The End of the Year

Recent Spinning

It doesn't seem like it could be the end of 2006, although the cooler days are feeling more like winter. Frozen water bottles for two days in a row, and then warmer this morning. I looked out over the woods to see a reddish glow over the limbs yesterday morning above the frosty fields. Tea time after morning chores was accompanied by the cat, who settled on the back of the sofa to watch the birds at the newly filled feeders.

Quiet evenings have been all about spinning. Lily is going through a needy phase; she stays right by my feet but I manage to get the spinning wheel close enough. I've been spinning silk caps and plying the singles with the deep navy fine wool and a dark alpaca/Coopworth single. It's funny how the different colors plied together change the hues of each fiber.

A long time ago Cathy challenged me with a "6 weird things about you" meme. I had a lot of trouble coming up with weird; either I'm very normal or so weird I don't know it!

“THE RULES:Each player of this game starts with the ‘6 weird things about you.’ People who get tagged need to write a blog post of their own 6 weird things as well as state this rule clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave a comment that says ‘you are tagged’ in their comments and tell them to read your blog.”

1. I would rather read than do pretty much anything else, except sleep. I just can't understand people that say that they don't have time to read. I read pretty much any time I'm not actually working, and my current book is within reach at all times. ALL times, maybe that's the weird part. I read just before going to sleep and can't go to sleep unless I read.

2. I love having a tidy house but I hate being the one that has to clean it. The only reason I ever get around to washing dishes is that I have pretty dishes a friend gave me that I enjoy handling.

3. My daughter is a Springer Spaniel.

4. I love winter but I hate being cold. A big snow is exciting, but only if I can watch from inside with the electricity on and the animals cozy around me. Having to tend the rabbits in the winter is the only time it feels like a chore.

5. I love to sleep but I can't stand lying around in bed once I wake up in the morning (unless I'm reading).

6. I'm an introvert but I trained myself to enjoy dealing with people.

Tags: I'm afraid I waited too late on this one; I've seen this on several blogs and I'm pretty sure ever one has been hit! If you want to do it just drop a comment here; I like weird!

I'm spending the rest of the day working on the Fiber Femmes January/February issue. It looks like Sandra has collected some great articles and patterns!

Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas to all, and wishes for a safe and happy holiday!

Saturday Sky

An unexpectedly nice day!

We were supposed to have rain and fog again today, but we were happy with sunshine and cooler temperatures and lots of last minute Christmas shopping through the day. I had some pleasant visitors; JAG finally made it over with favorite cousin and Mom stopped by. Poor Wendell is down with a cold for Christmas, alas!

It's kind of interesting how many people I've gotten to know over the past months through the shop. I call them "friends of the shop" and several showed up this week and today for last minute shopping. I'm happy to see them, of course, and ready to turn on lights and visit at any time! Although I'll be officially closed after tomorrow, I'll still be spending a lot of time up here because of the computer!

And the Fog Rolls In

It's a typical early winter day, with the wind ripping at the Christmas lights and rain pouring down. I'm sitting in the window, watching the fog drift across the church yard as it obscures the bare trees on the hill. Nice that it's cheerful and warm in the shop, with Christmas music and colored lights.

Busy week, shearing bunnies and working on web stuff. As some of you have noticed, I've been playing with the blog template again. I really enjoyed setting up this one, especially the top menu that meant I could reduce the clutter in the sidebar. It seems that no matter what I do, things seem to pile up. The blog is certainly a reflection of the way things are at home! This template, from TemplatePanic, was pretty easy to modify and seems to work nicely with Blogger in the new incarnation.

The dogs were inside all day yesterday because of the wet weather. They played nicely while I spun silk and sheared a couple of gorgeous does, then TJ went to sleep on the couch while Lily curled up at my feet. The sudden silence brought out the cat, and he came peering around curiously in the sitting room. The quieter they slept the braver he got, and he was standing by the couch, stretching his neck to look at TJ, when TJ suddenly opened his eyes. There was a spit and a clatter and the cat vanished, while the dogs leaped up barking, trying to figure out what on earth had happened!

It's Monday; Time to Catch Up!

Holidays are a-comin'

Strangely nice weather here the last few days, with warm days and crisp nights. A breeze springs up after the still of early morning most days that carries a hint of the chill that should be.

Quiet days, but we've had a bit of fun here and there. I walked with my young friend on Thursday afternoon, and we decided to run to a local restaurant for dinner. On the way we saw a strange sight in the sky, and later I found out that it was the space shuttle. That was really cool, although at the time we debated as to its being a shooting star. It looked like a large, very fast airplane hurling straight across the sky, but then it suddenly disappeared. Awesome!

On Saturday we gathered at a dear friend's house to celebrate the Winter Solstice, with friendship and a little candle-lighting ceremony. Unusually warm weather allowed for sitting outside around the fire and a hayride; then there was music by a very talented harpist and dulcimer player. Lovely.

The weekend at the shop was quiet, although some friends popped in for visits. We had fun talking about how things are going in the area and the trials and tribulations of making a living in a rural setting. I don't think any of us would trade it, though. I spent most of the weekend putting books and yarn up on the Internet for sale; it may be a long winter!

Yesterday's Frost

Mist over the frosted fields

I walked with the dogs yesterday morning over crisp fields as the mist rose lazily from the creek and pond. The air was clear and tasted fresh, so still it didn't feel cold until we neared the creek, where the chill clung along the edges of the quiet stream.


Every leaf has a lacy edge

After the quiet walks with the dogs, the day began with chattering birds, flocking to the feeders and demanding that they be filled, while the neat gray tabby waited by his food bowl for his turn. Then the rabbits feasted on hay and apple, while I filled water bottles, thankful once again that they hadn't frozen through the night. I heard later in the day that, although my morning was peaceful, that several people had trouble with icy roads in the early hours.


Reluctant Model

I'm still spinning silk caps; I really enjoyed plying the silk with the blue fine wool singles I did last summer. But when I take a break from spinning I work on this little cape that I started a couple of weeks ago. It's my design but this time I'm making it from Brooks Farm Four Play yarn. I wasn't sure I was going to like the shell stitch in this variegated yarn at first.


Crocheted cape-in progress

Not bad, though! I've found that with just the right stitch patterns the colors from Brooks Farm really stand out!


Deuteronomy

Things haven't been quite as peaceful here as usual. I've been without a cozy cat for inside the house for awhile, so a call to the local pound introduced me to this fine fellow earlier in the week. He's named partly for a character in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats and partly because of the serendipity of the subject of the book I'm reading at present, Surpassing Wonder by Donald Harman Akenson. The book is about Judiasm, Christianity and the development of scripture. Lily considers cats a lower life form (she considers almost everything a lower life form) but it's hard to ignore a cat that wants lots of attention from Mama. So there have been a few minor altercations. Tj would love to play but Deuteronomy thinks playing with a dog is beneath contempt. They will work it all out, eventually. But in the meantime it's almost as entertaining around here as the standoff over at Hillbilly, Please recently.

Yarning Around the Christmas Tree

This is the first year since about 1994 that I've decorated anything for Christmas. Not that I'm against the holidays; I guess I'm just a bit lazy this time of year, after the busy selling season. But now that we have the store I put up a few lights and a little Christmas tree. I took some etsy pictures of the yarns draped on the tree, and it's given me an idea about decorations for the yarn shop next year!

Warmer weather with rain this morning, but now it looks to be clearing. It's nice not to have to thaw out water for the rabbits every day. With the warmer weather a few rabbits need shearing, and I'm looking forward to some pleasant afternoons harvesting some gorgeous wool from the patient creatures. Since I know that this warm spell won't last, I'll be doing some extra things to make sure the sheared rabbits stay comfortable if another chill strikes. Extra hay in the cages and leaving a bit of wool on the rabbit helps them stay comfortable. I've never had to go so far as to put a coat on one, but I have some old sweaters put aside, just in case it's necessary!

I found this Library Thing on someone's blog awhile back; sorry for not remembering who had it in their sidebar. I really do resist a lot of stuff to clutter the sidebar, but I had to put in the gizmo that shows books from my Library Thing catalog. This is my personal library; the books that are for sale are still on the web site and in my Biblio shop.

Saturday Sky

Late Fall Saturday Sky

It has been a beautiful, cloudless day, and it finally got a little warmer this afternoon. The store has been a little busier than I expected, but I have had plenty of time to upload some yarns to my etsy store. I hung out some more handspun this morning after setting the twist; when I went home for lunch I found that they were frozen!

What I do on a COLD Day

The best books for my reading chair!

So what do I do when I'm not spinning, and it's way too cold to shear rabbits or work outside, and barely warm enough in the store to work on the computer? I've been delving into the wonderful pile of books that my aunt sent; running across great new titles and wonderful old favorites. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and The Secret Life of Bees are both old friends, although they were both written fairly recently. My young friend that I walk with in the mornings had loaned both books to me when they came out, and I was pleased to find them in my aunt's generous gift!

There have been so many good books written about Southern women, and even though the backgrounds of most of the characters are very different from mine, I find myself identifying with many of them. Or at least I've known someone very like the delightful people that live in the pages, particularly of these two books. Both of these books might be considered light reading, and I'm sure that they fall into the "chick lit" category, but the themes the authors struggle with are very much a part of every woman's life. The relationships of mother to daughter, friend to friend, sister to sister, mistress to maid, as these women deal with the challenges of loss, mental illness, alcoholism, estrangement, and each other are portrayed with warmth and humor. Both books are set at a time when the younger generation is growing aware and uncomfortable with the place of black and white in the South. Oddly enough, in both books a Black Madonna figures in the story.

I'm one of those people that when asked if I saw the movie will reply, "No, but I read the book." Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood made a good movie, with wonderful actresses portraying the characters. When the daughter of one of the Ya-Yas becomes dramatically estranged from her mother, the women pitch in to bring the two together and heal old wounds. Along the way much is revealed about the traumatic past of each of the Sisterhood, and of the bonds of friendship that supported them through the struggles and joys of life.

The Secret Life of Bees is mystical in the magic of three black women who are beekeepers, that take in a runaway white girl and the black woman who has looked after her most of her life. The Divine Feminine is revealed to the lonely girl through the mystery of beekeeping and the friendship that the three black women offer, contrary to the culture that surrounds them.

And now I'm reading Cold Sassy Tree, by Olive Ann Burns, another book about the South and human relationships. One common theme in all of these books shows how a Southern woman holds her head high, no matter what the neighbors say!

Squirrel Spur Chill

Lily snuggling into the blanket

It's been cold here at the top of the mountain, with howling winds and icy mornings that keep us close inside, except for the necessary chores of feeding birds, the cat and the rabbits. Lily hurries through her morning duties and comes back in to curl up in front of the heat. If she can sneak my favorite little blanket off the chair, all the better. Maybe she knows she looks good in red!


Spinning Silk Caps

Evening spinning: singles from some dyed silk caps that I bought from Chris awhile back. Shimmer, shimmer, with purples and blues. I'm thinking to ply this with a navy fine wool single I spun up this summer, to perk up the navy.

Back to some computer work; our newsletter list for Fiber Femmes exploded at the first of the week. So I'm having to try to figure out a new way to work it, and put the list back together. So if anyone has been looking for their newsletter notice; I'll get it out as soon as I can!

Down the Crooked Road

Carroll County Crooked Road Christmas

A last minute addition to my show schedule this weekend took me down The Crooked Road for a Christmas craft show and musical evening featuring an up and coming young local bluegrass band, No Speed Limit and the ever popular Lonesome River Band. I lost count of the number of crafters that participated, but it was a great collection of artisans, and the level of craftsmanship was impressive. There were only a couple of booths that weren't really crafts, and a nice tourism booth and several artists. I think most of the artisans were local. I even found a few relatives! As always, it was fun to get out and see other crafters and their work, and talk 'shop'. A large part of the appeal of craft shows is being able to connect with other crafters as well as customers.


The Latest Hand Spun Yarns

Customers, well, there weren't many on Saturday, alas. But it takes time to get a show started and this was the first year for this attempt. I did a lot of spinning and learned a lot about the upright wheel and how to make it work. I had a rug under it but on the slippery tile floor the wheel kept wandering away from me. By the end of the day and four bobbins of yarn, I had figured out that it's worth the trouble to bring my own chair, and how to thread the single through all those hooks on the wheel's flyer and which side of the spindle to use! We received a warm welcome from the Carroll County Tourism Office staff and I think they did a good job with their first year's efforts!


Long Suffering "Penelope"

A friend and fellow crafter helped me with some pictures for the Round the Mountain web site. This is the Southwest Virginia Artisan's Guild that is working to promote crafts in the area, which is getting together a database of crafters in Southwest Virginia. One of the goals is to establish a network of trails for tourists to visit artisans' studios and other attractions. I've been working on getting together information for the database page they're offering. I keep thinking that things will slow down with the cold weather!


Really bad picture of Lonesome River Band

I hate to admit that this is the first time I've seen my brother's 'new' band. They've been together awhile, long enough to put out a CD. I didn't get packed up in time to see No Speed Limit, although I heard parts of the show and they sounded like an energetic young group. Friend Jeannie, Patrick County's Tourism Director and her lovely mother came up for the show and we were able to sit and catch up with the news after the wind storm last week.


Mom and Wendell enjoying the show

Even though there wasn't a large crowd, the boys presented an excellent show with many old favorites and new songs from the latest CDs. Sammy's banjo was popular, as always, but young Matt Leadbetter, the newest member of LRB, did an impressive job with the dobro and added a lot to the energy of the band. Three fine singers, all good enough to be the lead in any band, shared the vocals. The hit of the night, though, was a terrific rendition of "Jingle Bells" as an instrumental, which Sammy ended with a cheerful "Frosty the Snowman" that brought down the house! I think LRB should record it! Two more bluegrass Christmas favorites, "O Beautiful Star of Bethelem" and "Christmas Time's A-Comin'" finished the show in style!

Sunday I put the store back together, changing things around a little to feature the yarns and make it easier to fondle them. Today I have a spinning lesson with a lovely lady that is just learning to use her new Kromski Prelude. She's already making great yarn!

Howling Winds and Cozy Days

Yarn, Yarn, Yarn!

I awoke last night to howling winds that battered the eaves and tore at the trees. Lily snuggled closer as the windows rattled and rain lashed the windows. It made for a cozy time to pick up a nearby book and read awhile, wrapped in my shawl and listening to the moans of the wind.


Hand Dyed Brown Corriedale Handspun Yarn

It has been a busy week here; I'm getting ready for a craft show in nearby Carroll County and wanted some more yarn to sell. So I got busy and spun up all those singles, and dyed the brown Corriedale in both subtle and bright hues. The brown undertones really changed the hues of the acid dyes; I really like the colors that came out. I left some of the brown yarn undyed in the lighter skeins. The navy blue skeins are two ply: one ply is angora and one ply is fine wool. A lovely local lady gave me the fine wool and I dyed the angora 'in the wool' to match it. The purpley skeins are hand spun from mohair roving.


Hand Painted Handspun Corriedale Yarn

A bit of excitement here at the shop this morning. I had to walk up to get the truck and wound up getting soaked when the rains started; then when I got here the back door, which goes to another section of the building, was standing wide open. I ran, in the rain, to get the landlord but they're not home. I couldn't tell what had happened so I called the sheriff's office, and they sent a nice young deputy who reassured me that the wind had probably done the damage and helped me prop the door closed until we can get it repaired. We both got soaked again, poor fellow! Now I'm cozy in front of the heater, watching the wind blow the rain in wild sheets across the church lawn.