{This Moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit SouleMama leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Bugga Sweater, a Scarf and Whatnot

Hahahaha  Whatnot.  That is a funny word. Well I have been busy knitting lately. I had finished up some projects which means I cast on for a couple new projects. Gotta keep that balance going.
Here is my favorite right now. It is a sweater called Sprössling . I am knitting it with Bugga yarn in the color Northern Purple Gold Beetle.


I put a lot of stitch markers for every lace repeat. It works for me.

The other project that I am doing is a Farrow Rib Scarf. It is really a common pattern.
Here's Farrow Rib:
Multiple of 3 sts +1.
Row 1: *k2, p1* repeat across ending k1
Row 2: p1 *k2, p1* repeat across
I put it here because it has been put out there by many people even my local yarn store.
My scarf is being done in Malabrigo Silky Merino which is 51% Silk and 49% Merino wool. The color is natural.


The cute knitting bag in both photos above was from my sister Susan. I hope that she doesn't regret giving it to me because it makes a great project bag.

Here is a finished project.  This is yarn from my own handspun fiber. The fiber is Targhee and the color is called Lord of the Mountains.  It is from the Fiber Club at Crown Mountain .  I think that the club is closed for this year but the Exotic Club is still open for some of the months.  The fiber is excellent. We get TOP which is very soft and well prepared.

The hat is my own pattern.  I did a large cable around and then I picked up stitches at the top and knit till it closed up.  The hat was too small for me so Peanut will have it.


It's hard to see the cable because my flash was too bright I guess.


So now the WHATNOT.  I wanted to share some photos of my garden.  This was taken about a month ago.  After that bounty the garden took a nap.



I think the weather affected my garden. We had very very hot temps and then the weather went to foggy and cool.  So I may be ripping out the garden and planning a winter garden.
I have to wait because we always get an Indian summer where it will be very hot in Oct.

Here I made some chicken pita's with my homegrown tomatoes.  Oh how I LOVE homegrown tomatoes.


Here are my lettuce Taco Boats.  The white stuff is sour cream. There is chicken, cilantro, tomatoes and the lettuce. YUM


I've lost some weight with my healthier eating.  I will make a separate post on that subject.

Right now I am worried about Oli.  Aka Oliver Cat.  He went outside last week. I don't know if a bug bit him or if he is just allergic to a plant outside. He had a little spot under his chin where it looked like a scab. But lately he has been scratching it. Now it is a big boo boo. I cut his back feet toe nails.  I can't put a lampshade on him because it would ride on the boo boo.  I put neosproin on it too.  Poor baby.  No more outside for Oli.


So that is all I have for now.  Have a great weekend and HAPPY KNITTING & GARDENING.
LUV YA

Camel Toes and Cool Photos

I like collecting  quirky photos from the internet.  Here are some that I came across.  


Now I know what everyone is thinking when the Title of my blog says "Camel Toes." But really, this has to do with shoes.  I guess there is a group of women who like to wear Camel Toed Boots.

Is this Funky or what?  And my question is, how do your toes feel after a day of walking in these puppies?

Tell me,  Are they serious????  Who would wear these in public?

And tell me what is the purpose of a pair of these?

Maybe you could use these when your at the beach and body surfing?

Well I can show you something different that I definitely would wear.

I would wear this dress in a minute.  I would loose the little bo-peep sheep hook.

And I think the guy is dressed dorky. 

She looks like her legs could get hot but I love the dress. It is probably so soft.

I wonder if they are locks from a Wenslydale sheep?

Update on my little kitty Oliver.  He is doing very well. He is sleeping a lot. Both cats are sleeping a lot because I am not letting them go outside.

This morning they were full of beans and running all over the house. They play hide and seek with each other.  They are so funny to watch.

Yesterday I went to Rancho Cucamonga to Victoria Gardens. I went with my friend Phil.  He's a good friend now for 5 or 6 years. I have lost count.

He wanted to visit the Apple store and then we walked though a few of the stores like Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel.  I love Crate and Barrel. 

I saw a few things that would look good in my house.

My home furniture was always bought as I needed an item. It was never bought a room at a time.  Except for my bedroom I did get my bedroom set after Richard died.  My daughter in law Anne helped me pick out a set.  

After the hospital bed left my bedroom when Richard died the room was bare. I had already given our king size bed away and I couldn't imagine sleeping in a bed that big all alone.  

So all is to say, yesterday it was fun to window shop. Then we went to a BBQ place called Louise. I got a southwest salad with BBQ brisket on top. It was to die for. I ate half and then the rest for dinner.

I fell off my healthy diet yesterday and a little today.

The salad was healthy with the lettuce, avocado, corn, beans, onions...but the spicy ranch dressing was not diet.

So that is about all I have for today.

Stay sweet and be creative.

God loves you!!!

The BEFORE

I'm a lot nervous with this post because I am exposing myself in a way that I don't expose myself.  But I think it is important for me to do this so that I stick to my diet.
I think I will succeed if I come clean with what I really look like.  
So here goes. (AHHHHHH !!!!)
Starting weight: 175 lbs. 


I started my new way of eating on Thursday.  I am eating a lot more veggies. I am trying to stay away from breads, my weakness, and sweets. I am not eating dessert. When I get a craving for something sweet I am letting myself have one Jolly Rancher small candy.  They take a long time to disolve and I think they are less calories than a bowl of ice cream or a handful of cookies.


So yesterday after my shower I put on my exercise clothes. I had my granddaughter take my BEFORE photos.  I really want to be honest of where I am and then I will be happy of where I end up. Thinner I hope.  
So here is me with no makeup

No laughing. I am not wearing "Booty Pop" !!!

I'm exercising everyday. I have been doing Hip Hop Abs. I really like the DVD's. I think today I might go walking. I bought some new Nike's and I think if I change up the routine I will keep interested.

Here I am at Redondo Beach,Ca. two years ago.  It was a chilly day in March. I have my hands up saying "PRAISE THE LORD".  I want to keep this in my mind because the Lord gives me my strength. If I think of my body as Gods temple then I will want to keep it clean and in good shape.

That day on the beach was so nice. There were not very many people. Peanut had a good time and did get wet in her pretty dress. 

It would be so nice to have the beach closer where I could go walking in the sand each morning.  That is good exercise. 

You may ask, "what brought you to this place?"  And I will answer,"Grief."

I was about 135 lbs. three years ago. I was able to maintain my weight. I ate healthy and I kept busy with a full time job as a dental tech. Then a horrible day happened. I was at work and a call came in from my son. He said to call Loma Linda Hospital.  I asked what was wrong and he said they would not tell him nothing but they wanted to talk to Carol.  So I called.  They would not say anything except Sierra was there and it involved a gunshot. They would not tell me if she was alive or dead.

That was the beginning of my nightmare.  My daughter Sierra did die on her way to the hospital. She had a gunshot to her head.  After the doctor told me that I could not hear anything. His mouth was moving but my ears were ringing with "this can't be possible...wake me up from this nightmare"

My son Dustin was there and later told me everything that was said. 

I lost weight in that first month after Sierra died. People were concerned for me. I took off work for 2 weeks. But being home was too lonely. So I went back. I cried at my desk everyday.  The first week after Sierra died was filled with making arrangements for her funeral. Also I had Peanut living with me. Then the dead beat druggie dad came and took her.

So going back to work to be with friends and stay busy helped.  I stuck it out at work for over a year and then finally left. I had gotten Alexis back in a long long court battle (2 year battle) and I wanted to be home for her.

My over eating began about a month after Sierra died.  When I was home from work and late at night.  That is when I would feel the loneliness.  I can remember going through phases of liking certain foods or candies.  I ate normal meals but for example, I had some Otter Pops in my pantry. It was a huge box from Costco and had been there a year.  Well all of a sudden I put them all in the freezer and in the evening I would eat maybe 20 Otter Pops.  I guess I justified it as one Otter Pop is not to many calories.  Hahaha.  I think they are just sugar.

Then I had my Halloween candy 2009. I bought Smarties. I love Smarties since I was a little girl. We use to only get them at Halloween time. Comfort food I say. I use to open all of them and put them together by color.

Well last Halloween I didn't give any out.  We were at church for a harvest festival.

I started eating them. I would pass the bowl at night and take a handful. Then again and again.  Before I knew it there would be a pile of empty smartie papers of about 30.  Still when the Halloween smarties were gone I ran back to Target to find the big Halloween size bag. Success! I found them. I bought 2 bags.

I continued to eat them by the handfuls. The bags went empty and I couldn't find the big party bags.  

Then my sister Susan was talking to me and she said that she had her blood tested and her doctor said that she was borderline pre-diabetic.  That scared me. I was worried for her and also myself. When I would stand up after sitting my feet would hurt bad.  I could walk a little and the feeling left.  When I was laying in bed and then got up my feet hurt.  I knew that it had to be all that sugar and maybe I was pre-diabetic too.  So I stopped the big sugar intake.  I only let myself have small portions.  I have a sweet tooth. 

I know grief can take a lot of energy. I was grieving the death of my mom, dad, husband and most recently my daughter.  I didn't want to do anything. It took everything I had in me just to do my normal chores. I knew that I needed to exercise more yet my get up and go had got up and went. 

I've been this way for 3 years now. That is how long Sierra has been gone. 

I stopped dating because it just took too much energy out of me. I felt bad for the guy because I had nothing to give. I was barely surviving. 

The only men I stayed friends with were the ones who helped me, gave to me without expecting too much in return. I just had nothing to give. 

My focus 100% of the time was trying to find answers of why did Sierra die, and trying to get guardianship of Peanut. (another story for another blog).

My husband Richard was a strong guy. He worked with his father on the ranch. Some family members said that when his dad dies that Richard will be lost. I asked Richard about this. He said," I will miss my dad but dying is part of life. We're born, we live, then we die."  The cycle of life. His dad died at an early age of 66 yrs. We all thought that was so young. I would never have thought that my own husband would die even younger at the age of 47 yrs.  That is almost 20 years less than what his dad had.  Richard died of cancer.

My mom who died 4 months before Sierra use to tell me to be a duck.  What she was saying is don't let things bug me. Let them roll off my back like a duck.  My mom was a funny woman.  I really do miss her. She died too young too. She had Alzheimers. (another story for another blog). 

But her sentiment is really felt by me. She was advising me to be happy. Things happen. Life is not fair.  But we go on.

I believe that you can either stay stuck and wallow in your storms of life or you can look for that rainbow.  Life has so much to offer like a slimmer body, maybe a new man, art courses, spinning, exercise with my granddaughter.  The list is endless. 

I want to be happy. I will acknowledge my trials. I have learned so much from them. But I will strive to be happy.

Sometimes I put on my happy face and I feel like I am crying inside.  It is hard to buck up at times. But I think that before  know it that happy face turns into a true happy face and is not fake.  

Today Peanut and I packed a picnic lunch. She a sandwich and me a salad & baby carrots. She jumped on her bike and I walked. We have new shoes.

  They felt so good.  So we went to the park. We had our lunch.

 Not too many kids there so we went home the long way. It was really hot outside.  It's sort of hazy too.

It was a good day. 

Keep me in  your prayers that I stay strong and stay on my healthy weight loss routine.  Hugs to all.

Buenas Tardes Blog.......

Carol

Spinning and the BFF

I said that today I would share my spinning that I am doing.  I joined the Crown Mountain Farms fiber club. Each month we get a different type of wool. I missed January and February. I jumped in late but I am loving the 4oz bumps that are sent each month. 
Let me give all the credit for the sheep photos and the maps to Crown Mountain Farms
The first month I was in the club was March. The fiber was Shetland.  Here is the cute little sheep:

This is where they live. My fiber came directly from the Shetland Islands.

Here is what I did with my Shetland fiber.

The color is called Bannokburn.

I spun it into singles and then I 3 plied it into yarn.

Fiber length 3 to 4 inches and 25 microns.

This is so soft and yummy. I knit it into fingerless mitts.

Then in April the next fiber arrived. It was the Wensleydale fiber. Here is the handsome sheep. They have dreads!!

My fiber came directly from the Yorkshire area of England.

This long fiber is 8 to 11 inches long @ 23 microns.

I am spinning this long wool into singles. I will probably leave it in singles since it is not a soft next to the skin kind of wool.  The long fibers will hold it together as a single too. I got 2 colorways this month. The club colorway called Sunrise Over Kangchenjunga and a red-multi called Chinon that I love. Here is the fiber.

I've began the spinning with the red, Chinon colorway.

My wheel is a Lendrum double treadle. Made in Canada. I love her. Her name is Idellah after my grandma.

The fiber for May is Targhee. This is a sheep from our own USA. They are raised in Montana. 

                         The foundation stock for the Targhee is:

                    Rambouillet/Corriedale-Lincoln/Rambouilett crosses. 

The base of the Targhee is 3/4 Rambouilett fine wool and 1/4 long wool cross.

The color I chose for this fiber is called Lord of the Mountains.

              This fiber has 22 microns and a staple length of 4 1/2 inches.

Then there was a MYSTERY FIBER offer for club members. We could order but not knot what fiber or color was going to arrive.

I love it.  The fiber is called Polwarth.  It is from Argentina.

A superfine long stapled wool - 23 micron count with a staple length 

                            of 5 1/2 inches, so soft and a delight to spin.

The Ideals or Polwarth is a breed in its own rights, established 1880 when an

australian sheep farmer was cross breeding merino rams with lincoln ewes.

                                 3/4 Merino and 1/4 Lincoln = Polwarth

                                   My fiber come direct from Argentina.

Here is my fiber. The color is called Nirvana

It's the lavendar & silver roving. The other is the Wensleydale.

I need to get crack-a-lackin' because June's fiber will probably arrive at the end of May. 

I'll show you want has me busy and is keeping me from spinning.  It is this:

This is my Kenneth McNeil Cardigan. You can see that I have finished the back, the left front & right front, and one sleeve. I am half way done with the second sleeve.  Then I will have to do the button bands in seed stitch and around the neck. There is a lot of seaming but I don't mind that.

I am bothered by the skeins having different shades of purple. I did alternate the skeins as I knit. That is a hassel. I am thinking of giving it a dunk in some dye to even out the color.  The diamond pattern on the sweater turned out really nice. I like it.  It's all done with purls. You knit back and forth on this sweater.

Hahahahahah. I used Coraline to change the subject from knitting to the BFF.

So Peanut tells me that she has a boyfriend. He is her BFF. He holds her hand at school. She is only in 2nd grade and is 8 years old. Oh My Bob!!!

So I told her not to let Mikey kiss her. She said why not? I told her to wait for her wedding day. She said ok.  

The next day after school she said that she told Mikey that she can't kiss him cuz her grama told her not to.  I guess he agreed. 

On Wednesday Peanut said that Mikey didn't go to school. He was sick. Then today, Thursday she told me that Mikey came to school and then at the first recess she waked him to the nurse.  The nurse "tempertured"  him and it was 100 or more.  So Mikey went home.

She likes Mikey. She likes when she can run and the boys will keep up with her.

Mikey gave her an eraser that looks like an iPod.  She was tickled. She made him some play dough figures of him and her.  I didn't get to see them because she wrapped them up.

Well that is the story of the BFF.

On the diet news.  I am working out to the videos called HIP HOP ABS.  It is fun. I did my first workout today. I kept up ok. After 22 min. I took a break. The video is 30 min. long.  I am doing the diet too.

 I had a berry smoothy for breakfast of frozen berries, pineapple, organic vanilla soy milk and some protein powder for women.

For lunch I had salad and carrots and a taco.

Ok, tacos are not on the menu but it was leftover.

For dinner I made baked salmon, broccoli and sweet potato fries.

The fries are not on the menu either but I made them for Alexis. Turns out she says she hates them.  I ate about 3. I guess the dog and pepper chicken will get them tonight.

I'm tired. I'm still fighting this cold. I have the headache from Hades.

I drank ZERO coffee and maybe that started the headache.

I will say goodnight blog.

Sleep tight.

Terrifying or Challenging

Well I'm putting some new things on my plate.  I can either be scared and run. Or I can enjoy the adventure and take the challenge.   
Here are the two things I have on my summer List. (beginning in spring)
First is to do The Visit to the Beach art courses online.   I put links in my last post about it.
Second think has 2 parts.
Part one is to go on a clean eating diet for the next 7 days.  I will begin tomorrow.
Prepare to read about it.
Part two is to do exercise everyday.  I will let you know later what exercise I do. I don't want to jinx it by blabbing.


I'm still sick. I am sniffing, sneezing and coughing. I hate this cold.  I just had this cold a month ago. Here is how I look sick.

I had a good surprise in my mailbox today.  There was a package from Bambi. It is a sweet book about a mother and daughter.  Bambi wrote some sweet words in the front of the book and she also included a very funny but sweet card. 

The book is on the left and the card is on the right.

Inside the card it say: I thought that you could use a lift.

Look at her udders on the ground!!!!  Thank you Bambi. 

I already read the book. It is sweet.

Today I am reading my book that Susan gave me for my birthday.

The book is good. It helps you with your life and how God is part of your life. Your not alone.   Hey check out my nail polish. It is neon purple. I love it. 

Oh BTW my sweet sis Design Diva Susan gave me those place mats.  She is good at designing and picking good books. 

So my little boy has found a secret place to sleep. He is in my clothes closet.  I knew about his hiding place for about a month. One day Alexis came in and saw him there. Now she looks there all the time.  Coraline tried it out but she doesn't like it much.

Well I have some spinning news to post and that will be tomorrow along with my first day of my clean eating.  I can have coffee but no creamer or sugar. Well what is the point?  I think I will have yummy tea. 

I'm praying that my cold is gone tomorrow because I want to get my second garden planter set up and I want to go buy some plants for the planters.  I think the seedlings will take a year to grow up. 

Oh Wait, American Idol is on now. I best be going.  I think that Crystal was the best last night.  I want her to win.  I like Casey but not his singing so much, I think it is just him. He is really a nice guy and he is so handsome. But Crystal makes me want to watch her sing.  I hate her dreadlocks.  She looked pretty that one week when she put her hair up and we couldn't see the dreads.

Ok, I will scoot.  Oliver is ready to get cozy too.  Good night Blog.

Oliver sez: Why is mama's blow dryer in my sleeping place?