I'm BAAAAACCCCKKKKK......

Ok, it's been months. I know that..... I didn't think it was going to be months.....

A very dear online friend of mine, with severe health problems, is dying.... We all thought it would be sooner.... and I was going to hold off for a few days, and write a lovely, loving tribute....

Those few days turned into weeks - and summer being what it is, I'm not online often - and then the past two weeks were spent at the cabin. So....

I didn't post much this summer. BUT- I *was* semi-productive :)

I finished a few pairs of socks - didn't take pics of the ones I made for DH - but I did these ones:

I'm not so super happy with them, to tell the truth. I thought they'd be brighter.... But, they're warm. I know, 'cause I needed to wear them yesterday!! It has been a beautiful hot hot lovely summer, but was cold and rainy this past weekend. Like, yesterday and the day before....

The socks I did for DH were UFO socks. I bought the wool for them (Merino, Superwash, Socks That Rock yarn, "Dirt" colourway) back in March of '05. I started knitting them, but didn't like the way they were turning out - the pattern I used made socks that were tight on me. I've used the pattern three times now, and honestly, I dont' think I really like it much. I've adjusted the needle size, etc., but I really am not happy with the heel. It is supposed to be an "easy" heel, but I don't like it. I've found much easier short row heels than this one.... Anyway, if I can get the socks back from him, maybe one laundry day, I'll take a picture :}

I also have a picture of the latch-hook that I worked on while we were on holiday -
It now lives on the back door of the cabin. :)

I still need to edit a whole pile of pictures, taken over the summer. We have a four meg pix camera, which means, that when I download them, they are *HUGE* files - so I have to edit for size, remove some background, etc. I still need to do that with a bunch of neat animal pics - both domestic and wild. Will do a bunch this week, I promise!!

I also made DH another present - sort of anyway - that I did take a picture of...but need to edit. Hang on, while I do that..... Ok.... I'm back.

Back a couple months, DH was fishing in the canoe, and had caught a nice one. He had it in the net, removed his hook, and watched the fish slip through the net back into the river. He asked me if I could repair the hole in the net - I asked him, "which one?" Seems there were a total of nineteen holes in the net. Well - a good replacement net is very expensive. So, I decided, since I knew how to do it, that I would make him a new net. Which I did. I will admit, it isn't "perfect" - some of the holes are different sizes so it isn't "pretty", but - it looks quite functional!!! We still need to test it - the river is quite low right now, so fishing isn't too great. Need to catch one before we can use the net, lol....

Not bad, really, if I do say so myself!!

I also made, but need to wait for pictures to be emailed to me, a doggy sweater. It was a gift for a friend's daughter. Who lives in another city. So, I have to wait for the pictures. When I get them, I'll share. Promise.

Don't know if anyone noticed, but I did manage to pop onto the blog long enough to add another pet. He's over there, with the others..... ------->

Besides trying to catch up on some misc. knitting and crochet - in progress, not finished, not pictured - I played around with some natural dyeing. Bought yarn - I'm still practicing spinning, though I'm getting way better - oh, and I made myself two toy-wheel spindles, too - one top whorl and one bottom whorl.

Anyway, I'm going to wait for a not so cloudy day, and take some pictures of the yarn I dyed - It was cool. DH even got into it, along with a friend..... I started out planing to just use oak and poplar, but DH wanted me to try some red leaves from a bush we haven't identified yet - I knew, from reading, that just 'cause the leaves are red, doesn't mean the yarn will turn red, but instead of telling him all that, I just went ahead with the leaves. Got a really neat olivey green - normally not my favourite, but.... Of course, you'll have to wait for the pics - sorry 'bout that....

And, finally, to take a break from the crafting, I started re-reading Harry Potter. I'm now up to a re-read of the fifth book - Order of the Phoenix.

So - I know I've got a lot to tell everyone, but for now, I need to catch up on a whole whack of email, and housework, and kitty cuddling.... :)

Thanks for your patience in my lack of updates....