Country Cousin Visits the Big City

View of Washington from Vantage Point Restaurant, Arlington

A long time ago, maybe even in another life, I lived and worked in the bustling region known as Northern Virginia. Back then it wasn't quite so bustling; it still amazes me to hear traffic reports that include the far reaches of Gainesville and occasionally even mention Haymarket. As for Chantilly, one of my coworkers used to talk about it as her country home town.

Still, it's exciting to be able to travel into the cities, especially with someone who helps out to look after all the complications of getting around. On behalf of Patrick County, then, as volunteers, Charlotte and I traveled up the Shenandoah Valley to attend the annual tourism conference, also known as the VA-1 conference. We were invited to stay with my SO's sister, Kate, in Annandale, not far from the conference site in Alexandria.

Kate went out of her way as our hostess and transportation director throughout the entire weekend. When we had a free moment (not many of those) she fed us tea and lovely little snacks (with some kick; watch those brownies). Charlotte wanted to meet with her granddaughter, Sadie, on Sunday so Kate found a terrific restaurant for us all and turned the dinner into an experience. I wanted to visit with cousin Jane, too, but she was suffering from flu shot induced plague and we had to miss out!


The Power of Travel

The theme of the conference was basically about tourism as a large part of the Virginia economy. Everyone admitted that things have been difficult lately but the tone was upbeat and hopeful. Charlotte and I went up early so we could take a couple of pre-conference seminars. We had to navigate the Metro and after some help from some very nice people, we figured it all out and managed to get to the Alexandria Hilton on time. If I lived up here now I'd love the Metro, at least the times we were on it. Not nearly the crowds I expected.

The seminar I took was on Social Media and Marketing (hey Facebook and Twitter). Speakers pointed out the advantages and power of participating in these types of marketing opportunities. I think the first time I told the county folks that we should do these things was three years ago....

The second day was mostly speeches and a ton of great information. Virginia now ranks 8th in the US for domestic visitor spending. Not bad, especially considering the current economy. TOURISM WORKS FOR VIRGINIA!!!!

Now for the important stuff:

We ate great! And not so expensively. Vantage Point on Sunday was a nice restaurant and we enjoyed the view, the company and the food. It's always great hearing about Charlotte's lovely and talented granddaughters and it was fun to see Sadie after so many years. She and her friend Tiffany are having a wonderful adventure working in the area.

On Monday evening we attended the conference opening and reception at the Masonic Memorial in Alexandria. I didn't get pictures because we had a full day's work and I didn't bring the camera, but it is a lovely building. The reception room was deafening, though, with a couple hundred tourism folks all trying to talk. I kept slipping out to look at the marvelous prints of all the Masonic buildings in the country. Not much networking there! I did get a chance to talk to some great people, though, outside the reception room. After things wound down Charlotte and I went out to stand on the steps and look at the city. Lovely to see in the twilight. The food was good at the reception and of course Kate had to feed us when we got home, despite our protests that we were fine. Just a little something was what she said.

Then on Tuesday there was food all day at the conference (even cookies) and dinner with Kate and Gerry in the evening. This was our chance to really have a good talk, since the rest of the time was pretty much all about work and tourism. It was lovely sitting in Kate's cozy English cottage in the middle of Annandale! I went home with stacks of clothes and blazers from Kate's closet, including a gorgeous new coat!


Shopping!

On Wednesday we got up late and headed slowly for home, with an eye toward quilt shops and local yarn shops along the way. We tried to get to a quilt shop in Haymarket but there was a construction mess and I got in the wrong lane. Traffic was backed up half a mile in the direction I wanted to travel when we crossed the intersection so I just kept going.

We made a couple of stops in Sperryville, Virginia. Charlotte wanted peaches and we saw a sign on the way up. The farmers market was also an antique shop and they carried Nancy's Fudge candies. I mentioned that I was from Meadows of Dan, where Nancy's is made, and managed to sell ten of her hot chocolate spoons to a customer! I picked up a few Empire apples because they look like dusky Macintosh.

Our next stop was the Beech Spring Farm Stores. I wanted to show Charlotte their lovely quilts but I fell in love with the little spinner in the picture above. And since I do so many demonstrations, I thought the handled basket from the same shop would be great to carry carded wool.

Once we were out in the country, though, we found our way easily to Rachel's in Staunton. Charlotte is the quilter but I admired the lovely fabrics (and the store cat) in the unique shop. The old railway depot served to house the shop and the Depot Grill, where we had a great lunch.


Orchardside Yarn Shop

Then it was my turn to shop, although Charlotte, who is also a weaver, did her part. We traveled off the beaten path a bit out beyond Raphine, Virginia, to a delightful LYS beside a beautiful stream along a rural road. Orchardside Yarn Shop has a lovely atmosphere, a wonderful selection of yarns and friendly people! And shop dogs...what more could you ask? And who wouldn't love a yarn shop with a bottle of wine sitting in the middle of the table?


Friendly Orchardside folks (and pups)

It was tough to decide what to buy, as I already have plenty of yarn. I hovered over the lovely colors of yarn brands I recognized, then I saw one that was new to me. The two skeins in my "purchases" picture are labeled Pagewood Farm, Hand Dyed Sock Yarn, Denali. The two colorways I chose were Chuck's Favorite and Rainbow. This is a soft superwash merino/nylon blend. I'm looking forward to seeing how it knits up. Probably won't be socks, though. Even though this isn't a local product (it's dyed in California) it has a small company attitude I like.

I can certainly recommend taking the time if you're traveling up or down I-81 to stop at Exit 205 and head west through Raphine to Orchardside Yarn Shop. It's easy to find because there were signs all along the way to encourage you to keep going. Just slow down past Wade's Mill and you'll see the sign on the right.


Hi mama!

I saw some lovely sights and met some wonderful people but coming home to these happy faces was the highlight of the week. It was nice to settle in with the dogs and the cat for a quiet evening of knitting after an interesting week. Now I'm glad to be back at my little shop here in Meadows of Dan and looking forward to a busy October!

Words of Wisdom

A waist is a terrible thing to mind.
- Jane Caminos

Meanwhile back on Squirrel Spur:

So I started knitting this lovely scarf pattern, Seine Scarf by Ann Budd, from the new Interweave Knits Weekend 2009.



I love this yarn...it's from indie dyer's Knit Fit Knitting's yarns that she has here at Greenberry House. But I don't love the fact that you can't see the lace pattern well. This is a repeat and a half of the pattern.



Same dyer, different colorway. This is two repeats of the pattern. Knitting has gone much faster with this yarn, too. So what do y'all think? Scarf one or scarf two? During our podcast last week we talked a bit about whether or not to continue with a project if you're not happy with it. I think it's a topic for further discussion!

I'm So Lucky!

People just keep bringing me wonderful new yarns for the shop!


Wild Iris Wool

Bulky yarns from Ann Catlett

And then, just when I think it couldn't get any better:

Atlantic Breeze Alpaca Yarns and Roving

Come out to Meadows of Dan and see how gorgeous this stull really is.  Pictures just don't do it justice.

Getting Ready for the Weekend

A wreath of fiber

New yarns!  New Fiber!  And great new little bags to put your special project in!  it was great going to the festival, but even better to come back with new consignments for the shop.  Under the Dark Star is a new vendor for me, from Central Virginia (Sally, I need your address!) and she has glorious angora and angora blends, along with some other beautiful yarns and spinning fiber.  I'll be putting them up for sale on the web site before long.  But I have a feeling that when people get the chance to touch these wonderful fibers and yarns in the shop, they won't be staying here long!

Hand dyed yarns from Under the Dark Star

It has been a beautiful day, and I've been watching people getting set up for the 4th annual Hit and Miss Engine Show that is taking place this weekend here in Meadows of Dan.  I can see that a lot of hard work has gone into promoting this festival and there should be a lot of fun, music, antique engines, heritage demonstrations and more to enjoy out in the field on Concord Road.  I'll be at the shop all weekend, so come up and enjoy our beautiful breezes and all the things to do here!

Handmade Buttons from Lawre's Laine

Lawre has honored me by being a vendor here at Greenberry House since last year's Sedalia festival.  Her workmanship is wonderful and we also have some beautiful little project bags she calls "Bagettes" that are just the right size for that sock project or other small, take-along knitting.  Clip one on and go!  I've got my eye on a black one with an Oriental print...always go for the drama!

Home Grown

A blossom on a pear tree

Last year we had pears for the first time on the pear tree I planted in the yard.  I think it was 1995 or 1996 when I put a half dozen fruit trees in.  Life changed and most of them are gone now.  There's one little apple tree out by the grape vine fence that produces sad, scabby little apples in the fall.  And there's the pear tree, brave survivor that finally produced a nice quantity of pears with no help from me!  I've been a little worried about the possibility of fruit this year, though.  Until yesterday I didn't see any bees or bugs on the blossoms.

This year I'm hoping to have a garden again, after more years than I like to remember.  I'm waiting for the neighbor to come to plow.  It has been so wet and cool this spring that there haven't been enough dry days between rains for him to come out.  Then we'll have to haul out the rocks...this is the mountain so there are bound to be rocks and till up the soil fine to get it ready to plant.

Spinning a single on the Reeves wheel

The weather here until today could be called brisk, although some might say it has been miserably cold!  I've been in the house spinning on these cool evenings, usually with sleeping dogs nearby and sometimes with the cat perched on the arm of the nearby chair.  All of the wheels have something on them now.  I'm still spinning the last of the Jacob wool from a Perfect Spot farm fleece on the old upright and I'm really enjoying spinning a beautiful variegated Corriedale fleece from Rising Meadow Farm on the Haldane upright.  Pictured is a Border Leicester single on the Reeves wheel.  The fleece came from a local farmer that moved away when she got married.   I'm thinking to at long last get out my dye pots and overdye this yarn when I get it finished.  I can't remember when I last did any dyeing!

Looking forward to a busy weekend...tomorrow (April 25) is the Highland Games in Ararat, which is still in Patrick County and about twelve miles from Meadows of Dan.  I've never been to such a festival so it should be interesting.  I'll be in the booth most of the day demonstrating but I'm sure I'll be able to at least peek at the caber toss!

New Yarn!

New yarns from Lil' Bit o' Heaven Fibers

Almost everything is back to normal here at Greenberry House.  Yesterday it was sunny enough to get some work done, and I washed some things and hung them out on the line for a change!  Bravo sunshine.  I had to "do up" the first piece I ever made with the handspun singles I spun on my great-grandmother's wheel.  It's a shawl in silvery tones and so heavy and warm.  There's a little hole in it, though, that I noticed.  Need to get out the crochet hook and make a repair.  I also sheared Amber, one of the oldest rabbits here.  She still produces quite a bit of lovely wool!

Thanks to Sandra's suggestion, I'm going to turn the old refrigerator into a feed bin.  Perfect idea and very clever on her part!  And friend, fellow spinner, expert knitter, (and probably cousin) Kristen down the mountain has a refrigerator!  When I can get a pickup and some pals to go along to help we'll be back in the kitchen business!

Nice responses to my very first newsletter!  When I get the full version of Constant Contact, I'll be putting the issues on my web site in an archive.  Since they offered two free months before signing up, I'm taking advantage!  I'm starting to work on the next issue, which will feature Linda's lovely yarns above, some information on llama wool, what's happening in Meadows of Dan, and whatever else I come up with before next week!

Stories

Alix's Prayer Shawl

Where does a story begin?  Take this shawl, for example.  Does the story of the shawl I'm making for my mother begin with her request that I make it?  Or does it start with the book that Debbie Macomber wrote, Back on Blossom Street, that my mother loved and seems to make her realize something new about knitting.  Or does it start with the designer, Myrna A. I.Stahman, who created a beautiful piece with clear instructions that even I could understand.  Or does it start with the yarn, chosen and purchased awhile back from Mosaic in Blacksburg, with the careful help of Gina and the other girls?

I've been thinking a lot about story lately.  Or, rather, perhaps I've always thought about story.  In the mountain communities where I've lived most of my life, story is important.  When you meet someone here you quickly figure out where they belong in the story of the community...who their parents and grandparents are or were and where they lived.  Who they are is much more important than what they do or what their economic bracket might be.  As soon as you hear that "Oh, Mama was born down in the Bent and her mama was a Bowman" you know exactly where that person fits into the scheme of the community.  I'm sure it's funny to hear us angling for information when someone unknown crosses our path.  

And with the information there often comes a story.  How Daddy and Mama moved to Draper back when the textile mills opened, or that funny story about great-grandpa and the possum that was passed down through the generations.  Along with the stories of the people come stories about the places.  Old houses, stores, names for creeks and mountains...all of them have a story of some sort attached to them.  I once went with a native of the Buffalo section on a ride through the area....he had a story to tell about every curve, tree and bank.  The odd thing about mountain people and story is that they aren't just stories that we experienced ourselves.  I know family stories that have been passed down since before the Civil War, thanks to family members that preserved and told them.  

 This prayer shawl project will be a story.  How my mother read the book and saw the pattern, how she asked me to knit it.  And part of the story will be my determination to make this shawl....despite the fact that this is the first time I've attempted anything so complex.  The story will include the softness and fineness of the yarn and the dainty elegance of the stitches.  Part of the story will be the warmth of the Springer Spaniel at my feet as I knit the pattern, and the curiousity of the Labrador as he watches my concentration.  The tidy black paw of a playful cat will be a chapter in which the knitting bag is overturned.  It won't be an exciting story but it will be a comfortable one...and comforting, as a prayer shawl should be.

It's raining, but that's OK

At least I'm getting a lot of work done. And it's kind of cozy here at the shop, watching a brand new mini-river flowing down the edge of Squirrel Spur Road. I'm listening to Christmas songs Bela Fleck style on Napster. Just got a laugh when I looked at one of the playlist titles Banjo Throwdown. What's with that?


Traveling Yarn

I've been resisting consigning yarns to other shops because I simply can't produce enough to fill this shop and have enough left over for shows. But this shop in Winston-Salem is right in my general customer base of travelers, so I thought I'd give it a try. I packed up this box of yarn to send down and Carla seems quite pleased with it. If you're down her way go pay a visit! The shop is Nonpareil at 3560 Vest Mill Road, Suite 6 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Looks like they have some lovely pieces, from the web site.

Speaking of web sites, I'm adding some more pieces to mine this afternoon, mostly books and some Civil War vintage pieces. It's a good day to tackle this kind of project. This evening I'm heading to the Reynold's Homestead in Critz for a Business After Hours sponsored by the Patrick County Chamber of Commerce. Hope this rain doesn't turn to snow!

I really do things lately....

Galax Leaf 'n String Festival 2008

...it just seems that there's never any time to talk about what's going on! The shop has been busy, and I put up yarn and fiber all weekend. Then I sheared several rabbits to get them more comfortable with the warmer weather and met with a fellow from the Invisible Fence Brand company to talk about a way to keep TJ safe and exercised more. Then I finally got my car back, and fences, invisible or otherwise, got pushed aside for the moment with more busy times.

Over the weekend I traveled to Galax, Virginia, just up the road, really. The directors of the Chestnut Creek School of the Arts, a new project in Southwest Virginia, had asked me to teach a crochet class over the weekend. So I went up on Friday and Saturday morning to demonstrate. Odd not to be spinning! I had two lovely students, very bright and quick to catch on, and we had a terrific afternoon. I didn't see much of the festival but I heard some awesome music through the weekend.


Morning Surf Scarf

And the Morning Surf scarf is coming along. I think I'll do it again, maybe not right away, but in some sort of soft, finely spun yarn. I like the Maizy's crispness for this but I also think I'd like a version with some softer drape.


Country Cotton Shawl

I finally finished Violet Beauregard, that wild purple skirt. No picture yet because it needs blocking, and because I forgot to do one last night when I had the camera out. I have to have a crochet project going, so I started this shawl yesterday. Have to love the way crochet zooms along; twelve rows of crochet is half what you see here and twelve rows of knitting is about an inch in the Morning Surf pattern. Not that I'm knocking Morning Surf. That's the fun of having so many different projects going. Some can go quickly to fulfill the need for immediate finishing gratification! The shawl is made from some funky Regia Design sock yarn that I bought down in Charleston, along with a more refined colored skein of the same brand. The pattern calls for two strands. I'm not sure I would have loved the brighter colors alone!

Quick Note

Last night I walked out late, to check on a computer upload at Sue's shop. Lily went along with me to enjoy the cool breezes of the evening. A few lightning bugs drifted across the fields in lazy archs, just above the waving grass. In the little field beside the Parkway it seemed very dark; clouds piled heavy above the tree line. I looked up at the lightning bugs, signaling as they have done for centuries, against the deep shadows of the trees.


New Greenberry House Yarns

As you can see from the pictures, I have a lot to do today!


More new yarns!

Claudia and Ann came by on Thursday, and left this lovely selection of beautiful yarns. I love their stuff; the yarns are as individual as the spinners! I also have two of Claudia's special knitting bags. Hoping to get everything on the web site as quickly as possible. The yarn will be on the shelves today.

Then yesterday a local farmer brought me some fleeces. He's a shearer and had several different varieties. I bought the Jacob he brought; love spinning that and it sells well as yarn, and took some other fleeces on consignment. I'll have to do some investigating on the uses of the fleece he brought; one of them is from a hair sheep. I know nothing about them, but a quick search on the Internet indicated it might be used to make rug yarn. I thought I'd wash a bit and spin up a sample to see.

And while I was waiting out a stormy afternoon while sitting and knitting with my neighbor while she quilted, a big box came in the mail that was full of yarn from another North Carolina Jane. She included some kits so I'm looking forward to diving into this box!


Ripples in the Corn Field

The Summer 2008 Spin-Off came into the shop this week and I read it cover to cover. Some really good articles but I was really taken with the Handspun Gallery this time. Some lovely scarves in the Morning Surf pattern by Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer. Since I'm such a beginning knitter, it's surprising that this captured my fancy, but it's really quite easy, despite the multiple yarn overs. I've been having fun knitting it in odd moments. I needed to make a sample for the shop in Crystal Palace Yarns Maizy, anyway, so I'm using the Indian Corn colorway. The yarn is nice, not as soft as the Panda Cotton but it looks nice in this pattern so far.

And the days spin on by..

Sally's Farm

It's amazing how fast the time is flying; here June is already upon us, with more shows, festivals and gatherings to look forward to. I had a nice day yesterday when Sally, who went to Sedalia with us this past weekend, stopped by for a visit. She brought some interesting mystery fiber she was gifted and this wonderful hooked rug she recently completed. This is all her own hand spun, hand dyed and natural colored, and a charming original design. I especially love the tree and the sheep, and how inviting the house looks with the bright windows in the evening light!


New Yarns at Greenberry House

I'm very excited to have another new spinner here at the shop! Rae Jean is from Blacksburg and her yarns are beautiful! She spins beautifully and her offerings here range from a very delicate laceweight to some lovely soft worsteds. Fibers range from wool to mohair to camel. There's a beautiful set of skeins in dark grays that would be perfect for a sweater!

It's supposed to rain in Meadows of Dan today but so far the sun is shining! A few people are wandering through the community so it looks like a great day. As far as I can hear, the festival last week was a great success, and so was the movie at Chateau Morrisette.

My car broke last night. Not sure what is wrong with it but I'm disappointed as it's going to knock me out of a gathering with friends this week. I've gotten spoiled! I didn't miss not having a car when I didn't have one but it infuriates me to have one that won't work!

Trekking Around...and Out!

The eternal sock project

Well, maybe not eternal. I started these in January, but I had a more pressing spinning project going and lots and lots (and lots and lots and lots) of meetings through the winter. I didn't get nearly as much done during the down time as I had hoped. But I never do. I'm almost finished with the socks, though, and I love the Trekking yarn, purchased at Mosaic Yarn Shop in Blacksburg on the advice of lovely Cheryl. I'm still not quite finished, but when I can bring myself the close the toe I'll be done!


Spin a Yarn...Weave a Web

I headed into North Carolina on Tuesday to pick up hand crafted triangle looms from Lura, who lives just across the line. It was another dull, overcast day but I enjoyed the trip across the hills to tiny Grassy Creek. Mom went with me last time we visited Lura but she was busy with book fair at the school this week. Lura's farm is nested under the hills across from an old white frame church. It would have been nice to see it in the sunshine. The looms are in the shop now and look very handsome!

After I left Lura's I headed through the hills along a winding mountain road toward West Jefferson, to visit with friend Jane at a yarn shop she frequents. By the time I reached the town I was starving and cranky. Poor Jane rushed me out to a wonderful restaurant on the main street and fed me, and I was soon more myself! While we were eating we caught up on the news; Jane has been doing some traveling herself and we had some notes to compare about things.


Good fiber friends

I was in a much better frame of mind after lunch and ready to enjoy a yarn shop visit. Gracious Nancy greeted us with the news that a guild from Virginia had arrived, and to my delight I discovered that it was the Mountain Homespun group that I used to belong to, oh, so long ago! Several of the original members were still part of the group and it was lovely to catch up with how the years have been treating my old friends. It was especially nice to see sweet Shirley and Lou, and beautiful Susan, who is one of the most talented knitters I've ever known. Delightful Sandy had lots of news to share for the guild, and I think they had fun shopping!


Jane and the little one

After the guild left things settled down a bit and I was able to look around the shop a bit. I found samples that Jane had knitted from some of her handspun, and a display of her yarns near some roving and some funky hand made hats. A shipment of yarn had come in and we got to fondle some new purchases and admire the colors. In between her many tasks I was able to talk to Nancy a little and find out about the shop and what they do. Spin a Yarn...Weave a Web was staffed that day by four generations of her family, including fourteen-month-old Chelsea (I hope I have the name right!). Along with the yarn and tools for knitting and spinning, Nancy stocks hand crafted items by local artisans and locally grown foods. It makes for a lot to take in with one visit to the shop.


Recent Yarn Purchases

Of course I had to buy some yarn; how can you visit a yarn shop without buying? I chose more sock yarn, two skeins of ONline Supersocke Cotton Beach. I haven't worked with cotton sock yarn yet but I love the softness of this yarn in the skein and the delicate colors. I have an idea I might make a pair of cabled knee socks with this. The little skein on the left is Toofutsies that I fell for at Mosaic when I visited last. My other purchases at Spin a Yarn included some local honey and some heritage seed packs for planters at the store.

The rest of the week has been quiet, but the sun finally came out yesterday. There have been no walks for the early morning crew in over a week, thanks to damp and drizzle, but yesterday Lily and I ventured down Concord road to meet Kym and Bently. We had a lovely walk with lots more talk to catch up on the news. I came home in the early morning light as the stars faded; it was lovely to see daylight across the wet fields.

Speaking of Kym, she introduced me recently to an absolutely awesome place to buy clothes, and it's seriously cutting into my yarn stash budget. The Ross store in Christiansburg opened up recently, and I think we've hit it three times, for hours of shopping. I'm not a shop-till-I-drop type, either, but this place is awesome. I'm ruining my thrift store image, but Oprah looked at me one day last winter out of the TV screen and said, "Girl, loose those sorry-**** ugly flat shoes you been wearing for THREE years now." Yes, ma'am.

This morning one of the local sheep farmers got me out of bed (not really; I was reading with Lily tucked in beside me after our walk) and sold me some beautiful carded Coopworth. And I'm expecting Sandra from Atlantic Breeze Alpacas in just a few minutes to show me a new shipment of alpaca yarn and roving. I'd tell you about the wonderful yarn that Linda from Little Bit of Heaven sent down, but it almost all sold over the weekend!

Unusual Treasures

Two Gifts

Is there anything more fun than going to the mailbox and pulling out a gift? How about going back the next couple of days and finding another one! Both totally unexpected and much fun!

JAG sent the delightful photographs, which are of letters in a print set that belongs to favorite cousin. They are absolutely amazing and look splendid here in the window of the shop. I'm going to have to get some kind of special frame for them; they are just perfect with the light behind them. And speaking of wonderful images, JAG has opened a new etsy store, JGeorge Photography, where her marvelous images are now available as prints. You too can be the proud owner of a piece of the astonishingly beautiful and quirky world of JAG. Go now, I'll wait.

And I have never had anyone send me socks before! These are Cathy Clark's Forget-me-not socks, and I'll certainly never forget her kindness in sending them to me! Cathy's beautiful patterns continue to amaze me. These socks fit me perfectly, thanks to plotting between Cathy and JAG. They're everything a sock should be: cozy, warm, beautiful!


Another Dye Day!

If I put up pictures of all the dyeing we'd be here awhile, so I'll just say the dye pots have been bubbling and there are some new yarns and spinning fiber here at the shop. Even the really bad mistake I made with one pot fortunately turned out pretty!


Orange Blossom Special

And I'm still knitting. This Finished Object pattern is Hot Head by Alex Zorn, found in Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook by Debbie Stoller. I made it in one of my hand spun Music yarns, called Orange Blossom Special. I really like the way the yarn knitted up. Not exactly the way the colors are in the original Hot Head sample, but more my style.


Beginning Violet Beauregard

I haven't hung up my crochet hook, though. This will someday be Violet Beauregard by Heather Dixon, from Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet, also by Debbit Stoller. The yarn is Tahki Cotton Classic and the colors are wonderful. Progress is a bit slow, though. This stuff is a little harder on the fingers than my soft hand spun and I'm using an itty bitty (D) hook. Sorry to be obsessing over the Stitch 'n Bitch books, but the knitting one has really been helpful and it's just that now I'm getting some time to work on the crochet projects for ME that I liked in the crochet one!

What to Do On a Cloudy, Cool Day?

Hearts and Diamonds Soon to Be Baby Blanket

Here I sit, with lowering clouds and an empty shop, enjoying the soft light and crocheting while I listen to music from the Crooked Road. This blanket is for the grandchild of a friend, coming along soon so I've been working steadily on it. The pattern is adapted from a doily by Cylinda Matthews; it has been fun working with it!


Coopworth/Alpaca Hand Spun Yarn

And the latest spinning I've done, which isn't all that recently. Fiber Femmes July/August issue was late, late, late; so much has been happening. So I've spent most of the last couple of weeks concentrating on that and letting the spinning wheel sit idle. But I'll soon be working on my next yarn; perhaps a blend of angora and merino in pure, pure white.

It Has Been a Little Busy...

Casey's Wedding

around here. What with weddings, festivals to get ready for, busy days at the store, moving stuff around and a day long bout with allergies Tuesday that put me behind in all the projects! Right now I have a list of things to do and am trying to do two at once; wish me luck!

A wonderful day Saturday that started out with fresh breezes and clear skies saw the daughter of a dear friend married, surrounded by dozens of loving friends. With so many sad things going on lately it was nice to gather with friends on a blessed occasion. Floyd County's beauty as a setting for such a charming event was perfect!

It has been busy at the store, and lots of fun meeting so many new people. Several young people in, including a smart young couple from Cologne, Germany. We had a very interesting conversation comparing our area to their home.

My days "off" weren't as much fun as usual. I felt bad on Tuesday because of allergies and then when I got myself together enough to go over to my aunt's lovely house on the hill a storm came in and we didn't get very much done. Wednesday was better but spent doing errands, and now I'm back in the shop, catching up.


Orange Blossom Special

I managed to get the twist set on this lot of yarn on Wednesday, anyway. This is kind of fun for me; I don't usually go for this type of bright colors. But I had some strange orange merino roving in my stash that needed to be spun up, and I thought it might be fun plied with some wild colors. So I spun up some Shetland singles and dyed them in black, yellow and red. The black looks brown now that it has the orange against it but I was pleased with the slightly off-beat result.

Now I plan to price the yarn, finish printing posters for an upcoming event, type up the wedding vows for a ceremony next week, work on advertising for the felting workshop we hope to have here on August 10, and fulfill some promises I've made lately. Not much happening in Meadows of Dan, is there?

New Yarns at Greenberry House!

Lovely baby alpaca from Atlantic Breeze Alpacas, hand painted in rich wine colors.


More wonderful yarns from Fiber on the Mountain (I especially like the red).


Cool novelty yarns from Claudia Hurt and builky yarns from Ann Catlett.

Cool Breezes, Warm Puppies (and Bunnies)

Some yarn, and then some more yarn, and some other yarn, and yarn!

It's terrible what I have to do on my days off. Tuesday I hitched a ride with Patrick County's talented tourism director (and assistant county administrator) for a Round the Mountain meeting in beautiful Abington, Virginia. Things are really moving along with the artisan's guild, and there will soon be a good web site in place that should be helpful to the visitor to Southwest Virginia and to the artisan in our area. The meeting went well with lots of great suggestions, and then we had a terrific lunch at Alison's, not far down the road. Looks like an old, kind of down-at-heels dinner but the food is fabulous! Then after I got home (and had a nap, hee-hee) I went down to beautiful Wolf Creek Farm in nearby Ararat. Wonderful place, delightful and charming hosts and the fun of harassing local politicians that are currently running for election. This was a "Business After Hours" gathering sponsored by Patrick County's Chamber of Commerce.

Yesterday I pulled out the dye pots and got to work on some neglected projects. The picture shows two lots of yarn I was able to dye, plus some finished yarns I soaked to set the twist. The yellow, red and black singles will be plyed, starting tonight or tomorrow night, with some wild orange singles I just finished spinning. The lilac and rose skeins are more Alpaca from Atlantic Breeze Farm; I'm loving working with this!


Greed personified!

And of course, even with dyeing, there was time to play with the dogs. I should be ashamed to show this picture of Lily with her nose deep in a yogurt tub. But maybe if yogurt is good for me....


Handsome TJ

And then there's the boy, in a rare quiet moment. After dyeing and other stuff, Lily and I headed out with Kym and her dog, Bentley, to visit the New River Trail for an evening walk. It's SO beautiful up there; we went in at Hiwassee. Now I know where that is, Linda! Poor TJ had to be left at home; he and Bentley together are just too much dog for the two of us to handle!


So sleepy!

I brought three of the bunnies up to the shop and they're having a good time out on the porch. The breezes are cool and there's lots to see, now that they're getting used to passing cars and odd noises. They were playing away earlier, but now they're napping. I can watch them just outside the window where I work on the computer.

Lily's New Look

After the haircut

Last week (or the week before; the days are blurred) I took Lily over to a new groomer to get that heavy, hot, shedding coat off for the summer. Usually she hides her face for about three days after she gets a clip, but this time she was VERY happy with her new look. The groomer left some feathers and shaped her coat nicely, just like a Springer should look. She's not totally right; the fur on her hindquarters is so thick we decided to take that off. But from the front she's a Springer! Almost!


On the Alert!

That was the same day I spent dyeing gorgeous alpaca yarn over at Atlantic Breeze Alpacas. After Lily was clipped I went and picked her up, and she got to visit with the dogs there. As usual, she had an attitude and the new clip made her even sassier. We tied her to a tree and kept an eye on things, just in case!


Lil' Sophie

This is part of the reason for the somewhat concerned expression on Lily's face in the photo above. Sophie was SO darling, and Lily was afraid I might be thinking about taking the puppy home with me. No fear; Sandra (not that Sandra) wasn't giving up this little angel!


Curious Alpacas

A storm came in while we were working and I didn't get very good pictures of the animals, but the alpacas watched us intently while we worked on dyeing some of the yarn made from their wonderful fleeces. These guys had been sheared earlier and they're set to grow lots more fiber throughout the summer. I have a fleece at home that I'm dyeing bit by bit; it's lovely to work with!


Rose in Bloom

The results of the dyeing: beautiful rosy tones dyed in the crockpot. I dyed some Shetland for a shawl special order in the same colors awhile back; the alpaca yarn came out with softer hues. We were careful with the process and the fiber is lovely and soft.


Signature

Sandra and I hand painted these skeins in the barn and steamed them in my big enamel pot. I brought the wrong pot to fit the rack I had, but Sandra found a big rock and we used that to prop everything up. I was very pleased with the way the yarn turned out. Soft, soft greens and yellows. The alpacas watched our every move while we were working, and I wonder what they thought!

Sophie visits Greenberry House

Sophie came by with her mom yesterday, and I couldn't resist getting more pictures! Sandra's hoping that Sophie will develop into a guard dog for the Nigerian goats on her farm. Atlantic Breeze is just three miles or so up the road, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The farm is open on Friday through Sunday for tours; I have directions and hours at the shop. I also have the beautiful yarn from those wonderful alpacas here for sale!