Saturday Sky....and Festival!

Saturday Sky Over the Corn Maze and Festival

Everyone is getting ready for the big day. The "Corn Acoustics!" corn maze is opening for the season and there is lots going on down on the festival grounds this morning. Everyone seems happy and ready for a big crowd, despite a few problems. The wind whipped through and snatched a popup away from a couple trying to put it up. Tom Perry of the Free State of Patrick and I ran to catch it and I left him helping them put it back together. It's standing in the picture, anyway.

We had a lovely and heavy rain last night and now there are cool breezes. I went up to Maple Shade Road to drop in on a fantastic yard sale and they told me up there we had two and a half inches of rain. Lovely! I scored some neat things for the shop, more clothes for me (I love thrift stores and yard sales) and some really cool strappy platform shoes.


Greenberry's Alessandro

I rarely have to take a rabbit back once it finds a new home, but occasionally people have life changes and it becomes hard to take care of pets. Sandy has been living north of Roanoke with a lovely lady that really appreciated and took care of him, but she has developed severe allergies to his coat and was beginning to have problems shearing him. I've always told my buyers that I will take a bunny back rather than have it be in a situation that would be difficult for owner and rabbit. And I was glad to see this boy. He's a chocolate agouti from one of my favorite lines. And his former owner and I had a terrific visit when she brought him down. Fiber people are just excellent!

Shearing, Shearing, Shearing!

Woolybuns Snickers

It's still hot. Not as bad as some locations but much warmer than we're used to. I've been busy shearing rabbits as hard as I can, both at home on my days off and here at the shop. Everyone needs to be comfortable for these unusual August days!

When I'm not working with naked buns I've been busy printing hand out flyers for this Saturday's Meadows of Dan Folk Fair, and helping Sue with some advertising for her new shop. The Mountain Meadow Farm and Craft Market is open for business, now in a charming little shop just down Squirrel Spur. I went to see yesterday and had to buy a gorgeous hand made tote. Y'all go visit!

Just down the road...

Pretty, viney, flowery stuff; don't know what it is.


White Yarrow


Sweet Peas


Lovely Lilies in Mom's Garden

And here at home:


Bunny at breakfast!

New Babies in the Bunny House!

Time for Fun!


Things to do, people to see...


Let's Have Breakfast!


We're getting sleepy!

Yarns...and Yarns

Fiber on the Mountain Yarns

Jane from Fiber on the Mountain has fallen into the routine of coming up here for a visit every couple of weeks. We have a wonderful time talking and she knits away at great projects while we chat. Socks and the "Wonderful Wallaby" are current projects. This week she brought some more gorgeous hand spun yarns for the shop. Beautiful wools, Corriedale, vibrant colors, ah! She just emailed about scoring some wonderful mohair; looking forward to her creation from those dyed locks!


More Fiber on the Mountain Hand Spun

I'm really eyeing the pink and green yarns in the first photo, and I think my partner Sandra would love the bright greens in the second one. I like to watch what grabs people; it's fun to see how different things appeal! Jane works with soft colors and bright, both with style!


Bilbo's Birthday Party

Linda stopped by on her way to sing somewhere, and left this absolutely wonderful skein of hand spun yarn. The colors are amazing, lots of sparkle, just like Linda! It's beautifully spun and has a lot of character. She also brought a lovely skein of deep, deep chocolate!

News from the bunny barn:

Two nice litters are growing in the nest box. Lucy kindled yesterday and pulled enough wool for three nest boxes. I dug around in it and found her five bunnies; then I took a lot of the wool out to save for later and made a smaller nest so she could find the babies to feed them! Bell is taking good care of her nice little ones. I like litters of five or six; easier on mom and not so much competition among the babies.

Busy days at the shop, and now that this issue of Fiber Femmes is up I need to get to work on my web page.

Saturday Sky...and Stuff!

Saturday Sky

We had a storm last night. Lily huddled on the bed shivering while lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. I didn't think it was as wild as it can get sometimes but Lily wasn't happy about it! I had to dash up to the shop to cover the books on the front porch and unplug the computer, just in case.

This morning the light is strange, and everything outside looks very bright. Inside the colors are muted and soft. There's a lot of traffic already;hope it's a busy day! I'm finally putting Fiber Femmes up for May/June; it's a nice issue!

Bell delivered her litter of bunnies, right in the nest box, just like she should have. She's a little protective of them; this is her first litter and she didn't want me to look last night. This morning I gave her a carrot to distract her and inspected the bunnies. There are six well-fed little ones in the nest: three that look like they will be white and three that should be black. Before I was finished with them Bell came over and watched me put them back. I think she's proud of them!


Greenberry House T-Shirts

I finally got some dyeing done. Not yarn or fiber this time, though. I decided I wanted to do something more with the beautiful logo that favorite cousin designed for me, and hope that t-shirts might be interesting to some buyers. I dyed them myself and did an iron-on transfer. They look pretty nice, except in the picture they should be blue instead of green!

Spring Morning

Shady nook

After another foggy morning the sun is out bright and the sky is wonderfully blue, with big puffy clouds drifting lazily over town. I got out early with the dogs and let them romp through wet grass while the owl-eyed cats hovered near their food dish.


Baby leaves

This is one of my favorite times. The leaves are just coming out on the trees. Bright greens, pale greens, yellows and golden tans; each tree is an individual right now. The shapes will soften into deeper green later.

Bell is busy making a nest in the bunny house; so there may be babies later today!

Spring Frolic, Reynolds Homestead

My booth; it was too wet to bring a lot

Yesterday was the long awaited "Spring Frolic", held every year at the Reynolds Homestead. I haven't been able to go in years; May 5 seems to be the busiest day on the calendar. Hope it didn't rain on all the folks at Maryland Sheep and Wool!

It didn't rain much at the festival, but it was cloudy and cool all day. Not many people came out, at least not as many as usual, apparently. Too cool and too wet. The folks that came out had fun, though. There were quite a few kids and they really liked seeing Gem, the rabbit I brought. And the beautiful alpacas from Hope Springs Farm in Willis. Because I was in the booth, I didn't get to see much of the other activities, but there was a sheep shearing, music, and dancing around a Maypole. There was also a Civil War encampment out past the cemetery.

I met an old friend, and I think she's going to come to the stitching group next time. Also saw lots of other people I knew and caught up on some news. And I got lots of spinning done! The little upright wheel cooperated beautifully; maybe I have finally figured out how to use it!

Gem didn't enjoy the festival much. She's not as outgoing as some of the rabbits but she was the only one that wasn't sheared. I had a feeling that she wouldn't be as friendly as some of them. Gem handled the situation well, though, and I gave her some rest time hiding under a basket in the carrier. Little kids can be a bit sudden, for a rabbit.

Cloudy again today, with flashes of sunlight and some blue sky making me hopeful that the rain is leaving for awhile!

Around Greenberry House

Bunnies on the wall

Spring is finally making an effort and all day yesterday I saw beautiful blooms and smelled fresh grass mowed along the way. There's nothing better than wandering around Floyd, Patrick and Carroll Counties. No pictures from the drive, sorry, but I took some after I got home!

The bunny plaque I won at a Christmas party; my sister-in-law had taken it there hoping I'd get it. I never win anything, so I was astonished when the right number came up. Come to think of it, I won another plaque at a meeting the other night. I knew who had been president during the Depression. Maybe my luck is changing!


Green Meadows

Everything is suddenly green. Dandelions and violets are nestled in the growing grass and the dogs are romping around every morning in dew that soaks us all. The rabbits are getting some play-time outside, and I'm having to be careful about the sudden richness in greenery. Lots of dandelions, though, for treats!


Greenberry's Blueberry Bell

And more pictures are on my web page. There are a few missing and I need to get them out into the sunshine for a photo op.

Just did a review of a wonderful book, The Autobiography of God by Julius Lester. Amazing and thought-provoking writer.

I love Jacob!

Natural Colored Jacob Hand Spun Yarn

Jacob wool, that is. Sorry, I don't have a new beau hanging around. But I just finished spinning up a beautiful Jacob fleece from Perfect Spot Farm, and I enjoyed every minute of the processing, spinning and plying. Instead of sending this fleece away to have it washed and made into roving, I washed it myself and just spun it on the Reeves wheel after fluffing the dried locks up a little. The varigation worked out well in the plying; there are some white patches, some dark lengths and lots of the brown and white "barber pole" effect. I have another fleece I was going to send away to have made into roving but this worked out so well I may just go ahead and spin it! My next fleece, though, will be some of a light brown Corriedale that I bought a couple of years ago from Rising Meadow Farm. I'm thinking to ply it with some fawn angora blended with camel fiber. Currently on the wheel is some bright purple commerical merino.

Busy week so far. On the farm on Tuesday I sheared two beautiful rabbits and cleaned a few cages and trays. In the spring a young doe's thoughts turn to motherhood, if not romance. So while I was cleaning I popped Greenberry's Lucy in with Wollybuns Hop Sing. They're both lovely pure Germans and they seemed to be interested in parenthood. So in about a month I should have a lovely litter of pure Germans. I also sheared beautiful Bell, and bred her to my cheerful little Greenberry's Cricket. With the attractive personalities of the parents, this litter should be delightful!

Yesterday was wet, cool and foggy. I got up early and took Lily down the mountain for our walk, but the rains came and we had to turn back. The wet weather didn't discourage favorite cousin and I from the trip we had planned. RJ wanted to go out to Burk's Garden in Tazewell County, so we headed out yesterday morning. On the way I stopped in at deBeez House of Yarn in Hillsville (have to get a yarn shop in there somewhere) and had a nice visit with the owner, Deb Worrell. She has some very nice commercial yarns and I'll be going back when the stash dwindles a little for purse yarns. Good prices and a nice lady. I invited her to our knitting group, which we hope to have gathering here at the shop on Thursdays at 5:30 PM. The first meeting is scheduled for May 3.

Our trip to Tazewell was lovely, if a bit damp. I didn't get any pictures because of the fog but if you're ever in the Tazewell area it's a beautiful place. I always enjoy the trip up and back. We wandered around Burk's Garden, which is a wonderful and secluded area of lovely farms on top of a mountain. RJ says the theory is that the place was once a large cavern on top of a mountain that collapsed.

This morning it is beautiful, sunny, breezy and a bit warmer. I've been watching light fluffy clouds float past; I would swear that a couple of them were dragons in disguise!

April Fools!

'cause I reckon y'all thought I was dead all this time. Nope, just busy getting the shop all ready to open up today. And, of course, the weather is miserable. Wet, foggy and typical for a mountain spring!


Greenberry House, Meadows of Dan, Virginia

The pansies look cheerful on the porch, anyway, even though I'm not tempted to sit outside and spin today. Earlier today I couldn't even see the big white church across the road. Now the fog has lifted a little and is just drifting along the edge of the woods behind the church, stretching lazy tendrils out across the suddenly green grass.


Cozy place to sit on a chilly spring day.

It's hard to get any work done, with such a nice spot to curl up with a good book or my crocheting. But I must blog, and put some books on the internet, and maybe some postcards. I spent the morning updating the business web site, sadly neglected this winter! I have a lot more to do, but I did get some links up to showcase the wonderful yarn and fiber producers that have their yarn here.


Come by for a visit, and be sure to fondle the yarn!

I've had a lovely couple of weeks with folks coming by with their wares and just staying awhile for a chat. Jane came up from North Carolina again last week and we had a wonderful time talking, spinning, knitting and crocheting. Jane is making beautiful socks from her wonderful yarns.

A neighbor, Sandra from Atlantic Breeze Alpacas, brought wine, bread and cheese one evening, and we toasted each other with the beautiful wine glasses gifted me in the previous post. We spent more time talking than setting up her beautiful booth, but now her gorgeous yarns are displayed in tidy baskets and look wonderful. She also brought pictures of the alpacas!


Books, and books, and prints, and postcards, and....

There are more books than ever, in spite of the fact that I sort of squished down the collectibles section into the book room. Lots of the stuff is in storage, again. Someday the building down at the house will be built. I keep saying that, don't I?

Other projects, which I don't have a picture for, have been spinning Jacob wool on the Reeves and crocheting a couple of slip-stitch purses. And we've been doing other stuff; my friend and I took last Saturday off and went for a six mile walk on the New River Trail. We had a wonderful time; Kym took Bentley and Lily came along with me. Bentley wouldn't stand still for a picture but Lily posed nicely with me. Unfortunately!


Incentive to lose more weight!

Edited to add: While Jane was here we did some photographs for the Chicken Soup camera project. Mom was nice enough to come up to take the pictures, and stayed to visit for a few minutes:


Laid-back Bunny

This is how easy-going a German cross can be; Bluebell has always had plenty of confidence!

Maybe Winter Is Over...

Pussy willows in the garden!

and I can start blogging again! I've really missed making my entries, and even more I've missed all the other blogs that I usually read every morning! I can't wait to get back into my blog routine, but there are a few more weeks ahead before I can really settle into that. I've made a few sporadic visits lately but not many!

What have I been doing? Some fun things, really. Maggie Alexander from Maggie's Farm in New York asked me to redesign her web page. It was a lot of fun, especially since Maggie is a wonderful photographer and her pictures of the farm and animals really make the page. Go on over and check it out; she has stuff for sale! I'm especially looking forward to trying out some of her lavender soap!

I also had fun designing another web page; this one for a friend in Richmond that is selling log home kits. So if you're in the market for a gorgeous log cabin, go visit her new web site. And even if you don't have a log cabin in your immediate future, the pictures are lovely!


Two little purses, a chenille scarf and a basket of hand spun Corriedale

And we got the March/April 2007 issue of Fiber Femmes up, a couple of days late because Sandra and I were both fighting the plague. Sandra did an amazing job as usual of getting great articles and patterns together. My contribution was the pattern for the little purple purse in the photo above.

And I made another little purse, plus a scarf for me from Dovetail Farms chenille (I think they did the dyeing) and I spun up the last of the Corriedale roving I had. This will go into the dye pot later when I have some more spinning completed.


Jacob Wool from Avillion Farm

Most mornings I'm spending up here at the shop, with afternoons reserved for harvesting some gorgeous angora wool on rabbits that are due for shearing again. I try to get most of them done in December so that in the coldest months, January and February, they have a nice coat. But now everyone is going to need to be sheared in March and April. The good thing is that the does will have short coats when they have bunnies in May! And in the evenings I'm spinning, of course; right now some fun Jacob wool that should make some interesting yarn. I'm still working on filling my booth spaces at the shop; we have some shelving up and more to do this weekend.


Early Daffodils

I've been seeing signs of spring all around the farm, although we still take our morning walks in chilly breezes. Robins have been hopping around the fields for quite awhile, but yesterday a flock of red-winged blackbirds carpeted the ground under the apple tree in search of sunflower seeds dropped from the feeders. The old-fashioned daffodils are starting to bloom, and there are buds on every tree limb around the place. The cats are enjoying the warmth of the sun as the day goes on; I find them stretched out in warm nooks all over the farm.


And of course these two are still...on the couch!

Changes

Greenberry House New Look

I always think that winter will be slow and lazy and that I will get lots of contemplation and writing done. Well, winter is nearly over and it seems that there has always been so much to do, and weeks go by with not a blog read or entry!

After this first year at Greenberry House in a bricks and mortar store, I've decided to convert this little building into a yarn shop, featuring yarns and spinning fiber from quality small producers. A few people have signed up already for booth space, mostly from Virginia and North Carolina. I should have room for about ten vendors and I think this is a unique idea! If anyone is interested just give me a shout!


Woolybuns Crystal

It has finally warmed up enough to shear some rabbits, and I was able to relieve two of their gorgous heavy coats yesterday. Crystal is a very senior doe, but she seems to be in good health. There were a few days last fall when I was worried about her; she seemed a little unhappy. But maybe it was the changing weather because she has had a nice winter and had a terrific clip of gorgous wool. I also sheared Smudge, a black rabbit that came here from Abington, but I forgot to take his picture!


Rosy Cape

And I finished the special order cape; it's blocking now, which will probably take about a week! I was pleased with how it turned out and hope the customer likes it!

Bright winter day

Frost

It was four degrees this morning. Frost on the inside of the windows at the shop, so that's why you don't hear much from me in the winter; this is where the computer lives. Walked dogs this morning with tiny flakes of snow streaking through the air, brilliant in the sunshine.

I don't think even a bottle cozy would help today! And given the way the bottles fit into the cages, I think the rabbits would just eat the cozies. The problem with a rabbit bottle is that it has a narrow sipper tube, which the rabbit has to reach in order to drink. This freezes up first, and anything that any of us have come up with to defrost the tube the rabbits will chew up. I appreciate everyone's suggestions, though!

Winter is Here!

Crocheted Hat and Scarf

(Full sized photo on flickr, click on the smaller picture to see)

I keep thinking that things will slow down with the colder weather, but it seems there is always plenty to do. Walking with my friend in the morning under dusky skies with stars shining brittle in the cold air, tending rabbits in temperatures that make everything a little harder, settling in for spinning on a couple of special orders that require a good bit of yarn, playing with an energetic Lab to tire him out so he can take cozy naps with Lily on the couch, reading the wonderful books sent to me by my aunt and spending special time with other special people in my life. Throw in new plans for the business and some computer work to keep things going, and the winter is flying by as quickly as the summer!

Today it is so cold that I couldn't even take the water bottles back out to the rabbits; they're sipping from bowls and I have to take water down again a couple of times more throughout the day. Cyndy is right; if anyone ever does invent a really freezeless water bottle, they will make a fortune! The best course I've found so far is to have extra water bottles to keep in the house and swap them out through the day. This works most of the time, until we get a day like today, when the temperatures hover in the low 20s and the bottles freeze up immediately!

I've been spinning white angora blended with merino for a special order project; soft, soft, soft but kind of dull so there are no pictures. But in between spinning sessions, to brighten the day and rest my spinning arm, I crocheted up the hat and scarf above from the gorgeous yarn from the Yarn Snobs Swap. The pattern is called "Tennessee Hills" and is from The Little Box of Crocheted Hats and Scarves. The hat was a breeze to make; I crocheted a purple hat band from some left-over yarn for it. I made the scarf narrower and a bit longer than the pattern suggested. The colors are great in this set and match my favorite coat-sweater, which is unfortunately wearing out!

Yesterday we had snow flurries off and on all day, but today the sky is brilliant blue and the sun is shining. But a cold wind keeps temperatures down, and the wild birds are busy emptying the bird feeders. Thecats curl up on the back of the couch, idly watching and too cozy to care that sassy chickadees flutter scant inches away through the glass.

Saturday Sky

Cold Saturday Sky

My Saturday skies are kind of boring; all blue, blue, blue. Today is cold and windy; the bunny water bottles are frozen and the rabbits that were sheared this week have extra hay in nest boxes to huddle inside if they get cold!

Keeping water to animals in the winter is the hardest thing to deal with; today if it doesn't warm up I'll have to haul water down and put it in bowls. I don't like doing this because they spill it and I worry that they don't get enough. Fortunately we rarely have more than a day or two of really cold weather, and I'm usually able to put the bottles back in for most of the time.

The birds are now flocking to the feeders and this morning a sassy blue jay was lording over the favorite feeder while the smaller birds nipped in and out around him. A glorious cardinal brightens the gray branches of the apple tree.