Two blog posts in a day...and a rant

I was knitting on the scarf, laid it down and misplaced one of the knitting needles. Hopefully in my next life, although I've told everyone that I refuse to live life over again, there's got to be an obvious place where all the lost things automatically go to. Anyways, I had found this Harry Potter dish cloth on one of the knitting lists, and decided rather than obsessing about to where the needle had disappeared, just to knit the dish cloth. My daughter is a Harry Potter fan(atic). I used leftover Plymouth Linen Isle, made of 50% cotton, 30% Rayon and 20% Linen. I found it here:
http://insanknitty.wordpress.com/2007/06/16/harry-potter-dishcloth-design/

Now on to the rant. We've gotten new neighbors (well they are not that new; they bought the one acre plot next to us in the fall of last year. This bit of land used to belong to the daughter of the woman that owned the property which we bought. The dad of the family was up last week to fix something, while the son went fishing with his big boat on some lake near here. They also brought the lawn mower with them. I politely pointed out the milkweed and it's importance to the Monarch butterfly. I also pointed out to him that if he mows the spot of grass in front of his single wide, he will deprive the deer of their sleeping area. At least that's were they slept all last summer. Well, guess what? The milkweed and the "grass" got mowed. He then started talking about watering the lawn. I must say I looked at him as if he came from another planet. Watering? We live smack dab in the woods. In fact, we are surrounded by the Manistee National Forest on three sides. The only thing I've been watering are the red currant bushes I've planted this year next to the house. The "lawn" is weeds and they stay green all summer even when we have a drought. Most of the "weeds" have pretty flowers on them and thus provide a flower garden without having to plant one. Besides if I wait long enough there will be more trees and shrubs growing from the seeds the birds and squirrels drop. In fact, I've spotted an oak seedling in my "lawn" right where I would like a tree for some extra shade. No digging holes, no spending money, but the tree is growing all by itself, right where it will be of use. Why do people want to bring city life with them when they move to the woods, including manicured lawns. Water is already in short enough supply, the fertilizer and weed killer he will need to get grass growing will get into the water supply we use, since we have a well. Since I allow him to use our well, I swear I'm going to cut him off, if I see him watering the lawn. Then he can dig his own .

I really try to live with leaving as few foot prints as I can. I try not to disturb the fauna and flora and try to give them as much space as I can. The critters and my daughter and I live together harmoniously and if we keep the scratch grain for the chickens long enough in the trunk of Angie's old jalopy, we don't even have to drag it out since the chipmunks have found a way into the bag. I kid you not, I told her the other day to get the bag out of the trunk, and she informed me it was empty. No wonder I saw them scurrying back and forth under her car. I even let most of the mice live; I am quite sure the owls are grateful. Of course, this one the owls missed, and the cats are fed too well to catch them.

We have no outdoor cats because of the birds and thus both birds, mice, and the cotton tails can play as much as they want.

Hi there, that's an awfully nice lace curtain you have and a "nananananana" to Sam and Tommy 'cause you can't catch me.

I used to live in the city, with the neighborhood "police" telling you how short your grass had to be and that you couldn't park anything on the lawn on the side of the house even though it was only one time overnight. So the question is "why do some city folks move to the country and then want to turn it into the city?" Who knows. Maybe one of these days I will become independently wealthy and buy a hundred acres or so and set the house smack dab in the middle of the property and then do what Ed Begley does to make his toast in the morning, pedal his bycicle to get power for the toaster. I'd be a lot healhier, for sure.

In the meantime, "Knit on!" and eat cheesecake.