hiking part deux

Well this hike wore me out more than the last one, so much so I rested until today to post it LOL!
First we started at the Lynx Lake Ruins.  We parked the jeep, paid our money and hiked off a mile to get here. 


These rocks are what's left of the pueblos that used to be there.


We then travelled this path....


To go here....

(I took this photo standing at the Ruins site)

Lynx Lake

Let me tell you, this is a very relaxing place!


It's beautiful, quiet, and perfect to sit and knit on one of the many benches all around it.

After the new house stuff is bought and maybe for Christmas, I want a kayak so I can spend time in this quiet place.  It has a boat ramp, picnic tables, and grills so perfect for a little getaway for the day.  Best part is it is literally less than 20 mins from this house and my new house.

I truly am so happy to be surrounded by this forest. It's close by and next year I'll get a pass so I don't have to come up with cash to go when I have an inkling to do so.  It will be fun exploring it over the next few years!

Lynx Lake Restaurant and Marina is to the left up the hill a bit, you can't see it from here.  It's a German/American restaurant and on Saturdays, we can get our German food fix. Sigh...we miss our 3 German restaurants!

Hiking.....

Now that we live so close to many hiking trails, I figured it was about time to get outside and just do it!  Of course, since my son was home, he needed something to keep him from boredom ;)

Granite Mountain was where we hiked for 2 trips. Of course I forgot my camera on day 1, these are scenes from day 2.


It's huge and full of granite....har, har ;)


Here's a section of it.


The left side of the mountain.


Climbing on up....


Someone was watching us!!


College guy!


The afternoon clouds/storms started coming on so we cut it a bit short.  Slowly learning what I need to bring in a backpack. It's been over 20 years since I used to hike. Feel free to give me hints on what to bring, etc. 

We're taking another hike on Friday, but it'll be near a lake, probably cooler.  Now if we remember to bring the binoculars....
More pics here!

Wordless Wednesday! Sights around my home...

Sneak Peek Monday

I think a new theme I'll try to do each week is "Sneak Peek Monday's"  A little like Wip it Wednesday, but really no commentary if any.....Play along if you want to and let me know if you do so I can check out your sneek peeks too!

Getting re-aquainted with a hibernating knit...


Working on sock mojo....

Yes, those are DPN's you see ;)


Familiar yarns in a new project....



Wonder what this could be...

Stay tuned...hoping to have something to show finished soon.  Don't know what but it'll be fun to see!

Honking Neckwarmer...

When I saw this cowl in an Interweave ad, I really loved the colorway...

After the book came out, I wanted to make sure I'd knit a few things in it before I bought it, and the yarn.


As you can see it's big!  I like it close to my neck like this.
However, if you look at the pattern....the colorway is not the same...

Namewise it is, but there is way too much gold/yellow in here. Malabrigo yarns are lovely, soft and colorful.  Variations happen in any varigated colorway, but I wasn't expecting this.


However, I think I'll keep it ;) Now to knit a hat to wear with it...you know me, gotta be sorta matchy matchy.

Rasta Neckwarmer by Breean Elyse Miller
Malabrigo Rasta in Piedras
US 17 circular
Buttons from A Good Yarn, my new LYS

No mods, just knit until the yarn was almost gone. 

Wordless Wednesday! Sights around my home...

Autumn Sugar

Recently while reading my blogroll I saw a post asking for test knitters.  I usually am such a slow knitter I don't often volunteer, but hey, since I'm not working out of the home yet and it was a small project, I was game!

Plus, as you'll see below, a good way to use up handspun. Especially when you are not a high yardage spinner like me, or if you have lefovers, or use any yarn you want! The possibilities are endless ;)

Enter the handspun I wanted to use.

GLBLF Autumnal Rite Polwarth from Oct/Nov 2010 SAL

I think I did pretty well matching the brown to the handspun.


When one's photographer aka model is napping, one must find other ways to document ;)


The mitt on the left is the 2nd one I knit.  I didn't knit the wraps as in garter, I don't like to if I can help it.

Mitt 2 also has a wonky curve to it. Dunno what happened...

Doesn't matter as when they are on, who notices...not even me ;) (gotta love a self timer!)

Cane Sugar Mitts by Larissa Brown
Master color is Cascade 220 in Walnut Heather
Contrast color is Autumnal Rite, my own handspun

Mods: made the total length of the mitt longer (she tells you in the pattern how to do so), knit the wraps on 1 mitt, not on the other.

An easy pattern I feel.  The thumb part was a bit fiddly with long dpn's but doable.  Magic loop didn't work as well for me. I am not afraid of dpn's, just prefer ML most of the time :)

Still have more leftovers, stay tuned for how I use them!

Orange you....

Glad it's Thursday? Ha...ha!

This hat was a test knit for a new friend here. 


It's a bit big for me, I was planning to donate it anyways :)

I think a more pumpkiny, orange is better for me.



Cool decreases, I like the look of it.  I didn't correctly knit it as you knit back/forth for the garter rows and I had bigger holes. The holes were supposed to be smaller so you could put a cord through it and cinch it up.  Ooops! Quick fix was to just sew up the holes and call it good.  Will most likely go to a local charity or Hats for Sailors


Lilly's Hat test knit
Universal Deluxe Chunky in Carrot
US 10 circular

What's up Wednesday!

Hiya! Been a wild week or so!  Daughter has started school already, and is doing ok.  A lot larger school than she's used to (Senior class is bigger than her last school)  but she's hanging in there.  We're both still looking for jobs as well.

We also found our house!!! Awaiting the final contract signing, then the rest of the closing stuff. Fingers crossed we'll be in it the end of Septemeber, early October time frame.

I've been knitting, have a couple small FO's to show you later this week.


Whiz Banging socks going slowly...all that spinning and shawl knitting kept them a bit on the sidelines.  Good for group knitting though. I'm about 1" from the heel turn....

I want to start a new shawl, however, trying to be good and finish my Roses are Pink Too! If I can stop tinking, I'll get more than 2 sections done in a week!



Ahhhh, more garter!! Currently test knitting some mitts.

The coffee color is Cascade 220 superwash....


The "other" yarn is my handspun!  GLBLF Polwarth in Autumnal Rite from one of the first spin-a-longs. It matches pretty well. I think these mitts will be a great way to use up small yardages of handspun....stay tuned for these!

Handspun Friday!

What started out as this..


Looked like this after a little while...


Then turned into this...

Yes,it's the same braid...wild colors I tell you!

Then became the last two bobbins spun on my Traveller.


Together they became this...


Now enjoying their time together ;)


I love how the yellow and a few other colors got bits of the black color spun into it, makes it a bit more heathery.


I navajo plied it, which if you don't spin, makes a single ply into a 3 ply yarn.  It does eat up the yardage, so unless you are an awesomely thin spinner (not me yet) you don't get a lot.  I am getting better though.

Two if By Hand Organic Merino
Pope Mittens (name makes me giggle!)
4 oz.
n-ply, post soak is 166yds of light worsted. Lost about 9 yds.

Organic merino was lovely to spin, these most likely will be mittens...unless I score a bit more of the colorway...then who knows what'll show up!

ETA: I scored 2 more braids so you'll be seeing it again soon!

Onward to the next spin!

I love garter stitch....

I really do, call me sick or something....however, this is one garter stitch project I was happy to finish :)


Nothing with the pattern at all!  I'm just a fidgety knitter sometimes. I am making myself finish things instead of jumping around and having tons of WiP's...thus you'll be seeing some getting done soon!


Guess I should have worn a different color shirt...oh well...


It really is an easy knit, relaxing too, sometimes too relaxing LOL!


Often windy around here, was a bit of a pain to pose ;)



Stripe Study Shawl
Plucky Knitter Primo Fingering, MC "Backwards in High Heels" and CC in "Henley"
US 6 circular
Mods: due to the Primo only being 385 yds each, I knew I needed to only knit 10 CC stripes (thanks to notes from Ravelry).  I used a crochet bind off with a hook 2 sizes larger than I knit with.

It's lovely, soft and so drapey. Knitting with Primo is a pleasure, so soft!  Depending on the job I have someday, hoping I'll get lots of wear besides with my winter coat ;)