Merritt in the winter pictures

This is Dixie, the snow keeps her nice and clean... Larry spoils her rotten, he figures i should move out of his bed so she can move in..

Was out taking pictures this morning and spied this little guy ravishing a Pine tree full of the Mountain pine beetle...as you can see he sure has striped the bark... there is also a Pilated woodpecker destroying the same tree,which has died already... couldn't get close enough to him this morning, will try again tomorrow.. our yard is full of pines with a dozen or so Fir...so it will be bare soon..I do hate the pines, it's needles and pine cones are always all over the lawn, but they do keep our back yard nice and cool...........

this is

jackson after an hour of playing with Dixie in a smidge of new snow..isn't that a face only a Mother could love...

this is the two of them chewing on each other.. they never quit playing...

a good agility day

Evening... what a day... headed out for agility this morning... first stop was to pick up son's dog 'Jesse'..got DIL out of bed, no Joe and no Jesse...and he didn't have his phone, so she didn't know where he was... they had forgotten that i was coming, I did phone them last nite and left a message to remind them... anyway Joe showed up with 'Jesse' about half way thru 'Dixie's' class...Dixie did good, she is speeding up.. she needs to know exactly where i am sending her, and she needs me with her...we are both learning... 'Jesse's' class, no one showed up, so we had a private lesson which was really good... i could stop and make her do it right, she is so damn fast, we are learning that she has to work away from me as i can't keep up with her..now i have to really think ahead with her..our group class is usually an hour, with 5 dogs running, today we worked 45 minutes with only 2 dogs, Jesse and my instructors poodle Jazz.. wore me right out...it was good for both dogs..
Then i had to do a bit of shopping, i haven't been to town since Christmas eve..
I went to knit a pair of fingerless mitts, and believe it or not I didn't have a set of no. 5 needles, I have a million pair of needles, but no size 5... so i just had to buy a set...while i was waiting to get to town to buy my needles, i started another shawl... I had 600 yards of Aurelia fibre... can't remember the name... has some sparkle in it..a lot thicker than i usually spin... tried to do a lace pattern, but it was way to thick, so am just doing a plain triangle shawl..and using the colour for the pattern...looks okay... Had a 10 minute nap before supper that sure helps..i was able to make supper with out groaning too much..have a Happy New Year.............. hugs

Boxing Day

Well, Happy Boxing Day.... we had a lovely quiet Christmas Day..I went out early and feed the sheep...a whole bale, so i didn't have to fed them when i was getting supper ready... had a major wreck with the dogs... the bouvier, Jackson and our old "All Canadian" Gyp haven't gotten along for about a year now... they fight really bad... so anyway... i have to keep them separate... so Jackson spends the night in the kennel and the two old dogs sleep by the fire... so in the morning, i put the two old dogs in the shop, go over and let Jackson out of the kennel, lock him in the yard, go around to the back door of the shop, and let the old dogs out of the shop and they head for the kennel.... well i guess i didn't close the gate well enough, the latch was cold and hard to close, so Jackson hit the gate and knocked it open..Larry was yelling at me, but i didn't hear him as i was behind the shop letting the old dogs out... Gyp comes around the shop and runs right into Jackson... and away they went...Jackson is not 2 yet and Gyp is 15..so of course Jackson was on top... i grabbed him by his back legs and belly, and a handful of coat... but i had gloves on and couldn't hold on to him...i don't know if you have ever seen a dog fight, not pleasant..Jackson is a huge dog and a handful to hang on too... anyway he got away from me...so i grabbed him again... it is always a challenge when you grab a dog in a fight, as they don't know who or what (another dog) is grabbing them, so you might get bitten... but he didn't even turn to look at me.. so he knew it was me..hung on to him long enough this time for Gyp to get away... there was a leash hang on the kennel, so was able to get that on him..and put him in the back door of the shop... then went and got Gyp off the front porch of the shop and put the old dogs away... and then had to catch my breath..what a way to start the day... my hands ached for most of the day...
The son and Daughter in law came out to exchange gifts... we got some nice gifts... Kelly got $300 worth of Pennington gift certificates from different members of her family..she was really happy about that... they gave me one too, and a lovely pair of earrings... Joe always gives me earring for birthday and Christmas...He is working at the mine, driving one of those HUGE dump trucks..didn't have to work Christmas day or Boxing day, but gets paid for it...what a job...Larry got a bunch of new books for Christmas... two Mike McCardell books, the new book about the cowboys of Douglas Lake, and a book on Crab Catching in the Bering Sea..that will keep him busy...

Friends came over for supper, it was our turn to host Christmas Dinner... ordered a 12 to 15 pound fresh bird, and got one that weighted 18 lbs... way too big for the 4 of us...so they took half of it home..we will be eating turkey till the spring... we played a couple hands of Canasta... and Glynns and i lost really badly... we lost the first game in 2 HANDS..but then turkey makes one sleepy... right.. good excuse.. planning on knitting after i feed the wild birds and clean out the wood stove... almost finished my project...looks good so far... will take a picture of it, and put it up as soon as my friend gets it.. check out Lynn's blog, she finished my socks... and are they great... i can hardly wait to get them... not sure i will wear them... might use they as a wall ornament...too pretty to wear.... Hope you all had a great day... Hugs Sheila

Dec 22-07

Evening..sorry i missed Dec 21... i was in town most of the day, and was worn right out when i got home..then had to do chores, and stoke the fire... i was so tired i was in bed by 10 pm, an hour earlier than normal...first day of winter we had about 4 inches of new snow... cleans things up... and not enough to have to plow..so tonight it stayed lighter for a whole 2 minutes... but spring is coming..got all gifts bought and only 4 left to wrap..simple things... books and a china coffee cup.. Joe and Kelly went to the coast on Thursday, and left Grandma's at 11 am today, and got home at 5 pm... 6 hours to do a normal 2.5 or 3 hour trip..Transport trucks didn't think they had to chain up, and got to the snow shed and spun out... so they had to wait behind them ... no one was going fast enough to have an accident...glad they finally got home... funny how a Mom still worries about her 31 year old son, and every time i see a car accident down in Vancouver, i look to see what colour the car is, as youngest son Matt lives in Coquitlam..silly old mom...
Larry is doing okay... he is spending more time out in the shop... which gives me Sheila time in the house..mind you he did muck out the bird cage this morning... at least Yankee will be clean for Christmas.. we love him dearly but he sure is a messy bird..if we ever win mega $$ i will have a huge cage that i can use a hose on... I got my Christmas present the other day...a fancy Mixer..like a Kitchen aid, but it is a Wolfgang Puck...although it was not as advertised... ad said it had 2 bowls and was 700 watts, so of course it only had 1 bowl and only 600 watts..i will call Sears and complain... probably won't do any good... used it to make 'Johnny cake" sure was fast..use the Johnny cake to make Southern turkey stuffing... corn bread, baking powder biscuits and bread..lots of 'thyme', oregano, basil, and rosemary and a smidge of sage..lots of onions, celery and green onions and olive oil.... haven't made it for years, so thought i would try it again... takes forever to make...a couple of days in advance for the cornbread and biscuits...
Everyone have a great Christmas, and a Happy New Year...
Hugs Sheila

Count down to my favorite day of the year

Do you know what my favorite day is... nope not Christmas... December 21 SHORTEST DAY OF THE YEAR.... that means spring is coming... and the days are getting longer...i can hardly wait... the weather is warm and the snow is melting and if this keeps up we won't have snow for Christmas... which i won't mind.. Larry is getting around really well on his peg leg, spent the whole day in the shop today... 6 hours... out of my hair... i actually got something done... got gifts wrapped for the coast... Joe and Kelly are heading down on Thursday to see Grandma before Christmas, so they will take them.. They came and watched their Jesse, the wonder agility dog on Saturday, and that little 'witch' won't do a thing to start with... she won't run, she won't go over the A frame or go thru tunnels... she just walked the whole course, the instuctor kept say "what is wrong with her, and are you nervous", i wasn't nervous they are my kids..but i think Jesse figure seeing they were there, she didn't have to do what i told her... then she smarted up on the next run and did really well and by the end of the lesson she was flying over the jumps and thru the tunnels, i think she was just trying to hassle me.. little witch... but the weather was so much warmer, i even ran with my coat off. I started another of those 'flower basket' shawls out of wool, i am hoping that i will have enough yarn..it is going so much faster this time around, the first one being out of fine silk was tough to knit as sometimes i couldn't see where i was so i had to figure it out from the beginning of the row... but with the wool, it is much easier to see, and i just whip along i stared on Saturday nite, and i am almost half way..just hope i don't run out of yarn, i won't tell you what colour i am using as the person it is for reads this thing.. and i want to give it to her first...i think i will make several of these as i have tons of fibre all spun and ready to do something with... I ordered my new mix master on Thursday and it should be in at Sears tomorrow, then i will start my Christmas baking...nothing exciting, just short bread, old old family recipe..Carmel corn, nuts and bolts, mince meat tarts, and a carrot pudding for Christmas dinner...and butter tarts.... Have a great evening.... talk to ya soon... hugs Sheila

Some days i wish i lived closer to Merritt... 20 minutes is nice on a warm spring day and i don't have much to do... but in the winter and when i have a million things to do, a five minute drive would be nice... Larry had a mole on his face that was driving him nuts, Dr had tried to freeze it off 3 times, so at 6:30 this morning we had to meet Dr at Hospital..cut it out this time... so poor sheep didn't get feed early and dogs were left in their kennels till we got home...Went to Kamloops and got more gifts... had a real problem finding something for my Mom...finally had to go to Sears Catalogue to get anything close to what i wanted, and it still wasn't what i wanted...it will be delivered to her by the 18th of Dec... so i won't have to worry about wrapping it... Oldest son and his wife are off to the coast on the 20th, so they will take the gifts down...I lucked out years ago and found a gift for 90 year old step grandmother... i buy her novels...about 5 of them, she loves to read and never gets out and still has all her marbles so it is a good gift. I buy for my niece's kids, she is a single parent so i always get them something small just so they have something to open. I probably buy more gifts for friends, couple of neighbours and i have exchanged gifts for years.. and that is always a challenge..this year all our close friends are getting a FROZEN home grown chicken...nice little pullet about 4 to 5 pounds...


Darn it any way.... tried to get picture of Larry and his peg leg down here, but it didn't work... anyway this is the 'i walk free' that Larry uses out in the shop... i also have a couple of pictures of my shawl... so were they show up is beyond me... Shawl is made out of handspun silk, original weight was 100 grams and i only used about half of it...i will take it to the next guild meeting and take a picture on someone so you can see the size, i should have made it larger, just add another set of rows.... take care

bah humbug

Sure not in the mood for Christmas this year, haven't got the tree out of the shed yet, still have gifts to buy. I am going to Kamloops tomorrow and try to get it all finished.. the Gimp and i decided that it was my turn for a big gift this year, i think i will get one of those 'wolfgang puck' mix master thingys.. Larry wants me to make bread and i find kneading bread is really hard on my shoulders, I am not interested in a bread maker, i find the bread is dry..so this one has lots of motor power so i can just throw everything in the bowl and walk away and leave it... let it rise and throw it in the oven.. nothing i like better than 'sticky buns' I have all next week to get baking done, and decorate the house and the yard. Weather has been okay, not too cold, just enough to keep the snow for Christmas..How about a really good Christmas square.. very old family recipe called " Fudge Cake".... not a brownie... a fudge cake, I have been making it since I was 8...simple
1/2 cup of melted margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 T cocoa or more if you like
3/4 cup flour
1 cup of nuts, any kind
mix as listed, put in 8x8 pan and bake 25 minutes at 350 degrees, NO MORE than 25 minutes or it will go as hard as a rock..there is no levening agent.. so it is really like fudge... and i ice the cake with icing while it is hot, or make the icing and throw it in the microwave and then pore it over the cake...hope ya like it...
OH yes... i finally finished the "flower basket shawl" and i used a GRAPH for the whole thing..haven't got a picture of it yet, maybe on Friday..can't believe that i used the graph for the whole thing..was much easier than i thought... although i had to get the graph enlarged so i could see it... I should have done another set or two of the 2nd pattern, it is smaller than i thought it would be, but i do like it.... and will get a picture on here asap... Larry's peg leg too... nite nite Sheila

no more whining

hi.. i have to get on with my life and quit whining..We just got back from Klps, took off the temporary cast and removed about 30 staples from his hip and ankle.. looks good... Dr Z said he is doing good, and if he QUITS smoking his ankle will heal.... hurray... but whether he will do it is questionable... he has had carotid artery surgery, a heart attack and now the leg... do you think it might sink in this time..i really had to bite my tongue on the way home, i so wanted to rag on him, but i know that it is his problem..so i will wait till he starts smoking heavy again, then i will jump on him with both feet... i can hardly wait for that day..... Had a good guild meeting yesterday, 10 of us there, so we decided to go out for a Christmas lunch... we will have our Christmas gift exchange and pot luck in January..I have almost finished that 'flower basket shawl' just two more rows, but i have been tired at nite and don't want to make a mistake... will block it and then take a picture of it... The snow and the ice has really frozen up, makes it hard to walk, and i am afraid i will land on my butt...just as long as i don't break anything, i will be fine...Girlfriend just phoned and she is without a car this afternoon, so i will take her into work at 3, she wanted to take a taxi, but the cost is outrageous..my dear hubby insisted that i take her into town... oh well... she would have done it for me.. been reading the Yarn harlot's new book... she is just too fun...wish i could knit as well as she does... have you checked out the "kitty" newsletter, as Louisa says, way too many patterns, way to little time... i must have more than a 100 patterns that i would like to knit.... one at a time... till i am too old to knit.... have a good day.............. sheila

I promise

hi, I promise i won't whine tonight..things are looking better around here, but the yard will be a skating rink when things freeze..sorry i promised.. went into hospital and pick up a blood pressure monitor, what a pain it is, doesn't work like it is suppose too.. should take my pressure every 15 minutes, but if i am not sitting right it doesn't work... oophs... i did promise...did get Larry's 'walk free' thingy today... he will need practice as he is nervous he will fall... i had better go, everything i want to write about i will whine, get to go to guild meeting tomorrow... that will make me feel better............. nite silk

The great snow fall of 2007

How come it never rains but it pours... why did it have to snow 18 inches when Larry can't get out and use the snowblower, and it is raining too..what a mess... Snow is over my knees..SUV was covered with snow and then the rain, so i had to clean it off so we could get into it if it froze tonite... The first pic is of Jackson... he loved the snow and of course with his long coat it just stuck like glue...then he wants in the house, covered with snow... then he shakes, so there is snow all over the rug... oh well.. second picture is out the hall window first thing this morning... and the 3rd one is Dixie on top of Jackson playing in the snow... young fellow running our mill came out with his Quad with a little snow plow, and him and his buddy ran the quad and our snow blower around till we have enough clear space to get out of the yard and down the drive way.... what a mess.... how come this happens to good people..like Larry says just another bump in the road....well i had better go dig out the sheep trough.. poor babies are covered with ice...but they have lots of coat and won't sleep in the lean too... they like being out in the weather... see ya sheila

DAY 5 I think

Snow and snow and more snow.. had about 3 inches last nite and another 4 inches so far today... what a mess it is going to be when the temperature goes up to +8 degrees tomorrow... hope it all melts into the ground... it will be a skating rink around here...ugh...
Day 5, and Larry is still alive, he is so bored that he is reading a 'John Grisham' book that i bought... not a novel but a true story about some guy convicted in the southern states and found 'not guilty' 20 years later, he finished it in 2 days... last time he had surgery on his leg he never did pick up a book to read..friend sent over a couple more 'true' stories... guess i will have to go to the library on Tuesday to see what i can find for him... I have to go into hospital on Tuesday and get a 24 hour blood pressure monitor..Dr says my blood pressure is high, but considering the turmoil I have been thru lately... Joe leaving the mill in a mess, 19 year old kid running the mill, and Larry's surgery I think i am entitled to have a stress out..plus i had to wait in the Dr office for over an hour..i do not need another medication... Sorry to hear about your car, Sharon...and your sinus, Karen...and your dizziness and your migraines, Louisa, hope things pick up for all of ya...I have been trying to get the bird to say "Poor Larry"... he is working on it... well better go shovel the walk so the DH doesn't land on his butt next time we go out.......... hugs Sheila