༺ Snow on the Mountains ༻

This time of year the Colorado mountains look so pretty. They still have winter snow, which highlights their beauty. Here are two views of the mountains I can see from the farm.

༺ Weeds Be Gone ༻

If you hate to use nasty chemicals to get rid of weeds coming up in walkways and patios, I have a great alternative method. I found a recipe that creates a spray to help keep grass, sunflowers, dandelions, and other weeds from filling the cracks in your walkways. I used it recently, and can say "It Works"!

Here is the recipe:

• Vinegar - Two Cups
• Liquid Dish Soap - One Tablespoon
• Salt - One Tablespoon

I found an old jar, doubled the recipe, and mixed it all up. Then I found a simple spray bottle to pour the mixture into (I used a funnel). Next, I took the spray bottle outside and gave those unwelcome weeds a nice soaking. It was easy and I felt good not having to buy or use more serious chemicals on areas where my dogs and I hang out.

The results were pretty fast. Within a few hours I saw the weeds starting to turn brown. I resprayed tough patches of grass to be sure they got a nice covering. Soon, the weeds were very brown and shriveled up. Success!

This is one recipe I want to keep on hand and use as needed.

Sights During a Colorado Winter

Living in the north eastern part of Colorado gives us the ability to be on the plains, and take short drives to get into the mountains. I enjoy living in the lowlands and visiting the hills. I guess I prefer coyotes to bears.

 I saw this bald eagle out my window this week. The hawks and eagles appreciate a nice fence post to pause upon as they watch for mice and prairie dogs.

 On our last drive up the Poudre Canyon, I enjoyed seeing the river water running through the ice.

Rock outcroppings are another favorite sight of mine. It was a cold windy day, but I had to get out of the car to snap a few pictures of the beautiful scenery.

I've been crafting less lately, but have been knitting socks as I can. The last time I made a crocheted rose, I actually had to use my own pattern to remember the details! That's a sure sign I have been away from flowers for too long.

༺ Winter Is Here! ༻

Here is Colorado we have been having a calm autumn. Temperatures have been moderate and moisture has been minimal. Until..... last Wednesday!  Suddenly, the weather forecasts started calling for snow and bitter cold. Wow - the predictions were right!

What is cold for us here along the Front Range (the area running along the eastern side of the Rockies)? I would say it is what we've had for the last 4 days. Highs are about 8 degrees, and lows are dipping to 10 below at night. We have a few inches of snow on the ground, and the roads have ice patches - just enough to keep driving interesting.

While our house is pretty cozy and warm on the first floor, this kind of cold still finds a way to sneak in. I noticed our main door's dead bolt had white on it from frost. I snapped this picture of frost forming on the inside screws! They look like little marshmallows!!

At least these temperatures will get me in the holiday mood, and remind me to pull out warm clothes, hats and gloves.

Impressive Colorado Clouds

A storm rolled down the Front Range last night. There were tornado, flood, wind and hail warnings that we watched carefully. The clouds looked very powerful !!

Our area only got light rain and some wind. Towns further west got heavier rain and hail. I haven't heard of any tornado damage in the news, so Colorado survived these wild clouds.

A Visit to Rocky Mountain National Park

Colorado has so many beautiful places to visit, including nearby Rocky Mountain National Park, near Estes Park. We had a fun road trip last week, driving up to the park through Loveland and along the Big Thompson river.

The road in the park takes you up and up, then gives you views of where you have been.

We continued further until there was snow on the mountains. The views up this high are spectacular !!

Moving above tree-line, we came upon the largest herd of elk I've ever seen in the park. They were right next to the road!

Next we came upon three beautiful bull elks with full racks on their heads!

Our day trip to the park was certainly fun !!

Cloudy Day Electricity

One tool we use more frequently during the winter season is our gasoline fueled generator. It sits, patiently waiting, all summer long. Then, when the days are shorter and the clouds block the sun more frequently, it becomes a key part of our life at the farm.

Our electricity comes from wind and solar power, and our large battery bank holds about 2-3 days worth of saved power.  This post explains a few details of our system. During the warm sunny Colorado seasons, I can use all the power I want. However, during the winter, the wind does not always blow, the sun is lower on the horizon and it is often blocked by clouds. So a bit more planning has to be done to be power smart.

Different decisions need to be made during the winter months. Heavy use activities like laundry, dish washing, and vacuuming, are done earlier in the day. That ensures that the system has time to create more power during the day to keep the batteries topped off by evening. By late afternoon we take a battery reading, and if they have not refilled sufficiently, we run the generator for awhile. It is very invigorating visiting the generator on those cold early evenings, which perhaps keeps us healthier too ! 

Having the generator ready to go is also reassuring from the perspective of available back up power. In the event that something might fail in our overall energy system, the generator would provide emergency power for short durations of time.

♪ Settling In for Winter ♪

The days are shorter, the temperature is colder, and the garden is done for the season. Carla and Oz, our doberman dogs, enjoy sitting in the sun, dreaming about chasing bunnies and warm summer days.

Oz is red, Carla is black. They are brother and sister. The little birds right outside the window fascinate them, but bunnies are really their favorite to scout and chase.

Snow settled on Colorado this week. It didn't mess around either. Our area got about 6", while neighboring towns got up to a foot. Our oak tree had already lost its leaves, but other local limbs fell on power lines, impacting electricity and internet connections for a day.

So it is time for pumpkin bread, soup from frozen vegetables, and hot drinks. The chickens are still trying to figure out the new temperatures. They don't seem to want to lay many eggs when it is cold. Hopefully they will get back to it again once they understand the situation.

For me, I think it is time to start knitting hats and crocheting decorative snowflakes. I'll add these items to my etsy shop in the coming weeks. I hope to see you there ! Stay warm everyone.

✻ Knitting in the New Year ✻

Crocheting flowers will always be my number one hobby, but I am also going to take up a bit of knitting in the new year. Why the knitting itch? Hard to say, but the art of perfecting knitted socks is a challenge I'm taking on !!

To begin, I had to do some research to find out which method of sock knitting I wanted to learn. Since I am a clean slate sock maker, this was an exciting part of the journey. I found out that there are three main methods. The standard way uses multiple sticks called double pointed needles. There is also a method that uses one very long circular needle. In the end, the technique that snagged my real interest was one that uses two circular needles to create the sock. Now how was I going to learn to do this?

Santa brought me two Cat Bordhi books for Christmas, "New Pathways for Sock Knitters" and "Personal Footprints". Her instructions are written for her preferred two circular needles method, but she also gives tips for the other techniques. I've been pouring over my new books - fascinated by the art of knitting footwear.

I finished my first two baby sized socks yesterday, after much learning and stumbling. Knitting basics were something I have picked up over the years, but this experience tested my ability to teach my hands new crafting positions, and my mind new pattern reading skills. Getting used to using two circular needles was very interesting. I almost thought it was impossible, then I found Cat's teaching videos. Seeing the needles in action was very helpful indeed !!

So here is my little learning sock. I am amazed that I made this cutie !! It is knitted all in one long thread, from the cuff to the toe. Cat's method keeps everything logical and flowing. Next I'll learn how to make the sock from the toe to the cuff. Great fun to come !!

And so you know that I'm still making my crocheted flowers, here is a side project I've been doing. This are a bunch of crocheted blue columbines. These blooms are the state flower here in Colorado where I live.

What challenges are you taking on in 2010?

✈ Venus Flytrap ✈

Can I grow this unusual plant on my windowsill? Time will tell I guess. Isn't it pretty, all fresh from the nursery?

I was at the store checking out what I could do about my violet's gnat population. While there, I spotted this adorable Venus Flytrap. I decided it would be fun to try to keep alive in arid Colorado.

The wiki page on Venus Flytraps tells me that this plant likes humid air and wet peat moss for soil. The pot came with an inverted clear cup, so I plan to keep that on top of the plant to make the humidity. I won't transplant the fella for awhile, but when I do I'll use peat moss and wet sand. I read on another website that the mix should be 50:50. If you get a chance, visit the wiki page and check out the cool animated pictures that show the traps closing.

Here is one of the traps on my plant close up. Some of the traps have a red tint inside. They really are facinating and I'm sure this will be a fun adventure. Leave me a comment if you have any suggestions to help.

✻ ✻ First Colorado Snow of 2009 ✻ ✻

There are parts of the state that have already seen snowfall, but here along the Front Range, this is our first snow of 2009. The weather forecasters are calling for only an inch or two, so it shouldn't slow anyone down much.

I have some crocheting to do today, so it is perfect weather for me to stay inside and play with yarn. From my window I can see the flowers of the summer covered in white fluff, including some now dry wild sunflowers, and my potted marigolds.

Here are some pictures I snapped this morning of the lovely white snow on the flowers:

♥ Found a Ring ♥

Today I got a chance to make someone's day. While shopping in a local grocery store, I was having trouble pushing my cart. Annoyed at first, I tried to spin the wheels, back the cart up, anything to make it cruise properly. Looking down at the wheels to try to detect the trouble, my eye spotted something sparkly. It was a ring !

The foreign object that had bothered my cart's wheel was actually a really pretty diamond ring. On closer inspection I saw that it had one large diamond in the center, then smaller diamonds on either side. Plus, there were a bunch of little gems, more diamonds and some ruby red stones. The ring looked so out of place sitting there on the floor.

The ring looked to be in fine shape. Who had lost it? No one around me was acting unusual, or searching frantically. Did the owner of the ring give up on trying to find it? How long had it been lost?

At the customer service desk I found answers. Just a few hours earlier a woman had reported her ring missing. She left a phone number and description of the ring, which matched perfectly. So I called the number and told her answering machine the good news. The store would hold the ring in a safe place until she could come in and claim it. I felt relieved.

Have you ever found something and been lucky enough to find the owner? I feel fortunate to have made someone's day, brought a smile, and re-united the pretty ring with the person it must have meant a lot to.

Groundhog Day

So today is groundhog day ! Did you see a picture of Punxsutawney Phil on the news? What an interesting creature ! According to groundhog.org he is the same one who has been telling this tale for the last 120 years ! He drinks an "elixir of life" and that gives him longevity. 

He isn't the most handsome creature I've ever seen ! But who would be, at that age ?

Here is Colorado we have a much cuter creature, the Black Tailed Prairie Dog. These guys are amusing to watch, often standing on their hind legs to look around, or racing between burrows to visit each other. On a sunny day there will be lots of happy little rodents going about their business. For those of us who have worked in cubicles, it is called 'prairie dogging' when everyone pops up to have a conversation.

They can cause problems though. One issue is that they can be carriers of bubonic plague. Another is that their burrows damage vegetation. Our land is in native grasses, which if damaged by burrows, will increase erosion and clear soil for weeds to take hold on. 

So what was the prediction today?  

------------>     Phil says "Six More Weeks of Winter!"

Dobermans are Hams !

Besides chickens and a peacock, our household includes a whippet dog and two dobermans. Today I was watching the dogs and enjoying the 60 degree day. Karla and Oz volunteered to pose for some pictures.

Karla is the black doberman and Oz is the red one. They are brother and sister. We adopted them this fall as full grown dogs. I wish they had natural ears, but we didn't get to make that choice for them. They do strike a powerful pose with the erect ears though. 

It was so nice outside today ! The sun was shining, and the wind was calm. Having weather like this in the middle of winter is quite a treat. Colorado could use some moisture here in the eastern part of the state, but I did enjoy being outside with the dogs.

Karla helps with all human activities. She pokes her nose in everywhere ! But with a cute face like this, she is usually a welcome companion. 

I hope your day was nice too !!

Colorado Buttes and Jack Rabbits

The state of Colorado has so many places to explore. I have seen mountain towns, with their rich mining history, and the wonderful Rocky Mountain National Park, with impressive peaks and interesting animals. However, I'm the type of person who prefers the beauty of eastern Colorado. Here you can look up to the mountains in the west, yet move among the swaying grasses of the prairie.

Our farm is located south of a special attraction - the Pawnee National Grassland park. I can imagine buffalo and Native Americans making their life on this land. The sandstone Pawnee Buttes are striking too, standing tall, overlooking everything and everyone passing by. Raptors and other birds build their homes here, making the landscape even more interesting to explore. I love seeing a bald eagle soaring overhead, or sitting tall and proud in a tree, surveying the landscape. The grasslands hold these sights, as well as other interesting animals.

Jack rabbits are such funny creatures. Their black tipped long ears are very expressive. If I come upon one as I slowly drive down the dirt road, the rabbit sometimes stays where it is and just lays its ears far back, in a kind of cloaking stance. It makes me smile to see the jack rabbit hiding like that.  These rabbits can really run though - just ask my dog, Kiwi the whippet. 

Colorado is a great place to live, although sometimes the snow and ice can get me down. This year we will have a white Christmas, so I guess the snowfall is worth it sometimes.

Spin A Good Yarn

Recently I investigated spinning yarn, and found a whole crafting world to explore. Ever wonder if you could create yarn from fiber? I found out there is a lot to learn and experiment with. I gained a new level of respect for yarn and those who hand make it.

During a visit to Boulder Colorado's Shuttles, Spindles and Skeins, I spotted a great book on spinning. I found out it was written by a co-owner of the shop, Maggie Casey. 

Besides reading books, I also decided to attend a class on spinning. This proved to be very helpful, getting to use a drop spindle, and a spinning wheel. The challenges included learning how to draft fibers in preparation for spinning, and working on hand tension techniques once the spinning started. I got fiber all over myself, but did put some on the bobbin as well. Spinning will take time and practice to master !!

In the future we may raise alpacas for fiber here on the farm, but for now, I will frequent brick & mortar and on-line shops for my threads. I'm glad I took the time to explore spinning yarn, even though I'm not ready to do it full time just yet.

Birds of the Prairie

Living near Colorado's Pawnee National Grasslands gives me lots of opportunities to see spectacular birds. Last summer a large bird, we believe it was a Golden Eagle, picked a fence post along our dirt driveway to rest on. The eagle was on this post for what seemed like two weeks. We thought maybe he was suffering from a rattlesnake bite on his foot, as it looked swollen. He would let us drive slowly by and not fly away. Finally though he went on his way.

Two springs ago, this amazing peacock wandered near our chicken flock.

We live miles from the nearest neighbor, surrounded by grasslands and corn fields, so to see this peacock was pretty unusual. After inquiring around town, no one claimed him, so we adopted him and named him Pete. He produces great feathers every summer, which we collect each fall as he sheds them. He's a character to say the least !