Home from Missouri

Hi Megs

I am now home from Missouri visiting mother, sisters, nieces, nephews, in-laws, great nieces and nephews - Joneses and Places - had a great time and it was wonderful being able to see so many family members.

Your grandmother is very well and LOVES the socks you made for her. She wears them "out" when she goes down to eat or if she has visitors - she has a lot of visitors! There was a 50 year Lee's Summit High School reunion (brother Jack's class) and she was the "bell of the ball" - so says the Lee's Summit paper! Not bad for an over 90.
I also took her the Place/Jones family mat, I called it "Mother's Mat" and she really likes it. I explained who everyone was - she put it on the floor (I really like mats on the floor where they belong) and everyone who comes she explains who everyone is - including Rushka and Carrie.


She particularly liked Jack on the "Silver Streak" - she had forgotten about that old bike we all used - but we never will!

I went to Evan's first birthday (that is the Murray "Evan") in Kansas City and it was a grand time. Got to see Sarah and Sean, Sally and Mike and other Jones cousins, friends and Sean's parents.

Evan was given his first birthday cake - had never eaten cake before.


His eyes bugged out the first time he tasted SUGAR! He is so cute and lively, was getting ready to walk but has now walked.

As a gift I made "Russell". Russell was welcomed into the Murray home. I made him from the NorNoro wool and angora blend I bought in Columbia when we went to Anne's wedding. The sweater is made from some hand spun I picked up in Amherst, NS, and Dianne Fitzpatrick's studio. Russel is so soft. The Pattern is "Small rabbit with sweater" (modified to fit the yarn) from Debbie Bliss, Toy Knits. I like Russell.

On Canada Day (July 1) we celebrated in Susan's backyard. All the Place sisters, in-laws, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, friends were there. It was a challenge for the teenage girl at the Price Chopper to come up with the Canadian Flag but she was so proud of herself - she found it! Meredith, Amelia, Evan (the Burns Evan), and Tate were great fun. They ran around. Amelia was weaving a long stand on her fingers from the tube things that we used to make pot holders from. It was really neat. Very nice Canada Day picnic!

I stayed with Ellen. We did a search for rug hooking and knitting shops. We did find a rug hooking section - a really good one for primitive hooking - in Greenwood - part of a "general" store.

We also went to the shop in Independence - and I did try to get tickets to hear Obama when he spoke in Independence earlier in the day but they were sold out - available from 1 to 4, I got there at 3:30 and they were gone! But we did get some nice yarn. Susan really liked the 3 button shawl I made so I gave her the pattern I worked out and she bought some yarn to make one for the two sisters. Susan showed me her latest projects -YIKES - a very big and really neat
American flag afghan.

You can't see it in the picture but every square has a "relief (k/p)" picture of one of the US states. There blue section has stars and there is also the Liberty Bell. She is going to put it in a school auction to raise money. It is something!



I flew home over the flooding. You could really see it as we went over the Mississippi and Missouri. It was wild. Got bounced in Chicago when United cancelled the flight to Halifax - got home a day late and my luggage arrived 4 days later. But did get home!

Since I have been home I have been busy with the shop. Lots of tourists in Yarmouth getting off the Cat. It has been lively on Main Street. Pam M-A and I set up our shop at the Spring Fling (a hook-in in Yarmouth put on by the Rugg Bees). We did very well and I think our shop was appreciated - from the comments we received. I think I am a budding entrepreneur.






Dad loved his book and his Cardinal BBQ cover! But the Nova Scotia wind has done some damage. It has been patched with duck tape. It is a feature on the deck and can be seen when you turn up Session Hill - over the lake - on the way home! We will never get lost.

Hope all is well with you'll. Don't work too hard - it is summer. I see that San Francisco is very dry and Dad checks your temperature every day on his new IPhone. Getting it was an adventure!

Love ya,

Mom
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Noro Striped Striped Scarf

Hi Megs

I finished the Noro striped, striped scarf. I made it from Kureyon colourways #207 and #164. Think it turned out really nice - used all of 4 skeins but had to do a little patching because Noro has the AWFUL habit (GRRRRRR) of suddenly having a knot and the colour changes dramatically. I had to kind of hunt and paste to get back to the colour flow. It is about 6 1/2 feet long and the colours make it unisex - really nice for everyone and will match anything. It is also nice and soft .


And - what is worse that getting behind a bicycle on the highway?

Getting behind a unicycle!

Yarmouth hosted the First Annual Ride the Lobster 800 km unicycle relay race. It started in Yarmouth as most contestants came over on The Cat. I kept "running" into them. I had to go to Halifax yesterday for a root canal and had to pick up things all over (hoops, hooks, wool) as I worked my way back to Yarmouth. I was going back to Yarmouth as the unicycles were working their way towards Halifax.

My mouth is sore, your father is in Frankfort with a new project with ETS on adult literacy testing, so it is quiet here - or should have been. I had some visitors to the studio (Tin Pot Textiles) which was nice. They liked my work and we had a nice chat except that I also had the Orkin Man here at the same time because we found some ants but he couldn't find any - except the way the mice were getting into the basement (which I fixed with some expanding foam and steel wool) .....interesting afternoon!

Dad really liked his father's day present, your brother is having success playing with the Styrofoam Ones (a group in Toronto - Clay plays the drums) - all is well.

Love ya,

Mom

Knitting Noro

Hi Megs,

I have been on a Noro frenzy these days. I am doing the scarf with stripes - two rows from each of two skeins of Noro. I saw a picture of it on a post and have worked to get it right. I used Kureyon, colours 207 and 164 (browns, greens, purples, orange, & blues). The one I saw I think was made from Silk Garden. I just made up what to do until it looked right. It doesn't look like it but it is ribbed (k1,p1). This way you don't see the loops going over the colours on the purl rows. I slipped the stitches on either side and it hides the carried yarn nicely. I cast on 33 stitches - odd # for the ribbing - (to get about 6 inches). I think it looks nice - so far - but I may get into some colour combinations that are teeth grinding awful - we will see. It does keep me knitting to see what is coming next!


I also am doing the little purses again. I now call them "Colours of Nova Scotia". I gave them as gifts when I went to Louisiana and everyone really liked them. They take about 2 hours to do so nice for an evening project.

I also saw a woman wearing a scarf that had three buttons and a button hole and could be adjusted so I worked on this as well and it also came out nicely. I used 3 strands of Cotton Freedom in a light yellow (#07). It really drapes nicely and it can be warn at 3 different levels or just not buttoned. Really like it.


I cast on 47 stitches and again slipped the last stitch (purlwise) of each row to give it a nice finish on the edges. The buttons are really nice. They are ceramic from Africa. We just got this line in at Hands on Crafts and they are really nice. All kinds of shapes and sizes.

I think the next one of these I make I will only use 2 strands. This one is a little thick but it will be SO nice on a cool evening - like we have around here.

That is what I have been up to. I did join Ravelry (my name is TinPot) and really enjoying it. I have made connections with several Nova Scotia knitters - one with a brother who lives in Yarmouth who I know from Rotary.

I put up my hummingbird feeder on the NEW big kitchen window and now we have constant hummingbird wars outside. Love it! The cardinals are back and always go to the red egg feeder you got me for Christmas. I think they like the colour. It seems each bird has their favourite place to eat. We have the usual invasion of squirrels (always think of Rushka when I see them). I finally just left a feeder for them - they sort of live in the thing - and the other birds just ignore them as you can see in the picture. I have given up the fight. This year we also have real chipmunks who come regularly. They like the wooden platform feeder but have not been fast enough yet to get a picture.


Take care. Will have a nice Father's day on Sunday.

Love you all!

Mom
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Spring is here!

Hi Megs

Can't believe it is Spring already - although I got a little taste of summer when we were in Southern Louisiana. Your father and I had a grand time. I took my little purses as our hostess gifts and made some for my friend Irene who went as well, for her hostess gifts. We were on a Rotary Friendship exchange.

We went to New Orleans, Houma, DeRidder, Abbeville and Baton Rouge. The group from Louisiana are visiting us in September. We had a really great time. I loved it all - but found the swamp was just beautiful! We also saw the devastation in New Orleans - really overwhelming! But also flew over the marsh area south of Homua - southwest of New Orleans and saw the damage and loss of wetland.
We also went to a music festival in Lafayette (and a great craft fair), the state houses (old and new) in Baton Rouge, to LSU - walked on the field, went through the "hanging jail" in DeRidder, visited plantations along the Mississippi (Oak Alley, Ashland/Belle-Helen (where Chef KD made us a Cajun meal and cooking lesson - wow!), Homus-House), went to St. Martinville (Acadian monument and wonderful church), a production of Hair at LSU on the 40th anniversary of the play a - just so much to do and see. Most of all we talked and got to know people who live and understand Louisiana.

Thank you for the wonderful book , "Plants and Their Application to Ornamentation" you gave me for mother's day. It is just wonderful and is inspiring. Each flower and how they used it in their designs are really amazing. I also like the muted colours. Great gift. Dad gave me two gifts - a new garden cart - for both of us from Lee Valley Tools and a GPS system for my car so I wouldn't get lost and I can use my phone "hands free" through it (new law in Nova Scotia).

As to knitting and rug hooking - I am working on a lot of stuff but haven't finished much of anything. I have been busy making kits for a beginners rug hooking class, getting stuff stocked for the store, starting projects but not finishing any of them!

We did have some excitement. We had a wind and rain storm in March and when we looked out on Sunday morning the boat shed (with the canoe and kayak in it) was blown off its footings a complete 180 onto the rock wall. Must have been some gust because this shed, made by the students and NSCC Carpentry class - was solid - like a little house! Crazy Crazy.

Doris, Annie and I did have a booth at the Destination Southwest Tourism Expo in Halifax. It was an interesting day but it snowed and snowed so we didn't have many people.

We did visit Fleece Artist in Mineville, outside Dartmouth, when we were in Halifax (Dartmouth is on the other side of the bay). It was amazing. So much wool, so little time! I found visiting the area where they dyed the yarn really interesting. I got some Sea Wool (70% Marino, 30% Seacell), Somoko (65% Marino, 20% Kid, 10% nylon, 5% silk), and Scottish Silk (65% wool, 35% silk) (left to right in the picture). The Sea Wool has a very subtle dye pattern. Creams and grays. I am making the Vine Lace Cardigan from Gathering of Lace with the Sea Wool. This is a "work in progress". All of my things are "works in progress".

We also had a "Mushroom" class - rug hooked mushrooms - with Carol Harvey Clark. She has Spruce Top Rug Hooking and Econo Musee in Mahone Bay. It was a neat class. I made 4 mushrooms that I am going to make into broaches. They are kind of neat - didn't know mushrooms could be so interesting.
This is the group of us - and below are my mushrooms - have to finish them!

The Rugg Bees and Carpetbaggers also hooked a mat to raffle off for the Cancer Centre at the hospital. It is called "Keep on Moving" - the tickets are $2 or $5 for 3. It is a really nice mat, designed by Gayle Deone, on of our members. The tickets are selling very well - we are selling them at Hands on Crafts. We are going to draw in October.

So that is about all I have been doing. They guys are working outside - now that it is dry and warm - putting the boat shed back up.

Hope all is well with you both - and Rushka. We would love to come visit again - maybe in the Fall. We have a busy summer - but come and see us - a trip to NS in the summer.

Love ya,

Mom
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Easter Knitting

Hi Megs,

I have been Easter Knitting - Easter Eggs! I think I have lost it! I call them "Egg's new Easter Sweater".


Can't believe it is almost Easter. Happy birthday to Nathan (3/3) and this year, Easter is so early it is a couple of weeks before your birthday (4/4).



I have been very busy working on the latest edition of The Loop, the Rug Hooking Guild of Nova Scotia Magazine. Took it to the printer yesterday - now I wait until I have to mail it out - but the "monkey" is off my back and onto Garth's, our printer.


I have been busy - mostly rug hooking. I had a hook-in at our house - 4 days with 11 of us plus "drop-ins". It was really nice. This house is a nice sport. Lots of light and I think everyone found it comfortable. We had a good time just hooking and talking.




























I have been working away at Hands on Crafts. Our shop will also be one of the shops at the Spring Fling Hook-in in June so we are busy getting wool dyed for this.

I have also been knitting and hooking. I finished a diagonal scarf made with Noro. I had one of these but lost it somewhere so I made another to replace it. I also hooked a Welcome mat. It is a Deanne Fitzpatrick that I picked up some years ago at the funny little knitting & everything shop in Whitney Pier in Cape Breton (outside Sydney). It is made totally of Frenchy's wool. Really like it. I have it for sale down at Hands On.

I have also been working on the Jones Farm. Pam MacIsaac -Adams , my partner in the hooking shop at Hand On, did most of the dyeing for the mat. I particularly like the "old brick" a colour from Christine Little at Encompassing Designs in Mahone Bay. I had to overdye it lightly with seal brown (Magic Carpet dye) to get it toned down a little but it really seems to work. I am following the picture and it is really interesting and coming out well. Like painting with wool.

Now that the magazine is done I can do what I like - hooking, knitting and spinning! Really enjoying the spinning. It is SO relaxing. Sitting down and just spinning, they rhythm of it - I just love. I am working on colours right now. I am spinning leaf green, purple and blue and then will ply them together to see what I get.
Your father is off today to St. Lucia to do some work with them on adult literacy. He won't be gone for very long but at least he will be warm for a little while!

Love and pats for Rushka.

Mom XXXOOOPPPP

Knitter, Rug Hooker, Spinner and now Crochet?

Hi Megs,

I loved your pictures of Zanzibar! Wow. I then went into the link to all the pictures. You and your new husband (an our new son), Nathan, look so happy! What a wonderful adventure. I particularly like the pictures of the beach and boats and where you stayed. It brought back memories of Namibia - our funny little house on the Kanini River. Like all mothers, I love to see my children happy, happy.

We are enjoying our winter. There is something about winter - looking outside with the snow, frost, rain, wind but being cozy inside. I got up about 6:15 yesterday morning and looked out and there were 6 deer eating grass through the sprinkling of snow right outside the front windows. It was beautiful.

I am really enjoying working away on my knitting, rug hooking and spinning - and I have added crochet. I had not taken up a crochet hook for 30 years. I saw this pattern for a ruck sack in an old Rowan Magazine (#16). I had some Noro (I always keep a supply of Noro around - I love knitting with it) Kureyon so I stated messing with it - found the little wrist twist came back really fast - and before long it was done! Really like it. I did cheat with the straps. I got this funny little knitting machine on EBay - from the 1940's. It makes I-cord by turning the little crank. It is a very solid little thing - made of metal. It is called the Hobby-Knit. I didn't think Noro, not being spun tightly, would fit it it but it did. I cranked away and out came the I-cord. It has 6 hooks so it makes a really nice dense cord. It is a hoot! I really like the colours of the Noro that came through on the bag. This is a keeper! My new knitting bag!

And my spinning - having a grand time with this. I am getting better. I plied my first wool - and you can see from the balls of yarn - from left to right - good, better, best.... I now want to play with some colour and maybe some dying. But I do like the natural colours. Don't know what I am going to make with it yet.

I have also been knitting. I made two more little purses - played with the design and with beads. I like the way they look.
As to rug hooking. I am working on a mat I don't like - a Welcome Mat with lobster boats - that is using a big cut - #6 - just want to get it finished. I like a small cut, #3 or #4 at the largest. What I am looking forward to is a mat that Pam MacIsaac-Adams drew for me of your father's grandfather's house in Sedalia (1878). I am colour planning it now and will try to dye the wool myself or have Pam help me. I took a picture of the house when we were home this summer and she drew the mat based on it. Stan's aunt, Betty Bob, who with Uncle Van (Stan's dad's youngest brother) now own the house and farm, is in the picture with the wheelbarrow.

I think it will be really nice when I finish it. I am itching to get started. I am going to White Point Beach again, Feb 3-6, for a 4 day hook-in with the South Shore women. We are also going to have a 4 day hook-in at our house for the local hooking groups, Carpetbaggers and Rugg Bees, Feb 18-21. I have to get the wool dyed so I can work on it so I can take it to these. I think they will like hooking at our house because it is easy to clean the hardwood floors - and the views and lots of light.

So, I am spinning, knitting, rug hooking and now crochet. Busy, busy. And then there is "the shop", Hands on Crafts. Doris and I took part in a Women's Winterlude show yesterday - a showcase for women in business. We had THE most colourful booth and met a lot of people who didn't know about the shop or didn't know all the things we now have rug hooking supplies, wool, roving, and beads. It was fun.
In the middle, front you can see the rug I am working on know (one the frame with the green cover around it (the cover protects my wrists from the gripper strips)). It says "Welcome" and has two lobster boats on it - one yellow, one red.

I went to see the movie, Juno with some of my Kayaking buddies - really recommend it. As a former high school teacher and principal I can tell you that it was so real! These are not "Hollywood" 16 year olds but REAL 16 year olds. So well written and acted - and Ellen Page is from Halifax.

We have been going to Mariner hockey games, to Bruno's special dinners and enjoying winter and just keeping cozy in the house. It has been a nice winter.

Take care.

Love ya,

Mom
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