Crochet Me Crazy

Well, had a nice but short visit with Jeff's parents this weekend. They came in yesterday afternoon. We visited with them at their cabin and then went out to dinner. We all went to church this morning, had lunch and then they left. They REALLY liked our church! The pastor is a very "real" kind of preacher and he's really funny too.

I remembered my camera and took a picture of everyone before they left.

Jeff called me a little while ago and told me "Tic-Tac has struck again!" What do you mean??? (Tic-Tac is the nick name he uses for the horse named Wishes that broke his pelvis at the beginning of the summer) Anyway, he proceeds to tell me that Wishes bucked him off AGAIN today. He doesn't know what caused him to freak out this time. Jeff said he's just bruised this time though. Thank God he's okay! He's been going on rides since then but he's riding Silver instead. Well, as far as I'm concerned, he better not ride Wishes anymore!

For those of you that are interested in trying the crocodile stitch, here is a lovely pattern with lots of explanations. White Crocodile Purse I think this one is even nicer than the one that I made. The one I made wasn't much of a pattern really. It was just a front and a back whip stitched together and then the handle sewed on.

Well, besides watering the trees, we put a bunch of hours in at the park yesterday. A few campers trickled in but not many. Jeff cleaned out fire pits and I picked up trash in our campground. Oh, I think he likes to drive the tractor!

He and Michael had started on the fire pits last week and then Jeff did it for about 3 hours yesterday and we still aren't finished with our campground. We are going to to try to get our campground all cleaned up and mowed before we move out of here after Labor Day. We are not leaving the park, but we are going to move to a different spot. It's going to be tricky to get the spot we want. We have to move into it quickly as soon as the park hosts that are in there now leave which means we may have to postpone our trip we have planned. It's a popular spot and when I found out that I can pick up the internet there, we decided we wanted to grab it. The people that are in it are supposed to be leaving the Thursday or Friday following Labor Day weekend.

Well, I've been rummaging through my afghan patterns and I think I might try making a fisherman afghan but I found out I didn't buy enough yarn! I'm going to have to go back through and grab some more on our way out of town when we go visit Jeff's parents. I HOPE I can make one. If it gets to frustrating for me, I might give up. This is going to be a challenge. I decided a fisherman afghan would be a good choice for me since I get bored so easily. I'm afraid if I pick some monotonous afghan pattern, I will never finish it and I absolutely hate having unfinished projects. I do like the Caron yarn I bought though! I can't afford pricey yarn and Red Heart is so scratchy. This Caron One Pound I bought is pretty soft and seems great for the price! This might be my new yarn of choice. I've been looking for something ever since the Simply Soft went up in price, I won't buy it. I used to buy it all the time. I still have a WHOLE lot of it in my stash though.

Well, we have rides at the stables today so Jeff and Alison are working up there. I am working at the visitor's center until 3 pm. Jeff's parents are coming and they should be getting here later this afternoon. They are only staying one night though.

My son, Michael, is trying to start an online "Etsy" shop to sell his leather work. He's finding he has to have a bank account so he tried to open a bank account today but he has to have a photo ID to get one. He's about to get his driver's permit but I don't know if he'll have a photo ID until he gets his real driver's license. I'll be sure and share the URL for his shop when he gets is open so you can go check it out!

It's is absolutely AMAZING how much things can change around here over night. After a rowdy weekend of campers...we even had a knock on our door at 2 am with someone reporting loud fighting which ended up resulting in the arrest of a woman Saturday night. By Sunday, they were ALL packing up to go home and we woke up Monday morning to not a soul as far as the eye could see. Our loop has had one camper in it this week. The nights are so different. The darkness is complete and silent....nothing but the sound of crickets and scurrying critters. At night, I look up and see the Milky Way streaming across the sky. It's been quite a nice week.

We haven't worked at the stables since Sunday since there is no tourists here to go on horse rides. Jeff started working on a another job finishing out a tack room. Today we drove to Kerrville to get some supplies for the job and we did a little shopping. I went to the craft store and decided to buy some Caron One Pounders in a cream color. I want to make an afghan for myself. I see pretty afghans in other people's houses and think how ridiculous it is that I don't have one myself when I crochet so much! I bought the one pounders since its the most economical they had and I wanted to make sure I had enough for whatever pattern I end up choosing. Now, I'll be trying to decide what pattern I want to use.

Today, Alison is working at the stables but not Jeff. They have one small ride of 3 people so its not worth it to pay two employees. I'm glad because she has been pining away to see Princess and the other horses. She can hardly stand to go a day without seeing them.

Well, I have not one but two completed crochet projects! One little quickie bag I made in a day this week.




Next, is the the completed Crocodile Stitch Bag.



I started on a hat but I hate the way its turning out and I'm going to frog it. I'll get something else started this week I'm sure since we're not real busy anymore.

I'm working in the state park visitor's center today. It is very boring and slow. Looks like the park has really cleared out today. It's an interesting crown this weekend. We had our first knock at the door in the middle of the night. Someone came knocking on our door around 2 am. We were sleeping and I'm surprised I even woke up. They were reporting some loud screaming and what sounded like fighting. We called the law enforcement. They ended up arresting someone before it was all over with.

We will be moving to a new RV spot in the park at the end of the month. Most of the other park hosts will be leaving so we're going to grab a different spot. We will have internet after we move. The internet is pretty slow but at least we'll have it.

We'll be wrapping up the summer at the stables on Labor Day weekend and then we are taking a trip. It's been an exhausting summer. The kids here are going back to school tomorrow but Alison will start after we get back from our trip. I might have her go ahead and start on her math at least before then. She's doing Algebra I this year and will be doing 10th grade science this year. She's a year ahead in some subjects. If she was going to public school, she would be starting 9th grade this year.

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Some recent pictures...

Princess and Wishes. We had them separated while they were sick. (Wishes is the dark colored horse that broke my husband's pelvis)

Alison, sitting on the hay watching her horse eat...

Alison riding "Morning Star". She's a recently broken horses this summer.

Well, Stormy did absolutely great for her shot! She did even better than she did yesterday. there was only Jeff, Alison and I around this time. I think there was just too many people she doesn't trust hanging all around her yesterday when she was panicking for her shot. Anyway, I'm thankful that went well and that was her last shot.

Well, Alison went to her first football game tonight. I know that probably seems amazing but we just aren't into sports in our family. The stable owners grandkids invited Alison to go with them. She wasn't so sure she wanted to go but Serenity begged her to go with her so she went with them. It's good for her...she needs to experience a small town football game.

I have a birthday coming up in a couple of months. I think, "Yikes, I'm getting old!" I don't feel that old and really, I'm not but you know how realizing you are on the 2nd half of your life can be startling. Really though, I have to say I have enjoyed getting older. It took me that long to finally find some things that I really LOVE. I love my yarn and crochet and the new found love of horses...something I never really understood before. Also, the way our family came across this love accidentally is amazing and something that has changed our lives forever. Besides the fact that I just got finished crying my eyeballs while finishing a "horsey" book called "Chosen by a Horse" which is based on a true story, I as thinking about how weird it must be to some people for someone to think horses smell so good. I love pressing my nose to their necks and there is absolutely nothing more cute than a big, silly horsey grin. It makes me smile every day. Like Alison always says, she loves the sound or horses chewing their treats and hay. We have been extremely lucky to be able to spend time with the 33 horses we love each day. Hoses are such humbling creatures to me because of their generosity. They allow us humans so much that they don't have to. Anyway, I know its a sappy post but since this is my personal blog for my personal records then this is why I post.

I stayed home today. I was just so tired from the last week. It was draining to me more because of the sick horses. I was so worried at the beginning of all this that my stomach was turning like I was about to give a speech. Today, i overslept and then took my time around here. I've been washing clothes all day and even cleaned some around the RV. Next thing I have to do is find a box to clean out cabinets and book shelves. The new homeschool curriculum will the coming in soon and it's time for me to get organized! Even though, I didn't plan on going to the stables today, I'm up here anyway. Jeff called me and said they were unsaddling early and Stormy is due for her last injection. The owner's are gone and we are doing it ourselves today. They get a little more resistent with each shot it seems so I'm praying that we can keep her calm for one more shot. Pray for us! LOL

This is that big bundle of horsey sweetness known as "Stormy"...once a scared horse who has now given way to her need for attention and love.

Well, things have seemed to calm down just a bit at the stables. It seems like the sickness spreading through the horses has slowed down a little bit. Nobody new has come down with it in the past day. A couple of horses are being watched. We had to give three injections yesterday...well, Jeff did the actual injections while all of us were standing around trying to hold and calm the horse. Princess, Alison's baby, has been the worst one with the shots! She reared up on us yesterday and Wishes made a break for it. The horse we thought would give us the most trouble did great! We finally figured out they have a shoot we could put them in and that worked well. One more set of injections today for Princess and Wishes and Stormy gets 2 more. The stables has been really, really slow as far as riders.

Well, the park is slowing down a lot too. It's so nice not to have people EVERYWHERE I look when I walk outside my RV. I'm craving a little privacy! Last night Alison and I took a walk after dark with the dogs since it was so quiet in the campground. Well, there seemed to be a skunk around every turn we took though and the dogs knew about them before we did!

I finished my crocodile stitch bag. I just have to make the handle now. I worked on it last Saturday while I was working in the visitor's center. Since then, I haven't even had a chance to get my crochet bag out of the bag seat of my car. It's still sitting there right where I left it.

Well, I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Thank God for RAIN!!

We had a pretty good storm a few nights ago. Some places in the area got almost 3 inches! We are thankful for the rain. The pond at the stables was full the next morning and the horses were frisky and happy.

This week and weekend went by so fast. So much has been going on! We had a lady fall off a horse with her son. Flash and April came home from the trainer this week.




Flash started reaking havock on the herd when he got back. I guess he feels he needs to re-establish his position and he's been causing all kinds of trouble. Cowboy was limping and we had to take someone off him when we saw it. He was hurt while getting in a scuffle with flash. They also got a new little Welsh pony on Friday! He's so cute and his name is Little Danny.

Then, on Saturday they got another new horse named Honey.

Then, the worst part of the week was that on Thursday I noticed that Summer was not acting normal. I was watching her and I saw she seemed to be breathing really hard. Beverly agreed and took her to the vet. She spent two nights at the vet and had us pretty worried. She came home and was going back to the vet to be checked today when Alison noticed that Princess was breathing heavy and her mouth felt warm to Alison. They loaded Princess up and took her to the vet with Summer. I think we caught Princess earlier than we caught Summer's sickness. Princess has a fever of 102. We are watching all the other horses carefully...Now, this afternoon we've got another horse showing the same symptoms. I hope this doesn't spread through the whole herd! Please pray for the horses! We don't want to lose any of them!

No crochet pictures to show. I haven't had a chance to work on my bag anymore but I do have some cute crochet flowers I am inspired to make from Stitch of Love Blog I think I'll make one to put on my crocodile stitch bag.

I made my first voyage to town to grocery shop by myself yesterday without Jeff. Alison and I went together yesterday. I feel a little more secure making the longer trip in my Saturn. I was always too afraid to go myself in the Tercel, for fear I would end up breaking down. It was nice to go grocery shopping and get back before dark!

Well, here's a few pictures from the stables to take up some space.

Alison grooming Silver...

Alison riding Princess...

Princess sniffing Michael's hat....Pew!

Boy, did I mentioned that it is HOT!! The temperature has been over 100 every day. If I was sitting inside the air conditioning during the day, I guess it wouldn't seem so bad but all of our waking hours are spent outside. Thank God for the free ice from the park.

Jeff has been trying to get finished up on a second job he is working on in the evenings. He's adding a breaker box and some lights to a friend's shed. Alison and the other hand, Roberto, have been handling the horse rides while Jeff has been busy with other projects around the stables. He added an a/c to their house and today he's working on an old RV trailer they bought. My husband just keeps getting skinnier and skinnier with all the sweating and hard work he does now. He is smaller than he has ever been with the exception of our wedding day! I wish I could say the same for myself!

Michael has started taking his driver's ed online. We are hoping we can fix the Tercel for him to drive when he gets his license.

Well, the weekend is upon us already! Hope everyone has a good one!

I did forget to mention that my son turned 18 the other day! We had his birthday at the stables...the same as last year. Trying to get my son in a picture is next to impossible, much less getting him to smile. I got him to sit still long enough to snap a picture.




Here is my completed crocodile stitch purse front. It's a fun stitch to do and I'm thankful to it for the motivation it provided me. I've got some inspiration back now!

Well, I finished the front of the Crocodile Stitch Purse and have started on the back. I'm sorry I haven't had a chance to get pictures taken yet. That will be my goal for my next post. Just staying busy. Tonight, Alison and I will be serving the refreshments for the Cowboy Sunset Serenade Hayride. I'm waiting for Alison to get back from a trail ride and then her and I will take off to go home and get ready. I have to clean out my "Gator" and clean up before I serve people lemonade! There was an 18 wheeler full of hay that came in today and Alison, her dad and the other hand have been unloading hay ALL DAY long. It's really slowing up around here this week. I think people are starting back to school activities....football practice, etc. I guess the tourism will continue to slow down around here as people get ready to go back to school.