Christmas comes early!

I won some sock yarn in a contest on Elizzabetty's blog and look what she sent me!

Lots of goodies too! Some yummy brownies, a cheesecake mix I can't wait to try, hand made soap that looks like it will be my new favorite and some knitters hand cream! Oh and did I mention YARN lovely, soft, pretty, YARN. My mom is just crazy enough to think I might let her have it, silly lady!

Thanks, Elizzabetty!

Wow, I've been busy!

Lets see, what have I been up to since my last post?
In a nut shell, a long car trip, seeing the Yarn Harlot, visiting Webs, seeing my family, a family emergency, a surprise trip to Boston and a visit with a good friend, working on the farm in the dirt and baking lots of cookies. whew, it's been crazy!

Out of the nut shell,
Li'l M and I had a fine trip up from Arkansas, relatively uneventful. Gas prices are no fun but we got to stop and see Stephanie and visit Webs so that made up for it. Stephanie was awesome! We laughed a lot! At Webs we both went a little crazy over the yarn, I got a bunch of sock yarn and some lace weight to make a shawl for me, finally. M got some yarn to make her first hat and some sock yarn. she wants to learn how to make socks next! Check out M with her first yarn! She walked into the spinning section at Webs and said (pointing to a wheel) "what's this?" the next thing I know an enabler of the finest sort has got a hold of her and is teaching her to spin! It was great! I even got my first drop spindle lesson from the lovely Marcy. Sometime during the evening I fell completely under the spell of bamboo, I loved every yarn that had bamboo in it and I almost couldn't resist the pull of the bamboo top in the spinning fiber section, so soft, so shiny, so, so irresistible! I must get a spindle and learn to spin so I can make my very own delicious bamboo yarn!

The day after returning home my younger brother had an accident and had to be flown to Boston to the hospital there. I, of course, rushed down there to be with him and bring him home when he was released. It was lucky that I was home because there is no one else in the family in a position to drop everything and go to Boston. He was released after only two days instead of the three or four we had first thought. He should be all better in a few weeks, thank goodness! The up side is that I had a chance to visit my good friend who lives in Boston and meet her new baby! What a sweetie!

After all the excitement I finally got to settle in on the farm. The weather has been very good so far this year so the fields and gardens are looking good. It is a joy to be doing simple, meaningful labor in such a beautiful place. In addition to helping in the fields I will be doing most of the baking over the summer, which I enjoy.

I am expecting my new camera to come in the mail any day and I hope to post pictures and blog about farm life while I"m here!

Road Trip!

All week I have been tying up loose ends and packing my car, getting ready for my move. How is it possible that even though I haven't bought anything to speak of, It still takes twice as much space in my car?? One of life's great mysteries!

I had been planing to drive by myself to Vermont, but it turns out that Gummibaer's Little Sister, M, wants to come to the farm for a few weeks! Yay! So now I have company on the drive. It will take two days and cover about 1400 miles. We plan to camp in Pennsylvania overnight.

The most exciting part? We get to see the Yarn Harlot!!!!
Ms Stephanie will be at Webs in Northampton Massachusetts just as we are going through! Perfect timing.
Lil'M is a brand new knitter working on her first scarf, so I can't wait for her to see Stephanie and get to shop in a real yarn store! So far she has only been working with cheap acrylic. Not my choice but, all she could get in her town. I think some nice, soft, forgiving wool will be just the ticket for her first hat!

I think I will finally be able to get a camera when I get to Vermont and I hope to take lots of pictures of farm life for you guys over the summer!

I've been Tagged!

(Doing a happy dance) To my surprise, there is evidence that someone reads my blog! Thanks Criquette!

Here are the tag rules:
Each person tagged gives 7 random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write on their blog the 7 facts as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you are tagging a note in their comments so they know they have been tagged and to read your blog. Have fun!

Seven Random Facts:

1) I have a twin brother, my partner in crime while growing up! I highly recommend a twin brother as a best friend. Get one! ;)

2) I was the most horse crazy girl on the face of the planet growing up, now I just want an alpaca. and sheep, and a dog and....oh yeah, I might need some land first!

3) I studied Arabic for a short while. I learned the alphabet and have probably forgotten most of it. It was fun!

4) I know how to make Butter, Ice cream, Bread, and just about anything "Old Fashioned" you can think of, but I can't figure out how to work a microwave!

5) I was home schooled my whole life until I went to culinary school.

6) I fell in love with Mein Gummibaer on the phone, we were together for four months before we met and a year and a half long distance before I moved.

7) I cut my hair all off (to 1/2") when I was sixteen and now it is so long it reaches my waist.

I am tagging:
Meg and the Fiddlin' Fool
Caroline
Queue
Rebekkah
Jo
Theresa
Dorothee

Very cool people that I'd like to know more about!

Summer plans

You may have noticed a new button in my side bar, Summer of Socks. I saw this KAL on Wendy's blog. It looks just perfect for me! I am excited to share the world of socks with new friends. I even think I may be very brave and write my first pattern! I have tons of socks planed, pomatomus, jaywalkers, lace stockings and more. As for the rest of my summer, it looks busy. I am finally leaving Arkansas and moving back home for the summer. Mein Gummiebaer is off to Germany. He leaves on the first of June and I will be leaving for Vermont a few days before that. Gummiebaer has finished his course work and upon completion of his internship in Germany will complete his degree,Yay! I will be home for the summer helping plan for my sister's wedding and helping my Mom on the farm. The summer promises lots of hard work and sunshine. I will, of course miss Gummiebaer, but I plan to join him in Germany after the wedding. So, in the mean time, work, packing and sock yarn hording!

You knit????

Ever tried to explain why you knit? Had to justify your hobby to your family? You are not alone. We have all been through similar experiences. Knitting is under valued in today's world, but not in the land of knitting!
Check out Stephanie's interview with channel 9 news in Denver and get ready to say "Amen!" and "See, I tolled you!" There are 50 million of us, represent!

Cold? Missing the sun?

In the late winter I always find myself longing for something new, some place sunny, anything exciting to interrupt the endless gray days of winter. How about you?
First I'd like to share a link to a blog that I love to read. This blog almost makes you wish for more cold and snow because of the beauty of the place.
Dances with Wool

After you get a taste of true winter, Listen to this! Episode eight from Purl Diving a podcast I enjoy. This little story is like a quick trip to a warm sunny place so vividly depicted that you almost feel like you went yourself!

Enjoy!