3KCBWDay2 Photography Challenge

Day 2 for Knit & Crochet Blog Week is a photography challenge. And it certainly was. A challenge, that is. I should have spent a little more time thinking about this ahead of time, but pffffffttt. Thinking ahead. Where will that get ya?

So, as I went through some photos, I noticed a reoccurring visitor, and I realized that Cosette enjoys my knitting as much as I do. Well, maybe not enjoys so much as thinks all things are for her enjoyment.

She had just been told to stay off

So obviously this one is for her

This time it's hanging up so she doesn't have a choice but stay off

That is not a ball & it doesn't taste like sheep

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em

For those of you wondering, Cosette is a PBGV, a Petite Basset Griffon Vendeen, which is a fancy way to say French hound dog.

BTW, we do have another dog, Lucy, but she pretty much ignores my knitting, except to mistake the wound cake for a ball sometimes.

That's me. I'm heading out to look at other people's photos.  Enjoy looking at everyone's blogs today!

Welcome Back!

It's been a while since I've posted here. I've been thinking about reviving this blog because I'm tired of talking to the wall. It's not a good conversationalist. And the dogs, as cute and wonderful as they are, when I talk to them, they just stare at me, waiting for words they recognize, like treat, walk, and eat. Thus, I've decided this might be a better outlet.

I'd like this to be what I originally planned when I changed it to "The Kettle's On." There's going to be a lot of crafty, knitty talk on this blog. I want it to be all warm and comfy, like we're having a conversation while sitting around with a pot of tea or something stronger, if needed. Face it, some projects just don't go as planned, and all the chamomile tea in the world won't help. Sometimes there will be talk about whisky (I'm a scotch drinker), travel, my dogs, and probably movies/TV/music. Every now and then, there will be talk about MS, only because it's a part of my life and can affect this blog.

There won't be talk of politics, religion, current events, or even past events. At least, it's my plan to stay away from those topics. Not because I'm against blogs that talk about those things, I just don't do it as well as they do, so why bother. Besides, I'm so disillusioned by all things political and media-driven that you'd quickly run away from all the cynicism and complaining.

No! Let's stay positive and fun, and in my world, knitting is positive and fun. So, let me end this on a high note, with a picture that combines two of my favorite things. This is Cosette, checking out one of my latest projects, the Multnomah shawl.

My Very First WWC

I couldn't stand it any longer. I had to make my first foray into the Weekly Word Challenge, hosted by the talented Tink. The words this week were Autumn and Home.

We went to a Pumpkin Patch at a farm this weekend, so Autumn was the easy one this week.










Home was a little harder. I decided to use this one, even though it's an old picture. I took it while I was watching my friends' dogs. What says home better than little furry faces waiting for you.



Did you play?

The third and final South Dakota post next time.

Weekends Are Too Short

The weekends go by too quickly when you stay busy. Luckily, we had some fun stuff mixed in with the usual home improvement/maintenance duties.

We spent Saturday night watching Georgia lose to South Carolina with our friends who are from Georgia. He handled it pretty well, I thought, but that might have been because all of us were around. I like football, but I took a knitting project, too. What can I say? I'm a multi-tasker.

But the main attraction for the evening was

Anya


Addie



and Will, the new addition to the family.

They think he is a Mastiff, but I'm not so sure. If he is, he's a mix with something else.

They also have Cocoa, who unfortunately we didn't get a picture of. She's a beautiful chocolate lab with light brown eyes that plead for us to please make all the other dogs go away. She's a good sport, but she definitely preferred the house when the other dogs were outside.

Four big dogs in a pretty small house. I don't know how my friend does it! She said she goes through tons of paper towels as she wipes up the excess from slurped water and the drool from jowly faces. Ew. I love big dogs, but I just can't do the drool.

We also went to another scotch tasting. I was designated driver, so I drank so much water I floated out of there. We did have dinner there, too. That's my reward for watching everyone else have all the fun.

And I got some reading time in. I usually find time here and there, but Sunday I read while Al spread something over the lawn to help through the fall. I'm reading Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell. I really like her writing style and I always learn so much when I read her books. You would recognize Vowell if you heard her, she was the voice of Violet in The Incredibles. She is a self-confessed Civics nerd, and her books are rich with historical information with funny observations weaved in. In this book, she focuses on the assinations and lives of presidents Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley. I've also read The Partly Cloudy Patriot, which I also loved. She makes me want to be smarter.

I'll leave you with one last cute picture.


And yes, that is a pillow under Anya's head. Those dogs are so spoiled.

In the Meantime

Just letting ya know that I'm taking a little time off. I'm feelin' a little puny, nothing really awful, just enough to slow me down some. But I didn't want anyone to think I had just disappeared.

In the meantime, here are those photos from the dog show. We were lucky and met some really, really nice dog people. Sometimes those shows can be kind of sad because you wonder what kind of life this is for a dog. But the people we talked to loved their dogs and loved to talk about them.

Can you find the puppy?



Basset--Isn't he beautiful?!? He serenaded us, too. Arooooooooooo!



Clumber Spaniel, named Chilly.



Spinone Italiano I really love these dogs. This is Darby.



Old English Sheepdog. There are eyes under there somewhere. Makes you wonder how they guard sheep if they can't see them.



PBGV This is what our dog was--great hound dogs. And so cute.