Knitting Up A Storm

I knitted 5 hats last week while I was off for Thanksgiving break. I have a bunch of odds and ends yarn that I am trying to use up before I get busy spinning up a bunch of new stuff.

Hat for charitable donation-BFL, Merino/Tussah silk, Angora

Aunt Cathy's hat - BFL

Elisha's hat-Alpaca, Angora, BFL

James' hat-BFL, Angora/mohair

Emma's hat-BFL, merino/cotton, bamboo

Zanesville RBA

A change of plans found me traveling to Zanesville this morning for a double rabbit show "extravaganza" at the Muskingum County fairgrounds. It was a nice day and I spent my time prior to the shows knitting and visiting with friends. Sienna won Best of Breed and Rupert won Best Opposite of Breed in both shows for the Satin Angoras. (Sienna has now attained her Grand Champion status). My friend Lisa won Best and Best Opposite in French Angoras in show A and in show B my friend Tina won Best of Breed and Lisa won Best Opposite of Breed. Colleen took Best and Best Opposite honors in English Angoras.
Eric Stewart (Executive Director of the ARBA) gives Sienna the final once over before awarding her Best of Breed in Show A

Here I am in Show B with Sienna, Rupert and Judge Randy.

A beautiful felted angora rabbit that a fellow rabbit breeder made.

Topper Dale of the Dawn Series

I made a fantastic find at the antique show today...a 70's Topper Dale from the Dawn doll line! Since she was in mint condition and only $12! I snapped her up and redressed her in this original Dawn costume (she was dressed Dawn's signature blue and white dress and not her own). I have four of the original dolls from the Topper line from when I was a kid and several from the Checkerboard Toys remakes of 2000.

Hairpin Lace Shawl

Andrew's mom made this gorgeous shawl (which the photo doesn't do justice to) using the pictured contraption and vintage pattern. I want to learn how to make these.

How About A Kiss?

I bought Elisha and James "Lip Pops" for Thanksgiving. As you can see they are enjoying them! (The pop part is Watermelon flavored).

Thanksgiving

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~Melody Beattie

Watchers in the Woods

While I was in Lancaster yesterday Andrew was busy doing photography at the creek. These yearling bucks (probably brothers) were watching him while he worked.

Lancaster RBA

It was a beautiful day today. I went to a double rabbit show in Lancaster. We sat outside and talked most of the day and talked while waiting for our rabbits to be called to the table. I was surprised when my rabbits won Best and Best Opposite Sex of Breed today in both shows for Satin Angoras. Show A was Rupert and Garnet and Show B was Garnet and Aurelius. All three of them got 1 leg each toward their grand champion status. This has been a challenging show season for me in terms of having rabbits in show coat. They are finally starting to shape up. Aurelius

If I Can't See You-You Can't See Me

Here's an update on the baby raccoons. They are still living in the same tree by the creek. We first saw them on April 19th and again on May 10 and throughout the summer. Andrew said he got one photo today and the little guy (who really isn't so little anymore) tried to hide. LOL

Out on a Limb

Andrew took this photo last week when the weather was still nice. Doesn't this turtle look like it is really enjoying the sunshine?

Oh What A Beautiful Morning...

Brown All Around

Field Mouse

Maple Leaf

Bladdernut

Dinnertime

Pip hasn't been around much since we enclosed the rabbitry for winter. She showed up earlier this week for a handout. She was at the back side of the rabbitry and I called her and she actually followed me up to the door of the rabbitry. She has a nice even and thick winter coat on and her face looks a lot fuller. Tonight she was shy and stayed back by the lilac but she does respond to her name and hops toward me for her dinner. Her "baby" is living under the deck. He's starting to warm up to us too but we've got a ways to go and I haven't been able to get him to stay around long enough for a photo.

Native American Artifacts

Andrew found these when he was out and about in southern Madison County yesterday. I have looked high and low all my life for an arrowhead and have never found one. He found these two within a few feet of each other-two more to add to our small collection. We aren't sure of their identity but we are leaning toward Adena culture which was widespread in Ohio. The largest conical Adena mound this side of the Mississippi in fact is located in my home town. The elongated dark artifact, most likely a scraper of sorts, is 4.5 inches in length and the light colored arrowhead is 2.5 inches. Some friends of ours who have a farm in Sandusky County have found hundreds of arrowheads over the years while tilling their fields. I was looking on the internet tonight and apparently their is an abundance of these artifacts to be found in Ohio if you have the time and patience to look.

The Elusive Petunia

Our backyard is on Petunia's route to and from where ever she lives. She's been around for about a year now. Last June (of 2008) Daisy had a go round with her. It was dark and Daisy wanted outside for her evening potty break. Shortly after I let her out I heard her barking at something and knew it couldn't be good. Poor Holly the Yorkie down the street had had a late night scuffle with Petunia a couple days prior and ended up in the tub for a good scrubbing. Sure enough Daisy had cornered Petunia who was still a young whippersnapper at that point in time. I screamed loud enough to wake the dead and through the screen door saw Andrew come off the couch like he was being shot from a cannon. Daisy was stunned into submission long enough for Petunia to make her get away and we didn't see hide nor hair of her again (other than the occasional pile of scat) until this June and then again tonight. I don't really know for sure if it was the same skunk all those times but we like to think so-makes the sightings much more fun. She hasn't cozied up to us like Pip has that's for sure. Anyway Andrew was leaving for the grocery store a few minutes ago and encounterd Petunia in the driveway. He ran back into the house for the camera and off we went of a merry chase down the street (me in my bathrobe) to get a photo of Petunia. This is the only one that came out. LOL Like I have said in previous postings - we are easy to entertain.