Wind rain and fallen tree

the other day while i went to Stitches West, a storm blew through. it was a doozy and i am happy to say damage was minimal.


sadly i did lose my Buckthorn, which is a dye plant now all i can do is scavenge the bark for a few more batches of brown dye. no more berries, no more leaves.


Here is Cage hiding at the crotch in the trunk.

The cats have been enjoying the new addition to their playground. Thankfully i had moved the bunny before this happened but i now know why the bunnies were in the rain.


Carmen / Gabrielli / Isadora



and here is Frankie

Back from stitches day 1

Today I played brownie fairy again i started a tradition of taking treats to some of the vendors at Stitches west. while handing out these gifts i see what is in the booth and decide if i would like anything this is a good year i see that there is LOTS that i would like to have. Of course i spent way to much already i actually found some things i was looking for. i just wish that one of the items had been priced before i paid sticker shock seriously. Louet combs $78.




bought Hiya Hiya interchangeable,i was not even looking but was offered a 10% i wanted to make it worth it i have learned the value of discounts.
bought some more Wanda hook/points for gifting. I love these things they are the greatest tool ever for fixing messes in knitting. cable needle and crochet hook in one



and Habu had the copperboo pink only but that is OK as i can always dye it. it is a very soft pink i would have rathered brown.



I found a support spindle which is now mine. now to learn how to use it.



and then i got home and found that my bunnies had been out playing in the rain..... will post pictures of them when i get some good ones.

Cage cat

The other morning while i was checking Ravelry, Cage cautiously entered my room - which opens to the back yard. I pretended to not see him as i was curious as to what he was up to. He quietly crept past me and went into the hall way. about a minute later her raced past with something furry in his mouth. He had just stolen another of the house kitties toys.

he is such a funny little cat, he always watches me when i am outside. he is always ready to play with whatever toy is at hand, just do not touch him. I wonder how much longer it will be before Durante is playing as well she wants to but has not figures it out yet. she is not as scared she comes out to be seen now.

Making a Red Bed

I have been working on a project to hopefully sell. If the cats let me that is.
This is based on the design by Wendy D.Johnson her Kitty pi

this is still following the pattern as given, only painting with another yarn for interest.


here is pre-felting the top of the bed where i have added another piece, i have gone through and picked up stitches and the the creation forces have free reign

here is the flip side or bottom. next step fulling the bed.
So far i am very happy with this creation lets see if i am still happy after it is done.

How to Photograph a Mainly White Cat

The first thing to know in photograph is that natural light is your friend.
All pictures were taken with the same camera
this first picture of LuLu while I was trying to get a picture of her modelling the hat I made for her. I would really like a decent picture of her wearing this for my Ravelry project page. she is in Halogen light. as one can see her beautiful fur is reflecting the Halogen giving the impression that she is glowing.

This second picture is with mainly flourescent light touched with Halogen again she glows so I tried to 'fix' the picture. Well you can see her now but the background is gone.

and here PROOF that Natural Light is the best illumination for pictures. Lu is in the shade of a tree at mid day.
She still has a bit of glow but it is not that distracting from the picture.

And just because it is too cute and gives a size comparisson Robber with frankie in the hat Robber is going to be 5 this year Frankie is about 6 mos.

I think she is in heat

I believe that my little Isadora has gone into heat, I have been trying to get her spayed and now since the spay clinic know that she was exposed to FIP they do not want to spay her till she is a year of age.
silent scream here
So i get home from work and of course she is outside, i finally catch her and she is playing with her siblings then i notice the play is very different!
Gianni is starting to mount her and she is belly down hind legs splayed and tail up!!!

So i am having them tell me that the spay will be to stressful. But we will be able to do the boys but not till the middle of next month. In the meantime, the little girl is in the mood. Talk about stress.

Right now she is in my room staring at the door trilling, small bouts of frantic grooming, and glaring at me for interupting the 'PLAY'

I have received Isolde's casket it is very pretty a small teak box with a flowering branch carved into it, the casket has been by my pillow for a couple of days now as i am trying to learn to sleep without my girl. The other cats are slowly moving into her spots. I will wake up with Kinji close and Lusitania beside him, which before now would never have happened. Moira and Robber still sleep in their regular spots between my knees and the wall.
The really odd thing is they are now letting the kittens in the room. they have gone so far as to let Frankie sleep on my bed.

I have seen Frankie's father a very handsome snowshoe was walking around in the backyard. so i now have an idea on how Frank is going to turn out with the difference that Frank is scheduled to be fixed on the 18th of February with Isadora and Gianni.
With me being so upset about Isolde i missed that Gianni was in distress it appears that he is allergic to pine! I had been using pellets for a pellet stove as their litter so that when i was given some feline pine and did not think before using it also could not understand why Gianni went into hiding. He looked like someone threw acid on him. He is better now his hair is growing back and he is used to his feet being soaked.
I am seeing a difference in the tabby kittens now. I no longer have to lift a tail to know who is whom. Isadora has a more abby ticked coat she is also very lean. Carmen is a more stocky little girl. Gianni has chiseled features.