tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111971352024-03-07T00:52:52.034-05:00At the Top of Squirrel Spur...and Down a Crooked RoadLeslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.comBlogger844125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-33377276104574469032019-07-05T13:51:00.000-04:002019-07-05T13:51:08.338-04:00Peace Like a River by Leif Enger<b><br /></b>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Peace Like a River</i> by Leif Enger</td></tr>
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This may be my best book of 2019, although I'll reserve judgement for awhile in case I come across something better. It's possible, but I loved the lyrical writing of this novel and everything about the characters and the story. It's a coming of age and one of the finest of the type that I've ever read. The young narrator's very human story was comic and touching and the setting was delightful. OK, the author was absolutely channeling Harper Lee and C. S. Lewis poked his head in during one of the final chapters, but the book doesn't suffer for it at all because the writing was interesting and the bit of mysticism added some originality and was thought provoking. A good read that I am surprised I hadn't found before.<br />
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<b>What I'm spinning</b>: A lot of this and that for a colorful designer yarn<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: Socks! Who would have thought?<br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: Super Fine Sampler Blanket<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: Death of a Kingfisher by M. C. Beaton<br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b><i>Cocaine Blues </i>by Kerry Greenwood (Audible Book)<br />
<b>How the diet is going: </b>43 pounds down and holdingLeslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-1909566151502519742017-11-19T21:15:00.000-05:002017-11-19T21:15:09.605-05:00Book Review - Gods of Howl Mountain by Taylor Brown<div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I received an ARC of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a native of the Appalachian mountains, I can be very critical and ultra sensitive to novels that portray the area with stereotypes and ridicule. Taylor Brown's Gods of Howl Mountain is a powerful portrayal of the beauty of the mountains and the dignity of the people that live often harsh and hardscrabble lives separated from the people "down below" by their poverty and isolation. The writing is absolutely lyrical, with elegant descriptions and powerfully emotional scenes that flow with the plot. The characters were well drawn and sympathetic despite the often wrenching and difficult choices they make. There was nary a stereotype and certainly no ridicule and I look forward to finding other titles by this author.</span></div>
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Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-80105685960029354352017-11-19T21:13:00.000-05:002017-11-19T21:13:09.585-05:00Book Review - Woodwalker by Emily B. Martin<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woodwalker by Emily B. Martin</td></tr>
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At one time in my life, I loved fantasy fiction and devoured every book in the genre that I could get my hands on. It has been a long time since I delved into this area, but Woodwalker was a great story to bring me back to the fold. Not exactly a magical fantasy, and the story was grounded in reality and used familiar settings, plants and animals, but there was an otherworld feel to the cultures described. The plot was quietly interesting and the author was deft in revealing details about the world through the story line and dialogue. Enjoyable and a pleasant, fast read.Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-10198595045727964142017-11-15T13:56:00.002-05:002017-11-15T13:56:42.702-05:00Book Review: The Philosopher's Flight by Tom Miller<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. An intriguing, fun read that turned out to be an emotional roller coaster ride with action, science, magic, fantasy and a world war. The characters were well drawn and it was easy to suspend disbelief because of the thorough and sensible descriptions of why the magic worked. The plot was well written and I blazed through the book, wanting to know what happened next. I'll keep an eye out for further work from this author.</b><br />
<br />Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-67295523834226201962017-11-09T13:45:00.002-05:002017-11-09T13:45:44.514-05:00Book Review: The Girls in the Picture by Melanie Benjamin<img alt="34748722" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1500736872l/34748722.jpg" width="216" /><br />
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I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. This fictionalized account of the friendship between Mary Pickford and Frances Marion was both fascinating and informative. Frances Marion was a talented screenwriter who got her start with Mary Pickford during the early days of silent films in Hollywood. The story is interesting and I think the author captured the realities of a friendship between two strong women who struggled to balance careers, marriage and motherhood during a time when careers for women were rare. The novel is also a portrait of a century of change, following the beginnings of movies from the early and innocent days of creative art through the times when the industry became big business. I enjoyed the story, the setting, the characters and will look for other books by this author.<br />
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<b>What I'm spinning</b>: Plying merino singles with gorgeous hand dyed alpaca<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: This and that<br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: Slip stitiched bags<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: See above<br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b><i>Six Feet Under</i><br />
<br />Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-25858864911269592942016-12-28T11:34:00.006-05:002016-12-28T11:34:57.159-05:00Book Review - Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J. D. Vance<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #323232; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; position: relative;">
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<tr><td><img alt="Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1460410757l/29890212.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 0px 0px 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px;" width="132" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11.592px;">Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance</td></tr>
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<br style="font-size: 14.49px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;">The young writer brought up some very interesting points about the economic and social situation in America's Rust Belt but very few answers as to how to deal with the enormous problems in the area. Like the author, I'm not sure there are any easy answers. One of the many points I found interesting was in the last chapter, where he acknowledges the enormous amount of help he received through his life from many people, especially the support of his grandparents. I often hear people that consider themselves self-made claim that they never received help from anyone. I suppose it depends on if you think help is only financial. Branching out from this was the question of how to offer support to a social group that is isolated in poverty with few examples of success as inspiration and few mentors to show the way out of the crippling situation. Vance points out how little he knew about the world how to succeed, even after a stint in the military and four years of college. He also mentions how helpful knowing the right people can be in career and life choices.</span><br style="font-size: 14.49px;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 14.49px;"></span><span style="font-size: 14.49px;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">The constant message that Vance received as a child was that he and his culture weren't good enough and that the choices of the white working class don't matter. His grandmother, an amazing woman who did her best despite struggling with an alcoholic husband and children with enormous issues, tried to counteract this idea but was only partly successful. Vance's time in the Marine Corps did the most to change his attitude, although he constantly reinforces that he felt himself lucky to have had the support of his grandparents and I think he is right. Their support, along with the many other people that helped him throughout his life, helped him overcome a childhood of trauma due to an absent father and a mother who never overcame drug addiction.</span></span></span><br style="font-size: 14.49px;" /><span style="font-size: 14.49px;"><span style="color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-size: 14.49px;"></span><span style="color: #181818; font-family: merriweather, georgia, serif; font-size: 14.49px;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">This is not a book with answers to the problems of the working poor in America, but I think the book gives a fairly accurate portrayal of the complicated attitudes and issues. There are some valid criticisms of the book; some think he blames the poor for their own misfortunes and he does have a pessimistic view of how much the government can help. What stands out to me is the despair of the families and town, the struggles with addiction and hopelessness. At the end of the book things have deteriorated, both in the town and in his mother's personal life. To me, doing something to help has got to be better than standing by and doing nothing. </span></span></h3>
<br />Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-27828102055851143182016-08-10T16:04:00.001-04:002016-08-10T16:06:11.656-04:00A little knitting going on.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDkqv5LZuo3sJF_zBYQcp-wBcsYElF0FwLlHKtCYIplsqWB71zbcw-PLYm92zD1FlvCcxa529U6EOgJBQuGDQ8xWBiTxtwmU7bUMLxM7thYNrYBHZ6W_5Y2HQUJrDFj-dXUDYNg/s1600/20160629_082058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuDkqv5LZuo3sJF_zBYQcp-wBcsYElF0FwLlHKtCYIplsqWB71zbcw-PLYm92zD1FlvCcxa529U6EOgJBQuGDQ8xWBiTxtwmU7bUMLxM7thYNrYBHZ6W_5Y2HQUJrDFj-dXUDYNg/s640/20160629_082058.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Completed Quill Shawl</td></tr>
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It took awhile but I<b> finally</b> completed the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/quill-4" target="_blank">Quill Shawl</a>, pattern by Jared Flood. I have to say that the finished shawl is as wonderful as I expected and I think it looks a bit like the shawl that inspired me to track down the pattern. I think I mentioned that I saw the shawl in a Hercule Poirot British TV adventure and had to stop everything to track down what the pattern might be. It's called a Hap shawl and is a traditional Shetland Island piece.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Poirot and his shawl</td></tr>
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I plunged immediately into another shawl pattern (do I really need all these shawls?) that was showing up as popular on Ravelry and it was another pattern that well deserved the attention.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnI5waJ7a9sDSMAprP-0fOTrQiVHfi0oi-g7Ii9gL8ksV6Ytpmu1dKczzB5vIvOTlKan2bnwA0vgPGy_MeG7EYEgq4pwaS7wFXbzaK2Oj_tJNipLhzXRd8_5v0GMlWX_hi3GQ8A/s1600/20160729_202648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimnI5waJ7a9sDSMAprP-0fOTrQiVHfi0oi-g7Ii9gL8ksV6Ytpmu1dKczzB5vIvOTlKan2bnwA0vgPGy_MeG7EYEgq4pwaS7wFXbzaK2Oj_tJNipLhzXRd8_5v0GMlWX_hi3GQ8A/s640/20160729_202648.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/reyna" target="_blank">Reyna Shawl</a> in Unplanned Peacock's Peacock Sock Yarn in Gummi Shark colorway</td></tr>
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This was an easy lace knit and the yarn worked well with the pattern. It's a small shawl in the fingering weight sock yarn but I like little scarf-like triangles for winter wear.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXhvGIru8oheA01cJI1XWjEL8gidckyN60jzgStSkaLuFgCRyFqQ0JX-TVQ_Guo0hwjiRvuE9wAVlHlLifrZ3eBuxkhlLUgWyGAOaOoyer-rl3vzYvIVq-nYihDn4i6xT9C5-Ww/s1600/20160723_200203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxXhvGIru8oheA01cJI1XWjEL8gidckyN60jzgStSkaLuFgCRyFqQ0JX-TVQ_Guo0hwjiRvuE9wAVlHlLifrZ3eBuxkhlLUgWyGAOaOoyer-rl3vzYvIVq-nYihDn4i6xT9C5-Ww/s640/20160723_200203.jpg" width="384" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese Tile Scarf in Queensland Collection Uluru</td></tr>
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My plan was to next make the beautiful <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/chinese-tiles-scarf" target="_blank">Chinese Tile Scarf</a> featured in the Summer, 2016, issue of Spin-Off. BUT -- this yarn was SO not the right one for this project. The colors change too often and the wavy texture of the yarn completely obscured the lace pattern. So back I went to my list of projects I want to do and the very pretty <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/zickzack-scarf" target="_blank">ZickZack scarf</a>, with a simple ripple pattern, came up. I happen to have two balls of the Queensland Collection Uluru in two colorways, so I started the scarf and have been pleased with the results.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHxL4DAjbRnLPaFuFt4e7B-mav5J1qIYzeOE6HVsPlH9qvYto6XeTGRABVMVR1DuNN4MCBB6UuBGD9JB6uOrhMHkDKR9TUBexEZS2UehymvRIBWiJtq6Ksth8oA65DKMUlXbSbA/s1600/20160729_203003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHxL4DAjbRnLPaFuFt4e7B-mav5J1qIYzeOE6HVsPlH9qvYto6XeTGRABVMVR1DuNN4MCBB6UuBGD9JB6uOrhMHkDKR9TUBexEZS2UehymvRIBWiJtq6Ksth8oA65DKMUlXbSbA/s640/20160729_203003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ZickZack Scarf</td></tr>
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My version has subtle striping and color changes because the two colorways I am working have some similar colors. A more dramatic version with two contrasting colorways would be interesting. I still want to do the Chinese Tile scarf when the right yarn comes along.<br />
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<b>What I'm spinning</b>: hand dyed angora singles<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Greenberry/zickzack-scarf-3" target="_blank">ZickZack</a> by Christy Kamm<br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: Still hibernating<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: <i>Murder and Moonshine</i> by <a href="http://carolmillerauthor.com/home.html" target="_blank">Carol Miller</a><br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b><i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadchurch" target="_blank">Broadchurch</a> </i>on Netflix<br />
<br />Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-62758805536040064462016-07-20T15:56:00.003-04:002016-07-20T15:56:39.389-04:00Time to Build a Bunny House<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv19k_PLP5fPmdlRp65GPvYRwbebOvEjRK5OwZNR4_8rRchpr4qgAdfwbx1G_zICJr893UootZEL7QSQVds77HnETF8MuHZ39SIEjkaW311PmzbNIAeJLljdOtiyd3MvPGAQKxpQ/s1600/20160612_124100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv19k_PLP5fPmdlRp65GPvYRwbebOvEjRK5OwZNR4_8rRchpr4qgAdfwbx1G_zICJr893UootZEL7QSQVds77HnETF8MuHZ39SIEjkaW311PmzbNIAeJLljdOtiyd3MvPGAQKxpQ/s640/20160612_124100.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painting the French doors</td></tr>
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The angoras have been here since last September, living in a barricaded section of my carport. It was a busy spring and started into a busy summer, but I had to set aside time to build a more permanent facility for them. The barn I used back when I had 20 to 30 rabbits is in bad shape, so I decided to use some found materials to make a little barn for them here at the shop.<br />
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The French doors were stockpiled back when we were going to build a shop out in front of the old farmhouse. There is also some lumber left from that project and friends Peter and Kathleen gave me some corrugated plastic awhile back. Aside from some hinges and a little hardware, plus some paint, I had everything I needed to put up a little building.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxqmEcL0hckFU8UApDSEd2hu6f2p7FOiURrHnzgnJcLZn-3QWFSRxDB2QSbSUNwE5ZcLvsfnyv_kpn6a6XqzV5otoQTjZf5hsBaKzqlY16M15A9PiEshn79-e0jBx5R9Z979Nsg/s1600/20160618_113548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxqmEcL0hckFU8UApDSEd2hu6f2p7FOiURrHnzgnJcLZn-3QWFSRxDB2QSbSUNwE5ZcLvsfnyv_kpn6a6XqzV5otoQTjZf5hsBaKzqlY16M15A9PiEshn79-e0jBx5R9Z979Nsg/s640/20160618_113548.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The support for the back wall of the bunny house</td></tr>
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This old grape vine fence is still sturdy, although the ancient vines have finally died off except for one at the far end. My cousin Amy helped me put boards across to support the three doors that made up the back wall of the shed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XkHh8lkfMWdasav20iNnUcDi-16HZsfj2ldgsniDCVX-ANLJZnQF1crOSxBXdhlOo7MHBJJH8RU8pr12PvjO7wpVNcMzzN0B8flouxy7DsAN1tpOWT-UkkZulYfHYe3o2Dm4eQ/s1600/20160618_123235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XkHh8lkfMWdasav20iNnUcDi-16HZsfj2ldgsniDCVX-ANLJZnQF1crOSxBXdhlOo7MHBJJH8RU8pr12PvjO7wpVNcMzzN0B8flouxy7DsAN1tpOWT-UkkZulYfHYe3o2Dm4eQ/s640/20160618_123235.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back wall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4cB9jUBS3JpgJYvNVC7QntqBC8HAv-yk1NwoRnu4WQnPgnooGvTsn94tcVzLppNDTzZ6MHIa3Q6A6E8wilLJ04QXxHjnsrr3AmDEPIkDJGQU2JDLx2CFPvga-as0h7WWdcJ_wQ/s1600/20160620_102352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr4cB9jUBS3JpgJYvNVC7QntqBC8HAv-yk1NwoRnu4WQnPgnooGvTsn94tcVzLppNDTzZ6MHIa3Q6A6E8wilLJ04QXxHjnsrr3AmDEPIkDJGQU2JDLx2CFPvga-as0h7WWdcJ_wQ/s640/20160620_102352.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side walls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b></b>By using hooks and eyes to attach the four doors used as the side walls to the back, I was able to put them up by myself, one at a time during a quiet day at the shop.<b></b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjlsw4zStqsn8Xr3_6hbDcMJhXlIvfukffgAiy01TSdZsTTMp-Ofq2DHmVDg7WAHuCjMGrwZldx7c0_J41o39_gjL3htsh51PK6-Zw8PGJ9bVnorwGhMZFVTepPJ-e1qHnTYdbA/s1600/20160625_110931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTjlsw4zStqsn8Xr3_6hbDcMJhXlIvfukffgAiy01TSdZsTTMp-Ofq2DHmVDg7WAHuCjMGrwZldx7c0_J41o39_gjL3htsh51PK6-Zw8PGJ9bVnorwGhMZFVTepPJ-e1qHnTYdbA/s640/20160625_110931.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front doors of the bunny house</td></tr>
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The front doors are made of old shutters we used to use back when I did a lot of festivals. They made great, if heavy, displays. The center piece is an old folding door. I used hinges to put this part together, so friend Kathleen came over to help with that. Amy came again to give me a hand in putting up the long rafters for the roof.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQdaxku-ncYoRIIa6eKIJry3UbksuZK4bpg2SyyCnE3eMkKAc_vtex7jG-waLTiWm-qeEz6GCOEHL2Isc-zpnFeLuMJ_HMbM44y-5mAVaQp-k9xWUE4Qrm83p8ui3hyfJ3Cyilg/s1600/20160710_112150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidQdaxku-ncYoRIIa6eKIJry3UbksuZK4bpg2SyyCnE3eMkKAc_vtex7jG-waLTiWm-qeEz6GCOEHL2Isc-zpnFeLuMJ_HMbM44y-5mAVaQp-k9xWUE4Qrm83p8ui3hyfJ3Cyilg/s640/20160710_112150.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The roof</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had to do a little fudging on the roof, as the plastic pieces weren't quite long enough. But an extra board, painted white, made up the difference at the back. I also painted the plastic to keep it a little cooler inside the rabbit house. If it gets too warm, I can paint the panes of glass, but so far putting a tarp on the sun side in the morning has kept the rabbits comfortable.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiHDANG2cVUSU-CSoT7bjAg_sN_Zja-kOyf90qvAaizhTKbVEc79ewvWAlq5dKNAPcxlMehVuMJhzPCKJkhUy0bwdo9mSI66cv9jRJF8tl-wQNK16VH6Sogl7YMmu45tUlTZpRQ/s1600/20160712_104554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyiHDANG2cVUSU-CSoT7bjAg_sN_Zja-kOyf90qvAaizhTKbVEc79ewvWAlq5dKNAPcxlMehVuMJhzPCKJkhUy0bwdo9mSI66cv9jRJF8tl-wQNK16VH6Sogl7YMmu45tUlTZpRQ/s640/20160712_104554.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rabbits in residence</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The rabbits seem happy with the situation so far. I close the doors at night to make sure they are safe from dogs or foxes and open things up during the day.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxuWYeovcYgVkV1Z7yI31Q9pY8QAdpsNeAB7ZM-0P4oFsFi6ElZZFXITw-AnXVkazh6h_kKKHPqwAbEvfFWM5ycldVPyc7Ft567jppjJp6SuTSGA9puxqkQ3zhfLEioMQ-FIpzg/s1600/20160718_141213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxuWYeovcYgVkV1Z7yI31Q9pY8QAdpsNeAB7ZM-0P4oFsFi6ElZZFXITw-AnXVkazh6h_kKKHPqwAbEvfFWM5ycldVPyc7Ft567jppjJp6SuTSGA9puxqkQ3zhfLEioMQ-FIpzg/s640/20160718_141213.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knightley visits with German Angora Quark</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The exercise pen gives some extra protection and a place for the rabbits to get out and nibble green stuff and romp. They have been missing their exercise time because of the rain and all of my working time. Now that the rabbits are at the shop, I can let one out in the pen and he can spend the morning nibbling and hopping around, or just laying on the grass. After lunch I let the other one out. Two boys out together doesn't work very well, at least not with Quark. He's a pushy fellow.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFIaBpGZEYcRrbXkMCSb25RPBkpK57R8gYbneiqn7djWKb8BZOR81TsNaWzdyMyN1urLLlxJMgUvUq2rpdQsuvtdiOMBo4DMUZ-nk5wljj1F19SoxseTvLmXsH2spw4_NLIxAHQ/s1600/20160710_143340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFIaBpGZEYcRrbXkMCSb25RPBkpK57R8gYbneiqn7djWKb8BZOR81TsNaWzdyMyN1urLLlxJMgUvUq2rpdQsuvtdiOMBo4DMUZ-nk5wljj1F19SoxseTvLmXsH2spw4_NLIxAHQ/s640/20160710_143340.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hen and her two chicks</td></tr>
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The hen that was setting on her clutch of seven eggs managed to hatch out two of them. I don't know if the weather got too hot or if the rooster wasn't doing his job properly, but the other eggs weren't fertile. Mama hen has learned to be careful of cats and other predators and so far she has done well with them. She takes them around the yard, teaching them all the things they need to know about the big world.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKoHZfM1KcdX-l0eYouxKZaCm6cr9nJ2whmtAJv7L_8MhLIYFfmycGrGMrPc4Aa1cUfwIZan0DoYGRrXVvFoNA_8-P81Y42ZLInGbMg_B0G4OooHkXerSuO5CgGOSR8IrZO4o3w/s1600/20160718_170546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKoHZfM1KcdX-l0eYouxKZaCm6cr9nJ2whmtAJv7L_8MhLIYFfmycGrGMrPc4Aa1cUfwIZan0DoYGRrXVvFoNA_8-P81Y42ZLInGbMg_B0G4OooHkXerSuO5CgGOSR8IrZO4o3w/s640/20160718_170546.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rose and baby Clara</td></tr>
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Clara is getting big and is still a lot of fun. She has started grazing with her mama in the mornings and evenings but still finds plenty of time to play with us. Clara loves to climb and is found in high places all around the farm, including atop friend Peter's shoulders!<br />
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<b>What I'm spinning</b>: hand dyed angora from the rabbits<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: Finishing <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Greenberry/reyna" target="_blank">Reyna shawl</a> and starting the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Greenberry/chinese-tiles-scarf" target="_blank">Chinese Tile scarf</a><br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: Everything is still hibernating<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: <i>The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love</i> by Beth Pattillo<br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b>Miss Fisher Murder Mysteries on Netflix<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-52680403440703219522016-06-08T13:40:00.003-04:002016-06-08T13:44:05.776-04:00New Babies, Nesting and Spinning!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfHv8pHMCYipqtQE_9Xt-JjNLfk0e51uQ50QqjEiTVJqQoUrwZgBQXPesyLbEFeUEZMvvEshLSBJmR9YoWBlfqhL1SGPp7a8p8z5LHuZ2SAOpK0Ezc3a6siFT_AL62Z8t9MmhJg/s1600/20160526_184839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfHv8pHMCYipqtQE_9Xt-JjNLfk0e51uQ50QqjEiTVJqQoUrwZgBQXPesyLbEFeUEZMvvEshLSBJmR9YoWBlfqhL1SGPp7a8p8z5LHuZ2SAOpK0Ezc3a6siFT_AL62Z8t9MmhJg/s640/20160526_184839.jpg" width="384" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goat Girls Just Want to Have Fun</td></tr>
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The big excitement here on Squirrel Spur this past few weeks has been all about the goat girls and the impending births of their little ones. We were all counting the days and delighted when first Martha, then Rose, delivered healthy baby girls. Rose frolicked around like a kid herself until an hour before her little one arrived.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxplAmFBomC8bG9C95cp0gbKzuxn9mN8urslTDfgTyKhzYHZ2A8X8_FiWfYS-63qEgsoO6vlxlx5CFC6Y5fS-sEMb6jUVhlhjgz3BmMVrsvp-t0J6gx8-TgI0APcrns_wp8Z3c-A/s1600/20160526_184932.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxplAmFBomC8bG9C95cp0gbKzuxn9mN8urslTDfgTyKhzYHZ2A8X8_FiWfYS-63qEgsoO6vlxlx5CFC6Y5fS-sEMb6jUVhlhjgz3BmMVrsvp-t0J6gx8-TgI0APcrns_wp8Z3c-A/s640/20160526_184932.jpg" width="384" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martha and her little Jessie</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLk5CW-SD3foWdM_2c5SXepbw7KfsGNfakMDEWgvNN-Bi6qwQ18ghw2vaSPtP8DbkNWiGKH_F8oI-D4WdOlLu3krNNvKiJ92Eb0HAZq2Jop4ujzUR00YT2wk_ikoTipIkC9wnfA/s1600/20160529_102208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLk5CW-SD3foWdM_2c5SXepbw7KfsGNfakMDEWgvNN-Bi6qwQ18ghw2vaSPtP8DbkNWiGKH_F8oI-D4WdOlLu3krNNvKiJ92Eb0HAZq2Jop4ujzUR00YT2wk_ikoTipIkC9wnfA/s640/20160529_102208.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sweet Rose and baby Clara</td></tr>
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The babies are beautiful and already little Jessie has a new home. So does Martha, as I wanted to keep Rose's kid and don't have the space or money to have too many mouths to feed. Martha now lives just over the hill and Jessie is not far down the road.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Bs8M8M5hqcW_YjaRQ6ynJPyi32M5aeR3ZFzVb0DKlm3Sj8BsTwsTiwFrisgLG3V-P1eTGj5k7u_tR2pmODm8lkfloqGNQ0fCzFY881yVpI2sNkYdb4q__ZNtur4Y6yUFGfmOxQ/s1600/20160601_174126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Bs8M8M5hqcW_YjaRQ6ynJPyi32M5aeR3ZFzVb0DKlm3Sj8BsTwsTiwFrisgLG3V-P1eTGj5k7u_tR2pmODm8lkfloqGNQ0fCzFY881yVpI2sNkYdb4q__ZNtur4Y6yUFGfmOxQ/s640/20160601_174126.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Clara, growing up fast</td></tr>
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Everyone has fallen in love with little Clara and she's getting lots of attention from friends and customers. I'm told her color pattern is caramel and we love the little black belly and the black stripe down her back. Not to mention the white topknot.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFb75WqamSZpsgaFbxJJWeYKpY-V-YUS11Iekbz2OFLnfZQXeoQJ7fki2QQEgczLKnTSNieMy3MYP2ZQZzXG3s1f971WKChX5-PZSjILtRtXi-SxDNasDTYaFGpoCyrQSco9RmBQ/s1600/20160605_153840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFb75WqamSZpsgaFbxJJWeYKpY-V-YUS11Iekbz2OFLnfZQXeoQJ7fki2QQEgczLKnTSNieMy3MYP2ZQZzXG3s1f971WKChX5-PZSjILtRtXi-SxDNasDTYaFGpoCyrQSco9RmBQ/s640/20160605_153840.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Qrx5Cx1R2NUh3cKdMzzdj9yqB10YRieu4ZIzu1F0SydW_1M3N29n7hd74PmG66AXws1HKdrqzGuShkxjXsPr6exP6MdFoEf_69rG-QXRHAXtmKTP1IHboUEv2eZwX7y_ibDi9A/s1600/20160605_163516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2Qrx5Cx1R2NUh3cKdMzzdj9yqB10YRieu4ZIzu1F0SydW_1M3N29n7hd74PmG66AXws1HKdrqzGuShkxjXsPr6exP6MdFoEf_69rG-QXRHAXtmKTP1IHboUEv2eZwX7y_ibDi9A/s640/20160605_163516.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yarn Room at Greenberry House</td></tr>
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I think I went a little crazy this weekend when I decided to move EVERYTHING in the shop so that all of the yarn and spinning fiber, along with the tools, were all in one place. Maybe I didn't move everything but it certainly feels that way. I'm pleased with the results, though, and I have a new room to expand the book selection as well as some space for some different consignments. Looking forward to working with some new people.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOk1YavmdDmC6cMlXJcm1WSBiCTYzp6-CUpgyzoApdpY9rwKjLDiCn4LZ2cviOOJEhbsL3-Y1PP06buKtGdxhgMZfwyLJG3rKf5_tPF5GeFpeCH2O4Xch1LNlI7f-kxaGXr4Xm2Q/s1600/20160530_130744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOk1YavmdDmC6cMlXJcm1WSBiCTYzp6-CUpgyzoApdpY9rwKjLDiCn4LZ2cviOOJEhbsL3-Y1PP06buKtGdxhgMZfwyLJG3rKf5_tPF5GeFpeCH2O4Xch1LNlI7f-kxaGXr4Xm2Q/s640/20160530_130744.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helper dog Knightley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Knightley has been staying busy looking after me at the shop. After Emma staged a grand escape and nearly got herself kidnapped at a local store, she has been staying home while we are at work. Frankly, she's really happier at home as long as we can get in her daily walks. Knightley enjoys being with me in the shop and he supervises everything that is going on with the chickens and the goats. We lost one hen to a fox a few weeks ago; I think she had slipped off nesting under one of the buildings and I didn't notice she was gone. Another hen is setting but she chose the safety of the chicken house. She has seven eggs and I hope she's successful this time. Earlier in the year she hatched one chick but an invading cat killed it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9KemxKWMYHqDfUpspomn7XHRxjA6W0PIWE1pm_G6iAYdbVf7rTyM3qdxATzb_aT_z_3Yx5uomHfGVjbnt_iBGSWTUpSJfI5VjdTuHeKpMk795tn_2qxTSMQei6jL5c9zmHk8vw/s1600/20160607_154000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9KemxKWMYHqDfUpspomn7XHRxjA6W0PIWE1pm_G6iAYdbVf7rTyM3qdxATzb_aT_z_3Yx5uomHfGVjbnt_iBGSWTUpSJfI5VjdTuHeKpMk795tn_2qxTSMQei6jL5c9zmHk8vw/s640/20160607_154000.jpg" width="384" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spinning dyed angora fiber</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjem1gDtqX76eDznrFzrPw3S31RhG05Iw3I_S8qogkfMRuWdGWGX5CajSDDDK8sO-s0HlirLJ424yJipoMXMjky8Tka4tDy_1Nfm9g3oBNC671mXDp-3USljpESs8ozSbXB6kNA/s1600/20160607_154031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjem1gDtqX76eDznrFzrPw3S31RhG05Iw3I_S8qogkfMRuWdGWGX5CajSDDDK8sO-s0HlirLJ424yJipoMXMjky8Tka4tDy_1Nfm9g3oBNC671mXDp-3USljpESs8ozSbXB6kNA/s640/20160607_154031.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand dyed carded angora fluff</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It has been lovely to get back into spinning angora again and I dyed enough to spin singles to ply with some merino that I worked on last winter. I'm planning to start on a new bunny house this weekend and maybe then I can get some good pictures of the lovely rabbits from <a href="http://woolybuns.typepad.com/woolybuns/" target="_blank">Woolybuns</a> up in Connecticut.<br />
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Spring is heading into summer and there are warm and busy days ahead. With so many projects I've not done my usual flower beds and pots, but maybe I can get it done later. My peonies haven't bloomed yet but some of the irises are trying to fight their way through the weeds. I really need more hours in a day!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ddNakufBNiRR-RwQwBjjJYn4IG-3Rgb-SRaJF_Lx2ugV-xAra1kdMUuh6XWGAaK1AQGZFI0qVqDozK9qkLSC980xz9dTvsF9TTGqCWoQP0Od8of5e3h32UDh7kltHt6HgYvkZg/s1600/20160607_211636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ddNakufBNiRR-RwQwBjjJYn4IG-3Rgb-SRaJF_Lx2ugV-xAra1kdMUuh6XWGAaK1AQGZFI0qVqDozK9qkLSC980xz9dTvsF9TTGqCWoQP0Od8of5e3h32UDh7kltHt6HgYvkZg/s640/20160607_211636.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sweet picture of Emma, just because.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b>What I'm spinning</b>: hand dyed angora<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: the final rows of the Quill shawl by Jared Flood<br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: everything is hibernating<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: <i>The Buried Giant</i> by Kazuo Ishiguro<br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b><i>The Gifted</i> by Ann H. Gabhart (for book club)<br />
<br />Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-18986211968261280072016-05-11T15:33:00.001-04:002016-05-11T15:33:28.608-04:00Festivals, the Shop and Keeping Things Going<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2mQPCZL2wAInvzsf09XpODD6j3PNDbTphqf3FUH9eGYOwDq2oZ_M3mKnlccapOaHvbYwG68wBMl4m9nXeBd6v4urpjxYGRk8BbvKzlbx5DXRsDsA5K7gSreJwtETvuEcV7zMUA/s1600/20160509_095530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid2mQPCZL2wAInvzsf09XpODD6j3PNDbTphqf3FUH9eGYOwDq2oZ_M3mKnlccapOaHvbYwG68wBMl4m9nXeBd6v4urpjxYGRk8BbvKzlbx5DXRsDsA5K7gSreJwtETvuEcV7zMUA/s640/20160509_095530.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhododendron blooming at Greenberry House </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We've been having a typical mountain spring this year. Early in the season it was warm but we've had several cold and rainy days since. People have been getting out, though, after the long winter and it has been fun seeing everyone at the shop. This past week four of our local spinners brought beautiful yarn to add to the shop shelves; I'll be posting pictures as soon as I get a chance!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlFchNDzO8ydXckZzbs6IjnEmu4z1UtUqXO93OW7tDkdiu0w7-maaK4ERBt2LQ-ld442VOWxY315Voc2hLXhmyvXzJTEElQLrIeMtXMsMMrYhsVHA2GqfIs-p0cVMYDFga12dVA/s1600/OLFF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlFchNDzO8ydXckZzbs6IjnEmu4z1UtUqXO93OW7tDkdiu0w7-maaK4ERBt2LQ-ld442VOWxY315Voc2hLXhmyvXzJTEElQLrIeMtXMsMMrYhsVHA2GqfIs-p0cVMYDFga12dVA/s640/OLFF.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greenberry House at Olde Liberty Fibre Faire</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Knightley and I had a wonderful time at the festival back in April. Olde Liberty Fibre Faire has changed venues and it's a lovely location. A Goode View Alpaca Farm in Goode, Virginia, made for a wonderful setting for lots of delightful fibery goodness. The hosts and volunteers did a terrific job and made the day very special.<br />
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I didn't get pictures but this past weekend I attended Maryland Sheep and Wool, for the first time in several years. Knightley found the whole thing overwhelming on Saturday and when the sun came out we left to keep the boy and some rabbits transported by Chris from over at <a href="http://woolybuns.typepad.com/" target="_blank">Woolybuns</a> safe from overheating. We went back for a short time on Sunday before it got very crowded and Knightley handled the situation much better. As my hearing aid dog, he really needs to deal with lots of different situations and we have been tied down because of work and Dad too much lately. I need to make more effort with him. I did buy a beautiful Shetland fleece at the wool sale; more about it in future posts. Also more about the rabbits as well! I had a wonderful visit with Chris, and that was my main reason for the trip.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfZQQtG9BZfgs4s7_C6ZdWx5nR3-f2ckGD33rFkLa5svOdoJ1Qa-Sk5hN7C8xIBZExtsN6lYCXs3ZrNLrr3Le3tUoSWIKesFvb6FThq_Ji1qWP73apTiZJOFMc8IfwzFSgq36Pw/s1600/20160510_140939.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHfZQQtG9BZfgs4s7_C6ZdWx5nR3-f2ckGD33rFkLa5svOdoJ1Qa-Sk5hN7C8xIBZExtsN6lYCXs3ZrNLrr3Le3tUoSWIKesFvb6FThq_Ji1qWP73apTiZJOFMc8IfwzFSgq36Pw/s640/20160510_140939.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goat girls waiting for babies</td></tr>
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Back on the farm, we're anxiously waiting to see if the goat girls are going to have little ones. They both look very pregnant. Either that or I'm feeding them WAY too much. The little shed is all clean and ready for them, just in case, and I'm excited to think that there will be little ones. Rose, the one at the front, is really getting big.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBXIHwdSZK5c1gbBYxY3IKlRXMVyx2iQTaGsrqEu1njVEM5hWui9cENX78ACrkphd7zz01X15iP6LGEY_KPpFeGAY2ZTC3g7nBa5TvIXxFDCrFLshR2jGqGfUywwvsr8cC3Rw5g/s1600/quill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQBXIHwdSZK5c1gbBYxY3IKlRXMVyx2iQTaGsrqEu1njVEM5hWui9cENX78ACrkphd7zz01X15iP6LGEY_KPpFeGAY2ZTC3g7nBa5TvIXxFDCrFLshR2jGqGfUywwvsr8cC3Rw5g/s640/quill.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quill</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All the traveling was fun, but it's nice to be home and get back into our routines. I've been busy with customers and the animals, plus putting books up on the <a href="http://www.scrapsofamericanhistory.com/" target="_blank">Scraps of American History</a> web site. I've been busy spinning some glorious angora that I sheared from the rabbits here and I occasionally have a few minutes to work on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/quill-4" target="_blank">Quill shawl</a>. I'm about halfway through the final border and it has been a pleasure to knit. The pattern is well-written and I love that it's a traditional piece.<br />
<br />
<b>What I'm spinning</b>: hand dyed angora for plying with merino<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/quill-4" target="_blank">Quill shawl</a> by Jared Flood<br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: Everything is hibernating<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: <i>The Glass Palace</i> by Amitav Ghosh<br />
<b>Current sounds and sights for spinning along: </b><i>Cleopatra: A Life</i> by Stacy Schiff<br />
<b>How the diet is going: </b>Let's not talk about it.Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-70292508842719256962016-04-22T15:22:00.000-04:002016-04-22T15:22:04.543-04:00Spring on the Farm<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxo19291JQZriCg6rvzKT6xPXXTUUxbvjSzr7OdMhITxp5AoAkNTGkBwtlWyb4C4N3vP5BOsZWvPqWqtOdlGNOwXM30lcYaTAxafcVJMB2MsWLlGJZYFv63RVA4_K0o7GSBEf3EQ/s1600/forsythia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxo19291JQZriCg6rvzKT6xPXXTUUxbvjSzr7OdMhITxp5AoAkNTGkBwtlWyb4C4N3vP5BOsZWvPqWqtOdlGNOwXM30lcYaTAxafcVJMB2MsWLlGJZYFv63RVA4_K0o7GSBEf3EQ/s640/forsythia.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forsythia in bloom </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It seems like it has been a long winter, but really we haven't had much bad weather or snow up here on the mountain. It was lovely to see the warm weather finally arrive, though, and now that the temperatures seem to have settled into spring, things are bursting with life here on the farm.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HRY4IF1FDWQBBpiJB8EzMbzk8lfDGRFzW8QjK_oW-FGFIprALfdoK87ft5MkvYHm9SqpvuA8fAu2PEMUE_mLtcTdToNBotxL28SPcoSdXocjUOMwlFCjRI4mE_DERFChOSBhzA/s1600/setting+hen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HRY4IF1FDWQBBpiJB8EzMbzk8lfDGRFzW8QjK_oW-FGFIprALfdoK87ft5MkvYHm9SqpvuA8fAu2PEMUE_mLtcTdToNBotxL28SPcoSdXocjUOMwlFCjRI4mE_DERFChOSBhzA/s640/setting+hen.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little setting hen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Last summer I bought some chicks, late in the season because of trying to get my father settled into a comfortable living space. My little barred rock hens and "Easter eggers" started laying early this spring and I've enjoyed gathering their colorful little eggs. To my surprise one of the Easter eggers started setting about a month ago. I wasn't prepared for it and let her keep only four eggs. The older hens broke three of them but she managed to hatch out a little Buff Orpington chick. Right now she's caged up with it separate from the others because the old hens are threatening the baby.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUROt_sEqInJtrEZTC-3fuXkDUkm4ho6MzYL3XVWCNlhi_Aui3YlVtE2A-FpXFNhQHrQNA16yf0HRIxTqnKwZfocL3uywd_CdJNLtPdkeeZI3nAWl8T5ng3OVhRSWdoOjK52ePQ/s1600/12650804_10153153482191685_2830530196175081945_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUROt_sEqInJtrEZTC-3fuXkDUkm4ho6MzYL3XVWCNlhi_Aui3YlVtE2A-FpXFNhQHrQNA16yf0HRIxTqnKwZfocL3uywd_CdJNLtPdkeeZI3nAWl8T5ng3OVhRSWdoOjK52ePQ/s640/12650804_10153153482191685_2830530196175081945_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh eggs!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Some of my old hens are laying along with the new ones so I'm getting well over a dozen eggs every day from a flock of 22 hens. There were 23 but one hen was taken by a fox near one of the outbuildings. I think she may have slipped off to set on some eggs out there and I didn't realize she wasn't coming in at night. I'm back to counting heads every evening when I shut up the chicken house!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOU-T0HlKrKoZwtR6KleYLKe4uTOeEqHgY-lqF0p1TBI6mluOiMoA1NFosr_js4Iv_pwYJabUESThESiQXuFQIom6oum50HxQdTtMftTjOsDfr_z2BFiCwtRIs_eABT04R8u7-Xw/s1600/goat+girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOU-T0HlKrKoZwtR6KleYLKe4uTOeEqHgY-lqF0p1TBI6mluOiMoA1NFosr_js4Iv_pwYJabUESThESiQXuFQIom6oum50HxQdTtMftTjOsDfr_z2BFiCwtRIs_eABT04R8u7-Xw/s640/goat+girls.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goat girls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The goat girls are doing well and I think we may have some little ones sometime between mid-May and mid-June. I borrowed a lovely boy from over the hill to visit with the ladies back in December, planning to only leave him here for two weeks. Right at the time I was going to take him back, suddenly there was goat love going on everywhere. So I left him another couple of weeks. I think it broke Martha's heart when I took her boyfriend away. Martha is the black one and Rose is the white one.<br />
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I don't have any good pictures yet but my friend Chris from Woolybuns brought me some German Angora rabbits last fall. If you look back to several years ago on the blog, I used to keep a sizable herd of them for their luxurious wool for spinning. I love having the rabbits back and have sheared enough since they came for some dyeing and spinning adventures. Right now I'm working on a yarn made from merino and the angora. I'm planning to put up a little house for them here at the top of Squirrel Spur and will enjoy having all the animals together.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJsivrY4gUZTv2gqkHx-BXEPqVZzpeixQc7cJmHeyFVJ4gVBg2MXXLz_EtJrpWBFr_OLk_g8CXcQqFJic_D41BIhxAwRlR6uhhFqDjBukTeGuUM9Oio6831zcctIXSxsWhhltcw/s1600/welcome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJsivrY4gUZTv2gqkHx-BXEPqVZzpeixQc7cJmHeyFVJ4gVBg2MXXLz_EtJrpWBFr_OLk_g8CXcQqFJic_D41BIhxAwRlR6uhhFqDjBukTeGuUM9Oio6831zcctIXSxsWhhltcw/s640/welcome.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The shop is open!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Greenberry House is open for the season and I am really enjoying getting the shop all set up and ready for the summer. Hours are Saturday through Tuesday, 10 AM to 5 PM, with stitching group on Tuesday evening. I have some wonderful new yarns and spinning fibers from <a href="http://ocotillasmtnalpacas.com/home/" target="_blank">Ocotilla's Mountainside Alpacas</a>, a beautiful farm just up the Blue Ridge Parkway from Meadows of Dan. And about this picture; I took several in front of the shop that day and this cloudy spot appeared on two of them. Do you suppose it's my resident ghost saying hello?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTAVS_tQxNnuPeE6zOplJtWYOnCQ0csCpeTc89iyW-_ariQAViq_LxUU3QBenJRwBE3H9Qmw3UOXQvDf7A8QgqsKV3VMavl2yTs2H9H6oiQCmyfeTl7qqV-PxRM_e8oINtWq2EA/s1600/sweet+ones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTAVS_tQxNnuPeE6zOplJtWYOnCQ0csCpeTc89iyW-_ariQAViq_LxUU3QBenJRwBE3H9Qmw3UOXQvDf7A8QgqsKV3VMavl2yTs2H9H6oiQCmyfeTl7qqV-PxRM_e8oINtWq2EA/s640/sweet+ones.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tired pups </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Knightley and Emma are accompanying me to the shop every day and they've enjoyed greeting customers and getting into the routine. Emma is such a sweet and motherly girl. Knightley was sniffing at something last night in the bedroom and she growled him away from it. When I went to check, I realized that he had been investigating a dying wasp.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8Zj7AN9fMTByKTqiPkGW-EzGACODGnZrvX74mX9I-sR7X5Ay9xkGR-72sazj6bGvWFbji3_JNO-bO-husJhzJn-659UQIsQ12tuyrjLWfMkNqlPVCNPqyTyA0_sporOldwR8yg/s1600/IMG_20160417_182551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8Zj7AN9fMTByKTqiPkGW-EzGACODGnZrvX74mX9I-sR7X5Ay9xkGR-72sazj6bGvWFbji3_JNO-bO-husJhzJn-659UQIsQ12tuyrjLWfMkNqlPVCNPqyTyA0_sporOldwR8yg/s640/IMG_20160417_182551.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New hand dyed Greenberry House yarns</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tomorrow morning I'll be heading out early for my favorite festival of the year. <a href="http://www.olfibrefaire.com/" target="_blank">Olde Liberty Fibre Faire</a> is celebrating 9 years and I think I've been there for most of them. I really enjoy seeing everyone and it's delightful to see what everyone has been working on through the year. Come join us if you can!<br />
<br />
<b>What I'm spinning</b>: hand dyed angora to be plied with merino singles<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/quill-4" target="_blank">Quill shawl</a> by Jared Flood<br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: Everything is resting<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: <u>Uprooted</u> by Naomi Novik<br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b>Ally McBeal series on Netflix<br />
<b>How the diet is going: </b>Diet?Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-59702963000068380232015-09-01T08:48:00.004-04:002015-09-01T08:48:38.326-04:00And How Badly I Neglect this Faithful PageBut I do have a new project! Check out our <a href="http://www.quincepodcast.com/" target="_blank">podcast</a>, about knitting, books, postcards and life in Meadows of Dan!Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-27980294063013972162015-06-05T14:09:00.003-04:002015-06-05T14:09:53.863-04:00Back HOME in Meadows of Dan<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9kjzCzsoZSbBnJUqHuX9jxiEVhh67zOZyHUaF_4UWJP1mfbjPNUZPJ1W1o0c3J27z9he_PsEfLjrmwAP3nor8PEiIBZO66LPqZ3vrfHaKOKTCGqsuxswBIb1xMswAByfHHO1ag/s1600/CAM00099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD9kjzCzsoZSbBnJUqHuX9jxiEVhh67zOZyHUaF_4UWJP1mfbjPNUZPJ1W1o0c3J27z9he_PsEfLjrmwAP3nor8PEiIBZO66LPqZ3vrfHaKOKTCGqsuxswBIb1xMswAByfHHO1ag/s640/CAM00099.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greenberry House, home at last on Squirrel Spur Road</td></tr>
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I am so very, very happy to have the shop settled in my old house on Squirrel Spur Road. If you have been following this blog these many years, this is the house where I lived a long time and where my family lived when I was a child.<br />
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It's not good for business to bounce around from place to place, so I hope this is my last move. People seem to like the shop so far. I have a few signs to modify and lots of work to do to the yard and gardens but things are shaping up. It's amazing how much one old woman and two hungry goats can accomplish!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbC30sVZgqt601-7uHIDgz6SG_rZ2FjmDaTVQ0MpZVV9ou3htxOZp3RvJ6EvgUVYF78APSktw-mTjRtMbs-MOPc5H9sJS9fgHkZkUGVMeJE-e1QAQvxvJKsokyidOh7HOWkrd4w/s1600/CAM00016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTbC30sVZgqt601-7uHIDgz6SG_rZ2FjmDaTVQ0MpZVV9ou3htxOZp3RvJ6EvgUVYF78APSktw-mTjRtMbs-MOPc5H9sJS9fgHkZkUGVMeJE-e1QAQvxvJKsokyidOh7HOWkrd4w/s640/CAM00016.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The goat girls and the hens</td></tr>
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The goat girls seem to be happy here and it's fun to be able to have them around while I'm at work. Knightley is still coming along to work with me and I hope to have things set up after this weekend so Emma can join us. We've settled into a morning routine that is working pretty well. I get up and feed and walk the dogs, then I fix breakfast for Dad and Emma and I walk up Concord Road to deliver and do a few chores for him. Then I tend the goats and chickens, letting the goat girls out to graze for a little while before I transfer them from their night quarters in the chicken house to their daytime pen. If it's raining, they graze awhile and go back in with the chickens. Goats don't like wet weather!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcs8gkww9Z_TkA8R1gbqmWy0sczc0kmRvybUUYCtnExExAM0K_-KptJUIBfX6EscDP3NLVi8Y0sg4I0VQag1X95lA4F8kwrwG3NMbwDMM1j_a7XRZqNSduYZKgQ6il9WUmFI0bMA/s1600/CAM00154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcs8gkww9Z_TkA8R1gbqmWy0sczc0kmRvybUUYCtnExExAM0K_-KptJUIBfX6EscDP3NLVi8Y0sg4I0VQag1X95lA4F8kwrwG3NMbwDMM1j_a7XRZqNSduYZKgQ6il9WUmFI0bMA/s640/CAM00154.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our adventures along Concord Road; Emma and the snapping turtle.</td></tr>
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Unless I'm pressed for time, I walk back with Emma home and I do a few chores there before I walk back up with Knightley to open the shop. If I don't have the time, I borrow Dad's car for the trip up and back. Usually I can do the walk. On Wednesdays and Fridays I work at Jerry and Connie's House of Collectibles so I take the car to not be so late taking Dad his supper. We're at the shop at 12206 Squirrel Spur Road from 10 AM to 5 PM Saturday through Tuesday. Thursday is my day "off" but mostly it seems like I'm running errands for Dad or doing laundry. Right after work I fix Dad some supper and gather the eggs while the goat girls have another chance to graze in the yard. In the evenings I generally walk one of the dogs back up to check on the animals after supper. This generally involves letting the goats have another graze, in addition to the time that they had right after I closed the shop. If I'm lucky friend Beth will walk with us and we do have some fun talking. It's nice to have someone along, especially since a lot of bears are around Meadows of Dan lately. When I'm alone, I talk to the dogs or sing!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-bYTTORz_CRMNroJQl5KLchRWVKWLkZeX7G4LI6DVygwZB39uw9LWw1u8LQ2G1f20h8UTWGowmF9mTgHKu8LGiPJCxvXpOUTIBSaYVL2-4F7roRtlZLT3EGPpiA5LbLT8-M5BA/s1600/CAM00149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-bYTTORz_CRMNroJQl5KLchRWVKWLkZeX7G4LI6DVygwZB39uw9LWw1u8LQ2G1f20h8UTWGowmF9mTgHKu8LGiPJCxvXpOUTIBSaYVL2-4F7roRtlZLT3EGPpiA5LbLT8-M5BA/s640/CAM00149.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard working Knightley</td></tr>
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My good boy is generally pretty tired after a day at the shop. I've been keeping him in the kitchen and away from the sales floor most of the time while I get things organized. He still gets to greet people, tell me when folks arrive, let me know when the phone rings and just in general keep an eye on things. This all, along with the walking and a romp through the new-mowed fields when we get off work, makes for a tired dog in the evenings.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxer3K6GQOzEqmuJJqG1_H8unxs0IC0qm-QmjWrhGR51uTJWfJWqK1lxAtVIxfAFiV2DReqP-iJ6Hq6vL6bu6ETV0sF5705mWTVxIChmaZwixqpt_lU3StwZGypSL8Q9VOW5FAw/s1600/CAM00041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaxer3K6GQOzEqmuJJqG1_H8unxs0IC0qm-QmjWrhGR51uTJWfJWqK1lxAtVIxfAFiV2DReqP-iJ6Hq6vL6bu6ETV0sF5705mWTVxIChmaZwixqpt_lU3StwZGypSL8Q9VOW5FAw/s640/CAM00041.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing better than sitting with a spinning wheel, surrounded by books.</td></tr>
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While I'm at work I'm generally cataloging books or poking through boxes to find stuff for eBay and the web sites. Sometimes I get the chance to spin for awhile, especially if someone comes in to visit or knit. The book room is shaping up to be a pleasant sitting room for our stitching group gatherings on Tuesdays and for people to drop in during the work week. The crafts and collectibles room is a riot of wonders and I'm already thinking about how I can expand the yarn and fiber space. The old kitchen is currently serving as my office but I'm thinking that the yarn and fiber may take over in there before long! There are already fleeces in the bathroom.<br />
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<b>What I'm spinning</b>: Some blended black wool and blue bling!<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: Thrummed mittens with alpaca<br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: Everything is resting.<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: Someday I'll be able to read again!<br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b>Watching Warehouse 13 again.<br />
<b>How the diet is going: </b>17 pounds down!Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-67460616510677180762015-03-29T11:00:00.002-04:002015-03-29T11:00:58.168-04:00Work, Work, Work, and Some More Work<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodnmkVh3lywi4sCvkzgvzk7xqU6xkfjljtfofKIkVSc2mh0OOdgX6-0UvkYAHxrlnjtKOOIR6Xb_tA0N1EdjIF8_gA4NRpnRsV3VP9kYrnZ_rV62nLftnW0pcgLIb1TvK6luf7w/s1600/2015-03-28+21.14.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiodnmkVh3lywi4sCvkzgvzk7xqU6xkfjljtfofKIkVSc2mh0OOdgX6-0UvkYAHxrlnjtKOOIR6Xb_tA0N1EdjIF8_gA4NRpnRsV3VP9kYrnZ_rV62nLftnW0pcgLIb1TvK6luf7w/s1600/2015-03-28+21.14.01.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.zibbet.com/greenberry-house/bell-spur-hand-dyed-hand-carded-wool-4-ounce-batt-sunset-shades" target="_blank">100% Wool Batts</a> from hand dyed and hand carded local wool</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTp0dBkIRO6fPeuwn12Zf8Vh39Kh2JJLkpMJORahGkVPaaMZ9ibmGB5tyWp4FsXMTj5szmkyJry1ITQ9Znw5FxQR7U_4_f5r2xyaMMaxmGeQgXrFQaF2y7eNYeP-R1FgQHO2dsA/s1600/16273017913_372f3da69b_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTp0dBkIRO6fPeuwn12Zf8Vh39Kh2JJLkpMJORahGkVPaaMZ9ibmGB5tyWp4FsXMTj5szmkyJry1ITQ9Znw5FxQR7U_4_f5r2xyaMMaxmGeQgXrFQaF2y7eNYeP-R1FgQHO2dsA/s1600/16273017913_372f3da69b_k.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.zibbet.com/greenberry-house/dehart-road-hand-dyed-hand-carded-wool-and-bamboo-spinning-or-felting-batt-3-oz" target="_blank">75% wool, 25% bamboo</a> hand carded, hand dyed batt</td></tr>
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And in between trying to tend to Dad and keep enough stuff on eBay to pay the bills, I've been taking care of the animals and trying to set the shop up for spring. It looks like late April for opening up right now. Looking forward to the festival in Bedford, <a href="http://www.olfibrefaire.com/" target="_blank">Olde Liberty Fibre Faire</a>, on April 18 and hope to have lots of wonderful stuff to offer.<br />
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<b>What I'm spinning</b>: Just finished spinning up the periwinkle wool yarn for Kathleen's sweater<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: Not much of anything; have a washcloth on the needles for when I have "free" time.<br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: Secret project for a friend.<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: <i>The Unfortunate Traveller </i>by Thomas Nashe<br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b><i>Midsomer Murders</i><br />
<br />Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-77748040571725566182015-03-05T09:58:00.001-05:002015-03-05T09:58:48.009-05:00Pricing Yarn, Business Moves, and Knitting!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2J3cszf2SR0y3ooThwLjkg2G_JIjuHvIKNVuO3bfQ-Vug3GDXWZoF3bdAJvX8ZN1zhfG0YQU4AZWcKxrgOZBS2Zzgi2iKLa_Jy3dxwwWk4-u-B5X_K5vWU3Ema3Hu6FyaaJYCg/s1600/2015-03-02+22.15.50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2J3cszf2SR0y3ooThwLjkg2G_JIjuHvIKNVuO3bfQ-Vug3GDXWZoF3bdAJvX8ZN1zhfG0YQU4AZWcKxrgOZBS2Zzgi2iKLa_Jy3dxwwWk4-u-B5X_K5vWU3Ema3Hu6FyaaJYCg/s1600/2015-03-02+22.15.50.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand dyed bulky wool yarn</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">People have been asking about price of the yarn and other items lately. Fair pricing is an issue that most artisans find complicated. As hard working people with limited income, we can understand that the cost of an item is often the first consideration when people are looking at our merchandise and considering a purchase. But at the same time we can't stay in business and produce those special items if we don't get enough money for our products to pay our bills and cover our materials. Artisans have a lot of competition in cheap foreign goods, but also we have to deal with people at craft fairs and shops that don't take their work seriously enough to price it realistically to cover costs and the value of hand made.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">As an example, I estimate that I put in eight hours of work for every skein of yarn that I produce. In the yarn industry, however, there are standards of pricing that I choose to use as guidelines for my artisan yarns. This means that no matter how long it takes me to produce a yarn, there is a price limit as far as what I can charge for it, based on the industry standard. I represent about twelve spinners in my area and we all use a basis of pricing that keeps our hand spun creations in line with good commercial yarns. If I priced the yarn based on the cheaper acrylic yarns available, I wouldn't stay in business. I have to hope that my buyers understand that they are getting a high quality product that will last them for years and make their hand knit crocheted item completely unique. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">No, we're not as cheap as Red Heart but you're getting a wonderful yarn that will last you forever and be a pleasure to work with. You will also be supporting local farmers and artisans who care about your community.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg57oil7-_xj-eZM-PuY8wc1fHMNCJShnOjvcg-H1FDPi3z5mWdRVjlKNmDR3x1ovUlpz8sf16Yaa1thSJ1ayJ5fKkaFHF0XcmitNYMfO59VVSleYSv4rBWVz6gsbeVM_-b7O3Hg/s1600/2015-03-04+16.45.25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg57oil7-_xj-eZM-PuY8wc1fHMNCJShnOjvcg-H1FDPi3z5mWdRVjlKNmDR3x1ovUlpz8sf16Yaa1thSJ1ayJ5fKkaFHF0XcmitNYMfO59VVSleYSv4rBWVz6gsbeVM_-b7O3Hg/s1600/2015-03-04+16.45.25.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Artisan yarns at Jerry and Connie's House of Collectibles</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">In other news, I recently agreed to work an extra day at the antique shop where I help out part-time. Jerry and Connie's House of Collectibles is located in Meadows of Dan next to our post office and bank on the main highway. I will be working for him on Wednesdays and Fridays, so my Greenberry House shop hours, beginning in late April, will be Saturday through Tuesday, 10 AM to 5 PM. Putting yarn in at Jerry's will give me a yarn shop presence in Meadows of Dan all year, however, so I think it will be a good move. I may be able to have someone run the shop on Fridays sometimes; we'll see how that works out. So I hope folks will visit me in both locations!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jNN8iIZjRj9s4kcvtOincUlQBRs15GyP_ozY97MCRD2Df_WZYVsVTGsVRAL-1iU0gMkPnN4zrGTMlEDumGk7EHlGWFzw3V6ztK2zSgZOiAums2EpmTZ6oQverwYfcAQEZRuM0Q/s1600/2015-02-28+11.05.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jNN8iIZjRj9s4kcvtOincUlQBRs15GyP_ozY97MCRD2Df_WZYVsVTGsVRAL-1iU0gMkPnN4zrGTMlEDumGk7EHlGWFzw3V6ztK2zSgZOiAums2EpmTZ6oQverwYfcAQEZRuM0Q/s1600/2015-02-28+11.05.45.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knitting with Thrums</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">I'm working on a pair of mittens for me lined with fleece in a technique called thrumming. It's much easier than it looks and a lot of fun, although I think I'll use alpaca or angora for the next pair. I want to work out a pattern that I can knit for sale. I hear that these are popular. This pair is made with some hand dyed CVM wool yarn and lined with a soft fleece that I bought at some point and didn't label. </span><br />
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<b>What I'm spinning</b>: Almost finished the Shetland/merino periwinkle yarn for Kathleen's sweater<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: Experimenting with thrums for mittens<br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: Everything is hibernating<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: Reading? I used to do that.<br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b>Midsomer Murders on Netflix, listening to <i>Factory Man</i> by Beth Macy<br />
<b>How the diet is going: </b>Staying steady with this cold weather.Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-47109999210855995132015-02-17T14:35:00.001-05:002015-02-20T09:53:29.610-05:00February Snow<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiej-AzlLmolc_-NkNSImdr9XD-tmSBIUqQOlxInK0MBcITthpw8SgY90jgat49LotrUlWcsWXicd_igAiJ2vb0VrA3oQ2hLbJCXghM9hVpJbJA1aa19xDDMBaOUxR0ddveZwBPtw/s1600/16559591282_111ac2e550_k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiej-AzlLmolc_-NkNSImdr9XD-tmSBIUqQOlxInK0MBcITthpw8SgY90jgat49LotrUlWcsWXicd_igAiJ2vb0VrA3oQ2hLbJCXghM9hVpJbJA1aa19xDDMBaOUxR0ddveZwBPtw/s1600/16559591282_111ac2e550_k.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowy woods</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">We've had some very cold days this year but yesterday we finally got more than a couple of inches of snow. Not nearly as much as forecast but six inches of lovely fluff is plenty for the dogs to enjoy and for me to troop through to take care of the chickens. The hens refuse to deal with the stuff and stay snug in their coop.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow Dog</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">I </span><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">spent the morning putting vintage photographs up on the <a href="http://antiquepaper.storenvy.com/" target="_blank">web site</a> for sale. Now I'm getting ready to spin the afternoon away, looking out over the snow in the yard and watching the shadows shift through the rest of the day. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: normal;"><br /></span></span></span>
<b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">What I'm spinning</b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">: Shetland and merino singles dyed periwinkle for a special order</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;" /><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">What I'm knitting</b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">: Odds and ends as spinning is taking a priority. Dishcloths, mostly.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;" /><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">What I'm crocheting</b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">: Everything is hibernating.</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;" /><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">What I'm reading</b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">: </span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Euphues:</i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> </span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">The Anatomy of Wit</i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> by John Lyly</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;" /><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Watching Foyle's War and listening to </span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">Factory Man</i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;"> by Beth Macy</span><br style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;" /><b style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">How the diet is going: </b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5240001678467px; line-height: 20.2859992980957px;">I've lost 20 pounds since November, mostly because of walking to take Dad his three meals a day and keeping the dogs happy with their exercise. Could stand to lose more and with the spring will be walking even more, I imagine.</span></span>Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-64046447251897532652015-02-11T12:07:00.004-05:002015-02-12T09:15:29.868-05:00In the Coop<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThG4b_IdEDJkWe-hTABHeREuvLVPitbjcmjp4dN1_Dv4A6tsRbM8UflVTIgJ1YDSWEmHOEwcM47AjuQsfbDpI_dpO5jEuoFcUcDXPA6zo3D4_5R3nQLpQompLXs2MvKeeastzeQ/s1600/2013-07-28+07.16.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThG4b_IdEDJkWe-hTABHeREuvLVPitbjcmjp4dN1_Dv4A6tsRbM8UflVTIgJ1YDSWEmHOEwcM47AjuQsfbDpI_dpO5jEuoFcUcDXPA6zo3D4_5R3nQLpQompLXs2MvKeeastzeQ/s1600/2013-07-28+07.16.48.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our young hens</td></tr>
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I've always loved chickens. My grandmother had chickens when I was small, although I don't really remember much about them. She got one especially pretty flock when a box of chicks came into the post office and the person that ordered them didn't come to pick them up. Apparently the cheeping was driving the postmaster mad because he gave the box to my grandfather to take home to my grandmother. She raised them up and she said they were such beautiful hens, white with a bit of black feathering. She didn't know what kind they were. They allowed the chickens to run free on the farm and rarely had trouble with predators. Occasionally a mink would kill a chicken in the hen house at night. But Grandma gave up raising chickens when a neighbor's dog killed many of the birds in her little flock. Times had changed and keeping hens had become more of a luxury than a necessity with the ready availability of food in local stores.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free ranging chickens</td></tr>
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The tar paper covered chicken house sat for years at the edge of the woods, though, as a reminder of the flock of hens that provided necessary food and meat during those years that subsistence farming provided for most of the needs of the family. Along with a huge garden and milk from a sweet-faced cow, my grandparents kept their family fed and supplemented my grandfather's salary from his public job. I remember churning butter at the enamel topped metal kitchen table when I was quite small. I could never make the butter come but Grandma could.<br />
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I grew up and moved away but never lost my mountain roots. Eventually I moved back home and one of the first things I did was put together a flock of chickens. I experimented with several different breeds in those years and especially enjoyed the bantam varieties. But times changed, I moved and wound up working harder and longer hours and then taking care of my grandfather so the chickens gradually dwindled away. I had one rooster that lived nearly ten years alone on the farm after his hen was killed and owls captured all his progeny. He was a tough old game bird and nearly wild. Eventually he disappeared after a stray dog came through.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kathleen feeding the hens</td></tr>
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A couple of years ago a friend suggested setting up a chicken co-op. She and some others would provide funding if I provided space and did the work. My old chicken house was still standing, just about, filled with junk. Kathleen and I spent the winter clearing it out and I hauled over 500 pounds of metal to the recycling center. The weight of the metal had caused the floor to collapse and good friends came over and jacked it back up for us. The roof was never put on right so we replaced it with a metal version. The contractor says the roof will outlast the chicken house. After all that we drove down into North Carolina to pick up 18 hens and one rooster from a friend that has a farm. The little birds were Buff Orpingtons, a breed I had wanted to try and heard good things about. They are supposed to be gentle, cold hardy and good layers of brown eggs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Busy hens</td></tr>
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And they grew and they grew. And they started laying eggs enough for the co-op and for me to sell some to supplement the cost of having the hens. I will tell you, keeping chickens is not cheap. They have to be fed, the hen house needs to be cleaned out twice a year, which requires purchase of several straw bales, they need grit and calcium and the occasional medical treatment. Although well-fed chickens that can free range for part of their food stay pretty healthy.<br />
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Around the beginning of their third year chickens molt and stop laying. They will start laying again after the molt, but that's decision making time about what to do with the birds and whether to continue keeping hens for eggs or not. The co-op voted to disband and so we processed the birds belonging to half the group. Process means kill 'em, pluck 'em, clean 'em and eat 'em. It's not a terrible thing to do, just a bit unpleasant until the feathers are gone. Then the bird doesn't look at all like that pretty Buff Orpington so the rest of the processing isn't such a big deal.<br />
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I opted to keep my share of the birds and the rooster up and walking around. The hens are laying again and I'm getting enough eggs to start selling them again. For me it's still pleasant to walk up to the farm every day, twice a day, and let the chickens out of the coop and then shut them safely back up in the evening. I take one of the dogs along for the exercise. They both have good manners around the chickens and just sit and wait for me to finish the chores.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GebThRaXAYCJqRG3Gg8AIpmaeWb20fBplb_IJS-ZZjBAzjfn7R6WjU6zADYsKG5qTHWI-HKNt0J80tIi_k28mMAJ2k-MeNMDIjiO1vMgXZUF-t9y8BDxJXK9El2wDsQGCLBRWw/s1600/10251943_10152498881051685_4721933335990349617_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GebThRaXAYCJqRG3Gg8AIpmaeWb20fBplb_IJS-ZZjBAzjfn7R6WjU6zADYsKG5qTHWI-HKNt0J80tIi_k28mMAJ2k-MeNMDIjiO1vMgXZUF-t9y8BDxJXK9El2wDsQGCLBRWw/s1600/10251943_10152498881051685_4721933335990349617_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rufus and his girls</td></tr>
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I kept one scraggly little hen because I felt sorry for her. She was still ragged from the molt, small and darted away from the others because they would peck her. But she was the first to start laying again and she has filled out and gained weight. Her feather are shining and healthy. I suppose with the smaller flock she doesn't have to compete so hard for food. There may be a lesson in that, somewhere.<br />
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<b>What I'm spinning</b>: Shetland and merino singles dyed periwinkle for a special order<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: Odds and ends as spinning is taking a priority. Dishcloths, mostly.<br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: Everything is hibernating.<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: <i>Euphues:</i> <i>The Anatomy of Wit</i> by John Lyly<br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b>Watching Foyle's War and listening to <i>Factory Man</i> by Beth Macy<br />
<b>How the diet is going: </b>I've lost 20 pounds since November, mostly because of walking to take Dad his three meals a day and keeping the dogs happy with their exercise. Could stand to lose more and with the spring will be walking even more, I imagine.Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-30730498207315913712015-02-03T19:39:00.001-05:002015-02-03T19:41:21.582-05:00Another Long Silence<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGUaiJMiA5yKT58i3PGY1cAj7-cvA7AFk-IrOrEopsxdPiyW6jKMAzvkcimVVSvoY-3uiEIAM3wbab3kHh8Kuxs0uh8jTWMcE4ux11wXcGWmHcjkdSu1sKRgA1dW7n7hD3mrOlA/s1600/shop+014a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGUaiJMiA5yKT58i3PGY1cAj7-cvA7AFk-IrOrEopsxdPiyW6jKMAzvkcimVVSvoY-3uiEIAM3wbab3kHh8Kuxs0uh8jTWMcE4ux11wXcGWmHcjkdSu1sKRgA1dW7n7hD3mrOlA/s1600/shop+014a.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greenberry House</td></tr>
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These long silences on the blog embarrass me. I have no excuse; except that it seems that regularly my life gets turned upside down while I'm not looking and I get blindsided. It takes me a long time to adjust to new routines and it seems that the things I enjoy the most are the first to be given up when I am faced with lack of time and financial challenges.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handspun Shetland and merino wool from hand dyed roving and batts</td></tr>
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The new complication in my life that is taking up so much time involves caring for my 80 year old father. I spent over five years taking care of his father, both part-time and full-time while also trying to hold down a job and support myself, so I already know how much time and energy this venture is going to take. My brother helps when he can but he's a traveling musician and away from home much of the time. Still, after four months I'm working into the process and, while it isn't any easier, really, I'm adjusting to juggling trying to keep bills paid and Dad fed, laundered and medicated.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martha and Rose</td></tr>
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And somehow, not exactly sure when that happened (remember the blindsided thing?), I wound up with four pregnant goats. I completely adore them but adding the care of a little herd of dairy goats to my daily routine has also added some interest to life. Babies will be coming soon and I'll love having them but I don't think I'm going to try adding milking to my daily schedule right now!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhOfE5bIDM6X_EW798O-m3n-ElG7oEZ3qWji8CogdjvE4K52Mv_5iBy7wsn1BlvXSC9OayiMmOZYky7ON48jvLTw7zNKhyphenhyphen7pHmL5hmheNyQPbz4Rvw011b-jWGFplqNk0yYepDw/s1600/10251943_10152498881051685_4721933335990349617_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhOfE5bIDM6X_EW798O-m3n-ElG7oEZ3qWji8CogdjvE4K52Mv_5iBy7wsn1BlvXSC9OayiMmOZYky7ON48jvLTw7zNKhyphenhyphen7pHmL5hmheNyQPbz4Rvw011b-jWGFplqNk0yYepDw/s1600/10251943_10152498881051685_4721933335990349617_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little flock</td></tr>
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A month or so ago the chicken co-op decided to disband and, as agreed, we split the birds and I helped to process half of them. I opted to keep my share for awhile longer until I can buy some replacement chicks this spring. The girls are laying again and the dogs and I get plenty of exercise walking up to the farm to take care of them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vg6RgYaPlF85E93bMuy8tzPy7EffDAPclPdvvEqXWEuQGfx7NKz_cdmpGN0n08NI9k9sKYE5GuriH4yxLQGW-oAruH5JnlCw9P1CQ6SelqTStt7yJUNN_4Th_EDIhCw9HZiZHA/s1600/2015-01-15+22.42.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vg6RgYaPlF85E93bMuy8tzPy7EffDAPclPdvvEqXWEuQGfx7NKz_cdmpGN0n08NI9k9sKYE5GuriH4yxLQGW-oAruH5JnlCw9P1CQ6SelqTStt7yJUNN_4Th_EDIhCw9HZiZHA/s1600/2015-01-15+22.42.47.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knightley and Emma</td></tr>
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And the dogs are still here and still taking care of me. Knightley learns more about helping me with my deafness every day. Recently he caught on to letting me know if I leave the water running in the sink. I can't hear it and he comes to get me if I go away from the sink and leave the faucet turned on. I can't count the number of times he has gotten me out of the way of cars along the road. Emma remains the most loving of creatures and the best foot warmer at night you would ever want. Her favorite evening is stitching group; she adores seeing everyone!<br />
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<b></b>Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-89620056548227675422014-04-09T15:37:00.003-04:002015-02-03T19:15:28.936-05:00Heading to Bedford, Virginia, for the Olde Liberty Fibre Faire<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1526226_10152048508631546_4897512337285538934_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1526226_10152048508631546_4897512337285538934_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sebastian, Hand dyed clouds of carded Tunis wool</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am in hopes, after such a long winter, that spring is finally coming to Squirrel Spur Road. Things have been busy; with one thing and another I have mostly been working for the past month. A fiber festival in Bedford, Virginia, is coming up this Saturday and it has been a frantic time getting new fiber and yarns ready to sell. Then I made yet another move with the business, to 12134 Squirrel Spur Road, and that entailed work that I hadn't really anticipated fitting into my schedule. I opened the shop this past weekend, and hours will be from 10 AM to 5 PM Friday, Saturday and Sunday the rest of this month, then 10 AM to 5 PM Thursday through Monday from May on. I will be sharing the building with another business, </span><a href="http://www.mountainmeadowcrafts.com/" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Mountain Meadow Farm and Craft Market</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. The location is very good; the space a good bit smaller and I'm really juggling to get everything looking good in my spots. This is just a few feet away from the last location and my old house on Squirrel Spur Road.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Knightley learning about horses on our walk</b></td></tr>
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Daffodils are blooming, forsythia is starting to blossom and I'm seeing a haze of red and green buds on the trees as we walk every morning and evening. The chickens are laying well and the coop needs cleaning. Hoping to do that tomorrow after carding a lot of fiber that needs to be finished for the festival. After this week I hope things settle down a bit into our regular schedule. I've missed a few walks with the dogs and that's never good!<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-47756114328442111862014-03-11T08:14:00.003-04:002014-03-11T08:14:55.923-04:00Springing Forward<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGS3aJ4iDMK7TejwaMh9rOhy8eyTGdcol_mnXUfWhRPsAcc_VnCXr1vVTwHb8r_K6WreFxDnJuNWLVEipXdlSTjP0kCkdmUZgdWm7JfO3wzlcdsRwAPJes9eV60QOUoJjVw2iLg/s1600/snowspin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUGS3aJ4iDMK7TejwaMh9rOhy8eyTGdcol_mnXUfWhRPsAcc_VnCXr1vVTwHb8r_K6WreFxDnJuNWLVEipXdlSTjP0kCkdmUZgdWm7JfO3wzlcdsRwAPJes9eV60QOUoJjVw2iLg/s1600/snowspin.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spinning Retreat at Hawks Nest State Park, West Virginia </td></tr>
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The cycle of the year is continuing with days filled with lots of work, sunshine, walking dogs and tending chickens. We took a wonderful break from winter chores to attend the Fibernet spinning retreat at Hawks Nest at the end of last month and truly enjoyed every minute.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvS-An3y4iXr8KMvO42CGaihlbMx8asIl8oM5NmPpAEHmeD_FqmY3yHl7poDw7JFIlaUZu5Pg12NTSdczA1yJw7iOGaoBWmg-kCp1B_mf89XM6OWfmezgyGYP6TM8Ih37dhZvPA/s1600/snowagain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlvS-An3y4iXr8KMvO42CGaihlbMx8asIl8oM5NmPpAEHmeD_FqmY3yHl7poDw7JFIlaUZu5Pg12NTSdczA1yJw7iOGaoBWmg-kCp1B_mf89XM6OWfmezgyGYP6TM8Ih37dhZvPA/s1600/snowagain.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another snowy morning </td></tr>
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After we came home we were hit with another snow but it wasn't as much as the storm before. When I looked out that morning a half dozen bright red cardinals were decorating the scene. Now the snow is gone and a killdeer is seeking out a place for nesting in the field above the shop. Robins have been sorting out their territories for awhile and I'm waiting to see the first red-winged blackbirds near the creek on the farm.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYdzaT2eg13h09VtWh9J3f0sO0ZQBuQLaJgchk4s6LaoVeSdf4a2Hb3NlaobT5vFdSa3Y9_7_dmgeNx7D9Ke8_VN6Ey5TrK3YqYYqv3_VIUd7YgwmkbZ9S7iqUog_jECLzDnijw/s1600/snowplaying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZYdzaT2eg13h09VtWh9J3f0sO0ZQBuQLaJgchk4s6LaoVeSdf4a2Hb3NlaobT5vFdSa3Y9_7_dmgeNx7D9Ke8_VN6Ey5TrK3YqYYqv3_VIUd7YgwmkbZ9S7iqUog_jECLzDnijw/s1600/snowplaying.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keeping busy on a cold day </td></tr>
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Each of the dogs gets at least one walk a day on leash and when there is time we try to fit more walks into the routine. I have a wonderful friend who goes with me sometimes and then both dogs can have individual attention while we walk and talk. During the summer last year I took both for the morning walk but I can't quite manage it if the weather is slick or snowy. Since Knightley is older and discipline is very important with him, I may continue the walks alone with each of them. Emma enjoys having me to herself during her walk, I think. She gets to sleep with me and enjoys cuddle time along with Knightley but she also likes having the walk with me to share her little adventure. The dogs spent a lot of time playing with each other and their toys while I'm working. It seems that they are content as long as I'm nearby.<br />
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Thoughts of spring with ideas for planting and decorating mean a shift from the winter chores of hauling in wood and working on the computer. I've been spinning like mad, realizing that it will soon be time to open the shop and I need to have things ready. A lot of new things will be going into the shop, including some nice spinning related jewelry and a few good tools. Getting excited about opening and seeing people again after a long hard winter despite all the work involved in getting ready. Hope to see you there!<br />
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<b>What I'm spinning</b>: Plying hand dyed turquoise Tunis wool singles<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ojo-de-dios-shawl" target="_blank">Ojo de Dios Shawl</a><br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: Hibernating<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: Easy mysteries and light novels<br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b>Old albums from my teenage years found on Spotify<br />
<b>How the diet is going: </b>Working too hard to pay attention!Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-79745892423983539162014-02-14T09:15:00.000-05:002014-02-14T09:15:51.515-05:00Snow Days<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnX1DDHEan6L7Qni7tyCb9NgFxsYbxJHxLUiqUOtPEJSVXYo6z37gnuT7QeBZ-PXnc2GhJMj6lprYCEJM2rxiCcK1T-eN0yQu0gOncyDUoDQerY62fPgCJH80A4Va6dXsm8zmdQ/s1600/1660685_10151831037021685_718758311_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxnX1DDHEan6L7Qni7tyCb9NgFxsYbxJHxLUiqUOtPEJSVXYo6z37gnuT7QeBZ-PXnc2GhJMj6lprYCEJM2rxiCcK1T-eN0yQu0gOncyDUoDQerY62fPgCJH80A4Va6dXsm8zmdQ/s1600/1660685_10151831037021685_718758311_n.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow Days on Concord Road</td></tr>
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Two days of snow in Meadows of Dan resulted in 22 inches in our sheltered nook on Concord road. The wind blew during the storm and there are some drifts that are much deeper. As anyone knows that lives a country life, that much snow makes doing chores and tending animals much more difficult. Since the chickens are a mile away up on Squirrel Spur, it was a real challenge to make sure they were cared for yesterday. Fortunately one of the members of the chicken coop co-op enjoys cross country skiing. He has taken over morning duties and with the warmer temperatures that came along with the snow twice a day visits seem to be keeping the chickens comfortable.<br />
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I shoveled a path to the wood pile yesterday but the continuing snow filled it up again almost immediately. The path I made last night is mostly uncovered still, though. Yesterday afternoon I loaded a backpack with water for the chickens and broke through the drifts in the driveway to head over and tend the chickens for the evening. Fortunately a snow plow had gone down the road once on Wednesday so the snow on the road was only about 8 inches deep. Otherwise I would never have made it to the farm. The drifts were deep across the fields and it was something of a chore to make it to the coop and then to the house to take the eggs in, but I managed just fine, feeding the farm cat along the way. The skiing friend came along while I was discovering, to my dismay, that the freezer at the house is no longer working. More food for the chickens, unfortunately!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQasqhEZ5v8MhCseoQSbAGN4wQ46cG46yO7GJsw6hgnYBWiIaPrp4y58mcPHoG_eZ09dgk_bdh3yi8IlIn4eozElMDJ23yKQ02frws2M3jDYeGsVJYz55aoUKk7pO0826KtUNSA/s1600/snow+dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQasqhEZ5v8MhCseoQSbAGN4wQ46cG46yO7GJsw6hgnYBWiIaPrp4y58mcPHoG_eZ09dgk_bdh3yi8IlIn4eozElMDJ23yKQ02frws2M3jDYeGsVJYz55aoUKk7pO0826KtUNSA/s1600/snow+dog.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow Knightley</td></tr>
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The dogs love the snow and play so hard that they are exhausted and quiet when they finally come inside. Which is nice for me and Linda, my new roommate. Knightley is doing very well with his hearing dog training. We've just started teaching him to alert me when someone says my name and he has caught on very quickly.<br />
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<b style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;">What I'm spinning</b><span style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;">: Hand dyed Jacob wool</span><br style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;" /><b style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;">What I'm knitting</b><span style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;">: A couple of projects started but little time to work on them.</span><br style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;" /><b style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;">What I'm crocheting</b><span style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;">: All hibernating</span><br style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;" /><b style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;">What I'm reading</b><span style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;">: Some mysteries, a history of King Henry VIII</span><br style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;" /><b style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;">Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b><span style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;">Inspector Morse mystery series.</span><br style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;" /><b style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;">How the diet is going: </b><span style="background-color: #c0a154; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.285999298095703px;">Behaving fairly well.</span>Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-70959650415683212542014-02-11T16:35:00.002-05:002014-02-11T16:35:32.892-05:00Winter in Meadows of Dan<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhChoK_iK3sPgAikywRw2toX88zOsr_clyBZUhef3RP2KhYn0xg4VZ2rSjspaWMf24r0H7tRF7J_kTIiFeiIZFATGm5SNFoX8rn1069gty1VEelN_oQaAsazVKR0XDMENEBZuawxA/s1600/Knightley+proud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhChoK_iK3sPgAikywRw2toX88zOsr_clyBZUhef3RP2KhYn0xg4VZ2rSjspaWMf24r0H7tRF7J_kTIiFeiIZFATGm5SNFoX8rn1069gty1VEelN_oQaAsazVKR0XDMENEBZuawxA/s1600/Knightley+proud.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proud Knightley<br /></td></tr>
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The forecast is for snow tomorrow. Despite our bitterly cold temperatures, we haven't had a significant snow event, as they call it these days. The wood pile is covered and there is a stack of wood waiting by the wood stove; I'm planning to take extra water over for the chickens in a little while so I won't have to carry it through the deep drifts that we might get if the snow they predict does happen. Right now the sky seems clear, although it is certainly cold enough for all sorts of interesting winter weather.<br />
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This morning was cold so I waited a little later than usual to tend the chickens, walking with Emma across the frozen field. When we got to the farm the two feral dogs that have been cruising the community for a year were down near the barn. These two dogs were abandoned by their owners and had to make shift to take care of themselves for awhile until a kind neighbor had them trapped and paid for shots and to have them spayed and neutered. They are still so wild that he cannot pet them despite trying to help them and feeding them for so long. Emma attacked one of them last summer for being in our yard and they don't come very near the house anymore.<br />
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It was obvious from their dog body language that the two dogs were guarding something down in the field. Recently we lost a couple of chickens, somehow, to some sort of animal and I was concerned that yet another might have fallen victim, this time to the dogs. The pen is very secure, however, and so is the chicken house; at least I really don't think dogs could get in. I secured Emma and walked down toward where the dogs were sitting. The black spotted one (they appear to be cattle dog mixes) headed up the pumpkin patch toward Concord Road when he saw me but the brown spotted female was more reluctant to leave her prize. She picked up up and trotted with it a few steps before fear overcame her and she left it.<br />
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When I got close enough I could see that their meal was a freshly killed adult wild rabbit. I moved away immediately on seeing what it was, concerned that the dogs would abandon their meal. The brown dog stopped at the edge of the pumpkin patch and dropped to the ground, then rolled over in what looked like a submissive gesture a good distance away from me. Was she asking me not to take her precious food? Or was she asking permission to retrieve it? She got to her feet and then bowed to me, as if to play. I went inside the chicken house and looked out a few moments later to see her pick up her rabbit and trot quickly across the field, to remove it to a safer and more private spot.<br />
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These dogs do have a safe place to sleep, when they chose to do so, at the home of their friend who is trying to help them. I hope they head there before the snow comes, if it happens, and are comfortable during the storm. I put the dogs situation in the little book I wrote,<i> A Knightley's Tale</i>, and compared their lives to what my two pampered pets experience. They do have fun and seem as happy as dogs can be that are so frightened all the time, but their lives are in constant jeopardy from speeding cars, other dogs, coyotes, bears and illness. I'm not sure the freedom is worth the pain for dogs in this world these days. I am watching my two, healthy, romping in the floor and surrounded by their toys, secure that they are loved and a meal will be waiting for them if it's time. The two feral dogs have a chance at a happy home but fear holds them back; they just can't bring themselves to trust the people that would care for them. It's sad to think that their experience of humans has been so painful.<br />
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<b>What I'm spinning</b>: Hand dyed Jacob wool<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: A couple of projects started but little time to work on them.<br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: All hibernating<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: Some mysteries, a history of King Henry VIII<br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b>Inspector Morse mystery series.<br />
<b>How the diet is going: </b>Behaving fairly well.Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-70303344897717560652014-01-28T08:34:00.001-05:002014-01-28T08:34:13.859-05:00Tending and Spinning and Knitting<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpllZU-idR3_VUieVh85uDUUliUVVDOl9213zZf-l4WSOfJCpYfkrVqfzeopH3LWzozKmc7I_Wduw7vqQpiz_x6eM4cRRsGixfFU8LuZMEbBmJzDeZEEbM_k4BimfF8zy8F-oag/s1600/texel+yarn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMpllZU-idR3_VUieVh85uDUUliUVVDOl9213zZf-l4WSOfJCpYfkrVqfzeopH3LWzozKmc7I_Wduw7vqQpiz_x6eM4cRRsGixfFU8LuZMEbBmJzDeZEEbM_k4BimfF8zy8F-oag/s1600/texel+yarn.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand spun worsted weight Texel wool yarn </td></tr>
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And at last I have been spinning. Winter is halfway over and I really need to have some new yarns to sell this year at the shop. I don't think I produced a single new yarn this past year, what with one thing and another. Not good! This is a lovely, lofty yarn spun from Texel wool. Texel is a heritage breed from the Netherlands. I helped at the sheep shearing day and bought the fleece, then had it processed into roving. I dyed this a couple of years ago and decided it was time to spin it late last fall. I started spinning but got distracted and finally got back to it the last couple of days. One skein already sold and one is left at my Greenberry House <a href="http://www.greenberryhouse.com/shop" target="_blank">web site</a>.<br />
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Now I'm spinning some Jacob wool that I dyed in pink and yellow. The wool was some I got online cheap because the farmer had let the sheep lay in pine shavings on shearing day. That wasn't much of a problem, but the wool isn't a very good quality, either. So I'm spinning it myself rather than try to sell it to someone. With work it's spinning into a nice yarn. My cousin carded it for me over the summer and she did a good job with it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeebM_ggo_lAx8KU0Y43eKAr431xa2DUY_FWbvY_cqETgBhaxeQyChrl1dQRYV2ecvMIktiDDJpCKZM8AUNxT5qYGgErxdiWmQR5ha4C5W-Jhyphenhyphenh5xUEhih5y5TGepmJaDMVSzaDg/s1600/0122141452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeebM_ggo_lAx8KU0Y43eKAr431xa2DUY_FWbvY_cqETgBhaxeQyChrl1dQRYV2ecvMIktiDDJpCKZM8AUNxT5qYGgErxdiWmQR5ha4C5W-Jhyphenhyphenh5xUEhih5y5TGepmJaDMVSzaDg/s1600/0122141452.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paula Reversible Poncho</td></tr>
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And I have been knitting. I have been knitting when I should have been spinning, but I fell in love with this pattern and found that I had some gray wool yarn and a laceweight cone that I could knit along with the gray for some sparks of color. I really like how it turned out. This is the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/paula-7" target="_blank">Paula Reversible Poncho</a> by Lene Holme Samsøe and can be found in the book Essentially Feminine Knits. I made it a little longer than the pattern calls for. If I make it again I would do the increases a bit different. Doing them as the pattern says along the purl stitches of the rib shows and makes a bit of a break in the smoothness of the rib.<br />
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It has been an unusually cold January and that has made it easier to stay in and get work done along with the spinning and knitting. I'm still walking the dogs up as often as I can to tend to the chickens but the colder days aren't as much fun. Today it's snowing and very cold but it's lovely to see out the window. The chickens are doing well with the weather so far with some management from the co-op. I go up three times a day most days and the others check in during the day to replace frozen water and check for the eggs. This makes it much easier, of course! I'm looking forward to the summer when I can be with the chickens more and let them out into the yard to roam and find fresh nibbles for themselves.<br />
<br />Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-4761945312633490262014-01-16T11:33:00.000-05:002014-01-16T11:33:00.113-05:00Snow at Last!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow in Meadows of Dan</td></tr>
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We finally had some snow yesterday afternoon and into the evening. Not a lot but by the middle of January we have often had a good bit more snow than we've seen this year. With the cold temperatures, it seems that we deserve to at least see some pretty along with the chill.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAL7cI9jQT4RWq8X-YdGsMVuSKgeJ-yk6JX7wGEWFd8ReqFFfeUKhRx9V65Y1wXyODvd7tUcL3DXFetfCL9LSAtaNHdtjmowL1OBcHx6xzJD2e_w6Eap1-paxM0dtttY9s2Yj8qQ/s1600/2014-01-16+10.15.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAL7cI9jQT4RWq8X-YdGsMVuSKgeJ-yk6JX7wGEWFd8ReqFFfeUKhRx9V65Y1wXyODvd7tUcL3DXFetfCL9LSAtaNHdtjmowL1OBcHx6xzJD2e_w6Eap1-paxM0dtttY9s2Yj8qQ/s1600/2014-01-16+10.15.15.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning chores with the chickens</td></tr>
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It was 13 degrees when I got up this morning so I waited until after the sun had been up quite awhile before I went to let the chickens out. Their dirt run was snowed over so I spread out some hay we had tucked away to cover up the snow and mud. I thought I had spread it out better than this but by the time I had a chance to take the picture the chickens had been doing some housekeeping and rearranging of the hay. Even though the air temperature was just 19, melting ice was dripping off the edge of the coop overhang.<br />
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We saw lots of tracks in the new snow as I walked with Emma along Concord Road. She is mostly head down, nose alert, along the way. Sometimes I wonder if she has a mental image to connect with all the scents she discovers. Does she know that this scent means a fox, or that one a deer? I know she has seen deer and squirrels and mice, but I don't know that she has seen every animal that crosses our path. She finds some scents so exciting that she vibrates over them, curly tail electrified. Others are merely worth a sniff and a glance. Often she ignores the tracks I can see in favor of a trail invisible. A squirrel scampered across the road in front of us this morning, leaving the corn maze for the shelter of the little woods.<br />
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Today will be a day of catching up and cleaning house. The dogs are sleeping sound after a big romp in the snow and the wood stove is crackling. The sun outside is already melting the snow away and the sky is a brilliant blue.<br />
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<b>What I'm spinning</b>: Hand dyed Border Springs Farm Texel Roving<br />
<b>What I'm knitting</b>: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/paula-7" target="_blank">Paula Reversible Poncho</a> by Lena Holme Samsoe<br />
<b>What I'm crocheting</b>: Everything is resting<br />
<b>What I'm reading</b>: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12959658-calling-invisible-women?ac=1" target="_blank">Calling Invisible Women</a> by Jeanne Ray<br />
<b>Current sounds & sights for spinning along: </b>Campion Mystery series<br />
<b>How the diet is going: </b>Lots of exerciseLeslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11197135.post-17161089162267576932014-01-08T16:24:00.001-05:002014-01-08T16:24:12.809-05:00Bitter Weather<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiquE_W3fJbGoyQu6552Hn7NAK_6QiS4BbS2pmKqg7Xho7XJmKvAskYhl4m8brIjB0hzOAJx1v1J-rpy5hZxPQ3r7eqDvrVBNbjUZ_73IZ6uvt2SLx-abion8sepZBa8_Frhnalsg/s1600/Concord+creek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiquE_W3fJbGoyQu6552Hn7NAK_6QiS4BbS2pmKqg7Xho7XJmKvAskYhl4m8brIjB0hzOAJx1v1J-rpy5hZxPQ3r7eqDvrVBNbjUZ_73IZ6uvt2SLx-abion8sepZBa8_Frhnalsg/s1600/Concord+creek.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ice along Concord Creek</td></tr>
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Like most of the rest of North America, Meadows of Dan saw some bitter temperatures and high winds yesterday. I watched the thermometer drop to nine below zero through Monday night but the preparations I made for myself and the animals kept us all safe. The dogs have been very patient with the extremely short walks we've been taking and I suppose they instinctively knew that the weather was dangerously cold. The chickens spent yesterday in the coop with the windows and doors closed, and they got extra visits from the coop co-op while I was given a ride up to take care of them during the morning hours.<br />
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The highest temperature for the day that I saw was 10 above, but the van started and I was able to go over to the shop and collect more wood when I tended the chickens in the afternoon. While everything was fine in the house where I live, there was a problem over at the farm where the shop is. The water to my sister-in-law's house froze down in the spring house. This has happened to my side of the system before, during the winter we had so much snow, so I imagine I know what happened. When my part froze, it was because the water was turned off on Sue's side. Their pipe froze back into my lines. Since I turned off the water to the shop in November, I imagine that the same thing happened, in reverse, when the bitter cold hit Monday night. My brother came over when he saw me stacking the wood and we went down in the basement to turn the pump off. Going into my basement is an adventure, because the stairs collapsed awhile back and I need to use a ladder. Since I only go down there about twice a year, I haven't been too worried about replacing the stairway. I'd like to do some remodeling of that part of the house but finances haven't allowed yet.<br />
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I left my poor brother fighting his way past the briers into the spring house. Been there and done that numerous times myself, so I headed home to tend the fire and take Knightley for a short walk before it got so desperately cold again. My brother is a bluegrass musician, Sammy Shelor, so this will give you a peek at the glamour of a musician's life. Someday I will have to tell the story of the day I went to pick him up after he had been working on the band bus exhaust system.<br />
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Several people had frozen pipes in their houses but as far as I know most people managed OK during the cold. It is unusual for us to see such cold temperatures here in Meadows of Dan, although the year I moved into the house on the farm we saw 18 below zero and every pipe in that house shattered. Today things have warmed up a lot and we're supposed to see much warmer temperatures and rain for the weekend. Much easier walking dogs and tending chickens when that happens!<br />
<br />Leslie Shelorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04628795421403196341noreply@blogger.com1