Hundgestrickt

Flavie

2012-01-27T21:07:00.001+01:00

wishing you a great weekend.

Bisou

2012-01-21T22:18:00.001+01:00

...sitting on my shoulder.
Have a great weekend :-)

On my Way to 5K

2012-01-17T17:55:00.001+01:00

I'm on my way to 5K!
Exercised 36min total, 18min running, 8min max run

I'm on my way to 5K

2012-01-15T13:30:00.000+01:00

exercised 32min total, 16min running, 6min max run.

I used the 5K Runner app http://itunes.apple.com/app/id456591673?mt=8

January garden

2012-01-15T10:42:00.001+01:00

As the sun is shining from a bright blue sky I decided to post a quick "middle of the month" garden picture taken with my iPhone.

Weird weather

2012-01-13T13:56:00.001+01:00

After a walk with a friend and her five doggies along the Rhine on which we got quite wet and blown through this is my view from the couch (where I am curled up with my "hot doggie bottles" watching a program about Boudica and the Romans in Britain).

Knitting for Sweetheart

2012-01-11T15:26:00.000+01:00

I think I had lost my knitting mojo during the last weeks but it seems it has come back!
Often if Sweetheart has a bad headache he uses my Kiri shawl to keep his neck warm and calls it the Faery Shawl because it works so great. I thought he needed his own one and started one for his birthday but so sorry he got a work in progress instead of a finished object. But so I could ask how long he wanted it :-) and now I am just trying to finish it. I hope he will love it! It is made in some of my favourite leftover sock yarns! It was some redheart that was available at Walmart over here.

I am using an easy pattern, start with about four stitches in garter stitch, increase one stitch on one side every fourth row until you have used half of your yarn then decrease.

Thanks for coming over!Tina

Sunday walk

2012-01-09T18:34:00.002+01:00

Here are a few pictures that I just took on our walk that took us close to the ponds. It had rained before as it often does right now at temps between 5 and 10 °C. Wind makes it feel colder a bit. We were lucky enough that the sun came out but on the last meters before getting home it started raining again.

The boy staying close to me while the girls running ahead to explore the world when let off leash and hearing the bloved "go".

It is amazing how green the field looks already with the winter wheat sown late in fall.

The lanes are very muddy and the soil is soaked.

Now all I see looking around me is this:

Thanks for coming over!Tina

Evening walk

2012-01-09T09:11:00.001+01:00

Lazy sunday afternoon

2012-01-08T16:27:00.001+01:00

After shutting down the notebook I got myself a cup of coffee and made myself comfy on the couch with my knitting. After not even a minute my view is this while Flavie lies next to me and Dingo works hard to get all the blankets out of his basket (and find himself another dogbed then).

January garden

2012-01-08T15:20:00.001+01:00

Not much change to December and November (that I just uploaded) and so unusually green... and there are even two crocus buds back there! The picture I took of them was crap so you just have to believe me :-)

Thanks for coming over!Tina

Sky scarf

2012-01-06T08:24:00.001+01:00

This is the beginning of my 2012 sky scarf:

Each night I want to knit two rows in garter stitch in two colours that match the day's sky. As special features I already added some yellow for lightning and a silver bead for hail. Not sure yet if I am happy about the pompon yarn for rain.
I got the idea on the knits and crosses blog and there is a group for it on ravelry, the conceptual knitters with a knitalong for 2012.

Sky

2012-01-05T06:28:00.001+01:00

Last night's evening sky. The Call bevor the storm...

Happy New Year

2012-01-02T19:38:00.001+01:00

To every one. Hope you all started 2012 well. My New year's resolution? Be in blogland more often again!

This is

2011-12-27T13:16:00.001+01:00

A Test. Sleeping puppy is good puppy ;-)

December garden

2011-12-26T15:13:00.000+01:00

Not quite the beginning of the month but from around christmas, but there is not much change, anyways. We had cut down the roses by then.

Thanks for coming over!Tina

November garden

2011-11-06T15:12:00.000+01:00

Late but just to complete the year:

Thanks for coming over!Tina

Another dog walk

2011-10-26T18:29:00.003+02:00

Remember the post about the green sunday walk I wrote back in August? Well here are some actual pictures of that part of my neck of the woods.

The beginning change to fall is definitely visible!

The clouds were looking special.

This is still the same field of leek than in the old post ;-)

And as usual with me: girls in front looking out for grashoppers and mice, boy one step behind.

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

More October garden pictures

2011-10-16T16:27:00.000+02:00

It is mid october and everything is still so green! Lots of colour, too. The fall perenniels are in full bloom, the roses are doing great, the white buddleja has a second high, the blackeyed susan has hidden the insect hotel post nicely, and the clematis fruit are just amazing.

This past week we had some nice weather with cold nights under a clear sky (down to 4°C in the morning) and nice sunny days, warm in the sun but already cool in the shade. Had my lunch today on the back patio, sitting there in jeans and just a t-shirt. Two more days like this are forecast!

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Edit: the clematis is Clematis tangutica, or mongolian clematis. You can see them in flower here, it's a last year's post.

Breakfast - Petit déjeuner

2011-10-16T12:14:00.000+02:00

This was my breakfast this morning, French style with a bowl of milk coffee (un bol de café crème) and a piece of baguette (und tartine) with lemon marmalade, that needs to be dipped into the coffee each time before taking a bite. Tried to make my coffee smile :-)

What's the reason for that craving?
We have tickets for the concerts of two French ladys - one will be Nolwenn, taking place next spring in France close to the German border. She is a girl born in Britanny and has a lovely voice and sings beautiful songs, in French, in Breton, in English and even in Irish.
Then there is ZAZ coming to our town and this will be sooner, in November. She has two hits in Germany, that I knew from the radio and liked, but since I have seen her life on TV I am totally hooked. She has such a power!

So this morning, I just felt like doing a bit more for the French part of my soul...

Oh and while I was sitting there with the camera in my hand I thought I might also show you the view from the seat at the dining table I usually sit on, with my favourite cross stitch in sight and Josy looking down on me:

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

October garden

2011-10-16T11:52:00.000+02:00

I am sorry for not blogging for so long!
Is there still someone out there waiting for some news from my neck of the woods? (Well, I actually know of one person who definitely is as I was told “You haven’t written anything on your blog for over a month now - I am always SO disappointed when I check your blog and don’t find anything new” :-) )

Definitely need to get back my blogging mojo as well as the ones for blog reading, for taking pictures, for knitting, for crochet, for surfing the internet…

Will have two weeks off work soon and hope there will be some change to the better here then when I have some more spare time and am not sitting in front of the screen nearly all day long.
And we plan for at least one trip into the woods depending on Dingo's actual fitness, and if I don’t forget the camera I might be able to show you some nice fall pictures.

The weather in September was beautiful, warm, sunny days and cool nights.
So here is my first-of-the-month-garden-picture with some delay:

But for a week or so it is true fall weather, cool, wet, windy and somewhat unfriendly in general, but we just have to get used to it again. And then a nice hot cup of tea is so nice after a walk :-)

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

More veggie picures

2011-09-02T10:15:00.001+02:00

Mini cucumber

Self seeded mini Raspberry tomatoe

The potted artichok

The single artichok, size of a tennis ball now

Mint

Aubergine/Eggplant

Aubergine though it looks like tiny bananas :-)

Thanks for coming over.

Tina

September garden

2011-09-01T18:52:00.003+02:00

The usual view from the back door and the tomato patch

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Chicken potholders

2011-08-31T16:41:00.005+02:00

Now here they are, lying on the counter in the morning sun and hanging on their hook next to the similar coloured (wich gave me the idea they would "fit" into our white/brown/apricot coloured kitchen) oven gloves.

As mentioned before I got the idea to crochet them from The Seaview Cottage. Thank you so much Miss Holly for letting me have such fun making these!
Anyone else preferring funny handmade potholders over storebought?

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Another green sunday walk

2011-08-28T15:20:00.009+02:00

This was a weird week weatherwise: hot days with temperatures up to 35°C, with thunderstorms and following cool temperatures at night. Saturday then cool, 15°C in the a.m., around 20°C in the afternoon. Heavy rain now and then.

Today started cool, too, but dry and the sun came round from behind heavy clouds. Great weather for another noon walk with the dogs: This is the partly muddy path between the fields (carrots, potatoes, beets) that we came along,the view to the left and the path we continued walking on so it wasn't hard to end up looking like this if someone had to make sure that that mouse had definitely disappeared :-) It looks like Myrtille's nose wasn't straight and her ears were heavy with mud, too...This is the biggest "hill" right here , the view is even better from there than in the plain and with good weather you can see the skyline of Frankfurt from there. Didn't make it up there today, it is too far to walk for Dingo right now when it is still warm. Look at all those different greens! The blue-green is a field of leek, in the front beets.More leek and the "hill" closer. It isn't far away from this point but to get there you have to walk a big loop across the fields to the right and get to it from the back side. Just too much today. On my way back (and to get there) I crossed a little creek looking quite wild to one side of the bridgebut more channel like to the other side, it is an old side arm or loop of the Rhine.Nearby is a little meadowAnd here, nearly home now, a corn field in full blossom in front of the little wood in which a flock of parakeets have their colony.Just having hooked on the leashes on the gang for the last few meters.Getting home after nearly two hours I was hungry and tired, opened the back door and see who wasn't exhausted at all: Hope you are having a great weekend and thanks for coming over!

Tina

Rice Krispie Treats

2011-08-21T16:51:00.003+02:00

Here's another great treat I found on the web: Rice Krispie heaps, made with a bar of dark chocolate and a few spoons of nutella. They are so good. Perfect with a nice cup of coffee in the afternoon. I saw the idea on A Trifle Rushed and checked my supermarket for the right cereals :-) The result is absolutely worth the effort. Am thinking of trying white chocolate next time, mixed with some vanilla cream instead of the nougat cream.

I had made something similar already, with cornflakes, and dried fruit, but never had the idea of adding nutella...

And as I was taking their picture in that pretty tin that once was home to yummy amarettini bisquits I saw the dog bisquit tin standing next to it and I thought I could show it to you too. Once Danish cookies came in it and it is the perfect size for a package of dog cookies and pretty enough to be kept on the counter...

Do you recycle pretty packages, too?

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Chicken pot holder

2011-08-21T16:44:00.002+02:00

It was love at first sight when I saw these on Miss Holly's blog "Seaview"! Thought I could figure out from the pictures how to make them and here you go:

Just love this little gal and now she needs a friend! So I need to get a new ball of white cotton... or I could make her a creme or brown companion - I'll see!

Thank you, Miss Holly , for sharing the pictures!

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Edit: I had written the post earlier and came back now to add the picture and in the meantime the second chicken is growing, in cream :-) just couldn't wait!

Bisou news

2011-08-21T13:27:00.005+02:00

Do you remember all the blog posts back in winter after we had brought home Bisou? In short: she had broken her leg in her foster home, and after we got her we found out she had healed without boney conjunction at a weird angle and needed surgery to implant a metal plate (after rebraking the bones of course) and two pins, healing of the wound took long, she needed surgery again in late march to take the plate out...
The links to my original posts: the introduction, healing update, second surgery needed, second surgery, stitches are out, first prove.
Long story with happy ending: she had her final check-up last Monday at the vet-clinic with x-ray and EVERYTHING IS FINE! Surely not as if nothing had happened but great for the circumstances. She is allowed to do everything! Even agility training is possible! We are so happy!
We haven't restricted her from anything since the second surgery and she is doing so great, running at full speed along the field paths, playing roughly with Myrtille without finding some ending, hunting for and catching mice, running up and down the stairs, and I would have been shocked if the x-ray would have showed something to worry!
Here she is asking Myrtille to continue playing, p l e e e a a a s e:
Thanks for coming over!
Tina

Lemon pasta

2011-08-13T13:24:00.004+02:00

I just had the most yummy lunch that I've had for ages! It is variation of Victoria's Super Lemony Pasta.
I had whole wheat penne and my sauce was made with cream, butter, feta cheese, black pepper, freshly pressed lemon juice of course (no greated rind as the lemons we just have are not biologically grown) and as I don't have any parsley this year (don't know what went wrong as all plants grew like weed last year) I sprinkeled it with a handfull of chopped chives/lemon melisse/mint.
It was too yummy to be real!!! I regretted not having made enough for a second plate - but it is very filling so it was enough.
Definitely worth a try if you like lemon and white creamy pasta sauces and definitly a keeper for me!

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

Veggie gardener's pride

2011-08-13T10:39:00.004+02:00

These are some pictures from the veggie garden taken this morning. Sorry for the crap quality of some of them, me or the camera must have been still sleeping somewhat...

First the tomato patch, so far we've only had a few single ripe ones, but I hope for some more from now on. This year we have cherry tomatoes, bush t., olive t., all homegrown from seed on the bathroom then craftroom window sills, mexican honey t. bought as baby plants at a garden fair (not tasted yet), and some red currant t. that selfseeded from last year's plants.

Then there is the aubergine, a bought plant, that now finally has some fruit after many fallen down blossoms.

Next this tiny chilli pepper plant with a fully grown single fruit more than half the size of the plant. Ready for harvest.

And finally we have managed to have an artichoke that makes us happy! We had some plants before but all of them failed. Usually the artichoke plant is bi-annual, blooms in the second year. Problem here was the winter, even under some textile cover they froze. This year we made one last attempt, bought a tiny plant and put it in a pot so that it could hibernate in the basement. But look, there is a little artichoke on it already, about the size of a golf ball. Imagine the joy when I first saw it!!!

And here is the small pear tree with these big pears on it, nine in total. They are still hard and green but that is the way Sweetheart loves them, and he sais they taste great - I prefer them tender, yellow and dripping with juices when you have a bite...

Thanks for coming over and have a lovely weekend!

Tina

Dreaming

2011-08-05T20:37:00.003+02:00

I think Faery might dream of a nice real summer though she seems to be nice between the calla leaves :-)

She sits on a globe with star shaped holes that is illuminated at night. A little solar panel soaks up the sun and passes the energy on to a led to add some magic to the night garden. Sweetheart found her and brought her home for our anniversary in may. Lovely!

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

August garden

2011-08-03T05:16:00.002+02:00

This picture is from sunday, July 31. when the sky was grey and it was cool. It has been cool and rainy the last few weeks, and just for the first two days of august we had some sun from morning to sunset again. For today rain is predicted again...Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Today around noon

2011-07-31T21:18:00.005+02:00

... I took the dogs for a walk. With around 17 °C I was uncomfortable at first in my sleeveless fleece cardi. Unbelievable for july 31.

The first pond behind an already harvested wheat field.

Then on to the second pond. There is a beach on the other side, no one there.

Our neighbourhood behind the corn, harvested wheat and potatoes.

I enjoyed this walk, and I was not alone:

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

P.S. Yes the pictures ARE from today and NOT from last fall ;-)

More clouds

2011-07-30T15:29:00.005+02:00

Today's sky shows all shades of grey, no matter which side you look out: out of the the kitchen window
and out of the back door.
With 18°C at 3 pm. Off for a nice dog walk now. I like the weather as it is today: dry but cool enough to wear jeans and t-shirt, and to have happy doggies outside, especially old boy Dingo does great.
And though it is this cool I had a nice salad for lunch that I found at thisweekfordinner made with cucumber, tomatoes (both homegrown), watermelon, homegrown herbs (mint, chives, basil, melisse), apple vinegar, olive oil, a bit of salt and lots of ground black pepper. After tasting it I decided to add some feta cheese and it was great! Also pretty but when I thought I could have taken a picture it was already gone... I am not a big fan of watermelons but know of their benefits so buy one now and then in summer. This was a great use for it and I will definitely make this salad again. Next it will go into my smoothie.

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

A finished object!

2011-07-30T14:42:00.002+02:00

Two in fact as a pair of socks consists of two socks, doesn't it? :-)
I am not too sure about how the colourway looks knit up, the orange seems to disturb more than complement the green and the blues, but to wear into boots they are great at least as they will keep my feet warm. I made my special toe, but this time "extremely" and they fit great. My feet are "straight" at the inside until about where the nail of the big toe starts, then a light curve. At the outside there is a light bend where the little toe starts, then a nearly straight line to the second toe, that is the same lenght than the big one (a barefoot picture would be great at this point but I hope you understand it anyways). That is why I stopped knitting round toes years ago. Instead I usually do decreases in a different rate, outside more than inside.
This times I started with two decreases every other row, then each row for the outside and only where the green begins at the inside - worked greatly! Looks a bit weird when not on the foot but it's just what my toes need!Yarn is Lana Grossa Meilenweit Fantasy in colourway 4770 - fyi if you need to have this colourway now you have seen it or (more likely) want to avoid it if you come across it :-)

Oh and if you have looked closely you might have noticed that the stripes match on the foot but not on the leg... Happens when on the first sock you use the other end of the ball to have the stripe sequence uniterrupted on the upper side, don't care to find the same spot on the yarn for the second sock, forget to do the second heel with the other end of the ball, and then serendipity comes into play and your stripes match for the foot. Voila!

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Clouds

2011-07-29T19:49:00.005+02:00

Yesterday we had some weird weather: after it had rained all morning it stopped around noon and the sun came out. It got warm and humid. The sky in the afternoon looked really interesting with clouds of various colours, types and in different hights. These first three pictures are looking to the east, south-east.

And the next two to the west, right into the sun that was still up high and it wasn't as dark as the pictures show but I think they came out great. Later at night we had a thunderstorm, but not too close, with soft rain.

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Myrtille and Bisou playing

2011-07-28T20:37:00.004+02:00

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

Sunny garden on another rainy day - part four: white

2011-07-26T21:31:00.001+02:00

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Sunny garden on a rainy day - part three: green

2011-07-22T05:19:00.000+02:00

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Sunny Garden on a rainy day - part two: yellow

2011-07-21T05:13:00.000+02:00

The sun isn't really back yet but I am ok with it. Try to go for dog walks during the drier periods and the garden is doing so fine with the rain... And the weeding is so much easier when the soil is wet! (Who cares that I need days of scrubbing repetedly to get my nails back clean...)

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Sunny garden on a rainy day

2011-07-17T12:36:00.004+02:00

Grey, cold and wet - but we were longing for some rain and I am glad about it - so what is better than sitting here with a cup of tea and browsing through my garden pictures. These are all taken early in July.

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Terracotta Garden Granny Square Blanket

2011-07-17T12:28:00.005+02:00

Some time ago (well a long time ago) I saw this blanket on Lucy's blog Attic24 and loved it. Knew immediately that I wanted to make one four our couch, but in our living room's colours, mainly terracottas, browns, with accent of cream. And as I had already worked with Catania, a nice cotton yarn that comes in lots of colourways, I knew I would use this one. Don't remember if I had these colours at home already or if I got them then. I hooked happily away a bit, took these two pictures (a try to use an opal plastic bucket as a light box *lol*)

and then I forgot about it because there were other projects that were more important to me...

Hooked a bit now and then but not much and not "seriously" until yesterday. Got all the circles and squares out that I have made so far, smiled and hooked! So lovely!!!

I think I will join four squares with the same fourth row, and then join these with a row of grey, inspirated by the living room tiles. Just not sure yet if I will join four squares that are the same or four that have just the center and outer row in common. But I have enough time to decide on that :-)

Here is what I had this morning:

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

July garden

2011-07-10T11:24:00.003+02:00

We're ten days into the month and I haven't posted the "garden-at-the-beginning-of-the-month" pictures yet...

I love how everything is so green and abundant right now. Irrigation is obligatory to have it like this, especially for the vegetables.

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Soft, warm, green, fun:

2011-07-10T09:56:00.004+02:00

Got my Laminaria shawl out from its hibernating cave. Can't believe that I had forgotten how fun it is to knit this pattern from a 2008 Knitty and with that Malabrigo lace yarn. And the colour is just great.
Knitting it goes slowly but I take it out now and then and enjoy working on it for a row or so. Just started the first edging chart.

Here's all the great projects on ravely if you want to see more.

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

Two years

2011-07-07T05:23:00.001+02:00

have gone by since our beautiful old lady had to go!

So glad we could rescue her and share ten years of her doggie life (doggie lives are ALWAYS too short). And though our pack grew to four as we got two more young, sweet, funny, smart dogs in the meantime this hole Josy left in my life and in my heart will always remain.

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

More green

2011-07-03T13:21:00.000+02:00

Here's another of those "green" post that was waiting in the drafts...

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

2011-07-02T12:00:00.002+02:00

Writing my posts over here can drive me nuts... In the writing case everythink looks like I want it and when I publish the post and have a look at it on the blog - there are those big spaces between pictures and paragraphs.
Any suggestions anybody?

Together with the commenting problems and as it seems sometimes new posts not showing up in feed-readers this is sometimes annoying.
But as blogging isn't my main concern in life, I just keep it as it is...

Thanks for coming over and have a nice weekend!
Tina

Green

2011-07-02T11:23:00.002+02:00

Love all those different greens out there in the fields across the street at the moment. And this is just a few of them :-)

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Had this post in the drafts... as well as another "green" one...

Sunday morning

2011-06-26T08:01:00.003+02:00

Up again early and back from the first walk. Weather forecast has been "promising" temperatures over 30°C for today and it is very humid, so when I was awake, the dogs were awake, it wasn't raining - there was no point to stay in bed and then have to go for the walk later in the heat.

It was a lovely walk and I picked some nuts to try out a recipe for a regional specialty: you need green walnuts that stay in water for about a fortnight, then you preserve them by cooking them in syrup. After 6 months you can open your first glass though they are said to get even better with time. They taste great with goat or sheep cheese or also with game. Will see if they are really worth the mess.
Didn't have the camera with me so instead here are some pictures from last week saturday's walk when we got soaked. Glad we were close to the ponds when it started raining and it rained really heavily, with a strong wind, and we could at least stand under a tree and among some bushes. It was over as fast as it had started and we got the greatest looking sky after.

On the two pictures above you can see the dark mass of cloud that was so heavy with the rain...

But luckily blown away so fast.

Of course I couldn't help but had to take some flower pictures, too:

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Edit at 9 am: Glad I was out so early as the farmer is just out in his potatoes spraying them with herbicides/insecticides.

Small bags

2011-06-25T18:32:00.003+02:00

Today I want to show you two little bags I have made recently. This first isn't finished yet, I want to add a zipper and a handle. Then better pictures than this... Pattern is from http://frogiezplace.blogspot.com/2008/07/lauras-paw-bag.html and very easy to follow. As I went along I saw that my double held yarn wouldn't be enough, so I took out the bottom of the bag and did a three needle bind off instead. The yarn from the frogged bottom was just enough to finish the bag.

Then there is my first try in tapestry crochet. About the same size as the paw bag, just good for my mobile, keys and purse.
I worked in the round but changed the colours for the front and back so that the celtic knot is in peach on one side and in grey on the other. Still not sure what I prefer so I am glad I have both ways :-)
I had started this one years ago and forgot about it. When I found it again, I knew I wanted it finished. And use it. Finally. Was fun to crochet. The pattern for he knot is from a book full of celtic inspired cross-stitches that is called "Keltische Muster in Kreuzstich" by Barbara Hammet.
Thanks for coming over!
Tina

Rapeseed

2011-06-25T07:34:00.001+02:00

The rapeseed seems to be nearly ripe. I love how the little black shiny seeds are lying in their "bean". The plants get yellower and dryer day by day. I am sure the big machine to cut them is not very far away.

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Bisou

2011-06-24T17:02:00.000+02:00

Our little girl had a big day yesterday! Took part in a dog race! She did so great and ran 50 meters in 5.2 seconds. Only two dogs of her size were a bit faster. We are so proud of her though it was just for fun. (And I think the vet who put her right ulna and radius back together did a pretty good job.)

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

P.S. This is a "firsty" for us: Sweetheart took Myrtille for the weekend with him, to an agility competition (she is not running yet, just getting used to being there), sleeping in the tent (together in his sleeping bag I suppose) and I am staying at home with Bisou, Flavie and Dingo - the house is so quiet...

Knitty

2011-06-24T16:32:00.002+02:00

For all of you who haven't seen it yet: the new Knitty is out. Called First Fall 2011, great timing in the first week of summer... But I think there are lots of small projects that could be a great summer knit, though. Go and have a look if you want to, the title of this post should work as a link.

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

The girls

2011-06-19T08:27:00.001+02:00

waiting for me to finally continue the walk and stop using that black thing all da time...

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

"Jessica" by Kim Wilde

2011-06-18T09:09:00.004+02:00

When I heard this song for the first time on the radio (a live version) the other day it touched me to the heart from the first tunes. Words, music, voice, just perfect to my ears (and my soul). Had to search for it online and it keeps having its effect each time I've listend to it so far.
As I want to share, perhaps there are other dog lovers out there who haven't heard it yet and might like it, I give you two links, the studio version, and a live version on youtube with a little fun at the end of the song :-)

EDIT: Just more tears right now as when I went to this blogpost to check if the links are working the first "you might also like" was "Good bye Josy". I think she was the very first that came to my mind when I heard the song for the first time...

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

Wordless

2011-06-18T09:00:00.000+02:00

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Roses

2011-06-08T05:20:00.000+02:00

I love our roses! All of them! Here are some of them.

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Budgie Key Chain

2011-06-07T05:39:00.000+02:00

I think I have never posted about the key chain I have made a few months ago...
Made from a "Schleich" budgie in which I drilled a hole from back to belly (the Schleich company makes maaaaany little animals in different sizes), a few wooden beads, some stitching threads and a little hook. Love it. It holds the key for our garden door.

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Doggie stomach bug

2011-06-05T11:53:00.001+02:00

Ah, I had an awful night tonight with Flavie throwing up after being really worried about Dingo Friday evening. He started throwing up in the afternoon, several times, had some water that came back, too, so regarding his age and the heat and him not wanting to lay down but his hind legs giving in some when standing around, I took him to the vet. Who didn't like his overall look either and the smell in Dingo's mouth made him think of kidney problems but the first thing he said was that there is a bug around. Wow, this kidney thing really worried me until twentyish minutes later we had the results of the blood work and everything was good. So Dingo had an infusion (subcutane, hadn`t seen that before and it left a bump on his back/side) and some meds and was made "eating" some contrast stuff that is used for intestinal x-rays but also good to calm the stomach wall (not sure if that's a good word?) which was a big mess on vet's floor/cupboards/vet assistant`s and my pants and arms. Poor doggie boy hated it. He so much wanted his salami stick they usually get there.
Back at home he sleeped and after that looked a whole lot better. Was hungry the next morning and got a bit to eat and drink and it stayed inside! Sleeped a lot more during the a.m. and now seems to have recovered a bit more every time he gets up again. No more incidents here.

And then yesterday night Flavie started it. Problem is she is so fast that you have no chance to put something under her face or get her somewhere else - especially when you are sleeping, even if you already are wearing your glasses while sleeping... So I had to clean up several times during the night... Poor thing is upstairs now in front of the bathroom door, no idea why that but I leave her there if she's comfortable.

The two young girls are ok so far and I keep my fingers crossed! They took care of old Gramps yesterday and seemed to stay with or watch him closely. So cute.

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Knitting place in the shade

2011-06-05T10:33:00.001+02:00

As long as the sun hasn't come around
the house yet it is lovely to sit on the patio in the cool shade, chair pulled back to the wall, knit or crochet, watch the birds or the doggies in the garden and be happy that I just can do that! Later in the day I do need the parasol otherwise it is too hot and bright. With much wind no parasol - so staying inside is the alternative, that's why I love to sit outside on my weekend a.m.'s

Wanna see some details? Here's the pale yellow hollyhock and one of the iron lizards. I love both.

Oh and here's little ol' me having grabbed the knitting and thrown myself into the chair :-)

Off now to exactly this special place!
Thanks for coming over!

Tina

June Garden

2011-06-04T12:30:00.003+02:00

View from the back door and from the bedroom window upstairs. I do love how green everything is. Amazing how the perenniels grow once it is warm.
And the roses are just gorgeous.
As it is so dry over here (just had two or three cold days with one day 4 the other 7 litres of rain per square meter - which is as good as nothing...) Glad we dug a well at the back of the garden, you need a permission here, that costs a bit but better than using drinking water from the tap.
I just hope my tomatoes will do right... Had them too long on the window sill, they are tiny, yellow leaves, weak. But a check this morining showed evidence of flower buds and new dark green leaves in the edges of the old ones. So there is hope!
(Sweetheart might need another one or two bought plants, just in case... tomatoes are the main purpouse of our veggie garden!!!)

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

2011-05-30T13:09:00.001+02:00

The view from the terrasse/patio

and the right patio wall:

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Back from a mid-Sunday walk

2011-05-29T12:43:00.004+02:00

and if I leave the back door closed all you can see around here is this:

These pictures are from last Sunday but it is not different today.

When I open the back door, they are awake immediately to go play, check out the neighbours' bunnies and eat some strawberries. (Yes they do eat them!) And then eventually lay down in the grass. For an instance. Then restart.
But for now we are quiet inside.

Have a lovely sunny Sunday and
Thanks for coming over!
Tina

Today 22 years ago...

2011-05-20T23:14:00.000+02:00

Sweetheart and I started dating!

We had met before, but grew close to each other while on a university-trip to London and that's where it all started and hasn't come to an end :-) No wedding but perhaps that's part of the secret?
We have lived in a few places together but have now found our home in Kerbihan that we made into our lovely place and where we have our beloved little garden and our four doggies. (Two of the dogs we had together had already have to go.)
We wanted to celebrate the day with trying
out a crêperie in a town not too far away, but when driving to the supermarket that morning for grocery shopping I had the frugal idea of making galettes and crêpes at home and sit on the patio and sip cidre! And so we did! We had a great day!

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

PS - you know now where my love for England comes from??? :-) but unfortunately we haven't been there again since

Dingo

2011-05-09T05:06:00.002+02:00

My beautiful blue boy is celebrating his 15th birthday! Let's have some cookies together!

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

Red scarf on Work In Progress Wednesday

2011-05-04T19:17:00.003+02:00

Another "first time" for me:

Taking part in WIPW. With the scarf that I have started for this months RED on the PS5. After the first few inches of knitting I wasn't sure if I liked it but now I am! It will be nice!

What do you think?

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Question

2011-05-04T05:24:00.001+02:00

Today I have a question for you:
what do you see on the right side under my profile text? I added the button to get you to my ravelry page and it works for me and takes me there, but I don't see it, just the square with the red cross - on any computer I have tried so far.
What do you see? Does the link work? Are you able to see other picture that come from flickr?
Anyone else for whom none of the links work, who can't comment? Please leave me an e-mail then.
Thanks a lot for your feedback!
Tina

2011-05-01T15:03:00.003+02:00

This is the ball of yarn I found in my stash that has some red in it. (Except that left over sock yarn bit from a cardi I made for my niece.) I even had thought I even hadn't any but there it is!
I want to knit a little decorative summer shawl to pimp up some s imple top or blouse. Pattern is the Ribbon Drop Scarf.
Looking forward to start it tonight while watching TV after having finished my little white cardi!
Thanks for coming over!
Tina

May garden

2011-05-01T09:23:00.000+02:00

Spring is fully here. The early bulb plants already gone. First roses opening up! The little hedge rose we planted last year is in full blossom already - out in the fields they start to open, too.
April was way to warm and dry compared to previous years!

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

PS5 RED in MAY

2011-05-01T09:10:00.005+02:00

So, this is the first day of Project Spectrum 5!

When I went for my afternoon dog walk yesterday I had taken my camera for a few new doggie pics. Suddenly a single flower in the grass made me stop in my tracks after having it passed already :-) Here it is:

A lonesome little poppy

Oh and next I will try to change my colour-theme here to reds and see how I like it.
What do you think?

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

White summer cardigan

2011-04-30T23:20:00.000+02:00

Nearly done with this one, and I hope to finish it today because there are other projects starting tomorow May first! More details about the pattern, yarn and my mods later, when it is off the needles!

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Project Spectrum 5

2011-04-30T12:03:00.003+02:00

I am completely excited to take part this time in Lollygirl's great colour project. I love the concept she has worked out this time and am looking forward to do some research on the internet about colours, things I have know in the pastbut forgotten about most of it. I still know from school and une that there is additive and substractive colour mixing but only vaguely still know about how everything works in detail. Great opportunity to fresh up that knowledge.

And then all the projects I can make for this. And all those inspiration I will get from the other participants. I even checked out tumblr and pinterest of which I hadn't heard before.

I think I will stick to knitting/crochet and photography - finishing existing works in progress/ufos, as well as small one skein projects, and taking pictures and modifying some in photoshop. Exciting.

Anyone else excited to check out PS5 and take part?

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

Bisou's hound sweater

2011-04-27T05:19:00.000+02:00

Check out this beauty:

She really enjoys wearing it, it seems to me, as she appreciates the extra warmth!

Pattern is a great one from Terri: http://royea.sasktelwebsite.net/side_button_greyhound_sweater.pdf and I just made the belly band longer so it actually covers Bisou's naked belly. Almost naked belly. The original is made with thicker yarn fitting a small greyhound and I just used the same numbers using sock yarn. Great fit!

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Sylt sweater

2011-04-20T05:15:00.003+02:00

This is the sweater blocking that I have been knitting from a German magazine called Verena. I loved it at first sight.
Big problem: not enough yarn! Started off with 500 grams I had ordered about a year ago for another purpose from a big German yarn catalogue. It is their own brand. When I started this sweater I thought I might be on the short side of yarn but there would be no problem to order what is missing. WRONG.
Yarn is discontinued. I got one leftover skein from a ravely friend that helped me already a lot. Thanks for that! I now am still missing the yarn for one sleeve.

What I am planning is to cut off the lower part of the already existing sleeve, frog it and go ahead with two short sleeves - think elbow length. Not happy about it but that's a way to rescue the sweater, I think. Next winter I think I might retry in another colour as I like the way it is constructed and how it looks therefore.

Any other ideas?

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Potatoes

2011-04-14T05:14:00.003+02:00

It got colder now (more appropriate for April) and we finally had a bit of rain (and lots of wind) but not enough.
This what I see from our front window these days. In the field across the street will be grown potatoes this year (we already had wheat and beets there). A final plowing, digging the rows, fertilizing, putting in the potatoes and heaping up the soil in one single go:

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Spring

2011-04-12T05:16:00.000+02:00

Just a few pictures from the garden to celebrate spring:

I DO love this time of the year!

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Finished socks

2011-04-10T10:43:00.004+02:00

Time to show my Lavender Socks. It took me ages to knit them, not an easy knit for me as I had to look at the chart several times for every single needle. But so worth the effort!

They are from the book "Socken aus aller Welt" from Stephanie van der Linden (I don't know if the english version "Around the world in knitted socks" has exactly the same patterns), in which are a lot more designs I want to knit!

I used Regia sock yarn (splitting) and my short 2.25 mm needles.

Here's a close up of the toe and I am curious to feel if the ribbing is as comfortable as plain stockinette stitch.

And the lavender "blossoms":

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Bisou

2011-04-09T09:09:00.005+02:00

The stitches are out! A really light bandage to protect the in some parts still not completely closed wound until monday (and the Procollar in unsupervised moments to prevent her from licking the wound elbow) and then she should be fine fine fine. Final control at the vet's in 2 to 3 months.

Those were some hard four months. Four months! I can't tell often enough how happy I am that this is over and hasn't been so bad seen backwards...

I love this picture of Bisou with sleeping "Morgane" in the background...

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

April garden

2011-04-01T18:07:00.002+02:00

Finally there's some change to be seen (and this was after mowing and airifying the lawn): Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Back to bandages...

2011-03-30T21:03:00.004+02:00

This morning Bisou had her surgery to remove the plate. It went superfast and an hour after I left her I held her in my arms again waking up. She recovers greatly from the narcotics, threw up a bit after drinking some water, but is really doing great. She has a bandage with small wooden splints but she is walking, trotting, really like there were nothing. I am SO GLAD! Thanks for coming over! Tina

“Summertime”

2011-03-27T13:35:00.005+02:00

This morning an hour of my precious time was stolen again by having to put the clock from 2 am to 3 am in an instant, called summertime here, aka daylight saving time. Now it is dark again when I get off for work but I do appreciate the evenings – more time to be outside in the garden or with the doggies! Oh and today is the first anniversary of Myrtilles adoption day! I am so glad we found her on the huge www!

Thanks for coming over! Tina

Today

2011-03-26T17:44:00.002+01:00

a few pics - first the living room window with the forsythia we put there right outside in a large pot on the patio, together with a buddleia. Great idea!

And then I went for a walk with the doggies, so many signs of spring now!

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

More doggie news

2011-03-23T21:33:00.004+01:00

The good: Bisou's leg has healed greatly. X-ray shows great bone structure where the fracture was. The plate can come out. This leads to the bad news: The plate has to be taken out! Surgery sucks! But I see the need it has to be done so there will be just some sorrowing for a few hours while she is being operated, then a bit hurting for a few days (I know she gets a good dose of painkillers but still she will be in pain) and then she will be able to have her happiest of happy doggy-lifes! She is so cute playing with Myrtille! Thanks for coming over! Tina

"Myrtille de Kerbihan BH"

2011-03-20T13:35:00.007+01:00

at least that would be her name now if our home's name were her kennel name and if in Germany it were common to write earned titles behind dogs' names :-) I am so proud of our little baby: she just passed her "Begleithundprüfung", or "BH", an obedience and "behaviour out in the daily-life-traffic" test, that is the basic test over here (like "Companion Dog" or "Good Canine Citizan") and needed for being allowed to compete in the different dog sports (in some clubs to even train for those sports). For this test the dog first has to prove that she's ok with a stranger reading out her chip data, and he might also touch her or have a look at her teeth. Then comes the obedience part: while another dog lies at the edge of the lawn she has to do heelwork (straight on, with right angles to the left/right and u-turns), with "sit" on body cue (human stops), with "sit" and "down" on command (while the human keeps walking) and coming back "here" to sitting in front of you without command and then going back to the heel position on command - as well as heeling through a group of people in a figure eight, stopping close to a person without embarassing or being afraid of the person - both on and off leash. She also has to lie down at the edge of the field, unleashed, while her human goes away 30 steps and stands there with his back to the dog and while the other dog does his heelwork. There is a large circle marked and the dog has to stay in the middle of it. When all the dogs taking part in the test on that day have done this part, those who have passed so far and shown that they are "obedient" in a confinded area are going outside of the dog-club-ground to check how they react to everyday-life situations as walking on the sidewalk while some people on a bike, on a scooter, with inline skates, or a runner are passing by and coming from behind, someone stops with his car and asks for directions, even hits the horn, cuts off and restarts the engine with the dog close to the front of the car, dog is tied somewhere, his human out of sight, while another dog is led close by, has to walk close by another tied dog. Dog should be neutral to everything and stay on loose leash (no correct heeling needed). Myrtille did so fine in each part! Which I think is really great, as the obedience was early in the morning, the grass was still wet, frozen in the shade, which she didn't really like... And at the edge of the field there where bushes with birds and rabbits and squirrels playing and still she was a very good girl... And even when her "partner dog" (the one who walked while she was performing her long down-stay) went off to have fun with those critters in those bushes and was called back loudly and came just to pass his handler and take off in the other direction and was called back even louder and harder... And - dogs have to be at least 15 months old for this test, which she just got at the beginning of march! So no one would have been mad at her if she would have had failed but instead we are really really proud of her!!! Oh, and before you ask if it was me who took this test with her - no I didn't, Sweetheart did, who will train her also in agility. I am too much of a nervous wrack when it comes to stuff like this - I passed this test with Dingo (we failed in our first try because he went off to play "catch me" when we started the off-leash part because he could feel how nervous I was) as well as with Josy because Sweetheart was sick that day - that's enough for me and it feels like it was ages ago... After I had done the basic training with Myrtille, mostly with clickertraining, at home, in the garden, in the street or during walks, then Sweetheart took over and trained with her. And they did a great job! Love each one of her "two faces"!!! P.S. Oh and all humans have to pass a written test before being allowed to start the obedience part of with their dog , or have to have passed it during the last five years. Lots of questions like for example about canine behaviour, how to behave when meeting other dogs or persons outside with your dog, medical issues, or legal things. That was a LOT of text... hope you enjoyed reading! Thanks for coming over! Tina

Knitting progress

2011-03-06T10:23:00.007+01:00

Hey there, thanks for showing up after this long time of silence from me!

As I have to commute by bus/tram in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon at the moment I have cast on and even finished a few small portable projects. Pictures aren't good yet, nothing's blocked yet - but here you are!
This is a lacy scarf from a pattern called Morning Snack Scarf in a light blue and white viscose-cotton mix called Savanna by schoeller+stahl.

Then there is the beginning of The Paw Scarf in a thin pure cotton yarn

This is a leavy scarf made from thicker cotton yarn. Unblocked but you can see how the leaves show up at the top of the picture.

So these are my latest additions to my small but growing (there are some more single balls in the stash that I got for just 1 or 1.5 Euros) decoratif but not really warming spring and summer scarf collection.

This Bisou's paw cloth. Every doggy needs to have her and his own, don't they! In reality this colourway looks less like mustard as it shows in this picture on my screen but fits perfectly with Bisou's tan marks :-)

And then there are two dish cloths in a gorgeous soft cotton yarn in the colour of hot chocolate, one is called Blackberry pattern, the other one is just a knit two purl two that I made up on my own because I had finished the Blackberries in the morning and needed soemething to knit for the way home. Like them both, they scrub well with there textured surface.

Oh and see, spring is round the corner:

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

March garden

2011-03-01T11:03:00.000+01:00

A hint of spring thanks to the crocus!

Thanks for coming over!Tina

Back on the track

2011-02-15T20:08:00.002+01:00

I was able to run again!!!

Had accepted that my knee/leg needed a break indeed. Tried ten days ago but wasn't happy with the pain I still had. Did a 15 minute run this afternoon and was nearly feeling any pain - non at the beginning, then at the end a bit. But it didn't stop me like the last time. So I ran very slowly and it felt good! Now let's see what happens next time...
March 5th when I want to do a 5k race is approaching fast and I do need some more longer runs before, that's for sure! But I know I have to listen to my body and if it shouldn't happen it won't happen! There are still going to be other opportunities later in the year. ... But I do so much want to go there! Stop whining now!!!

Thanks for coming over!Tina

The weekend is brighter!

2011-02-06T10:45:00.002+01:00

With the weather having changed everything else seems better, too. Here are a few pictures:

The sweater parts, then the lavender socks on wich I was knitting a bit this week:

I love them but I just don't get the pattern memorized in my head, need to look back to the chart for each needle!

The start of a little zigzag scarf with some leftover sock yarn (a tangled mass because Bisou had stolen it from the coffee table - need to think of that and not let any knitting anywhere!!! to not even tempt here).

And the girls playing right on my feet while I was taking the knitting pictures this morning.

Thanks for coming over again

Tina

The end of a grey week

2011-02-04T21:56:00.004+01:00

Just as sunny and bright the last weekend was - as grey and dull the week got. Mentally and physically... the weather was awful. Cold, rain, grey skies, not friendly at all and then this:

First I found out that I can't order any more of the yarn I need for the white sweater. I used a "standard yarn" of a big German company, at least that's what I thought. So I had no worries of starting though I had 500 gramms at home and new that I would most likely need more and would have to reorder. Not. Possible - the yarn is discontinued and this colour is sold out yet. They have a forum for knitters with their website where I posted - without success. But on Ravelry I found the yarn stashed once and Alexandra was so kind to send me the 50 gramms + a few yards she still had. Thank you so much again. Vielen lieben Dank! I will see how far that will take me. But that incident had so much stopped my fun in knitting the sweater...

Next there was the visit to the vets with Bisou on Monday night... No worries, everything is fine but there came a turn in a direction I hadn't on my mind yet. Wednesday before I was at the clinic with her and the vet who then saw her told me, now that the bandages had been off for a week, and though the wound wasn't completely closed yet, that she could start physiotherapy with underwatertreadmill to strenghen her muscles without putting too much weight and pressure on the joint.
BUT those two spots that hadn't healed yet were worrying me so much over the next two days as they got worse, that I thought it might not be too good to let her soak in warm water for a quarter of an hour or so... The two spots were usually closed in the morning, Bisou wearing her Procollar 24/7 exept for walking, eating and cuddling up on the couch with me or with Sweetheart, just had to leave it alone, but after the first, short walk in the morning, it was bleeding again, well not blood really but that clear stuff. Went back to the clinic on Saturday without appointment but I was just too worried. Another vet then the time before... and the first question he asked me was if I had started physio under water. I said no and why not and his answer was "GOOD". Bisou got back on antibiotics and antiinflammation meds and he wanted me to see the his collegue who had done the surgery and having her xrayed right now (that was scheduled in about two weeks) because when she stands on the leg it bends a lot, and he just wanted to make sure everything is ok with the joint as the fracture was pretty close to the joint.
Ok, me wondering about the different opinions of different vets in one clinic, was getting back there on monday night. After seeing the xray and her standing the way she does, the vet immediately said that he wanted to take out all the metal again as soon as possible. The two pins fixing the ulna are what makes the wound not heal, there is a reaction against them and that's what is showing on the surface (so it is kind of ok that what is built in there comes out...). And the plate being that close to the joint and all that is going on inside together with the leg so long not in use is what gives so much pressure on the joint.
SOOOO, in four to six weeks another x-ray to control the build up of bone tissue and then another surgery to take pins and plate out... And he said that in such an easy way, just as if he was asking to go for a nice walk with Bisou... I know tha's what it is for him - just routine and I know it is what has to be done as it is the best for healing properly but I am so scared every time one of my dogs or Sweetheart! :-) has to have surgery... And then there is the fear in the back of my head that there won't be built enough strong bone and there'll remain the "non-union", which would be no problem if the plate could stay in but not without. And it is so hard to see this little dog, a package of energy, pure muscles, wanting to RUN.
I just decided to not think about that too much and wait for the next xrays! Easier said and written than done...

And then there is the last grey spot of the week: I was so proud of my last week's/month's running efforts and got so nice comments - but when I went out running on Tuesday my leg started to hurt really bad after a few steps of running. Felt nothing when walking, but as soon as I ran again it was there again, getting worse and worse within a few steps until I I really could't put any weight on that leg. Walking-better-going away, running- being there again. Weird! And a really bad pain! On the outside and above the knee. Googled it of course. Found something about runner's knee that really scared me. Decided to really give myself a rest, and not try again to run all week. I can be hard to myself and ignore a little pain but this might be something that should need rest. This disappointed me so much as I am so determined to do those runs and reach my goals. But I have to give in... and I never had the impression or the feeling that I overdid it, had so much fun last weekend while running with Myrtille...

We'll see! Thank you everybody who got reading to this point! I know it got a bit long but it had to come out...

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

February Garden

2011-02-01T11:04:00.001+01:00

Until I get to take and upload a better picture here you go. This one was taken through the window as I just thought about it when I had my hair washed and didn't want to go into the windy morning.

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Running in January 2011

2011-01-30T17:11:00.001+01:00

01/15 1.86 km 15 min 8:04 min/km
01/16 1.86 km 15 min 8:04 min/km
01/20 3.48 km 30 min 8:37 min/km
01/29 4.87 km 36 min 7:23 min/km
01/30 4.85 km 32 min 6:35 min/km

A beginning...

I will run a 5 km race on March 05. and a 10 km race on April 09.

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

Knitty Winter 2011

2011-01-16T15:18:00.001+01:00

Just found out that the new Knitty is online, have to get back there to check the designs out. More to add to my to do list?

Sunny January Sunday

2011-01-16T14:53:00.005+01:00

Back from an early afternoon walk under the bluest sky in the brightest sunshine. Had the camera with me but it is hard to take nice pictures when you are out alone with one doggie on the leash and the others exploring mice tracks or rubbish lying around in three different directions. But we had fun!

So beautiful in profile, too. Look at her shadow!

When I wanted to take a pack-picture not everydoggy was cooperative

but there was at least one picture that is half way ok:

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

The Couch Corner

2011-01-16T14:20:00.005+01:00

What was looking promising before felting and in my imagination could have been perfect came out way too small after felting. I think I will keep it as it is, but for another place, not for the corner of the sofa because only when Flavie is curled up she fits on it completely - and that only when the edge is down half way.

I had fun knitting it, like how the colours match the cherry blossom photo-wallpaper behind our sofa, but remembered now why I had not wanted to try out felting when I first read about it years ago - over here top loading washing machines aren't common, where you can check on the size in mid-cycle. So it was a nice try but not to be repeated.

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Bisou healing update

2011-01-15T08:58:00.006+01:00

Finally the last open part of Bisou's op-wound starts to close. There was a bit of thread from the tissue down under sticking out there and the vet could easily pull it out. I hope that was the last bit that had stopped that spot from healing properly.
The plate holds the bones greatly in place and she only needs a bandage "light" now, just to protect the wound, without splint any more. Her shoulder looks so nasty because of the leftovers from trying to stick the bandage up there last time. Nice try and it was partly a success as the skin on her upper "arm" could recover enough that we can stick it again there, partly it was not successful as it didn't stick in most places and glided way down. But I have to go to change bandages every other day anyways...
She uses her leg nicely when standing or walking slowly while sniffing around and I need to go with her alone on short slooooow walks and show her that it is great to use that leg again - great for clicker training. But as soon as she needs to get somewhere quickly it is her perfected 3-legged hopping.
It is so fun to watch the "sisters" cuddling, squeezed in the same bed or even when there would be enough space to lay looser together. And it is nice that it isn't a one way relationship as each of them searches the other one to sleep close to. And then a big sister is good to support that d**n bandaged leg a bit, too :-)

Thanks for coming over!
Tina

Mid January back yard view

2011-01-14T12:12:00.004+01:00

This looks so different from the one a fourtnight ago that I thought I might post it, too.

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Legs and tails

2011-01-14T12:01:00.003+01:00

Here you go to divide them up:

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Tina

Myrtille and Bisou

2011-01-09T08:42:00.003+01:00

Ment to love together!

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

P.S. I ment to write "live" but that's just ok like it came out... :-)

There's also knitting going on

2011-01-07T08:48:00.004+01:00

These are my current projects I am working on:

a sweater from the German magazine Verena Winter 2010 that I loved the instant I saw the picture. Had yarn in stash that is not exactly the same yardage and I am knitting at a tight gauge but I think with wet blocking it will come out great.

Then there is the Quarter Corner. Had the idea for that when I saw the wool to felt in the supermarket. It is going to be a dog blanket for Flavie's favourite spot on the couch when we are away. Not sure if it is working out size-wise as it is my first felting project. All I know is that it is a yearn eater. Need more. The border you see here is gone as I write this as it will be nearly non existent after washing so I thought if I have to buy more yarn anyways I can keep up with the pattern on the border...

Oh and to talk about the weather for a second - the snow is all gone due to temperatures about 10°C and a day and night of rain. Welcome the mud!

Thanks for coming over!

Tina

Meet Bisou

2011-01-05T12:50:00.008+01:00

As you have seen on my new year's picture we've got some new addition to The Pack:
Bisou is an 11 month old rat terrier aka Ratonera Bodeguero Andaluz – a rescue from Spain. Unfortunately she had fractured her foreleg at the place where she was waiting for her new home and we found out that she needed surgery as the bones hadn’t healed in the correct position and there was no bone-tissue after 6 weeks. We had the opinions of several vets and we saw that it just had to be done.
It went well and she is fine, no pain obviously, now the wound needs time to heal. and I hope the bones will heal properly, too.

She is very lively on her on-leash-only-walks outside and just loves to dig her little nose in the snow or deep down into the grass to smell for the mice down there, while she is quiet in the house and loves to snuggle with us as well as with Dingo or Myrtille (Flavie isn’t as grumpy with her and in general since she is here but still doesn’t want contact-lying with the other dogs).

Perfect playmate for Myrtille!

Myrtille was on heat once and now spaying is over. I hate general anesthesia and surgeries! This is her in her cute little body to protect the wound recovering covered up on the couch.

Dingo loves the snow and is acting a lot younger out there again! This picture though is from late fall.

Flavie loves the snow too, just as much as she hates rain, that fluffy white water seems to be ok. But best place is home!

Thanks for coming over!

Tina