Baby Chicks Get a New Lid

I was not satisfied with the top we had put on the tank which houses our new baby chicks. Quite frankly it was a mess! we had chicken wire bent around the top of the tank. Plywood on top of chicken wire with a square cut in the middle, where we put the heat lamps, and just in case something (a predator) got in, we weighted the whole mess down with 2x4's.  UGH!! Talk about a chore trying to get in and out of there!!! SHEESH!!!
So.....today, I made a trip to Lowe's. This was going to be taken care of TODAY!!!  Since Papa Bear was in the field, I figured the coast was clear for me to get a little creative, screw things up, cuss, cry, and still have everything put back in order and 'perfect' by the time he got in tonight.  Uhmmmm......no such luck. He was in the barn lot when I got home, working on filling the planter and talking to a friend that we farm with.  So all of this had to be done, under his watchful eye. I'm sure he was just waiting for me to either say, 'would you just take care of this' or 'I give up'. .....Not happening buddy, not on your life!! I am going to fix this, and it will be perfect, and effortless!!!
Here is my creation, I am sure this is not an original. But I am very satisfied with the results. AND the bonus is, I got a compliment from Papa Bear!

 Finished Project

 See where I have hinged the 2 shelves

 Here is a better picture 

 Here are the zip ties at one of the ends

 Zip ties in the middle

I took the custom shelving, using 2 shelves per tank. I used the plastic zip-ties to join the 2 shelves together and fashion a hinge. I then zip-tied the heat lamps to the shelving and they fit perfectly over the tanks.  I didn't cut the length of the shelving, just in case we get a longer tank sometime in the future.

I think we are going to leave them set up, and use them as a pen if we ever need to separate some of the hens.

And so it begins.......

Springtime at the Mosier Farm

Sweet n Salty Popcorn Mix

So hungry for a sweet n salty snack mix.  Here is what I did......Popped some buttered popcorn, put it in a big bowl.  Threw in some butterscotch chips, a big hand full of cinnamon toast crunch cereal, some salted peanuts, and candy corn.....not too bad for a sweet n salty treat!

Kitchener Stitch Rhyme

I am one that dreads the kitchener stitch. I have found that rhymes and songs usually help me remember directions that I hate.  This one is posted on Nelkin Designs.

The SET UP:
Go into the first stitch on the FRONT needle as if to PURL, pull the yarn up and leave it on the needle.
Go into the first stitch on the BACK needle as if to KNIT, pull the yarn up and leave the stitch ON the needle.

Now begin grafting:

FRONT: KNIT OFF — knit first st on front needle, drop st off
FRONT: PURL ON — purl next st on front needle, leave st on
BACK: PURL OFF — purl first st on back needle, drop st off
BACK: KNIT ON — knit next st on back needle, leave st on

Here is also a video tutorial:
KnitPicks Kitchener Stitch Video Tutorial

Good Luck!!


UPDATED: 07/20/2017
Thank you Puffy Jo for the heads up on my error. This is why I love the knitting and crocheting community. Everyone is so helpful and willing to share their knowledge. 

Knitted Chevron (ripple) Afghan

Chevron Ripple Afghan

CO multiple of 15sts plus 4. 
Size 9US cabled knitting needles
(my gauge is 5 stitches = 1 inch)
for a baby afghan or lap blanket (36" wide) I cast on 184 stitches

Row 1   K2, *K1f&b, k5, sl1 (knitwise), k2tog, psso, k5, k1f&b* (repeat from * to * to the last 2 sts) K2

Row 2    Knit

Repeat Row 1 and 2 until you reach the length that you want.

BO after row 1

I use this pattern as a stash buster, so I do not have accurate yardage, however here is a link that can get you close.
http://cache.lionbrand.com/faq/96.html?language=

**If you wish to alternate colors always change colors on Row 1. The afghan pictured has alternating stripes after 10 rows.


**Optional tip: I always slip the first stitch, as if to purl, at the beginning of every row. This makes a very nice smooth edge.

**If you are new to the chevron pattern, in order to keep your place, I put a marker every so often in between the last k1f&b and the first k1f&b.  If I get to this place and I am 'off' it is easier to fix immediately.

**Tutorial for K1f&b  This is an excellent video tutorial by Knit Witch on youtube that demonstrates K1f&b.

**Tutorial for PSSO This is an excellent video tutorial by VeryPinkKnits on youtube that demostrates PSSO

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies are PaPa Bears favorite. Over the years and with a little tweaking, this is the recipe I have come up. It is a little crunchy, little soft and a whole lotta YUMMY!

3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Butter (or Margarine)
3 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 8oz package Bits O Brickle Toffee Bits
2 Cups all purpose flour

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl mix sugars, peanut butter, butter, and eggs until well blended.
Add baking soda, baking powder, vanilla extract, pudding mix and toffee bits.  Mix well.
Mix in flour a bit at a time (I add 1/2 cup, stir....add another 1/2 cup and so on)

Refrigerate dough for about an hour so it is easy to handle then shape dough into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.  Using a fork, make a checkerboard design on top of the cookie (I dip my fork into the sugar canister prior to making the checkerboard marks on each cookie).  This will flatten the cookie.

OR if you are like me and do not want to wait an hour, I use a tablespoon to scoop the dough and drop it onto the cookie sheet, then proceed to make my checkerboard design. The cookies don't turn out as perfectly round as they would if you would go through the refrigerator/ball method.

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown

(If you wish to put a chocolate kiss on top of the cookie immediately after it comes out of the oven do not flatten prior to baking.)

Makes about 5 dozen

This Ain't Norman Rockwell's House

Here’s the Real Deal at the Mosier House (aka Animal House) for Christmas.

Jeremy, Sarah and Kasen landed on Friday night.  All was well and lively……..Kasen ate, and ate, and ate….poor little guy had been sick with the stomach flu the entire week before…..and he ate, and ate, and ate…..  Yep! You guessed it! He was up all night with a belly ache.

Fast forward to Saturday afternoon. Cassie arrives; she brings in her dog, Scooby and her new kitten, Leo.  Now things start to get interesting.

Kasen  blows out his diaper. We have diarrhea and desitin on the downstairs bathroom rug. I take the rug upstairs to the laundry/bathroom and I discover Leo had messed on the rug in there!  Back downstairs, I find that PaPa Bear didn’t think the Oyster soup was getting done fast enough so he turned the heat up and curdled the milk, UGH!! I whisk the Oyster Soup (try to salvage as much as possible).  Kasen is settled in and drinking pedialyte. The rest of the family arrives,

 dinner is served, presents are opened, 

found out a new grandbaby will be here in August (YEAH!),  

went to Children’s Christmas Eve program at our church.  

And now bed…Ahhhh……

At 3:30am I am awakened by the smell of something burning! I rush downstairs and the smell is awful! I am running around trying to find the source. I finally figure out it is coming from the basement kitchen. The smell is overpowering, nothing like I had ever experienced. Cassie!! After a night out with friends, she decided she was hungry; she put some vegetables in a pan to heat up on the stove and fell asleep on the couch!  After cleaning up that mess, and trying to air things out, I head back upstairs to find that Leo has crapped again, on a bathroom towel!  HELLO LEO……litterbox please!!!  I clean up the shit, throw the cat in the garage, and pour myself a drink.  

It’s 12 o’clock somewhere, right?

Grandbaby #4 Is On The Way!!

Part of my Christmas present this year was buried inside a container, which I was certain contained Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix  instead it had a Christmas Ornament that Kasen had painted and a positive pregnancy test stick.  Can you say OMG!!!! I was totally caught off guard! Our 4th Grandbaby is on his/her way!! I am so excited!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

Women's Knit Booties

Instructions:

Making the Ankle Section

1        Measure the necessary width of your slipper by starting at one side of your ankle, going under your foot, and up along the other side of your ankle. Make a note of this as Measurement No. 1. Then measure your ankle by starting at the front and going to the back (don't go around to the front again). Make a note of this as Measurement No. 2.

Your slipper will be knitted by starting at the back of the foot and working toward the toes.

2       Cast on enough stitches to equal Measurement No. 1. Work in a garter stitch (knitting each row) until the length of your work is equal to Measurement No. 2.

Make a note of the number of stitches required for Measurement No. 1. Also make a note of the number of rows required for Measurement No. 2. Do this to ensure the second slipper matches the first.

3       Bind off 16 stitches and knit the rest of the row. Repeat this row once more. You have now bound off the first 16 stitches on both sides of your work and completed the ankle section.

Making the Foot Section

1        Continue knitting each row until the length of the slipper equals the length of your foot, then knit three more rows so the slipper won't be too tight.

2       When the slipper is the desired length, decrease the stitches in the last row by knitting one stitch, then knit two stitches together, knit one stitch, then knit two stitches together. Repeat this pattern across the row.

3       Cut your yarn, leaving a 24-inch length to be used to sew the slipper together. Thread the end of the 24-inch length through the yarn needle, and pass the yarn needle through each stitch along the knitting needle. Slip the stitches off the knitting needle and tighten the yarn, drawing the toe section together.

4       Fold the slipper in half lengthwise and, using a whip stitch, sew from the toe area along the top of the slipper and up the ankle section. Finish off and cut the yarn. Then sew the seam along the back of the foot. Finish off, cut the yarn and weave all loose ends of yarn into the slipper. Add a pom-pom, if desired, to the top of the slipper in front of the ankle.

5       Make a second slipper exactly the same as the first.

(credit for this pattern goes to  http://www.ehow.com)

Double Knitting (reversible knitting)

This is a work in progress and very basic...my practice piece is a potholder.
With 2 strands of yarn in contrasting colors, held together, cast on 24 stitches. There should be 48 loops on your needle.  Make sure to alternate colors. In this case mine is red/white/red/white and so on.
This is a warning to the Mosier Children: You will probably be getting some 'not so pretty' potholders for Christmas.

I used this You Tube tutorial to help me get started: Knitting Help - Double Knitting by verypinkknits