Dueling Wheels

Linda learns to spin!

I got out early to do blogging and bunny chores yesterday morning, because I had a full day planned. My first stop was at Nancy's Homemade Fudge to drop off a grant application that the town is working on, and then I headed up the ridge to Floyd, where I was to meet with Linda from Goin' Up Cripple Creek, for a spinning lesson. The local library generously loaned us a nice room for our session. On the way in a young woman offered us some llama wool she had that she wasn't going to use!


Spinning away

I don't consider myself much of a spinning teacher, because I learned by myself and have no idea how anyone would teach a beginner. Most of the time I just show people what I do, and if they haven't touched a wheel, I have them spin a 'store bought' skein of yarn through the wheel, using the proper hand and treadling movements, to get them used it. Linda had been plying with her Ashford, and since we'd had trouble getting our schedules worked out, I hadn't had a chance to buy a skein of yarn. But she caught on fast! After watching me for just a few minutes she was producing a nice, even yarn, with a few slubs once in a while.


Bloggers Meet

We headed over to Cafe del Sol for the second bloggers' meeting. I was still feeling a little fuzzy, although time with Linda would perk anyone up. She has so much positive energy. I had a nice pasta lunch while we were waiting for the group to gather. There was a lot of discussion, once again in groups, about blogging, attracting visitors by comments, getting the word to readers about when a blog is updated by RSS feeds and services that send emails about updates. I had completely forgotten that I put up an email service with Blogrhythms. So if anyone want an easy way to know when I blog, you can sign up. Linda has been using it, I understand.

Mostly I just sat and listened, since I was still feeling a little dull, but I did have a nice talk with Colleen of Loose Leaf Notes about her lovely son and his work. I'm hoping she will do an article about him and his work with 'wild clay' for Blue Ridge Gazette magazine. Dave of Ripples did a good job of including everyone in the discussion and it was a treat to meet his lovely wife. New people interested in possibly blogging were musicians Abe Goorsky and Bernie Covenay. A musicans' group formed at one end of a table, with a lot of talk going on there. Before it was done Linda's daughter and Bernie had set it up for her to take guitar lessons from him. Dave has a great post about the meeting on his blog.

A couple of pleasant hours with my aunt on the hill completed my day out, and I came home to feed bunnies and tend the dogs. The bunny house was completely clean! My sister-in-law and I had worked on it the day before, collecting manure for her garden. When I went in to feed, the floors were all tidied up and the bunny house looks great! Nice, because I had planned to finish it today and now I can tackle some other chores. I hope to get Mary sheared and bred today.


Look, it's Mommy!

The dogs had stayed inside all day because I was gone, so TJ was bursting with energy! I took him with me on a walk to Mom's to try to use up some of it. He was very good on the leash while we were walking down the road, but not quite so good at Mom's. Wendell kept after him to mind, though, and TJ finally settled down. I don't know about other Lab puppies, but TJ is afraid of "wild water". I threw him into the little pond there. He swam right out, tore around the field dripping, and came back to me for another plunge. He still won't go in by himself.


Crocheted Rug from Brown Sheep Company Yarn

Last night I worked some more on the crocheted rug, while watching an old Dr. Who episode. Ok, I'm a little juvenile. The rug is shaping up fast and I love the colors. It's going to be such a pleasure to have it this summer for demonstrations! I worked a little on the small green purse during the bloggers' meeting. I still haven't decided what to do about the flap on the mohair purse but I need to do something about it soon.

Another busy day planned here at home. I need to shear Mary and get packed up and ready for Sandra's Sheep Shearing Day tomorrow at Thistle Cove Farm. A load of mortar sand is supposed to arrive today, and the block man might show up on Sunday. Or Monday. Or next week!