Idaho's Fossil Beds

We thought this was going to be a terrific side trip. After you get there though you get to read the sign, and look off into the distance to see the ridge, where all the fossils were found.

Yep that's it, so much for Idaho's fossil beds.

Colorado Hotels Pet Rabbits

We awoke at our motel just outside of Denver Colorado to the cutest batch of rabbits. They certainly weren't shy of strangers.

Wyoming Desolate But Great Bufflo Burgers

Wyoming started out green and lovely, though the farther west it also became that dreaded brown, dried up landscape.

I love rocks, especially out of place rocks, like this one tottering in a field.

A short trip off the main road on a disty hill sits The Ames Monument. Its rough to get up close and to get back down. There is a plaque with the full story, if you don't know who the 2 brothers Oliver and Oakes from Massachusetts were.

A quick stop at Turtle Rock to watch some mountain climbers work their way to the top. Great picnic areas if you take your lunch.

This is the famous Terry Bison Ranch. When they tell you their Buffalo burgers have won tons of awards, believe them. Hubby and I like ours rare, the best way to eat Buffalo.

Market Bags for the Garden

These are a couple of Market Bags I did for my little brother and my nephew. They have a very sucessful garden on the top of a Mountain in Tennessee. He constantly sends me pictures of piles of vegetable goodies. I wish we had had time to put in some vegetables this year.
I used simple Red Heart Saver, figuring that these will probably only last a couple of seasons, but can also be washed in the washing machine. These should hold more produce then you would want to carry.
the pattern is here:

and the water bottle case is from The Elusive Loos blog. I made different handles and really lengthened them, since my little brother tops out at 6'5".
this favorite pattern is found here.

Visiting Antelope Island in Utah

We wouldn't have known about this hidden treasure, except for a local waitress that said, Don't miss it. You travel by a thin, narrow road that is filled with birds, feasting on the brine shrimp. They are the only thing that survives in the high salt content.

Even though we didn't hike far, the Antelope willing posed for the camera near the road toward the ranch. You have several beaches, where you can swim, or should I say float, since with the 5 times the salt as in the ocean, even I can float.

Every where you look the still water reflects the surrounding mountains. I am surprised I didn't see local artists lined up along the roadside.

Closer view if the birds along the roadside.

Finally came the buffalo. Some traveled alone, and other herds of them stood on the beaches, by the water and looked like they were standing on snow. They came within 10 feet of the truck, more curious then anything.

This side-trip is definitely worth the half day if you drive, or full day if you plan to hike, where I am told there are Mountain Goats, we have this park marked to go back to when we have more time. Oh and did I mention there is now a restaraunt that serves some pretty good buffalo burgers too.

It's So Hard Reading Posts, Let Alone Writing

Work has taken off, even with the economy supposedly still falling. Traveling takes up a big portion of our time. This last store was in the state of Washington, which was 2,225 miles from our house. We of course stop and see things on our way there and back.





The trip there was pretty bland, seeing mostly browns. From Oklahoma we went through, Kansas, Colorado, ate Buffalo Burgers in Wyoming, visited Antelope Island in Utah, the wonderful Shoshone Falls in Idaho, shot through eastern Oregon and went forever through the Eastern part of Washington. ( Totally boring trip through that part of Washington.)





We had a 45 minute drive to the construction site from Everett, this was a shot I took on our way to work one morning. Luckily we finally moved to another motel closer to the job site, a very nice Best Western, with those thick comforters. That also increased our work days to 14 hours.





I took tons of yarn, but didn't start or finish a single project. Guess it was the stress of the job. Western Washington is filled with some of the rudest people I have have ever met in my life. Though I must admit all but 2 of the people were men. So it could just be possibly the men up there don't like women telling them what to do. Geesh, I need a vacation.



This was Shoshone Falls. Lovely isn't it?

and We were blessed with a rainbow.....

Try Comfort Crochet Make a Flowers Shawl

Try Comfort Crochet Make a Flowers Shawl

A dear blogger friend has gotten me hooked on crocheted shawls. I never thought I was a shawl person, but I find myself reaching for one quite often. Just a little something to throw around my shoulders, when I want to retire to my bed and sit back cushioned with tons of pillows, to quietly watch a Jane Austen movie. I love them all, all British Dramas. Perhaps I lived in another time, because I am always drawn back to the same movies over and over again.

This Flower Shawl from the Caron Website http://www.caron.com/projects/ss/ss17_flowers_shawl.html

has already left my possession. My daughter-in-law saw it and immediately fell in love with it. Off to Arkansas it went, perhaps to throw around her shoulders as she watches her favorite movies.

I made this from 5 skeins of #2715 Seashell Simply Soft. It was extremely easy and the fringe was fun to do.


If you love shawls or have never tried one, you must visit Pammy's Blog, Scotty's Place. Or if you just want a shawl and don't crochet, then visit her at her Etsy shop, where she may have a few of her gorgeous shawls for sale.