This picture was taken a few weeks ago. DH reported this morning that Mamma Duck was off her nest & that there were still eggs in it. When we got home, she was back on it & was quite tolerable as DH and I talked to her. DH has counted ten eggs!
DH and I both took today off. We need to run some fun errands. Believe it or not, after almost two years of marriage, we still have some gifts cards to use. We are hitting Crate and Barrel today to see if we like a comforter that we've been eying in the catalogs. Also, DH needs to pick up a medal in Old Town Alexandria for getting second place in his age group for a race he ran a few weeks ago. The running shop that has it, is rather close to Knit Happens & and I am in need of sock yarn! Should be fun! Wahoo!
At rate here are some pictures from the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. 
Sheep herding demos. What impressed me is how the dogs obeyed quickly & how the people could whisper their requests. Ashley comes when it pleases her and if the cats are around, it isn't likely to happen at all!!
I'll distract you from the lack of knitting progress/news with Mamma Duck!!
Mamma Duck on her nest by our front stairs. 
Okay so the plan was multiple pictures of things besides the duck but there is glitch & a gotta scoot.
Sorry for the absence. Work has been quite busy. Last Wednesday, I decided to surprise my step son and bake him cupcakes. We will ignore the fact that I did this in lieu of making him a healthy dinner. While baking them, I decided that I should also share few with a neighbor who had a rough day. At some point during the baking process, I must have been impressed with myself because the high-horse knocker-offers were in full enforcement mode that night and I learned my lesson the hard way.
Once the cupcakes were baked, I iced a few, put them on a paper plate, put a gentle lead on Ashley and as well as her regular lead (the gentle lead is supposed to make it easier to control her - it is like a horse harness & in theory takes the power away from the dogs powerful chest/neck). I was taking Ashley because I did not want to crate her nor did I care to leave her unattended for a few minutes.
So, we have the iced cupcakes, a dog on a gentle lead & a person in need of a lesson. I open the front door, we walk out. I close it behind me. Mamma Duck sees dog. Dog sees Mamma duck. Duck takes off. Dog pulls once, cupcakes are air born & will land icing side down. Dogs pulls twice and gets away from me. Dog is now chasing duck. I am chasing dog and yelling and repeating in loud voice a word that rhymes with duck. There are small children playing across the street. I am no longer on my high horse. Dog is caught, duck comes back.
When DH gets home, I share our adventures with DH. He picks on me about "allowing" the dog to chase the duck and does a quasi-good job of giving me a guilt trip. He doesn't know about the knocker-offers that a running around the house.
Later that evening, we have a guest. Guest arrives and upsets Mamma Duck. Guest is fed cupcakes and begged to leave Mamma Duck alone. In his defense, merely looking at the front door is enough to upset her. Guest departs after it is very dark. DH is standing at the door. Guest goes outside, Mama Duck takes off, Ashley, who is NOT wearing a lead, gets around DH and chases Mamma Duck. DH is knocked off his horse.
Mamma Duck has returned & settled down. Ashley has not been able to chase her but she does look for her every time we go out. Hope that we have babies soon.
Didn't buy anything at the Maryland Sheep & Wool festival but will post pics soon.
Ashley had a ball reuniting with her sister Hailey. 
Here are a couple of quick shots of the pair together. 
On the duck front, Mama came back. 
We got home a heck of a lot later than expected. DH did AWESOME in his race. I am so proud!!! I then had to go back out & get a headlight replaced that we just noticed was out today. We got lucky & found a place that open on Sunday. The sour dough bread is rising. I am going to try a new & hopefully fast and simple homemade pizza recipe this evening & I have the crazy-ass idea that I will also knit three inches of my sock.
Off to knit & bake.
First the simple ones.
1. Extra blue, blueberry muffins. 
Before we meet Haily, DH is running a race in my old stomping ground, Old Town Alexandria. While he runs, Ashley & I are going to visit with one of my dear friends. The muffins are for the ride to Alexandria and to share with my friend.
2. The second sock. I would love to complete this sock by Friday night. It would be a record for me AND I'd plan to buy more sock yarn on Saturday at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.
Now for the tentative starts.
1. My first loaf of sour dough bread. Here is what should become a sponge overnight and then, with the addition of more flour, hopefully become yummy bread tomorrow afternoon. I am afraid that my mother is too thin. Time will tell. 
2. Saving what could become the best for last, today we discovered that a duck laid eggs in a nook outside our front door. I am worried because she flew away. Hopefully she'll back we'll have baby ducks. Fingers are crossed. 
Last week was nutty. I thought I was going to finish the sock, but then work got in the way and Ashley attacked the WIP. I spent most of Thursday night detangling the mess that she made in less than three seconds. This week, I am back on track but it is a little slow going due to distractions - work, traffic - the usual. I love the color-way and the feel of the sock. Hope to have it complete by Friday night so that I can't start it mate at my step son's lacrosse game.
On Monday I finally made a sour dough starter. This is something that I have wanted to try for a long, long time. I will get to bake my first loaf of bread with it on Sunday.
Here is the starter: 
It doesn't look like much but it rises each day and smells wonderful.
Off to knit!
After two weeks of NOT knitting I cast on a sock yesterday. The yarn is Misti Hand Paint Sock Marino. I love the color-way and the way the fabric feels. I am concerned though about the apparent lack of elasticity that I normally see in wool. I have narrow ankles and do not care for socks that slouch too much. I am going to rip it out & re-cast on using 2.5 mm needles later today.
Update 7 p.m.
I went down a needle size and I am pleased with the result. The 2x2 ribbing is going well and appears strong enough to stay up.
"Help me! Help me!! On Sunday, the Knitter finally stuffed my middle and attached my limbs, but my ears are still not sewn in and she hasn't added the details of my face AND the baby I am made for is over a year old!! Woe is me." cried the rabbit. 
Mr. Turtle sauntered over to comfort the rabbit. "Don't be blue little rabbit. It took the Knitter over fourteen months to finish me and I was a gift for her DH (a Terps fan)."
"Fourteen months?!" screamed the body of what will become a stuffed dog. "But I am destined for a baby that is due this August!" 
"Our baby is coming then too!" Said the yarn and picture of the monkey project. "Will we be ready in time?" "Well, the rabbit should be done in time for its baby's wedding." With that, the rabbit promptly mooned the turtle, because as a gift for a wee one, the rabbit cannot swear. 
"Pssst" whispered some Noro stash. 
"We used to live in the coat closet near the computer room. Last week we heard the Knitter gasp and call for DH. She had him look at a picture of knit cuttlefish. That's a SEA CREATURE. DH thought it was cool. The Knitter than said that she could buy the pattern. It gets worse. We just moved upstairs, near the yarn closet. We caught a glimpse of Nemo. Rumor on the street has it that the Knitter used to scuba dive and Nemo was a gift from DH when they were dating."
Suddenly, an orange, non-knit fish appeared on the bed. "Hi!" 
All of the knitted objects screamed at once "Ahhh! Run for you life! We are safer outside." 
"Where are you going?" asked the orange fish.
"We would rather chance being attacked by birds and never finished (except for Mr. Turtle - he just had to worry about the birds) than be eaten by a cuttlefish."
The end.
P.S. from the Knitter: the knitted object's escape was thwarted by a screen. They will all lively happily ever-after - at least until I get around to buying pattern for the cuttlefish.
