The Peace of Being Snowed In!

My needles are in hand. My coffee cup is hot. My kitty is warming my lap. My bird feeders are full and covered with chick-a-dees, jays, sparrows, and finches. My deer are bedded down in my valley. So even though the snow is piling up, covering the deck, road, and meadow, we are safe and warm. Who could ask for more?


Even Neko knows that life is stopped for a day or two. He seeks out my warm lap and snuggles in. He will stay there as long as I don't try to pet him. He thinks he is stealing the warmth from my lap, but actually he is added some heat to me.

I love days like this. It is like the world is telling us to stop and just enjoy the snow. So far, we have about ten inches and it is supposed to continue snowing until late tonight. We have nearly white-out conditions but since we don't plan to go anywhere today, no problem. I will do a little baking this afternoon to add to the warmth, as well as create wonderful smells to our home.

We filled our birdfeeders yesterday in anticipation of the storm, and our birds are ever so thankful today.

Babs Cowl - Free Pattern

I have a lot of single -- or orphan -- skeins in my stash. I usually use them to make hats. If I don't have enough of one skein, I add a brim with another color or similar yarn. Lately I have been getting into cowls. They are great because they do just about anything a scarf can do without the tails. I also seem to lose scarves more often when they fall off the back of a chair or while walking. Cowls just stay in place.

I used this wonderful Chalet Alpaca yarn which is lusciously soft! I purchased one skein of this yarn without knowing what I wanted to make with it, but I had to have it. Touching this yarn is similar to putting your hand into a cloud. It comes in natural colors and I may have to locate some more to make a hat. 

I named this cowl after my cousin Babette. She is only about six months younger than me, and we have basically spent our entire lives together. I grew up on a farm and Babs would come about and spend summers on the farm with me. We had no idea that our childhoods were so perfect.

Babs Cowl

The Babs Cowl is elastic and loose-fitting, a perfect accessory to keep your neck warm on a breezy day. It is knitted in the round in a rib set off by a garter stitch that is very easy and fun to do and creates a beautiful rib. The nice part about these cowls is that they can be made with just one skein of yarn of approximately 100 yards. 

Materials:

1 skein Chalet Yarn by Classic Elite Yarns (70% Baby Alpaca, 30% bamboo)

98 yds/50 gr ball)

Size 10 (4mm) 16” circular needle

Stitch marker

Yarn needle

Gauge: 2” = 6 stitches

Cast on 104 stitches. Join being careful not to twist the stitches. Place marker to note the beginning of the round.

Row 1: *K

Row 2: *K1, P6, K1. Repeat from * around to marker.

Continue these 2 rows for approximately 5 inches or until you have enough to bind off. Bind off loosely in pattern.

Cut yarn, leaving an 8” tail. Cut yarn and secure tightly.  Weave in ends.

 

This free pattern is also available on Craftsy pattern store. http://www.craftsy.com/user/4370/pattern-store.

Happy Valentine's Day - Celebrate with Yarn

Neko and the Birds

It is lightly snowing today. These are my favorite days. Nowhere to go, just Ken, Neko and me watching the flakes pill up on our deck. Our feeders are covered with our feathered neighbors, such as sparrows, chick-a-dees, jays, and finches, all enjoying the suet and that sunflower seeds.

We often joke that the only reason we spend $50.00 each winter is to entertain our kitty Neko. That's why we also built this bird stand for him to sit by the window.

What is even more entertaining is our black Neko hiding in the black sink, waiting for the largest number of birds to show up at the feeders, then pouncing toward the glass, making them scatter.

But the birds always reassemble for their dinner once the kitty returns to his perch in the sink. They seem to know there is no danger from the tiny panther behind the glass.

Lacy Rib Cowl

Mini Mochi in Seaview

 I love the color changes of Mini Mochi yarn, and this cowl takes only one skein.

I purchased a skein of Mini Mochi because I thought it was the same color as the skeins I already had, but when I got home, it was a different color. So what can you do with only one skein? How about a cowl with a lacy rib stitch. I don't like too much around my neck unless it is really, really cold, so this loose cowl is perfect. I just continued until I was about out of yarn and then bind off in pattern.


The Sadie Cowl

I am now offering this pattern for sale for only $4.00  at http://www.craftsy.com/user/4370/pattern-store.

Mini Mochi in Redzone

Finally, Pictures of our Mountain Lion

In case you didn't believe me ...
It is 11:40 at night. We looked out the window before going to bed, and the mountain lion was sitting there just outside the window. That is a planter just under him and that is on the inside. We grabbed the camera and tried to take some pictures through the glass. Then he turned and stared at us with those amber eyes. I felt a shock through my arms and legs. I guess that primeval fear is deep in our DNA. Then he got up and walked away into the night. I am still a bit unnerved.

Animation in the Rocks

The Thinker

The red rocks in Roxborough come to life if you just give them a chance. All you have to do is look.

You might see an alligator, a dinosaur, or portrait of your Uncle Herman. Sometimes, it looks like the portrait of a president, an elf, or a gargoyle.

Mountain Goat

When we took our hike on Sunday, we captures some of these lively characters. I would like to think at night they come alive and play in the valleys and peaks, returning to their daytime poses contemplating their adventures. They watch us as we walk by, snickering at their deception. That's the sound you hear as the wind rustles the trees as you walk by. Maybe you stopped because you thought you heard something behind you.

"What was that?" you ask your hiking partner. "Did you hear that?"

But everything is silent. It must have been your imagination.
You continue on your way, not noticing that crease in the rock behind you is now curved into a slight smile.

African Lion face

Big Horn Sheep and Mountain Lion

Howling Coyote

Enchantment So Close By

Have you ever visited an Enchanted Grove?

The next time you are in Roxborough State Park, take the path to Carpenter's Peak, but before going up to the peak, turn south. Continue down the gravel road for about a half mile until you see the statue of the eagle and Greek goddess.

Take the path.

Soon you will see the mountain lions on the rock ledge. You can disregard the sign I posted yesterday about what to do if you come face to face with a mountain lion. These pumas are not going anywhere. They are delightful wooden sculptures of three little cougars playing. This is best way to experience mountain lion encounters in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Ken and I took a hike on Sunday to visit one of the best-kept secrets in the Roxborough area. The woodland paths invite you in, calling you to play.

  

Turn the path to the right to see could be on the other side of the ledge.  You enter a clearing with benches and in the distance -- could that be -- a throne?

It is carved marble covered with images of lions as if to celebrate our local carnivore.

 

 

 But you are not done with your exploration of the Enchanting Clearing. A path crawls up to the west. Yes, you will be panting by the time you reach the top, but it is so worth it. You have now reach of the overlook of the valley you were just in. Sit back in the chairs at the top and enjoy the view.

This clearing was created by the Goodwins. It is truly a gift to all of us.

In the Path of a Mountain Lion

 Over the last couple of weeks, I have posted about the mountain lion in our neighborhood. As we took our hike on Sunday, this sign was posted at the beginning of the trail. Now it was mid-morning when we ventured into this territory, but I kept an eye out for movement along the top of the rock surrounding us.


It was about then that I looked down and saw a perfect paw print in the sand on the trail. That is one big kitty! He also appears to be traveling ahead of us. Since it rains the night before, softening the sand, I have to wonder how long enough did he pass this way before us.  Again, I glance at the rock formations over our head, hoping and not hoping to see the brown body of a lion slinking by.  We never did see the real one.


 But wait, what is that on that rock ledge?

Ha! Fooled you. It's part of the Enchanted Clearing at the end of our hike (they are wooden). More about that tomorrow.

Hiking Close to Home

We will travel around the world looking for nature, adventure, and beauty, and I think we sometimes forget that nature, adventure and beauty are in our own backyard.

My husband and I live in Roxborough Park. It is a a subdivision and a state park south of Denver, one of the largest cities in the US. However, this slice of wilderness and paradise is a short hike away. These pictures were taken just three miles from our home.

Over the next three days, I will be posting more of the pictures of our "local adventure" as we follow mountain lion tracks and find our own little enchanted clearing in the forest.

It is a gorgeous day in Colorado today. The temperatures are in the 60's and the skies are a brilliant blue. The morning haze has not quite burned off adding so much depth to the landscape. It's hard to believe that it is January. Yes, we are desperately in need of rain or snow, but it is hard to pass up a day like this.

Take your camera and walk out your door.  What do you see?