Why did the chicken cross the road?

They crossed the road to get to my house -- Well these are wild turkeys but you get the picture.  The first pic of them crossing blackberry road and the second pic is them in my yard. There are a bunch of them around.

New scarfs new yarn

I fell in love with this yarn but couldn't crochet it even though I did try.  When I learned how to knit though, I found knitting was perfect for this yarn.  I just love the organic look of this scarf.

I bought this yarn and I think it is making a very pretty crochet scarf.  I love the shimmer.

Scarf for Christmas

I love bamboo yarn -- it works up so nice and comes in such rich colors.  This scarf is a gift for one of my grandchildren and the green yarn is bamboo angora and the multicolor is a wool.  I can't wait to see the finished scarf.

Pictures of the Fog

I love black and white fog pictures --

This is another view off my front porch with saturated color of fog --

Remember

I have so many members of my family in the military, that I would be hard pressed to be able to remember them all.  But the closest to my heart right now is my grandson in Afghanistan and my daughter Teresa who is in the Army National Guard.  I am so proud of them all and so very proud of our military men and women.  Thank You!

Knitting Socks

Oh my goodness -- I think I am unteachable when it comes to knitting.  I have a great teacher but my brain just does not want to knit.  But I am determined to learn it by-golly.  I am making a pair of socks -- I hardly ever wear socks my self but these will be a Christmas present if I get them done.  The other knit project is a scarf in this wonderful crazy yarn I fell in love with.  The red and white yarn just has to hats.  I even have a commission to make 2 crochet hats from this yarn.

New Hat and Scarf

I love the simplicity of this hat and scarf that I made as a gift for Christmas.  One of the things I love to do when I know I am making a gift for someone is to pray for them while I am making their gift.  It gives me peace and I hope it does them as well.

New Fall Shawl and the Last of the Summer Blooms

I crocheted this shawl using wool, mohair, and soy yarn.  It is just light enough to wear when I walk outside with out a jacket.  I'm really excited about all the new kinds of yarn now.  Who knew you could add soy fiber to yarn?

This geranium is probably the last of my summer flowers.  So sad till next Spring.  I may go by the garden center to check out something else out though.

Another Fabric for Sale

These 2 fabrics will be for sale in the coming week. I took this picture of the Rhododendrons a couple of years ago and used a photo edit program to design this look.  It is truly a beautiful fabric. You can purchase it at http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/309893

JanetChristian design fabric for sale on Spoonflower

I finally have some fabric for sale on Spoonflower.  This is just beautiful -- it is a cropped image of a butterfly's wing.

The grass is always greener

This is my neighbor's horse.  He decided to come across the creek and feast on fallen apples, peaches, and some yummy munchie grass.  Isn't he cute! Hmmmmmm

Swarm of Butterflys

Butterflys love this flower -- I thought the flower was a weed but then it is pretty.  The butterflys would let me get within inches of them to take pictures.  This is the best one.  I so love it here.

If you love fabric and  have never been to http://spoonflower.com/ it is worth your time.  Soon you will also be able to purchase fabric that I have designed.  Stay tuned and I will let you know when it is available.

Deer eating peaches and watching me take her picture

I knew there were some deer in the trees next to me, but today I found one eating peaches that had fallen to the ground. I love living here, being able to put up peaches, raspberries, and blueberries for the winter.

My Items for Sale

I have started selling some of my handmade items on Etsy again.  I will be adding more items as the weeks pass.  You can find them at this link.

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade belovedcreations.etsy.com

Apples, Peaches, and Nuts Can't Wait

I am so thankful for the people who have lived here before me for the thought that it is a good thing to plant trees.  Here are some pics of the very imature apple trees, a nice peach tree, and I think the nut tree is hickory but not sure.

Rain, Rain, Rain

One thing I have learned here in the mountains, is that you have to cut your grass anytime there is a sunny period of time.  My grass is growing, and growing and I can't find a time between rain to cut it.  Yikes!

So instead of working in the yard, I am doing some needle work.  Here are some pics of crochet flowers and a winter hat I can't wait to wear.

This spider web is at least 4 feet around.  You could barely see it until it rained, now the moisture has outlined it well.  I'm glad it was on my porch so I could just sweep it away.

Time for some new pictures at the cabin

As the evening sun was setting one evening, I saw everything was bathed in this beautiful golden light.  This picture was taken off my porch and you can see some mist in the mountain across from me. 

My neighbor across the street brought me some fresh vegetables.  I plan to make a cucumber salad and stir fry. yumyum

Diabetes

Wow, it has been a while since I've posted.  I found out that I have diabetes just like the rest of my family.  I don't think anyone -- parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents or my brothers have escaped the diagnoses.  Even though I knew it was a possibility I still did not believe it.  For the first month I didn't take my medicine or check my blood.  Finally after talking to a diabetes educator I started to do what I am supposed to do.  I also found out that I have moderate kidney damage or Stage 3 kidney disease.  This is caused by diabetes and blood pressure problems I have had for years.  

One of things I have learned is that it takes about 3 months after diagnosis to learn what you need to learn if you are actively seeking information and 3 more months to get things under control.  My diabetes educator is really good at making sure I know all about my diabetes. She also told me that just because others in my family have had bad side affects doesn't mean I will.  So I am working at educating my self and keeping my diabetes under control.

I get a lot of info from the Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/
and from the website of my glucose monitor http://www.abbottdiabetescare.com/adc_dotcom/url/home/en_US

There is also a magazine I get called Diabetic Living  http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/

I've Made Friends With My Lawn Tractor

Today I was supposed to go see a friend's studio, but I was itching like crazy from the medication for my shingles to keep me from being itchy and in pain -- go figure -- I had to cancel.  After two doses of antihistamine and a nice nap I wanted something to do so I thought I would finally go out and make nice with my tractor.  Once I realized that I was in control and not the tractor, we got along just fine.  I mowed for just under 2 hours.  The pictures show just some of what I mowed today.

You can see here how high the grass is -- part of the reason it is taking me so long to get it all done.

I was working on crocheting a basket but the yarn didn't work for the pattern so I took most of it out and now have a round dish cloth.

Back a few post, I said I wondered if this was going to bloom -- well it is.

Rain and Hail At The Cabin

Yesterday a storm rolled into Blowing Rock and brought hail with it.  I took a few pics to show.  I know this isn't much hail -- not like the golfball size hail Clarksville TN goot but it was still hail.

There was little bitty hail all over my porch

If I sit on my couch in my living room, this is the view I have.  Dosen't look like I live in a tree house?  I love to sit with a cup of coffee and relax looking out the window.

This is a test pattern but when finished it is supposed to be a basket.  I'm not sure yet that it works.

Lawn Tractor Part 3

OMG -- Why did I think that all I had to do is get on the tractor and drive?  Noooooooooooooo!  You have to make sure the choke is set, the gears are set, the blades engaged and how high.  First of all I am not strong enough to push the lever to engage the blades.  Then I am too scared to drive it and since my yard is not level I am scared I will tip over.  It also doesn't help that the seat keeps letting me slide off.  My neighbor came over and showed me how to use it.  He told me I had a very good and powerful machine but I might want to hire someone to mow the steep parts of my yard.  It's crazy but I am going to learn.  This is what we got done today.

You just can't believe how steep this yard is, especially when you are on a lawn tractor.  My house is just out of sight in the pic above.

I was thinking we could play extreme croquet in this yard.  Wouldn't that be fun.  There is at least 2-3 acres with a creek and a small back yard.

My neighbor told me today that these were apple and peach trees.  I can't wait to taste some fresh peaches.  He said there are also some blueberries bushes behind them too.

Anyway, I am learning to drive the tractor up and down my driveway and across the street to my neighbor's house before I tackle the yard again.

Dumber than Dumb Bugs

My front door has a glass panel and with the living room light on at night, there are some beatles that keep trying to fly into the light.  So every morning I have to go sweep up the dead bugs off my porch that have flown right into the door and cracked their skulls open.  YUCK  Today I think I will hang a lace panel on the door and see if that makes a difference.  Stayed tuned to Bug 2

Lawn Tractor Part 2

As I said in my last post, I was sick and didn't get a chance to mow my yard.  Well it was a lot more than just the flu I had severe asthma.  I drove myself to the hospital Thursday morning and promptly passed out in the emergency room.  My oxygen was 86.  That is not good.  I finally got out of the hospital on Sunday but I am still to sick to mow the lawn so I hired someone to mow it for me.  It is probably a good thing too because he said that hill is a killer.  You can see how some of the yard is mowed and some not.  But I love this tree.

I found these clogs at a store for almost nothing so I bought them and planted some little flowers in them.

This little flower is growing in my yard.  Not sure what it is but it just stood out in a sea of green.

These are some neighborhood steaks -- I mean cows.  Arn't they cute!  Anyway I would love to have a good steak cooked on the grill.

Why did I ever??????????

I purchased a lawn tractor and when the company delivered it to me they showed me how to use it.  Well I got information overload and couldn't remember what they said.  I have the flu and needed to go to the pharmacy for a prescription and since the tractor was behind my car I had to move it.  I turned it on, put it in gear and nothing happens.  I look around for levers, knobs or what ever to make it go forward but all I see is something that looks like a gas pedal.  So I push on it and nothing.  I am not going anywhere.  So when I lift my foot off the pedal the tractor jumps forward.  I just miss my car -- thank goodness for a tight turning radius.  So I put my foot on the peddle and remove it slowly thinking that is the way to drive forward.  Well no it is not.  I was headed straight for the creek in my yard.  I got it stopped just in time.  So until I can read up on how to use my new tractor, it is parked.

Yadkin Valley

I love somewhere here in this valley.  I took the picture from the Blue Ridge Parkway that is just a mile from my house. 

This bridge is the same bridge I took a picture of the other day when it was raining.  Over it is the Blue Ridge under it is Blackberry Road.

Yard Work

I have been picking up the tree limbs that fell over the winter in my yard.  Seems to me like I have a lot more limbs than trees though.  I have to pick them all up before I mow the yard.  After I pick up the limbs I have to take the yard debris to the dump because I can't burn right now.  I am not complaining though because look at the other pictures posted here of the Blue Ridge Parkway.  These were taken on Monday.

My Front Yard

My Driveway

The Blue Ridge

I think the Blue Ridge is one of America's treasures and for it to look like this is a tragedy.  There are enough unemployed construction workers and workers that can do this work that we should push for it to be fixed.