Bunny House Day

The sun was bright yesterday and there was only a gentle breeze blowing. I put on the hated jeans and headed out to clean the bunny house; a bit messy after days of rain and my absence. It was so warm and dry after all the wind that I was able to put rabbits out to play while I did the chores. Woolybuns Crystal is a quiet, undemanding girl, very gentle and a good mother. Greenberry's Chocolat, on the other hand, is a bossy buck that is always at the front of his cage demanding attention and food. Sometimes he hops on out when I open the door to pet him!

The rabbits enjoyed their new hay and I enjoyed the sunshine while I cleaned the floors and some of the trays. My cousin RJ stopped by on her way to the local diner, so I put the rabbits inside and went with her. We had a wonderful visit and took a drive through the country on the way back.

With the bright sunshine and warm weather after all the gray days, I decided to try breeding again. Two does that I tried in the morning thought it was a great idea, Maple and Mary. Angel wasn't happy about the idea but Elwood, an older gentle blue buck, convinced her that it would be OK.

In the afternoon I sheared Greenberry's Autumn Joy, sitting out in front of the bunny house in the sunshine while Chocolat played in the pen and the other rabbits relaxed in their cages. Joy is a sweetheart, patiently lounging in my lap while I scissored away that heavy coat. The resulting wool is pictured above, 9 ounces of richness. There's not a lot of color to chocolate chin, but the texture of Joy's wool is wonderful and there's a nice lot of guard hair. I bred Joy to Delly's Delight Quenten. The does are usually very cooperative in the spring after being sheared, and Joy was no exception. I should have some full nest boxes at the end of April!

After working upstairs and thoroughly stirring up my allergies, I laid down for a few minutes with a book. Then my young friend with the job problems came by with yet another twist to the situation. Fortunately the management has finally decided to transfer her.

After settling the rabbits for the evening I took a long walk on the farm with Lily. We fed the fish; the big catfish were there. They glide through the water and then there is a sudden splash as they twist and quarrel over the feed. A few minnows darted around the edges as we circled the pond. Since it rained the pond is a little flooded and there were some salamanders in the puddles.

We walked down the creek into the woods. Things are getting so green, especially near the creek. I saw some tracks in the mud of the creek bank but I couldn't tell what they were because they were blurred by the rain. Lily sniffed and sniffed; crisscrossing our path after animals that had been by. We ventured down into the rhododendrons by the fence; the creek is so pretty there, slowing down to widen into quiet pools in the shade.

Home again to work on the chenille poncho. I think it will be a poncho. I'm going to try a design with stitches running in two directions for a patchwork effect. Maybe! I put the dyed rovings on the coffee table where they could dry a bit more and I could admire them. Dad's coming next week and when I get him settled I hope to start spinning some of the Shetland/mohair roving. Lura sent another box; can't wait to start dyeing again!

Sweet Faced Autumn Joy

Greenberry's Autumn Joy is one of my favorite rabbits, with her sweet expression, just like her dad. She is a chocolate chin, a beautiful color!

Chocolat At Play

Chocolat is such an active rabbit that he gets outside as many days as I can manage. Here he is resting in the shade after digging a big scrape in the grass. Many of the bucks dig while they are outside.

Play Time for Bunnies

Beautiful spring mornings with bright sunshine and dry grass; that's the perfect time for rabbits to get out to play. But even with cool breezes blowing, I make sure there's shade for the rabbit. Most of the time they stay in the shade, venturing in the sun for just a little while. Crystal is sitting up enjoying the fresh air.

Malachi Looks Good in Red

A nice pile of soft roving and a purring cat! Malachi had to investigate, but decided that my lap was a nicer place to curl up.

Today is bunny house day, mostly. The wind died down in the afternoon yesterday and I was able to get three loads of laundry hung out and dried. Lovely weather for it! My young friend brought hay for the rabbits at noon; much appreciated! We went down to the local diner for lunch and shared a table with two lovely ladies. I had fun telling them all about the rabbits and roving!

Yesterday evening I took Lily over to the pond and we fed the fish. This time the catfish came up and greedily snatched the feed and bread I threw in. The little fish were darting around with them trying to get their share. I didn't see any of the really big catfish; they may still be feeling shy or just not out yet. Feeding the fish during the season can be impressive when the big cats start looming up out of the water!

Shetland/Mohair Roving

Lots of color! I'm going to spin the variegated roving; I really like how the colors turned out, warm orange, greens, browns and dashes of violet. I'm really happy with the orange; had a terrible time mixing the dyes into a shade that I liked.

The aqua has some subtle shading; the fiber has a beautiful shimmer in the light with this color. Some of the mohair crimp has come back in these rovings since they were dyed; can't wait to see how it spins!

Chenille Project

Still not sure what this is going to be when it grows up. I found a stitch pattern I liked with the chenille in a poncho pattern, but the yarn isn't thick enough to meet gauge. So I'm just going along, waiting for inspiration to strike. I like working with the chenille but you have to be careful frogging if you make a mistake!

Ruby Red Roving!

Crock pot dyed Mohair/Shetland roving from Friendship Farm. As it is drying more variation in color is coming out, ranging from soft pinks to vivid red. The fiber has a nice shine!

March Days!

The wind is howling in the eaves and the pond is steel gray under a low sky. Ruffles of water slide across the pond in the wind in silver waves. March is here at last! I was hoping for sunshine and blue skies but maybe the wind will blow the clouds away!

The roving is out of the crock pot and washed and is now hanging on my shower rod to dry. I didn't dare put it outside; it would be strewn across the fields! A pretty effect but not very useful! The colors are vivid; I was hoping for some more variation in reds but I'm pleased with this ruby richness!

Two cats curled up in the house last night to sleep. I was gone for three days and I'm getting so much attention. The black cat, Malachi, is always a lover. He curls up in your lap and winds around your feet in demanding fashion. The tabby, Mani, is usually cordial and talkative, not so demanding but appreciative of any attention. Food is very important to him and like many cats, he feels that an empty food dish is a crime!

The bunny house is quiet in this dull weather. Greenberry's Autumn Joy is due for shearing today and I hope the weather changes so that I can do it. Not much good shearing in a wild wind! Her "date", Delly's Delight Quenten, is also due for shearing as well as the two black bunnies that are sold and awaiting a ride to their new homes. I want to get the floors and pans cleaned out, too; got a little behind while I was away. And, of course, I want to start breeding again. Really want a bright, calm day for my chores!

I've been thinking about yesterday and how things are in a small community. I worked for 13 years at a delightful country store here in town with lots of tourists. In the summer it's a busy place, with summer people staying and visitors to the Blue Ridge Parkway stopping in. But before the season starts it's all locals and things are much slower and more relaxed. I tend to stay home most of the time but yesterday I went out to the post office with an order. I had a nice chat with the postmaster, then went over to my mom's and caught up with what's going on there. First time I'd been over in a while! Then I stopped by the little store "across the road" from the shop where I used to work. It's known by various names but "the Market" seems to be the current favorite. I do most of my food shopping there; I hate tackling chain stores and the manager does a good job stocking this little shop. It's rare I go in for something that they don't have, but then I'm not an exotic cook! I went in one day and realized that I was related to every person in the store, including the clerks! That is a nice feeling!

I got into a conversation with the clerk when I was settling up; she's a cousin on my mom's side. She married a local boy and has never left home, while I never intended to leave and instead wound up living in several places on the East Coast. But we both appreciate the special qualities of the place we live in and the people here. She lives on a high ridge and looks out at Buffalo Mountain every day, across rolling pastures and surrounded with people she's known all her life. I came back from lonely times and places into the fold of family and friends. What treasures we have!

Little Rambouillet/Mohair Cap

Hand crocheted cap made from the rambouillet/mohair roving that I painted and spun into two ply yarn with my Reeves wheel. The turned up brim is made of my soft, soft merino/angora millspun yarn. Delighted with the colors of the hat; hope they show well in the picture! The roving was easy to spin and the yarn a delight to work with.

Shetland/mohair Roving

A tap on the door by my lovely UPS man and I have a gorgeous box of beautiful roving to play with! This is Lura's 50% Shetland and 50% mohair from Friendship Farm, and I can't describe how soft it is or what a shine it has in the light. Time to get out the dyepots!

Clearing Day!

Was awakened again by the rumble of thunder and the flash of lightning in the early morning hours. It rained hard and puddles are standing everywhere in the new green fields. The daffodils are out! Apparently the storm was a sign of clearing; the sun is trying to break through the clouds for the first time since Thursday!

Finished the little cap I crocheted from the merino yarn from the SAFF class. Turned out nice, I think, and I have some ideas on how to fancy up another one. Started the next one with the yarn from the first handpainted rambouillet/mohair roving. The colors are really working; nice subtle changes with an occasional burst of vivid green.

No bunnies in the bunny house. I didn't really expect any because the does just weren't in cooperative moods. When the sun comes out after this long spell of dark rainy days I'll try them all again. Getting lots of bunny inquiries and need some bunnies for them!

Back to putting the house together. The SO can't come down until the weekend so I'm not moving furniture until then. I'll be glad when Dad is here and settled and I can stop living in a turmoil! I have an order to pack from Tias.com and piles of books to put up on Biblio.com; more Avon bottles and stuff. AND the back of the truck is full!

SAFF Variegated Yarn Cap

100% handpainted merino wool yarn, hand crocheted cap. This looks better on someone, but the only model I have is a Springer Spaniel and she doesn't think it becomes her! I may add a few more pearl beads here and there, perhaps around the black glass button topper.

Very Quiet Days

Another quiet day, with fog so thick I can barely see Lily walking around out in the yard. I'm staying with a neighbor that needs someone in the house while his daughter is on a trip to Florida with her husband. Very interesting and easy; I sit and crochet while he tells stories about what he remembers. His great-grandmother, who lived with his family when he was a child, was a Civil War widow. Wonderful to hear about her!

Not much fibery news. I'm working on the brim of the little crocheted cap made of the SAFF hand painted merino. Only frogged it twice so far! Lura is mailing me a package; probably of her Shetland/mohair blend. Can't wait to get my hands in that! After I get Mr. Harris fed, I will go home and tend to the rabbits. Not really hoping for any litters but it would be nice to be surprised!

Darker Colored Skein

Two ply rambouillet/mohair 1.5 ounce skein. The colors wound up a bit muted, although the blue stands out.

Clean (fish) House!

I bought the brandy snifter at an auction, intending to get a betta to live in it. Then a young friend gave me one, along with a snail. The snail didn't survive but the betta lives on to fascinate the cat and grace the mantle.

Changing Days

It's hard to describe how beautiful the Blue Ridge Mountains are in all their moods and changes of light. Yesterday evening I was on a high ridge looking out across the mountains as the clouds broke and the temperatures changed. Mist rose between the hills and the ridges were soft blue against gray skies. I drove through a wall of fog into a changed scene; a rainbow arched over the valley into the distance. The world was green in a watery muted sunset, with flashes of yellow daffodils and forsythia.

There's a subtle green haze across the fields here and the pond looks black in the early morning sunshine as it reflects a line of pine trees. There's a reminder of yesterday's weather in the dull gray of the clouds, but blue patches are spreading with the rising sun.

Had a lovely time with friend Kym in Mount Airy. We had dinner at the Japanese restaurant; VERY good. I had scallops and ate too much, as usual. Then we did the big store shopping for yogurt and other necessities. On the way home the moon was shining bright and the stars were studded in the sky. There's a difference in the way night skies look in warmer weather. On cold nights the stars seem to be to be brittle and distant. Last night there weren't many stars visible because of the moon and it seemed that I almost could have reached out and touched them as I crossed the high ridge toward home.

Interesting little discussion on Spin-list about the history of the angora rabbit. I did a Civil War reenactment at Gettysburg a couple of years ago and took wool to spin. I wasn't sure angora was correct for the period. According to http://www.angoras.co.uk/history.htm, rabbits have been used as fiber animals since Roman times. Interesting. I think it would have been a luxury fiber and my ancestors would not have used it. Flax and wool would have been available to them. According to local history, there were lots of sheep in this area until the forties. No one had sheep here when I was a child and there still aren't many. My ancestor that came here from Germany in the mid 1700s listed his occupation as fuller. I don't know if he practiced this profession in America; he owned property in Pennsylvania and Maryland before moving to Floyd County with his children. His sons were in the iron industry, farmers and stone masons. I'm sure there were spinners in the family but women's occupations aren't listed often.

Time to get ready to tend bunnies. Yesterday Elwood, my blue buck, was flirting with the little doe that took the trip with me. They were nose to nose when I came in but forgot their conversation when I started putting carrots in!

The Watcher

Lily, keeping an eye on things.

Books and stuff

On a rainy day there's nothing like curling up in a cozy big chair with a good book. There are shelves in my living room and my reading chair is in a quiet corner facing them, with a nice big window covered in English Ivy to look out and watch the birds and rain. I have another chair where I like to spin and crochet. A different place for every task!

I finished reading Linda Howard's Open Season yesterday. Fun book with a quiet little librarian that decided to change her life and found excitement and love. I know the romance genre has gotten a bad rap lately but the women writing the current books are good! Funny, complicated, dramatic; these are books with strong women characters. The women writing them are clever and entertaining, and some of them cross into women's lit without any problem. Linda Howard, Jennifer Crusie; there are some good contemporary romance writers out there. I'm not ashamed to say I read them!

I've managed to do more than read today; corresponded with some great people; worked on web pages and uploading books and slipped in a little time to spin and crochet. Going out tonight with friend Kym; always nice despite the rain.

Darker Colors

Rambouillet/mohair singles on my Reeves wheel.

Stormy Day

Lily woke me growling this morning at the rumble of thunder and the flash of lightning. She's not frightened of storms. I think she was dreaming a little and the dull rumble of thunder was like some great beast threatening the house. Now it's raining; lots of standing puddles and the pond is cold gray. After all this rain, though, spring will be here in earnest!

Missed my connection with the bunny lady; little bunny didn't seem to mind her trip. She's such a friendly little thing and flirted with a young woman when we stopped for bunny feed on the way home. I know she was glad to get back to familiar territory, though! The new owner didn't get my emails setting up the meeting so we'll have to try again.

Chocolat, one of my favorite rabbits, staged a grand escape yesterday when I got home. Maybe he was lonely because I hadn't been there all day, but he hopped right out of his cage when I opened the door to feed him. When his cage was on the floor we had a game we played. He would hop in and out of the cage while I was doing the feeding chores. This time he couldn't hop back in but he was glad to be petted. I let him play around while I fed everyone else and then he let me put him back in his cage. It's funny how they all have such different personalities. All of them like attention, even a shy little one I was worried about has gained confidence and is at the front of her cage every morning, eager for a head scratch. Some are more outgoing than others, but Chocolat is the one that likes to play!

Started my little cap yesterday. I decided to try it first with a variegated yarn I made in a wonderful class at SAFF. I love the soft colors and have a black ribbon for trim. If I can figure out how to make the fold-up brim. The original hat was knitted but it's easy to make rounds and increases in crochet, and single crochet vaguely approximates the look of knitting. As usual, I chose purple and blue, with a soft pink. The colors are working well together and I think it will make a nice, old fashioned little cap. Then I will make one with the mohair/rambouillet. Lura says she has some mohair blended with Shetland; sounds nice!

Also spinning the darker roving I dyed a couple of weeks ago. It's turning out nicely in the singles. There's only an ounce and a half of this, though, so I'm not sure what will become of it. Sometimes skeins hang around here for awhile, but eventually they find a home in some project!

No bunny chores today, thanks to the rain. Except for basic feeding and tidying. I'll probably put a few things on the Internet and maybe work a little more on the house. Have to pack up a pound of angora and mail it out this morning for a wholesale order from the web site.

I've been trying for 45 minutes by the clock to get either Hello or the blogger to let me post pictures of my projects, but it's not happening. Perfectly simple piece of html, one of the few I DO understand. Oh, well, maybe later!

SAFF Cap

Start of small crocheted cap with variegated merino yarn hand painted at SAFF workshop. I'm enjoying the colors!

Red Letter Day! The cockatiel took a cornflake from my hand this morning. This fellow has been here for about six years but wasn't very tame when he came as a grown bird. This winter I've had him here in the computer room and we're getting to be friends. I've got to name him now, after all this time. Henry? Humphrey? I once had a chicken named Oscar! 

A Day Away!

Friend Chris was up late last night, commenting on my blog. I hope everything is OK. She's been waiting anxiously for a beautiful doe to kindle; the doe is overdue. Sometimes things can go wrong, so it is a worrisome time. Haven't heard anything but I hope all is well!

This morning has already been busy. I had a book order to pack up to go to Germany and Lily wanted out early. It's nice and warm and MAYBE spring is really here. On schedule! The trees still look bare and there's only a hint of green in the fields, but with these warm days that will change fast.

Yesterday I moved stuff around in my workroom and things are starting to look organized. Had to stop, though, after three sessions with sneezing in between. My eyes still feel swollen this morning. SO is going to try to come down soon and help me with the larger pieces of furniture. He can get done in an hour what it has taken me days to accomplish!

I'm heading out for a bunny delivery in a little while. Nice lady that already has some angoras, I think one from my lines. She's getting a lovely little black doe. I'm keeping both a brother and sister, Tommy and Eliza, from this litter. They're from one of my oldest lines and I love the color and crimp of the wool. Their baby coats didn't matt much, even though they tumbled around in the cage together way too long because of my lack of space. The pedigree is all printed out and the little doe is ready for her new home!

I'm working on a pattern for a small hat or cap to make from my rambouillet/mohair yarn I finished last night. I'm trying to copy a cute little knitted hat I saw somewhere and do it in a crocheted pattern. I can't knit YET. You folks with all your beautiful things I've been seeing on the ring blogs are really tempting me to try again! I don't know if I can make a hat with just 2.5 ounces of yarn, but this little cap has a fold up brim that could be done in a different color.

Time to enjoy the sun and get ready for my day away!

Rambouillet/mohair skein; two-ply from hand painted roving. Very nice to spin! 

Finished Skein!

This is how I began, with Lura's rambouillet/mohair roving, hand painted with acid dyes.

Then I spun the roving into singles on my Reeves wheel.

And this is the final result. I've posted a larger picture above. And the pictures in this post are just reminders!

This is the first time I've ever plied a skein with so many colors. This is an interesting result that I like, given the colors. The final skein weighs 2.5 ounces; I don't know the yardage but it's around 100 yards or so. The mohair is already starting to frizz a little!

A MUCH better picture of the rambouillet/mohair roving dyed in my crock pot. Can you tell I adore this stuff? 

Greenberry House is Back and Updated!

For a week I've been in agony because I had a bunch of updates for Greenberry House; new items and some items that were sold and needed to be removed. But I couldn't get anything downloaded because the ftp site wasn't working. But today I was able to upload all the new stuff and things are back to normal! I usually update every day; if I can just get the Dad project finished I'll be back to my routine!

My darling Lily, the Springer Spaniel with an attitude, also has a page now. Check out Lily's Page to see baby pictures and more!

Singles from the rambouillet/mohair roving I dyed last week. There's a nice sheen in the yarn from the mohair. 

Color!

Got back into the dye pots yesterday. After working for just a couple of hours in the morning and a trip to town with a friend, I got out the crock pot to try the dye techniques recommended in a splendid tutorial at http://www.fibernation.com/inside_the_pot/. I modified the technique just a little to suit my needs and I really like the result, pictured below, with Lura’s rambouillet/mohair roving. It’s nice stuff; leave a comment if you want some because she has more! I really like dyeing in the crock pot; much easier on the back and less messy than doing it on the table!

Another beautiful day! The snow is almost gone, with just a few patches in the shady areas of a neighbor’s yard. I can see green grass in the path my brother keeps mowed from his rental house down to the pond. Yesterday when we were below the mountain we saw forsythia and daffodils and lovely green fields. I have seen daffodils here on the mountain, on a sunny south bank, but my forsythia is just barely budding.

Yesterday evening I walked with Lily over to the pond. I scattered a little feed for the fish but they didn’t come up. Too cold, I guess, and there was some feed against the bank where either my brother or my nephew had already thrown some in. Also tracks in the remaining patches of snow near the tumbled down dock.

The water is SO clear! I didn’t see any larger fish but there were small minnows darting around in the shallows by the bank. The red winged blackbird called to us: I throw a little fish feed out onto the dock for him every evening. Sometimes I have bread for the fish and I share that, too. Before long there will be a feeding frenzy when I go over in the evenings; it’s a little scary!

All is serene in the rabbit house; another week before we can expect bunnies. I’ll be glad when the ground dries out a little and the rabbits can come outside to play. They get some sun in the rabbit house and a lot more light than they used to, but surely it's nice to a rabbit to have a change of scenery.

Took the day off yesterday from moving boxes; back to it today. Have to straighten out the workroom enough to start moving furniture now. This has been SLOW going but I’m lazy! Last night I wound the moorit/angora/silk singles into a center pull ball for plying, then started spinning the rambouillet/mohair roving I dyed last week. There’s a picture above of the results. Some nice rich colors and some subtle variations. There’s enough to make one ball and ply it back on itself; don’t know what I’ll do with it yet!

More of Lura's rambouillet/mohair roving, dyed in a crock pot. It's hard to tell from the picture but in addition to the green there are hints of brown, burgundy and yellow. 

Moorit wool, fawn angora and tussah silk singles. 

Budding daffodils. The day before they were completely covered in the blanket of snow. 

Peaceful Morning

Another bright sunny morning. It’s very still, a little cold, with the promise of a beautiful day. A lone crow is strutting across the field, while a white cat patrols around the pond. The snow is just patchy and there is a hint of green in the grass.

Spent the day hauling yet more boxes downstairs. Time is passing fast; April and Dad will be here soon! During breaks I priced up Avon bottles to put on the Internet and sneezed! Finally I decided it was time to get out of the house so I took Lily for a walk down the Parkway. She enjoyed sniffing around and finding out who and what had been down the road before us. We stopped to rest at an old family cemetery. Just as we came up a raccoon leaped up a tree. Fortunately Lily didn’t see him, but she knew he was there. She kept sniffing the air. I never saw the raccoon after his scramble up the trunk of the tree, but I’m sure he could see us!

The little cemetery isn’t one of the oldest in the area. There are several infants buried there, sad little stories of loss and grief. I think I only knew a couple of the people that are there; one lady, a neighbor and relative, lived to be nearly one hundred years old.

I finished a bobbin of the wool/angora/silk last night. The yarn is a little knobby, which is caused by the silk. I’m very happy with the color; rich light brown with softly tinted fawn. I don’t know when I’ll ply it; the rambouillet/mohair is calling me!

I heard yesterday from the young lady I bought the rambouillet/mohair roving from. She’s had some trouble but she wrote me a cheerful note full of fiber plans and puppy stories. She’s a strong and fine woman and isn’t letting things get her down!

Busy day today; work this morning and bunny chores this afternoon. Lily is telling me it's time for her to go outside and for me to get down to the barn and see if the water bottles are frozen.

March snow leaving fast; it was five inches deep yesterday! 

Commenting!

I've been trying to post comments to a couple of neighbor blogs but I keep running into difficulties. So Stacey, if you're reading, you've got some wonderful projects going and I love the yarn you're spinning from the rovings you dyed. Check out her stuff, the rest of you, at Stacey's Stash! Also tried to comment in support of The Spirit Trail's post on important environmental issues. Check that out as well!

Spent the morning trying to help my friend come to a final resolution about her job problems, and just heard about another friend that has just lost a job and is in ill health. I keep feeling so guilty about how lucky I am, to have good health and to be able to do what I love. Keep these folks in your hearts, if you don't mind!

Looks Like A Beautiful Day

The sun is shining bright on the snow, catching thousands of crystals across the fields. It was cold last night. But some of the snow melted in the afternoon yesterday, and soon we'll be seeing bare ground again. Things were starting to get green before this last snow. People around here will say that the snow fertilized the grass, because it will get green fast now when it gets warm.

The cockatiel started muttering before I got up this morning. He went through his little repertoire of noises; the dryer, wolf whistles, blackbird calls, the Andy Griffith Show theme, and a new one I haven’t figured out yet. He mutters it under his breath as if he’s testing it. Now he’s just shrieking joyfully!

I carded more of the wool/angora/silk blend last night. Hope to have enough to finish this bobbin. I have some alpaca and silk blend that I spun up before and some chocolate angora. They all need to be plied and then I want to see if I like the color combination for a vest. The alpaca was a roving in natural brown with silver streaks. I love the color and it was wonderful to spin.

I've been reading some of Jonathan Swift's satire. A few essays are kind of obscure; he was writing about what were current events for him, after all. But there's one series that is hilarious; he prints out an "almanack" of predictions as if he’s a famous astrologer and predicts the death of another astrologer. He thinks of astrologers, particularly this prominent one, as frauds. Then after the date of the “death” he prints an obituary! Finally he prints a comical rendition of all the trials and tribulations the “dead” astrologer went through because everyone believes the prediction! This series is called "The Bickerstaff Papers".

More moving boxes and furniture. I’m determined to get this project done today, no matter how miserable I feel!

Tidying Up Day

I just spend some time over at Greenberry House at Tias.com, straightening the virtual shelves, sweeping the virtual floor and adding some new Avon bottles to the site. Good to shake things up once in awhile, even in a store that exists right now just in cyberspace!

Otherwise I haven't gotten a great deal done today, thanks to allergies. It snowed most of the morning, and then warmed up and by the time I went out to feed the bunnies this afternoon there were bare patches. Spring again! This morning a starling was teasing Lily, walking around near the outside doghouse just out of her reach. I don't know what the starling was doing at the doghouse; there was a tiny patch of bare ground just there and he was pecking around that. But Lily is possessive and didn't want anyone bothering HER doghouse. Even a bird!

I finally had to take an allergy pill because I was sneezing so hard. Not my favorite thing to do, as the ones that work also make me sleepy. Finally had to lay down with Lily for a nap in the afternoon. Moved a few boxes but couldn’t get motivated. Tomorrow is another day!

This is one of my favorite family pictures. Most of the men in the picture are relatives or neighbors, and one of the boys is my uncle. This was how hay was stored up until the 1960s. I remember an old hay stack in my grandfather's field when I was small and my grandmother used to talk about stacking hay. It was an art! 

Winter's Back!

It's cold in the house this morning. Not dreadful but the wind is blowing enough to make drafts. Lily is curled up in front of the heater in the living room and I have my feet tucked up in my warm flannel gown! There's about three inches of snow; not much really. But a lot more than the weather people predicted!

I remember getting snowed in at my best friend's house in March over ten years ago. I worked at her store and we decided I should stay so I could open the store the next day. Three days later, we finally waded the 20 feet to the store! It was one of our few real snowstorms; the wind howled and the snow piled up. Farmers would come to the door to get diesel fuel for their tractors; they were struggling to feed cattle and find calves that were born during the storm. It was beautiful when we finally got out and the snow disappeared fast! March can be surprising in the mountains. People still talk about the snows that piled up the year after I was born, 1960. It snowed for four Wednesdays in a row in March and you’ll see pictures posted around in the local restaurants of men standing on their cars in the road with the snow piled high over their heads!

More box moving today. I really need to get this job finished so that I can get back to posting books and antiques on the Internet. Dad is coming soon; I need to call down and see what his plans are. Have to have a place for him to sleep!

Finished Snow Falling on Cedars last night. My friend Kym gave me some really good books when she moved. Kym has a talent for finding out about good books and good movies. There are some wonderful writers out there with a lot to say these days. Particularly women writers. I’ve enjoyed a nice stack of fine writing lately.

Finished an article about bunny nest box care this morning for the IAGARB newsletter. This is the German Angora official breed club. There’s a national meeting in April but the timing is really bad and I can’t go because I have to do some business traveling in May. Can’t be everywhere. In early May we have a Civil War show in Ohio, then I’m planning to go to New Hampshire Sheep and Wool mid-May. Hopefully Daddy will be trained enough in bunny wrangling by then!

Typical March Day

The snow has turned to rain and it looks dull outside. Inside everything is all at sixes and sevens. New stuff that we bought at the auction, plus books I should be working on, all piled up beside my desk. The living room floor is stacked with items that I'm sorting to store away. Upstairs there are empty and full boxes everywhere, and bags of bunny wool that need to be sent away for processing into felting bats. My "keep" fiber and craft items lay haphazard everywhere in the workroom. This is not my normal life!

Taking a break to let the dust settle; housework is the bane of my life. Partly because I just don't really enjoy it and partly because it causes allergy flare-ups. Time to console myself with ONE piece of Nancy’s candy and a jelly bean or two. Cathy at Catena Expressions and some other people are talking about quitting addictions. That’s gotten me to thinking. Both the SO and I, like a lot of Americans, eat way too much but my biggest problem is soda. Diet soda at that, a concoction with no real justification for existence. It’s all about caffeine, as dangerous a drug as nicotine, I think. Sad what we do to ourselves!

Finished reading Ron Parker’s Sheep Book; very entertaining and pretty much convinced me that I’m the sort of person who should be buying my fleece from the wonderful shepherds that already tend their flocks so well. A recent discussion on Virginia’s Women in Agriculture amazed me; some folks there found bunny wrangling harder than shepherding. I think it may be a matter of lifestyle. The Rabbitry has worked well with how I live for a long time now; I’m not sure sheep would. I would adore having them, though. But I think I’ll go back to raising chickens first!

Another book I’ve been reading is Snow Falling on Cedars. Beautifully done and painful to read, given the subject of prejudice and World War II internment of the Japanese in this country. Sometimes I think about the harm that a nation can do to another, but it is harder to think about the single lives affected by events that they cannot control. A decision made in fear is no decision. Even in a war that was as necessary as any war can be, the decision to imprison loyal citizens because of their race was wrong. As a country it seems like we should be learning from our mistakes, not making the same ones over. Is it arrogance or ignorance?

I finally convinced the blogger thing to put up my logo next to my profile. My cousin RJ designed and drew it; it gets lots of attention and compliments. Just the thing for a logo! I use it for everything in the business to get it recognized. The rabbit in it was a fawn named Gabriel. I've always appreciated RJ's talent and covet a cat picture that others in the family have more right to own!

Not long after RJ did the design, a fellow fiber and German Angora raiser in Washington, Carol, sent me her artistic interpretation. Also delightful, centering on the rabbit. Carol moved to Oregon and was setting up to farm with her brother. I haven't heard from her in a long time and I miss her! I think about her every time I see her bunny!

My young friend with the job problem was just here. Things are no better but the management wants her to stay. But they don’t seem to be able to remove her from the intolerable situation. They also don’t seem to be able to do anything about the situation, yet there have been incidents that seem incriminating that involve other people with nothing to do with my friend. Stange.

Managed to get some spinning done this week, even with people here. Still working on the wool/angora/silk blend. I need to start a small project for odd times; thinking about making a vest from the green chenille. I haven’t done one with granny squares yet; this might be the one to try!

Snowing again. The ground is getting white. It has to be March!

Playing Tourist at Mabry's Mill 

Bunny House Visitors 

Back to My Life

I don't know what it is, but it seems like I can't have a complete web site that works. Both Greenberry House and this blog won't let me change anything directly. Trying to post this through Hello because Blogger won't let me.

Busy morning, seeing the SO off and packing up some sold books and antiques for shipment. Now I'm watching a very light snow fall on the greening grass outside. I saw the first robins yesterday morning, and in the evening on a walk to the pond a red winged blackbird called to us as we passed. The robins are often too early; I see them huddled in the snow and wonder what they find for food. A more certain sign of spring is seeing the red winged blackbirds!

Young people around yesterday, the SO's son and the boy's fiancé came to visit and we showed them the sights of Meadows of Dan. There are pictures here of the family in front of the bunny house and the young couple at Mabry's Mill, a local tourist attraction on the Blue Ridge Parkway. I didn't believe it was possible that anyone could use that hula-hoop! It's huge; I won it at Floydfest one year. The only thing I ever won! The thing scares Lily to death; I tried to sell it at the flea market but there were no takers. Bethany, as little as she is, could make it work!

We went down to North Carolina and visited the Pilot Mountain State Park as well. It's lovely down there; very impressive views and the park is nicely done. I'm a typical local; I don't go to the places nearby unless someone visits. But it makes you appreciate the beauty of where you live when you show it to someone else. We ended the day with a visit to Nancy's Fudge factory in town and a walk on the farm.

Time to start the day; more boxes to move, pictures of the new stock to take and bunnies to tend. I'm always happy to have company but it's nice to settle back into my quiet routines.

Small girl and LARGE hula-hoop! 

Greenberry House is Back!

Got home late last night from an auction and discovered that my web site, Greenberry House is back up after almost three weeks! Really glad to see it again and have email! I'll be updating as soon as he gets the ftp part fixed back up.

We picked up a bunch of Avon bottles and some pipes at the auction. We went down because they said they had some good old books but there weren't any. So not the best of auctions but we have some good things just the same. I'll be uploading items to my web page and to Tias.com, probably starting tomorrow.

Company coming and I've got to dash to clean the bathroom!

A Day of Getting Things Done

The SO is here, which does not make for an atmosphere of contemplation. But he's been on the phone to building inspectors and health departments, and we're getting things going on the new store building! Our county isn't one of the more demanding but there are some things that have to be approve before we begin. But it's a start toward a beginning. Exciting!

Did some spinning last night while waiting for the SO to arrive. I love this moorit fleece that Chris and I bought at SAFF. It is very soft and blends well with my fawn angora. I've been adding a little tussah silk as well. The silk makes the yarn a bit nobby.

Life is demanding my attention, must fly!

Back to natural colors, my first love. Hand carded rolags, 40% moorit wool from Rising Meadow Farm, 40% fawn angora from Greenberry House rabbits and 20% tussah silk. 

Signs of spring. Pussy willow isn't a traditional plant here at Greenberry House but I love it! 

Morning Musings

Not so early this morning and it's beautiful outside. The sun is shining and I can see birds busy outside. There are starlings in the eaves. I'm creature friendly but I'm not that happy about starlings in the eaves. They're noisy and not very pretty! We tried to shut them out but they worked a board back loose and there they are again!

I've always kept journals. I think writing makes me more aware of the little things in life and what is actually going on with myself and the small world around me. But I'm surprised to discover that this online diary seems to trigger even more awareness. It might not last, but I find myself listing things to take pictures of and subjects to write about. I'm a very private person and even in my personal journals never recorded much soul searching. Anyone that spends so much time alone and with animals does a great deal of thinking about themselves and what is going on in the world. I don't have any answers to the state of the world out there in the grander scheme of things and I'm not sure about telling all about my inner self. I think my place is to record a little peace while even here the world changes around me. I don't yearn for the way things were; I know from family stories how hard life was "in the old days". But I'm fortunate enough to be able to create a life that I hope will reflect some of the traditions I grew up with, at least.

Lily is lying on her pad beside me with her paw over her nose and the cockatiel has started his morning chorus. It's time to go out and enjoy the beautiful morning and do chores. The SO is visiting this evening and I should straighten up the house a bit. Time to put the dye pots away!

Leslie's Purple Dream! Cotton/rayon chenille hand dyed and hand crocheted.