Stitch Over Time

This is a 'stitch' because I'm not much of a "stitcher" compared to my sisters, but I always enjoyed crocheting when I had more time. I started this colorful afghan before I had children and the green one was left when grandma Anne passed away. She'd started it and included several rows at the corner of the square (the one she always told she learned from hearing the directions over the phone). That is certainly not something I could do, but my grandma could do just about anything when it came to crocheting or knitting. My plans were to finish these for my two sons as gifts. One day I decided I had to finish these two blankets that they had been asking about. Feeling sort of bad that I'd let them sit so long, decided to get going again. My poetry is always inspired and I had a moment in this process where I completely forgot what to do with the colorful one and wasn't sure what I'd so with it. I really wanted to finish this and so decided to ask her. This is where STITCH OVER TIME came from. There are two crochet stitches I learned long ago from my grandma Anne that I hoped I'd always know. One she called a "ric rac" all fanciful and bright with shades of many colors of dark, medium and light. The other came out as a square with no specific name she learned it over the phone from a friend who could explain. Throughout many years she'd really found her nitch even the last years of her life she found she still could stitch. More patterns and more yarn she never seemed to have enough continuing to give to others though at times it could be tough. A 'ric rac' that I started that I started just after she passed away still sits unfinished to this very day. Today I started in again experiencing trials and errors forgetting a specific stitch decided to ask her. Just a minute later as clear as I could see looking back on that row I knew she's answered me. This 'ric rac' should be done many a time it would have been to be given as a gift to my son who's turning ten. The other crocheted treasure meant for someone she had in mind has many shades of green like beautiful evergreen pines. It too shall be complete as soon as can be to be given to my other son instead of to me. This will tell the story of a lady oh so fine.... and the meaning of this poem of mine called STITCH OVER TIME.

Dad's Pack

Dad's Pack This past New Years Day the boys and I were saying our goodbyes at grandpa and grandmas before heading back home. My nephew was there as well. As we got our last load in the car and were ready to leave, my dad walked downstairs saying he has something and to wait. When he returned I saw this old yellow pack in his hands. He gave this pack to me and I was overjoyed to receive it since I knew he'd used it for nordic skiing. In fact, it was the pack that carried the 12 lb. load in the Norwegian Birkebeiner Ski Race in Norway. The weight is still required to be carried by those skiing in this challenging race. It represents the 12 lb. baby and future King Haakon being carried by two men of the Birkebeineret to safety during a dangerous and turbulent time in Norway. Dad always said of all the nordic ski races he completed, this was the most difficult. It symbolizes much more for me personally and those are expressed in the poem DAD'S PACK On this New Years Day I received a special pack A treasure from my dad used in travels back. It held a certain purpose in a worldwide race It carried extra weight with a sure and steady pace. By a strong and loyal man who always had a dream That never lost his will nor his courage or his steam. It will serve as a reminder in times that I need strength That any challenge can be met no matter what the length. In future trails I blaze I'll wear by dad's old pack That will carry all my dreams and I will never look back. The places that it's been and the future load it holds Will bring a special joy of stories to be told. There will come a day when I will need a hand To help me carry my load or to simply take a stand. This is when I'll know that courage should not lack A burden can be placed inside my dad's pack. Then it can be carried with the same goal in mind To strive to the finish and never look behind.

Photo of the Bisti Wilderness

Bisti Badlands-De-Na-Zin

I am on my way to the Farmington BLM (Bureau of Land Management) after a 5 year stint at Canyon de Chelly National Monument. About a month ago, I couldn't picture myself leaving that Park but I have to go because of funding. I am going to an area that is heavily into oil and gas exploration and some really cool recreation activities. One of the main areas on the Farmington unit, is the Bisti Wilderness or Bisti Badlands as some locals call it. It's really cool if your a rock hound. Some say that this is the area where they faked the moon landing in 1969. I think it's a real cool place and I will be checking the area out for hiking and biking trails. This is also a paleontologist meca and I think there is some cool dinosaur bones that have been discovered in the area. If I am not mistaken, this area was once underwater and when the glaciers retreated, it left these spectacular hoodoos and rock formations. It should be fun to see some new areas at my new duty station of Northern New Mexico. Tess

Navajo Hogan

This hogan was located in our cutting unit way up Black Rock Canyon in Canyon de Chelly National Monument. The hogans were used by Navajo's and are found all over the reservation. The door will always be on the east side of the building. Some hogans are still in use today and they are even bigger than they were originally built. Typically if you see an abandoned hogan, there was a death and they left the body in there as a tomb. It is known to never enter a hogan after it's abandoned. In this hogan, a small baby had died and so the parents had abandon it. The land owner told me that they spent there childhood up in the area of this hogan and nobody ever bothered it, except for these two donkeys. Tess

More Felicity Hats

I made a few more Felicity hats for Christmas Gifts and I have discovered that whatever skein you knit with, it turns out different. The yarn is Lion Brand "Amazing" If you need a warm and cozy hat for winter, just let me know. http://www.lionbrand.com/yarns/amazing.html

Tess

Felicity hats

I found this hat design and then I found the perfect yarn. It's called Lion Brand Amazing. The colors are really pretty when you knit. I used a size 4 for the head and then I knit about 4" or so and then I changed to size 6 needles to finish it off.

http://store.knitting-warehouse.com/yarn-lion-amazing.html

http://knitology.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/felicityv2.pdf

The Everyday Cowl

I decided to knit a sweater for Anner. The cowl neck was very popular in the 80's and the style and design are back. All the gals in my class wore "Cowl Necks' , along with their perfectly primped layered hair. They were going for the Farrah Fawcett look. Of course, I was wearing button up plaid shirts with corduroy pants. Go figure.