World’s most pathetic looking rooster. Poor Chanticler!
Even Charley has had enough of the mud.
Hannah & Buster, enjoying the relative warmth and dryness of the run-in shed.
A river runs through it. The front pasture, that is.
The view from the front porch.
Just out of curiosity, when does this stop being an puddle and become a body of water?
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again– it’s a great week to be a duck.
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Tagged Features, In Pictures
Susie just mentioned to the Ravelery group that Fall 2012 Shares are shipping from the mill in the next week or so! That is a fantastically fast and unusual turn around!
That got me thinking about my fall share yarn. I said it was going to be my 6th knitting project. Oh the sad unravelled yarn in my stash! I laugh at my naivety! To be fair, I did start it:
But I realized that it was too small and so frogged it and there is stays! What a shame. I expect that there are others of you who haven’t yet finished knitting with their Fall XX Share yarns, and so for those people and for the people anxiously awaiting their Fall 2012 Share Yarn, I show you some inspiration of past Kid Mohair / Cormo blend yarns!
Navyknits worked one of the many February Lady Sweaters knit up in share yarns! She got her share yarn in Avocado!
Rebeccag knit up this gorgeous Forecast in Butterscotch for her girlfriend. I just love this color saturation.
If you’re not in the mood for a sweater, you could always make a Swallowtail Shawl like aiesure did in cinnamon.
Or maybe you’d like to knit a hat! knitmainea knit this Claudia in blueberry pie. I love the cable detail at the brim.
But maybe you’d prefer a more simple brim with more texture on the hat? Then how about this Jane hat that jennyfrommaine knit in Avocado?
Or maybe you like Jane, but like the color of knitmaine’s hat more? Then corporatemonkey’s Jane hat in Blueberry Pie is right up your alley!
But maybe you just love the natural yarn? Then check out DinaKnitsinCT’s Meret (Mystery Beret).
But maybe you’re like me, and just really want to make a sweater. I love this 28thirty by deirs.
Or another natural sweater that looks so perfect to dress up or down. HelenPuppy knit this The Laura Sweater.
Unfortunately it’s too late to buy a Fall 2012 Share, but there are other shares available! A reminder that the date refers to when the animals are shorn and it’s usually a 6 month wait after that before the yarn is in your hands.
What are you planning to make with your Fall 2012 share?
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Tagged cormo, fall, Features, mohair, shareholders, shares, yarn, Yarned by You
Dinosaurs in the Attic: An Excursion into the American Museum of Natural History
I will admit to being a total sucker for books that give you a “behind-the-scenes” look into public institutions, and this is one of the best I’ve ever read. ”Dinosaurs in the Attic is a chronicle of the expeditions, discoveries, and scientists behind the greatest natural history collection every assembled. Written by formerNatural History columnist Douglas Preston, who worked at the American Museum of Natural History for seven years, this is a celebration of the best-known and best-loved museum in the United States.”
Dry Storeroom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum
Are you sensing a theme here? Dinosaurs in the Attic lead me to this book, which is just wonderful! “The Natural History Museum is, first and foremost, a celebration of what time has done to life,” writes Fortey, whose engaging book similarly commemorates the vast record of life on Earth. As he meanders through the halls of the museum’s back rooms, Fortey proves to be an excellent, witty guide to the scientists and specimens that give testament to this history. Far from being a dry read, Dry Storeroom No. 1 weaves together colorful anecdotes about the scientists, their research, and the value of museums, defending evolution while admitting how much we still don’t know about the Earth’s species (starting with beetles, for example).” Loved it!
Lark Rise to Candleford: A Trilogy
This is the most charming book I’ve read in ages, sort of a British Little House on the Prairie, and “what may be the quintessential distillation of English country life at the turn of the twentieth century.” The characters are charming and the details about rural life are absolutely fascinating. There is also a BBC series based on the book, and it’s good but lacking in the details that make the book so lovely to me.
The Geography of Nowhere: The Rise and Decline of America’s Man-Made Landscape
This book was recommended by a friend and I expected to hate it. I was pleasantly surprised by The Geography of Nowhere and now I recommend it to everyone. “
“The Geography of Nowhere traces America’s evolution from a nation of Main Streets and coherent communities to a land where every place is like no place in particular, where the cities are dead zones and the countryside is a wasteland of cartoon architecture and parking lots….In elegant and often hilarious prose, Kunstler depicts our nation’s evolution from the Pilgrim settlements to the modern auto suburb in all its ghastliness. The Geography of Nowhere tallies up the huge economic, social, and spiritual costs that America is paying for its car-crazed lifestyle. It is also a wake-up call for citizens to reinvent the places where we live and work, to build communities that are once again worthy of our affection.”
I am a big fan of Yvette Van Boven’s Home Made
What un-put-down-able books are you reading? Hook me up, please!
Dear Whomever;
Enough with the rain already! We are all just exhausted from being wet and cold all the time.
I don’t know if you can see that tiny strip of dry gravel next to the barn, but that’s where the chickens are attempting to huddle. Ever heard that expression “Madder than a wet hen”? It’s a fact, y’all. These chickens are ticked the hell off.
The sheep and goats have spent the whole week perfecting their pathetic baas. Apparently that’s a better use of their time than just, you know, going into the barn and drying off.
Cini, the elder statesman of the farm doesn’t believe in suffering in the rain for no good reason.
Lucy and Gnocchi have gone full mud puppy, though.
Only the ducks seem to be happy with this grim and dreary weather.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have an ark to build.
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Tagged Features, In Pictures
In The Battle Between Health And Taste, Why White Bread Still Wins from NPR
Supersizing Literacy? U.K. McDonalds Swapping Happy Meal Toys for Books
Gacy Victim Search: Chicago Housing Complex Warrant Approved By County Prosecutors from Huffington Post
White House Crushes Death Star Petition, Nerd Dreams Everywhere from The Atlantic
Phooey On Flu from NPR. It’s a video but really interesting.
Shaped from clay: The rapidly evolving pottery of Mata Ortiz, Mexico from LA Times
One Dad’s Ill-Fated Battle Against the Princesses from The Atlantic
‘Simple Cooking’: Blogging since before the Internet was invented from LA Times
Gifted, Talented and Separated from NY Times
World War II Exhibit Asks Visitors, ‘What Would You Do?’ from NPR
What Food Crisis? We Just Need To Make Use Of What We Have from Fast Company
How Hot is That Pepper? Unpacking the Scoville Scale from Smithsonian Magazine
2,000-Year-Old Treasure Discovered In Black Sea Fortress from LiveScience
DIY or Buy: Natural & Eco-Friendly Cleaners from Apartment Therapy
Gratitude Healthy: 10 Reasons Why Being Thankful Is Good For You from Huffington Post
25 Bizarre Interview Questions From America’s Most Famous Companies from Huffington Post
What are you reading?
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Tagged Features, Weekend Reading
Lucy Goosey doing what she does best; ignoring me.
Gnocchi and Sabine
In addition to being half siblings, these two are best friends.
Cini is far too busy making sure no one steals this enormous bale of hay to clown around.
Gnocchi, on the job.
Still no internet at the farm. I am going absolutely bananas without it Thank God for the public library!
P.S. Check out Amy’s blog post for more behind-the-scences pics from the photo shoot.
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Tagged Features, In Pictures, Maremma
This was supposed to go out yesterday, but I set it to publish on the wrong date! Bummer!
As you’re reading this, I’m on my way to visit Susie at the farm to help out with the Spring 2013 yarn & pattern line photo shoot. I’m super excited to get an exclusive sneak peek at what’s in store for the spring season and have been reminiscing over last spring’s yarns and patterns, so I thought this week we’d take a look at what you’ve made with last season’s Sabine!
Jazzy-J-Stitches made this Lynden in 08 Foliage. Lynden was designed by Marie Grace Smith for the Sabine pattern line. I particularly like the cable detail that runs down the sleeves!
Marrow5 crocheted this cable hat in 11 Deep Blue Sea. At first glance I was fooled into thinking that those were knit cables, but they’re actually crocheted ones!
Okay, this next one wasn’t made by you. It was actually made by ME! When my friend HowdyPandowdy announced that she was having a baby girl, I couldn’t resist knitting her this Concentric Circle’s cardigan that I’ve loved ever since it was first published. The main color is 01 Fettucini with accents in 05 Posy and 12 Sirius. HowdyPandowdy graciously took this picture of her little one and allowed me to use it.
This Bramble Wrap, knit in the suggested colorway #10 Icicle, was made for the Close Knit Sisters shop! It is located in North Conway, NH, should you wish to stop by and visit the wrap! Again, it was designed by Marie Grace Smith.
This sweet baby blanket was knit by AbbyLauren for her niece, (woops, surprise!) nephew. I’m sure that he appreciated this Wool Leaves.
M1-M2-M3-43Me made this Amari in 04 Berry Farm & 02 Butterscotch. In order to make it larger, she both worked until she ran out of the main color and increased needle sizes as she worked toward the lace edging. A knit-along for Amari was hosted in the JMF group, as it is another pattern that Marie Grace Smith designed for the 2012 Spring yarn & pattern line.
I have adored the Chelsea Skirt since it came out in 2010. Why didn’t I think of making it in Sabine myself? knitterdre definitely had the right idea by making it in 08 Foliage!
jdunsmore knitted this Aspen, designed by (guess who?) Marie Grace Smith. The main color is 12 Sirius, with: Berry Farm, Posy, Deep Blue Sea, Sea Glass, and Limeade as accent colors.
This last one is one that I modeled myself and makes me think back fondly on the cold day, little sleep, and hard work I did last year! I can’t wait to get back to the farm and slip into a sweater designed for June in a cold January day and pretend that my lips aren’t turning blue and my teeth aren’t chattering! Or think up new storylines for the photographs! Or eat some of Susie’s Best Chicken Noodle Soup in the Universe.
I’ll even try to convince Susie to let me show you some sneak peeks! And if time allows I’ll take some photos of the farm of my own to share with you.
Susie texted me to let me know that the internet was down at the farm. I’m hoping it’ll be back by the time I arrive so I can share my adventure with you!
You can find Sabine, and the rest of the JMG yarns, in a LYS near you by clicking here then clicking “find a store,” inputting your zip code and selecting Juniper Moon Farm as the yarn brand.
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Tagged Features, Knitting, Sabine, yarn, Yarned by You
When I got home from Texas, amongst the mountain of mail waiting for me was a package from my friend Carole Pivarnik containing a copy of her new book Doggitude. It is a lovely book of watercolor portraits of real dog, each accompanied with an original haiku and a bio of the dog. The combination of elements really captures the individual personalities of each dog in a very intimate and beautiful way.
Doggitude: What Dogs REALLY Think–In 17 Sassy Syllables
It’s an awesome book- full stop- but it’s made even awesomer by the fact that JMF’s Gnocchi is one of the 17 featured pups.
Isn’t his portrait gorgeous? I’ve seen Gnocchi with this exact look on his face a hundred times. Carole is madly talented.
To read Gnocchi’s haiku and bio you will have to order the book. Believe me, you will be very happy that you did.
Pothole gardener’s Christmas display from the BBC. (Okay, this is a video but it’s pretty awesome.)
Cheap vitamin D ‘would boost health’ from the BBC.
Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2013 is…from apartment therapy.
Not Industrial, Not Organic: the Marsden Farm Study Shows Us a Third Way from GOOD.
How to Be a Weekday Vegetarian from GOOD.
Women in Peru’s Sacred Valley Became Breadwinners by Making iPad Cases from GOOD.
Steal This Idea: Glove Love Rescues Single Mittens from GOOD.
Big cats versus livestock – simple solutions reduce conflicts on Namibian farms from National Geographic.
Loafing Around: A Brief History of Fashion’s Favorite Flat from the Times Magazine.
Abandoned Suitcases Reveal Private Lives of Insane Asylum Patients from Collectors Weekly.
Decoding Secret Societies: What Are All Those Old Boys’ Clubs Hiding? from Collectors Weekly
Why Do We Blink So Frequently? from Smithsonian’s Surprising Science blog.
Where’s Rudolph? Inside the Decline of Alaska’s Caribou from Smithsonian’s Surprising Science blog.
The Best Inventions of 2012 You Haven’t Heard of Yet Part 1 and Part 2 from Smithsonian’s Innovations blog.
Eat, Drink, Be Nice from The New York Times. As a childless person who likes to eat in restaurants, I applaud this effort!
The One-Eyed Man Is King: How did the monocle become a symbol of wealth? from Slate.
Gerry Anderson, Animator of Puppetry, Dies at 83 from The NY Times.
36 Hours in El Paso, Texas from The NY Times. This book-The New York Times, 36 Hours: Europe - should have been on my Christmas list but I totally forgot about it. D’oh!
What did you read this week?
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Tagged Features, Weekend Reading
