Taxes and sock knitting.............

Yesterday was all about taxes and it took me the afternoon mostly because of gathering info I needed.  But they're done thanks to Turbo Tax! Plus, I'm getting a refund!  I haven't had a refund in years and years!  I was doing a happy dance!  The reason is because they doubled the standard deduction for single people!  Yippee!  It's not much but it might get me some of that fabric, yarn and xs patterns I've been wanting.  Turbo tax is so easy and for free or the $20 version I use. 

I cut up a beautiful melon I had gotten at the store....expanding my breakfast items.  I had this with some of my homemade sourdough toast and it was a great combo.   I still have to make my taco seasoning and breakfast burritos sometime this week.

My tomato seedlings are getting a bit leggy....I'm wondering if I could put them outside in the shade during the day....it was 87 F today!  Here we go right into summer!  Our last frost is April 30th so I definitely can't leave them out just in case but it's been in the 60's in the mornings.

Today I got out my 'box of socks' to put them away for the summer.  I won't be wearing wool for quite awhile now.......I've always wanted to make 12 pair in a year but so far that has not been the case........after several years I still don't have a dozen.

Here's what I have so far but this has taken several years!  7 pair and there's a blue pair missing and I have no idea where they are....they'll turn up eventually.  Then of course there's the pair I'm working on.......time to order more sock yarn!   The pair that looks white are really my Hudson Bay socks.

I have some cedar blocks that I sand when they stop smelling like cedar and I will throw one in the box with my socks.  What a shame it would be to open it next year and find moth holes!  I would cry for sure!  I got these years ago and you can hang them in your closet or put them in drawers....wherever you feel the need.  Just remember to sand them once in awhile so they keep doing their job!

I'm just about done with the gusset decreases on my sock...I should finish tonight and then it's all down hill from there!  I'm posting it again so my daughter can see it as she is not allowed to look at my YOP posts because of the possibility of  gifts and secret projects in the works for her and other unnamed individuals.

I hope you're having great weather and are getting all your 'chores' done.  Tomorrow is Walmart mostly because I have to go to the vet and get the girls their meds so I might as well go to Walmart as long as I am over that way.  Take care!
Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #43

Finishes: none this week

WIPs (works in progress): 
1) I worked on Hawk Run Hollow January a little bit..........

2) My Seasonal Sunday project "Spring" is almost done............

3)  The Button-Eyed cat for Witchy Wednesday.............moving right along!

4) Sock #1 of 2..........This is where most of my time was spent as you can tell..............I finished the leg, the heel flap, the heel turn and picked up the stitches for the gusset (after this picture was taken)
I am loving the yarn, the pattern and my sock knitting!

Acquisitions:
None this week

New Starts Planned: they're all secret! LOL!

YOP Goals from last week:  Very poor showing but in my defense...Spring is here and I have double the workload now with the outside and the inside.  I'll just keep these goals for next week too! LOL!
Except for the sock....hopefully, I will have one sock done by then.  But then my taxes are due and there is the City Wide Garage Sale next Saturday which I'm still considering on participating in?  Maybe?  I'll see how much I get done.  I may need the money to pay my taxes! LOL!

1.  finish stitching Pumpkin Spice Farm
2.  finish hexies and stitch together for Pickle Dish #5 of 11 (there are also 2 half PD's on the vertical and 6 half PD's on the horizontal plus 4 quarter PD's and then the connecting hexies)    
3.  Work on Amy's Frida Kahlo basket
4.  Start house ornament
6.  do the finishing work on "America" xs
7.  do the finishing work on "Merry Xmas" xs
8.  do the finishing work on "Primitive Santa"
***DONE*** 9.  finish leg of sock #1
10.  make sock box and ornament box for 12 of each in a year (yeah right) lol!

 TOP 10 (or more) WIP's:

1)  Pickle Dish
2)  Stars and Stripes Saturday - America x-stitch - done but needs finishing
3)  Amy's Frido Kahlo basket (July birthday) - done but needs to be sewn together
4)  Pin's embroidery
5)  socks
6)  C2C blanket for Grayson (July birthday) 
7)  Monthly Monday - HRH January
8)  Witchy Wednesday - Button-Eyed Cat
9)  Fall Friday - Pumpkin Spice Farm
10)  Santa Sunday -Old St. Nick - done but needs 'finishing' work
11.  Turkey Thursday
12.  Seasonal Sunday - Spring
13.  Santa Sunday - new house ornament

 Finishes so far in 2018-19: 
1.  4th of July cross stitch pillow/ornie
2.  Hitchhiker shawl
3.  Felici Hibiscus self-striping socks
4.  Felted wool loafer slippers with leather soles for me Sam
5.  washcloth (extra large) and back scrubber for Christmas or birthday for SIL
6.   Iowa Hawkeye hats for Sam and Grayson
7.  Techniques learned so far this year: a) knit cast on, b) reading a knitting chart, c) lace work, d) inserting and using a lifeline e) charting a graphghan
8.   dishcloth(s)...I need to count them
9. Cubs hat for Uriah
10. 12 days of Christmas Advent gifts
11. Cowl for Ben
12. Cowl for Tracy
13. Cowl for Natalie
14.  # 2018 Collectible ornaments for the grands
15.  Cowl for me or gift basket
16.  11 scrubbies for gift basket
17.  1 pot handle cover for gift basket
18.  Ben's Bear's hat
19.  Falling Leaves Scarf
20.  Tissue Box Cover - 5 of them!
21.  Granny Square Shawl
22.  Kathleen Tracy doll quilt

As for other news on 'the homestead'...I have a 'tale to tell'!  Yesterday was beautiful but storms were coming over the weekend and I really wanted to get the lawn mowed for the first time before it got too long.  I got the mower started right off the bat.....great!  I filled the mower with what gas I had and it looked like enough....wrong!  I was about 3/4 done when it ran out of gas.  So, I went out to the highway and back for gas and filled it up and started mowing again.  I hadn't mowed 3 minutes when I got stuck in the mud trying to mow the ditch.  Woe is me.  This happened one other time and I called B&J's and they came and pushed me out but this was Saturday afternoon and they were closed.  With storms coming I really didn't want the mower sitting out there so I wondered how I could get it out by myself plus I wanted to finish the darn lawn!  I Googled my problem and sure enough after 3 videos I found a guy with my exact problem....alone and stuck in the mud! LOL!  He used a 'tow rope' and his truck to  pull it out.  I did not have a 'tow rope' but thought maybe the dollar store did so off I went.  They didn't have a tow rope but they had one better....a ratchet rope with hooks on both ends.  I came home and there were no directions on how to thread it......soooooooooo......back to Google!  There was a video on that too!  Thank you You Tube people!!!  I learned how to thread it, attached it to my mower and my Tahoe and pulled it right out....no fuss, no muss!  I finished mowing before the rains came and I was so elated that I had figured it out myself (with God's help and You Tube) and it worked!  Ta Da! I put everything away after mowing, came in and took a nice hot bath, got my pj's on and had a nice supper of goulash that I made Friday.......and a salad of my home grown greens.  It started raining while I was eating supper and I smiled to myself........I got 'er done!

I went out this morning and took some pictures.......the first 'mow' of the season is always a bit rough looking but so glad I got it done as it's supposed to storm again tonight........I have a red bud growing on the edge of my property!  I love red buds and they are all in bloom right now............

Here's some across the street............

My little hyacinth is still blooming.............

The pansies I planted are looking great.............

The peas are up!

and so is the kale...........

That's all for this week  other than I have several projects already on my YOP list for this coming July!  Woo Hoo! 

Please stop by and see all the other fantastic projects that other  YOP'ers are working on.
Happy Trails!!!

Fiber optic coming through!

About a month or so ago my electric co-op had an informational meeting at the church about getting fiber optic in our town.  If you wanted it you needed to sign up which I did and they have been all over the area putting it in and then connecting to neighborhoods and finally homes.  Eventually they will need to come inside and do some wiring but for now it is just outside. 
I haven't had this many men at my house in years! LOL!

This was the big excitement today.  They were all over the neighborhood.  I did take the bread and dishcloth to my new neighbor.  He seems very nice and is a DIY'er...which I love.  He moved his stuff in a school bus and pulled his car on a trailer.  He said he bought the bus to move and then to buy furniture after he got here and then he's going to turn it into an RV!  So cool!  He's from California.   I told him I can't wait to see the progress!  He's also replacing some carpeting with plastic laminate flooring....another area I'm interested in.  It's motivating to finally have a neighbor that does things besides me!  Everyone else hires everything done.   
I did some errands and then came home and picked up the rest of the sticks in the yard.  The pile is now twice as big as yesterday.  It was a rough winter because I don't remember ever having that many big branches to pick up.  I stopped at the store and got some hamburger as I decided my next meal will be goulash and I have peaches in the freezer so my favorite peach dessert will get made.  There are storms coming so I thought I'd better get what I needed for my next meal in case it goes on for days as they are predicting.  Of course, they're usually wrong but it was sunny today and 70 F so  why not go today as opposed to waiting until it's pouring out to run to the store.  "Plan for the worst but hope for the best"!
I hope you had a great day and the sun is shining where you are!
Happy Trails!!!  

Finally getting some things done around the homestead!

It was a gorgeous day today and I did some outside chores....watered the kale and the peas, harvested the lettuce.........

 got the bread rising......

Planted the pansies............and set them on the front porch

I picked up a boat load of sticks in the front yard but decided to save the back yard until tomorrow! LOL!  There were some big limbs from my old trees.........I'll burn them after I get them all picked up

the trees are blooming in the woods.....red buds and the dogwoods are starting................

Those aren't dogwoods just some berry bushes or something blooming............I love the dogwoods because their branches go horizontal and they are definitely recognizable.
I got a Knit Picks catalog in the mail...that is NOT junk mail!  I will be looking at it this evening!  I wish I could wear my hair like the lady on the cover.  She looks very attractive in it but I don't think she's 70 years old....I'd look like a witch if I tried it! LOL!  Some people age better than others....me?  Not so much.

I came in and made my jar salads.......I love these especially this time of year when there is so much to do and I can just grab one for lunch with some homemade bread.......perfect!  If you're not familiar with these you just put your dressing on the bottom and layer your lettuce and other items.  When you're ready to eat you shake it up and either eat it from the jar or put  it on a plate.  It keeps the lettuce crisp and your salad isn't soggy.  These have red onion, cucumber and radishes but you can add whatever you want.  It depends on what I have.  I usually put seeds of some kind and avocado but I'm out right now.  Hard boiled eggs are good too.

I baked the bread for my neighbor and it's cooling.  I'll probably take it over tomorrow along with the dish cloth....

I finished An Act of Love by Nancy Thayer and it was very good.  She is an excellent writer but the topic was depressing.  Not sure if all her books are on such serious subjects but if so I might have to read something lighter.

Tonight I'm starting this book which I own....I'm trying to read a fiction, non-fiction but also a book I own, one on the Kindle and then a library book.  On the Kindle I'm reading the non-fiction budget book...........then this one is my book and non-fiction

and this one is fiction and from the library.....another author I've wanted to try......

Supper tonight is chicken apple sausage, roasted sweet potato and a jar salad.......I hope you had a great day and enjoy your evening!
Happy Trails!!!

YOP Week #40

Finishes:
1) My little tiny quilt - this is a reproduction of a doll quilt and was a free pattern on the Kathleen Tracy blog site and she also has a Facebook group.  I got it a long time ago.  Kathleen also has many books out on reproduction doll quilts.  I like the smaller quilts as I have more uses for them such a table covers or dresser scarves.  I'm not a good quilter as I can count on one hand all the quilts I've made but I plan on continuing to make them and hopefully get better at it.   I machine quilted "in the ditch" as they say but I think from now on I will hand quilt as it is too obvious and I'm not very good at it.  Wherever this little quilt winds up in my house I think the 2 little Amish figurines need to go with it. They were given to me by a good friend from college for my birthday.  I think it was a sign as shortly after that I got a job not too far from the Amana Colonies in Iowa.

WIPs (works in progress): 
1) I worked on Hawk Run Hollow January and finished filling in the white but not much to see so I didn't take another picture.

2)  I have almost all my hexies sewn for the next pickle dish but not quite.  Hopefully I will have another "dish" sewn together by next week.

3) My Seasonal Sunday project "Spring" is coming along and I'll be working on it today!  The tulips are done......so cute all in a row.......

4)  Pumpkin Spice Farm is almost finished but not quite..............as they say "so close but no cigar"...I have no idea where that saying came from...........

5)  The Button-Eyed cat for Witchy Wednesday is slowly getting there.....I will be so glad when this is done....it is a pure drag and a strain on my eyes.......

7) Socks!!!  Yes, oh how I love to knit socks...just not toe up...for now anyway.  The yarn is Knit Picks fingering weight speckled and I love it!  I love the looks, the feel and the knitting with it.  It's going to make a great pair of socks plus there is no splitting or knots so far!  I'm on round 31 of 61 which is halfway done with the leg.  This is Cherry Heart's "First Sock" pattern which is a pay for pattern on Ravelry and excellent with photos and detailed instructions and then just the pattern if you want to skip all the tutorial parts.  It has a very simple design pattern to it which gives a soft squishy sock that I love.  This is my second time making these.  Susan B.Anderson's "How I Make My Socks" used to be my go to sock pattern but now it is Cherry Heart's (Sandra Paul's) pattern.  I'm using my favorite sock needles too...ChiaoGoo Red Lace circular stainless steel knitting needles that I got on Amazon.  I'm using one of my new sea glass progress keepers too.

Acquisitions:
None this week but maybe next.  Today I'll be gathering some Stitch Mania projects together (31 in total...one for every day in May!) and figuring what supplies I need.  I have lots of xs material to utilize and floss so mostly patterns to order and look through my old magazines and xs WIP's....yes, there are those too! LOL! 
I will also be starting my YOP 2019-2020 list and see what supplies I need for those.  There are only 12 weeks left to this YOP year!

New Starts Planned:
I need a new Santa Sunday project so it will be the little house ornament pattern I got.  I need to gather the materials together and get started on it.  I won't be ordering that polka dot fabric either.  I have xs stitch fabric I can use.

YOP Goals this week:
1.  finish stitching Pumpkin Spice Farm
2.  finish hexies and stitch together for Pickle Dish #5 of 11 (there are also 2 half PD's on the vertical and 6 half PD's on the horizontal plus 4 quarter PD's and then the connecting hexies)    
3.  Work on Amy's Frida Kahlo basket
4.  Start house ornament
6.  do the finishing work on "America" xs
7.  do the finishing work on "Merry Xmas" xs
8.  do the finishing work on "Primitive Santa"
9.  finish leg of sock #1
10.  make sock box and ornament box for 12 of each in a year (yeah right) lol!

 TOP 10 (or more) WIP's:

1)  Pickle Dish
2)  Stars and Stripes Saturday - America x-stitch - done but needs finishing
3)  Amy's Frido Kahlo basket (July birthday) - done but needs to be sewn together
4)  Pin's embroidery
5)  socks
6)  C2C blanket for Grayson (July birthday) 
7)  Monthly Monday - HRH January
8)  Witchy Wednesday - Button-Eyed Cat
9)  Fall Friday - Pumpkin Spice Farm
10)  Santa Sunday -Old St. Nick - done but needs 'finishing' work
11.  Turkey Thursday
12.  Seasonal Sunday - Spring
13.  Santa Sunday - new house ornament

 Finishes so far in 2018-19: 
1.  4th of July cross stitch pillow/ornie
2.  Hitchhiker shawl
3.  Felici Hibiscus self-striping socks
4.  Felted wool loafer slippers with leather soles for me Sam
5.  washcloth (extra large) and back scrubber for Christmas or birthday for SIL
6.   Iowa Hawkeye hats for Sam and Grayson
7.  Techniques learned so far this year: a) knit cast on, b) reading a knitting chart, c) lace work, d) inserting and using a lifeline e) charting a graphghan
8.   dishcloth(s)...I need to count them
9. Cubs hat for Uriah
10. 12 days of Christmas Advent gifts
11. Cowl for Ben
12. Cowl for Tracy
13. Cowl for Natalie
14.  # 2018 Collectible ornaments for the grands
15.  Cowl for me or gift basket
16.  11 scrubbies for gift basket
17.  1 pot handle cover for gift basket
18.  Ben's Bear's hat
19.  Falling Leaves Scarf
20.  Tissue Box Cover - 5 of them!
21.  Granny Square Shawl
22.  Kathleen Tracy doll quilt



Please stop by and see all the other fantastic projects that other  YOP'ers are working on.
Happy Trails!!!

Wally World and a beautiful day in the Ozarks!

When I go to Walmart I take Peace Valley Road which is named after this lovely valley that you drive through.............the trees are all bare but the grass is greening....the black in the picture almost looks like a river but actually is a field they burned............

I bought a couple pansies to add some color to my front porch.........I really didn't need much but dog food and cat food...........

I made the potato chip cookies this afternoon and did some knitting while waiting for the cookies to bake.......

I just finished the cuff and I'm starting on the pattern for the sock from Cherry Heart's My First Sock pattern on Ravelry.  I doubt if you'll be able to see the pattern as the yarn is a bit busy but I love the texture and the sock it creates so I'm doing the pattern anyway.  I'm loving the Knit Picks fingering weight yarn.  It is soft yet has a sturdy feel to it which I love.....I am not a 'lace' gal! LOL!  I like hardy, solid knits pretty much, especially in my socks.

 I've done laundry and run the dishwasher so that's better than most Walmart days.  Plus, all the groceries are put away and cookies made.  I'm proud of myself! LOL!
It's supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow but I haven't seen anything yet.  I hope you had a nice day and enjoy your evening!
Happy Trails!!!

Moving right along.......but very slowly

Another gorgeous day and I was actually warm working outside..it's 65 right now.  I got chores done in the  morning inside and then went outside this afternoon.  I got the last of the mulch put down but it didn't go very far.  I guess I will be making a trip to Mountain Home next week sometime.

I also cleaned a small corner of the garage.........still not sure if I'm having a garage sale or not...we'll see..........

I found this old BIG mailbox that I need to clean and paint and either use as a mailbox or a planter.  I need a new mailbox and my mailman would love the size of this one! LOL!  The blue container above with all the saws and plastic pipe is from the last garage sale.  More of my step-father's stuff.  Some of them are definitely antique saws and one has an ebony handle....I guess he collected them....out in the garage...lol!

 I found some grape hyacinth growing in the middle of the lawn.   They are healthier looking and with more buds than the ones I planted!  I should probably transplant them.

I planted up a pot of kale but need to mark it still. 

I went to the store uptown and got some maple syrup (organic....couldn't believe our local grocer had organic....wow!) and some potato chips as I was going to make potato chip cookies.  I used to make them when my children were little. It was a good way to use up the crumbs or if they got stale.   Have you ever made them?  I lost my original recipe but found one on All Recipes.  Actually, I think I'm too tired to bother with them tonight.  Tomorrow I'll go to Walmart mostly for dog food....that's where most of my food budget goes! LOL!  It's supposed to rain Friday which will be nice as I have been watering my peas every day and now the kale.  Isn't it supposed to rain in the spring?   Plus, a rainy day gives me an excuse to not have to work outside.  I love to be outdoors but after all winter I'm still getting in shape and working out the kinks!  All that fresh air makes you tired. LOL!
I hope you are enjoying Spring where ever you are!
Happy Trails!!!