the next hall where I could get some great bar-b-que.

When the folk dancers were about finished we headed over to the KC hall again where we would spend the remainder of the day and evening. While we were there we were treated to two of the finest Polka bands in the southwest, Vrazels' Polka Band and the Jodie Mikula Orchestra. The halls are always packed when they are playing.

My dad and step mom were able to join us here and I got in as much dancing with my dad as I could before they had to leave.

Before my dad left he snapped this photo of Scott and I dancing. Isn't this a cool picture and doesn't it look like Scott is having a good time?

One of the things I think is great about this festival is that it is for the entire family. Kids in this culture are taught to dance at a very young age and they get to know others of the same heritage. The kids that attend the festival take to the floor during every intermission and play slip and slide on the dance floor. In order to make the floor slippery enough for dancing the halls put down a dust all over the hardwood and the kids love it, too!

I am not sure if we drove the car back to the hotel or if it drove us because we were so exhausted and our feet hurt a lot. The bands stopped playing at 12:30am and we made it back to the hotel around 1. I don't think I have ever felt a more comfortable bed (at least that is what I was thinking then). Sunday morning came a little too soon for our tired legs, but we just had to return for one last day of festival fun. To be continued.....

National Polka Festival #40 - Friday

2006-05-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

Since there has been no progress on the house building lately I thought I would share what we did for this Memorial Day weekend.

This weekend was a special one for me because it was the first time I was able to attend the National Polka Festival in Ennis, Texas in about 14 years. I grew up in Texas and I am of Czech heritage. My family attended this festival every year as I was growing up and as a result I learned to dance Czech dances at the age of 5. Dancing has always been a big part of my life and going back to Ennis for the festival was a real treat for me. I hope to renew the tradition and make it an annual event for me and my family once again.

This festival is held every year on Memorial Day weekend and this was their 40th year. The weekend started with a dance Friday night, the 26th, from 7pm to 9pm at the Knights of Columbus (or KC for short) hall. Throughout this festival weekend there is no shortage of music, dancing, and fun for all ages. The food is always phenomenal as well. Friday evening we had dinner at the hall which consisted of bar-b-que sandwiches and klobase with kolaches and strudel for dessert.

The Harvesters from Lancaster, Texas were the scheduled band for Friday night and the hall was packed. We danced to practically every dance tune the band played. This selection consisted of mostly waltzes and polkas with a few country two step tunes thrown in for variety.

Later in the evening several couples competed in the National Polka Festival King and Queen contest. It was a typical dance competition with numbers pinned to the contestants backs and all. We were encouraged to cheer on our favorite couple as they danced by our table. The couple who were ultimately crowned were then required to ride in the parade the next day and attend the remainder of the festival, making appearances at all the halls and dancing for the crowds. They are fantastic dancers and we were able to see them several times throughout the weekend at the different halls.

After the King and Queen were crowned I tried on several Czech costumes from a vendor at the hall and purchased my first authentic Czech costume. After this purchase, there was little need for the clothing that I brought with me because I wore the costume the rest of the weekend. My costume consists of a red, full skirt, a white shirt with puffy sleeves and a wide lacy collar, and a black vest. The vendor had hair accessories available for purchase too. But since I am one of those people who says "I can make that", we went to Wal-mart at 1am after the dance where I bought flowers, ribbon and hair clips. Then we went back to the hotel where I made my hair clip that you see in the photo below and the ones in future posts.

Thoroughly exhausted, we collapsed in bed for a few hours of rest before having to be back in Ennis for the parade Saturday morning at 10am.

Look Nana, I have teeth

2006-05-24T03:13:00.000-07:00

William now has teeth. Whoo Hoo!

My grandson is a Cool Kid!!

2006-05-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

William filling his dad's shoes.

William and Eyore

William can't walk yet, but his dad has him climbing trees.

Tiger's roost updated

2006-05-16T18:19:00.000-07:00

Tiger's roost has been updated with pictures of Martha.

40 is pretty cool!

2006-05-16T18:09:00.000-07:00

Sunday was Mother's day and it was also my 40th birthday. We celebrated it all with food, cake, and presents at the Marchio's house. All in all, 40 is pretty cool. Scott gave me saddlebags for my new bike, the kids all gave me presents that they had chosen themselves and my sister in law picked up a really cool cake for me too. Although, she told me that we are now going by decades now instead of years therefore I only had a number 4 on my cake this year. HAHA

Me, opening the presents from the kids.

See my new saddlebags.

Me and Abby

Cool cake!

Rooms with views

2006-05-16T18:01:00.000-07:00

The house has windows and doors as of last week. We also have electrical power now so the well is running too.

View of the back looking into the screened patio

View of the front

View from Scott's office

View from my office

View from the master bedroom

Well

Filling the pond

2006-05-14T14:57:00.000-07:00

This weekend Scott, Christopher, and Larry rented a trencher and did lots of work at the farm. One of the projects they tackled was constructing a fountain and pulling it into the middle of the pond so that it could be gradually filled by our new well. Here is the pond prior to filling.

They dug a trench from our well up and over the embankment to the pond. Then they laid lots of pipe and constructed the tacky, but functional fountain you see below.

Trench from well to pond

Trench from well to future garden site.

Scott and his plumbing handiwork

Installing the fountain

Isn't it lovely?

Larry is so proud

We have power (poles at least)

2006-05-04T13:17:00.000-07:00

Normally I wouldn't consider a power pole to be an exciting item. However, in this case, it really is! The power company came out yesterday and placed all the poles down our driveway and today they were supposed to run the lines. Isn't she lovely? YIPEE!!

House Update

2006-05-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

The top floor is framed, wrapped and now has a roof. Here are some photos of what has been done in the past week and a half.

Front of the house, screened patio is on the right side.

Back of the house, screened patio is on the left side.

Front of the house again with the initial roof structure in place.

Side of the house looking into the screened porch, into the master bedroom and living room.

Front of the house with the roof on.

Back of the house with the roof on. The top right window is my office window. and the bottom left window is the master bedroom.

Christopher's Socks

2006-05-04T12:53:00.000-07:00

Chris (my brother in law) has graciously agreed to be my guinea pig for my first attempt at toe up socks. I am using Lion Brand Wool Ease Sport Weight yarn and size 5 (US) needles. The first one is complete.

Not too bad for a first attempt. I think I would use smaller needles and a larger stitch count next time for this particular yarn. Oh well, on the bright side, if he doesn't like them, they fit me. HAHA

My Rebel

2006-04-23T12:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Scott and I went to North Carolina to pick up my new Honda Rebel. Isn't she pretty?

Today, after church services we took it to the parking lot of Target for my very first ride. Learning to shift wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.

I'm no biker babe, but it sure is fun!

Top Floor

2006-04-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

The framing for the upstairs floor was delivered and installed today. The framers intend to have the walls done on the upstairs tomorrow.

New link

2006-04-17T19:19:00.000-07:00

I have added a new link to the sidebar for the Tiger's Roost Blog. This blog has photos and the latest scoop on what is going on at the Fillmer/Marchio farm. Feel free to check it out and leave comments.

We've been framed

2006-04-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

Well, it has begun, at least. The slab was poured on the 12th (yesterday) and the framing of the downstairs began today. It is incredible how fast this is going right now. Scott expects it to come to a screeching halt when some glitch inevitably pops up. For now, we are pleased that it is going smoothly and quickly. Enjoy.

The house slab is poured and is being smoothed out. Waiting on the final load of concrete for the garage.

The truck arrives.

Pouring the final load into the garage.

Front of the house looking head on into the front door.

Front corner of the house and garage.

Opposite corner of the house where the master bedroom is. Huge windows on both sides of the bedroom will provide a wonderful view. My super cool nephew, Gabriel, stands in one of the windows for scale.

Well drilling, fill and plumbing

2006-04-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

The well has been drilled by this enormous machine and the footprint of the house has been filled, plumbed and the rebar is down. The power company came out as well and placed stakes in the ground along the long driveway for the placement of the power poles. The inspector came out today to inspect the plumbing so that the foundation can be poured. We are hoping to have the foundation poured tomorrow.

Well Drilling Equipment

Filled Footprint

Plumbing Installed

Ready For Foundation

Stakes For Power Poles

Footprint

2006-04-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

The footprint of the house is framed and the framers even put a makeshift fince around the large lone pine tree we want to keep.

Broken Ground

2006-03-30T19:30:00.000-08:00

We have finally broken ground on our new house!! Yipee!! Here are the photos to prove it. This is the pad where the house will sit. It is leveled out and ready for the foundation.

Here are two views of the newly cut driveway leading from the pad to the road. It is a long driveway.

Same driveway, other end. See the huge clump of trees way back there? Our house is going to be on the other side of those trees.

This is the dogwood that is currently in bloom across the road from the entrance to our driveway. Pretty, huh?

Auburn - It Begins Here

2006-03-30T19:11:00.000-08:00

We attended a kick off event a few weeks ago for the 2006 fundraising campaign for the Birmingham chapter of Auburn University Alumni. The event was held at the Barber Sports Museum in Birmingham. The museum was unbelievable. The current display at the museum is 4 floors of motorcycles. The motorcycles are displayed in various creative ways, including some stacked like tonka toys.

This one was probably my favorite.

There were several famous bikes on display. Jeff Gordon had donated a bike to charity and the Barber Museum won it at auction. It was on display as well as this classic from the movie Easy Rider.

Here are some more of the motorcycles that I found impressive or just plain cool.

Gabriel's scarf is complete

2006-02-19T14:42:00.000-08:00

I finished the scarf that my nephew Gabriel asked me to make for him. I realized after I started it that I was going to need two skiens of yarn so I gave him the option of continuing in the same color or having a two toned scarf. He chose two colors. This scarf is patterned after the seaman's scarfs and is a one of a kind.

Who could resist this face?

2006-02-19T14:37:00.000-08:00

Fireworks

2006-01-23T18:13:00.000-08:00

The weekend fun continued on Sunday evening when the Cardins arrived at the farm and we all gathered for some belated new year's fireworks.

Here is my sister in law doing her best Statue of Liberty imitation.

Her daughter Martha thought that was just great. Isn't she precious????

There was only one minor incident throughout the entire evening of pyrotechnic display. See the men all running to put out the flames..... TOO FUNNY!!

Staking the footprint of the new house

2006-01-23T17:57:00.000-08:00

Last weekend was a very busy one indeed. On Saturday we took stakes and string and laid out the footprint of our new house. It is going to be a two story house overlooking a pond on the property on one side and the woods on the other. Here are some shots of the staking crew in action.

Here is the view from the house across the pond.

Here is the view of the actual location of the house.

Christmas in January

2006-01-23T17:45:00.000-08:00

Sarah's shawl is complete. It was finished a little late, but still appreciated I think. This shawl is from the book Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle and is called the Stora Dimun shawl. It is a Faroese shawl and the first of this type that I have knit. I used "Essential" yarn from Knit Picks. The first picture isn't that great, but the one of Sarah modeling the shawl is super. Have a look...

Quick trip to the Keys

2006-01-19T18:42:00.000-08:00

The weekend after we moved in to the rent house we took my brother in law down to Florida to pick up a van that he had won on eBay. Since we were going all the way to Miami to get the van we decided that it would be pretty much mandatory that we stay the weekend and visit the Keys. Although the weather was cold and windy we all had a great time.

Me and Hubby

Me and my brother in law

The one full day we had in the keys was a Saturday. We spent the day slowly wandering down the keys, stopping so the guys could fish along the way at the various public fishing bridges.

The guys

Something took my bait!

I caught bait!!

We stopped halfway down the keys at Bahia Honda State Park to get a closer look at the water and possibly get our feet wet.

Old railroad bridge in the park

Could be warmer!

By dinner time we had made it all the way down to the southernmost point of the continental United States (or at least to the marker, the point is actually not accessible). We went by Ernest Hemmingway's house and then went to dinner in Key West at Sloppy Joe's, Hemmingway's old haunt.

Me and my brother in law at the southern most point marker

The drive back 100+ miles to Miami was complimented by a pretty sunset in the rearview mirror and great music on the stereo. None of us wanted to leave, but hopefully we will go back again when it is a bit warmer and snorkeling is possible.

Time to move to Alabama

2006-01-19T16:50:00.000-08:00

Could you load everything you own into this trailer? We did...

Things shifted a little in the 1500 mile journey from Colorado to Alabama.

Help was needed.

Now we can unload!!

The kitchen of the rent house quickly took shape.

Scott took over what is supposed to be the living room for his office space.

This is the center of the house. From this post you can rotate 360 degrees and see every room.

Presents!

2005-12-24T10:09:00.000-08:00

My friend Cathy in Ohio send me a Christmas gift and I can't wait to get started on it. She send me the kit to make this shawl.

Christmas Time

2005-12-18T13:02:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night services at Creede Baptist Church were replaced this week with a community choral sing. This was the first of many to come in the future. It was a joint effort by the Community Church and the Baptist Church and the results were fantastic. The music was phenomenal and was performed by several different members of each church, as well as the congregation in attendance. This is a photo of an impromptu group of very talented folks performing and includes my mother standing third from the right.

Saturday, we went up into the mountains to cut our Christmas tree. Mom and David had scoped the trees out the day before and David found the perfect one.

Here are the guys with their conquest.

Once we cut the tree we had to trek back to the truck. Luckily it was down hill. Doesn't it look cold? It was, very!

Mom and I decorated it with white lights and clear ornaments. It really looks pretty at night. We are putting red and white bows on it tonight. Looks a little bare underneath though, hmmm.....

New House

2005-12-13T12:04:00.000-08:00

Well, it is official; we have purchased the blueprints and are going to build a house in Alabama this upcoming year. Here is roughly what it will look like.

Until it is built we will be renting this house in Auburn.

Sarah's shawl progress

2005-12-12T18:40:00.000-08:00

It is going to be close, but I think I just may be able to finish the shawl for Sarah in time for Christmas. Here is my progress so far and also a close up of the pattern.

South African Mission

2005-12-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

Along with creating and wrapping Christmas presents, I have been making these adorable little balls for the children that our missionaries will encounter when the make the trip to South Africa in January.

Close up view. Aren't they cute?

Cold Weather

2005-12-12T18:12:00.000-08:00

Ok, this is what I would consider an indication that it is cold outside.

If that doesn't convince you, look at the (cold) hard facts.

The dogs think it is cold too and they both insist on sharing the same chair. I think this is the warmest spot in the bus for them. It is quite funny to see them argue over who gets to sit here and for how long. They usually end up sharing.

When not on the chair, they have been found sleeping in various other places.

Giving Thanks

2005-12-12T17:55:00.000-08:00

This year we were invited to the home of a couple from church for Thanksgiving dinner. Jack and Jane Sanders were so gracious and the food was delicious. Here is the view from their front living room.

This was an especially meaningful Thanksgiving because we shared it with the Sanders and the Sams. Bob and Jean Sams have come to mean a lot to us since we have been here in Creede. Bob has recently found out that he has cancer in all of his bones and the doctor told them that it is really just a matter of time before he is gone. The doctor told them to enjoy every day to the fullest. This would seem quite devastating to most of us, but Bob and Jean have been married for over 60 years and Bob is 85. They have lived a beautiful life full of adventures, with many memories to share. We will miss them dearly when we leave this place.

Jack & Jane Sanders, Jean & Bob Sams, Scott

Scott, myself and Jean Sams

Guinevere

2005-12-03T13:07:00.000-08:00

Is this me? Really?

The Noble Princess

You are just and fair, a perfectionist with a
strong sense of proper decorum. You are very
attracted to chivalry, ceremony and dignity.
For the most part you are rather sensible, but
you are also very idealistic.

Role Models: Guinevere

You are most likely to: Get kidnapped by a stray
dragon.

brought to you by Quizilla

Auburn 28 - Alabama 18

2005-11-24T16:59:00.000-08:00

This weekend was a blast. We flew from Denver to Atlanta to visit the farm and take in a fantastic Auburn/Alabama football game. Once on the plane, I spent several glorious hours knitting and reading. Getting to Denver, however, was a bit of a challenge because of the snow through the passes, but it was also very beautiful.

Game day began with the traditional Tiger Walk in which the players walk through the sea of orange and blue clad fans on their way to the stadium. Can you see them?

Once the crowd dispersed we made our way into the stadium where Scott and the boys were able to go down and catch practice field goal kicks as they came through the goal post upright. This is one of Scott's favorite things to do at the games.

Here is a partial group of the brave souls that enjoyed/endured the game. Every seat was occupied throughout the entire game.

The game was fantastic, especially if you are an AUBURN fan. We are already looking forward to next year!

Front Row Children
Martha, Issac, Abby, Gabriel, and Jacob
Front Row Adults
Sarah and Chris Marchio (parents of all the small children pictured)
Back Row
Levi, Dale and Larry Fillmer(Elders), Deborah and Scott Fillmer (brother of Sarah and his wife)

WAR EAGLE

Not too far off

2005-11-14T17:28:00.000-08:00

Your Birthdate: May 14

You work well with others. That is, you're good at getting them to do work for you.
It's true that you get by on your charm. But so what? You make people happy!
You're dynamic, clever, and funny. And people like to have you around.
But you're so restless, they better not expect you to stay around for long.

Your strength: Your superstar charisma

Your weakness: Commitment means nothing to you

Your power color: Fuchsia

Your power symbol: Diamond

Your power month: May

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

The big 40 is fast approaching

2005-11-11T18:35:00.000-08:00

I have put a count down ticker at the bottom of the blog that is counting down to my 40th birthday. AAAAAAHHHHH.

Frost Flowers and Leaves - update 2

2005-11-11T18:28:00.000-08:00

According to a nifty chart I received from a friend, I am 6% of the way on this shawl, having completed a total of 7,984 stitches to date.

CO 449

2005-11-11T18:14:00.000-08:00

Cast on 449 stitches and knit 8 rows.

That is where I am at on the shawl I am making for my sister in law (Sarah)for Christmas. Can you say BORING???? Oh well, this is the first shawl I have done from the long edge to the point. So I figure it will go faster and be more interesting as it goes along. The shawl is the "Stora Dimun Shawl" from the book Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle. I am using 40", size 6 needles and Essential yarn from Knit-Picks in the "Dusk" colorway.

Operation Christmas Child

2005-11-05T14:13:00.000-08:00

This wednesday our weekly Bible study at church was replaced by a gift wrapping party for Operation Christmas Child. We enjoyed our weekly pot-luck dinner and then it was on to the wrapping and filling of the shoe boxes.

The church filled 50 boxes last year and the goal was 100 for this year. We did it!! This program is such a blessing to both those children who receive the boxes and especially to those filling them. May God place these boxes in the hands of those who need them the most.

Never Enough Time

2005-11-05T11:17:00.000-08:00

The shawl pattern that I have been working on for my sister in law for Christmas has been in the time out corner for over two weeks now and Christmas is looming large in the window. So, I have decided to forgo the creation of a unique pattern for her shawl and instead to make for her the “Stora Dimun Shawl” from Folk Shawls. The pattern calls for sport weight, but I am going to use Essential sock weight yarn from Knit Picks.

Frost Flowers and Leaves is coming along quite nicely. The periodic shifting of the pattern to the left has been a small challenge, but so far so good. I worked on this shawl throughout this past weekend while I was holed up in a hotel room in Denver. Scott flew out of Denver to go to a college football game and I stayed behind to shop and knit for the weekend. It was fabulous! Denver has tons of thrift shops and it is a very easy city to navigate. So I spent the entire weekend bargain shopping and knitting. Saturday I actually walked into the first thrift shop only to find that they were having a 50% off everything sale for that day only. Well, can you imagine what I walked out with? I came home with sweaters from J. Crew, Old Navy, and Lord & Taylor. A skirt from Harrods, several Tupperware pieces, and many books all made it into my basket as well. It was a fruitful weekend.

On a sad note, my shaped triangle shawl is at a standstill. The stitch count is off somewhere and I have not had a minute to spare since we have been back to try to fix her. Work piles up when we are out of town and I am just now getting a chance to breathe again. She will have to wait for a quiet moment to be fixed, possibly next week some time.

I should be completely caught up with work by the time we leave again in a couple of weeks. We are going to Alabama for the Auburn/Alabama football game and for a visit with friends and family. Who knows which shawl will make the trip? There is just never enough time.

Yep, that's me

2005-11-01T17:12:00.000-08:00

You appear to be a Knitting Purist.
You are an accomplished knitter producing beautiful
pieces with a classic feel. You sometimes
lament losing half of your local yarn shop to
garish novelty yarns. Perhaps you consider fun
fur scarves the bane of knitting society and
prefer to steer new knitters towards the wool
and cotton blends. Some might call you a bit of
an elitist but you know that you've been doing
this craft long enough to respect the history
behind it and honor it with beautiful piece
that can last a lifetime.
http://marniemaclean.com

What Kind of Knitter Are You?
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Who would have thunk it?

2005-10-24T12:29:00.000-07:00

According to this quiz, I am Pig Pen!

Which Peanuts Character are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

Humble Beginnings

2005-10-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

The Frost Flowers and Leaves KAL officially begins November 1st. However, I have had the yarn for some time now and just couldn't wait any longer to get started. So, here is the beginning of what looks to be a very large, and time consuming project.

From what I have been told, the beginning is the hardest part.

Meeting William

2005-10-21T18:25:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I took a trip to Alabama to meet my new grandson. He is perfect in every way, of course. After arriving in Atlanta on Friday afternoon, I made the drive to Montgomery, AL in time to have dinner with William and his parents. Here he is in his new hats I made for him.

The weekend was extremly busy and included a trip to my inlaws farm so they could meet him as well. This is my husband's sister, Sarah, holding William. Having six children of her own I think she knows what she is doing.

On Saturday my mother, grandmother and step-dad arrived and we were able to take a 5 generation photo.

I consider myself lucky to have not one, but two such photos, as they are quite rare. Of course, once they all arrived I lost all holding privilages where the baby was concerned.

Sunday was a very long day that started at 4am central time with the drive back to Atlanta to catch my flight back to Denver (and then a 5 hour drive home from there). The long days were worth it though and I am looking forward to returning to Montgomery around Thanksgiving for another (short) visit.

Sewing for William

2005-10-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

This weekend I made a cover for William's changing table. I had enough of the fabric left over to make him two pillows as well. Here is a picture of the pillow casing:

Pillow Casing

Close Up

Thoughtful Friend

2005-10-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

Cold weather is not my thing. Don't get me wrong, I like snow. I just don't like the thought of freezing to death while it is coming down. The snow has started falling here in Creede this weekend.

I have made some new friends since we have been here. One of them has gotten to know me pretty well and she tells me that I am NOT going to freeze this winter.

HA-HA

To reassure me she gave me a present yesterday.

THANKS SHERRI!!

I'm Latin - Another Quiz

2005-10-08T21:56:00.000-07:00

You are 'Latin'. Even among obsolete skills, the
tongue of the ancient Romans is a real
anachronism. With its profusion of different
cases and conjugations, Latin is more than a
language; it is a whole different way of
thinking about things.

You are very classy, meaning that you value the
classics. You value old things, good things
which have stood the test of time. You value
things which have been proven worthy and
valuable, even if no one else these days sees
them that way. Your life is touched by a
certain 'pietas', or piety; perhaps you are
even a Stoic. Nonetheless, you have a certain
fascination with the grotesque and the profane.
Also, the modern world rejects you like a bad
transplant. Your problem is that Latin has
been obsolete for a long time.

What obsolete skill are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

So far so good

2005-10-06T18:24:00.000-07:00

The yarn arrived today for my test shawl that I am knitting from the first pattern I have ever charted on my own. So far it is looking pretty good. I am probably going to offer this pattern as a mystery shawl project for those on the Christian Knitters Yahoo Group and then possibly offer it for sale on this site. This first shawl is already spoken for when completed. Pictures will be posted after the mystery clues are all given out. Stay tuned....

Shaped Triangle Shawl Progress

2005-10-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

Changes in barometric pressure really cause havoc with my sinuses. This morning at about 4am I woke up with a splitting headache. Hello low pressure system. After heavy medication to correct the problem I went about business as usual of filling orders and listing items on eBay.

Now that I am feeling quite a bit better I thought I would play with my blog a bit. I have added a really cool clock and even learned from my son how to add flash objects (check out the sheep on the right).

Here are some progress photos of my latest shawl project, the Shaped Triangle Shawl from the book Gathering of Lace. I am using Knit Picks Shadow laceweight yarn in the Lost Lake colorway. The needles are US 4 and I am currently on row 85 of 187.

I'm a Geek Sheep

2005-10-01T12:52:00.000-07:00

You are a -
Geek Sheep!
No one understands a word you're saying, but you don't care. Bespectacled geek by day, fearsome DND warrior by night! Geek power ;)

Which flock do you follow?

William's New Hat

2005-09-29T14:54:00.000-07:00

Last night I put the finishing touches on William's new hat. This one he will have to wear when he makes it to the toddler stage. I think it turned out really cute.

Fall Colors in Creede

2005-09-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

Here are some of Scott's most recent photos of the local area. Enjoy.

William Alan

2005-09-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

Well, it is official, I am a grandmother. William Alan Fillmer was born on Friday, September 23rd at 8:20pm (CST). He weighed in at 8.02 lbs(3.6kgs) and measured 21 inches (53.34 centimeters). Parents and baby are all doing just great. Sara's (William's mother) parents were there for the delivery and I will be going to meet him for the first time next month. From the pictures I have seen he is a cute little guy, but I am biased. He has his father's appendages and was unable to escape the Whittenberg (my father's) ears. Here he is:

Yet another quiz

2005-09-21T21:03:00.000-07:00

Today I took another quiz. This one apparently tells me what kind of yarn I am. Those of you who know me can tell me if I got it right. Here are the results:

You are Shetland Wool.
You are a traditional sort who can sometimes be a
little on the harsh side. Though you look
delicate you are tough as nails and prone to
intricacies. Despite your acerbic ways you are
widely respected and even revered.

What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Kiri is Finished

2005-09-16T14:53:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is finally finished. Actually, it was a fast knit. This shawl is a fantastic beginner's lace project and I learned so much through doing it. This is my first attempt at lace knitting and I did put it aside for a little while to work on the Mystery Shawl #1. However, after running out of yarn (light blue/grey)I decided to go with a dark blue edging yarn in the same weight. I ran out of that yarn too so I had to cast off where I ended up. After all that, I think she is just beautiful and I am tickled with the finished product. So, here she is:

The photos are a little washed out. The blues are actually a dark sapphire tone. The yarn for this project was gifted to me by a knitting friend (Laura) and I can't wait for her to see what I did with it. I think I will make this pattern again, except this time I will purchase the required amount of yarn for the project ahead of time.

Pumpkin Hat

2005-09-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

This is the latest hat I have completed for William. The pattern is available free from About.com and it is called "pumpkin hat". He is due to arrive this week sometime. If he decides not to show up they will induce labor on Friday, September 23, 2005. Isn't it cute?

First Snowfall

2005-09-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

We had our first snowfall here in Creede on Wednesday, September 14, 2005.

Salsa Festival

2005-09-16T14:37:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago we all attended a salsa festival in downtown Creede. During this annual festival the businessess in town who wish to participate create their own unique salsas from secret recipies and for $5 the public can walk main street sampling each of the concoctions. The funds are given to a good cause and you vote for the salsa you like best. I think there were 20 - 30 different salsas in any flavor imaginable, from the hot and spicy to the fruity. When everyone had enough salsa we stopped for an ice cream cone.

My HTML Color

2005-09-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I took a personality quiz today to see what my personal HTML color is. Here is the result.

you are lightgoldenrodyellow
#FAFAD2

Your dominant hues are red and green, so you're definately not afraid to get in and stir things up. You have no time for most people's concerns, you'd rather analyze with your head than be held back by some random "gut feeling".

Your saturation level is very low - you have better things to do than jump headfirst into every little project. You make sure your actions are going to really accomplish something before you start because you hate wasting energy making everyone else think you're working.

Your outlook on life is bright. You see good things in situations where others may not be able to, and it frustrates you to see them get down on everything.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

Fiery Mountain

2005-09-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

I just had to post this beautiful photograph that Scott took last week. This is truly God's country!

Mystery Shawl #1 is Complete

2005-09-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

The mystery shawl knit alonog #1 is over and I actually finished it on time. Here is a photo of my shawl blocked after finishing clue #5:

The shawl needed a little atmosphere so I took this one on the railing of the back stairs of the cabin:

And of course, here is one with me (can you tell I am proud of my new shawl?):

Next Up - Finishing the Kiri

Clue 4 Complete

2005-08-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

Whoo Hooo! Clue #4 is complete and I am on to clue #5. Call me crazy, because I am, but I just signed up for Mystery Shawl #2 Knit Along which starts in November. This one has been so much fun that I just had to do another one. Here are the pictures of this mystery shawl with clue #4 completed.

Complete Clue 4

Close Up of Clue 4

I am also doing the Frost Flowers & Leaves Knit Along that starts November 1st. This shawl is from the book "A Gathering of Lace". Thanks to the help of a good friend in choosing a color I think I am going to do this one in JaggerSpun Zephyr in Garnet.

In the meantime, between mystery #1 and #2 I have decided to start on the Shaped Triangle Shawl, also from "A Gathering of Lace". This one will be done in the new Knit Picks "Shadow" yarn in the Lost Lake colorway. I am starting this one to carry with me to Alabama in October when I go to see my new grandson William.

Speaking of William, I made him a hat yesterday. It is so cute and soooo small!! Here it is:

And here is Great Grandad David modeling it for you:

Colorado Scenery #2

2005-08-26T18:37:00.000-07:00

We went to a brisket cook out yesterday and the clouds and rain swept in as they always do around 6:00pm. The brisket was fabulous and as the clouds moved out we saw this:

After dinner, Scott and I went for a drive up towards Ivy Creek campground where a bull, cow, and baby moose have been seen practicly daily. Sure enough, they were there and here is what the bull looks like:

Clue 3 Complete

2005-08-21T13:23:00.000-07:00

Yahoo!! I just finished clue 3 of the mystery shawl. Now I am waiting for my needles to arrive so I can start on some baby hats for 1st my grandson, William, who will be here in September. Here are the pictures of the mystery shawl with clue three completed.

Full Shawl

Close Up

Clue 2 Complete

2005-08-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

Yipee! I finished clue #2 on the mystery shawl. The shawl is larg enough now for me to use my new blocking wires (welding rods) and blocking mat (floor cushion block). Here is the shwal as of today.

Full View

Close Up

Colorado Scenery

2005-08-12T13:37:00.000-07:00

Since arriving in Colorado last week, Scott has been taking a lot of photographs of the area in an attmept to locate some choice spots to return to once the seasons change. Here are a few of his photographs so far.

Lake City Panoramic

Highway 149 Overlook

North Clear Creek Falls

The Mystery Shawl Begins

2005-08-07T20:20:00.000-07:00

Well I finally got a chance to start the mystery shawl last week. I have finished clue #1 and am moving on now to #2. Here is what I have done so far.

Colorado arrival

2005-08-07T13:39:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it to our winter home. We will be staying here until next April or until the bus will start again, whichever. The temperatures are 60+ during the day and 40+ at night right now. We are lovin it already. Scott is thrilled not to be sweating any more!

Here is a view of our place.

And here is the view from our front window as of today. When there is snow, etc. I will post more pictures.

Mystery swatch

2005-07-29T20:17:00.000-07:00

The yarn arrived yesterday for my Mystery Shawl Knit Along project. I couldn't wait so I swatched it with the sample pattern. I used size 8 needles. Here is the result:

Look what I got today

2005-07-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

WOO HOO!! No, this was not a mutual swap, I just have a wonderful knitting friend. Cathy you are the sweetest! Thanks so much.

It's a Mystery

2005-07-26T15:47:00.000-07:00

I have decided to join the Mystery Shawl Along. The yarn I have chosen for this project is Lorna's Laces Shepard Sport in the Glenwood colorway. It is so yummy. I can't wait for it to arrive.

Yesterday we were given a sample chart to work up to find the gauge that suited us. I couldn't wait to see what the pattern looked like so I swatched it in a heavier weight yarn (DK I think) on size 8 needles. Here is my swatch.

I like the pattern and will probably swatch it again when my yarn arrives later this week.