Left Over Yarn Socks

Finally, a picture of the fugly LOYS. They aren't that pretty and have been worn a lot around here lately so excuse the fuzzies. It's supposed to be in the 40's but my floors are still super cold. I knit these from the toes up so I could try them on me and my daughter. I thought I had used everything and I'm still finding more yarn. I don't know if it's enough to do another pair for my youngest.
I am so ready for gardening to start, so spring hurry up please! Last year I could have started peas and radishes in March but didn't. I may do it this year if we get rid of this snow. It did snow a week or 2 after I planted the seeds last year but they didn't seem to mind.
I wanted my husband to build cold frames for multiple reasons this year. First is so I can start gardening early and the biggest reason is to protect the seedlings from our chickens. They love to scratch and took out my cucumbers last year. We are down to 4 chickens this winter. One mysteriously disappeared in the last month. Never found a body or tracks. I'm expecting her to show up when it thaws. She was low on the totem pole, so I think she took off for more quiet pastures. Hens are very mean and we had to get more hens because our little bantam would peck our rooster's comb. Everyday, so he would be a bloody mess. I felt so bad for him but our farmer friend said he can't feel it. I don't know if I believe that but he's been wound free this year.
I plan on planting celery, cauliflower, radishes, peas, lettuce, broccoli, cucumbers, purple pole beans, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, red peppers, garlic (already planted), lettuce, cilantro, dill, beets, swiss chard and I think that's it. I planted all of this last year and didn't get celery, cauliflower, cucumbers, brussel sprouts, or cilantro. I think I planted stuff way to close together.
I over turned another bed this summer and hope that I can keep it chicken free. It's about 6 feet by 15-20 feet. I never measured it but I should. You would have thought I would have because I dug this bed down 18 inches and over turned it. It took forever and it was back breaking labor. Also it would help so I can make a plan for what's going where. I'll just put it on my to do list.
Have I mentioned that I can't keep anything stain free? I have this nice turtle neck sweater from J Crew. Before J Crew, they went all cashmere only and plain boring cable designed sweaters. Well this fall I stained it, tried everything to get the stain it out. Very tempted to try bleach but came up with an alternative. I'm adding felted flowers to cover up the stain. Felted recycled sweater flowers to be exact. My husband said I had to add at least 5 flowers. I only needed two but nature does things in odd numbers, so 5 is the magic number? Two are on and I'm working on 4, plus it has to have a stem and leaves. Hoping to have this done before winter is over. Pictures soon???

Snowy Weekend

We didn't receive as much snow as Ohio but I think we ended up with 18 inches. Yesterday was, let's move the snow out of the driveway so we can bring in wood.  Here's the view of our porch and the snow is just hanging there.  This summer we had a metal roof put on, which has made this winter so much fun.  I will run from window to window to watch the snow slide off the roofs, plus it sounds like thunder.  This didn't quite make it off the roof but I'm sure it did today, it was quite sunny and warm.  

My SIL called and Saturday and invited us for wine.  They moved in to their house in December and this time they had furniture and appliances.  It looked really nice and is much warmer than our house.  We ended up talking about sheep and dogs.  She wants a sheep farm and I would love the wool.  So she said she would get some sheep just for wool.  I'm so excited because I just love to knit.  Plus sheep are just so cute!  Of course I've never mucked a barn or anything like that.  My love for sheep may end after she's had them for a while.

They also have a curly coated retriever and a rhodesian ridgeback and participate in dog shows. The Curly has won second in a national and local show, she's a very sweet dog.  The rhodesian is still a puppy and full of childish antics.  We were walking the property before they had moved in and he thought it would be funny to bump and run into me.  I almost fell over, so I'm a little leary of turning my back to him.  But to pay him back, I got to make him do tricks for treats.  It was really fun and neat to see how food really makes dogs behave very well.  He played well with my 3 year old even when she wouldn't share the dog toy with him.  I thought he would have nipped her but he never even came close.  

I've also finished knitting my brother's scarf and need to add the fleece on the back.  I really really want to make him a hat and mittens but I don't know if he will wear them.  He should because he still has a military hair cut from when he served.  Maybe it's not that short but it's still really short.  Plus he was shoveling with no gloves on, when we went up to their house.  It was seriously snowing heavy then too with the wind whipping around.  They live on top of the hill, while we are in the valley, so they have get more wind than we do.  

I finished my daughter's LOYS aka Left Over Yarn Socks and I will have a picture in the future.  I need a 3rd person to take a picture of hers and mine together. Speaking of socks, why do they have books with cute sock patterns and then discontinue the yarn?  I have Vogue Knitting Socks Two and they have a cute pair with sheep on them.  My SIL wants them and the yarn of course is discontinued.  I would like to go to the local yarn shop but after my experience with buying the wrong substitute  yarn and going on the only day the owner wasn't there.  I may go to another shop 2 towns over.  I can give it a try but if they try to talk me into buying more than 4 skeins for the socks, I'm in trouble.