Did You Miss Me?

Christmas at The Draper Mercantile, Draper, Virginia

Things have been a little scattered and complicated around here lately.  I've had some big business decisions to make which required a lot of time and effort to carry out, and we're still not finished.  In October I closed the shop at 10 Concord Road because the plan all along has been to have a building on my land on the home place farm, just around the corner.  It seems to be time to make the move, although now that cold weather has moved in I'm just hunkering down and waiting until spring to have the building finished.  So that means lots of time selling stuff on eBay to keep the bills paid!

This is the life

In between hectic moments of moving stock and cleaning up the old shop, things are pretty peaceful up on Squirrel Spur.  We had our first snow last Saturday, just in time for our last show of the season at The Draper Mercantile.  It has been brutally cold and windy, which adds a touch of adventure and a lot of extra work looking after the rabbits.  Fortunately I'm home almost all the time so that I can haul water down to them frequently.  Since Saturday the temperatures haven't reached freezing despite a bright sun.  What snow that hasn't blown away is still out there!

Spindle

Once upon a time a little cat showed up at Greenberry House wanting desperately to be loved and cared for. No one wanted her because she was skinny and sickly so she went down to a little gray house in a big field not far away.  The cats there didn't want her either; they were very mean to her but she stayed and managed to get enough food to feel better and gain some weight.  One day she felt funny and went down to a place near a lot of big fuzzy quiet animals that lived in the old barn.  The next thing she knew there were three tiny kittens there, which she instantly loved enormously.  She was so proud when someone came down the path and she could show off the kittens.  The someone didn't even know the new mama was living at the little gray house so it was a big surprise.

I need a home!

I guess this is a pretty common story, unfortunately, as unwanted cats and dogs are dumped every day.  So now we have four extra cats here on the farm, although one of my resident cats got her nose out of joint and has moved away, visiting only occasionally.  The little mama has done a wonderful job of looking after the kittens and they are really sweet.  Want one?

I have to admit, though, that after being a responsible pet owner and getting every animal that has come here (except the rabbits) spayed or neutered for the past twenty years, it has been pure pleasure having kittens to play with and watch.  They are a joy.  Uncomplicated, happy, wanting only a little cuddling and some cheap cat food to keep them roly-poly and purring.  The mama has been teaching them to hunt; a sometimes gory business.  They live on my front porch where there is an old cat door and play in the sunshine on the south side of the house.  They are round and tabby and charming and I'm pretty sure one of them is going to stay.  I'm hoping that some friends will take the other two but I haven't talked to them since the weather got so cold.

Ribbons and Lace Cardigan

There has been a little knitting.  There is a sock in a bag hanging nearby that is in disgrace due to a mistake I made at knitting group one night that I haven't decided how to correct.  I'm loving knitting the Ribbons and Lace Cardigan out of some lovely cotton yarn in a white that will go with most of my summer wardrobe.  I'm at an age where a little cardi is a very useful piece of apparel.  The pattern is by Connie Chang Chinchio and I really like the design and am enjoying the process.  Enough lace to keep it interesting and enough auto-pilot knitting so that I can enjoy watching old movies and listening to podcasts.

Peaceful Barnabas

Time for more knitting. The big black cat is sleeping in the chair nearby and the spaniel is asleep at my feet. A lazy Labrador is stretched out the entire length of the couch and the cockatiel is muttering to himself sleepily in the morning sun.  I stitch and think about how lucky I am in my quiet winter quarters, home, safe, well, and use the stitches as prayer beads for friends with lives that are not so peaceful and content just now.