A Sheep In Wools' Clothing

Barn Series Continued - Irish Barn 1

I had to seek out barns while in Ireland!  And seeking them out was somewhat fraught with issues, given that we were on a coach, I wasn't driving, and I wasn't making out the agenda for the day.  We'd come around a corner, and there would be a barn, but by the time the camera turned on, we'd be past it.  So, I have very few photos of the Irish barns.  I am intrigued by the differences in barns there vs. here.  Now I wish I'd paid more attention to the barns in Scotland last year!

The Irish barns seemed to be of two distinct architectural styles.  The first is probably the traditional and older form, was of concrete block construction with thatched or slate roofing materials.  These generally had plaster coating on the outside of the walls and very few windows.  The second style, which is probably more modern, was one with a semicircular metal roof instead of the thatched or slate roofing.  The sides of these were varied - some the concrete block/plaster variety and some metal.  There were very very few wood buildings in Ireland that we saw (if any).

I suspect that the building material choices are dictated by what materials are available for the right price.  Stone seems to be abundant in Ireland and Scotland, whereas wood is not.  The use of the building would also dictate its architecture, but I need to do some reading about that.  The more I look at barns, the more interested I am in them and their regional differences!

"F" is for Faux Visages

When I was first separated from my husband, and feeling traumatized about the events unfolding, frequently feeling like my life belonged on Jerry Springer's show, I started learning about some Native American traditions, shamanic healing, and shamanic journeying.  I didn't get too far into the true nature of these things, as the tools available to me were books and the Internet.  While these resources have a wealth of information, it is difficult to figure out what is true and what is New Age hype.  Shamanic and Native American traditions are traditionally taught in person, in apprenticeship fashion.  These gifts are bestowed upon someone hand chosen, and not by book learning. 

In the course of my personal journey, I had a dream encounter with an individual I at first thought was dark and threatening, wearing a mask.  I again turned to the Internet, as I do.  It is free, it is available at 2 a.m., there is a ton of stuff out there.  I was searching for what the face was in this individual from my dream.  I found the face in an Internet image - it was a Native American spirit mask.  Many indigenous cultures have spirit masks used in ritual dances. t

And so began my journey into spirit masks.

On one of the two trips to Quebec City I've gone on as a chaperon for my kids' French classes in middle school (debit card transactions here in Maine have a choice of English, French or Spanish), we visited the Huron Indian reservation outside Quebec City.  Much to my amazement, in their gift shop, they had for sale Faux Visages - translated to "false image" or spirit mask.  On the first trip, I purchased one.  On the second trip, the gift shop on the reservation was closed but I found Faux Visages in a shop in the Old City.  I picked up two red ones on that trip, one life sized and one small one. The red is particularly dear to the Hurons in these masks.

These three  decorate the Great Room wall in my home, near the cast iron propane stove, a painting by my aunt of a Crow Indian grandmother, and a painting by my son of that same corner of the room, with Hero on the floor.

Lambing Season

I think every knitter and spinner should have a friend who keeps fiber animals. Spring has a special charm when our fiber beasts bring forth their young, and we see them frolicking and kicking up their heels.

My knitting/spinning friend, Megan, has a spinner's flock.  Her flock has grown over the years I've known her from four to nine, and she has four lambs on the ground this season, and two more ewes due any day now.  This year's deliveries have included a set of twins - one black, one white, one female, one male and a premie who unfortunately didn't make it past 24 hours. He was so tiny it was obvious the first day he wouldn't survive.  Since then, another singleton, white male, has hit the straw -

Megan's flock has two who are natural black and sun fade to a smokey gray color which is beautiful.  One of her ewes is geriatric and too old for lambing.  Two were too young this year and had the same father as the ram being used anyway, so they weren't bred.  These lambs will not be staying with the flock due to the large increase in the size of the flock this year.  Megan adopted four from someone getting out of the sheep owning stuff.  Megan's husband, Robert (of the Santa Claus photos and the Bubba Tree story fame), takes care of the flock for her and says not a word about the volume of fleece in their attic (processed at a mill and returned ready to spin).  Talk about the ultimate fiber spouse!

"D" is for Doorus

OK.  So I'm not going in alphabetical order.  Don't hire me as a secretary - I would probably stink at it unless you want a scarf knitted for the filing cabinets anyway! (Another picture-heavy post ahead in case you have dial-up).

Doorus House Youth Hostel is one of the places we stayed for a few days in Ireland.  Our group totaled 21 - eleven boys, six girls and four chaperons.  At this hostel, we were housed in a separate building from the main one, but the special thing about this hostel was very much appreciated by our sponsoring English teacher, Dr. Fred Jones (yes, my kids' high school has a number of Ph.D. teachers!).

Our hostess at the hostel is an American ex-pat from the Pacific NW, who moved to Ireland nine years ago and has dual citizenship through post-nuptial citizenship (now impossible to obtain).  She used to run the hostel, and was helping the current manager out due to illness.  She was a wealth of information about the house and the area.  The hostel had pets names things like "D.O.G." and "C.A.T" but there was an Irish name in there, too, but I am not fast enough on the Gaelic to pick it up and remember the cat's name.

This hostel, as a private residence, was owned in the nineteenth century by Florimond Alfred Jacques, Comte de Basterot.  In the summer of 1898, a neighbor of Augusta Lady Gregory requested that she meet with William Butler Yeats in this house.  And so, Lady Gregory met Mr. Yeats in Doorus House and from those conversations, the Abbey Theatre was formed.

Drawings of the Comte de Basterot, Lady Gregory and William Yeats were in the common room of the hostel.  One can sit in front of the peat fire in awe of the history that unfolded in that very room.  The hostel was situated adjacent to some ruins which the kids roamed around in by twilight.  In the courtyard between hostel buildings, spring was showing off despite the wintery temperatures at the time of our visit.  The spring flowers and budding trees were a welcome sight for these Mainers who've had a long and snowy winter this year!  And the temps may have been Irish winter temps, but they were Maine spring temps, so we were fine.

Our students were dumbfounded by the hot water systems.  The fact they had to conserve hot water so all could shower, and the fact that one actually has to use hot water and soap to wash dishes seemed to strike some of them as a foreign concept.  Some, when confronted with needing to wash, dry and put away their own dishes, opted against having breakfast.  It was shocking to me, and embarrassing,  that there are mothers who have not taught their children how to do dishes, and that Americans still don't get how incredibly fortunate we are to live in this country with its freedoms and abundance!

On a comparison note between Scotland and Ireland, I found the Irish to be much more gregarious with us, and asking a few questions here and there gleaned all sorts of information and interesting stuff.  I found the Scots much more reserved and their answers were more direct, and less forthcoming.  I was awestruck at the differences - I guess I thought the two countries would be more alike, but the spirit and flavor of the two is quite different.  Scotland had wide open areas, few trees, and wire fences.  The Scottish land owners were willing to allow the public access to their property to see tombs - many of which were still active sheep fields.  In Ireland, laws allow a visitor on the owner's property to sue for any injuries, so the Irish land owners were far less willing to allow the public access to see the tombs and stone age ruins.  The Irish countryside was full of lovely rock walls - an art form unto itself, hedgerows, flowers, flowering shrubs, trees, and nature's beauty in abundance.  Scotland was a windswept tundra sort of beautry.  Very different.  Both lovely.

Sock Knitters' Pentathlon 2008 Round Two

I finished the first round socks in 25 days, taking time to make a different pair of socks in the middle.  I gave up on the speed contest portion when the first knitter finished her pair of socks in nine hours.  (The first pattern was Jacobean, a free pattern on the Internet for a guernsey patterned sock.)

I cast on the second round of socks actually on the first day, but have had some overnight calls, trips to pick up Guinea fowl keets, etc that have cut into my knitting time.  They are making good progress - there was a lot of initial confusion for some over the symbols on the charted version of the pattern, and discrepancies in left vs right slanted decreases between the written version and the charted version.  I've frogged in a couple of places - once where I dropped a stitch in a double decrease, and once where I actually forgot to turn the heel in the second sock on a two-on-two method....  getting good at transferring stitches to double points!

Specifics:
Pattern:  Berlin muster
Yarn:  Oceanwind Knits sock yarn
Colorway:  Shiraz
Needles:  two Knit Picks Harmony 24" circulars, Size 0
Cast On:  May 1

PS  The first knitter to complete Round One was also the first knitter to complete Round Two, finishing her PAIR of socks in just under 8 hours I believe (or was it 10?) - her husband brought her breakfast in bed, as she knit all night long after the pattern was released.  She must have a very full sock drawer, and her relatives must have sufficient socks as well!!!!  I wonder if she has fun at it?

"E" is for Eichheim (the other one - Jean)

Yeah, I know - I've skipped over "D" for now.  Consider yourselves the recipients of a Sheep Raincheck on that one!

Tracy Eichheim is the husband of this twosome.  The Eichheims own Woolly Designs and have sold Majacraft wheels for longer than the company's current owners have owned the company.  Tracy makes wonderful spindles (you must try one if you haven't), but Jean is the creator of one of my most-used objects in my household.  For that, she deserves some credit also.

Jean crochets (and I don't).  She crochets Christmas ornaments.  BUT, Jean also crochets tea cosies.  Specifically, she crochets a lovely sheep tea cosy with a face staring at one from one side.  Even here in Maine, with my thermostats turned WAY down this past winter, the cosy kept my tea hot for over an hour.

So, next time you check out Tracy's spindles, take a look at Jean's cosies, too!  And have a cuppa!

And At Last on the Hero Front

At long last, Hero's very slow recovery seems to definitely be the right direction.  For the past two weeks, he has not required catheterization.  I've checked a couple of times, and his residuals (the amount left in his bladder after he's done his business) are at or below the requisite amount, so we no longer have that ritual in our daily lives.

We also have a new vet friend, Dr. Chris Miles in our lives, and she has found the answers that make sense to me with my medical background, and the solution to Hero's diarrhea issues.  It seems that with the neurological injury of the spinal stenosis (the bladder issue, which led to the diagnosis of spinal stenosis is a poor prognostic sign, which I was informed of at the time of the workup), also causes sluggish bowel activity.  The sluggish bowel activity in turn leads to an overgrowth of Clostridia difficile, and anaerobic bacteria found in the gut.  This overgrowth causes the diarrhea.

So, Hero now takes Flagyl consistently, but at a lower dose than one would use to treat an active process.  We have also added fiber to his diet in the form of pumpkin pie filling, and he has been able to return to his regular Eagle Pack diet which is more savory than the bland GI diets.

Hero has been able to increase his activity, and even took a 75 minute walk with DS#1 the other morning.  He seemed a bit stiff the next day, but is happy, involved and close to normal.  All is well on the dog front here in my corner of the Maine woods!  Yay!

On another note, after I sort through my Ireland photos and photoshop those which need it, I will post some of those adventures.  And there are finished objects and newly cast on objects to share as well.

May the leprechauns and other Irish fairies be king and gentle with you!

May Sheep (from my Scottish Desk Calendar)

Gale - Finished

I fell in love with this design while Anne Hanson (Knitspot) was still swatching it.  Simple upswept motifs of stockinette against a reverse stockinette neighboring patch of stiches.  Easy.  Understated.  Somehow moving.  And the yarn!  The yarn is incredible and blooms to be even more so after a bath - cormo/angora from Wooly Wonka Fibers in "Dusk" - a lovely muted purple.  I made the petite, which blocked to 25" X 84", but probably shrunk back a bit after unpinning.  It is sufficiently  lightweight to be able to be used as a scarf or a stole.  I'm loving it enough to take it with me to Ireland, and the Dusk colorway blends nicely with my traveling Eggplant colored rainjacket.

Barn Series, Athens Maine Barn Two

Barns here in New England have a different flavor than barns out west, or in Pennsylvania, or down south.  I suspect it reflects the climate, the purpose of the land, and the ancestry of the land owners and how they were taught to build barns, as well as the local materials available, and terrain.

Here in New England, it seems like most barns are the "L" configuration where they are attached to the farmhouse through a series of progressively smaller structures.  Because the barn is thus attached to the house, a farmer could go tend the animals without having to brave the snow, or shoveling to get there.

This barn, while not attached to the house, does have its own series of annexes, which I thought were interesting.  One can see on the white addition that the original sliding door has been replaced with a person hinged door and adjacent window as the use of the structure changed. 

We've now had a week of temps approaching 50 and we still have several feet of snowbanks next to buildings... it was a very good snow year, and we broke a number of snowfall records.

"C" is for Chase the Collie

DD will be happy to see "her" dog in the blog this time.  She's always giving me a hard time because I don't show him here daily.  Chase is a rough coat Collie - my second Collie, but first rough coated one.  He's a sweet dog and companion, but left to his own devices, he'd probably hold a door open for an intruder.  I am sure the pack instinct would have him follow the lead of the GSDs to protect us personally.  He'll be joining the ranks of "my" dogs when DD leaves for college this fall.  When I am up for her having an apartment at school, I'd like him to be with her for some protection and companionship.  Meanwhile, she'll take the horse with her - the school she's chosen has a boarding stable on campus, and the boarders co-op stall and feeding chores....

This position on the couch is one of his favorites, although right now my female GSD has that spot.  He hates been brushed, so we have to take him to the groomers where their equipment makes the task easier.  The first summer we had him, the kids decided he was hot, and they shaved him.  The poor dog looked embarrassed for months until the coat grew back in the fall.  Since then, I make groomers promise me they won't shave him, even if we have to work longer, or pay more to keep the long coat.  When he is clean and brushed, he waves that plume of a tail quite royally ....

Zephyros, A Beginning

I joined a lot of groups this year - I've been a long-standing member of Spunky Eclectic Fiber club, and now I've added Zen Yarn Garden Harmony semi-solid sock yarn club , A Change of Seasons lace subscription through Wooly Wonka Fibers , and A Year of Lace 2008 through MakeOne Studio in Canada.  Fortunately, the lace ones are a quarterly mailing, so there is hope I will actually keep up.  This year, with the advent of "reading" books on my Nano (I love this little device!!!), I multi-task by "reading" books while I knit and spin.  There isn't a spouse here, and my kids are old enough they go off to the TV room, or computer loft and don't speak much to me these days.  So, the Nano and the needles/wheels are my companions with dogs surrounding me.  All the dogs seem to be at my feet these days - I am guessing I am quieter than the kids' TV and DVD programs are, so they seek me out, with or without the treats and belly rubs.

The first mailing for A Change of Seasons is MimKnits' Zephyros shawl in a wool lace weight in dark green.  I frogged the very beginning a couple of times the first weekend, but since then, it has been going well.  I am now at the transition to a new set of charts, so I took a bit of a break to knit another pair of socks.  Soon, I'll be back into this one - I find with lace I don't do well setting it aside for very long, so I am better off forging ahead immediately on it.

With fuel oil prices climbing, I seriously turned down the thermostats in the house this year, so wool socks, and wool garments have been welcome and necessary here.

Friday Barn Series Resumes

I've had a barn hiatus here since Hero's surgery and such.  Just before leaving for Ireland, my spinning buddy and I did some barn photography on our way to spinning with the ladies.  Maine is the only state I've lived in (now eight total) which seems to name towns after other countries and foreign cities.  There is a China, South China, Norway, Lisbon, Denmark, Dresden, Frankfurt, Lebanon, Mexico, Moscow, New Sweden, Naples, Peru, Poland, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, Sweden, Vienna, Wales, etc. 

Today's barn comes from the area near Athens, Maine.  I actually don't know that I could find it for you again, but here it is.  This one is a detached barn, with nice color contrast seen from the road.  The pasture in front butts up to a state highway, but the side and back road is a country lane, lined with fruit trees and rock walls.  The snow is melting now finally, but the trees have yet to bud and the grass is slowing turning green.  These rock walls line the country lane behind and beside the barn above, bordering an orchard, and a pasture to the side.  In many areas here in New England, one can find remnants of old rock walls from settlement days.  I even have a partial one in the back of my property - the so called "keeper" fences or walls, as they kept neighbors friendly by delineating property lines.  Very few are in the wonderful condition of these walls.

The lean-to type addition to the right of the barn above is what is locally called a "baker's addition."  I'll have to do some more digging to find out the history of that name for such an addition to the barn.

Habanero (Ribs & Seeds) Socks

As a member of Harmony Semi-Solid sock yarn club from the Zen Yarn Garden , this wool/Tencel blend (Tencelicious) in "Sun Kiss" was March's selection.  The pattern, Ribs & Seeds, was designed for Zen Yarn Garden by Alyson Johnson, and was included with the yarn.  Reading the inspiration for the pattern, hot peppers with "ribs and seeds removed", I decided the yarn color reminded me of a ripe habanero pepper and I would use the yarn for the Ribs & Seeds pattern.  They seemed to fit together.

This is the first time I will have knit socks from a wool/Tencel blend.  I am curious to find out how they feel and how dry they keep my feet.  It took a couple of inches of the seed rib pattern to take shape and make itself apparent.  I am loving the cabling with the seed stitch center!

My last pairs of socks have gone rather quickly - averaging eight days or so, including down time for being too tired from work, life interfering with knitting, etc.  I suspect these with all the cabling, and the seed stitch, will take longer, but the texture is nice, and a welcome change from what I have been knitting.

Cascading Leaves Socks Done!

Done!  Another pair of socks - my fourth this year, and third since the beginning of March.  A far faster pace of sock production than in my past - I think I have Margene's missing sock mojo up here in Maine!  LOL  Clearly, the more I knit socks the faster they become, regardless of toe up, cuff down, heel type or toe shape.  And I've cast on the next pair, with many many more in queue waiting for their turn.

Details:
Pattern:  Jeanie Townsend's Cascading Leaves
Yarn:  Spunky Eclectic sock yarn in "Lichen" colorway
Needles:  2-on-2 Size  1 1/2  24" circulars (one Knit Picks Harmony, one Addi Lace)
Heel:  Slip stitch
Caston:  April 2, 2008
Castoff:  April 10, 2008