Blog Update: This is going to be a long one . . . get your favorite beverage . . .

I have come to the realization and I have known this for some time but I really enjoy Twitter and my blog far more than FACEBOOK!  Instead of posting stuff directly to the FB I figured out that if I write a post on my blog first this way I will stay off the dread FB!  I also will not let myself just click on "LIKE" I have to write a reply if I am going to add some communication.  Like is not an option for me any more.  I am off my soap box!

 I need to post lots of photos that I wanted to posted and then forgot about.  Once work starts back up I get behind and I am going to try to change that!

This photos should have been posted before the last post but oooops!

Knitting

This summer I knitted five yes five Crowned Jewel Hats.  A friend of mine designed this hat about 10 or so years ago.  I finally got around to knitting this great hat up this summer.  I fell in love with the pattern and of course who doesn't enjoy knitting with Noro Silk Garden.  The two hats at the bottom were knitted with GINA.  The two bottom hats were knit with the same colorway I just reversed skein.  Yarn and pattern can be bought at my very favorite yarn shoppe Knit 'N Needle in Whitefish, Motana.

These hats were knitted for one of my most cherished knitting fans!  My niece and her girls, and husband. 

They are currently working on their land to build a home that will be off the grid.  I am so proud of them and just love their desire to have a different life.  Since they are off the grid wool is rather key we all think and thus the hats.

Once again wonderful yarn that is hand dyed in Whitefish at the Knit' N Needle by a fantastic independent dyer.  This is a super wash yarn.  I use this mostly for gifts and smaller knit items.  I have knitted a sweater as well and everything turns out great!  I highly recommend PDS Yarn.

Tomten #2 that really needs to get off my needles to be sent to one of the little girls above.  This was home in Montana in my hammock.  That is one of my favorite places to knit, read, or rest.

Very Random 

One of my favorite chocolates!  My favorite is the 88% dark chocolate.  Just a little posting on dark chocolate in case anyone is interested in a good dark chocolate of not sure what to get me for a gift!

Sunflowers!  yahoo who doesn't love sunflowers?  the only bummer is I had to leave Montana before they were blooming but a photo is worth a few words!

I stopped eating wheat which means no more beer.  I have become a hard cider lover and this one if you are interested is really very good. 

I miss BBQ-ing once we are back up in Alaska.  Yum! 

Burgers and veggies on the grill . . . ahhh summer time!

Construction

 No summer is complete with some construction around our place.  This is a never ending job!  Remodeling a 100 year old house is a ton of work!

Front porch this project is out with the old and in with the new all of which will be done this fall in theory.  It will be perfect and wonderful in the end.

Our 79 year old carpenter!  This is my FIL and he is an amazing person.  He has pretty much done it all you name it he has done it.

New front walk way was poured and no long straight we have a nice twist to our front door.

All this work is so we can sit on a nice deep front porch and enjoy the days, sunset, sunrise, visit with neighbors, relax, have a coffee or a cold beverage.

A Little Bit of Whitefish

Nice mud graffiti on my morning bike ride this bridge is a must for my early ride no matter what!

A neighbors nice way of taking a care of the dogs and reminding owners to me respectful.

Whitefish Lake with early morning sun.

Ah Huckleberries!

Big Mountain NOT Whitefish Resort!

Knit 'N Needle yarn shoppe and I had a blast helping a wonderful knitter from Ravelry pick out some yarn.

I am so glad I was able to explore this great little tea shop this summer.  Steeps Tea is a treasure!  I will be ordering tea from them online I know. 

I treated myself to this great tea mug as I find having these little treats in rural Alaska is a must.  When you live most of the year in a place you can only get to by plane treats are a must.

Honey, I discovered whipped honey oh so dang yummy!

If you have made it this far you are a real trooper!  Thanks for taking the time to look into my world and I hope you find it relaxing.

My Local Yarn Shop the Knit 'n Needle

Don't you just love your local yarn shop!  I know, I love my favorite local shop and for me it is truly a local shop.  I just have to walk out my front door and walk 3.5 blocks right to the front of door of Knit 'n Needle.  Not only is there a great sales staff but this warm cozy shoppe is full of great yarns and accessories.  If you are a fan of Ravelry they have a wonderful online group.  If you are saying to yourself "What the heck is Ravelry?" Don't worry just click on the link and check it out.  As many of us describe Ravelry to the non-knitting population (is there such a thing) we often say it is the facebook for knitters only so much more!

I wanted to include some of the great items I purchase this year at the Knit 'n Needle's annual sale.  One of my favorite purchases which I am just loving are my Addi Click needles.  I have had other interchangeable needles but of course typical of Addi these needles out shine the rest.

Addi Click needles--oh how I love knitting with these needles!

Another great item that I purchased although it was not on sale is this book.  I just love 100% wool and learning about fiber.  I have been wanting this book for some time.  I figure it will be great reading when I am up north for the school year.

My yarn purchases are below.  The GINA is for the KAL that I have yet to start.  The shoppe is hosting a Knit Along (KAL) that I really need to jump in on!  Crown Jewel Knit Along  is in progress but don't ever feel afraid to join in late to this group!  The other yarns to below are purchases for the stash.  Next is some Schoeller + Stahl Limbo superwash to add to the "hat stash department."  That beautiful rusty color is of course Malabrigo Twist in sunset.  Who in their right mind can pass up Malibrigo on sale? Last but not least is a wonderful organic cotton by Blue Sky Organic.

The yarn below is for another pair of Northman Mittens which was a winter KAL from earlier this year.  I will be using the idea of the Northman Mitten for the mittens I am planning.  However, the color motif  will be altered from the Norwegian Rose/snowflake to a skier.  Below, I have Ultra Alpaca from Berroco for the outer part of my Northman Mittens (blue and white).  The lining for these mittens will be out of the middle yarn which is actually a nice bold magenta from Blue Sky called Brushed Suri.