Since Last Post

I haven't spent much time on our computer at home these past few months so, as per my usual, I am playing catch up.  The end of 2016 wasn't too bad.  The Holidays were good, we went on a road trip to Missouri to visit my SIL and her family, there were Holiday concerts for the minions, got some crafting done...  Here are some photos in no particular order - I'm sure I have missed some so please, for more up-to-date photos and happenings, you can follow me on Facebook or Instagram :)

 

The minions had fun showing their cousins the cool sound it makes when you throw a rock on a frozen pond.

 

 

I had fun checking out fungi :)

 

 

Stockings in action!

 

 

Earlier last year I dropped off some wool at a mill to be processed and I was really really looking forward to it. Then I picked it up and it wasn't spun correctly. Sigh. At least the alpacas were cute.

 

 

Starting January 1, the minions and I have been participating in the FoggAlong2017. This is a knitting/running thing that Dan and Kay of the Bakery Bears Podcast is putting on and it's a race around the world. The runners log their miles and the knitters get a certain number of miles for each type of project they complete. Little miss is a bit sporadic but I have completed at least a mile every day so far this year (usually more) and little man has only missed a day or two :) It's been a bit icy at times but we haven't let that slow us down! During our walks we have even viewed deer, a fox, and a pheasant.

 

 

When there has been snow, the walks become more of an ambulatory snowball fight.

 

 

I have finished more projects than this but I need to figure out where the photos are for uploading and what I still need to photograph. These are a pair of socks for little man - the Boba Fett socks as I have dubbed them. I used Opal 6ply in one of the Wunderland colorways.

 

 

This is a pair of stock socks for me that I started last Autumn and the first sock waited patiently for me to pick them back up again. More Opal 6ply in a different Wunderland colorway.

 

 

Also finished for St Patrick's Day was a pair of stripey socks - I used Nomadic Yarns in the "Get Lucky" colorway.

 

 

Speaking of St Patrick's Day, Spring Break was last week and on St Patrick's Day the Dreams in Fiber household made our annual trek to the cemetery to give Grandpa and the Greats their St Patrick's Day shots.

 

 

Spring Break was pretty low-key this year. We did some projects around the house and spent time with my nephew and some other small jaunts. I have a bunch of photos taken at the Botanical Center so I will create a separate post for those. I have had 3 vendor gigs in February-March, the last being this past weekend. After the gig was finished we headed down to the lake for an overnight. I was exhausted but it was nice to enjoy the birds chirping at the water's edge even if the fish weren't biting yet :)

 

 

Work has been going well, soccer starts today and baseball is right behind it. It's going to be a crazy and overwhelming few months but we'll get through it! Once I finish locating knitting photos I will post those :)

Spring Break - Where We Take on Ames

Today, after my lovely acupuncture appointment, the Dreams in Fiber Household headed up to Reiman Gardens in Ames.  The plants and flowers were just beginning to come up outside but the inside was full of lovely flowers and butterflies and moths.  I do like to interject a bit of science where I can!

They have a set-up where you can see the different chrysalises and, if you're lucky, new emerging butterflies.  We saw a couple moving and grooving, but that's about it.

 

Then we moved on to the butterfly palace. Actually, I don't remember what they actually call it, but it's a very warm area with tons of natural light and a flurry of butterflies and moths flying around. If you're still long enough they start to land on you. I had one land on my head. It felt a bit weird, not going to lie. Here are some of our new friends.

 

 

After saying our adieus to our flying friends, we headed to the conservatory.

 

 

I need one of these, too. Here's a closer look. The orchids were out of control and everywhere. So beautiful.

 

 

We were a little warm by that point so we headed outdoors to check out the grounds. If only they would behave...

 

 

The outdoor area is going to be beautiful before long. Not a whole lot to see just yet. Little miss decided she had to have her picture taken with the scary bunny heads...

 

 

This is Elwood. He's the worlds largest gnome going by his sign.

 

 

I love how all the buds out right now look so different. You have to marvel at Mother Earth; she does her job well.

 

Someone is an Iowa State fan :)

 

 

A nesting goose.

 

 

 

The best part of our visit - aside from a few other random people, we were the only ones there!  Love that!!!  Next we were off to check out a few places, ate lunch at Hickory Park, and made our way to the cemetery to say Happy St. Patrick's Day to my Grandpa and Great Grandparents.

 

 

I did promise a picture of little miss rollerblading yesterday. Here you go :)

 

 

 

Tomorrow I will be getting ready for Saturday's vendor gig.  If you don't have anything going on and/or want to get out of the house, stop on by!  I'm sure we'll try to fit something in just for fun though.  Still no knitting but I will remedy that once I make stew.