Tuesday, February 21, 2012

A Trip to Town

Ian spied these guys on our drive into town. They really blend in well with landscape. This is at an icy pass about 6,000 feet, overlooking Bedell Flat. We call this spot Bedellview - an absolutely treacherous point in a storm.
These are pronghorn antelope, and I think they are beautiful. When they startle, they prong like deer, only they can't leap the cattle fence you see there. It's my understanding the fence has a high lowest wire which they can go under. I've never seen dead antelope here so I hope my source is correct. Before the fence was erected, we often saw dead cattle here. Picture me shrugging.
Yesterday I absolutely had to make soap. I have to make soap twice this week so I made Lemon Bar first since I was concerned about how long my fresh lemons would last.
This batch was the farthest I've ever pushed my soap to trace so when I poured into the mold, it was clumping. It looks and smells fabulous but I really had to sculpt to get a flat smooth surface.

We had appoint-
ments in town today so didn't get home until early evening. The soap gets hard after 24 hours so I absolutely had to cut it. Waiting another day really strains the wire on my cutters. I'm moving the block of soap into bars of soap, and boy does it smell fantastic. I'm so proud of this recipe because I didn't find inspiration for it anywhere but inside my own head.
I worked on this in the car and I finally finished this scarf tonight. It was supposed to be my trip knitting at New Years but the yarn is so dark I've had a terrible time following the pattern. I was often caught in the position of reknitting. This is also Madeline Tosh and I know I will wear it, but it's just not going to ever photograph well. I will never knit yarn this dark again - ever. I would however knit Madeline Tosh in a heartbeat. I wore a MT scarf to town today and was glad for the comfort.

8 comments:

Marion B. said...

I think your soap looks great and must smell wonderful.
And your scarf, hmmmm, beautiful.

Maggie said...

Ooh! Lemon soap! It will be in my next order!
When I was growing up in Arizona, we saw antelope sometimes, usually running across fields. They were so wild and free, it would make my heart ache. Nothing like that in east Tennessee!

LA said...

I swear I could smell that lemon through the computer!!! Yum! The antelope blend in so well with the surroundings...and they are a delight to see!

Nina said...

Madeleine Tosh is yummy yarn. I have a pair of socks in her sock yarn and they're awesome. Love the photo of the pronghorn antelope. What a neat thing to see when out and about!

Carolyn Jean Thompson said...

Wow, I've never seen antelope so close to Reno. I'm really glad they are around! Beautiful. Your soap sounds wonderful.

Cindie said...

Your lemon soap is my fav! I'm using a bar now in the shower.

Benita said...

I can smell the soap from here - so fresh! And, knowing your soap personally, I can understand why it sells so well.

re'New said...

I don't know about your local antelope, but South Dakota antelope jump cattle fences all the time. Actually there's a picture of one jumping said fence on the front of South Dakota Magazine this month! :)