The BIG 50

 

This week I turned 50.. something I had been looking forward to my whole life.. I have been saying for years I'd have a huge party.. then it dawned on me I don't like big parties lol..

so instead we had a huge egg sale at market.. chickens have been very good girls, we had plenty to sell.. great turn out :D

I was very surprised by all the gifts and well wishes I received this year... I even had a star named after our shop .. The Reiki Shack

Brent got me the chicken shirt I so wanted, as well as so many other things.. he even took the week off of work ..

I have wanted a pink bb gun for ages.. been having so much fun shooting cans lol

two friends at market gifted me plants and meal worm beetles... the aloe came from a older man who has been seeing some rough times.. he easily could have sold it, the meal worm starter kit from a young man we love to chat "chickens" with.. both very cool dudes in their own right.. going to this market has enriched our lives beyond monetary gains I had never dreamed of, you can never have enough good people in your life   ..   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check this gift out.. from good friends and my best egg seller lol SWEET

 

As if things weren't busy enough around here already ... we added to our flock.. geese.. oh and a few more duckies... and a few more... came home with a couple more today ( not all shown here as the post would be sooo long lol )

So many wonderful things have happened.. Brent spent his week off fixing everything from the dryer to starting to rebuild the large green house taken down by 60+ mph winds... sales have been better than ever at the market.. was told today we have a "set" spot so no more searching one out.. looking into doing another market in town...

Brent knew how much we wanted to catch a few things on tv like debates and the summer games.. no one wanted to get back into the cable racket though.. He found a antenna on clearance .. we now get enough local channels to watch them.. and news.. it's been years.. odd to see commercials again lol...

Then the coolest thing happened to us that can only be called a true blessing.. 

the kittens we got ... 

needed to get their shots.. so they could be "fixed"

I see on a Facebook post that they were offering them for low cost at petsmart.. the catch it was market day.. it needed to be done.. even though we were all loaded up and ready to go, we loaded up Zahara and Yanni instead.. their first car trip.. to a place that had dogs every where.. they were not happy campers to say the least lol

we walk in and are asked if we were there to sign up to have our pets "fixed" for FREE ..

no I say but tell me more...

there is such an issue with unfixed pets and such around here I am told.. please sign up and it will all be covered..

when we agreed to take these kitties into our home it was due in large part that I didn't want to see them just turned out and having kitten after kitten.. but there was a real worry about covering costs for two at the same time..

not only was it free but it was done with care an skill

never had I seen before..

both are doing great only one day after.. counting my blessing and giving many thanks

 

Skull earrings

been loving this free pattern by Spider Mambo on Ravelry called
 day of the dead sugar skull earrings
check out her other skull patterns

Knit Red Heart Baby Jane Booties

Another free pattern by Red Heart.... if you don't mind seaming and like knitting flat without care of how many ends to weave in this is the bootie pattern for you... lol
I find it much easier to knit in the round myself... I do really like the out come though... think I might do one up in the round

baby jane booties

Red Heart booties

I've wanted to make some booties.. easy fun simple to change up ... got this pattern awhile back from Red Heart.. very easy and cute..

little miss booties

were they easy to change up... YES .. here I added two rounds... following the pattern to the end next round ch 3, dc8, dc2tog, dc9.. last round ch1, sc to end fasten off... they are so easy.. this is not going to be the only pair I make :D

 

crochet duckie

We got babie duckies

I had downloaded a free crochet pattern awhile back that seemed fitting lol... long been a fan of Knit Picks knitting needles and knit patterns.. now I can add their crochet patterns to the list :D I made him using a larger hook than called for ( G )  changed the bill just a bit for a more boyish look

Find the free pattern here

Lil Ducks

Crochet Round Vest at last

I love the look of the round vests, but wasn't happy with the ones I could find online.. even got a paid pattern.. it was ok but not what I wanted.. then I saw a post on Facebook with this pattern for a round sweater... free non the less lol... I just left the sleeves off, added a few extra rows with a shell trim... ( used US I hook,  3 and a half skeins of Red Heart super saver in Icelandic )  LOVE ITDrops Design has some really great patterns ( free ) check them out ... planning on making a few more myself

Moonlight mist

Braided cowl crochet free pattern

I have been seeing these everywhere online.. I had to give it a go.. picked the first yarn I came across that I thought would be enough.. Red Heart's super saver in light blue.. now that I know how much I do like the pattern I will try more colors..
easy to follow.. lots of photos.. you tube links ..

find the free pattern here
double layered braided cowl

Lacy Fingerless gloves

buy now here

 

 

I, J and K hooks

new pay pattern on Ravelry

Lacy Fingerless gloves

Boot slippers crochet

 My mother asked for a warm pair of socks with a wide ankle .. thinking slippers would keep her warmer.. I put these together.. very easy ..can be made to any size using any yarn and hook
 I used two strains of worsted weight yarn for added thickness and a N 9.00mm hook with these

Make your foundation chain long enough to go around the bottom of your heal and up to the height you want them on both sides.. I went with 15 inches as she didn't want much above her ankle
single crochet until you have the width needed to reach around your ankle/heal, to the upper part of your foot,  she said loose so I went pretty wide, 13 rows


   with out cutting the yarn, fold in half slip stitch the seam together leaving the bottom part open enough to fit your foot through..
Single crochet around the opening to make the foot/toe part.. single crochet 2 together the last two rounds fasten off.. slip stitch the back heal part .. make another to match.. helps to write down how many chains you started with and rounds you did if you're like me and forget by the time you've been interrupted a million times lol .. think I'm going to go make me a pair or two...

blizzard in the desert

The snow started around 12:30 pm Saturday.. by the time we left for the store about a hour later this was the view of our road

 

 

it was coming down hard  ..

 

you couldn't see more than a few yards.. this photo is of hwy 70.. the car just ahead of us can't be seen...

we stopped to take a few photos in the yard.. in 28 years of living here in the desert we have never seen so much snow ( I don't own a jacket, very happy for my knit and crochet wear )

 

our fenced garden was turned into an igloo

before sunset you couldn't see feet ahead of you

 

 

 hours before it stopped ...

by the time it let up to flurries we were buried in at least 9 inches of snow..

by midday Sunday we could see the sky and mts again.. not looking good for our beaver tail and other cactus     

 

 

beautiful true.. many deadly things are.. more than 3000 people, blocks from us were without power through out the night.. roads were covered in black ice.. many accidents .. Brent couldn't get out of the driveway to even try the 45 min. run to work.. lost holiday pay plus a days wage.. not going to be easy.. but we are lucky we have a home.. food.. and each other...