Holiday Greetings

As it gets closer to Christmas, time seems to speed up.  I mailed off all my packages to my family the first week of December, Pat and I put up our minimalist decorations and  I have attended almost all of  the Christmas parties and potlucks.  Now it’s time to relax, enjoy the warm (?????) Arizona weather and wait for Santa.   I might be on the “Naughty” list,  Pat is definitely on the “Nice” list (he still does all the shopping, cooking AND cleaning at our house) and Duffy  has high hopes up for a BIG bag of treats.  We shall see………

So, my gift to you is a sunrise in Kentucky.  May your days be bright.IMG_0201Merry Christmas from Sandy, Pat and Duffy at My Yellow Swing

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Horsing Around

I have been around many different animals in my lifetime.  My parents had dairy and beef cattle, pigs, chickens, dogs and cats on the farm, and I learned to care for all of them.  However, cats were NEVER my favorites; my apologies to cats and cat lovers everywhere.  The one animal I didn’t have much experience with was the horse.    That said, Pat and I were invited to a “Cowboy Evening” at the ranch of Duffy’s groomer, Debbie.   It started with Debbie harnessing her horses for an old fashion wagon ride.  And I’m not talking about just any old horses, Debbie has CLYDESDALE draught horses!  BIG show quality beauties named Tory and Jewel.  I got real close to Jewel.IMG_3397Pat also made friends with Jewel.  These horses weight 2,000 pounds each and were super gentle.IMG_3391Debbie, and her husband John, had them ready for a wagon ride.IMG_3398IMG_3399Soon we were ready to go.IMG_3412Yes, it was a little chilly, but the wagon ride was worth it!IMG_3417IMG_3426Afterwards, we were treated to a great dinner and then live music and singing around a campfire.  It was a wonderful evening!

See ya,

Sandy at My Yellow Swing

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Happy Anniversary!

Z000415-R02-049This is one of the happiest days of my life!  And after thirty years……yes, thirty, it just keeps getting better.  Today I am in Kentucky with my family and Pat is in Arizona with Duffy, but our hearts are together.  I will be home soon, Sweetie!

See ya,

Sandy

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I’m Still Here!

Believe it or not, I have been busy, and I just haven’t made time to sit here at the computer and write about my weaving, knitting, spinning, and other stuff.

I made the big decision to sell my large Navajo loom and replaced it with a Dove Student Navajo loom.  It’s more portable and I am more inclined to weave smaller projects.IMG_3355I found a really neat project bag pattern.   IMG_3356Duffy keeps an eye on me.  He commandeers the Ikea chair when the sun hits it.IMG_3357So, no worries.  There will be more up to date stuff at My Yellow Swing.  I promise!

See ya,

Sandy

 

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Doing Something Right

 

IMG_3320IMG_3322IMG_3323IMG_3324I must be doing something right, look at all these beautiful flowers.  Actually, Pat has been taking very good care of our yard.  And a little monsoon rain helps!

Pat and I have been spending more time outdoors, enjoying the cooler monsoon temperatures.  We went hiking up Brown Canyon on Monday.  Everything was green, well, as green as Arizona can get in August!IMG_3302IMG_3304IMG_3305IMG_3311Everything was going great.  Pat took an amazing photo of a dragonfly.  IMG_3316The total hike was over two and a half miles on a rocky and steep trail.  About 100 yards from the car…….Ooooooppppps!  The soles of my 10 year old boots just fell apart!  Go figure.IMG_3319Weaving and knitting has taken a time out.  I need to sort out my stash and focus on some long term weaving projects.

So, take care and I’ll see ya.

Sandy at My Yellow Swing

 

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Long Time No Post

Yes, I know it has been a long while since my last post.  So I will get this up to date.  After our trip to Albuquerque, I visited my family in Kentucky.    I was there for 10 days, and I should have a ton of photos.  I always think there’s plenty of time to get the camera out, but before you know it, the trip is over.  Here are the “Girls”.  This was our dinner out the day before I left (the only picture I took.)IMG_3235Back home, it is time for “Tour de Fleece”, a nod to the Tour de France cycling race, but with spinning wheels instead of bicycle wheels.  I carded hand dyed indigo wool with white to spin.  It will be used for rug weaving.IMG_3268IMG_3273A scarf came off the rigid heddle loom.  The yarn was from the stash of a departed Yarn Babe, Kathy.  At our next knitting retreat, I will put it in the Door Prize collection for a lucky Yarn Babe to take home.IMG_3265And it has not been all weaving.  I have this urge to knit really silly hats.  My sister, Terry, the beekeeper, will be the getting these for National Honey Bee Day, August 19.   Happy Bee-Day!  Watch out, Kay.  You are next.IMG_3259IMG_3264And for you dog lovers, here’s your “Duffy Fix”.  IMG_3248See ya,  Sandy at My Yellow Swing

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Trip to Albuquerque

Last week, Pat and I loaded up the truck with his bike and my weaving and we made a road trip to Albuquerque, NM.   Pat has a long time blog friend, Patrick O’Grady, who writes an interesting, entertaining, and extremely thought provoking blog called Mad Dog Media.  He also writes bicycle reviews and columns, and draws cartoons, for several bicycle magazines.  Long story short, Pat and Patrick (yes, it did get confusing at times) planned a bike ride along the Rio Grande River bike path called Paseo del Bosque.   The weather almost cancelled their ride, but the sun finally shined upon them and they had a great ride.  They rode thirty two miles of dedicated muti-use path, which also happens to pass by the Biopark.  I’m taking my bike next time we go.IMG_3198The next day we took a trip to the Albuquerque Biopark which has an aquarium, botanical gardens and zoo.  I LOVE aquariums and even though this one is small, it had some very nice tank displays, and I especially liked the one where you walk through a tunnel in the large salt water tank.IMG_3201I didn’t get any pictures of the Botanical Gardens, but Pat took several of the zoo.  Here’s one  special picture for my niece, Liz.IMG_3218IMG_3222

After our day at the Biopark, we had dinner with Patrick and his brighter half, Shannon. We went to El Bruno’s Mexican restaurant and had a great dinner with pleasant company.  We got so busy eating and talking we forgot about taking a picture.  Maybe next time.

Duffy did a sleep over at a bed and biscuit kennel while we were away.  He always comes home a little clingy.IMG_2439And to finish up this post, Happy Mothers Day to my mom, my sisters and all mothers everywhere.  IMG_2901See ya,

Sandy O’

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Flowers and Other Stuff

Spring is here and that means a lot of flowers.  Duffy checks out the roses each morning to make sure there are no uninvited critters underneath.IMG_3153IMG_3156IMG_3151A warm sunny day is also a reason to bring out the solar oven.  Pat makes a wonderful meal with fingerling potatoes, bell peppers, carrots,onions and pork chops in the solar oven.  There is no kitchen in our house during the summer.IMG_3145IMG_3147There is some weaving going on.  I am still intrigued by Saori weaving, a free form style that you can try different yarns and colors.  I will be cutting this to make a vest.  (Yeah, right.  I say that now.)IMG_3157Take care and see ya,

Sandy at My Yellow Swing

 

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It’s a Wrap

It’s a wrap or a shawl, whatever you want to call it, I’m weaving it.  This is a merino/silk blend woven on a Schacht rigid heddle loom.  I used the Brook Bouquet pattern on the ends and plain weave for the body.  IMG_3133IMG_3134The next shawl was woven with Yarn Bee Soft Secret in spring colors that my mom picked. IMG_3137Tapestry weaving has been on the small scale lately.  I used my Hokett loom for these miniature hangings.  I added turquoise beads on the blue weaving.IMG_3139 The kids at the after school knitting class tried out my small looms.  They had a good time playing with different yarns and colors.  Here’s one of the kits I made.  The craft stick worked well for weaving but I couldn’t make the hole for the yarn any bigger without splitting the wood.  I devised a threader from 20 gauge wire and a macrame bead.  It works!IMG_3129See ya,

Sandy O’

 

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Another Family Birthday!

I was in Kentucky last week celebrating several family events.  We had a delayed family Christmas.  No pictures, but I did get a photo of  another happy event.  We had a “Girls Night Out” to celebrate Kay’s birthday (which is today!  Happy Birthday, Kay!) while I was there.  We were mothers and daughters!  Mom is sitting, and standing from left to right, Liz, Kay, Kaylee, Sandy and Terry.  Happy Birthday, Kay!img_3112

Another happy part was a visit to Black Watch Alpaca Farm in Harrodsburg, Ky.  Who could not be happy surrounded by beautiful yarn and Deb’s always smiling face.  img_3111The sad part was a ceremony honoring my father.  He was inducted posthumously into the  Kentucky Cattlemen Hall of Fame.  We were so proud of his recognition and so proud of my mother receiving the award. img_3113img_3117img_3119Yes, we had to do the “Wise Monkeys”.  Mom doesn’t like it, but she loves us and puts up with it.  Hers was not the only strange looks we got.

So, I am back home and ready to weave.

See ya,

Sandy

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