Excuse me while my head explodes

Phew! Are you ready for Thanksgiving? I'm not! :P

My mind has kind of stalled with the thought of all that cooking and cleaning. This year, for the first time evah, we are having real, live, grown-up people over for Thanksgiving dinner. It'll be awesome, but it's also scary. *waves* Hi, Gail! Hi, Annie! You guys know I'm a slob, right? You've seen my house and my monsters, right? You know my family's slobbish ways are not going to change, right? Right? Right?!?

*crickets chirp*

Sorry about that. The blog's supposed to be this and that and farm dreams and shop updates, not the web published version of my mental breakdown...

So, shop news. I am pleased to announce that Turtle Cove Farm yarns, soaps, and sundries are naw available at Yarny Goodness. Pam's shop is a perfect place to browse Indie fiber artists. She carries everything from yarn to project bags, and I am extremely honored to be a part of it!

I am gobsmacked at the popularity of Bronze Age. If you thought you had missed it, think again! I will do my best to keep this color in stock until everyone's feet are warmed by the shiny, bronze-y loveliness.

Who knew?

I've also been working madly on Turtle Cove Farm's submission to the Phat Fiber box. Have you heard of this yet? It's an amazing box filled to the brim with samples of yarn, roving, stitch markers, patterns... It's like a mini yarn shop in a box. What a fabulous idea!

In the meantime, my spur of the moment sale is still on at Turtle Cove Farm. Free shipping on all yarn orders, including international orders! Hurry! The sale ends this Sunday (11/30/08).

Last but not least, what's the weather like today?

Williston, ND: Clear, 45°F 16°F

CCAFS, FL: Mostly cloudy, 72°F 45°F

Hey look, Ma! Your high temp is our low temp... Heh, I think I'm getting punchy from cleaning fumes. Time for a nap!

Bubba's Colorblind

First a little back-story:

We live in a very heterogeneous area. Our neighbors are black, white, Hispanic, Asian, sun worshippers, and creatures of the night. I've tried to raise the monsters to see skin color the same way they see height: some people are tall and some are short; some people are brown and some are pink. That's just the way god made 'em.

Keep in mind as you read this that the boys and I are rather fair, while Mister Man, with his outdoor hobbies and absent-minded use of sun block, tans quite dark.

We were shopping this weekend and Mister Man got separated from the rest of us. The boys and I wondered around for a while, looking at this and that, and then started quartering the store looking for their dad. Across the way, I saw a man with the same general build as my husband, but as we got closer, I realized it wasn't him.

"Well," I said to the boys, "that man is big and has a shaved head, but that's not Dad."

"No, Mom," said Bubba, rolling his eyes. "That man's white."

"What?!?" I said.

"Dad's black."

The Last Nightshot

I grew up dreaming of space, and the fact that I now live within a few miles of the shuttle launch pad fills me with glee. Friday night, my family and I watched the last night launch of the Space Shuttle.

We always watch the launches from the beach at the end of our street. When they start the engines, the sky is set on fire.

We hear a muted rumble as the shuttle slowly climbs above the rooftops.

Remembering the Challenger and Columbia disasters, everyone waits with breathless anticipation as the shuttle exits the atmosphere. When it is just a brighter star in the sky, the crowd starts cheering.

Soon the moon outshines even the shuttle's engines and everyone heads home, proud to be a small part, however vicariously, of man's exploration of the stars.

Weather Update

Williston, ND: Mostly Sunny, 40°F 23°F

CCAFS, FL: Clear, 67°F 45°F

Oooh Shiny!

Shiny squishy goodness

The latest colorway for Turtle Feet Sock Yarn: Bronze Age. I just wasn't sure about this color combination until I skeined it up. Now it's one of my favorites.

Sale!

Starting tonight at 7:00 p.m. EST, basic shipping for all yarn at Turtle Cove Farm will be free! Yes, that includes international shipping! Check back tonight for all the details.

Weather Update

Williston, ND: Chance of Snow Showers, 36°F 18°F

CCAFS, FL: Chance of Showers, 85°F 72°F

Time Travel the Easy Way

I did a very brave thing this weekend. I took the monsters to the Ren Faire all by myself. We had so much fun!

I was the stunning assistant for Emrys Fleet, the Rat Catcher, and received a handful of rat poo for my troubles. The monsters thought it was hilarious! I wish we had pictures.

We saw Johnny Phoenix again (that's eight years in a row!). We even bought some Johnny Phoenix hot sauce. I've promised myself that next year I will get a picture with him. I'm a shy fangirl :P

The monsters had a blast trying to kill each other in the fencing arena. They are both such hams! Even the lovely woman running things was almost in tears from laughter.

En guard!

All in all it was a fabulous day. I had so much fun with the monsters! I can't wait 'til next year.

Weather update:

Williston, ND: Partly Sunny, 34°F 18°F

CCAFS, FL: Clear, 74°F 63°F

That's a 40 degree difference!

Weather Update

I have stories from the Ren Faire this weekend, but since dinner's almost ready, I'll have to tell you later. In the meantime:

Weather for Williston, ND: Mostly Sunny, 31°F | 16°F

Weather for CCAFS, FL: Clear, 74°F | 54°F

I know you're fascinated :P

Weather Update

Williston, ND: Mostly Sunny, 34°F | 14°F

CAFS, FL: Mostly Sunny, 77°F | 61°F

Brrr... Think we'll adjust?

Election Day + 2

Whew - I meant to post this yesterday, but I needed an extra day to recover! This election season has been exhausting! Did you vote? virtual high five Our democratic process only works when we are a part of it.

As a quiet aside and a sigh of relief: Yay! My boss was reelected; I'll still have a job in January :^)

I have lots of news about the shop. The Knitting Salve is now available in four new fragrances, Orange Spice, Summer Berries, Wake Up! and White Tea and Ginger. I've also started making a fragrance-free version called Liberated. My fingers have never been happier.

I've been testing a new line of acid dyes that have been formulated without the use of hazardous metals. The colors are stunning and as colorfast and lightfast as traditional dyes. Check out the new Turtle Feet Rainbow Collection and let me know what you think.

Rainbow Feet

In knitting news, I've found a new love. I just can't get enough of fingerless gloves!

Armwarmers of Awesomeness (My own pattern)

More Manly Mitts (roughly based on Ken)

Nereid Gloves

Porphyria (Rav link)

One last thing, as both a prod to post more often, and as a reminder that, Baby, it's cold up there, I am going to start posting the highs and lows for both Williston, ND, and Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. These are the weather stations closest to where we want to be and where we are right now.

Weather for Williston, ND: Snow, 31°F 20°F

Weather for CCAFS, FL: Mostly Sunny, 76°F 56°F

Baby, it's cooold up there!