All the colors

(storm clouds rolling in)

Oh, these summer days ... they creep and speed by at the same time. It's been hot here and we all were feeling the lethargy that sets in with the heat and humidity of Kentucky summers. There were days after days of thunderstorms, bringing plenty of Great Pyrenees (poor Aslan) scaring lightning and pouring rain. Our part of Kentucky is about 12 inches above normal rainfall for this time of year. How I wish we could send some of that moisture out to the folks on the west coast. The good part of all this rain is that the grass is unusually lush for the end of July, which is great for grazing (maybe not so great for staying caught up with the mowing). Thankfully, the last few days have brought a little respite and we're all feeling better for it.


I've been doing a little sewing. When in Nashville at Craft South, I ask Anna Michelle about a tunic Pierette's mother, Michelle, was wearing (she also works at Craft South). It turned out to be a pattern she had designed and, yes, they did have it for sale (you can also order straight from Green Bee). It has some wonderful details, like hem and sleeve facings that are really nice. I've made two tops so far, and after making some adjustments, the second one turned out just the way I like it. Next I plan to make a few tunics to wear in cooler weather over jeans or leggings. My fabric stash has grown to epic proportions and I really need to get busy making.                                                                             

On the knitting front, I've cast on a Uniform by Carrie Bostick Hoge.  I'm using Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in the Cast Iron colorway. If I can stick with it, I know it will become a wardrobe staple. Take a moment to look at Brooklyn Tweed's website. Gorgeous! I love all the colors, even ones I might not normally wear and the color stories for each shade are perfection. I find their whole aesthetic so appealing, it makes me want to buy-all-the-yarn. (Which is crazy when you consider that I go to all the work of growing my own yarn!)

And, speaking of colors, I've also done a little dyeing. Logwood was the first one I attempted after my return from Shakerag and the Maiwa workshop. Once again, I suffered from heavy-handedness (that just might be a theme in my life). The logwood from Maiwa is quite potent (and I remembered Charllotte telling me that after I had made the dyepot. It worked out just fine in the end. I ended up with 30 skeins dyed, in increments of 10, each bundle a few shades lighter than the previous one. Last week a friend invited a few of us over for an indigo dyeing session and that was great fun. I'm totally hooked on indigo now and understand the compulsion to give everything in the house a dip in the indigo vat.

(left-indigo over gray yarn / right-indigo overdye on gray yarn previously dyed with marigold)

(samples from mycopigments dye workshop - all mushroom and lichen dyed)

Several weekends ago Lindy, Marlene and I made a quick trip to Knoxville for a one day mycopigment dye workshop taught by Alissa Allen.  I've long had an interest in mushroom and lichen dyeing, but had not been to any workshops. It was a fun and rewarding day with good friends that brought us all back home to our respective farms, ready to tramp the woods looking for mushrooms. We produced an amazing palette of colors from a few mushrooms and one lichen. It's surprising how many mushrooms have been right under my feet for years and I just hadn't noticed them. While it's not really practical for me to try producing enough mushroom dyed yarn to sell, I'm looking forward to producing some small batches for personal use. I'm also hoping to host Alissa for a workshop here at the farm next year. How great would it be to go out foraging on my own farm with an expert?

Many years ago, when I first began to spin and raise sheep, I was firmly into only the natural colors from my own sheep and truth be told, I probably still love those colors best. Lately I seem to have drifted to being into all colors, though drifted might not be the most accurate of terms. More accurately I have evolved into a lover of all colors. Nature presents us with an unlimited palette and why shouldn't we partake of it all? My recent workshops in natural dyeing have opened my eyes to the beauty of color obtainable from natural sources and while I still have so much to learn, I'm firmly on the path of working with color often.

A spell of smalls

(Green grass and dirty sheep!)

Well, yes, I've actually made it back to this little neglected space. It seems as though my current life revolves around doctor appointments, blood work appointments and physical therapy sessions, so there's not so much interesting blog fodder these days, but I'm hopeful that the day will come when I can call myself a full time shepherd again, instead of a rather passive observer of my husband doing my work.

As promised, I do have a few small knitting projects to show. I had a spell of hat knitting before I went in for surgery and it would appear that my box of finished smalls is well stocked. My "finished smalls" consists of a large box full of hats, scarves, cowls, mittens and mitts that can be offered for sale, if I'm doing a fiber festival or opened for the perusal of children and grandchildren, so they may choose something they would be willing to wear. I've discovered this is the best way to insure that what I gift to my grandkids is actually liked and worn, rather than conveniently lost or stuffed in the back of their sock drawers! I consider this a double win for me because I love knitting smalls and don't feel the necessity for having a recipient in mind when I feel the urge to knit yet another hat!

Now that I'm looking at this picture, I believe that none of these hats have had a bath and a little blocking. That would certainly smooth things out a little, but I like all of them, nonetheless. Starting at the top is the Audrey hat that was part of Karen Templer's (Fringe Association) Hatalong #1. (She's planning a second Hatalong to start this week.) I used some of the Shalasdair Naturally yarn that I brought back from the Isle of Skye, Scotland last September. It's a nice, sturdy kind of yarn that will hold up well. The pattern is fun, with just enough going on to keep it from being boring. The black marled hat (Imperial Yarn Anna) can also be credited to  Karen's influence. It's the Stadium hat and it's a free pattern on her blog. I love this thick, 70% Columbia wool, 30% American cotton yarn. It has a bit of a rustic look that suits me. The multi-striped hat is from a bag of bits and pieces of handspun, naturally dyed yarn that I bought somewhere last fall (maybe Rhinebeck? - wish I could remember). I loved the colors, especially that weird pea green, and wanted to use all the colors to make something I would enjoy wearing. This was strictly and grab and knit project, no planning which colors should be used in which order. I used the same basic pattern as the Stadium hat and it worked out fine. The last hat is a little of my own Tanglewood Farm wool/alpaca blend yarn from 2 years ago, with a tiny bit of my own handspun used as the edging. I used Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns to come up with the simple hat pattern.

I confess to having several (many!) other projects still on the needles. My Hitchhiker is languishing in time out right now because I made the mistake of knitting on it at times during my hospital stay when I felt unwell. Now, I have some sort of weird mental association with feeling poorly and knitting on Hitchhiker and every time I pick it up to knit on it, I get a bad feeling! I'll just have to wait a little while till that wears off. I did knit the Nordic Wind shawl, after reading about it on the Woolful blog and their Ravelry page for the KAL. I missed getting the small batch farm lopi that was part of the KAL kit, but bought the pattern and used some unspun Icelandic I already had that came from Schoolhouse Press (I think I should get extra credit for using stash!). This shawl was a fast knit and the unspun Icelandic is enjoyable and interesting to handle. If you tug the tiniest bit too much, it drifts apart, but spit splicing was made for this stuff and it takes only an instant to be knitting on your way again with rejoined fiber. The nature of Icelandic wool is warm and insulating, yet the finished shawl is light as a feather (mine weighs 4 1/8 ounces). A quick wash and light blocking softened the wool into something I know I'll be wearing for years to come. .

Next time, I'll have a few finished sewing projects. I seem to have an overwhelming urge to sew right now. I've had great fun picking patterns and fabric, which is at least half the fun, right?

Keeping warm with good hay and chicken pot pie

(This was taken in the approximately 10 seconds of sunshine we had yesterday)

 Winter has come early to the Bluegrass. When we woke up Monday morning we had our first real snow and temperatures in the teens! It caught us by surprise because we rarely have those low temperatures until after the Christmas holidays.

(You might assume that the main cold weather activity here on the farm is eating and you'd be right!)

I've begun feeding the ewes hay and they've been very enthusiastic about it. They have cleaned up every bit I've put out, so I'm thinking we got an especially good load this year. Occasionally, we end up with some bales that are too stemmy and the sheep will pick through it and leave huge piles of stems in the feeders and on the ground. Not that I blame them. I wouldn't want to eat tough stems either. It's a difficult process to get really good hay cut, cured, baled and in the barn without it getting too mature or getting rained on before it gets put under shelter. That's the main reason we buy our hay now rather than try to grow it ourselves. Well, that and the fact that throwing 50 pound bales up on the wagon and the hay elevator is not something I can or want to do anymore.

This cold front began with rain, which turned to ice and then snow, so the girls all got to come into the barn that night. They tolerate the cold quite well because they are in full fleece, but I don't like them getting wet and then being out in the cold. I think we all sleep better if they are tucked up in the barn with bellies full of hay and deep straw to lie down in for the night. Of course, all it takes is bringing them into the barn one night and by feeding time the next afternoon, they are lined up at the gate waiting to come in again. Who said sheep were dumb animals?

Continuing with the theme of cold weather eating - it's been chicken pot pie for the humans. For years I made a recipe from a Lee Bailey cookbook that had a wonderful cornbread crust topping, but it was a lengthy process and when I found this one in the Real Simple Meals Made Easy cookbook, I gave it a try. (You can tell that it was a success just by looking at the stains on the pages of the cookbook! I've made it many times.) I don't always use a store bought rotisserie chicken and I usually substitute baby lima beans for the peas and we like it just fine. It's one of those recipes I can decide on at the last minute because I nearly always have the ingredients in the refrigerator or freezer.

So, what else have I been up to besides feeding sheep and cooking? Well, not so much, really. I did finish a super simple little shawl that I basically made up as I went along. I used some Briar Rose yarn from my stash and wanted something that was basically mindless knitting (which says a lot for my state of mind!). This is one of Chris' beautiful variegated colorways, that she dyes so well. It's squishy and cozy and has already become a favorite.

I have begun a Hitchhiker shawlette with a skein of Miss Babs yarn, also from my stash. (Actually, quite proud that I'm using stash yarns.) I'm at 26 points and counting. I'm thinking I might possibly be one of the last knitters on earth to knit one of these. It is a very popular pattern and also very simple (again, considering my frame of mind). It's an eight row pattern that's easily memorized. I met Martina, the designer of the pattern at Squam in June. One of my cabin-mates (hi Heather!), gave Martina a ride from the airport to Squam back in June and Martina came to our cabin one evening and sat around the fireplace with us. She's a lovely person and we were all very impressed that she flew in from Germany to attend Squam. 

Mike has a birthday this weekend and Thanksgiving is nearly here. It's a busy time of year for all of us. I'm hopeful that it won't be quite so long before I'm back with another post and maybe I'll have more to show for my time away from here.

Squam

(View from the screened porch)

First, my apologies, for this post will be full of expostulations on just how wonderful a trip to Squam can be.  I know, I've been there, done that before, but it cannot be helped.  Here goes for the third time.

 Regular readers here know that I had one heck of a late winter and spring.  I was ill and didn't know why and carrying out the simplest of tasks left me in pain, shaky and depressed.  Once the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis was finally reached and treatment began, things started to get better.  It's going to be awhile before medication levels are adjusted to keep me in remission, but I do feel my life is getting back on track.  Going to Squam was just about the best way in the world I could have jump-started getting back to the life that I love. 

I feel as though I have a very bad case of ADHD today.  I'm inspired to do everything ..... all at once.  I've pulled out the Brooklyn Tweed yarn I purchased from Jared Flood himself at the Squam Art Fair, then found some shetland for a full size Hap Shawl, ala Gudrun Johnston, excavated a big pile from the fabric stash for several more Cal Patch tunics, looked at (and drooled over) Elizabeth Benotti's ceramics on etsy, read facebook postings from my cabin mates, downloaded the newest Outlander book from Audible and on it goes.  I am on fire with inspiration to DO something.  The problem is narrowing it down to one or maybe two things!

This Squam was chock-full of fun and motivation to resume my crafting ways.  The Sweetest Tunic class with Cal Patch was great.  Cal designs the cutest, simple little garments, that are a snap to sew up and even easier to wear.  The tunic design is made of rectangles and is really easy to customize.  It's the perfect summer outfit and even better in the winter, layered over jeans or leggings and a long sleeved t-shirt.  I need to hem mine (I'm one of those class members who's having so much fun, I don't quite finish in the allotted time) and then I'll post a picture.  My fabric stash is comprised mainly of linen and cottons and I can see plenty more of these tops being made.  (You can find directions for Cal's designs in her book,  "Design It Yourself Clothes")

Gudrun taught the Hap Shawl class, which, because she is actually from the Shetland Islands, was wonderfully appropriate.  She told us a great deal about the history and traditions that go along with Hap shawls. I'm not much of a lace person myself (either in the wearing or the knitting), but the simple lace pattern, Old Shale, or Feather and Fan, that makes up the edging of her shawl is just right for me.  We knit mini-versions in class and I really want to make a full size one now.  Our new friend, Mary Jane Mucklestone and Gudrun are hosting a trip to the Shetland Isles in September and I would really love to go, but Mike and I are still hoping to go to Scotland in September, so the Shetland trip is definitely going on my want list for next year.

(Sun dappled, last minute picture outside the dining hall)

 Then, there were my cabin-mates.  I knew precisely one person in the cabin before Squam.  Laura-Lynn (bottom row on the left) is an irrepressible presence of happiness and I knew if she liked all these women, I surely would too.  And, did I ever.  I came home feeling as though I had added nine great women friends to my life. Though I was the only fiber farmer in the bunch, we all shared a love of knitting and crafting (and laughing).  My room-mate (I don't know who decides on room-mates, but they are genius) was a sweet, talented young woman from Minnesota and we got along famously.  I hope I never get too old to enjoy the company of people who are so much younger than me.  I'm convinced that continuing to make young friends, will help me stay younger in heart and mind.  Brienne is such a talented seamstress and knitter.  Check out her blog and her etsy shop.  I managed to snag a bag from her wares at the Squam Art Fair and I can tell you that it is beautifully made.

(Brienne and me)

I'm quite sure there was more laughter in our cabin than anywhere.  The nightly discussions around the fireplace or during afternoons spent on the screened porch ran the gamut from very serious to completely hilarious.  There was much sharing of crafting techniques, cocktail recipes and project inspirations.  There was even an Art Fair shopping Show and Tell on Saturday evening when we all got back to the cabin with our loot.

And now, it's back to the routine here on the farm.  My bottle lambs are Huge!  Just one week away from my babies (left in the care of my wonderful husband, who did a stellar job of keeping it all going) and they have turned into giants.  Weaning has started and they are not too happy with me at the moment.  I'll be back in a few days with a long over-due post on Nicola's eco-dyeing workshop and a completed Sweetest Tunic.

Til next year ....

"THE KNITTED SLIPPER BOOK" - want a chance to win?

Several months ago, I saw that Katie Startzman (a fellow Kentuckian!) had a new book coming out. Katie and her sister, Laura Poulette share a blog, Duo Fiberworks, that I've been following for some time (there's a link on my sidebar, too) and I'm continually impressed by their creativity, enthusiasm and energy.  I was intriqued enough to pre-order "The Knitted Slipper Book" and as soon as it arrived, I spent some time reading and checking out the projects.  Take a moment right now to watch the trailer that Katie, her husband and sister, Laura, put together for the book. It's so sweet and clever.

First, let me say that I love the styling of this book. As far as I'm concerned, Melanie Falick has the magic touch in editing.  The books she edits for STC Crafts are all so aesthetically appealing, I believe I'd want to buy them even if I didn't knit!  The styling, different font styles and beautiful photographs have had me thumbing through the book over and over again.

I knew right away that I wanted to start with the knitted clogs.  I'm a clog lover from way back and the idea of knitting and felting my own sounded like something  I had to try.  The instructions are quite specific and easy to follow and the clogs knit up quickly.  Pattern sizing is included for everyone in your family, so these would make a great gift idea.  Katie also has provided very clear illustrated instructions for hand-felting the slippers in the book and has a link to great video tutorial on the  Duo Fiberworks website.  The most difficult part of the whole project was picking out colors for my first pair of clogs.  In the end, my love of autumn colors won out and I made them in Cascade 220 Heathers,  #9445 Green and Orange blend and #2452 Turtle.

This is how they looked before felting ...

and, after the magic of felting,

 and then after shaping and drying .... there they are - your very own handknit clogs!!

Aren't they the cutest things?  I love that the toes have that traditional clog shaping.  Since I finished this pair, I've been thinking of all the other color combinations I could knit.  And, wouldn't it be fun to do some embellishments? (although I like them plenty enough just as they are). I intend to put a latex bottom on this pair for a little non-skid insurance.  Katie has provided step-by-step (no pun intended) instructions for adding a variety of soles to the slippers if you'd like to make them even more sturdy. I think next up for myself might be the Beaded Moccs.  I've never done any beading (I know, where have I been?) and I believe the Moccs are a perfect place for me to start.
 
If you've been looking for some fun and quick projects to knit while waiting for yet another snowstorm  to pass, I can highly recommend this book. There's such a variety of slippers in the book, from baby Mary Jane's to slipper socks with leather soles (my three boys wore those all the time when they were young). I also think this book and a couple of skeins of Cascade 220 would make a great gift for any knitter on your friend list.  So, here's the great part for you. If you'd like a chance to win a copy of the book and two skeins of Cascade 220 Heathers, leave a comment here, maybe telling us who you'd like to knit some slippers for (and it's perfectly fine if it's for yourself!).  I'll leave the comments open until Thursday morning, February 21, 9 am, EST.  Then, I'll let the random number generator do the work of picking a lucky person. Good luck!

Edited to add:  It's Thursday morning and comments are now closed.  Thanks so much for entering.  Check back a little later for the winner!

Is that a light I see?

Yes, I think I may finally be seeing some light at the end of this tunnel (and I don't think it's a train headed my way).  This last month or so has been one of discouragement and lots of reflection on where I'm headed.  I'm not trying to be overly dramatic here, but physical ailments have kept me knocked down and it has affected my state of mind more than I care to admit.  Mike tells me I don't make a good patient and he's right.  I don't even like to be around myself when I'm not on top of my game.

I've had some pretty severe muscle spasms in my neck and it's taken x-rays, MRI's and evaluations by several doctors and a physical therapist to finally get me on the path to feeling better.  Sleep (which is one of my most favorite activities) has been illusive and even that is starting to return to something near normal.  So, all in all, I'm trying to feel encouraged.  Mike has done most of the feeding chores lately and that has been a huge help.  I do miss seeing my flock though and I'm anxious to start hauling hay bales around again.  (Definitely not something I ever expected to say!)

Like a lot of folks, we've been snowed in several times this past week. I managed to get out for physical therapy early in the week, just before we got hit with another round of ice and snow.  I hear that the main roads are mostly clear right now, but our farm road is a bit of a thrill ride and not one I'm planning on making just yet.  Above is the view from the front porch of the house.

Yesterday I got to spend some time in the studio for the first time in several weeks.  It's amazing how a cozy fire in the woodstove and the companionship of Carson can lift my spirits. (Carson is so laid back he could easily be mistaken for comatose!)

I finished another small knitting project that will surely come in handy in this weather (and especially for people like me, with a neck needing to be kept extra warm).  It's Mary Jane Mucklestone's Flying Geese Cowl.  All the natural colors are my own handspun and the red is some of this years run of our mill-spun wool/alpaca blend that I've dyed in my favorite red color.  I've always loved the flying geese quilt pattern (even for my barn quilt).  Mary Jane's pattern has just enough going on to keep it interesting and it's especially good for knitting a simple Fair Isle pattern and practicing holding yarn in both hands.  I've always been partial to the natural colored fleeces of my sheep and it was fun to go through my stash of handspun odds and ends to pick out the progression from dark to light.  Now I'm smitten with the idea of making something bigger (a whole sweater!) and using only my own natural colored handspun for all the Fair Isle patterning.

And, though I wouldn't blame you a bit if you don't believe me, a book review and giveaway of this sweet book is coming next week.  Honest!

Headed this way

(Quite a different picture than the earlier snow scene and the one we'll have tomorrow morning.)

"They" are saying it's coming our way.  Right now it's raining buckets and it's supposed to turn to sleet, ice and eventually snow.  I can handle all of that except the ice.  Please, please don't give us an ice storm!  It's been so warm here the last few days (mid 60's) that I was actually thinking about mowing the grass in the area in front of the studio one last time!  Needless to say, that won't be happening now.

I was reading Heather's blog this morning and have been thinking about her plan to do Christmas knitting in July.  I need to adopt that plan because I'm in failure mode right now.  It's looking pretty bleak for there being completed items inside the boxes by Christmas.  Why, when we know Christmas comes at the same time every year, is it so hard to judge how much actual knitting time is needed to finish gift knitting?  I'm almost always too optimistic about what I can accomplish in a given amount of time.  I'm thinking I'll put a reminder to myself on my 2014 calendar.....big red letters on the first of July Start Christmas Knitting Now!  We'll see how that goes.

Earlier than usual this evening, I put down more fresh bedding and brought everyone back into the barn for the night.  I'd made them all go out for a little while earlier in the day and now they are all walking around like big wet sponges.  Of course, now is when they want to get all up close with me!  I needed dry jeans by the time everyone was tucked into their pens and happily eating hay.  I'll admit that one of my favorite parts of shepherding is having everyone cozied up inside and peacefully munching on sweet smelling hay.  I love to sit down in the pen with them and give face scratches to the ones who will come over for a little one on one attention from me.  I love that.

(Good eaters, every one!)

(Rowdy and his girls-he doesn't know it yet, but tonight is his last chance to get the job done.)

Three of those girls with Rowdy have been bred by him (that's the red crayon marks on their rumps) and I'm hoping the rest were bred by the Wensleydale (who was not wearing a marking harness).  We are now up to a May 1st lambing date and I don't want to go any further into warm weather,  so tomorrow Rowdy goes back in with Buddy.  Neither of them will be thrilled about that!

I'm planning on bringing in the Christmas tree this weekend and maybe a little baking is in order.  It seems like we're a little short on Christmas spirit around here and I want to change that!!  I'm hoping for a snowy (not icy) weekend.  And, I want to know if everyone else has finished their Christmas knitting already.  Tell me, please!

Golden

We've had a long, warmish autumn here in the Bluegrass.  Weirdly so.  After a summer of rain just when we seemed to need it, things turned a little dry as summer drew to a close.  Consequently, we didn't have a lot of color and what we had seemed to be mostly yellow and gold.  Then came some dramatic wind storms, with broken branches and leaves stripped from the trees before they even turned and the boat cover ripped to shreds!.  A few days ago it was in the low 60's and when we awoke the next morning there was a magical dusting of snow!

Our visiting lover boy (the Wensleydale ram) is keeping me guessing as to whether he's doing the job or not.  The only ewe I've actually seen him breed is Gabby.  Gabby is what you'd call an "easy keeper" (translates to extra good eater and needs to lose some weight!), so I'm not sure if she'll even get pregnant.  I'm hoping he's doing all his romancing during the night-time.  The ewes cycle every 17 days and we are approaching the end of a complete cycle, at which time the ram will go home to begin the breeding program at Seldom Scene Farm.  I suppose our Rowdy boy will have a chance to prove himself with the ladies after that.

This time right before the holidays has seemed strangely rushed and stressful for me.  You know that feeling of being way, way behind before you ever get started?  Well, that's been me lately.  I've been a bit under the weather with (what I think is) a virus and plagued by poor sleep issues.  After a few visits to the doctor and while awaiting some tests results,  I've decided to just get on with it.  Too much to do to spend time moping around.

Though I have plenty of knitting going on, it mostly cannot be shown now.  What can be shown is knitting that should not be going on, but because I am weak and highly suggestible, I will show you my Lady Marple.  Not long ago, Amanda mentioned on her blog that she had begun knitting a Lady Marple .... and included the Ravelry link, which I, of course, went to straightway.  In turn, that sent me to the stash where there was just enough (I hope!) hand-dyed (by me), circa 2011 Sheep Dreams yarn in my very favorite semi-solid barn red colorway.  I am really enjoying this knitting.  I'm in a groove now with the simple lace pattern and can knit anywhere and anytime without having to think, which is sometimes just what I need.

And, because my life is nothing, if not color-coordinated, this is what I'm reading these days.  I heard Ann Patchett interviewed on Tom Ashbrook's program (On Point) on NPR not long ago and was intrigued by her latest book, This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage.  It's a collection of non-fiction essays and it's so, so good.  I can highly recommend it.

Rhinebeck

(glorious New England color)

This week, well actually this whole month, has been a bit of a blur and a slowdown is not yet on the horizon.  It seems we've either had some big activity going on here at the farm or we've been on the road, away from the farm, for most of October.  I'm thinking some quiet time settling into the coming winter will be a very good thing during the month of November.

Last weekend was the glory that is Rhinebeck.  Friday we drove 13+ hours to Rhinebeck, New York for a nearly perfect weekend of beautiful foliage, good food, wonderful weather, meeting new and old friends (it was so great to be reunited with my Squam cabin mates!) and the ultimate in fiber festivals.  It's surely a combination of all of the above that makes me love Rhinebeck so much.  I have gone to a lot of festivals over the years and this is the one that continues to top my list of events that I'm willing to travel long distances to attend.

(my 36 colors)

Saturday was my day to check out all the vendors and because we arrived at the fairgrounds well before the gates opened and were close to the front of the line, that was mostly accomplished before it became too crowded.  Sunday was devoted to the "36 Color Wheel Workshop", taught by Gail Callahan (The Kangaroo Dyer).  It was an eye-opening class for me and I think I finally understand the process of combining a few primary colors to achieve just the shade I'm looking for.  Gail explained and demonstrated the process in a clear and easily understandable way and then turned us loose to try it for ourselves.  It was fun and educational - the best possible outcome for any learning experience.  Gail has inspired me to be more creative in my color choices for this year's palette.  As soon as I can stay home for more than a day or so, I intend to pull out the dye pots and start working on the mountain of my "fresh from the farm yarn" that arrived back from the mill a few weeks ago.  (More on that in a later post.)

(buttons & detail of front)

My Olive "Antler" was indeed finished in time to become my 2013 Rhinebeck sweater .... just barely!  She made the drive on Friday, stretched out on top of the luggage in the back of the car,  feeling still slightly damp.  One of the best parts of the weekend were comments and questions from other knitters.  I love that walking around Rhinebeck in a handknit starts so many conversations with people you don't even know, who immediately become your friends.  For someone as introverted as I am, it's the best possible way to talk to strangers.  Even more fun, was spotting other "Antlers".  Because Olive was handspun and a little larger gauge than the pattern called for, she was somewhat different from other versions.  It's a great pattern to knit, easily adaptable and I can highly recommend it.

(the back view of Olive)

Tomorrow,  my friend Teresa and I are heading to Asheville, North Carolina for the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair.  Asheville is such a great town and SAFF is a fun place to catch up with fiber friends in this part of the country.  It's an easy drive through beautiful mountains and I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend of (more)food, (more)fiber and (more)friends!

My own "Old Kentucky Home"

(morning fog - view from our back door)

I am in love with my own old Kentucky home right now.  We have been having the most perfect autumn weather - warm (but not too warm) sunny days and cool nights (referred to as good sleeping weather around here).  We've had just enough rain to provide plenty of green grass and all the animals are still contentedly grazing in the pastures.  To my way of thinking, it just can't get much better than this.  It's no secret that fall is my most favorite time of year.  (Doesn't everyone love their birth month better than the rest of the year?)  After several summers of blazing heat and occasional drought conditions, this summer proved to be much more tolerable.  Because the weather is completely beyond my control, it feels very much like a precious gift when it's this good.

So, what's happening besides glorious weather?  We had a big event on Saturday when my oldest son's architectural firm had their fall outing here at the farm.  Mike and I have concluded that we need to schedule some big party event (just maybe not always a wedding) every fall to motivate us to get our act together.  While the farm can never be manicured and groomed in the way a city yard might be or like one of the fancy horse farms that are around our part of Kentucky, with the right stick being held over our heads, we can spiff ourselves up a little!  Luna and Marilla had a starring role when I penned them beneath the old catalpa tree for all the little people to get close to and the alpaca boys did their part by coming up to the fence to gawk at all the cars and people.

I've not been doing much cooking or baking lately, except for an occasional loaf of no-knead bread (using the recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day).  It is seriously easy and so, so good!  I nearly always have a container of the dough in the refrigerator these days.  I bake mine in one of my Le Creuset pots and it comes out perfect every time.  If you haven't tried it, you should.  What I'm really in the mood for is hearty soup, so last night I made this recipe (scroll down to the bean, kale, rice and sausage soup) from Heather Bruggeman.  Her blog is Beauty That Moves and she has terrific, healthy recipes.  This soup has become a favorite because it's delicious and good for you, plus I nearly always have all the ingredients on hand. 

On the knitting front - it's all about my Olive sweater right now.  I'm hoping to get some serious knitting time in the next few days in order to wear Olive as my Rhinebeck sweater during the weekend.  I'm so excited to be going to Rhinebeck again, after missing the last few years.  It is my favorite fiber show of the year in one of my favorite parts of the country.  The pattern is Antler by Alexa Ludeman.  It's in the book Pacific Knits and is available through Ravelry as a single pattern.  It's very well-written and I'm loving knitting all those cables on the yoke.  Of course, I'm having to make adjustments because my gauge is off, but what else is new?  :-)

So, what's going on at your house?  Any knitting or cooking to share?  Happy Autumn Days everyone!

The view from here

Yes, this is the view out the back door of the cottage.  I've been looking at in wonder all week.  Could there be anything that looks less like the view I usually see out my back door?  (And, yes, the water really is that color-even more so at certain times of the day.)  All the way out past the end of that dock, it's only about three feet deep and crystal clear.  Out where the water is darker it's almost three hundred feet deep and that water is cold all the way to shore!  Apparently, July and August are the months to brave the waters without a wet suit and that's okay because I had no plans to swim, just to sit in the sun and enjoy the sounds of the water lapping against the dock.

We've been out and about, exploring the sweet little towns in the vicinity.  We've had excellent late lunches in Traverse City and Alden and on Mackinac Island.  Apparently, we've reached the age where we can enjoy having a wonderful meal in early afternoon and then having a light supper back at the cottage.  (It's a much more comfortable way to eat, but we can only manage it on the weekends at home.  I'm thinking that almost puts us in the "Early-Bird Special" age category!)

We've had a mixed bag of weather, but it's worked out fine.  Mike has managed to get in some fishing on three days and the weather hasn't affected my knitting, one way or the other.  Besides my vest and Olive sweater, I've been working on a little project that I'll show on Tuesday.  As part of Susan Anderson's Topsy-Turvy blog tour for her newest book, I've got a great little giveaway coming then, so be sure to check back.

This area of Michigan is beautiful.  There are acres and acres of fruit tree farms and wineries.  It's farming country for sure, with fields of rich, blackish-brown soil and a gently rolling landscape that allows plenty of sky to be in sight.  Lakes and rivers are everywhere and I suspect that if you know where to go, it's a fisherman's paradise.  Mike has taken his fishing kayak to several smaller lakes and streams and though it's taken a bit of trial and error and asking the locals for advice, he's been catching some fish, which always makes him happy.

(See that fabulous topiary on the left?)

Tuesday we drove up to Mackinac Island - a place I've heard about and wanted to visit for many years.  It's such a lovely island, but I couldn't help feeling some sympathy for the folks who call it home because of all us "tourist-types" hanging around, looking at their houses and gardens and getting in the way of their daily lives.  The Grand Hotel is impressive, to say the least.  We weren't dressed to partake of their formal tea-time, but did enjoy our walk around the grounds.  There is so much history on Mackinac and walking around was a lesson in the birth of our country.  We met up with Taylor and Crimson and baby Atticus for the day.  (They were vacationing near Mackinac.) Atticus is a charmer for sure and a great little traveler.  He's growing so quickly and is in that wonderful, smiley, everyone-is-my-best-bud stage.  It was fun to spend the day with them.

The week has flown by and early tomorrow morning we'll be loading up and heading back to the farm.  Truth be told, I miss my animals and feel ready to jump back into my routine of farm chores.  This has been a wonderful little respite and I feel ready to "strap on the harness" (as Mike likes to say) and get back to work!

(Moonrise on Torch Lake)