Lottery Girl

Double Rainbow

2010-07-12T13:01:00.003-06:00

Here are two of the reasons I live in the Rocky Mountains; DOUBLE rainbows after summer rain storms:

Meet Enrique

2010-06-01T19:37:00.006-06:00

Meet Enrique, my new triangle shawl that I finished yesterday:

Here's my darling Enrique, when he was just a baby, looking pretty scrunched-up and unattractive. He's 100% merino wool, but has a very different feel from Jean Claude (May 5th entry) , who is also 100% merino. You may recall that merino wool is renowned for being possibly the softest sheep wool out there. The yarn used to create Enrique has quite a bit of twist in it. Hey, anyone out there a spinner? Can you explain why the yarn is so twisted? One of the advantages is that this yarn looks almost silky, and has quite a sheen to it.

The pattern for Enrique is on p. 134 of Victorian Lace Today, by Jane Sowerby. This is my first triangle shawl, and it is so much fun! I started at the point with one diamond, then two, etc., until I had fifteen.

The triangle shawl is very different from a rectangle or a square because of what's known as bias. If you sew, you know this means cutting the fabric obliquely or diagonally across the grain instead of with the grain. A bias-cut skirt hangs differently than one cut with the grain. You can actually get some stretch by cutting diagonally across the grain. Enrique was incredibly stretchy just by virtue of being triangle-shaped, or created across the bias.

Here's a detail photo of the crocheted picot border around the neck edge:

View of the front:

Photo of the Day

2010-05-12T11:00:00.002-06:00

I took this photo at the Denver Zoo a few years ago. Talking about paw prints in yesterday's post reminded me of it. When I approached the gorilla enclosure, a female was asleep near the glass. I found the sight of her hand lovely in repose, yet somehow tragic as well.

Interesting Footprints; Or: Hey, Lynn, You Out There?

2010-05-11T08:36:00.003-06:00

We saw some awesome critter footprints on our hike. At first I assumed the prints in this photo were that of a raccoon. But then I wondered if they could have been made by one of the busy beavers:

I am amazed by the footprint (paw print?) of this fellow--looks so much like a human hand:

Who could have made these prints? I think we need an expert to tell us. Dr. Lynn, world-famous veterinarian, do you know? I know I'm putting you on the spot here, but then, you are amazing...

Mother's Day Hike

2010-05-10T08:56:00.005-06:00

Biker Chick and the Hell Hounds and I got up early yesterday morning and decided to go on a Mother's Day hike.

I took the camera along, even though I have photographed this same walk countless times. Taking photos in the Autumn is a no-brainer, but really, there are things of beauty and things that are fascinating each and every day.

The first thing I noticed was how busy the beavers have been:

I mean, they have been REALLY busy. I was stunned to see the size of this tree that they felled:

Still in a state of disbelief, I got in for a closer view:

Click on the photo below so that you can see the size of the teeth marks:

Beavers are the second largest rodents in the world. Did you know that rodents comprise 40% of mammal species? I did not. Ro-dents (dent=teeth) are noted for having two continuously growing incisors that are kept short by gnawing.

Joyful, Joyful

2010-05-05T14:02:00.005-06:00

Everyone has those days where nothing goes right. I hate to say "What a bad day!" because it is as though I am giving a few bad events the power to influence my happiness.

But I do love to say "I am having one of those days where everything is joyful." I awakened early this morning before the alarm went off and scampered down the stairs to see how Jean Claude was doing. He really was dry last evening, but I didn't want to take a chance and unpin him too early. Our eyes met in the light of the predawn, and I told him how gorgeous he was. He smiled sheepishly at me, which was to be expected.

He is by far the most wonderful thing I have ever knit, and I am feeling proud of myself.

For those of you who want to know, I estimate it took somewhere around 40 hours. Each complete row of the center panel took about fifty minutes, and there are thirty some-odd rows. Each repeat (the points you see) on the border took eleven minutes, and I think there are 92 of those. Adding the border onto the center panel was WEIRD, as you have to knit almost perpendicularly to the center panel. It took me days to figure out how to get the hang of doing that; once I figured that out, it was easy and I still don't know why the concept gave me fits.

Then I took the hell hounds for a walk around the Lake. While we were there, I saw a woman who was picking up trash around the perimeter of the Lake. We spoke briefly. I asked her if she were a volunteer, and she told me she was not. She just does this on her own. I thanked her for making the Lake a more pleasant place. It fills my heart with joy when I witness people doing good things. Just one more event in my joyful day.

Meet Jean Claude

2010-05-04T14:31:00.007-06:00

Meet my new lover, Jean Claude. I have spent so many hours with him that I can say with certainty that I know every fiber of his being.

When I finished attaching the last of the border today, I loved him, but I knew there could be more between us. He was rather scrunched up and stilted, unable to express himself. I find this tragic, as I know he has the soul of a poet:

So I convinced him to seek therapy, specifically, the blocking therapy, which would unleash his inner beauty. Off to the sink he went to soak a while with some Eucalin soap, which requires no rinsing as it leaves no residue:
Because this therapy can be so traumatic, I simply pulled the plug and let the water drain. No sense in letting Jean Claude be damaged by wringing him, or letting him stretch, especially when we've come this far together.

He stank like a wet sheep, which was no surprise, as his heritage is 100% Superfine Merino.

I carefully wrapped him in thirsty towels to rid him of the excess water:
Then I stretched him gently, wired and pinned him in place so that all the lacy holes will show, and all the border will be pointy and beautiful:
He started getting quite dry by the time I was done pinning, so I squirted him a bit with a water bottle so that he'll be sure to keep his shape. Here's a close-up of the new Jean Claude; he'll be dry in 24 hours, so make sure to come back and see him tomorrow.

Happy Birthday Buddha, Willie Nelson, and Middle Child

2010-04-30T13:30:00.005-06:00

I'd like to take this opportunity to remember the three gentle souls in the title, as all three of them were born on this, the last day of April. Middle child was supposed to make her appearance in May, but I really wanted her to arrive in April, as no one in my family has an April birthday. And she did come, in the last hours of the day. She was a gorgeous baby, with giant blue eyes, a lovely smile, and a gentle and loving disposition. She has been a joy ever since.

And for this occasion, as she turns nineteen, I made a quilt in her favorite color of lime green, with lavender accents. In the photo above, Sparky and Mojo are inspecting my handy work, making sure that it is fit.

Here's a close-up of the Irish Chain pattern:

A closer view of the border and the back:
A view of the back, a Laurel Burch kitty fabric:

I also made a pillow with some of the leftover fabric:

Finished With the Center Panel

2010-04-15T13:59:00.000-06:00

I finished the center panel of my lace shawl last week. Now I am adding a lace border. Finally, I will block the lace, causing it to stretch by 30 percent, making the pattern pop gloriously. You'll see much more of a lacy look, with the holes enlarged, etc.

I thought I'd show you what it looks like now, before the border is added, and before it gets blocked:

Here's a different view showing the length:

Evening Walk at the Lake

2010-04-13T07:50:00.003-06:00

Finally, Spring seems to be on its way. We've had consistent warm temperatures, and the ice is melting on the Lake. The Geese are still able to walk on the ice rink, but not for long.

This photo shows the edge of the ice on the right, the clouds reflected in the water, and what appears to be some oil in the foreground. Hope I'm wrong on the oil--I've never seen any in the Lake before.

Sr. Mary Sparky

2010-03-28T11:56:00.001-06:00

Spark Diggity-Dog has always been a deeply spiritual ratty terrier. So it was no surprise when she announced that she has decided to take holy orders. She is joining the Sisters of Blessed Sausage, a group of nuns who make their living by creating and selling artisan sausage.

Oddly, since Sr. Mary Sparky has become a novice, the order has been unable to meet the daily quota of sausage for sale to the public. The Abbess suspects a hole in the equipment somewhere.

Shoot me a Life Line

2010-03-27T16:43:00.004-06:00

(Or: Why you should make nice at your local knitting store)

I feel most fortunate to have access to five knitting stores in my area. These stores serve not only as a purveyors of fiber and products, but more important, as sources of knowledge, and best of all, the ladies who work there always turn into friends. After all, we all adore yarn!

I don't really feel too bad about the lace debacle of yesterday. Yes, it's going to be a drag to knit that all over again. But I really did learn a lot. I also got some fabulous tips from the knitting store that I didn't see in the lace books I am using. I'd like to pass on one of these awesome tips.

Because it is so difficult, if not impossible to rip out lace, mostly because of the yarn overs (the stitch that makes the "holes" in the lace), my yarn shop Doc told me to cast a "life line" in my lace as I am knitting.

Here's how it works: After you've knit a section for a couple of hours or so, closely examine your work. If you find it up to your standards, take a smaller, contrasting yarn and thread it through all the stitches on your needle, securing it gently on the sides. Continue knitting another section and repeat. Then if you make a big mistake, you can rip back to the threaded row and continue onwards instead of having to tear the entire work out. Brilliant, isn't it?

Below you can see the little yellow life line running through my new lace:

Now the absolute best thing to do is to take a class, where the wise teacher tells you all these things from the get-go. Unfortunately, no one was offering beginning lace making at this time, so I did not have that option.

Puttin' Down the Dog

2010-03-26T11:08:00.011-06:00

(Or should I say the Alapca?)

Let me start right off by saying no, no beloved family members have been "put down" or are in danger of that happening. So relax.

If you've been following, you know I am trying to knit my first lace work. I decided to stop working on the brown mohair/silk piece, and devote myself to getting the blue alpaca/silk piece done. Shortly after I took the photo above, I noticed there were some Problems, making me wonder if I needed to rip the whole thing out and start over. Dang! It hurts to type that. I mean, this shawl and I have spent over twenty hours together, and we bonded.

So I took my lovely alpaca/silk friend to the Doc at the knitting store where I purchased the yarn. She complimented me on my fine work, looked it over and asked me what the problem was, which was a good thing. In other words, the mistakes aren't that glaring.

There are four problems, with one being minor. The minor problem is that I used plastic markers to mark every nine-stitch repeat. I noticed after I knit about 15 inches that the markers were leaving spaces where they were, as a result of me not compensating for their presence and pulling the yarn a bit as I knit past them. You can see the horizontal lines running down the center of each large diamond:

When I found out that was happening, I removed all the markers and instead tried to pay more attention since I was going to have to count off the entire pattern in my head, no helpful markers guiding my way, telling me if I were off. While there's no way to fix the damage, it will probably be much improved after I finish the piece and block it. Probably no one will ever notice.

But the next thing does need repair:

Yes, a big, ugly hole. I must have dropped a stitch and not realized it. I'll have to go back and patch it carefully so that it doesn't show. AHHH!!!!

The third mistake was that I knit an entire ten rows on the purl side (and purled on the knit side) as I was speed knitting and not checking each row when I was done.

Finally, I think this piece is going to be a bit on the skimpy side, so that I'll wind up with a mal-nourished shawl. Grrr!

Have you ever gone to the Vet with a beloved family member, wondering if it was time to put it down? I have. The Vet always does the same thing. He or she will never give you a definite, yes or no answer. They give you the facts and let you make that awful decision all by yourself.

And my knitting Doc was no different. She asked me if this shawl was a gift for someone, or just something for me. Of course, I could never give a less-than-perfect item away. While these flaws aren't devastating, I'd be the one to decide whether or not I could live with them.

I thought about it, and don't think my shawl will have quality life, knowing I will always view it as flawed. I can be lazy and just finish it since I'm over half way done, or I can do the much more difficult thing and start over and do it right.

So I took my alpaca/silk fellow home, caressing the incredible softness in the car on the way home. I'm going to start over from the other end of the ball so that my friend can see, as he is unraveled, how perfect he'll be in his new incarnation.

Sniff. Sniff.

Let's Compare the Two Laces

2010-03-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

It's become apparent to me that I'll be working on two shawls forever, because I can't seem to pick one and stick with it. I'm learning quite a bit about two yarns I've not worked with before, and the needles. I've pinned both pieces of lace to a white towel so you can see them clearly; remember, both projects use the same exact pattern, but the top yarn is a mohair/silk blend on size 7 needles, while the blue is an alpaca/silk blend on size 5 needles:

Should you ever attempt lace, the most important thing I've learned so far is this: In the future, I will only use one type of needles for lace: The Addi (Addi is the brand) Turbo Lace needles. They are brass-colored and have sharp points so you can get into those skinny stitches easily. I'm using the lace needles on the blue sample, and regular, silver-colored Addi needles on the mohair, because the shop was out of the lace needles in that size, and like an idiot I didn't think it would make that much difference. It does.

I'm loving this project so far, so much so that I didn't even mind when I took my car in for an oil change and got stuck at the shop for the entire morning, as I got to write, and then knit the time away while drinking coffee. Life is good.

More Lace

2010-03-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

After I made up a sample, (shown in my last post) I decided to get the same yarn used in the pattern on page 20 of Victorian Lace Today, which is a silk and mohair combination by Rowan. The pattern also calls for using a Size 7 needle, which means that this will work up much faster than my other option.
Last night I made the first ten rows of the shawl. It will stretch out considerable as more rows are added:

Here's a close-up of one pattern repeat, shown between the two plastic markers:

I'm going to have to time it and see how long one entire, ten-row repeat takes. I have to do thirty-six of them, and as I said before, I can only work on this when I can give it my full attention, so this is going to take a while. But I am loving it!

First Attempt at Lace

2010-03-10T08:06:00.006-07:00

The seasons are changing; we had our first Spring rain a few days ago right on top of all the snow. I don't think I have a favorite season, but I do rejoice each time a new season comes, and this is expressed in my knitting. The hat and mitten mania that seized me around the holidays has passed. Now I want to pack away the heavy wools and move on to something airy and light, which could only mean it is high time to try... lace.

I've always avoided lace, as I hear it is terribly difficult. WHY? There are several reasons people avoid lace. First, you have to really pay attention. Lace is absolutely not the sort of project you undertake whilst your butt is parked in front of your favorite show. And if you do make a mistake, it can be much harder to repair than say, a dropped stitch in a plain project.

I always assumed that lace was made on the tiniest of needles. NOT NECESSARILY TRUE. While lace is often created with thin yarn, the needles are often much larger than one would think, as large needles create the holes.

I highly recommend Victorian Lace Today, by Jane Sowerby. The projects and photography are exquisite, and on page 20, she has a pattern for a simple yet gorgeous shawl.

The first thing I did was try to make a sample to see if I could really do this. Here it is, made of a lace weight alpaca and silk blend yarn on Size 3 (U.S.) needles, showing two repeats:

I am quite pleased, even though this hasn't been blocked yet. Blocking, something you do after a project is completed, means using an iron and pins to give the project a perfect shape.

I love the way the Spring peeks through:

The New Felted Baby, Part II

2010-03-05T15:21:00.006-07:00

Here's the bag, inside out, showing the completed lining:

And here is the bag itself, with beading added:

A close-up of the beads:

I like the way the bag looks in natural light:

The New Felted Baby

2010-03-05T14:41:00.008-07:00

I've labored so much this week on a project I almost feel like I've birthed a new baby.

Here's the scoop: Last year, I knit a large purse using my own pattern and then felted it. In case you don't know what felting is, I explain the whole process here. Basically, you apply heat and pressure to wool, the item shrinks up, becoming quite dense and strong.

But after all that work, I realized the bag needed to be lined because it was quite "hairy" on the inside due to all the novelty yarn. So the bag was put aside for quite sometime. But this week, I finally got to it.

First, I made a trip to the fabric store, where I found the COOLEST drapery fabric evah, and, it was ON THE CLEARANCE RACK!!! I like using thicker fabric for linings. Here it is:

I also love purses with lots of inside pockets. First order of business was to create a zipper pocket:

Then I made two side pockets, one for a cell phone:

Next, I wanted the bottom of the bag to be quite sturdy, so I bought some plastic gridding. The reason I used plastic is in case the bag ever gets wet, it will not mold. The next photo shows the bag turned inside out as I sewed the grid onto the bottom. You can see the "hair" I was referring to:

Then, the trouble began. You see, felted items often are not 100% even. They LOOK even, but one side might be a tad bigger than the other, which makes it extremely difficult to line. So I had to sew, re-sew, and sew again. Grrrrrr. This made me Very crabby.

But today, I finally got it done! Whew!

Herbs: It's What's For Dinner (and lunch and...)

2010-03-04T10:08:00.004-07:00

Above is a photo of the hydroponic plant grower that we purchased after the holidays. In case you don't already know, hydroponic plants are grown using only water and an occasional nutrient pill. The water is contained in the base of the grower. No pesticides or harmful chemicals are used.

We're using it to grow basil, cilantro (coriander), sage, thyme, oregano and marjoram. It's making a huge difference in my cooking and in the entire family's and even in our pets' diets. For most every meal, I walk over and clip some herbs for our meal. Here are just a few of the ways we are using these herbs:

* Any pasta dish is a great place to add fresh herbs.

*I love a salad of sliced tomatoes, coarsely chopped basil, smalls cubes of smokey mozzarella and toasted pine nuts on the top.

* Any time I make a grilled sandwich or a quesadilla, I add herbs. Which ones? I like to use them all, coarsely chopping the bigger herbs. An otherwise boring sandwich becomes a delicious treat, something we all look forward to!

*My daughter makes sure to chop up herbs for the sandwich she takes for her school lunch.

* I am chopping up fresh herbs for my lovebird and for bearded dragon.

Most of us could use more fresh food in our diets and this is an easy and delicious way to do it.

I Have Been Bad--By Mojo

2010-02-23T09:40:00.005-07:00

Hello everyone, it's me, Mo. According to my mom, I've been bad. Again. But she doesn't understand me. I don't run away on purpose. I just start smelling all those great smells and my legs start chasing them. Then my ears can't hear when my nose is smelling and I think maybe Mom's calling my name, but those smells...

Here I am, all upset with myself, because Sparky got a treat for coming in when she was called, and I got nothing but "Oopsey!" I hate the "O" word.

Wonder how I'll get out of this one... I know! I'll get out of this the same way I always get out of everything.

I'll use my extra-special cuteness pose, the one where I put my butt up in the air, and wag my way right back into her heart:

I am a genius!

The Improv Mitten

2010-02-09T10:58:00.006-07:00

I'm taking a mittens class right now to improv my skill. That's right, I want to IMPROV. Specifically, I'd like to learn to work without a pattern. Wouldn't it be great when you fall in love with a yarn, to know exactly what to do with it? No more spending countless hours searching for a pattern.

This handspun, pure wool yarn from Uruguay is a heavy worsted weight with thick and thin stranding. The company, Manos del Uruguay, is a non-proft organization dedicated to bringing opportunity to rural women. I love the fact that one skein makes a pair of mittens, so the cost is quite reasonable.

Our class assignment last week was to create the cuff. The teacher had several suggestions. To me, this autumn-colored gold called out CABLE!!! I chose to make a sort of fake-cabled cuff that is actually quite easy as it does not use a cable needle.

For the hand, I knew I wanted glorious, honest-to-goodness real cables. I looked through a stitch book and found a cable stitch I liked and just knew it would be perfect.

Recipe for Excitement: Mary's Scarf

2010-02-06T14:00:00.002-07:00

Mary adores pink. She also loves Easter. My daughter gives me this info so that I can create a custom scarf for her friend Mary.

Hmmmmm..... I wander over to my stash of yarn to see what I see...

Here's one lonely, rather boring ball of plain yarn, although it is a delicious shade of pink.

Then I find some exciting novelty yarns; I think the one on the left looks particularly Easter-egg-ish.

I knit them all together and voila! A beautiful scarf for Mary. I used HUGE needles (US Size 19) so that all the fibers could be seen.

Sock it to Me Yet Again

2010-02-05T12:27:00.006-07:00

I love to knit and find myself spending more time knitting these wintry days. I try to split my free time between writing and knitting. The strange thing about knitting for me is that I haven't kept much of anything for myself. I always seem to give my creations away, because it gives me tremendous pleasure.

Then, I made and KEPT the socks above for my little self. And I discovered that wearing handmade socks is the ultimate in luxury. I even bought a pair of mules so that I could show off my cute socks. I feel special the entire time I am wearing them.

I have taken to keeping a sock in-the-making in my purse in case I get caught waiting anywhere. I simply whip out the project and get in a couple of rows. I've had the socks below in my purse for ages, and got tired of looking at them. I finally finished it this week.

Unfortunately, Biker Chick has fallen in love with the pair. But the next pair will be for me!

When Life is Boring, Life is Good

2010-01-26T12:55:00.007-07:00

Remember being a teenager and whining about the times when your life was boring? Boring was a fate worse than death.

Nowadays with two kids in college and one still at home in high school, I relish the quiet life. I strive for tranquility, especially when I am alone, as though I am recharging an inner battery, so that I'll have a reservoir of calm and logic from which I can draw in times of chaos.

On Saturday, my son in Florida called to tell me that he had a terrible pain in his head, and that he'd had it for two days, and it wouldn't go away. May not seem like a big deal to some, but this is coming from a kid who has a tremendously high threshold for pain. As an example, when he was five years old, he stubbed the top of his toe almost completely off whilst playing outside, with the flesh barely hanging on by a proverbial thread; or was it a vein? I've got a strong stomach, but the site of my little boy's gray and bloody flesh nearly made me toss my cookies. I ran inside to get the first aid kit, and when I returned, he had removed the dangling piece of toe. He matter of factly said he did it because he knew it was going to have to come off, and that it couldn't possibly heal.

Throughout this entire episode, he never shed a tear. Nor did he cry when he needed stitches as a two year-old, nor when he caught his hand on a bike wheel, etc. He did cry, however, when his sea monkies died (Damn those idiots who sell sea monkies!) as he thought he had failed the creatures by not caring for them properly. He HAD taken care of them, but they died suddenly when they got too big and needed a filter, which we didn't know about.

So if he ever complains about something physical, it makes me crazy, especially because I am not there to take him to a doctor, get him some medicine, and feed him properly. As of today, he's finally off to see a doctor.

Second child, who has never, ever been in any kind of trouble called shortly afterwards. She too lives out of town at the University, although only an hour away. She knows that when she calls me at an odd hour she needs to start any conversation with "Everything is fine." Once I hear that, and my heart stops pounding, I can converse. For this phone call, she started off with "Don't worry, I am not in any real trouble, but I'm just now leaving the police station." Turns out that the police erroneously ticketed her car for parking violations. Whew!

Better than the time last semester when the police shone a flashlight in her sleeping face as they raided her dorm room at 3 a.m. for drugs belonging to her suite mates, prompting her to up and move to different lodgings on the double, since she does not drink, smoke or do drugs.

Then there's my elderly parents. My mother calls me several times each day to ask for advice. She called last week to tell me that my father had received a letter informing him that he had won $125, 000! The letter told him to keep this stellar news quiet, and to send the prize-givers $2000 to cover the U.S. taxes. She suspected it was a hoax and read me the letter. I was stunned to hear how well-worded the letter was. I reminded her what her mother, my Nana, used to say, "There's no such thing as a free lunch!" Unfortunately, my mother found out that three elderly people in the area had succumbed to temptation and sent off their money.

Time for me to put on the kettle, make a cuppa, give the rats a rib-rub, and rejoice that all is good: everyone in my family is healthy or on the way to the physician, no one is in the klink, and for now, my parents have not been defrauded. What a deliciously boring moment I will enjoy!

Mambo Dog

2010-01-24T16:01:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a dancing dog to liven up your Sunday:

One Last Look at Mongolian Felting

2010-01-22T19:24:00.005-07:00

You may have noticed that after items are felted, they are embroidered. Errta brought us all yarn that had been spun from the camel's wool, usually taken from the hair on the underside of the camel's neck. My classmates thought I should use some white thread to embroider my felt, but camels don't come in white. No problem for these incredible women. One woman whipped out cream roving from her own sheep and passed it to Anna, who kindly ran over to the spinning wheel and spun yarn for my project right then and there!

At the end of our weekend workshop, one of the participants dressed in Mongolian boots and clothing and played a beautiful instrument from Mongolia. We all stood while he offered a toast, thanking our instructor and her translator for their many kindnesses. He felted the hat on his head during the workshop.

All in all, a very special weekend!

2010-01-21T16:51:00.007-07:00

The first step in felting, laying out the roving, can be accomplished in a few minutes. This step took me less than thirty minutes, but I'm sure it would go faster in the future. However, the experienced felters in the class said that this is the most important step, and if not done correctly, the end results will be less than optimum.

The second step involves hot water, a bar of soap, and a lot of elbow grease. We filled small buckets with water that was as hot as we could comfortably stand. We then scooped the water by the handful and wet the felt completely. Then a piece of tulle netting was placed over the top, and we used a bar of soap on our hands and on the netting until the whole thing was quite slippery. Circular motion is then applied to the wool with both hands until the fibers adhere to one another.

The piece is now somewhat felted, but not completely done. The piece is placed in a towel, and rolled repeatedly in all directions until the piece is quite thick and uniform. I'd say this second phase with the water, soap and towel took a couple of hours. I then took my piece home and let it air dry.

Here are photos of some of the projects. I don't have photos of everything, as I was so busy felting, that I didn't have the chance to photograph everything.

An embroidered wine bottle holder is on the left, containing two bottles of a fermented Mongolian drink made from milk. We had the opportunity to sample it--delicious and most unusual! In the middle is the traditional and quite functional Mongolian hat, with flaps that can be pulled down for more warmth, while on the right is a student's project, a cream-colored hat:

Another student chose to make slippers for a child. You can see the wooden slipper forms on the left, her purple roving laid out in the middle, and a finished pair of orange slippers on the right:

The shop had a trunk show featuring Errta's creations. Errta's gorgeous jackets, purses, slippers and hats were snapped up instantly:

More Mongolian Felting

2010-01-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

Our teacher for the Mongolian Felting workshop was B. Erdenetsetseg, an assistant professor at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology and a member of the International Feltmakers Association. She has authored many books, and her work has been shown in England, China and Norway. She flew fourteen hours from Mongolia to be with us.

The closest I came to correctly saying her name was something that sounded like "Errta," where the double "r" seemed as though it were rolled, like the "rr" in Spanish. (I probably still do not have it correct--my apologies.) Since she did not speak English, a wonderful young man, Eric, from the Denver area, served as translator. He is a native of Mongolia and studying at one of the universities. Although Errta did not speak English, her delightful sense of humor and her unceasing encouragement transcended the language barrier. She was a terrific instructor.

The Mongolian Felting class participants were as fascinating as the class itself. Many of the fifteen members were professional artists, earning money from their felted hats, rugs, etc. Also, many participants keep sheep, alpacas or llamas, and so have access to plenty of wool for their art.

Mongolians not only make yurts out of felt, but almost every garment as well, including hats, coats, slippers and shoes, purses, etc.

The first step in this felting process is tearing pieces of roving into neat rows, and placing these rows into whatever shape your end product should be. Then a second layer is created by placing more roving onto the first layer, but this time, into columns. Then another row is placed, and another column, etc., until you have enough layers for your particular project. Roving is wool that has been cleaned up (carded) and is ready to be felted, or spun into thread for weaving or knitting, etc. Here Errta demonstrates:

Notice the gray and cream rolls of roving in the foreground, and that Errta has a piece of roving around her neck that she is rapidly tearing. The gentleman in the background is wearing a hat that he felted.

Here is the work of a classmate who felts alpaca hats professionally. She chose to use cream and pink, and has made six layers. She will be making the wine bottle holder shown behind her work. Note how perfectly she placed her roving, with no discernible thin or thick spots:

I chose emerald green, and also had six layers. You can see the roving next to my project. This is my first felting project, so my work isn't as fine as the work in the photo above.

MORE TO COME

A Visit to Mongolia

2010-01-18T17:01:00.006-07:00

This past weekend I had the great honor of attending a seminar on Mongolian felt making that was held at a knitting/spinning/weaving shop in Boulder. You are probably asking "What is felt-making?" I've talked about one way of making felt before in this blog entry, where the item was first knitted, and then shrunk. Felting is simply a process where wool from an animal, such as sheep, llama, goat, alpaca, etc., is shrunk by heat, usually hot water, and agitation, as in, beating it with a stick, or running it through a washing machine.

Mongolians have been felting for thousands of years.

While Mongolia is the 19th largest country in the world land-wise, they rank #138 in population, with only 2.9 million people. Yet, they have nearly 28 million sheep, which works out to nearly 10 sheep per person. In the film above, the herders first sheer the sheep. Then they beat the fleece with sticks while hot water is poured over it. The fleece is then rolled up, and the strongest horse that can be found drags the wool around for nearly two kilometers! Note in the movie that the spindle holding the wool is turning; this agitation is what turns the hairy fleece into solid, thick felt. The Mongolian people have used felt for thousands of years to make their homes, called yurts. These homes keep the nomads warm and dry, an incredible feat considering that the average low during the winter months is -22 degrees! Plus, the yurt can be moved around as they follow their flocks to better pasture land.

Our emphasis in the class was on making garments or items for the home, which I'll talk about in my next post.

One Down, One to Go

2010-01-11T14:02:00.007-07:00

Amazing what -16 degrees prompts you to do. At that temperature, just breathing deeply is painful. While we rarely get to zero degrees here in this part of the Rockies, I want to be prepared next time it happens. As you already saw, I made mittens in a hurry for both of my daughters so that they would be warm as they wait for the bus.

Now, it's my turn for something cozy. I selected Rowan Cocoon, a merino and mohair blend, in Emerald green; you can't imagine how plush this yarn feels. Then I went off to Ravelry.com for a free pattern. I knew I wanted cables, and this patterns features three of them. The cuff is extra-long so that my forearms will be impervious to even the coldest of winds.

Old Man Winter, I'm ready and waiting for you, or at least, my left hand is.

Mittens in a Hurry

2010-01-02T13:11:00.006-07:00

It's nippy here in the Rocky Mountains, especially if you have to spend time waiting outside for the school bus, as both my daughters do. I wanted them to have some especially warm mittens, and I wanted them in a hurry. No time for anything fancy. So I picked up some bigger needles (double pointed, size 8), some chunky wool from France, Laika, and a skein of Mohair for added warmth and softness.

I repeated in a different color way for my other daughter:

Merry Christmas from Santa Mojo

2009-12-24T09:45:00.001-07:00

Santa Mojo wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year!

(Please DON'T sit in his lap!!!)

Fudge: It's a Family Tradition

2009-12-23T15:15:00.006-07:00

Have you ever noticed that many of the things we feel passionate about in life often have roots in our childhood? Fudge is one of those things for me, and for my brother. We'd listen endlessly to my mother talk about the great fudge her mother, my Nana, made. Fudge even became my aunt's favorite food, though she manages to pace herself and still has a gorgeous figure. Since my mother is not a cook, she'd stop at almost any place that made fudge to see if she could recreate that experience from her own childhood.

But my siblings and I all love to cook. So every year at Christmas, my brother and I make pounds and pounds of fudge, giving most of it away. We've researched the recipes, tried dozens, and always come back to the recipe that's on the back of the Kraft Jet Puff Marshmallow (pictured). It's simple, and I've never, ever had a failure in all the years I've made this. The photo above includes the Santas I blogged about earlier in the week, and the first pieces of the creamy heaven from this morning.

And here's the recipe in case you can't find Kraft Jet Puff Marshmallow:

Fantasy Fudge

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine (or 1-1/2 sticks)
1 small can (5 oz) evaporated milk (2/3 cup)
1-1/2 pkg. (12 squares) BAKER’s semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped (I ALWAYS use a 12 oz bag of Ghiradelli Bittersweet Chocolate chips instead)
1 jar(7 oz) JET PUFFED marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped walnuts (I like Pecans)
1 tsp vanilla

Heat sugar, butter and evaporated milk to full rolling boil in 3 quart heavy saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil on medium heat until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees F, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in chocolate and marshmallow creme until melted; stir in vanilla and walnuts.

Spread immediately in foil-lined 9 inch square pan. Cool at room temperature at least 4 hours; cut into 1 inch squares. Store in airtight container.

Makes 3 lbs. or 40 2 square servings

Happy Birthday Dear Sparky Girl!

2009-12-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Here's my darling girl in her custom-made Armani sweater (shhhhh! It's really a clearance item from Target). Happy Birthday!

Goodbye, Gourmet Magazine

2009-12-21T19:16:00.007-07:00

My dear friend, Novel Woman, posted today about the demise of Gourmet Magazine. I commented that I am positively DEVASTATED over the news. I have been a devoted foodie for eons, and have at times subscribed to many different food magazines. I got tired of every one of them. Then I found Gourmet. It wasn't simply a magazine chock-full of excellent recipes, which in of itself would work for me.

What made Gourmet unique was the spectacular writing. I loved opening the magazine and reading the words of Ruth Reichl, editor-in-chief. I even liked seeing her photo, because she looked so happy to be there, like someone who enjoyed her job. Really, how many times do you read the editorial?

Gourmet always managed to tell the reader a great story. For example, in the Southern Cooking edition of January, 2008, Gourmet told us a story of one Miss Lewis, a great Southern cook. She's someone I would have loved to have met, and reminded me a bit of my Southern granny, Mamo.

Novel Woman requested that I post Miss Lewis' Featherlight Potato Roll recipe. Don't flip out when you see how long this recipe takes. You simply make up the dough in the morning, then pop it in the oven before dinner. I think that's actually much easier, because you can then tend to the other dishes in the evening.

I start making these in the morning and let them sit during the day. If I have time to chill them for the 8-12 hours, fine; but if I don't, I go ahead and let them rise without the chilling and they are still divine. I always make rolls in one of those 9x13 glass pans, setting out three rows of five rolls for a total of 15 rolls. Reason? Because that's the way my Mamo did it, and clearly, if Mamo did it that way, it must be best.

The Santas Say Merry Christmas From Around the World

2009-12-17T08:40:00.004-07:00

I used to live in Dallas, Texas, where there was a wonderful needlepoint shop in an old section of town. Not only did the shop feature gorgeous canvases, but they also had classes taught by the incredible Patsy, a charming Southern Belle, and her daughter Julia.

Each year when I get out the Santa dolls that I made in their classes, I remember how much fun we all had. If you are thinking of picking up a craft, I highly recommend taking a class, not just for the knowledge imparted, but also for the fellowship.

Santa Claus:

The American Santa:

DAM! It's My Painting!

2009-12-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

No, I didn't paint this stunning painting, but I have decided that it belongs to me. Sort of. Let me explain.

It's entitled Ghost Orchard, by Langford Monroe, and was painted in the year 2000. I'm a big museum buff and was at the Denver Art Museum (DAM) this past Saturday. On my way to a traveling exhibit, I encountered this painting, a painting I cannot recall seeing before, even though I've visited the DAM many times. How on earth did I miss this? (Click on the painting so you can appreciate it better)

I have been watching a Teaching Company course on the Louvre. The professor, Dr. Richard Brettell, gives practical advice on how to get more out of your museum visits. One of the things he encourages people to do is to choose a painting in a museum as your own, the painting you will always come back and visit each trip to see if you notice anything new, or if you feel differently about it.

This painting is the one for me, the one I want to know well and see again and again. It evokes the land of my childhood, filled with orchards, although my orchards were filled with pecan trees. As a teenager, I used to drive out to the Rio Grande by myself at twilight, and watch the day's end, or ride my bike out to watch the sunrise, and though the bank was not covered in grass the way this one is, the feeling of complete serenity is the same.

And what about the white horses? What do they mean? Am I supposed to understand these animals as being real? Or are they spirits? I'll have to go back and take another looksey.

Vote Early, Vote Often

2009-12-14T19:47:00.005-07:00

My dear friend, The Novel Woman, is an incredible writer and has entered a contest. SHE'S MADE THE FINAL ROUND!!! While NW is so gifted that she's won most every writing contest I've heard of her entering, we need to make sure she wins another. So hie thyself over pronto and vote for her hilarious poem, Poem #2, by Pamela, because it is clearly the best. Click here to vote before Wednesday.

I Miss Nana

2009-12-14T12:00:00.011-07:00

I love Christmas, as many of us do. Right now, I'm very footed in the present, making sure all the frippery gets frappered and the Big Event goes off smoothly. It's only natural that when I am alone in the car heading out for Christmas shopping and the miles fly by, I am transported to Christmases of old, and I remember those who are no longer with me to celebrate.

One person I have been thinking of lately is my Nana. I adored both of my grannies, who were and continue to be my role models. They both have been gone for many years, but never forgotten. Rather than pine, which Nana would find absurd, I do something for my kids that my Nana did for me: I make chop-chop eggs and toast and serve them up on Nana's bridge china. How can soft-boiled eggs chopped up with butter and salt and pepper and served with buttery toast be so good? Because Nana made them with love.

One of her many talents was playing duplicate bridge and smiting all her opponents, but always with a smile. I have the dainty plates and cups she used at her bridge parties, and I use them and enjoy the heck out of them, just as Nana always enjoyed life. Nana is still with me.

Writing Tip #723: Weird *ss Trail Mix

2009-12-09T12:52:00.006-07:00

Geez, I hate giving out writing tips. I don't mind reading them, but I feel a bit pretentious giving them out, as if I know what I am talking about. But this time I actually do know, and this one is too yummy to keep to myself.

So this is me, getting ready to write: I grab my pad of extra-heavy paper, the kind that doesn't allow the ink from any one of my three sacred fountain pens to leak through.

Then I call up a friend, because I like writing on a team, and I've got one terrific team mate in the form of Biker Chick. She's inspiring, the way she blasts away at the poor laptop without even stopping to breathe. I have to sneak a peek over at her now and again to make sure she's not turned blue, and then at her keyboard, because I expect to see it bloodied or bruised, especially the space bar.

Sometimes we write at coffee shops; sometimes we stay at home, which could be boring except that we know how to spice it up. You see, we always make a small dish of Weird Ass Trail Mix, which was borne of leftover Halloween candy that was no longer appealing. The mix consists of whatever you've got hanging, like cashews, Lime and Chili Almonds, Good and Plenty, Sugar Babies, Reese's Pieces, Milk Duds, Junior Mints, and even some old chocolate chips that have been "curing" (a bonafide Julia Child term) in the fridge too long.

This particular combo is quite conducive to writing Sci-Fi**. Are you clueless as to how you're going to write that scene where your human main character has sex with an alien to save the Universe? You know you gotta throw out all your preconceptions to get that one figured out. And then it hits you:

Must be something like the way your entire being gets all scrambled when eating a Junior Mint and some Good and Plenty together.

Go ahead, Try this at home.

**Too bad I'm not writing Sci-Fi.

What's Your Favorite Bed Time Story?

2009-12-07T12:30:00.005-07:00

More snow is on its way. Time to settle in for a good read.

Sparky requests her favorite story, Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, one of the greatest stories around about being lost, and then being found by those who love you best.

She always has happy dreams afterwards.

Knitted Hats

2009-12-03T12:35:00.006-07:00

It's snowing outside, and Christmas is nearly here. Time to knit one of the easiest and best-loved projects of all, the hat. One hat generally takes 200 yards of yarn, or about 1 1/2 skeins. I hate wasting that 1/2 skein that's leftover, so I almost always buy three skeins, and make two hats. Here are the two hats I made out of three skeins of Noro, a yarn from Japan renowned for intense color:

Here's a closeup of the first hat, knit in the round on double-pointed needles:

The top of the hat:

The second hat took longer to make, as it features a slip-stitch pattern. Even though it is the same yarn, the pattern makes the hat feel thicker:

I love the crown of the hat, which shapes itself into a hexagon simply from decreasing:

Tiger's Tale, Taiwanese Style

2009-12-02T08:47:00.004-07:00

In case you didn't get the news, or didn't understand what you did hear, this video explains everything you need to know in less than two minutes, with awesome animation:

One of Life's Mysteries

2009-12-01T11:51:00.009-07:00

The other day I opened my post office box and found the latest Victoria's Secret Christmas Catalog. As I began looking through it, I wondered how my ordering something from this catalog is a way of celebrating Baby Jesus' birthday. I thought about it some more. If placing an order will deepen my spirituality, why didn't I get a Vicki's catalog for Yom Kippur? Nor did I receive one to help me celebrate the birth of Buddha on April 30. How about you?

Do you get it?

Where's Waldo?

2009-11-21T10:22:00.005-07:00

If you're not keeping your eyes open here in Colorado, you're going to miss out. Yesterday afternoon we were heading west on I70 to Vail, and I was determined I was not going to miss out. I was watching the mountains closely and here's what I saw:
Just mountain, scrub, and boulders, right? No.

I looked closer and found my prizes, a herd of big horn sheep:

You don't get to see these guys often, since they blend right in with their boulder-colored bodies and snow-colored butts.

For Deniz: A No-Sewing Knit Garment

2009-11-17T08:49:00.007-07:00

Deniz and I are both writers and knitters. We've been chatting back and forth about the sorts of projects we like to knit. And I discovered that she and I DO NOT like sewing stuff together after it's been knit, as in, sewing the front to the back and/or sewing in sleeves.

May I suggest this gorgeous vest? The pattern, called the Raveneli, (scroll down mid-page) can either be made into a vest or a jacket. This vest was created for one of my daughters, and required NO SEWING! It's all done in one piece, and it uses big needles as well, which means it works up quickly. I used yarn from Textiles a Mano which I discovered at the Estes Park Wool Festival. Laura Macagno-Shang is the owner and hand dyes the yarns. I've also placed phone orders with Laura, not only because she has gorgeous products, but because she treats her customers so well.

Monkey Mind

2009-11-16T07:34:00.004-07:00

Subtitle: Enjoy the entire sky, please!

I mentioned earlier on this blog that I had a dream come true for me the first weekend in October, when I was lucky enough to get to go to Taos, New Mexico and study writing at a weekend seminar led by Natalie Goldberg. Natalie Goldberg is the author of Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, 1986, and ten other books. She has been a practitioner of Zen for over thirty years and teaches seminars in writing as a spiritual practice.

Now before I get any further in describing what I learned, PLEASE remember one thing: There are as many successful methods of writing as there are authors. So I am not saying that this is THE one and only way to write. It may not be for you. But it is for me!

THE IDEA: Natalie teaches an extremely simple writing process. She advocates writing longhand with a fast pen. Buy a cheap spiral notebook so that you give yourself permission to write the worst crap ever. One of her first writing rules, and there are very few, is to keep the hand moving at all times. Within each of us is a creator and an editor, and that by keeping the hand moving, we keep the editor (called Monkey mind) at bay. If you keep your hand moving, something creative will come out of your hand.

Why not use the laptop? Writing on a computer is a completely different physical activity from writing longhand. You will get a different result. Be mindful that if you use a computer for work, handwriting will signal to the brain that you are involved in a different activity.

Monkey Mind: Monkey mind is the name of our internal editor, that voice that tells you how stupid you are, how you can’t write, how what you write is garbage, etc. Monkey mind robs you. Monkey mind is always commenting, and we shouldn’t care or listen. Monkey mind lives within every artist, not just writers.

Natalie gave an excellent example of how Monkey mind works: You are out enjoying a beautiful day and you get a tall ladder and a marker. You climb up the ladder, and place a mark on the sky. Then you observe and obsess over the microscopic mark (Monkey Mind) and cannot even see the rest of the sky, much less enjoy it. You are blind towards anything else, towards the entire rest of the sky. All else is called Wild Mind. By the way, when you are writing a book, the closer you get to the end, the more Monkey mind screams.

Wild mind is where we want to write from, because this is where we all really think. We engage in discursive thinking; below it is Wild mind. It is our job as writers to connect to Wild mind and then get out of the way. When you meet Wild mind and write from that place, others connect to your writing. Monkey mind, the dot on the sky, that’s where we focus, whereas the whole sky, Wild mind, is where we should focus.

Eins Swine, Wish He Were Mine

2009-11-14T16:29:00.008-07:00

Meet Tetley the tea cup pig, featured in this article. Isn't he a doll? Various family members who shall remain unnamed (Biker Chick) want me to get one of these darling creatures. So just for grins, I did look here for more details. These animals are so popular that this breeder can only put your name on a waiting list. It's a great site, giving plenty of information about pig ownership.

One of the disadvantages of owning a pig is that they become "spoiled and manipulative." Eke! That would be dreadful. I wonder what that would be like? Dear Spark and I don't want to know.

TuTu Tuesday

2009-11-08T17:51:00.003-07:00

Subtitle: My Mouth Gets Me in Trouble Again

First off, I know it isn't Tuesday, but I like that title so you're stuck with it. The moral of this story is control your outrage and your mouth, or else it's off to the sewing machine for you.

During the summer months, I was at the shopping mall with Biker Chick. Now, I'm not a shopper, while Biker Chick is quite the trend setter. We stopped at one of her favorite stores, where she admired the tutus. I looked at the garment and expressed my outrage at the price, the lack of a lining, and at the poor quality of the scratchy tulle. (You know what's coming next!) "I could make a tutu much cheaper and much nicer than that!"

To which Biker Chick replied, "Oh Mumsy, would you?" I saw that lovely smile and I was trapped like a fly in a web. So off to the fabric store I went to purchase tulle, lining, and gross grain ribbon. I could not find a pattern, so I winged it by cutting strips and sewing them together. I also purchased flowers to go on top of the ruffling.

This first tutu was created for elder teen daughter in her favorite colors of lime green and purple:

And this tutu was made for Biker Chick:

The girls love their skirts so it was all worthwhile, but next time I will keep my mouth shut at the mall.

Another Pair

2009-11-06T14:42:00.009-07:00

I loved everything about making these socks:

I'd been admiring this yarn from the moment I first saw it at Morehouse Farms; so when I saw they were having a sale, I jumped like a ewe and bought some in Indian Summer. Morehouse Farms is located in the Hudson River Valley in New York, where they raise their own Merino Sheep. Merino sheep are said to produce the finest sheep wool around, quite soft and durable.

Most hand-knit socks are made on small needles (size 2), but I made these on a bigger needle, (size 4), which means they made up much quicker. You can see the cabling much better on the back sock in the photo below. These socks are thick, which means they're suitable for cold winter days, unless you are biker chick, who likes to wear them anytime with hot pink high heels:

I used a chocolate brown merino wool for the toes to mix things up:

Socks

2009-11-04T12:33:00.002-07:00

Nothing like snowy weather to make me get back to making socks, one of my favorite things to knit. Knitters have extreme feelings about the humble sock--it's either your thing or it isn't. One of the reasons I love creating socks is because they are so portable. I like the idea of slipping the needles and a small ball of yarn into my handbag or coat pocket and working a couple of rows while waiting for the next important thing to happen (translation=waiting for one of my children.)

I also love making socks because I actually get them finished. Because I sometimes get overwhelmed, I don't enjoy making big projects, like sweaters.

People who don't enjoy making them say that they do not like making things that wear out as fast as a sock does, or things that require hand-washing. I hand wash socks I make because I want them to last longer.

Socks are made "in the round," meaning that they are created on three or four double-pointed needles so that they have no seam. (Circular needles also create items "in the round" but are not used for socks.)

Here's a pair of socks I made last fall. Because this yarn was self-stripping, I chose to make the socks completely plain and let the stripping set the style. This photo shows the top of the sock, which I chose to rib:
Here's the finished product:

What do you mean it's over?

2009-11-01T09:33:00.006-07:00

Mo says: Halloween CANNOT be over!

Mo checks the window to see if there are any more trick-or-treaters:

An angry monster tells Mo to be quiet and go back to sleep:

Elk in the snow

2009-10-30T13:05:00.000-06:00

Daughter and I drove right up to these ladies, rolled the window down, and snapped our photos. Elk are fairly docile, yet, if you get too close there can be trouble. How do you know if you are too close? If they look up at you, that's too close.

AMAZING Garland of Snow

2009-10-29T19:59:00.003-06:00

The snow got so high on this ledge it could no longer support itself and curled over. Truly a mystery as to how it stays in place:

I thought about this all afternoon, especially since I finally got out of the house and saw this phenomenon all over town. WHAT is keeping these "garlands" of snow in place? WHY doesn't the snow tumble down? And then I remembered my high school physics. My theory is that the snow is stays in place because of surface tension of water, AND because this is a special, dry snow, AND because the temperature is just right. Any other theories?

Big Snow Got BIGGER

2009-10-29T11:11:00.005-06:00

The big snow from yesterday got much bigger. Compare this photo with the photo from yesterday's post and see for yourself:

A melancholy sun tries to break through:

First BIG Snow

2009-10-28T15:22:00.005-06:00

Been snowing since last night and hasn't stopped. Should stop tomorrow. Here's what the porch looked like at 3 p.m:

I Bought Myself a Balloon

2009-10-27T09:19:00.001-06:00

Daughter had a Halloween party on Saturday and as we were getting last minute items, I found Frank, right there in the grocery line. Our eyes met, and I knew I should restrain myself, but I couldn't. He was just so over the top, floating up there above all the gossip rags. Okay, so he's a rotten, two-faced guy, but I love him anyway--he's pure man. I know he's flirting with my daughter (that's her, hiding behind him). Plus, he follows me all over the kitchen while I'm cooking, like he's afraid I'm going to cheat on him. He's says that if I do, he'll go to pieces.

Hepzabah Pumpkin

2009-10-26T17:08:00.004-06:00

It's that time of year. Biker Chick created this pumpkin. Her inspiration was the character of Hepzabah, from House of the Seven Gables, by Nathanial Hawthorne.

Land of Enchantment, Place of Doors

2009-10-12T09:37:00.007-06:00

Spent the first weekend in October at a writer's weekend with Natalie Goldberg in Taos, New Mexico, otherwise known as the land of enchantment. It was sheer magic, everything I expected, and more. A part of the weekend was spent at the former home of Mabel Dodge Luhan, a home that has been transformed into a B&B. Mabel prided herself in the company she kept, including Willa Cather, D.H. Lawrence, Ansel Adams, Georgia O'Keefe, etc.

One extremely fascinating aspect of the house was how short and somewhat narrow all the doors are. And the doors themselves are works of art. This door is in the office of the house:

Here's the backside of the same door, which was painted by D.H. Lawrence when he visited Taos:

Below is a shot of the room where Willa Cather stayed. I was intrigued by the glorious carved door in the middle of the room, just big enough for perhaps Alice and her rabbit to fit through:

A close-up of the door:

I did open the door, as curiosity got the better of me. And behind it? Nothing but another door and insulation.

Lost Weekend

2009-10-07T11:06:00.005-06:00

Haven't blogged in a while, which is rather obvious. But I haven't had a lot to say. So I got in my car and drove a far piece to an enchanted place called Taos to see if I could find my voice. Turns out it wasn't missing, just hiding. More later.

Two Friends Chillin'

2008-10-30T18:33:00.003-06:00

Sparky and Mojo know how to chill:

Oh Where Have You Been, Charming Lottery Girl?

2008-10-28T19:29:00.003-06:00

While I was at the fabric store picking out fabric for Middle Child's outfit, Youngest Child (also known as Biker Chick) found some delightful half-priced Halloween fabric she could not live without, which was all well and good, but what could I make from the fabric? She suggested a vest to match the spider skirt I made a couple of months ago. Here's the entire outfit:

And here is a close up of the awesome spider buttons we found to go on the vest. You can also see that the lining for the vest matches the skirt:

Oh Where Have You Been Lottery Girl, Lottery Girl?

2008-10-27T20:21:00.006-06:00

I've been super-swamped, just like I am every October with school events and Halloween. I'm so excited with the results of my hard work. Some of you got to see the Marie Antoinette costume I made last year, which included green lace (sleeves) and toile (white and green skirt) from the bargain section of the fabric store:

This year I swore I was not making another costume. But of course, that was a lie because middle child is now a senior in high school and will not be with me next year for Halloween. So this is it and it had better be good!

At first, I decided I would only make a quick fairy skirt. Then while I was sleeping, the top came to me: How about something fit for a Forest Queen? Click on the photo for a more detailed view. I made all the leaves myself, as well as the ribbon roses. The top has sewn-in boning as well.

And here is a photo of my beautiful fairy daughter, all set for Halloween:

More Autumn Pics

2008-10-10T10:37:00.004-06:00

Tis gloomy out after weeks of breathtaking beauty; we might even have snow this weekend. No matter. I have enough golden memories stored to keep me warm all winter. And in case I forget, I have photos as well:

Doggie Park

2008-10-08T13:30:00.003-06:00

Colorado weather continues to be absolutely perfect. Took the hell hounds out today for a romp in the doggie park and autumn portraits.

Can you believe that the photo below is the doggie park?
Here's our girl Sparky, who is all that is good in a friend: loving, faithful, loyal, brilliant, intellectual, darn pretty, and a great party gal:
Here's Mo of the mountain, the most affectionate creature I've ever met. His joy for life and passion for his family go a long way in making up for... his sins.

Bear Creek in Autumn

2008-10-07T13:55:00.001-06:00

Quaking Aspen and a Question

2008-10-05T23:04:00.004-06:00

I thought I would share one of my favorite sights during autumn: a quaking aspen. (Just click on the photo to start the video.) Aspen trees are members of the willow family. The leaves are flat and somewhat round-ish, and the flattened leaf stems cause the leaves to flutter and twist in even the slightest breeze. Aspen only grow above a certain elevation.

So here's my question. If you read the fine print here at Blogger, you will note that each time you upload a photo or video it actually goes to Picasa first, then makes its way here to blogland. This short video I created is quite nice when I view it on my own computer through Quick Time. I am disappointed with how it looks here, however, because it's blurry in parts. Yes, I know that the finer the quality of a photo/video the more room it takes up. I don't suppose anyone knows of a way to keep the better quality?

Moth

2008-10-03T12:46:00.004-06:00

Caught this fellow in the waning moments of sunset:

The Golden Carpet

2008-10-02T14:19:00.003-06:00

This has got to be the most magical carpet I have every seen:

Autumn Means Hatch Green Chile, Part III

2008-10-01T14:30:00.005-06:00

Now that the green chile is chopped and ready to go, what can you do with it? My favorite dish of all is green chile enchiladas with chicken :

Sparky and Mojo serve as the quality control experts for the chicken:

Here's my favorite recipe for homemade macaroni and cheese. It's the best I've ever eaten, but only because I add 1/2 to 1 cup of chopped green chile.

I also like to use the green chile in scrambled eggs, or cornbread, or on nachos, or as baked chile rellenos, or in pasta, or...

Autumn Means Hatch Green Chile, Part II

2008-09-30T13:07:00.005-06:00

After yesterday's post, you might be wondering what I do with the fresh-roasted green chile I buy at the Farmer's Market, especially when I get it home and it looks like this:

Yes, I know.

It doesn't look too appetizing, but that's only because I've not peeled it yet. You can tell a lot about the chile as you peel it. I like my chile hot enough to make my fingers tingle as I remove the skin, which slides off easily. But if your fingers are on fire and you are coughing from breathing in the chile vapors, this is a sign that your mouth and entire digestive tract will also be ablaze when you consume the chile. WARNING: DON'T rub your eyes until after you have washed your hands.

The next photo shows what the chile looks like "naked," or after it has been peeled. Notice the chile on the right still has seeds in it. Seeds add heat, so I usually remove them. Also, the chile in the middle has already started to ripen, as indicated by the lovely red-orange coloring:

Tomorrow: Ideas for Great Green Chile Dishes!!!

Autumn Means Hatch Green Chile, Part I

2008-09-29T12:49:00.007-06:00

Science tells us that the sense that is the most evocative of memory is that of smell. I know this to be true. Nothing takes me back faster to the autumns of my youth in New Mexico than the smell of roasting green chile. And not just any green chile, but the Big Jim variety grown in Hatch, New Mexico, a tiny hamlet near my own home town.

When I moved to Colorado two years ago, I nearly cried when I caught a whiff of pure heaven at the Farmer's Market. I followed my nose, and here is what I found:

YES!!! The gentleman in the above photo is roasting HATCH GREEN CHILE!!!

Now you could roast chile in your own oven at home, but only if you like the idea of cleaning chile off the inside of the oven for months to come.

All this is well and good you say, but what do I do with the chile? Tune in tomorrow...

Fall Leaves

2008-09-25T07:29:00.001-06:00

Halloween Skirt #2

2008-09-23T16:16:00.003-06:00

Done with skirt #2 for other daughter. You might remember skirt #1 from the summer. I am done, done, done. Yeah me!

Happy First Day of Autumn

2008-09-22T12:36:00.004-06:00

Today is the first day of autumn, although the equinox does not officially take place until tomorrow. I took this photo yesterday during a hike and thought I'd share it:

Memories of Summer

2008-09-17T08:56:00.005-06:00

(Subtitle: I CAN'T BREATHE!!!)

Warning: DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!!!

Now that we have that out of the way, did your kids whine this summer about the lack of entertainment?

Mine wouldn't dare, because being my mother's daughter, I tell my children that if they complain about being bored, I'll be happy to find something for them to do, all right!

Anyway, my darling girls invented this game all on their own. I'm so proud of them! Isn't it great to see the love between these siblings?

Three Leaves, Three Colors

2008-09-17T08:33:00.003-06:00

I saw these leaves clumped together on a rock at the Lake this weekend and thought they were so pretty. I thought it strange that they were all different shades of gold and red. Of course, I am assuming they are all from the same tree and fell off about the same time.

Baby Pine Cones

2008-09-14T21:04:00.011-06:00

When I was a little girl, my parents would take us to the mountains for a respite from the heat of our desert valley. I thought it miraculous that we could go from 100 degree weather to the 70s in two hours. Like most fantastic trips, we used an enchanted passageway, in this case a tunnel bored right through the heart of a granite peak, to get to our Uptopia. The tunnel was spooky for this little kid, but I knew if I could brave it out, my beloved mountains awaited me on the other side.

I loved everything about these trips, from the smell of fresh mountain air to the quaint old lodge where we stayed. The Lodge even had peacocks strutting around the grounds, and on one terribly exciting occasion my older brother and his friend lured an enormous peacock inside our room while my parents were elsewhere. We sure knew how to have a good time!

I always made it a point to collect pine cones freshly fallen from the soaring trees above my head. I figured that if you could take sea shells from the ocean and still hear the sounds of the shore when you returned home by placing the shell up to your ear, surely you could take the pine cones and experience the grandeur of the mountains once again no matter where you went. Pine cones still thrill me now, though I no longer put them in my pockets and take them home. I may pick one up from time to time to admire how each one is uniquely colored and shaped, but then I return it to the bower of the soil in hopes that it will grow into a new tree.

For all the years I have been enjoying pine cones, it never occurred to me to wonder what they looked before they turned into the brown pine cones that are on the ground. Sure, I see paler, brown pine cones still clinging to the branches all the time. Then on last week's hike, I practically bumped into these guys on a low branch of a tree:

Bitty-baby pine cones--A new joy for me to behold!

Autumn is Underway

2008-09-11T08:50:00.005-06:00

I am sitting in my coat inside my house as I write this, because it is only 36 degrees outside and I'm too cheap to turn on the heater this early in September. The dogs have a better way of handling this situation: After eating their breakfast and putting on their sweaters, they've crawled back under the blankets in bed to dream of our next hike.

Last weekend we hiked here in the Foothills of the Rockies both Saturday and Sunday, and I expect to do the same this weekend. Most times I go I take along the camera, though I've already taken thousands of shots (not an exaggeration) of the same sites for the past two years. But I never tire of seeing the same trees or mountains or shrubs, because for me, these things are never the same, not even from one day to the next. The light in the sky may cast itself differently upon the face of the mountain, or clouds may shadow or shroud us.

And surely I am different each time I come to the ascent, somehow altered simply by living a few more days.

I'm fortunate if I get even one fantastic photo out of the 60 or 70 shots I may take over the course of a couple of hours. Last weekend I got TWO such shots. It's not that these are marvels of photography--the reason I love these both is because I can actually see autumn, transforming my surroundings one leaf at a time.

DON'T LET THE DOG OUT!!!

2008-09-09T19:30:00.004-06:00

I love walking around the lake in the center of my little town. But the sign on this lone gate in one of the nearby yards mystifies me:

There is even a padlock on the gate, making me think that it is still in use. I can see no hint that there was ever a fence attached. Perhaps the fence is invisible? And... the gate keeps in an imaginary dog? What do you think?

Do You Need Physical Therapy?

2008-09-08T13:09:00.004-06:00

Whilst on holiday last month, we saw the following sign:

Interesting Concept.

Our Rebellious Teen

2008-09-07T11:23:00.009-06:00

(Photo above: Krull getting his books out of his locker at school)

Meet Krull, the Warrior King, who came from Florida to live with us last Christmas when my oldest thought it would be a great thing to save him from a house where he was largely ignored. Oldest kid's idea of rescuing this bearded dragon was to stuff Krull in the car with the rest of my son's college dude friends crossing the country from Florida to Colorado. When my son arrived here, he cleverly disguised Krull as his sisters' Christmas gift. Those kids do the darndest things. Sigh.

Krull is adjusting well to being a Colorado lizard, although like other teens, he sometimes succumbs to peer pressure. Like yesterday, when the family was out for an extended period of time,and we returned to find Krull with this new do:

You Saw it Here First!

2008-09-06T15:15:00.006-06:00

Examine the photo above closely and see what is hidden in the aspens.
The leaves are beginning to change! That's right, soon the mountains will be ablaze with Fall colors. This is my favorite time of year to hike and take photos. Stay tuned for updates.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2008-08-31T17:50:00.004-06:00

Okay, I'm lying.

It's not my birthday. But those of you who know me well will remember I adore having "practice birthdays" several times per year. Practice birthdays are great fun for everyone. The most obvious perk is that you don't have to get any older when you have a practice birthday. You can even buy yourself lovely gifts and act surprised as all get-out when you open them. Family members also love it when you have a practice birthday because there's no pressure on them whatsoever to get a gift, etc. Practice birthdays are pure fun for everyone!

On this particular birthday, I decided to bake myself a huge cake. I made "Superb Lane Cake" from the Southern Living Cook Book. It's a four-layer cake with a cream sherry, nut, raisin and cherry filling. For those of you not familiar with regional United States cooking, traditional Southern cooking was and still is the end-all in extravagance. So put on your best Scarlett O'Hara and go ahead and ask me how many eggs went into this cake. Eight. And butter? Three sticks, darlin'! And sugar? Why Fiddly-Dee, a tad more than four cups! Of course I'm not the least bit concerned about fitting into my corset in the morning.

Anyhoo, when I presented myself with this gorgeous cake, I was almost moved to tears at my thoughtfulness. What a lovely thing to do! Aren't I sweet?

Double the Luck

2008-08-04T14:01:00.004-06:00

I'm going to be flitting about for the month of August going here but mostly there, so blog posts will be limited. Thought I'd leave you with a photo of an incredible DOUBLE rainbow. Click on the photo to get the entire effect. Last night we got to see an entire rainbow, with a second one forming behind it. WOW!

The Felted Bags

2008-07-23T12:56:00.009-06:00

Yesterday Biker Chick (she doesn't want me to refer to her as "youngest child" on this blog anymore) and I took three purses we knitted to the laundry to felt them. In case you are not familiar with felting, all it really means is taking something made from wool, and shrinking it by means of heat and moisture, like using the washing machine. You yourself may have felted something accidentally when you washed your favorite sweater in the washing machine only to take it out and find it doll-sized.

Now why would anyone purposely shrink something? Because the resulting fabric is much stronger and warmer. During the felting process, fibers mat together and create a smooth surface.

So when did people start felting wool? I'm sure it all began by accident when our wool sweaters started smelling quite awful and the laundress tried to remedy the situation on wash day with a pot of boiling water and a stick. People were already felting on purpose in the 12th century, and Ken Follett describes this process in his historical fiction book Pillars of the Earth. Creating yards of felted fabric, or boiled wool, was a hellish process for the medieval characters. Someone had to beat the fabric with a stick while the fabric was covered in boiling water.

Here's one of the purses before it was felted. Notice that while it is attractive, it's quite floppy and probably would not last long as a purse:

Here's a close up of the strap after felting. Notice how the stitches have "blurred" together:

And here's a look at the finished bag:
This is the second bag before felting:

This bag, which was made of sheep's wool and mohair, shrunk up considerably more than my other bag, which was all wool. During the drying process, I shaped it somewhat like an acorn, which I thought was fitting for the fall colors. Here's a side view:

Let's have a Picnik!

2008-07-21T20:58:00.011-06:00

I'm always looking for new things to do with photos, without spending money on outrageously expensive software I may not even use. With this in mind, one of my kids suggested I go and have a Picnik. So I took one of my best buddies, Sparky, and headed on over to this awesome photo site. We sure had fun playing around. While Picnik seems to have dozens of cool editing features to fix most any photo problem, I concentrated on Picnik's extra features I don't already have in my iPhoto program.

Let's see what Sparky looked like when we started:

This special effect is called Lomo-ish, and blurs the edges. Sounds pretty simple, but I'm quite pleased with the results. Brings out Spark's angel-nature, don't you think?
Here's what Sparky looks like through night vision:

Neon:
Heat seeking:
Sparky and I used the Doodle feature here, for when Spark is feeling silly:

I'm loving the way Sparky looks here with the posterize effect:
Signing up with Picnik is free. There are premium features available for $24.95 per year, but I haven't had a chance to see what those are. For now, I'm going to stick with the free account.

Creepy Crawlies

2008-07-21T18:47:00.004-06:00

I love driving from Boulder to Estes Park, which takes about an hour. The small town of Lyons marks the half-way point, and I've always wanted to stop and take a peek in the charming shops on Main Street, but I'm always in too much of a hurry. Last month I finally made the time to stop, and look at what I found in the quilt store:

Rather than get out the can of Raid, I decided to turn these guys into something cute for youngest child. We even found a darling neon green friend to sit upon the bow:

Scottish Things; Part II: What's For Dinner?

2008-07-14T18:35:00.009-06:00

You know you're in trouble when little dogs begin casting long, ponderous shadows and you've prepared no supper at all:

On this evening, a beautiful midsummer's eve, I long to leave behind the mundane casserole and create something special, something that nourishes both stomach and soul. Hmmm... I decide on something from the happy food group--homemade Oreo cookie ice cream:

That problem now solved, the only question remaining is: red or white wine? Oh, amber of course. I'm going all out and having a dram of something extra-special.

And what makes this product of Scotland worthy? According to William Black, " I hef been in Isla more as three times or two times myself, and I hef been close to the Lagavulin Distillery, and I know that it is the clear water of the spring that will make the Lagavulin whisky just as fine as new milk."

Scottish Things; Part I: Scotch Thistle

2008-07-13T20:17:00.006-06:00

Isn't this lovely?

No, it isn't. This is the vile Scotch thistle, also referred to as a noxious weed in my county in Colorado. This plant, a member of the sunflower family, can grow to a whopping twelve feet, and is covered in spikes. We are admonished to rid our properties of this invader from Europe and Eastern Asia, lest it take over completely. One plant can produce 20,000-40,000 seeds.

This made me wonder how on earth this very same plant was adopted as the revered emblem of Scotland. Legend has it that marauders from Norway decided to invade the shores of fair Scotland one dark eve, and took off their boots in order to remain completely quiet. One of the Norsemen stepped upon the thorny plant and shrieked out in pain, alerting the Clansmen of the advance. And of course, the Scots won the day.

Thistle in dusk:

Fun With Photos

2008-07-10T15:11:00.004-06:00

Wow-Wee! We sure had fun taking these pics. Nope; no special software used. Tequila, maybe? Not a chance; not with children and ratties around--at least not while they're awake.

Sparky:

Mojo:
Middle Child:
Youngest Child:
Child of Billy Idol (post for another day):

Happy Canada Day!

2008-07-01T09:54:00.004-06:00

I'd like to take a moment to wish all my dear friends in Canada a Happy Canada Day!

Wish I would have remembered on my own, but my friend, Annapurna, reminded me with her blog post today. She made the most beautiful Happy Canada Card that I'd like to share with you. Gorgeous, Eh?

The Hike

2008-06-30T20:52:00.008-06:00

Hiking is a favorite pastime for most anyone who lives in the Rockies, and we go every chance we get. With all the open space in our county, all you really need to get going are a pair of great hiking boots and some good friends.

We started this morning's adventure at a creek, with the mountains looming all about us.

Isn't this creature exquisite? Looks like a spiny urchin beneath the ocean:

Of course, it isn't. It's really a giant dandelion, otherwise known as a weed.

One of my fellow adventurers climbed to the top of this extremely tall rock (gulp!) to survey the land before us. One cannot tell from this photo, but the rock she's standing on plummets straight down:

Mo of the mountain, the famous trail dog, probably works five times harder than any of us, because he only weighs six pounds and must be diligent in order to keep up. He does indeed keep up, and never complains.

Sparky is behind him. Her job is navigator.

Can you guess what this is? And no, I didn't edit this photo in any way at all other than to crop it. The colors really are this intense:

It's the bloom on a cactus.

Estes Park Wool Festival, III: The Loot

2008-06-27T14:43:00.004-06:00

My favorite part of the Wool Festival is touring the enormous vendor building and getting loot. Vendors sell every thing imaginable for the spinning, weaving, knitting and crocheting enthusiast. Fibers include silk, llama, alpaca, sheep's wool, cashmere, and even bunny (angora).

Because I get carried away, I always make one pass through the entire vendor building and then decide what I'm going to buy.

Last year I bought a kit and made these incredible Scandinavian style mittens, designed by Linda Hellberg George, based on her grandmother's pattern:

Straight out of a storybook, the cuff extends high up over the wrist, keeping hands toasty in even the coldest weather. I adore the silver button:
This year I bought these hand-dyed yarns, created by Laura Macagno-Shang of Missouri. One daughter is getting the peach yarn with purple as an accent, while I might actually use the periwinkle for me:

Estes Park Wool Festival, II

2008-06-26T10:13:00.007-06:00

Right in the middle of telling you all about the Wool Festival last week, I got totally side-tracked by that stinkin' pollen and all the rain-dancing I've been doing.

Let's get back to the incredible Festival, shall we? Last week we took a look at the Alpacas, so now we'll move on to the sheep tent. Sheep are amazing and come in all sizes and colors, but I got to say, they're all sheep shaped. (Don't say that repeatedly or quickly or you'll get your mouth washed out.)

Anyway, I saw my daughters, mesmerized, gaping into one of the pens. Of course I had to find out what interested them so much.

"WOW!!! That's mind-boggling!!!" I shouted when I looked into the pen. The girls were mortified and tried to shish me. But stupid me, I didn't take the hint.

"That fellow is AMAZING! According to this sign, he's got the POLYCERATE GENE!!!" (This gene causes the sheep to grow extra horns.) The girls were not impressed that I could read the placard on the side of the pen.

Finally I figured out we were not looking at the same sheep. DUH!!! They were looking at this most impressive specimen of a ram:

"wow...," I whispered, not even using a capital "w". What more could I say?

The sheep in the photo above are Jacob sheep, named for the fellow of Old Testament fame. Spinners like this wool, as they are able to spin yarn that is naturally variegated.

Here's one last photo of a gentleman who was such a natty dresser I had to include him:

To Catch a Rainbow

2008-06-24T21:42:00.003-06:00

Catching a rainbow is about impossible; the photo never is as good as the real thing. Nonetheless, I'm content with this photo. We've been taunted with the promise of rain each afternoon, complete with thunder. Delicious, cool rain that would wash away the pollen. No matter how dark the clouds, a cruel wind always blows our wishes away. At least we got a rainbow!

Beautiful Sky and a Trick

2008-06-23T12:43:00.004-06:00

As I was driving, I saw this incredible skyscape and immediately pulled over to snap. Normally it's not a great idea to shoot into the sun, so I had to hurry before it moved from behind the cloud cover.

That's when I realized I was viewing this scene through my new sun glasses with sepia lenses.I wanted the photo to look just the way I was seeing things; so I took off my glasses, placed them over the lens of the camera, and snapped away. Yes, you could do this with your photo software, but the sunglasses produce a different look. Reminds me of the good old days when I carried around a camera, various lenses, and tons of filters, including the UV filter for taking photos through glass, the sepia filter, the portrait filter, the macro filter, etc. Using sunglasses is so much easier!

I Feel Guilty

2008-06-19T20:59:00.004-06:00

Gee! I feel just awful about complaining in my last post about something as trivial as pollen. Especially since I was treated to an incredible sunset tonight. See for yourself:

Amber Waves of...

2008-06-19T10:57:00.008-06:00

POLLEN

Yes, the yellow powder on the deck in the photo above is POLLEN. One day's worth. I'm awash in pollen.

In case I haven't made it abundantly clear, I adore living in the mountains. I think I'm the luckiest girl alive to live in a place where each and every day I see sights that fill me with awe. With that said, there are just a few things that are... unpleasant. Like pollen.

Since we enjoy such marvelous summer weather, we need no air conditioning. We simply keep the windows open. So of course, everything in the house is covered in pollen. Came home the other day to find both dogs wearing sweet little suits of pollen. Forgot to rinse out the tub before I got in it, and so I enjoyed a pollen bubble bath. Must clean off kitchen counter tops and floor daily to remove the residue.

Last night's sprinkle of rain wasn't enough to wash the pollen off completely:

Oh well. Soon this will pass. I still think I live in paradise.

Estes Park Wool Festival

2008-06-17T13:23:00.007-06:00

We had THE BEST WEEKEND EVAH!!!!!

Besides doing a lot of awesome family things, we also managed to get away on Sunday to Estes Park, the gateway to the Rocky Mountain National Park, for the annual Wool Festival. This four day extravaganza is a paradise for anyone who crafts with fiber. During the first two days classes are held in spinning, weaving, knitting, felting, etc. Then on Saturday and Sunday the vendors show up, as well as the animals who produce all those glorious fibers.

Our first stop was the alpaca tent. Alpacas produce fiber that is much softer than sheep's wool, and therefore highly prized and much more expensive. Alpacas are docile and sweet, and make a humming noise when stressed or frightened. Most every animal we saw had been shorn, making them look other-world-ish like the fellow above.

We here in Colorado are on constant guard about cougars, who have been known to kill the alpacas. One rancher told us that his solution was to get a llama, who will serve as a guard to the alpacas. I was surprised to hear this, because while llamas are much larger than alpacas, they also were quite sweet.
These are sisters, Endine and Henrietta (please use the French pronunciation). The owner is hoping to sell them as a pair. Sadly, my yard isn't large enough.