Sam's Elk Hunt Was A Success!

Last time I posted Sam and his brother were preparing to head out to Colorado for an elk hunt.  They left a week ago Tuesday (this is Wednesday as I write) and Sam arrived back home this morning at 2 am.  They drive out and most of the way they are on I-70 until they reach western Colorado where I believe they go north and eventually drive up onto "the mountain" to where they camp and hunt on public land.  They meet up with  some other guys from our area.  Both Sam and his brother were successful in shooting a cow elk on Saturday, opening day of season, and one of the other guys got a bull elk.  They all broke camp and headed off the mountain early Monday morning and they usually drive into Kansas and get a hotel room for a shower and good night's sleep before driving the rest of the way home.  Today they are cutting and wrapping 250 or more pounds of meat.  I am looking forward to having some elk roast and steak.

So I have been covering the office while Sam is away.  Normally, Sam is in the office 3 days a week and I am in 2 days and we do appointments on weekends.  Before the gas and oil boom in our area, our Real Estate business was very busy, but things have really changed since all that came along.  Also, at one time we had over 50 alpacas on our farm and now we have only 3.  So we used to share 2 full time jobs and now it is more like sharing one.   So having Sam away for a week is not nearly as exhausting to me as it used to be.  But I sure am glad he is home!

 Before Sam left, he set up the frame over the lettuce, arugula and kale I planted in September so that I could cover it in case of frost.  We did in fact have some light frost the last couple of mornings, so Sunday afternoon I pulled the plastic sheeting over the frame.  I have also gathered our squash and pumpkins together to let them harden and sweeten in the fall sun.  I made a couple of pumpkin rolls to send out west with the guys.  Well, okay, I sent one and a half.  I wasn't going to do all that work and not even get a piece!

I just realized I completely forgot to take any photos of our new hens.  I picked up 10 new hens a week ago Saturday.  One of the reasons I have no photos is because they basically hid in the chicken coop for the first week they were here.  On Monday I noticed when I opened the coop door into the chicken yard in the morning that most of the new chickens were finally coming outside.  I also noticed that at night some of them were roosting up off the floor like chickens are supposed to do.  Until then, they had all been sleeping in a pile in the corner.  And last night 6 of the 10 were up on the roosts.  So today will be the first day they are allowed access to the world beyond their little enclosure.  Sam will let them out around noon as usual and I will be home at dusk to see if they all make it back.  They may never even leave the yard.  I always expect to lose a chicken or 2 at first.  It is just the way it is.  I'll have photos next time.

 Mom came to spend the weekend with me while Sam was away.  We had fabulous weather on Saturday for an outing and we drove the scenic route to Marietta visiting 3 of 4 covered bridges that are along the way, one of which is still in use for vehicle traffic.  We spent some time in shops in Marietta, had lunch and then walked along the Ohio riverfront for a while.  It was really nice.  There are some lovely condos right on the river that must have spectacular views.

 
On Sunday rain was forecast, though it did not arrive until we were eating dinner that evening.  We had indoor activities planned, one of which was making butternut squash ravioli from scratch.  With brown butter sage sauce, which is amazing in case you have never tried it.  And we had salad with lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and garlic (in the dressing) from the garden.  Of course the squash and sage came from the garden as well.

It was a really nice visit with Mom.

Grover and I are off to an agility trial in Zanesville this weekend.  It is a 3 day trial, starting bright and early Friday morning.  This will be our first full trial since mid-August and I am really looking forward to it.  After this one, we have another one in early November, then one on Thanksgiving weekend.  December entries are not confirmed yet.

I finished knitting a pair of socks last week that I started way back in December.  Sock knitting is not my favorite knitting, but socks make nice small travel projects.  It was just time to finish this pair because it is sock-wearing season again.  

I also wove a couple of alpaca rugs while I was spending extra time at the office, though I still need to finish the hems on them.  Here is a photo of some of my rugs  and a Christmas table runner and throw pillow on sale at the Monroe Arts Center

I have actually sold several rugs through the Arts Center over the last couple of years as well as some handwoven towels.  I just took a in couple of the throw pillows which were pictured in my last post.  These items are all offered for sale on consignment.


I think this week will probably be the end of the fall colors for us.  We had some strong winds a week or so ago which took a lot of the leaves off the trees already, but there is still some color out there.  We are supposed to have lovely weather again this weekend.  I hope Sam will get Rowdy outside and maybe up to the pond while the weather is nice since I will be away and unable to take him.

 
 I did take the dogs up last week and it was almost raining leaves on the the pond.  We just hung out and I knitted and the dogs did what dogs do for a couple of hours.  I think we all enjoyed it.

 

Really Big News!

A trip to the pond on a warm fall day still makes this dog smile

I have probably the biggest news I could possibly have, so I think I will start with that.  Right before Labor Day weekend, older son, Ian, who lives in Oregon, called with news that he and his wife Michelle are expecting a baby!  I was literally speechless.  They have been together for about 8 years now, I think, and got married just a year ago in June.  They had told us that children just wouldn't fit into their lifestyle, and we accepted that as their decision.  It seems they changed their minds on that and did not tell anyone.  Michelle is a few years older than Ian, so they kept it to themselves in case it never happened.  I have to say, it was so hard to keep this news to myself until I was given the go ahead to tell people, which happened after last week's doctor appointment and ultrasound.  We expect baby in late April 2018.  I am delighted on so many levels!!!  So much knitting and weaving potential here.....

We have been experiencing fall in Ohio at its best.  Bright sunny days with blue skies and warm temperatures dropping into the 40's and even 30's at night, requiring a blanket on the bed.  And yet the hours of daylight are diminishing, so I find myself sleeping a few minutes later in the morning and preparing dinner a little earlier in the evening.  

The leaves are falling and an old dog can warm his bones in the sunshine.  Bow season for deer has opened, so Sam has been spending the last few hours of  daylight in a treestand.  I have spent some time sitting on the deck (still shaded) doing some spinning.  I love spinning outside in the fall.  It is just too hot to do so in the summer.   I have also been working on garden clean-up, gathering the squash and pumpkins and pulling the vines and weeds.  Which reminds me, I need to plant garlic soon.



Grover and I attended one day of an agility trial in Columbus this past weekend.  We had 4 runs and only Q'd in one of them.  It was a class we have never run in before, Premier Jumpers.  Our other runs were good, but it only takes one little error to NQ....but a fun day regardless.  That was Friday and on Sunday we went to a Seminar on course analysis at Incredipaws, a wonderful agility training facility just east of Columbus, with several of our POTC club-mates.  It was great fun and very informative and I hope we can arrange something like that again.   

Monday Grover and I went for a hike at one of our favorite local spots, Lamping Homestead.  We had the entire place to ourselves, though normally there are very few people there.  It is kind of off the beaten path.  I love it.  

Rowdy is no longer able to do many of the things he loved doing.  Between his arthritis and his illness, he is not the dog he once was.  Even short walks are really hard on him and he hardly leaves the yard anymore.  He does still get very excited to see Sam and me when we come home and he still "talks" to us when he wants something, usually treats.  



Yesterday I  loaded him and Grover into the buggy and took them up to the pond for an hour or so.  We wandered around the pond and went for a walk in the hayfield and Grover went for a swim.  I took lots of photos, and got a couple I really like of Rowdy.  He used to be so much fun to photograph, he seemed to know when I got the camera out what I wanted him to do.  It's harder now to get that great shot, but he's still one of my favorite subjects.

 Sam is heading out next week with his brother for an elk hunt in Colorado.  It has been several years since they went and even longer since Sam brought home an elk.  Since I am using venison in large quantities lately for dog food, an elk for the freezer will be very welcome.  And of course it is delicious, so I'd really, really like Sam to bring one home.  Mom will be coming  out for  a few days to keep me company while Sam is away.  I hope the good weather continues.

As for fiber-y content this week, I have warped my small loom for some Christmas towels, which I have neglected to photograph.  I am in the process of warping my rug loom for a couple of rugs and I have completed the finishing on the overshot pillows and photographed them.  They came out really nice.  They are for sale, though I have a friend who may want the lighter colored ones.  These are 16" square (approximately).


I also knit a hat for Sam for his birthday.  He is a home-brewer, so I planned out a beer-themed hat.  I am happy with it except that the lettering color is too close in value to the hat color and therefore hard to read.  It says "Just Brew It".  I should have made the background white....

And I made a hat for one of my agility friends who also does herding with one of her border collies.  Look carefully and you can see that there are two border collies in among the sheep, sitting with their backs to us.  I made them with markings just like Missy's dogs.  I gave her the hat last  night at agility class and I think it went over pretty well.  I love it when I can make something for someone that I can tell they really like.  I told her she can take the pom pom off if she wants.  I know now everyone is a pom pom person and that one came out bigger than I expected!