Wyoming Breezes

Marilyn’s socks  size 8 April 2023 I worked on these socks at Marilyn’s during the evening Colorado Avalanche (hockey) playoff games and the Denver Nuggets (basketball) playoff games.  You’ll notice that they are fraternal twins since the balls of yarn were wound backwards of each other. I considered making the socks match, but it would have required “wasting” a lot of yarn to get to the correct color repeat.  Yarn : Patons Kroy Socks (two balls). 100 grams total           Grey Brown Marl #55048 Needles : US size 2 — 64 stitches Remaining Yarn :  36 grams total            19 grams from one ball            17 grams from the other ball

snowy morning April 22, 2023 Centennial, CO Snow days make for wonderful sewing days. I’m at Marilyn’s house this week for a Sisters’ Quilting Retreat. I’m working on some Quilt of Valor kits I prepared a couple of weeks ago, and Marilyn is working on an on-going project.  trimming half-square triangles for star points I prepared five kits to work on while I’m here, but I don’t think I’ll need all of them. I also have my knitting with me and work on it in the evening. 

Brenda and Marilyn Prairie Museum of Art and History Colby, KS 2015 A couple of weeks ago, I shared a post about playing Jacks at recess , and several readers also remembered playing the game with their friends. Another game that I played often as a child, both at school with friends and at home by myself was Hopscotch.  The diagram painted on the sidewalk leading to the prairie school at the museum in Kansas was quite different to the one that my friends and I played. The diagram we used was like the one below, but with much larger blocks.  Our diagram was not painted on the sidewalk: we drew it in the dirt with a stick. We didn't number the boxes because everyone knew the sequence.  I remember have some favorite stones for playing hopscotch. The perfect stone was flat and about the size of a fifty cent piece. Anything bigger would probably not reach the upper blocks.  We would practically fly through the boxes after we picked up our stones, turned, and hopped ...

a package from Brenda April 2022 Brenda paints during our weekly FaceTime calls, and this week two wooden, painted switch plates arrived in my mailbox. After Christmas, I requested the Elf Surveillance switch plate when I saw one she painted for her niece, but the round, Americana switch plate was a surprise even though I saw her working on it during our calls.  Brenda does a beautiful job on all of her projects. 

Zeke and his Pop Pop March 2022 My great-niece shared this photo of her dad and her little boy (Zeke) in a digital family album. I love the photo of Zeke, Dwight my nephew and his dog - Click.  Seeing Dwight's sweater made me enlarge the photo to see how the knit cuff I repaired is holding up. Long time readers may remember that in 2018, Dwight asked me to repair the cuff .    The original cuff was in rough shape. I am happy that the repaired cuff has been functional for over three years on the sweater that sees a lot of use. 

carrom board in a flea market Laramie, WY A couple of years ago, I spotted this carrom board  at a local flea market, and it brought back memories of the board that occasionally was brought out when I was young. The board we had used wooden rings — a set of red rings and a set of green rings. A black ring was also included as well as bare wooden rings.  I remember playing a game similar to pool on the board, and of course checkers could also be played as well as backgammon. I don’t remember ever playing with the backside of the board, but it had circles painted on it with pegs attached at various intervals. It was fun to flick the rings and try to capture the opponent’s rings before mine were captured.  Did your family have a carrom board or have you ever played the game? 

rugged mountains surrounded the house and outbuildings  September 2021 I spent last week at my nephew’s house with my sister and brother-in-law. Marilyn and I packed sewing machines, fabric and all the essentials for a quilting retreat, and her husband was our cook. My nephew is a ranch manager, and he graciously let us invade and set up shop in his home.  The ranch is somewhat isolated, and the landscape is rugged: the mountains are practically solid rock. Dwight’s horse and border collie are essential in helping him gather and monitor cattle scattered hither and yon on the ranch.  The ranch also has a small flock of hair sheep that do not require shearing, as they shed their wooly covering. I was not aware such breeds existed and discovered they are raised for meat and for their hides.  I snapped a photo through the window as the sheep munched on the grass and weeds behind the house. You can see some still have remnants of their “wool” attached to their backs...

twining on the patio during a Sunday FaceTime call September 2021 Sunday, I worked on the rug I started a couple of years ago. I’ve moved the frame in and out of the closet for months to get fabric from the stash. Since I didn’t have a quilt project started, I decided to twine during the weekly FaceTime call with my sister and niece.  The weather has been gorgeous this week and the slight breeze has cleared the air of smoke. It was quite pleasant to be outside. I managed to add three inches of weft to the rug, and about 2.5 inches need to be added before the rug can be removed from the frame.  I prefer to twine outside because it can be messy with lint and strings coming off of the weft fabric strips. 

This is a repost from 2014. Spring always brings back memories of the geese Mom raised on the farm.  Nesting Goose approx. 1977 My mother loved her geese, and the numbers grew steadily every year. It was common to see the flock (gaggle) parade around the yard and even across the County road to swim in the irrigation ditch. One year the ditch rider complained about the geese in the ditch, but his complaints fell on deaf ears because the geese kept the algae in the ditch under control. Mom's flock of geese grew to nearly 50 in 1977 Mom's geese got a bit territorial in the spring, and it was wise to give them a wide berth, especially near their nests. The goose and gander took turns sitting on the large eggs, and they both would extend their necks and hiss if someone got too close to the nest. It was common to see the ganders chase the dogs across the yard if they got too close to the flock or to the goslings. I've also seen the geese as well as the ganders chase people who go...

cutting alfalfa with a sickle bar mower early 1960s Before my brother purchased a windrow (aka a swather), he and my Dad cut hay with a sickle bar mower behind the John Deere B. The mower cut the alfalfa about four inches from the ground and it fell flat. Before the hay could be baled, it had to be raked. I don't have a photo of a rake, but it is pulled behind the tractor and off to the side over the cut alfalfa. It has long, thin teeth that fluff the cut alfalfa into windrows In the mid 1960s my brother bought a windrower (a piece machine that is a mower and a rake in one). You can see the difference in the appearance of the cut alfalfa from a windrower in this 2013 post .  The sickle bar mower was not put into permanent retirement as it was often used to cut weeds along the ditches in the fields.  No matter if it's cut with an old fashioned sickle bar mower or a fancy windrower, the alfalfa smells wonderful right after it is cut. It's even better smelling that freshly plo...

close up of an abandoned threshing machine This old threshing machine was located on my brother's farm. I can't remember if it was there when he bought the farm or was moved there afterwards. It sat on a windswept hill surrounded by other abandoned farm machinery abandoned threshing machine Many of you may not know the purpose of this large machine, but it was the predecessor of the modern combine. The crew who worked with the thresher was large, and it was a dusty/dirty physical job.  Mom told me that Dad travelled for a couple of years with a threshing crew before they were married.  an old family photo of a thresher at work. separating the grain from the straw

Nancy and Rosa S. mid 1980s I'm pretty sure my brother, Rich took this photo of Mom and me at the kitchen sink. It looks like we are peeling potatoes and preparing for the next meal. Since the Christmas salt and pepper shakers are on the shelves, I'd say the photo was taken in November or December.  Several generations of babies were bathed in the sink, and numerous stacks of dishes and pot/pans were washed in it over the years. 

painted by Brenda M. 2020 I mentioned that my niece, Brenda has been painting during our weekly FaceTime calls, and some of you have asked what she paints. This cute bear arrived in my mailbox this week. Brenda and her Mom host an annual cookie and ornament exchange, and they decided last year that 2020 would be the final party. That was long before COVID-19 decided to descend on the world. They thought thirty years was a good stopping point.  Every guest at the exchange receives a gift from Marilyn and Brenda, and this year it was doorstoppers. My BIL cut wood bear forms, and Brenda began painting the 30 bear doorstoppers in March. I requested stars on my bear's pajamas. Isn't he adorable?  Brenda added a note on the back of each of the bears. I keep telling her to sign her work, but she rarely does.  cover of the invitation December 2020 The invitation for this year's gathering featured nearly all of the gifts the guests received over the years. Some time, Marilyn made ...

North Pole village December 2020 Marilyn and Brenda have been collecting houses and accessories for the North Pole village (Department 56) for years. Many of the houses were purchased at clearance sales. This year, my brother-in-law created a new styrofoam base for the display.  Unfortunately, I will not be able to see the display in person, but it looks fabulous in the photos that he shared. The display captures some of the magic of Santa's hometown.  Do you have a collection of Christmas items?

John Deere "G" approximately mid to late 1950s It's difficult to tell what implement is hooked up to the tractor; however with the weights on the tractor's back wheels, I'd guess it is a plow, but I could be wrong. The wheel weights added traction. The canvas cover (heat housing) around the tractor tells me this photo was taken in the Spring or Fall. The cover helped keep the driver somewhat warm since the tractor had no cab. The cover was not used in the Summer. I can still "hear" the distinctive putt-putt of the tractor as it idled. Dad (shown in the first photo) usually topped off the tractor's gasoline before heading out to the field. The fuel tanks were in the middle of the yard under a dim yard light that was switched on and off in the house. Later, the incandescent light was replaced with an automatic mercury light with a light sensitive control.  When my brothers were young, they played basketball under the yard light. A hoop was hung on the ...

A couple of weeks ago, Marilyn sent me a care package of homemade popcorn balls and Hot Tamales. I've written about Marilyn's popcorn balls before, and if you like a soft popcorn ball, check out the recipe in this earlier post . Hot Tamales are a pandemic feast or famine product: before Marilyn sent the package, it was impossible in this area to find even a small box of the sugary treat. I've since found them in the dollar store and also in Ridley's, a local grocery store.  Marilyn's package came at the perfect time, and I enjoyed every bite. 

Zeke photo taken in 2019 Zeke's mom, Stephanie asked her grandmother to stitch this photo of her precious little guy. Marilyn has stitched many photos over the years for family and special friends. She seems to love the tiny needle as much as she does making quilts.  Marilyn stitched the graduation portraits of her grandson and granddaughter , special gifts , and wedding portraits for Stephanie and one of her friends.  It would literally take me years to complete one let alone several of these pieces.  June 1, 2020 It was fun to watch the image appear on the fabric.  July 13, 2020 Marilyn sometimes stitched during our Sunday FaceTime calls.  Zeke August 2, 2020 Zeke's stitchery is finished and ready for framing - a work of love and certainly an heirloom.