Tornados and TaTa's

I know, that seems like an odd combination, doesn't it? You'll see the link, I promise.

I go through cycles of watching the news and I try not to. I always try to guilt myself into watching the news because I like to have an inkling of current events, but I find the news just so irritating that I tend to go days, sometimes weeks at a time without watching, or reading it at all.

Why do I find it irritating, you may ask? I think it's mainly due to what people feel is news, compared to what I feel is news. Take tonight, once again I got to hear about Angeline Jolie's mastectomy and reconstruction because she and the hubby went out to some event last night. This is news? Even more irritating is the fuss surrounding her decision to have a mastectomy in an effort to fend off a high likely hood of developing breast cancer. Why anyone thinks that their opinion regarding someone they will never actually meets breasts matters a damn I will never know.

I could argue either way here pointing out the benefits of either decision she could have made, but why? One, it's done been did. Two, Angie doesn't give a damn what I think about her breasts or lack there of, as she shouldn't. They're hers. Not mine. Period. She had the money to pay for it, she had the information regarding it and she made a decision that was right for her. My opinion on it doesn't matter and neither does anyone else's so I would appreciate not hearing about them again. I know, tomorrow at Safeway I'll see a headline about them so this is pointless, which brings me on to tornados.

Yes, tornados. Friday it seems three tornado chasers were killed in Oklahoma by a storm that caught many people in its grasp. On the news, yes, we're still discussing the news show tonight, they made a fuss about whether storm chasers risks were acceptable. Once again, I could argue either way to come up with some meritable conversation but in the long run, my thoughts don't matter. I don't chase them, nor am I going to. I personally am scared shitless of tornados and would be happy to never see another. Give me a good earthquake over a tornado any day. One I'm trying to get at is why is this discussion news worthy? It should have been simply that these three men died while fulfilling their job. That's it.

The decision to chase storms belongs to those who make a living doing so. Not me, not Brian Williams or any other new caster on John Q. Public. Their employers or contractors see the benefit to do so whether it's scientific, news related, or simply good money and cool pictures. I don't really care if they do so or not. I think on the science side of things, the more data they collect the better for all of us. Let's discuss that data in the news. As for those that make a living as tornado tourism guides or what not, well I'm trying to keep this post a little more polite than the language required for me to describe my true feelings towards that stupidity. But truly, as long as their actions are not harming others and they're aware of the risks as they make their discussions... I hope they stay safe.

What I guess I'm getting at is, when did the news become a place to air our opinions instead of reporting the facts? I know that in the end, our own opinions always color our words so newcasts always our skewed a bit, but it seems like there is no longer any effort to not do so, and the ridiculous crap they consider news. Then when we have truly newsworthy events it's covered to the point where you're just sick of it. Case in point? The Boston bomber apprehension. Why did I need to see the sequestering of the neighborhood they thought they had him in from three different ground crews, at least on helicopter and digital maps? Yeah, I'm sure that all helped with crowd control. Maybe I just need to go with reading my news daily. Don't worry, I'm sure I'll find something to gripe about with that too.

Saturday's Drive

After popping in to a family event, we decided to "decompress" by taking the dogs for a ride. We headed to the north west to the southern bighorns out near the red wall.

It was a pretty day and still a little cool with the breeze up on at elevation.

The bright red of the chugwater formation is always pretty when up against the green of the spring fields.

I was tired and napped for several sections of the drive but it was bumpy enough that I was kept somewhat awake. I crashed when we got home since I was sapped from the weeks fun.

It was surprisingly wet in a few sections still though there is not near enough snow pack still left for 8000+ feet of elevation and the very beginning of summer.

I was too busy taking pictures of these beautiful lime stone formations with their vibrant lichens to notice the dogs paying so much attention to a hole in the wall. When I finally clued in I realized it was most likely a bears winter den. I wasn't wanting to figure out if it was still occupied so I got the kids back away from it before walking the stream a bit.

Just a little snow left...

This is the last picture because I slept most of the way home from here.

Alas, it's time for bed again. I played with some spinning after the night walk with the dogs, bats, and pesky mosquitos. I have two of the four required singles spun and a good start on the 3rd. Maybe by the end of next weekend and I will have pictures of a finished cable ply 4 ply yarn. Probably not but it's good to dream, no?

Miles' Surprise

Baby Jacket that is.

This little jacket is for a coworkers first born that is expected at the end of the month. I took a break form spinning and the Autumn Leaves Stole to whip this out this week.

It was the perfect excuse to use up these buttons I've been holding onto for a few years.

What do you think, a good knit for a little boy? As per my usual, I had to play with the pattern to my own liking. On the increases and decreases I alway do that stitch between them in stockinette. One it allows me to keep track of it without markers and two I think it gives the jacket a nice clean line. And I decided this time to cast off in an Icord cast off. I think despite the extra time it takes I like it.

I was able to get a couple shots while in the front yard in the sun last night of the iris's that bloomed sans hail damage.

And the Purple Robe Locust we planted last summer decided to bloom for us.

And I also dove back into my spinning after the last of yesterdays family events. I've decided to give a 4ply cable yarn a shot. This is the second of my 4 required singles.

It's a 100% Superwash BFL. More to come as I get it done.

Out of the Silence

Sorry, I was on quite the run there for a bit of posting to the blog and then I ran into my funk, got a reason for my funk and then just kind of stayed gone from the blogging world.

Mind you, in my absence I have not gotten anything of import done. Mainly, I've rested and started the road to feeling better. Feeling better you ask? Yes, feeling better. Previously I wrote of the vicious hate spiral and stated I wasn't feeling well. When I first composed that blog entry, I didn't even really know how unwell I was feeling. But, since then I got worse, then I got an answer as to why I didn't feel well and though I have started back around, it's going to be a bit. And yes, I get that this little ramble doesn't tell anyone much but please recall that though I do blog, I am still quite a private person. I have had a medical condition return that I thought was beat back several years ago. It has been caught and we've begun to address it and with any luck things will be just fine as they were before but it takes time, and energy and some days like today I seem to have precious little of that commodity. But though I feel sapped, I also feel hopeful and happily I am out of the spiral. I passed through it without dragging everyone near me through it with me. Hooray!

Now, onto what I have gotten done:

A few months back I was given a batch of fiber in the "Tardis" color way. While it was in it's original stranding I felt it was very "contrasty". In other words I felt the colors kind of clashed and didn't blend or meld together well. So I broke out those carders I bought a while ago and dove into the fiber with abandon since I have never made my own rolags. As you can see from the above picture, I figured it out.

Then I spun the yarn in to a gradient yarn that went from blue at one end, to white in the middle, and back out to gray. I then chain plyed that bad boy for about 90yards of worsted weight yarn. Much nicer with it's colors fading into one another and I am looking for the perfect pattern for it.

Then I got the above yarn which is a mixed bfl fiber done. It was my first stab at a 4 ply. It was great fun though I had a bit of a time with the ply since I only have a three bobbin lazy kate. A box with a knitting needle stuck through kind of solved it but it didn't hold tension the same way. Still, fun and I ended up with over 300 yards of a wonderful rich hued DK weight yarn.

And last but not least for this months spinning is my very first "crepe" yarn that as it has turned out has been one of my favorite spins so far.

It is a 2 ply wrapped with another ply, and though it looks kind of complicated and fiddly, it isn't. My only real issue was that I didn't ply that first two together as tightly in some areas as i should have to go an ply it the second time with the third one, but despite that it is still a lovely 135 yards of blues, nectarines, coppers, and violets. Bless Scarlet at Huckleberry and her eye for color and her amazing fiber preps. I actually special ordered some fiber from her yesterday since I loved some of her blend samples so much and the colors were just amazing. By next week I hope to have my hands on some merino/bamboo/silk blended fiber in amazing hues.

And with over a week gone by since I last truly posted, spring has surely arrived and started fading into summer here. All the trees but the honey locusts seem  to have embraced the return of the sun.

The iris's bloomed yesterday but we then had a little hail that though left almost everything alone, tore the delicate hoods of the iris so I have no blossom shots. They are not my favorite siberian (to dry and hot here) iris's and instead the double bearded varieties they are still a favorite and seem to be doing well where we have placed them.

The white clematis is in fool bloom. As I recall, last year it was the first to bloom as well.

I hope by next week to have pictures of the purple robe locust that has decided to give us blossoms this year which despite it's slow start with leaves I hope is a good sign that it is doing well.

Well, I have a baby gift to wrap and another to get finished up and blocked and a nap i hear calling my name so I hope you all have a good weekend. But I'm going to leave you with a gratuitous cute shot.

True friends can never be truly separated. Not even by a screen door dammit.

Battling the Vicious Hate Spiral

What is a hate spiral you ask? Well, if you have to ask you have never suffered from one and I'm pretty sure most everybody has fallen prey to a hate spiral at some point in their lives.

A hate spiral is that pattern of thought and events that sets up very slyly as you chauk it all up to the beginnings of a bad day. You wake up one day and every little thing goes wrong. You trip over a dog on the way to feed them and kick the corner of the fireplace breaking your little toe before you've mumbled a good morning to anyone. Then when the cat finally decides to show up for breakfast, instead of going to her bowl where she knows you've already filled, she decides to yowl and bitch at you just to make sure that you are aware of her presence. Not that she wants to be answered or even pet. Oh no, she just wants to bitch and you are her lucky audience.

Basically, from here on out the day is a disaster. You drop everything, you are late to everything and the more it goes wrong, the darker your mood becomes. You soon cannot keep it internal. It expresses itself every time you open your mouth. Even when you try to be kind and nice, your face shows or your inflection is edged by it. It is like a black hole that you slowly revolve around, trapped in it's inexorable gravity as you get sucked towards it's maw. The only hope is to be pulled in and shoved out the other side without damaging your personal relations beyond repair.

So today, I gave up. I am full on its grip and have tried as much as I can to just stay away from others. I've taken steps to reduce the hate spirals effects on others and fallen into it with only the hope of coming out the other side without dragging others behind me. I've ignored calls, left emails unanswered and have put up a self imposed circle of silence. I've worked in the yard and only taken dogs out and come directly home. Throw in there I've been sick as a dog most of the night and this morning and this week long road of ill feelings has gotten old, and I'm done with it. But there is light. I took the time to notice what this weeks rain has done to my yard between trips to the bathroom to throw up even the water I've tried to drink today.

The onion flowers are out.

The grape is slowly unfurling it's leaves.

The original locust tree seems like it may actually bloom and the beginnings of leaf buds are starting to show on the new one. And the lilacs have bloomed...

I'm having a hard time with that one because I'm allergic to them. They smell lovely and I wish that I could enjoy them, but more so, I wish my entire yard was not surrounded by them.

Yes, surrounded. Alas this is one of the things I was trying to miss by an early spin day. Since I have not lucked out with missing this and I have no hopes of being beyond the grasp of the aforementioned spiral; there will be no such spin day at my house this weekend. Add on the fact that many have holiday weekend plans, it seemed and ill fated plan to begin with.

I hope all are enjoying their springs and if you have lilacs, may you love yours more than I mine. Get out in that yard before it's too hot to enjoy. I wonder if it's the warmth and humidity getting to me or if I am having one of those mysterious "painless migraines" I've heard about. Because a migraine aura is kind of what this feels like. Maybe I'll try taking some of my Imitrex just to see if it makes any difference.

Spring Is Here, and It Brought Friends.

Amorous ones even.

Nothing like some lady bug beetle loving to get you moving in the morning, is there? And with the sudden arrival of lady bugs all over the maple I got to looking at it closer to discover we have aphids. But then that is what fresh leaves and hot dry weather does. But luckily for us we started getting rain yesterday and I woke to still falling rain this morning. Many are irritated by this, but just like the snow, I love it. The only worry is with our soil here, if we don't get a break between rains it floods easily.

But this is one of those lovely steady, rain all day kind of rains. Makes me think of home. And between dog walks I found things to do inside. Such as spin.

This was my first disastrous foray into spinning with beads. The Corriedale fiber felted a bit and the beads just kind of hang there. pulling away from the fiber on the polyester thread they were threaded on. It's hard to see here but it was a very unsuccessful attempt. I will in the future try placing them on a finely spun single instead.

And since it was already kind of a crap shoot. I threw the finished yarn in the dye pot.

And considering how rarely I actually dye, it was kind of amazing as to how close I came to lavender I wanted. It was just a packet and a half of grape Kool-Aid and vinegar thrown in to a crock pot for a bit.

You can kind of see here the beads just kind of hanging from the yarn instead of laying in the yarn.

So, with all that said, last night before bed I dove back into some knitting. I swear I will get the autumn leaves stole done at some point but I can tell you, my mind is done with this pattern. As soon as I pick it up I start to fall asleep and I am only just over half way done. I have a lot of knitting left to do on it. Someone want to finish it up for me?

I seem to be on a kick.

Because here it is, and I'm blogging again. Mainly because I need to share the last of my spinning.

I dug into the stash for fiber to take to a spinning workshop this last weekend and came up with some lovely stuff that a friend gave me this last year as a gift. It's from a lovely shop called Gypsy Wools in Boulder, CO. Thank you Alena.

I decided to try long draw and this wonderful commercial roving struck me as a good way to go. I think my newness to the method showed since I should have done some prep but it was lovely and I feel that in the end it did quite well. I have about 170 yds of a wonderful fuzzy DK (13wpi) woolen style yarn. I typically spin a smaller gauge worsted style so I'm expanding my horizons a bit.

Yesterday I was perusing some of my own favorite blogs to read and the YarnHarlot gave me pause. One because of the emotion that was present in her writing, but also because something that keeps coming up in my life over and over again lately. She was writing of a loved one who it sounds is in the process of dying and how she longs to write of it, to speak of it, to yell out her feelings to the world but that to do so at this time on a public forum such as her blog would go against the wishes and need of privacy this person holds dear. And that stand is something I admire.

I don't write a blog to make money, or to entertain. I don't fancy myself an educator with my words though perhaps occasionally someone does learn something of some value from my mental explosions across the internet. But, I also don't see it as a diary per se; for I see diaries as things that are private. They are filled with your thoughts, dreams and fancies you don't put out into general company much less the world wide web. My blog is more of a means to convey my thoughts, doings and life events to my friends and family, and yes, anyone else who happens along to read them. On the note of it being an open to the public blog I try to remain aware of what I place here.

I know, I hear several people right now rolling their eyes and saying, "Really? You worry about what people see here? After that last blog regarding porn shops?" And the answer is yes. When it comes to me, I'm a fairly open book. I can discuss topics that others are ashamed to even think about. Personally I don't have a lot of "shame" when it comes to things I think, do, or have done. I feel that I try to be open because I try to look at my actions and words as windows into who I am. I try to reflect on things when I run across thoughts in my head that shock me, and see if there are underlying issues and come to be at peace with them. We all sometimes do, say, or even think things that can shock ourselves and make us wonder if we truly understand ourselves, and if we don't understand ourselves, how can we understand others? When I run into those I don't care for I often try to pick apart what it is that I don't care for. Sometimes this leads me to understanding something about myself and this often ends up with me liking that person more than I ever thought I would. Sometimes it leads me to something uncomfortable regarding my own thought process. Often it leads nowhere as it just settles a fact I've always known. We all won't get along. Ever. No one is capable of like everyone, so just be honest about it and move on. I try to explore these things when they arise in myself and I think that has made me more open than I would otherwise be to say things because I know where I am coming from.

But all that is not regarding where I was originally going. I was discussing privacy, more specifically, internet privacy. When I tell stories, I often leave out names, or change the names of the person I am referring to. If it's something that I know that person would be horrified by my recitation, I won't tell it. That's a story for them to tell and for me not to share with a very large possible audience. I think this is a respect I can pay my friends, and even acquaintances that costs me nothing to do so and to be honest, something we should all be able to expect from others.

The other day I was discussing with a friend the break down of privacy regarding their kid doing something stupid and their friends taping it and placing it on Facebook. Now, regardless of our age, most of us in our youths have done stupid things. Throw in a couple good friends that were just as young and dumb as you, and well; we get a majority of our tales we tell as adults hoping our children never hear them. But now days, I am sorry for kids to be surrounded with the technology they are. How many of today's youths have regrettable decisions that would normally just be teenage poor discretion plastered on YouTube for everyone who wishes to watch, comment, and share with an ever widening audience?

So, to all those out there that know that I know their dirty little secrets; I know that some of you are scared by my oddly good memory and recall but I want you to be at ease knowing I will try my best not share your stories unless I know you are okay with it and comfortable with my narration. Even when I do tell of times past or things I've recently done, I tell it from my perspective and stride to not drop names or other identifying details. I also ask that those of you out there that have similar stories of their friends, or God forbid, video footage; ask them first if it's okay to share. To share or not to share should be their choice.

This day in age with the ability to destroy someones reputation or harm their standing with friends and family with a simple few pushes of buttons, it is all of ours responsibility to protect our own and each others privacy. Besides, if someone's reputation is crap they are probably well on their own way destroying it with their own actions and don't need our help. I still cringe thinking of some of the stupid thoughtless things I have done and am thankful I grew up before the cell phone became a mainstay of our population and well before every cell phone had a camera or video ability.

With all that said, do you have a friend good enough to use their ass as a pillow?

If not, you should ask yourself why not...