Wings of September

Time flies when you are having fun!  Here is the end of September and I have not written a word yet.  Well, maybe now it is fall I will be able to get back to a routine.
It turned out to be a cool and cloudy day, not the sunny skies and 70 degrees we were promised.  That was all right for me as it gave me a chance to do inside things.
Like get my loom dressed and started on my beautiful bridal shawl.

All white shawl

 I call it my bridal shawl as it is all white.  The warp is pure alpaca, the weft is alpaca, angora and a bit of shimmer--my favorite "unicorn hair".  The pattern is a straight 2/2 twill so that the softness of the weft comes through.   I am going for simple, soft and lovely.

Loosely woven to take advantage of the fulling when done.

I wish I could capture the sparkle.  You will have to imagine it.
I couldn't spend all day at the loom  It is time for window washing, storms to come down, cleaning to be done,  so I did a little of that.  Just a little, but here is evidence.

Poor Cinderella, works so hard!

I can't stand being inside all day, even when it is a nasty, damp day outside.  I picked some flowers that are still blooming.  One never knows when the really killer frost will decide to come by.

Last of the flowers?

 Did you notice that I don't travel in a straight trajectory?    I jump around like this all the time.  Must be symptomatic of something!  Hopefully something positive.
As it is that kind of a day,  the tomatoes finally got roasted.  The poor tomato patch was very sad this year and there were never enough to put up in my usual way, let alone make my "ketchup".  I decided to roast the few I have and freeze them.  I understand this is a tasty way to preserve them.  It sure was easier than putting them up in a canner!

Laying in olive oil with slices of garlic and a sprinkle of salt

They have to roast for a long time.  Since I don't want to have the oven on all that time for just the tomatoes,  supper decreed itself to be a pot roast.  We haven't had one in a long time.

Yummy carrots, onions, potatoes and meat

Now that supper is taken care of (except that I'll make some muffins to go with it closer to time) I am going to sit down and figure out how to make a thumbless mitten for Jeff's hand.  The smashed thumb is very sensitive to the cold and he wants a mitten that he can slip on, keeping his thumb folded into his palm for warmth.  It should be double thickness, and maybe I can put a layer of fleece in between.  Could it be worked from the top down to the wrist, then keep going with another wrist, working a lining that I could twist fleece around the stitches, then when I push the finished result up into the mitten proper, the fleece would be in between?  Well, I will find out!  It will keep me busy on a road trip to NH tomorrow as I don't have to drive.  Yay!
Enjoy the season.

Taking a Minute

I am going to take one minute and give a photo essay on how I have been spending my summer.

First came the Fourth of July with a parade.  Jeff, as Citizen of the Year, had to ride at the head of the line up.  He was offered a shiny red convertible to be driven in--how could he say no?

Kevin at the wheel

I told stories and sang songs as half of Taradiddle to kids in five different libraries across the state.

Singing about a fox on a chilly night

Then I attended the ceremony of my niece's First Profession of Vows to the Sisters of Life.

Sister Gianna Maria

The next excitement was a German Feast, courtesy of our wonderful Solomon cousins.

A family gathering with a German flair

After that it was a wedding for niece Jean and her man Will.

The entire Solomon clan

Sometime in there I finished my green shawl.

My happy green shawl

I also spent three days on vacation with my sister in law.

Evening falls on Long Pond

Now I am home.  It's been a great summer!