Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Autumn Dalekanium - A Journey

Today's post started on April 23, at "Dye Day" with Denise Morrison at Fiber N' Ice,

and a skein of natural Williamette Sock Merino, dye, and fun!
Denise had created self-striping skeins, and I couldn't help myself.

I had no idea what I was doing to create the stripes,
I now have some plans for the next self-striping I may dye,
but life is one big experiment after another.
Some workout and some don't.

After a trip in the microwave to set the dye -- it was a hot mess!

The long skein was quite a mess to wind into cakes.
Thankfully my husband is great help!

I was sure I would do my friend's pattern, Dalekanium.
April 26 I cast on.

While camping, I realized I'd dropped a stitch.
About 20 rows back.
All I brought with me was my project bag.
No access to extra DPNS.
I didn't want to reknit BOTH socks.
Found long toothpicks in the RV.
Put the good sock on the toothpicks,
(They are very sharp and puncture the skin!)
Frogged to the dropped stitch, and was back in the
game in short order!

These socks have been EVERYWHERE with me this summer
All of the 10 camping trips we went on.
Dipnetting with my family where we netted 80 salmon and 2 flounders.
I just  couldn't get in the groove of knitting!
And finally, they are done!!!!

They will be sent to my sister-in-law as soon as they are dry!

While looking through my picture roll for this post,
I found these skeins that I forgot I purchased!!

Monday, August 29, 2016

Weekend Rewind

North Fork, Eagle River
This fork makes Eagle River look like a small and gentle river; it isn't!
Saturday was the 24th anniversary of my 29th birthday (I'll wait while you do the math).

Geocache containers to be hidden.
I wanted to hide a couple of geocaches, and find at least one, so after an excellent breakfast of homemade Eggs Benedict (I make the hollandaise sauce from scratch, while my husband makes the rest) we headed out.
Yellow Rock
Mile 3, Eagle River Road
When we moved to Eagle River, Alaska, almost 50 years ago, there were few street signs and no house numbers!  Directions were given with mile markers and landmarks.  We lived "left, one road past the Yellow Rock, second house on the right." I wanted to give honor to some of these landmarks with Geocaches.  Yellow Rock received a geocache as well as another one close to our current house.

Lots of rain since the middle of July has left us with
a profusion of mushrooms.
After a failed attempt at finding a geocache close to the Yellow Rock, we headed to Anchorage for lunch.

Sunday we had record setting temps.  In the middle of July we were having a very hot dry summer, and then it started to rain, and rain, and rain!  Lawn mowing has been between rain showers, often with wet grass.  After six weeks of dreary, cool, rainy days, the warmth felt like an Indian Summer.

Girls Best Friend Anklets
While my husband mowed the lawn, I cleaned the house and then we relaxed on our front porch and I squeezed in some knitting (which is why most of you are here).

Have a great and blessed week!




Friday, August 26, 2016

What HAVE I Been Doing all Summer!?!??!

We have been busy this summer!  I have often thought of this poor neglected blog and wondering what to post, when, and how much.  I figured I'd maybe start now with a very quick check in, and work backwards?
Our little RV and "home" for the weekend!
This past weekend was the 10th time we've taken the RV out this summer!  After finding our first choice,  Porcupine Campground in Hope, Alaska, was full, we drove around to some of our other options.

Seven miles up a narrow gravel road led us to a tiny tent campground that we were told was rarely used.  Sitting inside, seeing the bugs outside swarming the windows of our RV, we understood why this out of the way spot was often vacant. After dinner, we drove to Resurrection Creek Trailhead. I'd read there was free campsites on either side of the trailhead.  From May 15 to July 15 the area is open to dredge gold mining, but the rest of the summer the place was pretty much empty.





It was heaven!  We hiked, found some geocaches, dropped a line in and attempted to fish, and enjoyed the solitude in this lovely empty boondocking campground.

Resurrection Creek, knitting  Autumn Dalekanium
knit from yarn I dyed April 23, 2016

When my husband decided to take a nap, I knitted river side!

The only "issue" was that, the reason you are not allowed to dredge the river for gold after July 15 is due to the salmon.  They begin spawning middle of July through the end of summer.  After spawning, they die. There were several dead Chum (humpback) and Red Salmon.  Our dog LOVED them! She rolled in several of the dead fish she found, and even brought me a smelly fish head, bless her heart! She got a bath as soon as we got home!

So, we are all caught up, right?  

Probably not!

We've been busy, and I've been taking pictures!

I'll be back, I promise!!!