Countdown to Christmas

The countdown to Christmas has begun at my house. I finished up last minute shopping yesterday, now if I could only fit another day in between now and Christmas. I need to finish knitting at least three more projects. One project has been moved until after Christmas. I'm giving the yarn and promising the socks will be knit AFTER Christmas. Another project is still on my spinning wheel and who knows when that will be finished?

My neighbor called to find out when we should get together to exchange gifts and I haven't got hers wrapped yet. Egads...I need to get on the ball here.

Our family at Bella Vita Farm & Fiber want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

I Shoulda Known...

You Are Mince Pie

Admit it, this isn't the first time that someone has called you "beefy"

What Holiday Food Are You?

fresh_dyepot

fresh_dyepot
Originally uploaded by bellavitafarm

These are the latest dyeing projects for semi solid sock yarn. From top left clockwise, mauve pink in fingering weight, carribean blue in sock weight, camo green in sock weight and coral in fingering weight. All yarns are 100% superwash merino.

Coral Hedgerow socks

Coral Hedgerow socks
Originally uploaded by bellavitafarm

I dyed this superwash Merino fingering weight for a pair of Hedgerow socks. I'm really happy with the way the colors turned out. The sock is knitting up beautifully.

Dyeing can't get more natural than this!

Dyeing can't get more natural than this!
Originally uploaded by bellavitafarm

Mother nature doing some of her dyeing. The pokeberry bush berries burst onto the snow, dyeing the snow a beautiful red violet. I prefer to dye inside during this kind of weather!

Thought I killed the cat!

The other day I turned on the jeep to take the neighbor home and I heard a thud. I turned the motor off immediately, not knowing what it was. My neighbor said he thought it was a cat in the motor and I got out and my husband confirmed that one of our cats went limping VERY FAST into the barn. Oh my stars....I killed the cat!

He was hiding between the wall and the stack of hay bales and of course my DH had just stacked 25 new bales into the barn. The neighbor, Jeff and DH moved bales until we found the cat. I could tell where he was by the blood he left on the wall of the barn.

I pulled him out of his hiding place and fortunately he was not dead, there was some blood but not much. He had a rear leg that definitely was broken and the bone was doubled up where it moved after breaking. I found out when I called the vet they would charge about $600 to fix his leg, it would need surgery and pins. I love my animals, but $600 is about $600 more than I could afford to spend.

My friend Cindy and I decided to set the broken leg and see what happens. Well, actually Cindy set the leg, I was just the assitant. Hopefully Casey will be able to use his leg without more than a slight gimp. The only other options were to put him down or amputation. The vet told me that even spending $600 didn't guarantee that it would fix. Sometimes the vet ends up amputating the limb anyway.

Shannon

Shannon
Originally uploaded by bellavitafarm

This is Shannon, my goofy, loveable Alpine goat. She's always looking for attention and this picture is no exception. Shannon's job is to produce enough milk to feed the extra lambs...and we'd like some milk too! I'm hoping she has twins this year, but a really good milk supply would be great too.