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 :)

Craft Sale on Saturday

The Kinettes Craft Sale was on Saturday.
I've been participating with a table since 2005
I don't have pictures as the camera was DEAD and the
charger is MIA!!!

The sale went well. Lots of tables with wonderful items
and lots of shoppers!

I had help by way of my daughter , Melly. She sat with me
and kept me company.
I did have friends drop by but I wasn't able to visit as much as
I would have liked too!!

I work at getting ready most of the fall and I am glad its over for this year lol

Now on to holiday stuff!

Thats it from ByTheHills!

Bye for now !

Contest

Purple is Fruit! Aka Dandy

This is a fun one! Any renovation stories?
Very fun! Go read and enter! Great stuff!!!

New Hobby-- Pottery

I have been going to the pottery club in town (Wynyard)
Been having a blast. Playing with clay and learning new techniques.
Glazed and almost filled a kiln with a bunch of things I had created last Wednesday

I emptied the kiln this morning. It was like CHRISTMAS!!!

I brought them home today :)
Below are the pictures!






Hand formed Cream and Sugar set with white clay
White with floating blue glaze.

First drape mould soap dish on red clay.
White with Floating blue glaze.

Drape mould Chip and Dip set with white clay
Oatmeal and floating blue glaze.

Mug and Tumbler hand formed with white clay.
White with floating blue glaze.

THIS one is MOIRA's Work :)
She did a drape mould tray with red clay
The glaze is white with floating blue.

Three mugs hand formed with white clay.
Oatmeal and Floating Blue Glaze

Hand formed Cream and Sugar set in white clay
Teal with white glaze.

Hand formed canister with lid in white clay
Oatmeal with Teal glaze

Canister with Lid on

Pinch pot bowl in red clay
Oatmeal with Floating Blue Glaze.

Wheel thrown bowl with white clay
Oatmeal and Teal Glaze

Inside view

My first wheel thrown pot using red clay
Oatmeal and Floating Blue Glaze

Andrea,who is patiently is showing me the ropes of pottery, really makes it FUN!

Making pottery is really relaxing for me .
Nothing with clay is fast.
The one thing I have learned about it , is that its all about patience!

That's it from by the hills!
Bye for now :)