Mothers day

Happy Mothers day!

We had a brunch with pancakes and fresh fruit, prepared by DS!

 He is becoming an excellent pancake chef!

A Dress

Knitting update,
One of my many projects (I do have a case of startitis lately). This dress turned out so cute, I made it for   the daughter of one of my co-workers.
Right now I am knitting on a baby shower gift for another co-worker. I am so lucky they all apreciate hand knit items, since I love knitting tiny human clothes.

Hair

My hair got to long, and too boring. You know that feeling that you want something totally different and you want it right now? 

It had been bugging me for a few days, I wanted something new and short and totally different. So this morning the time came and just before noon I became a red head.

 Totally digging the new look, the husband and son like it too!
The cats don't care how I look, as long as they get my full attention and a conversation while we take our evening stroll.
Oh, and food of course.

 The Cherries in the orchard across the street are looking very good right now, can't wait for them to be ripe so we can buy some.

Caturday

It has been almost a year ago when there where two litters of kittens in one of the barns.

Some are feral and are still living there, although some died too. But the ones posted here went to live in the house with our neighbors and two where adopted.

Now they are old enough to take up residence in the big red barn. One of the stalls was cleared out for them and furnished with the finest cat beds (three beds, but they insist on sleeping together) toys and litter-boxes.

It took some training to have them come inside at night. We spend the first few days two to three hours (and four people) to round them up and have them come inside. After that it was a done deal and now we can see them frolic around the farm. Favorite past time is chasing the chickens and playing in the long grass next to our house.

This is Bert, the ring leader of the three. He is fearless and a bit of a loner.

 And this is Ernie, follower, curious and always together with Charlotta. He is very loving and always comes up for cuddles.

 And Charlotta, the dainty female. Even her miauw is dainty. If she hears me outside she will call out to me and after a while come close for a pet or two.  She is the fluffy one, and the most colored from the whole litter.

 The grass is so much fun to play in.

 I bet this is the cat version of playing hide and seek.

 Jeremy however is not really sure about all this, he is fine watching them play in the grass.

 He even got pounced on yesterday. BTW, he was not happy with that and Bert was placed in his right position. Jeremy is still King!
The porch is still his domain and he watches them like a hawk on the top of the stairs. Bert has been swatted away several times.

Here the two of us have a good conversation about how we think it is OK for him to stay king of the porch, we will let the situation resolve on it's own. Besides it is too much fun to watch how he slowly warms up to them.

They are Baaaack!

The swallows are back in full force! There is no way one can walk out to or in the barn without dodging poop.

And if you see a car driving around with white polka-dots, it is us and it is no paint.

There are two big crows that hang around the barn the whole year and I bet it is only for this event they stay year round. The eggs and the young birds that fall out of the nests are easy snacks for the crows and Jeremy the cat.

 This is the view from our kitchen window.

 While I was baking bread.

 They are acrobats and fun to watch, despite the poop situation.

 Jeremy prefers to wait until they have little birds that fall out of the nest or learn how to fly. He is way to lazy to get out of his "bed" in the afternoon.

 On Saturday I finally finished my socks. Pattern is called "sock strap" and is free on Ravelry

 Started a new pair of socks and my second mitten for the KAL

Now it is time to go and watch the amazing race!

Beach

Saturday morning we headed out to the beach,  we love combing the beach and running around.

No matter what age you are there are always things to see and find. Although I admit being the big kid and always get sidetracked by little things I see. 

 It doesn't get any easier to get our teenager to take a decent picture with one of his parents. This time it ended up in a game of catch and lots of laughter. I do love this picture, it shows of how silly we are.

 Trying to pick up the rock that is half way in the shore line covered by incoming waves is one of our favorite games.

 Today we just hung around the house, sat outside in the sun and beside some laundry and cooking there was plenty of time for knitting.

One mitten for the Latvian KAL is done.
I named it "Oranje Boven". Thought it was an appropriate name for my Dutch heritage and to remember the yarn dominance on the color work.

 anybody else gets a kick out of color coordinating the laundry with the back ground? It is one of my favorite views from the kitchen window, red barn, red laundry.

 My knitting buddy showing off the mitten he "helped" knitting. (read, when I knit outside it is a constant battle between him on my lap and the yarn)

Almost Spring

These mittens have been in progress for a while, one is done the other one has been put in hibernation for a while. Still I love the pattern, it is just that after one is done the construction and pattern are understood and than there is the urge to start something new. I do have to finish these since I just love them and Spring is almost here so there will be no more chance to wear them.

 The chickens are cute as always.

 It has been a long time since I took wedding pictures, when in December one of my co-workers told us her daughter announced that she was going to get married the next weekend (!) I volunteered to make the pictures. It had rained the days before and the location was all mushy and wet.
One of the guests could not resist taking this pic. Me all dressed up while sporting my yellow rain boots!