Alpaca, Gravel, and Rescue Dogs

A few questions from the comments that need answering:

(Or, I really need something to blog about and I'm sure glad someone asked something to get me going. Thanks.)

Wendy asked . . .

How bad does Treasure shred when you compare it to Knit Picks' Alpaca cloud?

I'm a moderately loose knitter and I've not had a problem with Andean Treasure shredding. It is a little fuzzy in a good way. The few times I needed to tink back, I was gentle with pulling the stitches apart.

The one scarf I knit using Alpaca Cloud didn't shred, either. Maybe because I used the yarn double.

Is shredding a common problem with alpaca?

Summer Shawlette knit with Lilac Heather Andean Treasure is done, washed, and blocked.

I won't consider it officially finished until the modeled pictures are taken, but here is a view of the very simple but pretty arrow lace panel down the back panel.


Peggy asked . . .

Will they at least put down some gravel so the road doesn't turn into solid ice during winter?

As part of the project, the roadbed has been built up with gravel. However, that doesn't mean it won't turn into ice.

Once the first snow has been packed into the gravel, it always does turn into ice and gets so packed down that it's one of the last things to thaw in the spring. Could be that will change now that the road isn't entirely shaded.

This is the view out my front window this afternoon.

The warm brown starting about a third of the way up from the picture bottom is the road. The very unnatural bluish-green color on the far side of the road is hydroseed. A county truck came by this afternoon with a guy standing up in the truck bed spraying the stuff. His precision and tidiness left a lot to be desired.

The dirt at the bottom of the picture is our yard. It's still very rough - you can see the bulldozer tracks. The county is supposedly going to rake it smooth and then hydroseed.


Sue J. asked . . .

Aren't rescue dogs just the greatest?!

One of my favorite subjects although I do worry about people taking rescue dogs who may not be prepared with the patience and/or knowledge to give them the special care they need.

A rescue dog almost always comes with "issues". Getting them past the issues and turning them into the great dogs they were meant to be is part of the reward. It doesn't happen overnight and often involves doggy medical expenses.