Smatterings

  • 10 minutes a day

    How's your 10 minutes a day going?  Have you been able to keep up with your expectations? maybe exceeded them? or has it been just one more of those plans that fell apart under the pace of a busy summer? 

    With a few exceptions, I've kept to my plans and found that 10 minutes usually becomes at least 10 minutes more.  I've used it to spindle more than spin on a wheel.  Occasionally, if I am very busy and I know that the only time I'll get is the time I'll have as a passenger, I'll whip out my knitting. 

    Here's what's up:

    The second half of the cashmere / silk..  the first half plus a bit was spun and plied.

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    What's next on the list:  silk!

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    I divided 4 oz. into two parts, hopefully somewhat equal.  The color bands are long and by spinning a lace wt. I should have very long bands of color with a bit of transition between.  That's the plan.  Should I spin it on a wheel or a spindle…hmmm?

    9 responses to “10 minutes a day”

    1. Beth S.

      Hmm! If you’re enjoying all the spindling, why not keep going with it? Or turn to the wheel if you feel the need for a change of pace. (Maybe summer is for spindling and winter is for, uh, wheeling? 😉

    2. Carole

      Look at those leaves! Fall is coming. Arrrgh.

    3. Manise

      I guess it would depend on how quickly you want it spun up. But knowing you and your love of spindles, I’m betting you spindle spin it 🙂 In any case it’ll be beautiful!

    4. Manise

      Oh, and my 10 minutes per day didn’t last long. Need to get back to it. Off to the porch I go with wheel on tow!

    5. Anne

      Sigh – not very well. I moved one my of my wheels into my office with me, but it still hasn’t gotten any time in motion either, with all the house insanity.

    6. Roxie

      Silk, sensual, slow pleasure – spindling. If you wered oing this for a living, then the wheel, by all means.

    7. Diane

      Such gorgeous photos, even with the proof that summer’s on it’s way out.

    8. Barbara-Kay

      Enjoyed hearing about your spinning and seeing the great pictures. Me? I knit. Someone out there has to be the “audience” for spinners, and I fill that niche.

    9. Lynn

      Well, I’m certainly averaging more than 10 minutes a day, but I’m not spinning every single day. Knitting OR spinning every day, sure.

  • winding down

    Monday afternoon, I clicked my heels (drove south into stop dead on the highway for an hour and a half kind of traffic) and ended up back in the city for the rest of the week.  The calm of the farm dissolved into the frenetic pace of a busy work week.  By the time I finished up my job and all the piled up office work, I found myself unwilling to fight rush hour traffic and the moose hours of dusk  further north.  What to do.  A walk in the woods, of course.  Puts me back on track every time.  Let's me know I'm one with the world. 

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    6 responses to “winding down”

    1. Barbara-Kay

      Love the picture. Happy weekend!

    2. Carole

      Great idea. Are you still here or are you back up there?

    3. Norma

      What a fabulous photo!

    4. Manise

      What a peaceful photo! Love it!

    5. cyndy

      walks are good that way….

    6. Carrie

      “the moose hours”. I love that!

  • walk with me wednesday..

    ROAD WORK AHEAD

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    A summer of wet WET weather has left everything sodden, including the roads.  For most of July and August I /we walked and worked in the rain.  The old adage says, "make hay while the sun shines".  So it goes that the past week of mostly sunny days has forced everyone out and into production.  The hills nearly vibrate with activity.  And, noise.  The road to my house, usually a beautiful serene track has become a muddy hole.  We've got road work ahead.  Don't worry, there will be no tar or cement, just truck loads of gravel and a big new culvert or two.  (see them waiting down there?)

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    It is a bit unsettling, having everything dug up.  There is a huge piece of excavation equipment ready to go.  This work has to be done.  Summer is scary enough driving over an old narrow culvert with a fifteen foot drop, but an icy winter, blowing snow..now that is enough to get us and finally the town to agree to some changes.  When the excavation is finished I'll plant the road again, scattering grass and wildflower seeds.  A planted road holds up so much better. 

    That work is for the road crew, not us.  We've got other things going. 

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    Like a sink full of Romano beans, broccoli, and snap peas.  There's a winter's worth of wood to be put up.   aahhhhh… summer!

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    Best of all… are the evenings.  Knitting, if my wrists hold out.

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    She grows.

    14 responses to “walk with me wednesday..”

    1. Manise

      Your scarf is growing beautifully. I’ve never been fond of that much wet… glad your road will be safer and sturdier when all is said and done.

    2. Barbara-Kay

      My great-grandmother and I would sit in the shade of the side yard to shell peas/snap beans. She would spread her apron out and work to it. Ah, good memories of coping in pre-air-conditioner times.
      Still, I’ll take now, thank you very much.

    3. Barbara-Kay

      My great-grandmother and I would sit in the shade of the side yard to shell peas/snap beans. She would spread her apron out and work to it. Ah, good memories of coping in pre-air-conditioner times.
      Still, I’ll take now, thank you very much.

    4. Roxie

      Ah the glories of the rural life. You’re a better woman than I am!

    5. Carole

      The weather this week has been gorgeous, if distinctly fall-like. Enjoy the sunshine!

    6. margene

      How wonderful you are finally getting some sun!

    7. claudia

      I want red shoes too.

    8. elizabeth

      Wow, look at all that wood! You’ll be toasty this winter!

    9. Chris

      What beautiful knitting!! Good luck with that mud thing.

    10. Diane

      Beans have been a good harvest this year for me too. I’ve got enough in the freezer for winter too. Nice stack of wood.

    11. Anne

      Hm… mud season in August – you guys are either early or late, depending on how you wish to look at things.
      Love, love, LOVE your lace!

    12. Laurie

      That is just so much work. I can’t believe you have enough energy left to focus on lace.

    13. cyndy

      The lace knitting is a thing of beauty. It made me think of ocean waters washing up on the beach….(maybe cause I didn’t get a vacation this year?)
      Glad the town agreed to the changes, better to stay safe! (plus you get new plantin’ ground outa the deal!) Wildflowers!!

    14. Ingrid

      Love the shoes – what pattern is the lace?

“Our lives are dyed the colors of our imagination.” ~ Marcus Aurelius

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