New Hobby (I'm Insane)

So, despite money troubles, working my behind off at two full time jobs and already being obsessed with knitting, I have decided to try a new hobby: container gardening. In container gardening, instead of your plants being in the ground, everything is in pots. I intend to plant veggies and herbs instead of flowers and have already started with six different ones: garlic, sweet basil, oregano, cilantro, chives and parsley. I also intend to plant tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and peppers later on in the summer, when it is warmer.

One thing that I hope will help is there is a large greenhouse in Ohio, Hatcher's Greenhouse, that recently bought a smaller one that is very close to my apartment. I spoke Saturday with the owner, who is a very nice lady and was very helpful, even though they are not actually open for about two more weeks. She even gave me a huge pot to use for my cucumbers when I plant them and some good advice. They also sell large bags of soil and fertilizer for much less then the local Walmart or Lowe's. Plus the fertilizer is organic.

I planted my herbs last Wednesday, the 14^th and since most are not supposed to sprout for 7 to 14 days, I was not expecting much to happen yet. Well on Saturday, I was delighted to find that one of my garlic cloves was showing a tiny spike above the soil. Yesterday morning, before going to work, it was about an inch tall and the other two (I put three in the same pot and will soon need a bigger one) had emerged as well. There was nothing else visible in the other five pots. I opened the blinds so the sun could get in later (they are on a small dresser in my bedroom, which has an west facing window) and when I got home from work at 4 pm, I was amazed. The first of the garlic to emerge was almost an inch taller, the other two were about an inch each and teeny, tiny furls of green are visible in two of the other pots, the basil and the oregano.

At about 5:30 I decided to walk to a nearby Family Dollar and see if they had any pots and how much they were. They had several and while I don't plan on getting any until Saturday, it is nice to know that they have some and that they are fairly cheap. There were several that were 10” for $2.00 apiece. I will probably head there on Saturday and buy six or seven of them. When I got home, I looked at my pots again, and a new spike had emerged from the Chives. Still nothing in the last two, but hopefully, in the next few days if the weather cooperates and stays sunny. It has been very rainy and cloudy the last few days, which might have something to do with it.

I have never had much luck with plants before, but I discovered something that might help: looking at my tiny, green points and knowing that they are there because I planted and watered them is a lot like the pride I feel when I have finished a knitted item. The sense of “I made this” and also the knowledge that it won't always go right, that I will screw up. But, as with my knitting, there is the possibility of a due over, that I can try again until I get it right. Last week I was working on a sweater and was a good ways up, two inches of ribbing and four inches of the pattern, when I realized that my gauge was wrong and that it was coming out much to big. I ended up frogging and restarting. And it is possible to do that with my plants.

However, whenever I get into a new hobby or interest, I really get obsessed with it and tend to go way overboard, which usually ends up biting me in the rear when I get in over my head. So, I am going to take this very carefully. I am keeping a journal about what I am doing and how my actions affect the plants. That way, if I mess up, I will hopefully have an idea of why or can ask someone what I did wrong. On that note, I think that I will be a frequent visitor at Hatcher's. So here goes. Wish me luck!     

Maryland Sheep and Wool Fri and Sat

Warning: This is a very picture heavy post.

In December of 2010, I decided to attend this year's annual Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival in West Friendship, MD.  The MDSW is one of the largest sheep and wool festivals on the East Coast.  It is always held the first weekend in May.  I ended up having a blast.

I was getting ready for the festival for several weeks before hand, buying food and supplies.  I borrowed my dad's pickup truck and slept in the bed.  The night before I left for Maryland, I spent the night at my grandmother's, because they lived in the direction I was going.  At 7:30, I got on the road.  Almost the entire trip was on various interstates; specifically: I-64, I-79, I-68 and I-70.  It was an eight hour drive, and since I was by myself, I used a variety of different things to keep it from being boring, mostly listening to music and audiobooks on my Ipod. 

Even though I only stopped three times on the way, twice to use the restroom and get a Maryland state map, and once to eat lunch, I didn't reach the campground were I would be staying until 3:30.  The campground I was staying at was called Patapsco Valley State Park. There were several other people from Ravelry staying there, including Lucinda and Joe from New York, and Mike and Ruth from Pennsylvania. 

I spent most of the afternoon fighting to keep my campfire lit.  They sold wood at the campground, but it was green and difficult to keep lit.  I ended up hunting the ground around my site and was able to find several pieces of wood that had been trimmed from the trees around my site.  With them, I was able to get enough heat to roast a few hot dogs and make s'mores.  However, when it came time to roast the hot dogs, I discovered I had forgotten both a can opener and a pot for the sauce, so ended up having my dogs with just ketchup.

After I ate, I wandered around the campground for a while.  Half the people there were for the festival and many of those were on Ravelry.  I met and spoke to the people around me, and found a few more.  While talking to a few ladies who were all there together, we noticed that it was starting to look like it might rain and I headed back to my site.  Because I was sleeping in the bed, I had very limited space in the bed of the truck, so put the remaining wood, and the cooler and plastic bin in the cab.  I climbed in the truck at around 8:30, just as the rain started.  It was soon to dark to read without the flashlight and I didn't want to use up the batteries, so at first I listened to music on my Ipod.  I then decided that the rain was nicer and was soon asleep. 

The next day, I got up at 7:30 in order to get to the festival early and get a good spot in the line for the t-shirts.  That early, the traffic was not that bad, and I was parked and heading for the gate by 8:45.  I got in line and ended up talking to a very nice lady named Patty who asked me about the sock I was knitting.  She was knitting a hat for her mother for Mother's Day, and was unsure of how to use DPNs.  I was able to answer her question easily and chatted with her and her husband as the line moved. 

I was using a food saver bag with Marshall University on the side and was spotted by another knitter from Huntington.  I ended up telling her about the local guild and invited her the next meeting.  There were a few other guild members there, but I didn't see any of them.  After I got my t-shirt, I headed out to check out the rest of the festival.  The weather was perfect, 70 degrees and sunny and the fairgrounds were fairly crowded.  This is the view from the top of the hill:

I started at the far end of the festival.  MDSW has grown so much that this year there was an entirely new section at the bottom of the hill, by the sheep dog demos.  I ended up buying an oz of CVM fiber.  I then decided to concentrate mostly on fiber, to find as many different breeds as possible and play with them to see which I liked best.

After a quick stop for a lambburger from the boy scouts, I headed for the main barn.  I ended buying a BFL grab bag from Bullen's Wullens, totalling 4 oz and was given a free CD spindle kit when I traded them several ones for a ten. 

I then wandered through the barn until I found the booth I was most interested in: Golding Fiber Tools.  I had been coveting a Golding Spindle for several years, but wanted to see and test them before buying one.  I soon selected and purchased a Golding Tsunami in cherry wood, weighting 0.75 oz.  It spins like a dream and is beautiful to boot, see:

I continued through the main barn, including checking out the items in the fleece sale.  I ended up deciding that a raw fleece would have to wait for another year, even though one lady was interested in splitting a lovely gray Romney fleece with me, with about 4 pounds for each of us.  I also spent an educational few minutes listening to one of the volunteers talk about the qualities of a good fleece.  I continued on and bought a 4 oz braid of BFL from Cloverleaf Farms, colorway Spruce Goose:

After Cloverleaf Farms, I headed on through the main barn.  My next purchase was at Shadeyside Farms, were I found about 3-4 oz of a Shetland-Icelandic cross.  It is the fiber in the above pictures of my Golding.  I then left the main barn and headed for the others.  In barn 6 I made two more purchases of 4 oz of Jacob roving from the Jacob Sheep Breeder's Association and over a pound of cleaned, processed Romney for $15.00.  I was told by several people that was a good price.

I then wandered through the other two barns.  I decided to save the outside vendors in the North and East sections for Sunday.  So, I headed to check out the sheep barns.  Some people complain about the smell of the sheep, but to me, it smells of county fairs and I find it a comforting smell.  In the sheep barns I made my last purchase of the day when I got about 3 oz of black Finn sheep.  The lady selling it was very nice and through in a bit extra. 

It was now about 5:30 and I was tired, so I decided to head back to the campsite. 

This was my home away from home for the weekend:

I cooked dinner (more hot-dogs) and had a bit of show and tell with the other festival-goers in the campground.  Some of the Ravelry people had a little get together around a fire-pit, and I didn't go to bed until 10:00.  I ended up waking up at 3 am, from  the cold and could not get back to sleep until I added a couple blankets my mom had insisted I bring.  I texted her in the morning that she was right and got a text back saying I told you so. 

The post for Sun and Mon will be posted later, it is getting too big.

Late Christmas post

Ok, Christmas come and (long) gone and I still have not posted all the projects I made, so here you go. (Just a warning, a few of these were taken on my camera phone, so they are not the greatest.)

First off, Mamaw Rose's Clapotis shawl. She loved it and used it Christmas night after I gave it to her.

Then, my brother asked me to make him some fingerless mitts after he saw a pair that I made for myself, so here they are:

Then both of my nieces got teddy bears (and Airianna's was literally finished Christmas Eve.) This is Airianna.

And this is Kira and her mom Kristen.



Then my nephew, Hunter got a scarf.


My mom got a pair of socks:

And my Mamaw Mary also got a scarf:

I also knit about seven or eight dishcloths, but I am not posting all the pictures of they here, so if you really want to see them, check out my photostream at Flickr.com: WVrambler

Pics and Progress

Well, the Christmas knitting is almost complete and here are the pictures of the finished projects that I have.

Mamaw Rose's Clapotis (the shawl is finished, but final pic will be her wearing it):

Then there is Mamaw Mary's scarf. I found the scarf I made her a few years ago in the utility room, so I guess she has been wearing it, but she said that is itches and I can not blame her; I knit it out of Lion Brand's Fisherman's Wool, before I started going to LYS and not just shopping at the chain craft store.My nephew, Hunter, is also getting a scarf. He has an olive green coat with orange detailing, so I am hoping this matches okay.

And the last for today is a pair of fingerless mitts for my older brother, Bruce. They aren't finished yet, but should be by the end of the week. I am about 5 rows from the end, and then have to knit the mate, but it only took me from Monday evening until today to do the first. I am seriously think of making a pair for Mommy and a pair for myself also.

Progress Report

Okay, the move is over, except for some stuff at Mamaw Mary's but that is stuff that I can do without for the moment. The entire weekend was dedicated to work and moving. I went to work on Sat. made a quick run form storage to the apartment. Then went home and tried to sleep for a few hours. Tried is the key word there. My neighbor has a pit bull in his yard that belongs to his daughter, and I swear, that dog never shuts up! I gave up on sleeping after about two hours and worked on some knitting instead.

Then work Sunday night and let me tell you, a twelve hour midnight shift after no sleep is no fun. I then collected my older brother Bruce and we went to meet my uncle Chris for the moving. My dad had let me borrow his truck and Chris also had a truck, so it only took us two trips. It was a bit of a hassle to move the love seat in (the hazard of living upstairs). But they got it in and now I just need to unpack. I didn't realize I owned so many books. That is what the majority of the boxes held. I will be looking into donating some of them. The Kenova Public Library would probably like some, their budget was cut this past year.

There are still boxes all over the living room, the furniture needs rearranged and my bed is currently in pieces, but I started staying there Sunday evening. I was planning on staying at Mamaw's, but Mike's dog started up again, and it was a question of going to the apartment, or killing the stupid dog! So, I packed up some clothes and crashed on the mattress on the floor. It is so much easier to go to and from work form within town instead of having to drive 45 minutes one way! Though, I managed to spook Bruce and his family, and he spooked me. They can hear when I go up the stairs and he thought I was still at work when I can in. I was in the middle of taking out my contacts when the doorbell rang, and it is loud. It is an actual bell, rung by a clapper in the hall. I almost put one of my eyes out! So, I explained to Bruce that I get off work at midnight during the week.

Also, I have finished another Christmas gift. Mamaw Mary's cable scarf is finished. I literally finished it in on of my classes. Due to the fact that I didn't have any yarn other than kitchen cotton (it is still all at Mamaw's), I hunted Ravelry for a free dishcloth pattern. I will probably give it to someone out at Heritage Farm. Pics to be posted once I take them.

Moving and Christmas Knitting

Since July of 2009, I have been living with my grandmother after moving out of an apartment in Ceredo, WV. I love my Mamaw, but frankly, we do not see eye to eye. She is an utter neat freak, while I see nothing wrong with having things on the floor if there is no other place around my to put them. This mostly includes books, various knitting projects, and occasionally dishes. She tends to freak if everything is not 'in its place'.

So, this week, I took steps to relieve both of us: I rented an apartment. I told my older brother, Bruce that I was looking for a place and he told me that the apartment above his is empty and that the landlord wanted to rent it out to me for less because I was Bruce's sister. We checked it out on Monday and I signed the lease. It is a very nice apartment, a one bedroom, and I also have the attic space for storage. I got the electric on on Tuesday and the water today. I also had to have a fridge put in, but it is now there. Also, the last tenant left a couch behind because the stairs are steep and narrow and he didn't want to deal with moving it out. Now, I just have to deal with moving my stuff in. I am trying to get my Uncle Chris to help with the furniture, so Daddy does not have to. He is 56 and moving the love-seat, and dresser (the largest stuff I own) is hard on him.

Also, it gives me more time for knitting. I am now living within walking distance of Marshall University, and on 25 minutes away from work, as opposed to 45 minutes away. So, it will save me a lot in gas.

And speaking of knitting, I am currently in the middle of knitting Christmas gifts. I have finished one, have two on the needles and am planning several more, although most of them are small enough to finish in a day (I hope). Here is the breakdown for my Christmas knitting:

Mamaw Mary: Twisted Cable Scarf-50%
Mamaw Rose: Clapotis-finished
Bruce (brother): fingerless mitts-planned with yarn in stash
Hunter: scarf-planned with yarn in stash
nieces : Ruby Bear-one 75%, other one planned
everyone else: soap socks-planned

Cass Scenic Railroad Trip

Last week was fun. As a long time resident of WV (meaning I have never lived anywhere else), I am a huge fan of the numerous and different state parks. But one of the best and most unique state parks in all WV is Cass Scenic Railroad. Cass used to be a logging town back when most logging in the state was done by railroads. There used to be 3000 miles of railroad tracks throughout the state, but now there is only 11 miles left, built in 1901, and they are at Cass.

When the company that owned Cass closed down, it seemed that the town of Cass would become a ghost town as people moved to find work, but in 1961, Cass was purchased by the state and designated a state park. Since it opened to the public in 1963, giving people rides to the timber camp if Whittaker Station, then to Bald Knob, the third highest point in WV, in 1966, and then to the ghost town of Spruce, which used to be owned by the same company as Cass, in 2004.

Well, last week I had a day off from work, and decided to go to Cass before the season ended at the end of October. I decided to make it a two day trip because driving to Cass from home is about five to six hours. So, I got online and found a neat little bed n breakfast called the Old Clark Inn, in Marlinton.

The Old Clark Inn is an alternative to standard hotels and motels. You can rent a bed, a room with the bathroom in the hall that you share with others, or a room with its own bathroom. I ended up picking the room with the shared bath.

I left Huntington at around 12:30. I would have left earlier, but I had a midterm to take in one of my classes and could not miss it. I decided to avoid I-64 and the other, more main roads past Charleston, so I left the interstate at the town of Chelyan, and got in Rte 60 until I reached the town of Gauley Bridge, then took Rte 39. I stopped in the town of Summersville to use the restroom and also, to check out their quilt shop, which had moved to a much larger building since I was last there in June.

I then continued on into Marlinton and after having to backtrack once, I found the inn fairly easily. I checked in, got my room key and then signed the register. While signing the register, I noticed that the people who had registered before me were also from Huntington. I mentioned it to the innkeeper, who said that they had checked in about 15 minutes before I had. I wondered if I would bump into them. I then went outside to get my bag from the car, and as I was walking back in, I saw a woman in the dining room of the inn. I stopped to say hi and ask were she was from; as it turned out, she and her husband were the couple from Huntington.

Their names were Betty and Peter and they had spent the week visiting family in Virginia, mostly on a motorcycle. They had decided to stay at the inn because it was motorcycle friendly. Peter was a retired minister and Betty a retired teacher and they were both alumni of Marshall University. I spent a few minutes talking with them, then mentioned that I wanted to get something to eat. All I had had that day since breakfast was two apple, a bag of chips and a candy bar. Somehow, without any of us saying a word, we decided to go eat together. The inn had provided menus for guest use, and we decided that a local restaurant called Dories sounded good.

It was only a few blocks and the weather was nice, so we decided to walk over. After arriving and sitting down, we all decided that the spaghetti sounded good. what followed was one of the most pleasant evenings I have had in a long time. We talking about everything, including their faith (both were members of the Anglican Church) my classes, history in general, Cass and a dozen other things. They decided to split a piece of pie and we then headed back to the inn. On the way back, I noticed the most interesting mural on the wall. It depicted different things about the area, such as Cass, Droop Mountain Battlefield, skiing and fishing.

After we got back to the inn, I headed to bed. I slept ok, for being in a strange place. I woke up around 8:00 and headed down to the continental breakfast offered by the inn. I spoke some more with Betty and Peter, and also some other people who had stayed at the inn. They were bicyclists riding on the Greenbriar River Trail, a 78 mile long trail that used to be a section of railroad tracks, but has been converted for use by hikers, bikers and horseback riders. No motorized vehicle are allowed, except for motorized wheelchairs.

I got on the road to Cass at about 9:30 and got there just at 10:00, about an hour before the train I planned to ride left. I had decided to go on Friday because that is the day the train to the ghost town of Spruce runs. I have been to Whittaker Station several times and Bald Knob once several years ago, but had never been on the Spruce train.

I spent a leisurely hour poking around the gift shop and ordered a box lunch to take with me on the train. Also I found another knitter, or maybe I should say that she found me; as I was standing in front of the depot waiting for the trian, an older woman walked up to me and performed the knitter's handshake: she started petting the shoulder of the handknit vest I was wearing. She clearly was an experienced knitter as well, she was only one size off of the needle size I used.

At about 10:30 to train pulled into the station. The train that would be taking us up to Cass that day was Shay 6, (also called Big Six), the largest Shay engine still running in the world. For a video of Big Six pulling up, check out this video on YouTube. Also, here is a picture taken from the steps of the gift shop.

Here I am in the engine! We left the station at 11:00 and headed up to Spruce. First we headed up the track to Whittaker Station, which took about an hour. We stopped there for a restroom break and so some people could go to the concession stand, which is claimed to have the best hot dogs on the mountain.

We were at Whittaker for about 20 minutes before continuing on. There were some phenomenal views of the distant mountains, including the boundary between West Virginia and Virginia and the leaves were already turning at the higher elevations. I was able to get a little knitting in during the trip.

After about two hours, we arrived at the ghost town of Spruce. There really isn't much left after all this time. Spruce was developed for the production of pulpwood and was active from 1904 until about 1950, when it was abandoned. While active, Spruce was one of the highest towns in the eastern US. All that is left now is the foundations for the mill and some other buildings.

We wandered around the site for about an hour, and then headed back. We didn't stop on the trip back, except on one of the switchbacks so that the 2:30 train to Whittaker Station could pass us. We stopped just short of the switchback and the Whittaker train, pulled by Shay 5, went into the switchback, then we entered the switchback behind them and pulled onto the next section, while they continued on up. We got back to Cass at about 3:15 and I decided to buy a few of the things I had been looking at earlier. I got a coffee mug and a hiking stick medallion. I then headed home, with a detour through Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park. They were having a reenactment that weekend, but were still setting up when I got there. So, I decided that it would be easiest to go home by I-64. I stopped at Tamarack and had a very nice chicken potpie for dinner and arrived back home at about 10:00.