Who Needs Some Cheer?

I started these on Thursday.  They are done on Saturday.  What is one to do when it is dark, cold, snowing, and the wind is howling.  Start the DVR'ed TV and get some yarn.  I needed something bright and cheery.  I was going to give these away but I am gonna be selfish and keep them myself. 

Welcome D23

This season I was privileged to see mom lay all 3 eggs.  What a sight to see, nature at it's finest.  So I present D21, D22, and D23.  About Palm Sunday we shall be on pip watch.  Stay tuned.

Prison Ward Socks

These are the socks for Loopy Ewe spring semester striped project.  I just did a plain vanilla recipe with an afterthought heel and star toe.  I wonder who these could be for?

D22

D22 arrived Saturday at 7:01 pm,  I also got to see mom lay this egg.  She did not give us a peek so no confirmation til early in the morning.  Today dad is on the nest and getting snowed on, mom brought him lunch.

Phillippe Lapin

Once you have done one of these patterns the next one goes much quicker.  Phillippe is done.  Now to figure out more clothes or a blanket for them or?????

Eagle Eggs

Thinking about "Egg Rolls" today?
Let's learn and/or refresh our memories about eagle eggs...
[Illustration [below] from “Bird’s Eggs” by Michael Walters]
How Many Eggs do Bald Eagles Lay & What's to come......
[Info. from Hancock Wildlife Foundation]

Number of Eggs Laid: Average 2 per nest.
Eagles can lay only one egg but can also lay three eggs and there are some rare records of 4 eggs being laid.
Incubation Period: 35 days.
Most eagles only lay a single clutch of eggs. Each egg is laid about 3 days apart and incubation, the process of the eagles sitting on the egg to bring up the eggs' temperature, starts with the laying of the first egg. The eggs take almost precisely 35 days to hatch. Since the incubation starts from the time the first egg is laid, this means that the eggs hatch 3 days apart.
Both the male and female bald eagle will incubate the eggs however the female bird, being much larger, takes the longer incubation periods overnight or during cold storms. It is believed that her larger body weight gives her more endurance.
A second clutch of eggs, of usually only 1 or 2 eggs, can be laid if the first clutch is lost within the first week or possibly two weeks of the first egg being laid.
Egg Turning:
The eggs are rolled over by either parent about every hour to 2 hours during the incubation period. The purpose of this roll is to make sure that the lighter yolk does not rise to the egg surface and the delicate blood vessels that cover the yolk touch and stick to the shell surface, killing the developing chick.

See More

 

Shower Pucks

I just found this on facebook, think I might make some up and try them out.  Spring allergies are just around the corner.

DIY VICKS SHOWER PUCKS
1 Cup Baking soda
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
1/3 - 1/2 Cup Water
2 - 3 tsp Vicks vapor rub
Heat water enough to melt vicks in. Add in baking soda and cornstarch and mix into a thick paste, if you need to, add more water.
Line a muffin tin with paper cups, fill each cup about half way with mixture.
Let dry overnight. Remove from paper cups when discs are hard and store in an airtight container.
To use simply drop a puck in the bottom of your shower.

Welcome D21

I just watched mom lay D21 with my neighbor kids.  Welcome to the world little one, see you in about 35 days.  The lighter pictures are mom in labor, those of us who have watched for several years know the signs.  And here is the egg.  Sorry the egg pictures are not very good, the IR light is on and my cell does not take good pics off the laptop.

Deer and Eggs

 

We thought mom was gonna lay the first egg last night, she faked us out.  But this morning we can see the egg cup forming, it wont' be long til we have D21.

 

 

 

Last night I had 3 does in my front yard, they love to eat the bird seed that falls on the ground.  I had to put the feeders higher up because they would use their nose to tip the feeder and drop the seed.  They met up with the others in the back yard and ran off to find food and avoid the coyotes.

Perwinkle Lapin

Little Cotton Rabbits makes the cutest toy animals.  Her patterns are very detailed and the pictures definitely help when you get stuck.  Anyway I got this Friday evening and finished her up this morning.  She has an Etsy and Ravely account so go get some patterns and have some fun.  She has foxes, elephants, bunnies, and mice.  You can also get sweaters and dresses to make.  I plan on starting on Phillippe soon.  I am not good with making the face yet, but I am getting better. 

D20 Update

2/11 EDITED post per SOAR: Update on 'Decorah' [aka D20/male]
"Our ambassador-in-training 'Decorah' is almost one year old and it will be several years before he has a white head!
Decorah sits on the big shelf so he can look out the window. That is obviously more fun than sitting on the bow perch that doesn't have quite that view. The plan WAS to put bracelets / jesses on Decorah, however, he has about five tail feathers growing in and do not want to disturb or damage these n...ew feathers. We want a nice tail! These new feathers are only three to four inches long right now, so a couple more weeks to go at least.
In the meantime, click over to the SOAR home page and read about what training needs to happen for handler and ambassador-in-training, plus there is a photo album to view of some of the training / practice activities both educator and education bird need to do. ~Linette" http://www.soarraptors.org/index.html#FebUpdate

It's Almost Time

We think the owls have given up which is probably best for them.  Mom and dad are busy working on the nest and based on past data, the 17th is the first time mom has laid the first egg, so we may be one week away from eggs.  D21 is on the way. 

Speaking of past eaglets:  D19 is busy finding herself a new home and is a ways from home.  This from her transmitter:   About 130 miles S of her natal nest, not far from the town of Keota, Iowa. While no one has spotted her, area residents have reported seeing mixed-age groups of eagles, so she probably isn't traveling by herself. She's got a creek and trees for cover, and several likely sources of food in the area.  Be safe.  No word from D1 as her transmitter is not working and no one has seen her since summer.  We hope she is safe.  She will be 4 in a couple of months. 

Loopy Academy Spring Semester

When I attended University we had January off sort of.  It was called interterm.  We could take something totally unrelated to our major or go on a trip.  When I was a Junior I went to Europe for a month.  We did not start Spring Semester until Feb 1.  Anyway I digress, it is time for Loopy Academy Spring Semester which also starts Feb 1.  We have to have at least 175 yards.  I am knitting a slipped stitch cowl, a felted tote, and striped socks with a heart on the heel.  Stay tuned for my projects to be finished.  May 31 is the deadline.  I finished the cowl this morning.  I love the slipped stitch pattern, I am thinking a pair of socks and maybe a sweater would be great in this stitch.

Memory Lane

Remember I won a pattern from Urban Arts and Crafts owner Karen, her memory lane tote bag.  Before I started on it I wanted to try out the pattern of strips first.  She had made apillow out of the pattern so I decided to give it a try.  Since I painted my bedroom purple, I needed a purple pillow.  So here it is.  It took about 4 hours to make once I figured out how to make the ridge part of each strip, the light bulb finally came on.  Here is the link to the pillow top:  http://www.ialwayspickthethimble.com/2013/10/06/memory-lane-pillow-top/

BTW we had snow again today, it has been snowing off and on all day.  Wed it was 75, yesterday we had rain and it got slushy overnight, today snow and lot of wind and now it will be ice in the morning. I got nowhere to go.