my holiday weekend

My holiday weekend has had me spending a lot of time in the garden once I got the have tos done.  There are always too many errands on a Saturday that have to be accomplished before I can start on other things.  I got to try out my new garden fork.  My other one needs repair and I purchased an angle grinder for my Beloved so he can fix my tools.  I know he will use it for his business but the main thing is that I wish to repair my tools and not have to buy new.  Though, having two garden forks is really nice.  Especially if I am having a bit of help.

While I was buying groceries, I bought myself some flowers and a lavender plant.  I have not had luck with lavender in the past but since the mint is still going strong, I decided to give it a try.

I did bend one of my Japanese garden knifes in the process.  This picture was taken after my Beloved pounded on hit.  Hammer and anvil are nice but we are both aware that the blade will continue to bend as I use it.  I am thinking about putting a garden knife made by my Beloved on my wish list.  I have a knife wish list and this just another style of knife!

Last year, we had plenty of vegetables in the garden but not so many flowers.

I needed more flowers.  They are so pretty.  My garden is very wild with flowers and vegetables.  My neighbors probably hate me.  But it makes me smile and gives me peace.  I am always welcome to share my bounty with my neighbors.

he tried to surprise me

My Beloved tried to surprise me at Thanksgiving and it did not work out.  He had ordered me a new row boat!  This is a Dory from the Adirondack Guide Boat company.  Shortly after buying my Pack boat, I started wanting the dory.  She holds more people and weight and is wider so it is more stable.  Especially after having the Small Mister in my Pack boat, I wanted to go bigger.  My Beloved had ordered her be delivered to the mountain when we were there last November but she got there the day after we left.  Our down the mountain neighbor took delivery and kept telling my Beloved she was a beautiful boat every time they talked.

This is Silver Lake where we took her out.  My Beloved tried to get pictures of me rowing but missed me every time.  The Dory the biggest boat the Adirondack Guide Boat company builds.  Biggest in terms of width and what it can haul.  She is still a light boat. 

I thought she moved faster in the water then my Pack boat.  She felt much more maneuverable in the water, especially with three people in her and a small boy hanging over the edge.  Small Mister can run around in her and we do not feel like we will tip over.  We are going to have to figure out how to put a line on him so he is always attached to the boat.  He wears a pfd but the boat moves!  It would be hard to turn to get him fast if he falls in.

My shoulders have come a long way but I was not able to stay out as long as I would have liked.  They were also not up to the wind that was on the vast majority of the lake.  As soon as I hit that, my shoulders said no.  My Beloved saw white caps!  Next time we are on the mountain, I will take her out again.  I cannot wait.  One gentleman has taken his own version of this dory and rowed around the islands off the Alaskan coast.  I would love to do something like that some day!

I can be such a dirt bag.

We hit our normal under the weather coming back from the mountain.  It is a bit frustrating but it is what it is.  I kept going forward but required more sleep.  It has also been lovely to have Small Mister back with us for most of the summer.

the work we did on the land

The plan when we went to the mountain was to cut down trees that would become a cabin.  We wanted to take them down when the sap was rising so they would be easier to peel.  Instead, we actually slight slugs.

I got a small garden plot dug.  I called it my rock garden because it seemed to produce many more rocks then anything else.  I also pulled a lot of mountain blackberries out of it.  My helpers really only pulled rocks.  Except the dog, who dug holes.  And the Small Mister, who thought rolling and jumping in the dirt to pack it was the best thing ever.

I did get some flower and vegetable seeds in it the night before we left.  Now, I just have to hope for rain so they will germinate and the animals do not eat everything.  It would be nice to have some flowers the next time we go up.

My Beloved worked on a hug tree pile from the clearing of our field.  And he built a work table in the shed.

It still needs a bit of work and I probably should build a stool for it, but is it not lovely?  Having a place to work in the shed is very special.  We are using the incomplete shelves to hold plastic boxes for storage.  

So it was not what we planned but we did sit in the sun and do nothing.  We never do that!

yarn and a spindle

Within an hour of the mountain is one of my favorite local yarn shops.  Well, it is really a yarn and fiber shop.  When we were in Tennessee for my Beloved's Grandmother's funeral, the Aunts admired the sweater I made him.  I knew I was going to finish a shawl soon so I asked for color choices.  They poo pooed my question.  So while I was at the yarn store, I picked up lace yarn for each.  Each is MadelineTosh Prairie in a different color.  Now the question is do I make one at a time and send it or make them all and send them as a batch.  The thing is that the forever shawls take time.

I also got a new turkish drop spindle.  This is a 15 gram weight and it is made out of reclaimed birch flooring.  It spins like a dream.  I am completely convinced that if you have fleeces to spin, you have to spin everyday.  This is a nice way to make my spinning portable.  Even in the house if I have a small boy in my lap.  The Small Mister and my Beloved also picked out alpaca fiber and quivit fiber for me to spin.  Maybe I will get the quivit spun in time for the summer season at work when I really need the hand mitts!

I should really be spinning now but I am crocheting while the Small Mister sleeps.  It has been a day.  Mine has not been so bad but I have been on the receiving end of spews for other peoples' bad day.  Maybe I just need tea.  I was told last night my tea light was low because I had a face like Dusty (from Planes) when he is determined.  Obviously, facing life with determination means more tea is needed.

Yes, this is my life.  

home again

We are home again from the mountain.  With a Small Mister.  The Tall Short person is having some adjustments that need to happen and Small Mister needs to see his Daddy.  We are enjoying every minute.

According to Small Mister, all these mountains are his.  He likes the snow but does not like to wear mittens but does not like snow on his hands.

My Sunshine sweater was wonderful when we were up high but it is really too warm when not in the snow.  I had a friend mention that he liked the looks of it and I finished it just in time for summer in an office building.  I was thinking the same thing.  I need to take it back to my office so I can stay warm during the summer.  I probably should make some more mitts.  I should have enough yarn for that.