Big Bag Swap

Penny's Bag II
Originally uploaded by PhoebeJ

I participated in a Ravelry swap. For those not familiar with a swap, it works like this. You sign up to knit a specific project to someone who is assigned to you whom you don't know. Someone else in the group is assigned to make you the same item. Often "goodies" are part of the swap--knitting things, chocolate, tea, etc. If the swap works, you send out a package and around the same time, you receive one. Fun!

So here is what I received. A lovely felted bag in the assigned pattern, some luscious sock yarn, cookies, candy, tea, a teleidoscope, a mug with a sheep, hand creme, Eucalan soap (for knitwear), a scratch pad in the shape of the letter "P" and some trail mix. I have to put off eating the goodies (except the tea) until I've finished my treatment for diverticulitis. One more day to go!

Penny, the lovely knitter who sent me these things, is from Winnipeg. I sent a similar package to Jen in California.

Here's the bag I made. I didn't photograph the goodies, but they included a soft sculpture elephant for Jen's 2-year-old son, chocolate jack-o'-lanterns, a tape measure, Soak soap, some tea, a wooden bookmark, a knitting project bag, a toy mouse for Jen's cat (gotta include the whole family!) and a toy sheep (ever knitter needs one!)



This was fun!

Rhinebeck

Gorgeous
Originally uploaded by PhoebeJ

This past weekend was the third in October which means it was time for the Sheep and Wool Family Festival in Rhinebeck, NY. As usual, the weather was gorgeous, and so were the sheep. Here's one particularly beautiful specimen. I didn't get any photos of the alpacas, llamas or goats or of the fall colors, for that matter. But they were there in great numbers and looking good.

There were lots of Ravelry buttons. I couldn't make the events since Saturday is a workday for me and the big party was Saturday night. But it was good to see a lot of Ravelers in attendance. My favorite political button of the day read, "A llama for Obama". I would wear one of those if I could find one.



The sheep apparently have to primp as much as some of the people. As Frieda from "Peanuts" would say, "People just expect more of you when you have naturally curly hair."

Cat Butts

Ifs, And, Butts
Originally uploaded by PhoebeJ

Mommy put some black oil sunflower seed on the windowsill, and a little house finch came to take advantage of the offering. Soon all the girls were at the window watching the bird.

That's Tortellini on the left, Nora on the right and the huge derriere of Abigail in the middle. She is one fat cat. Considering how skinny she was in May when I adopted her, this is not good. But she eats up everything the other two leave behind. She doesn't seem to understand that she doesn't have a tapeworm anymore. And there is no cat on Earth who is less inclined to move. Anyone know of a kitty gym?