Relaxing Sunday

The day started out very hot at 95*… hot and hazy. I decided to go ahead and put up the mug holder I made a month ago.  Despite how hot it was today, Colorado had more cool and cold days for a hot beverage than these warm days. 

This one is made from a pallet. 

Another from a rake that broke. 

And this one from a hat or jacket hanger. 

I brought in the plants. 

Outside the grapes finally are coming back but I fear it might be to little to late but we'll see. 

Dude was madly trimming the tomatoes in the greenhouse. I'm glad I went out.  I rescued the green tomatoes. He was going to trash them.

I did get a batman chef hat made for one of my grandsons. 

And prepped a quilt I made a while back to quilt this week. 

I grew up near the beach and every summer I think about those days laying out and swimming in the waves and... when I was in high school the movie Jaws came out.  It...freaked... me … out but I loved it. Today I wanted to crochet a shark and found this .

I want to try the pattern again since I obviously got part of it wrong - smile. (Dude thought the fin was a nose...ohgoodlawd)

But you can see the resemblance of a shark. 

Give it a try and see how yours comes out. 

I did post some recipes on Facebook that I made today. 

By the end of the day it became cloudy and in the 70*s with a bit of rain.  We will take whatever we can get. 

Here's to the start of a new week. 

Cheers! 

peace 

Monday update - canning kraut, baby animals, and a bit of crocheting

Went to our Monday morning Farmgirls.  One of the farmgirls homestead had many kids this weekend. They are doing well and are so adorable. 

Her alpaca thought ... for a moment about spitting on my head and then decided not to. 

Then it was to the kitchen to can sauerkraut.  It has been six weeks since we shredded and salted our St Patrick's day cabbage.  Boy, was it smelling ripe!

The top scum was scraped off with any moldy bits. Hey, it's what make sauerkraut.

Then began packing it up. 

All  42 pints! 

We went out to look at the greenhouse she created with old doors and windows!

Then back into the house to learn to crochet these wonderful ponchos!

and see these fun crocheted soap holders. 

  Sunny showed us her fabulous poncho she knitted!

We also picked out new kittens!  Every farm needs good mousers!

It was a very fun and satisfying morning but the afternoon wasn't as fun.  A storm blew in at work. It hailed so hard it broke out windows, cracked windshields and put holes in many cars. 

All are safe at home now with it still gently raining outside. 

Dinner was made of country stir fry ...of things we had around the house... home grown chicken, corn from last year, fresh picked pea pods, onions, cabbage, mushrooms, 

peace 

Learning to card and spin wool

You can learn so much in a morning. Today it was how to card and spin wool. I have never really had a burning desire to spin wool.  I am a quilter, I like to sew, I make clothes, I learned to crochet when I was a kid and love it still. But recently I have fallen in love with alpacas and the possibility of having a pet that can help make clothes!  My friend Sunny is working with her alpaca wool almost daily and really knows her stuff. She is generous with her time and knowledge.  If you find a friend such as she, don't take it lightly. These are gifts from above. 

Anywhoo, back to the morning.  We moseyed over  to Sunny's wool room.  A delight full of bags of fur blankets, a wall of weaving for a new shawl, wonderful sweaters, boleros, yarns ...it is though ancestors past have landed right in her  home... in the middle of a field with alpacas out back talking to milk goats with heritage geese walking around bossing the hens. 

She introduced me to her carding machine. It takes raw wool , opens the fibers and at the same time discards any dirt and  lets go of any naps.  You can use two paddles or dog brushes but this is a work wonder! (and much quicker)

After she rolls it through the machine she rolls it onto a paper towel roll. 

We are ready to spin.  This is her yarn she spun earlier. 

She shows the difference lamb's wool and the alpaca above. 

She has an antique walking wheel and explains how those before us spun. It must have kept them in shape!

Then she introduces me to a double treadle spinning wheel.  

Before I even touch the wool to spin I need to get the feel of the wheel. I learn to push the pedals in a meditative rhythm.  Back and forth, back and forth.  It wasn't easy. You don't just step on it and go. You have to get the rhythm just right... back and forth , back and forth. 

And then we begin.

I was clumsy. I had chunks here and there, thin and then fat spinning of newly created yarn. No problem, we consider it "artistic" yarn.  You tend to lose yourself into the back and forth of your feet and the feeding of the wool. You have to get it just right or it will twist up on you or the wool will just break off.  

Getting into the zone . 

But after a while, I got it... and then I don't but I kept going. 

I have a very long way to go but with the help of friends and family, I am slowing getting addict to spinning. 

peace, health, and happiness