Well, it rained some...

but who had time to notice? Sadly a lot of folks in Patrick County haven't been seeing the nice showers we've had here in Meadows of Dan. My garden is very happy right now, though. I'm happy, too, because I'm getting a few little tomatoes and the watermelons are blooming! Don't have any idea that we'll see a watermelon here but you never know!


Eggs in a nest in Sue's garden

Sue found a nest in one of her caged tomato plants a couple of evenings ago. She was watering and looking for ripe tomatoes when she saw it. There were four eggs in it and some poking around at bird information sites makes me think the nest might belong to a house finch. According to the books, a house finch will nest twice during the year. There are few things more beautiful to me than birds' eggs. I love the look of them.

I've been wildly busy, trying to get some advertising done for this year's Meadows of Dan Folk Fair, scheduled for August 8 this year. Amazing how fast time flies! I'll be hosting hand spinning demonstrations here at the shop and Blue Ridge Tree Climbing is coming to talk about his interesting tree climbing teaching and demonstrate tying knots. There's a play in town that day, lots of music and crafters and some other demonstrations going on. Even a chain saw artist!

I've also been working on three new web sites, which I'll talk about a bit more when they're all ready for company. And as usual, I'm behind on the newsletter progress but hope to get it out today or tomorrow. I need to start bugging some of my vendors for articles...hint, hint!

And speaking of projects, I've just signed on for a fantastic new one. Natalie of Knit Fit Knitting, on of my talented vendors, is an indie dyer with great ideas for promotion. She approached me not long ago about doing a podcast called "Knitting in the Round" which would feature local artisan yarn, spinning fiber, and the process of creation from the fiber animal to the finished product. We recorded our first session yesterday here at the shop and Natalie has it posted. We also put up a blog, Knitting in the Round, with more details and some photographs. We plan to post a session every two weeks and our next will feature an interview with a local fiber artisan.


Texel Singles

And somehow I've managed to get some spinning time in, between meetings, computer work and the odd weeding session in the garden. I'm trying to fill a bobbin on the Reeves wheel with some fine Texel wool singles. This is yet more of the Texel I bought at Border Springs Farm and had processed at Central Virginia Fiber Mill (there's plenty at the shop if you'd like to try it!) Natalie and I talked about it a bit on the podcast and she dyed it with a cold method which worked well for her. I was pleased with how mine turned out. The roving I'm using for these singles is some I painted with acid dyes in delicate shades of blue.

And some more exciting news that Natalie told me! Not long ago I heard a rumor that someone was going to be opening a yarn shop in Mount Airy, just across the North Carolina line from Patrick County. I was excited to hear about it but then the rumors drifted away. Recently in talking to Natalie I discovered that it's her mother that is involved in this project, and they are just a couple of weeks away from opening "What's Needlin' Ewe?" at 411 North Main Street in Mount Airy. I think it's a great idea and I'm happy to have more neighbors. Yarn crawl, anyone?