My Little Tribe

Changing the scope of this blog

I'm going to overhaul this blog and change a lot of things..
mostly the scope of what I blog about here, but also the look and feel. I've let my typepad blog sit completely idle (while still paying for it!) for far too long, as I more "seriously" blogged about the things I'm passionate about over at MLT. Unfortunately letting all the webby capital I had going here (rankings and so on) go down the toilet.

Time to resurrect this puppy and put it to use!

MOVING

I'm moved in, but still tweaking. Please update your feeds and bookmarks to http://www.mylittletribe.com

Announcement: Preparing for a move

No, not our family,.. my blog.
I finally was able to install WordPress on my hosted domain (I was up until 4AM, but hey.. its working) I have tons of work left to do though, and I'm not particularly happy with typepad at the moment.  Importing all of my posts over the last few years was an easy task (after I played with some scripting, and got the import to work.. that only took 2 hours to figure out.) But there is no method by which to import the massive amount of images I have stored in my typepad file folders (not just photo albums, but images used in posts over.the.last.two.years)
Typepad tells you to "back up" your images by right clicking each image individually, and saving to file since they do not allow ftp access. Can you say time sucking tedium? Really, I've been at it for a few hours now and I'm not even halfway through.
Currently they do show up on the new blog, but they are all linked to the typepad file system. Each file must be moved. Each link must be edited to the new path. More time sucking tedium.

Anyway, I will be closing my typepad account probably sometime in October, but will start blogging immediately at My Little Tribe via my existing hosted domain, so please update your bookmarks and feed links. If you've been visiting me via the redirect from mylittletribe.com nothing will change except that you will no longer be redirected to my typepad blog.
Pardon the dust over there since I only installed a temporary theme. Once I get my images and file structures worked out over the next few days, I can get busy with customizing the look and feel, which was my major gripe with typepad to begin with (little customization and coding allowed unless you upgraded to the pro version) My cost for my domain hosting is half the price of typepad but with email, a whole lot more space, and freedom to be more creative. All these months I've been paying for both, time to get rid of the more expensive choice with less features and freedoms!
So with that said. If anyone who currently blogs on typepad, has ever entertained the idea of moving, start backing up your images now.. Typepad doesn't make it easy for you to move.

True ramblings

I wanted to be sure I got a post in today since I sit here waiting for Time Warner to come and switch us from DSL to cable (and cable telephone and tv.. yay!) I busted my butt this summer. I made a deal with myself.. pay off huuuge credit card debt, reward self with cable tv, and not a moment before that bill was paid off. Bill paid off.. cable guy arrives somewhere between noon and five.
But last time Time Warner hooked us up in Homer, we had connectivity issues for a few days. So, post today, just in case I'm not around for a few days.
Now on to the rambling..

• Flower Basket shawl, DONE. I tried to block last night but I ran out of pins (and again, my pin cushion is MIA) Going to iron the heck out of it today, OR locate pin cushion. Cassidy has asked for it for her birthday (she'll turn 8 this coming Saturday), which touches me in that mama sort of soft spot. I had planned to gift it to my mom for Christmas, but I can always make another one for mom. How can I not give it to her now?
• Wing Of The Moth Shawl, started (several repeats into the fir cone section)
• Lots of yogurt has been consumed. Seriously. I made a batch a day for a few days. Obviously, my little tribe loves them some mama made yogurt!
• I canned. For.the.first.time.ever. Cassidy and I stopped by a farm stand over the weekend for some green tomato (I had a craving) and lots of blueberries.  I was lucky enough to get a ton of canning jars, and a canning pot on my local freecycle list last week (I kid you not, I have more quart sized mason jars than I will ever use.. though some are pegged to go to Mia)  So Cassidy and I made blueberry jam! The fruits of our labor, yielded 6 jars of jam.. in other words, enough for my kids to use in their home-made yogurt for a few weeks. Next up.. apple butter. Possibly some fruit salsas.
• Secret Pal 8, for me, is complete. My pal's package was sent out on Saturday and she received it yesterday. Since shes blogged it, I can lift my veil of secrecy. The hand spun corrie from last week, was for her (Emily@ SayWhat?)  I'm delighted with this round of Secret Pal. I had a great spoiler and a fabulous spoilee, not to mention Heatherly, our great "organizer" who kept us on the ball with friendly emails and advice.
• Jill update.. Every time I talked to she, mom or Tracy I'd get news that they found a new fracture. All in all, both hips fractured, both shoulders fractured (one in two spots), forearm, thigh, ribs and lower lumbar (L1). They were to transfer her to a local rehab facility, however I got a call from Jill last week letting me know they sent her home (!!) It was going to take another week at least for them to straighten out the insurance mess (long story, but it involves very limited coverage). So home she was sent. For now she is staying at Tracy's, and the kids are staying with my mom. What makes this very difficult is that she still does require lots of care, but everyone has to work. They have worked out a bit of a system but there are a few mornings a week where Jill has to be left alone (my grandmother cares for her kids), but her being alone for any amount of time, scares me.  They say, they expect Jill to be walking by Christmas, but she may always require a cane or crutch. Of course in my mind, I think she would have a much better prognosis if she were getting that rehab care.  Let me elaborate: The car insurance coverage for the accident is very limited. Her family insurance, through Virgil's employer was cancelled at midnight the night he died (with no warning to Jill, only a COBRA notice a month later with a hefty price tag she wasn't able to afford) So after the accident she was forced to apply for medical assistance. Unfortunately they will not pay for rehab. She was to return to work the day after the accident happened, and she would have been able to get her employer's health plan for she and the kids. Since she will not be returning to work in the foreseeable future, if ever.. that plan is shot.

In a nutshell, our country's health care system, including insurance companies, are fucked up. Call it socialism if you want, but everyone deserves quality care.

Pictures later, tomorrow, or whenever I'm able to get online again.

YoYoYo Baby!

I.made.yogurt (directions from Liz at PocketFarm.com) And it was such a smashing success that I will likely try to make cheese next.
Although I personally would like my yogurt to come out a bit thicker and creamier, the kids give it a thumbs up (mixed with a bit of strawberry jam or a sprinkle of sugar and some pure vanilla extract) I'll have to play with ingredients a bit and see if I can get something a tad thicker.
Here I was thinking that a full batch would be too much for us (or rather, fearful that it wouldn't turn out and no one would eat it) But here is jar 2 of 2, already dipped into.. it won't last past lunchtime.
Last night, while I waited out the period of time that the yogurt needed to sit and fester, I picked up my knitting basket. Originally I planned on casting on the Wing Of The Moth shawl. I had my pattern, my needles, and my chosen yarn all ready to go. But I kept messing up the first few rows. Seriously, how do you not once, not twice, but 5 times consecutively end up with either one less or one too many stitches by the 5th row?  I figured it was a sign, and picked up my Flower Basket shawl instead. On the 10th repeat, and damn is it taking forever to finish a repeat now. I noticed how my ball of yarn is shrinking at this point. So I may only get 12 repeats done before I need to start the edging, and thats not a bad thing. It means I'm nearly done!

Can you smell it?

Yesterday, Richard walked in the door moments after I pulled my bread from the oven. I can't remember exactly what he said, but essentially it was something like "wow that smells awesome" And it did. I rate that aroma right up there with the smell of newborn babies and lanolin rich wool. I used King Arthur white whole wheat and unbleached all purpose flours (the only flour I'll bake with!) and also some local goldenrod honey that I picked up at the shearing festival a while back. Again, the recipe was from Two Sheep, and has already passed the taste test!
Last night once the kids were off to bed, I set about plying my finished bobbins. I still have a few "fat spots" but far fewer than previous attempts. And I continue to have issues getting the yarn onto my bobbin (you can tell, can't you?) In some places it goes on loosely for some reason, others not so much. Weird. Part of the problem, I'm sure, is that I get into the rhythm and forget to sit up and switch to the next hook. If only WooleeWinder would make a model for a Baynes wheel, I'd be golden! I only have a bit more to ply then its time to wind, wash and hang to dry. For what its worth, this is plying up somewhere between lace and fingering (I was shooting for lace weight)

Edited to add.. Its done! (Approximately 320 yards)

Sick of my spinning content yet?

I haven't touched my knitting needles in days. It has to be some sort of record. However I am completely in the spinning zone.
This is the "Gryffindor" corriedale that I dyed back in May. After finishing the Tamarack and Spruce, and the green (pictures maybe tomorrow.. I forgot today) I have 8oz total that I originally dyed, so I split it into four sections and am spinning 2oz at a time (I'm on my second batch of 2oz), then I'll ply two bobbins worth together. Since I'm only 2 strips of wool away from finishing the second 2oz bobbin (the first is there on my wheel's attached lazy kate) I should be able to ply tonight.
It is certainly no longer anything like Gryffindor house colors, and more like sherbet. Like I said.. gotta love the way fiber changes color as its spun.

Off the wheel

My Tamarack & Spruce from Susan's Spinning Bunny is complete. I finished up the final ounce last evening, and had it plied by midnight. I'm a little disappointed in my spinning skills, but it was my first time spinning anything with alpaca or silk in it. I think I'll go back to targhee or corrie to practice lace weight. My singles seem OK with the exception of the occasional "bump" (usually where I start another piece of wool) but I'd consider those minor compared to my first few attempts spinning. So I'm confident my problems are in the plying. Mental note: approach plying differently than from both ends of a center wound ball.
I'm always mesmerized by the way hand dyed roving changes color as you spin. In this particular color-way, the blues turned silvery, almost matte gunmetal gray with a bit of sheen from the silk. The burnt oranges turned almost to a cantaloupe. All in all it was this beautiful mixture of pastel and earthy. How can you not love that?
Also worth bringing up.. Diana mentioned the green corriedale I was spinning at Knitstock. Its been plied, washed and is now hanging outside to dry. Once its done, I'll braid it up and show the world. I do think its my best spinning thus far.

Something else I can't stop thinking about.. Homemade bread. Its August. I never start thinking about home baked bread until the leaves start changing. But here I was a few days ago, surfing around, and came across a lovely knitting blog, with homemade bread, Two Sheep. I may just have to subject the family to the heat of the oven and give into this craving.

Saturday Sky (and spin!)

I've been meaning to join the Saturday Sky blogring for a very long time. Many a Saturday has gone by where I've gazed up and meant to go to the computer and join.. but I'm bad like that. Call it short term memory loss if you will.
But here is my Saturday Sky, taken from my front steps looking straight up. Cloudy, overcast, damp humid, blech. The kind of day that makes your hair go boing!
Speaking of hair, I got mine cut this morning. Its a drastic change. DRASTIC. My hair has been one length, typically to my shoulders, for a very long time. I was sick of it. I  will not post pictures today however, maybe tomorrow. As I said, its a boing sort of day as far as hair goes.
This is a horrid picture, but the natural lighting today sucks. Its the Tamarack & Spruce merino/alpaca/silk from yesterday. Once I got my wheel working right, I couldn't stop. I'm nearly done, with maybe another ounce or a hair less left to spin up (today) I'm hoping to ply and end up with a lace weight. This is some seriously slippery stuff, but I'm so enjoying the process. Its like buttah.

Spinning problems

While at Knitstock (pictures here and here) I loaded up an empty bobbin and started my alpaca/merino/silk blend "Tamarack and Spruce" roving from Susan's Spinning Bunny, but look whats happening.
I can't figure it out. I don't realize its happening until I move to the next hook (I can't see my bobbin as I spin)
Here is my tension set up. I had it looped the opposite way at first, but I was having SERIOUS problems with it taking up fiber, especially as I plied, so I reversed it. Oh, and my wheel is making all sorts of nasty sounds as I spin. I've oiled it.. but the sound never goes away. At first only one bobbin made the annoying sound. Now all of them do. Frustraing!
Calling all spinners.. any ideas?

Update at 1:30PM.. I talked with Susan via email and I think we found the fix. I ended up removing 2 inches from my drive band (I use Susan's poly drive bands.. easy and quick modification) And the noise, I think, was being caused by a slightly loose screw. I'm not sure how my band could have stretched THAT much though. So even though I seem to have a fix, I'm still a little stumped as to how it happened.
Anyway.. THAT is customer service. A reply to my email almost immediately, with an offer to replace the little bit of merino/alpaca/silk roving that was junked because of the drive band (and so unnecessary!) Susan..if you read this.. THANK YOU!

And spinners..(NAYY, except for my wonderful experiences thus far) this alpaca/merino/silk is lucious. Much easier to spin than I anticipated, and Susan's colorways are lovely (I'm partial to the Roses For You colorway, and dying to try Clematis, one of her newbies)  Check her out!