September Joy

The happy couple

Today is a very happy day in our Roberts' family.  Our niece Kathleen is getting married this afternoon.  It promises to be a very lovely wedding, with the reception taking place at a beautiful country inn.  The happiest part for me and my gang is that our son Jesse is here for the festivities with his long time girlfriend who we are all meeting for the first time.  They reside out in Wisconsin which doesn't allow for many visits home.  He has been gleefully dragging Lisha all over the countryside to show her his hometown, his state, and most importantly, his sisters.  We plan on all being up at Becca and Kevin's tomorrow for a family day.

Two years ago, Becca and Kevin

And I did finish the throw.  It ended up being about 60" long with 5" of fringe on either end that I knotted.  It is about 29" wide.  The take in on the edges was greater than I expected, but I think the overall proportions are fine.  I was very pleased with the final product.

The throw

My weekend at Merck Forrest was very nice.  I had a lot of questions to answer, which was the whole reason why I was there.  The set up was such that folks got to watch the dogs round up the sheep, then they could see the sheep get sheared, the fleece get skirted, and then come along to see the spinning. I brought the drum carder to let the kids get a chance to have a 'hands on' part of it.  That went really well.  The center is extreemely well thought out.  I was very impressed with it.  No sales, but that didn't surprise me as there were no other vendors except for food, so it wasn't as if people were there to buy stuff.  More importantly, it gave me exposure, resulting in a woman who wishes me to teach her spinning.  That will be very exciting as she wants the whole thing--from washing the fleece to the end.  We will start lessons in October, which gives me time to figure out a lesson plan.
Yes, a very joyful time, this September.   Cool weather,  changing leaves--sweater time!

My wheel and stuff in the Sugar House

Slipping Out of Summer

The summer is certainly slipping by at an alarming rate.  The children in our town are all going back to school next week.  In the old days, that was always a hard time for me as I loved having them home all day.  It was such fun to shed the rigid schedule that school imposed on us.  And I loved the break, from, of all things, packing lunches everyday!  However, the reality was that by this time we were all ready for the routine again that we were so eager to escape.  Annie was the only one who never wanted to go ---not even to see her friends.  I don't think she ever liked school at all until she reached college.

Annie, where she'd rather be than school

Mama Hen did not produce any chicks.  Shortly after the last post I had to put her back into the cage as another hen was trying to lay her eggs in Mama's nest.  Once in the cage she abandonded the remaining egg and after two days of sitting on nothing at the back of the enclosure she was ready to rejoin the flock.  My next dilemma in the chicken world is that I have discovered that "Baby", who always is hanging around the nest boxes, yet never apparently laying, has actually been eating the eggs she finds. So!  As this Will Not Do, the only recourse is The Pot.  She never appears to lay, avoids the rooster like crazy and is the lowest in the peck order, consequently, The Pot seems my only option.  Or clipping her beak, which I do not intend to try.


Had a quiet day at East Poultney Day.  The rain held off until the afternoon, but it was so hot and sultry that not many people were out and about.  The good part of the day was that I was contacted by a young woman about doing a spinning demonstation at a two day sheep dog trial.  This will be September 8 and 9 at Merck Forrest.  It's exciting to me as I love to talk about the craft, its importance in the past and its place in the future.  I have never done a solo thing before this.  It is an exciting challenge.  Fortuately I am almost done spinning my warp for the wedding present and will be able to concentrate on getting ready for Merck.

Jeff's garden 

Now comes the lull before the storm of tomatoes and garden produce.  It has been dry enough that things were slow coming.  Just enough to keep eating fresh.  Soon, very soon, all that will change and I will be busy canning and freezing.  Which is another whole creative process I enjoy.  Eat  your veggies!