A Good Day for Knitting Swatches..............

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful............(I've heard that somewhere before) We had tons of rain last night and this stormy system is trying to blow out of here, which means the wind turbine is off for the time being.

So, when you can't run a lot of appliances, just sit and knit some swatches. I can't give you any details really, but this next project really has me bumfuddled. Mathematically it can only be done by using two different size needles at the same time. The top of the project will probably be a size 9 needle and the bottom down on a size 2. Can it be done? Actually, I won't know until the yarn arrives and I start the knitting. I love a good challenge, but when your name is on the finished product, you hope and pray that it all works out.



Saturday we went down the mountain and out to the desert to do some shopping. Each winter I've been squeaking by with just one clothes rack, and found a good buy at Target and picked up two. Don't misunderstand, I do have a dryer, but it causes such a strain on our diesel generator, that I prefer to hang the clothes on racks and let the pellet stove dry them. Our foremothers (why do they always say forefathers?) lived like this and were amazing women. I guess part of me has always wanted to try living like that and now I've got my wish.

Again, it's the challenge I think. There's something about having to work for your life - I mean physcially. We miss out on so much living in a modern day society. Everything is done for us and we no longer know how to do some of the basic things that our ancestors did. Like going out to the hen house for your chicken dinner. My husband talks often about his grandmother doing just that. (think I'll pass on that one)

Just trying to heat your home and run lights without being on the grid is challenging in itself. At night we close off several rooms so the pellet stove can reach the ones we do want heated. The only power drains at night for us are the pellet stove and refrigerator. Even the clocks in the house are battery operated.

If you're lucky enough to have some elderly relatives in your life, ask them what it was like for them and their parents. I'm sure it would be very insightful.

One of these days I'll share a bit about my father's parents who came here from Croatia and what life was like for them raising 6 kids.

Well, I better get back to my swatches. Don't forget to leave a comment on the "November Sock Giveaway" for your chance to win a pair of hand cranked socks.

Til next time..................