FEEE-VAAAHH!! - Spring Fever! Cabin Fever! Gold Fever!

Fine gold in black sands - photo by Robert Way 

That's me!

I   GOT   FEEE-VAHH!    <ROFL> Okay, so, I get it.. it's mid-January.. it's cold outside. Spring is still officially two months away. Spending too much time indoors can lead to a myriad of bad habits, including (but not limited to):

1. Watching too much TV - which leads to #2
2. Sitting and snacking - which can lead to #3
3. Oversleeping (if your days are flexible as mine are)
4. Spending too much time on social media sites
5. Watching infomercials on late night TV and social media
6. Overeating... 
7. Depriving self of sunshine (when available... because, baby it's cold outside!)
8. Snacking... oh, I said that already!

Well, you can probably think of at least a few more... but what I wanted to tell you is.. with all that TV and social media I was watching too much of... I stumbled on some gold panning videos! Now I got the GOLD FEVER again! LOL - FOR REAL !!!

Tying hardware cloth to classifier to reduce
pebbles in working bucket

 I am psyched up and ready to jump in the creek! I got a pair of waders for Christmas! They're pink! With neoprene booties and they come up over my chest, WITH a bib pocket! (I know, right?!) and I have put hardware cloth over my classifier to double it's efficiency... AND I even have new knee protectors for those slate beds I can't get comfortable on! I AM READY! Who's with me?! ... what? oh, the water is too cold for you? It makes your hands hurt? Get some gloves with liners! Keep a hand warmer pack in your carry sack so you can warm them up between buckets. 

My prezzie from-me-to-me
J-C AmY sluice box 

See, I figure.. all I gotta do is.... classify some stream sediment into a bucket. I can rent (or borrow?) a simple sluice box from a prospecting friend. Run the bucket, clean up, and bring the cons (concentrated material) home for later (a warmer afternoon, or the mini-sluice at the kitchen sink... whichever!) That nifty mini-sluice here is a present I bought for myself last fall. You can find this J-C AmY sluice box  and more models at http://stores.ebay.com/Gold-Sluice-Boxes  

I promise to show you pictures ... but in the meanwhile, it's dark outside... so, I'll have to get back to crocheting until sunrise... ooooh! this is going to be a good week! I just know it! 

I hope my posts make you smile! 

Fall is in the air.. AGAIN!! Wow how time does fly!

My Cheap Hobbies
October 6, 2014

Summer ended rather suddenly here in the South. Athens, Georgia, a bit southwest of here, set a record low temperature two nights ago. I had to win a coin toss with my dad last night to block him from turning the heat on (I told him to add a blanket to his bed). I think this "Global Warming" trend is going to freeze us all! LOL

On the upside, fall is back-to-school time and shoppers start thinking about the holidays ahead. Halloween is only a few weeks away, and the stores are loaded with costumes, candies and every facial expression imaginable on artificial pumpkins! So, what's a crafter to do? Make my own Halloween accessories, of course! There are many free patterns available for everything with skulls on them - slippers, gloves, mittens, hats, scarves, shawls (some really pretty ones!), table runners, doilies, and even cup cozies! Skulls not your thing? Mine either, but pumpkins are nice.. hats, scarves.. well, you get the gist!

Baby Pumpkin Hat
in My Little Crochet Shop

Baby Pumpkin Hat
in My Little Crochet Shop

Here is my first Baby Pumpkin Hat - I reworked a pattern I found so the ribs were more straight than the original design (the pumpkins in my garden don't swirl, so I wanted to downplay that feature).  < Baby Pumpkin Hat >

The tendril is simply a chain of 18, with 3 single crochets in each chain to create the swirl. I slipped the last 3 chains so it is straight near the stem. The leaf and stem are tied on (I sewed the leaf in 3 places so it won't flop around).
The leaf pattern I found here: Hawthorn + Rosehip: Red Currant Afghan Square Pattern

Baby Santa Hat
in My Little Crochet Shop 

With Christmas right around the corner,  I want to get a head start this season... I have already started on Baby Santa Hats! These were a hit in My Little Crochet Shop last year, and I was selling them as fast as I could make them!   "head start" : hats.. LOL ...sorry, I couldn't resist!

With a little yarn and a free pattern, you can create something special for those on your holiday gift-shopping list without emptying your piggy bank! Here are some sites I use to find free patterns, inspiration, and how-to-crochet:
www.AllFreeCrochet.com
www.Yarnspirations.com
www.Ravelry.com
www.LionBrand.com
www.RedHeart.com

 I would love to see what you are creating! Feel free to share below (please keep it clean... my young nieces like to read my page! Thanks!)
 HAPPY AUTUMN!

Princess Socks RULE!

Okay, these aren't Princess Socks.. but summertime's calling me!

Ah, the joys of summer! Around here, the weather is still warm and pleasant.. even today, the 3rd of June! If global warming means milder summers, I'm in! (it also means less snow in winter... I'M IN!!) Grab your flip-flops and head for the shore! And when you need something a little more "appropriate" for dinner attire, you can fancy your little girls' feet in PRINCESS SOCKS!! um... what? I didn't show you? Here are the newest ones I made this week:

Princess Socks in My Little Crochet Shop

This lovely pair with orange and blue is sure to be a fast favorite (if your favorite team's colors are blue and orange!) ..

Princess Socks in My Little Crochet Shop

OR if you are more of a lucky-clover ...

I didn't leave out the little sisters of the bunch! I made these precious pastels for little feet:

Princess Socks in My Little Crochet Shop

My nieces just LOVE these unique socks!

I recently started back to "Saturdays in Saxapahaw" at the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw, NC. A local farmers' market and craft market with live music, food, "homemade waterslide", lots of fun! Here's their website for more info:  http://www.rivermillvillage.com/saturdays-in-saxapahaw-2

Maybe I'll see you there?

One Ball Crochet! Who Knew!

New items in My Little Crochet Shop on Etsy.com

Wow! I don't know how I didn't think of this before! Glad I realized it in time for gift-making frenzy late in the year! One ball crochet projects! It is amazing! No color-lot frustration, no "oh, I need one more ball of yarn for that" ... just "here you go!" I was the star of Christmas (again!) <sly grin>

Actually, my sister found a one-ball scarf pattern on the RedHeart Boutique yarn "Sashay" and decided to try it. If it was not too much trouble, she would make several for gifts. It must have been fairly simple, as she completed two within a week even with painting and packing in preparations to move! So, when I returned home, I decided to give it a go. Wow! Ok, this is technically a knitting project, but it is SOOOO simple! And, the resulting scarf is FAB-YOU-LUSH! One tip for you: different styles of "Sashay" have different ball lengths, so the scarves are different lengths if you finish to the end of the ball. For example: "Sashay sequins" (very fancy! has  sparkly sequins along the decorated edge) is only 20 yds per 100g, but the original Sashay (no special name) "Sashay metallic" are 30 yds per 100g!

 The "sequins" makes a scarf approximately 5 ft long (when I make it... depending on your stitch spacing, your scarf may be different). My finished teal scarf is shown above. The ivory scarf at left is 6 ft long from "Sashay Sparkle" (35 yds per 100g). 

If I had been paying attention to this, I could have stopped when I was at the length of the other scarves...but, I kept on to the end of the ball...

So... another is fingerless mittens (fingerless gloves)! I messed around with some previously used patterns. I didn't particularly like how the mittens fit. They were too short on my wrist, too open at the fingers (too much cold air gets in and they are floppy at the pinky), and the thumbs are not well insulated. Wow! That is a list of complaints! I had to devise my own pattern to make snug mittens that are long enough for tall people (with longer bones) and protects the thumb. Ta-Dah! I bring you... my one ball fingerless mittens!

New fingerless gloves

Well... usually one ball.. I honestly don't know what happens! I am using LionBrand HometownUSA yarn in solid colors (81 yds per 5 oz - multicolor are 64 yds per 4oz, so I know to use 2 balls there)... and I use the same J/10-hook (6.00mm).. and the same pattern, carefully counting stitches and rows.. and sometimes, I have a little yarn left over (less than 3 yds) and sometimes I am a couple yards short! I don't think changes in yarn tension can account for this much difference. I must be doing something that adds yarn.. maybe I slip to join rounds where I previously crocheted in the round? One mitten is 18 rows, so that doesn't quite add up to a few yards? I just don't know.
Not to worry, remember those extra yards from some mittens? I use them to put a stripe in the short ones. Now, that is smart! And the multicolor yarn that I need 2 balls give back enough to make cuffs for a new pair. All is well that ends well! - Happy New Year! May you enjoy good health, fabulous wealth, and great friends!

Did you look for comets last night?

Image courtesy of freedigitalimages.net

I could simply copy and paste my whole blog entry from "my other blog" : 4000 Days (4000dayz.blogspot.com), but I do not want to rob you of the opportunity of discovering other posts you might enjoy!

Here is my post from yesterday (11 November 2013) about comet hunting and backyard astronomy: There are four comets visible with binoculars in the early morning just before dawn for the next several days: Comet Lovejoy (C2013/R1), comet LINEAR X1, comet ISON, comet 2p/Encke.
http://4000dayz.blogspot.com/2013/11/day-290-year-of-comets.html

I am sad to report to you that I did not wake before daybreak this morning, and I did not check my directions... but, "they look good on paper..." =)

Summer Recap

Where to start? This summer has gone by so quickly! Time really does fly when you are having fun! Here are some of the cheap hobbies I took advantage of this summer. I am ready for cooler days and less humid nights! 

My Charity Pals are gaining some friends in My Little Crochet Shop! I have the yarn and stuffing to make A LOT more, I just need to get busy!

I took my crochet crafts to the Saturdays at Saxapahaw outdoor festival several of the Saturdays. If afternoon thunderstorms popped up, I opted to stay home.. even if the storm may not reach the festival, I wasn't taking any chances!

My spread at the local craft fair

Chalk art

Chalk art was a staple activity when babysitting. "Chalk is cheap," and creativity is limitless! We even tried to chalk our hair! (pastel chalks work better... they are brighter!)

Swatting tennis balls at the park
is fun exercise!

Tennis anyone? While I have never played the sport, and have no clue how to keep score, it is exciting to connect with the ball and watch my opponent go scrambling after it! Not to worry, I chased my fair share of runaway balls!

Free exhibit at the local Arts Council!

The Art of the Brick is a free exhibit of Lego sculptures by Nathan Sawaya. Graham Arts Council included an activity tent where youngsters can play and discover new ways to assemble cool inventions.

It's that time of year again! The Great Backyard Bird Count is going on all weekend - and this year it has gone global! The online submissions allow birdwatchers to enter their data no matter where they observe these feathered wonders! Unfortunately, there was a mess of snow and rain in my backyard today, and not too many birds ventured out into the miserable weather. Hopefully, the sun will come out tomorrow... (were you just singing? LOL)... and the birds will flock to the feeder! I even added a birdbath basin under the tree (the squirrel kept knocking off the pedestal, so I put it on the ground). It hasn't attracted any new species to the hub, but my regular visitors seem to like it.

In other news of my cheap hobbies, I have been successful with My Little Crochet Shop on Etsy.com. I have crocheted lip balm cozies, dishcloths, scarves, shawls, coaster sets ("mug rugs").. and now I am working on an amigurumi design for an alien doll. I gave upcycled tshirts to my nephews for Christmas in the form of "ugly dolls" - free form monster dolls with button eyes and crude embroidery mouths and stuffed with poly-fill. They LOVED them! .. I should make more! I can make monsters faster than I can crochet! LOL

All right, you guys (and gals!)... It's 1am and I promised myself I would not stay up until 3am (again!). So, I am off to dream of springtime when I can get back to panning for precious yellow flakes buried in the sand. Until next time.....

Happy New Year - 2013

photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

Well, well, well... and I sincerely hope you ARE well! Thanks for reading! - Today is January 1, 2013... the first day of the new year... time to revisit and revise the bucket lists.. the short term and the long term lists.

photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

One thing that keeps popping up on my list: SAVE MONEY... as in "PUT MONEY IN SAVINGS" ! That should get crossed off at least once, one would think? Somehow, I maintain a level of pent-up demand such that when I do acquire (earn or receive) a bit of cash, I can immediately find a use for it! Nothing goes to savings, or at least, not for long. So, today, I began reading personal finance articles online to realign my thought patterns with a savings attitude. I learned a few things...

(1.) It is totally possible that I sabotage my savings attempts! There are multiple vices at work, including but not limited to procrastination, weak goal-setting, and lack of accountability.

(2.) I am hoping for a miracle... lotto, Publishers' Clearing House Sweepstakes, super job opportunity, gold strike, etc... when what I really need to focus on is securing a steady income.

(3.) I don't have a budget. Well, honestly, I shunt responsibility on this one, claiming that without a steady income, budgeting is impossible... yet, I still have bills to pay like car insurance and cell phone!

photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net

What to do? I have a nice little crochet business going on Etsy.com. I even call it My Little Crochet Shop.  I have one, maybe two, textbooks I can sell on Amazon... might rustle up a few items for eBay, but those are only short term shots. With a steady check, those extra shots could go to savings... did you notice I said "could" ... phooey. Am I still not on board?

So, my most promising hobby right now, until the US government again makes it unlawful to do so, is gold panning. It produces only a little every day I pan (no where near an ounce per week), but with patience, practice and persistence, those little bits will add up. Location is not the limiting factor, oddly enough... but self-discipline.

I just had that AH-HAH! moment... when I've finally put my finger on the problem... I need an accountability partner!

New Year for Birdwatching

Phoebe
Picture was taken January, 2012.

You've read about last year's birdwatching adventures in my own backyard. Today marks the beginning of a new saga. My super companion, Phoebe, passed away suddenly in late October.

Today, I noticed a little Carolina Wren drinking from the "rain barrel" (actually, it's an 8-gallon office wastebucket I leave under the eave of the house so that rainwater collects). I watched the wren flutter across the surface, barely getting her bottom wet as she safely perched on the far side. Afterwards, she moved to the cement porch and scraped her beak along the edge and preened herself. That gave me an idea:  I need a birdbath near the feeder!

The birdbath is actually just the cement bowl of a pedestal set. I learned quickly that squirrels will set the bowl off balance if I put it on the pedestal! Setting the bowl on the ground near the feeder allows me to keep an eye on it for maintenance needs without worrying about it crashing from a height. After rinsing it out with a scrub brush, I put about a quart or so of filtered water in the bowl. I added a cup of birdseed to the feeder and waited for my usual suspects to come scope it out.

It wasn't long before I saw my first visitor! A gorgeous red Northern Cardinal flew to the maple tree and patiently observed the feed and water stations. When he was sufficiently certain there was no trick,  he hopped down to drink water from the bowl! =D Flying back up to a branch, he spied the seed in the feeder. Waiting to see if some neighboring sparrows were on the prowl, he then nibbled some seed from the feeder. Awww! Cardinals are so smart! I just hope he gets the word out! =)

Gold Digger :D

That's me grinning at my first pan... every pan's a winner!
(Photo by R.Way of Eureka Gold Panning)

How's this for a cheap hobby? Hook up with a local prospecting outfitter and ride out with them to a well-known gold producing creek and pan all day and keep what you find! That's what I did over the Labor Day holiday! I learned to improve my panning technique and even picked up some new ideas for coaxing gold out of the creek bed. There are more uses for a turkey baster than the original designer ever imagined! LOL

 

Here's a look at my first pan. Yes, we hit pay dirt on the first try!
(Photo by R.Way of Eureka Gold Panning)

The Sunday evening thunderstorms had scared away many would-be Monday morning prospectors. I am glad I do not scare too easily! The gold was practically jumping out of the creek into our pans! 

(Photo by R.Way of Eureka Gold Panning)

 Here is what the lead prospector coaxed out of the heavy concentrates after the excursion. One day, I will have my own extraction to get the microgold out for myself. For now, he gladly obliges himself to do it. Amazing what is not readily visible to the naked eye! He uses magnets to draw away the iron compounds and a microscope to see what he's working with. Not a grain gets by... :)

My "naked eye" picks are in the vial. Another panner's finds are in the top of the pan. See the gold chain in the corner of the pan? That is what we want! 

(Photo by R.Way of Eureka Gold Panning)

In addition to the gold in my little pill bottle (vial), this is what was recovered from my concentrates. Nice artistic expression he has! LOL

(Photo by R.Way of Eureka Gold Panning)

I shared all this on Facebook, and now my friends want to get in on it! There's plenty for everyone, but few will put in the work to get it.. I won't lie, it is work.. you have to find a sweet spot, dig under and around submerged rocks and shake that pan filled with mud and rock to get it down the the workable paydirt... you will get a backache, your legs will hurt from squatting for long periods of time... you will be nursing sore muscles the next day (or two)... and that doesn't cover the snake hazards, bears-deer-mountain lions-bobcats-foxes-coyotes that are meandering through the woods, the sudden downpours from summer thundershowers that leave you wetter than if you had gone swimming, falling in the mud, water filled boots, no phone reception, backpack & contents soaked from rain.....

BUT IT WAS ALL SOOOOOO WORTH IT! I am definitely going to do this again!

Many thanks to Eureka Gold Panning of Greensboro, NC, for an adventure I will remember and repeat!
(Website: http://eurekagoldpan.com/ or LIKE them on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EurekaGoldPanning )

This is my precious walking buddy... She is enviously watching me take pictures of various birds and roosts on the property. Taking pictures is difficult when I let her outside with me. There is the obvious, that she might chase the birds, but most importantly, she will jump the fence! I have to keep her on a leash, and can't aim the camera with her tugging on my arm! So, she watches from the door.

I let the feeder run empty yesterday, which caused quite a stir this morning! I am sharing some of the reactions I captured from the visitors:

"Can you believe it? She let us run out of food!"

"Hey! How about a little service here!"

"Aw! Look at this! Not even the big red seeds left in here!"

"I see her in there! YOO_HOO!! ... I don't think she can
hear me?"

  You'll notice that big cardinal was staying close in case a secret trove was uncovered!

A nuthatch came by to check out the
disturbance and see if there were any
tasty critters in the wooden feeder.

On a different note, I thought you might be interested in seeing the Honeysuckle Downs nesting site: 

"Honeysuckle Downs"... where the White Throated Sparrows live
(or at least hang out a lot!)

I saw my first American Goldfinch this morning at the feeder! I tossed around a few roasted peanuts (in the shell, but cracked) and quartered an orange on the patio table. I also tossed a couple of lemon-poppy seed muffins around the feed station. Hopefully, I will attract a few more new types of birds before the Great Backyard Bird Count starts in a couple of weeks!

Gossip travels fast!

Ha ha! You've heard "a little bird told me?" Apparently, gossip travels at lightning speeds even in the avian world! Yesterday's post included a fictitious script about a chickadee who will have to rebuild his nest or move to a new location, "Honeysuckle Downs," which is based on an actual rosebush and honeysuckle bramble in my backyard. (yesterday's post here: http://ankhirasfirstblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/bird-gossip.html)

Today, as I escorted my dog around the backyard, "Honeysuckle Downs" was all a flutter with activity! More than two dozen sparrows were crowded into the brush, and immediately began chirping and tweeting upon my arrival! So, I acknowledged them (because I talk to animals), and their tweeting became even MORE animated and they were all chirping at once!

I have no idea what they were saying! I said I talk to them, I did not claim I to understand them. I can only surmise the sparrows were upset about the rumor that a chickadee was planning to build his nest among theirs. What else could it be? I filled the feeder this morning and the flat pans, and even put a few peanuts on the table.   Nothing out of the ordinary... so, what else got the sparrows all stirred up?

In other news, I need to buy more peanuts and black sunflower seeds. I read that I can entice even more species with pieces of fruit. My friend gave me larger pine cones to make feeders.  That's my weekend project for this week...the weather here is scheduled as rainy and nasty all weekend.

Bird Gossip?

Do birds gossip? I'll bet they do! Here are just a few pics I took this week at the feed station. I like to think of it as the avian counterpart to the human watercooler.
Sparrow  (to Chickadee): "Hey, Charlie! How's it going?"


Chickadee (Charlie): " Not too bad. Wife's having a tough time. The wind blew the nest down again yesterday."

Sparrow: "Oh, that's too bad. Y'all should come live in our neighborhood."

Chickadee: "Honeysuckle Downs? Gee, I don't know...."

Sparrow: "It's a great place. Those big cats hardly come around anymore! Besides, it's low-lying and good cover against hawk attacks."

Chickadee: "I'll think about it. I gotta go. Good seeing you."   
                                                     Sparrow: "Okay, Charlie! See you around! Tell the Misses I said 'hello'!"

Tufted Titmouse: "Honeysuckle Downs, eh? Hmph! It's right next to that dump pile!"
That's true. My compost pile is less than ten feet (3 meters) from the honeysuckle mess.

Cardinal (to White-throated Sparrow): "Did you hear, Willie? Charlie is moving to Honeysuckle Downs!"

Willie: "Are you kidding me? There's been no one but sparrows in that neighborhood for years! That's really gonna shake up some folks!"

Cardinal: "Yep. Yep. It's true! A little bird told me!"

"...Hey, don't worry about it! Every couple has some rough times. Especially during the winter when you're at the nest more often! When Spring comes, she'll be singing your tune again! Just wait and see!"

"... What does he know?... Nah, maybe he's right. I just need to loosen up and not take everything so personally. She needs to get out more and stretch her wings... maybe we can go look at a new nest site. Charlie's moving to Honeysuckle Downs..."

How to attract birds to your birdfeeder...

I found out how to attract birds to my feeder.... I have to sit outside about 50 feet away with a camera. Most birds are shy and will stay hidden in the brush or visit a different feeder area. After half an hour (or when I get cold), I should go back indoors and look out the window. Dozens of birds who were patiently waiting for me to abandon my stalking will be flocking to the feeder! Many photos today were taken through the window screen or storm door. My apologies if they don't do the birds justice.

Carolina Wren keeps a watchful eye on me while he inspects the buffet table!

I did have a little house sparrow come to inquire why I was up in the treehouse, and posed for a photo-shoot. The treehouse turned out to be a disappointing viewing platform due to the wiry limbs blocking clear views. Here are a few pics I did get from the treehouse yesterday:

A mourning dove pretends she is camouflaged ... keep believing, little bird!

Uh-oh! I think I've been spotted! Blue Jays aren't as common in my yard as I expected them to be.

I believe this little bird is hoping to be "discovered!" Perhaps my photos will end up on the cover of a birding magazine! LOL

 Hello, little Sparrow! Nice to see you! May I take some photos of you? Nice smile! Wonderful! ........................ How about a right profile?....  great!




And now the left profile?... can you show me a sideview? Awesome! And one more before you move on, how about a nice shot of your wing markings? Terrific! Thank you so much! We're done here!