2015 - Welcome!
I'm pleased to say I feel better today than I have so far this week. I ended 2014 with a truly horrible cold - or maybe a light case of the flu - I'm really not sure. No matter what you call this, I'm glad to be on the mend. Here is my update on the beginning of the new year.
The Animals - All are well. The goats, llamas and alpacas are spending tonight in the barn since it's been a raw ugly day today. The temperature has hovered in the low 40's with on and off rain and a light breeze which is pretty raw at these temperatures. We ran fecal checks at the beginning of December and only two of the goats needed to be treated. Yeah for us! The newest goats are fully integrated into the herd and everyone gets along as well as can be expected. Shakespeare and Bernadette are showing their age these days but still hold their own with the younger goats. Sadie, my crazy dog, is now two years old and continues to get more and more sociable. She does come when she's called occasionally now which is a huge step forward.
The Property - Is improving. I've still got the upper pasture blocked off because of the horrible infestation of sand burrs but we keep mowing and will fertilize in the spring. Ron has three boards to buy to replace broken boards in the fence. It's an ongoing battle with the elements and animals to keep the fences secure.
Spinning - I've gone back to the very first travel wheel I ever owned. The Ashford Joy was always wonderful to spin on but it had such small bobbins that it drove me crazy. I sold that wheel years ago and have been searching for my perfect travel wheel ever since. I don't really want to think about the number of travel wheels I've bought, traveled with and sold since then. The new Ashford Joy has huge bobbins and I added the jumbo plying bobbin which is even more immense. I still have the Schacht Matchless which is my go-to spinning wheel and the Schacht Ladybug which is my go-to plying wheel. They are the foundation of my spinning. But the Ashford Joy is delightful to spin on and easy to slip into its case and swing over your shoulder for travel.
Weaving - I am always on the lookout for another loom. Yes, yes, I know all about the space issues out in the studio and I know there would be Hell to pay if another loom showed up in my house. Peggy called today and told me she has decided to part with her Norwood loom. She and that loom never bonded appropriately and she says she just isn't using it at all these days. It's the same way I have felt about several looms I've owned and are now happily weaving away at someone else's home. I'm going to take the loom on trial to see how I like weaving on it. I'll either love it or we will find a new home for it. As far as my other looms, I have another 5 or 6 yards of warp on the Gilmore loom for kitchen towels and a black warp on the Saori loom for fabric that will end up being a vest. I'm about to put more warp on the Schacht Baby Wolf for linen face cloths. We sold all of them from the last run this fall.
Calendar - Roc Day is coming soon. Please come see us on Sunday January 11th from 10 am till 4 pm. We will have warm soup and hot and cold drinks. Bring a little something to share for lunch and come on over! Bring your spinning or knitting or crochet or whatever you are working on.
We have two shows scheduled for late January. Spin-In in Destin, FL starts on Jan 21st and runs through the following Saturday. Then its off to Oxford, MS for the Knit 1 Fiber Festival January 30 - Feb 1st. Then it will be home to a nice hiatus from shows to spin and knit and weave.
I hope you are eager to plunge into 2015! Weave more, spin more, love more, be happy and safe.
The Animals - All are well. The goats, llamas and alpacas are spending tonight in the barn since it's been a raw ugly day today. The temperature has hovered in the low 40's with on and off rain and a light breeze which is pretty raw at these temperatures. We ran fecal checks at the beginning of December and only two of the goats needed to be treated. Yeah for us! The newest goats are fully integrated into the herd and everyone gets along as well as can be expected. Shakespeare and Bernadette are showing their age these days but still hold their own with the younger goats. Sadie, my crazy dog, is now two years old and continues to get more and more sociable. She does come when she's called occasionally now which is a huge step forward.
The Property - Is improving. I've still got the upper pasture blocked off because of the horrible infestation of sand burrs but we keep mowing and will fertilize in the spring. Ron has three boards to buy to replace broken boards in the fence. It's an ongoing battle with the elements and animals to keep the fences secure.
Spinning - I've gone back to the very first travel wheel I ever owned. The Ashford Joy was always wonderful to spin on but it had such small bobbins that it drove me crazy. I sold that wheel years ago and have been searching for my perfect travel wheel ever since. I don't really want to think about the number of travel wheels I've bought, traveled with and sold since then. The new Ashford Joy has huge bobbins and I added the jumbo plying bobbin which is even more immense. I still have the Schacht Matchless which is my go-to spinning wheel and the Schacht Ladybug which is my go-to plying wheel. They are the foundation of my spinning. But the Ashford Joy is delightful to spin on and easy to slip into its case and swing over your shoulder for travel.
Weaving - I am always on the lookout for another loom. Yes, yes, I know all about the space issues out in the studio and I know there would be Hell to pay if another loom showed up in my house. Peggy called today and told me she has decided to part with her Norwood loom. She and that loom never bonded appropriately and she says she just isn't using it at all these days. It's the same way I have felt about several looms I've owned and are now happily weaving away at someone else's home. I'm going to take the loom on trial to see how I like weaving on it. I'll either love it or we will find a new home for it. As far as my other looms, I have another 5 or 6 yards of warp on the Gilmore loom for kitchen towels and a black warp on the Saori loom for fabric that will end up being a vest. I'm about to put more warp on the Schacht Baby Wolf for linen face cloths. We sold all of them from the last run this fall.
Calendar - Roc Day is coming soon. Please come see us on Sunday January 11th from 10 am till 4 pm. We will have warm soup and hot and cold drinks. Bring a little something to share for lunch and come on over! Bring your spinning or knitting or crochet or whatever you are working on.
We have two shows scheduled for late January. Spin-In in Destin, FL starts on Jan 21st and runs through the following Saturday. Then its off to Oxford, MS for the Knit 1 Fiber Festival January 30 - Feb 1st. Then it will be home to a nice hiatus from shows to spin and knit and weave.
I hope you are eager to plunge into 2015! Weave more, spin more, love more, be happy and safe.