christmas blessings

[trapperhoney]

we went out to the family cabin for two weeks for Christmas/New Year's.  Hubby saves his leave time so we can take two weeks and he and our son make an attempt at trapping.  This year they didn't do so well. The baits and lures were old (we couldn't afford to get new this year) the weather was great (60's & 70's the first week and a half) and they pinched several things but nothing was in the traps.  We figure we may need to replace springs, most of these traps are probably 30-40 years old and nothing has ever been replaced.  Not sure what to get for the Northwoods traps since they are no longer manufactured....  As you can see from the photo of the tree our back door to the screened porch was open.  We had to go out and buy hubby boxer shorts for PJs. 

Our son was borrowing a pair of socks from his Dad and they ended up being stockings for him, lol.

I made hubby a throw.  I have been working on it since April.  The yarn was expensive, so I could only get about 3-5 skeins at a time.  Then, I could only work on it while he was not home.  I managed to find the yarn on sale online and was able to get the last few skeins I needed and got it finished.  He didn't have anything for me, and I told him what I really wanted was a nice crochet hook made out of the wood from the walnut tree that had stood in my grandparents' yard (the house we now own).  I had grown up playing under that tree.  I had a swing in it, played under it's shade, and eventually used it to lean poles up against and make a lean-to and play indian.  I loved that tree.  My grandparents had cut it down after I went to college.  The guy who cut it down got the wood, however the stump was left.  After we moved in, hubby dug out the stump.  So, hubby made me a hook from the wood left in the stump and now I have a VERY special crochet hook.

We had a very blessed Christmas.

 

[Alan]

Merry Christmas. Enjoyed the photos and stories. Very homey.

[Rosie]

i love that crochet hook......

[trapperhoney]

3 hours ago, Rosie said:

i love that crochet hook......

so do I, Rosie.  it is EXTRA special, and it feels and works great!

14 hours ago, Alan said:

Merry Christmas. Enjoyed the photos and stories. Very homey.

Thanks, Bro. Alan.  We love it out at our camp.  It's actually an old farmhouse, has to be at least 100 years old.  It's been in my family for 44 years.  I have always felt more at home out there than I do where we live.

[Rosie]

what size is that hook

[trapperhoney]

1 hour ago, Rosie said:

what size is that hook

it is a 6.00m, also known as a "J"  it's the size I seem to use the most.

[Rosie]

oh ok I was just wondering.... 

[WellWithMySoul]

I love it!  I love old farm houses!  It's great that this one has been in your family for as long as it has...lots of memories made there, huh?  My husband grew up in an old two story, drafty, tilting farm house.  His dad was a pastor in the rural community...and so the family of eight was quite poor...but they made the best of what they had and praised the Lord for it.  I think that old farm house that they lived in was actually photographed and put into a magazine (no recollection of what magazine).  My daughter also lived in an old two story farm house in a town that boasted of about ten for its population. That was also an awesome house.  Old farm houses have so many stories to tell; stories of hard back-breaking work, of times of tears and heartbreak, times of rest and reflection, of worry and trust, of storms and sunshine, the joy of births and sorrows of loss, and the times of joy and laughter....lots of living!  Your son's big grin and his "stockings" light up the room!  He looks like such a great young man!  Your blanket is gorgeous, and your crochet hook is fantastic!!  Both are of priceless value because of being made with love and care and with a giving spirit!  Thank you for sharing your pics!

[trapperhoney]

9 hours ago, Rosie said:

oh ok I was just wondering.... 

he is going to make me more sizes, in different woods.  I have an order placed for one in dogwood and one in cherry

5 hours ago, WellWithMySoul said:

Your son's big grin and his "stockings" light up the room!  He looks like such a great young man!  Your blanket is gorgeous, and your crochet hook is fantastic!!  Both are of priceless value because of being made with love and care and with a giving spirit!  Thank you for sharing your pics!

Thank you very much!  Our son is a joy, and he has made us very proud.  I forgot to say that we got him a guitar for Christmas.  He had taken lessons his senior year of high school and I was never sure if he really liked it or not (I made him take the class because it was an easy credit), but he seemed to really like it and asked us to get him a copy of the book they were using at school, because they didn't finish it.  When it came it the mail his face lit up and he grabbed it and ran for his guitar, so I guess he really did like it

 

[Rosie]

that is a very nice guitar

[trapperhoney]

1 hour ago, Rosie said:

that is a very nice guitar

thank you!  we were very fortunate to get it.

[Rosie]

i can see why, is it electric/acoustic?

[trapperhoney]

3 hours ago, Rosie said:

i can see why, is it electric/acoustic?

YES!  It's so awesome you would know that!  Of course later I found out he had been learning classical guitar. *sigh*  But he has interest in Spanish guitar.  I'm going to talk to someone I know who teaches guitar to see what we can do for him.  Not sure if we can just put classical strings on his guitar or not.

[Rosie]

I'm not sure if you can either..

[OLD fashioned preacher]

Don't put nylon string on it! It won't damage it but you'll not have anywhere near the projection nor tonal quality.

He can still learn the same technique on a cutaway dreadnought (which is what he has) even though the strings are closer together than on a classical.

If he ever gets a classical or flamenco guitar, DO NOT put steel strings on it because the wood is thinner and the tension on steel strings is MUCH higher and can warp the neck and potentially split the top!

Down the road he may want a classical and the dreadnought both.

Also, if he ever gets a 12 string -- I recommend tune 1/2 step to a full step LOWER than standard (again due to total tension issues).

Linear tension:   Nylon = +/- 103 lbs,   6 string Bronze/steel = +/- 179 lbs,   12 string Bronze/steel = +/- 258 lbs   The effective overall pressures are much greater when direct (string) and induced (body) vibrations are factored.