Baby Ear Flap Hat

Yep, another FO
Its a hat I just whipped up.
It turned out really cute :)





That's it from by the hills!

My Winter Buddy *Howard*

Howard is a good buddy.
He keeps me company when I am outside.
Gives me that warm cozy feeling when the winter temps DIP way too low.






So its a funky blue.
And not the most fashionable.
I tell ya though, HOWARD is very warm and keeps me
company on cold winter days outside! lol

See why I call the suit * Howard*?


Thats it from By the Hills!

Where there is Wind chill warning in effect
	Low -33C(-27F). Extreme wind chill -46.

Stay warm and keep your stick on the ice ;)

Another Contest

Tami Knits is having a contest to celebrate 100 posts!
Tell her you saw heard about it on my blog :)

Good Luck!

Latest Completed Pottery items from the Pottery Room

Here's pictures of the latest completed pottery :)

Mixing Bowl - Dark Green with Floating Blue Glaze

I was playing with the glaze a bit.
It looks pretty funky lol!














This is the picture of the inside.

Pitcher with Oatmeal Glaze

Melly made this bowl. Its our current fruit bowl

Mugs, a creamer and a small bowl

Two small serving bowls

Set of Two mixing bowls

Mug and small tea bowl

~ 7 Random Facts Meme ~

~ 7 Random Facts Meme ~
I've been tagged byVicki to play along.
Hmm... now to come up w/7 things you'd be interested in knowing. Ok ~ let the games begin.
7 Random Facts... now these are the rules:-
Link to the person’s blog who tagged you.-
Post these rules on your blog.
List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.-
Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog
My 7 random facts:

1. I'm a country gal. Love living in the rural area we are in.
2. I have lived in BC and Alta as well as Sask. I like living in Saskatchewan best
3. I am the only one in my immediate family that is a handspinner.
4. I will go for rides in the summer in the forest that is close by. I use my camera to go *hunting*
5. I always wanted a large family growing up -- Dh is from a family of 12 and I am from a combined family of 7 , me being the oldest. Dh and I have 4 children.
6. I don't like winter. Summer is my favorite time of year. You can't find me in the house most of the summer.
7. I read books like some people eat chips.. one right after the other. Good thing I'm a library clerk at the local public library , right??

Now will pass this on to

1. Brenda
2. Katie
3. Marion
4 Dorothy
5. Shelly
Have fun !

Thats is from by the hills :)

Robbie Burns Day !

In honor of Robbie Burns and in keeping with
the fiber type theme of by the hills blog
I found a poem by himself

The Cardin O't, The Spinnin O't

I coft a stane o' haslock woo',
To mak a wab to Johnie o't;
For Johnie is my only jo,
I loe him best of onie yet.

Chorus-The cardin' o't, the spinnin' o't,
The warpin' o't, the winnin' o't;
When ilka ell cost me a groat,
The tailor staw the lynin' o't.

For tho' his locks be lyart grey,
And tho' his brow be beld aboon,
Yet I hae seen him on a day,
The pride of a' the parishen.
The cardin o't, &c

written -1795
Found on Robert Burns Country


Address to a Haggis

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o' a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn,
they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve,
Are bent lyke drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
"Bethankit!" 'hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi' perfect sconner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him ower his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer,
Gie her a haggis!

The Translation

Fair is your honest happy face
Great chieftain of the pudding race
Above them all you take your place
Stomach, tripe or guts
Well are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm

The groaning platter there you fill
Your buttocks like a distant hill
Your skewer would help to repair a mill
In time of need
While through your pores the juices emerge
Like amber beads

His knife having seen hard labour wipes
And cuts you up with great skill
Digging into your gushing insides bright
Like any ditch
And then oh what a glorious sight
Warm steaming, rich

Then spoon for spoon
They stretch and strive
Devil take the last man, on they drive
Until all their well swollen bellies
Are bent like drums
Then, the old gent most likely to rift (burp)
Be thanked, mumbles

Is there that over his French Ragout
Or olio that would sicken a pig
Or fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust
Looks down with a sneering scornful opinion
On such a dinner

Poor devil, see him over his trash
As week as a withered rush (reed)
His spindle-shank a good whiplash
His clenched fist.the size of a nut.
Through a bloody flood and battle field to dash
Oh how unfit

But take note of the strong haggis fed Scot
The trembling earth resounds his tread
Clasped in his large fist a blade
He'll make it whistle
And legs and arms and heads he will cut off
Like the tops of thistles

You powers who make mankind your care
And dish them out their meals
Old Scotland wants no watery food
That splashes in dishes
But if you wish her grateful prayer
Give her a haggis!

What is a Haggis???
Find out here





My mothers Clan
Sutherland

Highlander wearing Sutherland Plaid



That's it from by the Hills!

beannachd leibh !
(farewell)

Tipper Pics and FO's

Tipper is our feline fur baby.
She strongly resembles a British short hair tortoiseshell.
Tipper likes to spend lots of her time with me, either keeping watch while i spin or knit.
Or sitting by me when I am on the computer or working around the house.
She sits at the back door in summer by the screen, on her own stool watching me as
I work in the back yard. She refuses to go outside though.

Here she is guarding my spinning wheel ,
background is the house plants in our south living room window

I have a couple FO's too
A pair of skull fingerless gloves

An ear flap hat for a toddler

Stulpen Fingerless Gloves. ( An awesome free pattern found online)
These are ALMOST finished.
I have recently discovered cables and these were actually fun!

That's all for now from by the hills :)
Catcha Next Time!

A Contest! From Cass ( Shut up, I'm Counting)

This is a fun blog to read :)
She is having a contest!
Please tell her I sent you lol

Cass- Congrats on #444


That's it from by the hills!

Coffee, Cake, Chatting and Company

Had a short afternoon of coffee, cake and chatting yesterday.
Went to a friends , Vicki ,( purple is a fruit)
We had some good coffee from Star bucks. She got some in an exchange.
Her neighbor Stacey wants to learn to spin as well. I had to leave just as she got there.
Hopefully we can get together again soon ! Wouldn't it be fun to start a spinning guild for our area??



Thats it from by the hills

Tbe Never Ending Socks Are FINISHED!!

I am not a patient knitter! I knit these socks for myself on
size ZERO's! Took me about 5 days. Long time for socks for me lol

Close up of the leg pattern

#2 FO for 2008
Thats it from by the hills!

Winter Days on Farm By the Hills

It was a beautiful sunny day yesterday. Mel and Pierce fed the sheep and llama's for the week. They set out several round bales and cut the twines as the bales are needed. Doesn't stop the critters from sampling though , lol!

Mel picking up a bale with the front end loader that is equipped with bale tines/forks.

Feeding out the bales while the dogs look on

Pierce cutting the twines from one bale

Woolie girls and Llamas watching the activity

That's chore time down by the hills !

First Finished Project for 2008

My first finished project for 2008
Melly is modelling for me.
Fingerless gloves with a twisted rib pattern.
I used 100% wool in navy blue.


On to more projects from by the hills !
Bye for now !

New Years Baby on the Farm

NEW YEARS BABY 2008

We have a new baby on the farm.
The little single ewe was born Thursday Jan 3, 2008 to mama tag #161.
Mama is a dorset cross and sire is the California red ram aka RED

Badger is making sure the *baby* is safe.
She really is a good Livestock Guardian Dog

That is Mel in the pic with Badger , lamb and mom looking on.

Mom says enough pictures and is leading baby away.
You can see the *red mane* on the lambs neck. The Cali Red is showing thru.

The llama girls , the other part of the livestock guardian team Precious is looking at the camera, Mama Luna and Ursa are checking out something in another part of the paddock.


Jasmine, my one and only Jacob sheep.


That is the critter update for now, from by the hills
Bye for now!!!

New Year New Things

We had a *visitor* in our yard on the 2nd
Mel noticed a HUGE odd looking bird
in the crab apple tree in our back yard.

It is a Pileated WoodPecker.
Wikimedia says this about this bird
Click here for more info on the Pileated Woodpecker

I am still working on pottery. I thought I would share a few pictures
of the pottery club and some works in progress.

This is the electric wheel I use.
There are kick wheels too
I want to try those out sometime.

Foreground is the work table by the potters wheel. Just beyond that is one of the kick wheels, not in service at the moment. The *machine* with orange on it is the slab roller. Rolls out clay evenly to what ever thickness you want. Slabs of clay are used for *built* items and drape molds, mostly.

These are the shelves with items waiting to be bisqued or are already bisqued waiting for glaze.

This is a work in progress. I want to glaze the carving different from the whole piece



This is the glazing table. Its full of pieces from the childrens
Pottery class that Andrea had been offering.
Underneath you can see pails of glazes.
Its a small space so its utilized to the fullest.
Not always the neatest but to the fullest!





These are the kilns. Two are in operation.
One is waiting to get repaired.
You can see pails of glaze in this picture too.




The holidays are over..
Down Come the lights!
Mel and Pierce found an interesting but efficient way
to remove the Christmas lights from the house.
Saves going up and down the ladders!! LoL


Pierce seems to be enjoying it too!


Thats it for this post from by the hills!

Good- Bye 2007 , Hello 2008

Where has the year gone??
Time to reflect on the old and look forward to the new.


It was a busy time here by the hills since the craft sale.
One sunny day , Mel cleaned our chimney just like Dick Van Dike
in Mary Poppins

He's on our house roof




CHRISTMAS CONCERT 2007 Moira's class preformed in the school pagent.
They sang * Mary's Little Boy Child*
She is second from the right, beside the blue angel.



Oh Tannenbaum Oh Tannebaum


How lovely are your branches!

The big meal!!
We set the table with my dear grandmothers 25th anniversary china,
a table cloth and stem ware she had given us.


The Food!

A christmas toast. My glass is raised too, Im behind the camera ;)



Mel built some old fashioned type sleds using plywood and tin .
We spent a better part of two hours on the hill the kids like to use for sledding.



Yep , that hill is as long as it looks!


Mel getting to give Moira a start down the hill,
while Mellly and Einie look on.

Mel and Einstien coming up the hill. No, Einie didn't ride
but he did run! He would follow everyone down the hill lol.

Mel sending Moira on another run down the hill.
That is Pierce at the bottom.


HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We stayed home with the kids for New Years.
At midnight we all toasted the upcoming new year while saying goodbye to the old one!

Happy New Year To You

Happy New Year to you!
May every great new day
Bring you sweet surprises--
A happiness buffet.

Happy New Year to you,
And when the new year’s done,
May the next year be even better,
Full of pleasure, joy and fun.

Best Wishes

Tricia , Mel , Melissa, Pierce and Moira

That's the update from by the hills.
Will post more soon :)