Signs of Fall in the Air.....

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Even with all our beautiful warm sunny temperatures we've been experiencing lately, looking around at all the changing colours of leaves, it's inevitable that Fall will be here soon...

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I don't mind Fall time one bit...in fact it is a gorgeous time of the year with all the beautiful reds, golds, and yellows....

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It's what comes after Fall that I really don't care for...the long and cold Winter...
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Winter can be beautiful too, don't get me wrong, but it's hard not to completely lose your mind when the cold seems to last forever! That's why we have to enjoy these nice temperatures and beautiful colours while they last, cuz you never know when Mother Nature will decide to flick that switch...

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I love Bulrushes...always have. I can remember when I was a little girl begging my Mother if I could go and pluck one whenever I seen one...I just couldn't wait to break it open and shake it all over and make it snow fluff everywhere! Perhaps that's why Mom wasn't too keen on the idea...
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Well, I've got the house all to myself once again...Hubby at work and Kiddies at school. My mornings seems to be getting a little better...some mornings I thank the Good Lord that I only have 2 children to get ready for school...you'd think that it wouldn't be that difficult to get two children ready but around here it is...I have been finding though that the key to a good morning is getting organized the night before...laying out clothes and figuring out what they will be taking for lunch and gathering up homework...I've also come to the conclusion that they are a little bit lazy in the morning and I do believe that's my fault as I have always gotten everything together and ready for them each morning and reminded them over and over to do the things that they need to do, so I think they really rely on me to that every morning...I should really be trying to break them (and me) of this.

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Well, I'm off to go whip up a delicious toasted, "home-grown tomato" sandwich for my breakfast with lots of mayo and then I need to finish blocking dishlcoths...I'll keep you posted.

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Hugs & Smiles,

Rachel

Look What I got in the Mail....

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Cindy has organized another Calendar of Hope for 2010 which will be up for sale real quick (you can click here to read about the 2009 Calendar of Hope) I have been doing the blocking and photographing again this year for it and I have to say the designs are outstanding this time 'round...I'm finding it really hard to choose a favourite cuz they're all just so gorgeous! I'll be sure to keep you all posted when it's released...Cindy has done another spectacular job on the layout of the calendar on top of taking on a new full time job! I can't wait for you all to see it!

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Anyway, my friend Kathleen did some test knitting for last year's calendar as well as this year's and she happens to be a big stamp collector so she's asked that I save all the stamps from the envelopes with the Breast Cancer Awareness Dishcloths for our Calendar to be photographed. So that's what I've been doing. She also asked for me to send her tested cloths back to her and in return for doing this she decided to bless me with a whole bunch of really yummy cotton! She really did go all out...I couldn't believe how many balls just kept coming out of the box that she sent me! They were all beautifully wound and wrapped in individual plastic bags. So a huge thank you to her for being so thoughtful and generous! I surely do appreciate it! I can't wait to start using some of these up...my daughter has already put dibs on the ones she would like to use!

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Thanks again Kathleen for being such a sweetheart! Your generosity is most appreciated!
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Hugs,
Rachel

Making Friends...

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My little Fox Friend has been visiting everyday...

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Each time, he gets a little more comfortable and a little more friendlier...
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I'm beginning to think he thinks that he owns the place lol....
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We've discovered that he loves to play and he loves to chew anything we happen to leave lying around the yard...
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We had a case of a missing flip flop at one time and found out later that it was in fact the fox that carried it off to play with...
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You'd think that we would have learned our lesson about the flip flops but somehow another pair was left out only to be found the next morning all chewed and totally destroyed...little devil!
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It's hard to be mad at someone this adorable though, don't you think?
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He has started coming right up to me now...I'm sure if I had a piece of food I could have him eating out of my hand but that's something I'm not comfortable with...I don't agree with feeding wild animals...we couldn't figure out why we were getting so many Bear visitors this summer until we found out the other day that our neighbour has been actually feeding them in his back yard! Good Grief! What are these people thinking? Bears remember year after year where they got food and they go back for more...I am soooo not okay with that!
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I have some videos from this little fella the other night...I'll have to see if I can upload them here one of these days...he plays real cute with you...gives you the sweetest looks...he really knows how to get your attention and your love!
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So now I'm off to go start my day...bit of a late start...somedays I wish I could just stay in my jammies the whole day!

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On the knitting front, I've just finished test knitting the next pattern we will be doing for our mystery dishcloth knit along in Rachel's Knitting Room which will start next week...real pretty one too...it's going to be a good one! If you're not a member of our group please feel free to join and knit along with us!

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I'm also working on reknitting a couple of my halloween patterns...something I've always been meaning to do cuz they were originally done in black cotton and while I love the black cotton especially for Halloween, the black cotton does not like the camera, or perhaps the other way around? Anyway, they are done and now I just have to block them and I've also decided to redesign my Spooky Pumpkin Face Cloth with a garter stitch version...the original one is a seed stitch version and I love it, in fact it's one of my favourite designs but I have come to the conclusion that not all knitters love doing all that seed stitch, so this next one is for them! I'll keep you posted!

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Okay, I think I've babbled on long enough now...it'll be noon before I know it and hubby will be home for lunch and wonder why I'm still not dressed :oP

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Hugs & Smiles,

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Rachel

"Grandpa"
Designed by Danielle Côté
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A Big Thank You To Danielle Côté for allowing our group to use her pattern for our August 2009 KAL!
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This pattern is called, "Grandpa" and can be found here on Danielle's website which now has a new home.

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I have created a photo album for us to post our finished kals into...here is the link.
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If you go to the group homepage you can see the photo of my finished kal.

Thanks to everyone for participating with us on this one...hope you all enjoyed it. Also a really big thank you to everyone for filling in the KAL Questionaire on the group that I posted last week! I have been reading through all the answers and I am finding them extremely helpful.
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Hope all is well with everyone...take care, and thanks again!
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NEXT KAL BEGINS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st!
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Hugs,
:o)
Rachel

Where you can find me:

Knits by Rachel:
http://www.knitsbyrachel.com/

Rachel's Knitting Corner:
http://rachelsknittingcorner.blogspot.com/

Ravelry(KnitsByRachel):
http://www.ravelry.com/people/KnitsByRachel

Rachel's Knitting Room:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Rachels_Knitting_Room/
KAL Info: http://rachelsknittingroom.blogspot.com/

~ August 2009 KAL in Rachel's Knitting Room ~

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~ Daily Progress Pics ~

(photos are clickable for a larger view)

~ August 2009 KAL in Rachel's Knitting Room ~
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~ Daily Progress Pic ~
(photo is clickable for a larger view)

~ August 2009 KAL in Rachel's Knitting Room ~

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~ Daily Progress Pics ~

(photos are clickable for a larger view)

Feel Free to Join & Knit Along with Us :o)

~ August 2009 KAL in Rachel's Knitting Room ~
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~ Daily Progress Pics ~
(photos are clickable for a larger view)

Feel Free to Join & Knit Along with Us :o)

~ August 2009 KAL in Rachel's Knitting Room ~

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~ Daily Progress Pic ~

(photo is clickable for a larger view)

Feel Free to Join & Knit Along with Us :o)

~ August 2009 KAL in Rachel's Knitting Room ~
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~ Daily Progress Pics ~
(photos are clickable for a larger view)

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Just past halfway now...

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Isn't it pretty?...I really like this one!
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Feel Free to Join & Knit Along with Us :o)

~ August 2009 KAL in Rachel's Knitting Room ~

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~ Daily Progress Pics ~

(photos are clickable for a larger view)

Feel Free to Join & Knit Along with Us :o)

~ August 2009 KAL in Rachel's Knitting Room ~

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~ Daily Progress Pics ~

(photos are clickable for a larger view)

Feel Free to Join & Knit Along with Us :o)

~ August 2009 KAL in Rachel's Knitting Room ~
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~ Daily Progress Pics ~
(photos are clickable for a larger view)

Feel Free to Join & Knit Along with Us :o)

~ August 2009 KAL in Rachel's Knitting Room ~

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~ Daily Progress Pics ~

(photos are clickable for a larger view)

Feel Free to Join & Knit Along with Us :o)

~ August 2009 KAL in Rachel's Knitting Room ~

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~ Daily Progress Pic ~

(photo is clickable for a larger view)

. Feel Free to Join & Knit Along with Us :o)

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Would you like to join our Monthly Mystery Dishcloth Knit Along?

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Our August KAL starts Monday, August 17th!

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You can click here or on the picture above to find out more ;o)

Well, the fox was back today...such a cute little fella!

He was rather itchy today...I'm sure it's bug bites...between the mosquitos, black flies, deer flies, and horse flies, you're bound to get one or two bites :op.

Something has caught his attention and he's off to go investigate...

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Uh, one more scratch first...

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He's having a hard time finding the itch.....until......

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Ahhhh, there it is!

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What a character! I made my Bolognese Pasta Sauce last night for dinner and I was heating up the leftovers for our lunch today and I just happened to have the kitchen window open and so I'm sure that's the reason for his visit today...he had his little black velvety nose up in the air trying to get a little whiff through the window ;o)

~ Family of Raccoons ~

(photo is "clickable" for a larger view)

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Well, here is what we woke up to yesterday morning minus 2(they are on the other side of the tree)...hubby heard a funny noise coming from outside so we all went to look and saw 1 little raccoon race by down the driveway and into the bush...then out came a single file line of 7 more stripey tails and masked faces! 1 Mama Raccoon and 7 Baby Raccoons all in a row! We couldn't believe it...Mama was pretty cautious and obviously extremely protective...she made sure all the babies were with her wherever they went...we watched them for about 5 minutes going in and out of the bush and down the driveway all together...expect that last little fella..he kept trying to go off on his own but Mama made sure to keep an eye on him...I wonder if they'll make another appearance today? We had a Bear Cub in the yard the other day...came right up on our front deck...I'm not too happy about that. We have our 3 Foxes that visit multiple times a day, and now the big family of Raccoons! What's next? I'm almost afraid to ask...

Our July 2009 KAL ~ BE SAFE

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Be Safe©

Designed by Marilyn Wallace

marilynw@rogers.com
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Here is our Monthly Mystery Dishcloth Knit Along that we did in Rachel's Knitting Room for July, called "Be Safe".
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This pattern was created by our Group Moderator Marilyn Wallace.
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You can find this pattern for free in her "TWILIGHT CLOTH SERIES".
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Thank you so much Marilyn for designing another great kal for us this month! We ALL appreciate everything you do for us and our group!

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Marilyn designs and sells Name Cloth Patterns...you can find hundreds of names on her website on her right-hand sidebar all in alphabetical order...if you don't see the names you're looking for, feel free to email her as she is always more than happy to take personal requests :o)

July 2009 Knit Along in Rachel's Knitting Room

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~ Day 10 ~

Last day! All done! I'll be sure to post pics of I get it blocked!

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Thank you Marilyn for doing this one for us!

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Much Appreciated ;o)

July 2009 Knit Along in Rachel's Knitting Room
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~ Day 9 ~