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It’s June!

May31

I don’t need a calendar to tell me when June arrives!

My roses know!

The iris are more about mid May.

They are still going strong but their reign is nearing the end for this year. I have marigold, nasturtium, sunflowers. zinnia, another whose name eludes me at the moment. Some planted some just in seed trays. But these are the summer flowers coming up quickly. And according to this morning’s weather forecast, just in time!

Himself has the veggies garden under control. He is putting in a sprinkler system that can run off timers when we are on the road for a week or so. It’s a modified version of my sisters system what he admired. It has to have some special changes for our situation but it looks like we won’t have to have a garden ‘sitter’ this summer!

Meantime, I am canning soup today. My favorite lunch. It’s just my version of a ‘dump’ recipe. Tomato or V8 if I have it, chicken broth, veggies broth, and whatever veggies are available fresh or canned. Beans, split peas, and  lentils, barley. A good hearty soup! And the bread is in the machine, the weekly regular loaf.

I know this is like posting a photo of your dinner, but I was delighted to get a full canner, 16 pints, and still have about 3 lunches worth left in the fridge! It’s not real photogenic but I like it! lol

But I have not abandoned weaving. I have the squares woven for my scarf and am going to start assembly today in between these other projects, and some shop work. Maybe. That might have to wait a day. I am also working on a couple tutorials for fixing weaving problems  after the fact. What to do once they are off the loom. A neighbor gave me a link to a editing program she says is “easy”.  I plan to give it a try but, well, she is much younger and used to internet apps and programs. I saw the things she was doing with her teaching videos for her glass works and, frankly, I am just a bit intermediated!  But I’ll give it a try. Maybe you can “:teach an old dog new tricks”!

Meantime, if you are having problem with assembling, you might want to check out this blog. Even if you decide these methods are not for you I think you’ll agree they are creative!

   Have a lovely spring!

 

 

April in Trinity

Apr18

It’s been beautifully sunny and warm this last week. The “glacier” on front of my kitchen is disappearing rapidly, bulbs coming up and blooming, trees starting to bud, birds and animals coming out of hiding!  This morning at 28 degrees there was new snow on the deck! Not much, but just April making sure we know it’s not May yet! But the sun is up again and that white is melting rapidly.

A crocus, reluctant to open in the frosty lawn and one of the first primroses blooming under a budding mini rose.

     

We are getting ready to leave for the Great Basin Fiber Arts fair in Utah next week. In spite of all that has come together to make this as difficult as possible I am actually looking forward to going. The latest disaster, in case I haven’t mentioned it, is his truck. The one that pulls the 5th wheel, is in the shop. It’s brain dead. It’s computer died and has had to be sent off to a company in New York that rebuilds/programs these units. We were told a month. I didn’t want to disappoint weavers there who’ve signed up for my classes so we’ve rented a U-Haul van and an airBnB and are going anyway. It is going to be an interesting trip!

I haven’t gotten a lot of weaving done this month, most has been more mundane stuff but things that needed to be done. I did work on some rectangular stuff, nothing finished or ready to be shown. And made a couple scrubbies for the house. Stuff like that. Did I mention the Cat?

I must have. I still haven’t been able to find his family or anyone who can give him a home.  He seems to be happy asking to be let out when he needs to answer nature. That’s fine as we really have no place to keep a littler box. We have been planning to take him to the shelter in Weaverville if I cannot find another home for him. At my age I really don’t need a cat under foot, and he is really good at the ankle twining cat thing! But it looks like we may end up keeping him after all. Randy talked to the temporary animal control person and was told that they are at capacity for cats and can’t take anymore. I’m not going to dump him or let him starve. He’s a very loving guy, also quite handsome and well mannered. He’s also a long haired white cat. So far in this cold weather, he has not been shedding but that’s one thing my last white cat did in abundance, I still find her “angora” on my black coat and stuff like that! But we’ll see.

We’re never going to be Vegans but I’ve been trying to be less carnivorous.  It’s much easier for me than it is for Himself but he rarely complains. He did comment on an article he read saying people need to eat less red meat, saying, “That’s not a problem around here.” I just agreed! lol It’ll be easier once the garden gets going again and we have lots of fresh veggies. Winter is hard since produce is limited and the grocery store is an 80 mile round trip. I can as much as we have for it in the summer but it’s starting to run our by this time of year. We’ve planted onions and peas. He’s says he had to replant some of the onions. I think it’s the jays who pull them up. Everybody is looking for fresh greens this time of year, he put wire over the pea row, just in case!

Well, looks like I’ve been a bit chatty this morning so it’s time to say Have a Nice Day! and get to work on the days chores! Hope you’re seeing signs of spring where you are!

 

 

 

More snow…

Mar5

…Another 10″ this morning. This is the trail to the mail box.

And Himself likes feeding the birds but he doesn’t use a bird feeder just tosses it on the deck and in the snow. The towhees and Junkos were missing in this photo as was the little tree rat, the pine squirrel. He’s better stay missing! But the greys and the Jays were there for breakfast! You can tell that He’s generous with the expensive bird feed, too! Ah well, they are entertaining. This is our deck, by the way. Getting deep around the edges! lol

Hope you are having fun with your looms and staying cozy this rather chilly March! Traditionally it comes in like a lion (tho I’d vote Polar bear this year) so let’s just hope it goes out like that lamb!

 

I’ve been showing you the deck side, the “pretty side”.  Thought I’d give you a view of my kitchen side. That’s my car, the shop behind it. The white area to the right of my car is the tarp that helps keep the snow out of the wood shed behind it. The path he’s shoveled leads to the porch and kitchen door. The 2nd picture was taken from the kitchen door though the snow boards which keep the snow off the porch. For the most part. Snow did a lot of melting today but there’s more scheduled for this week.

   

May… as in maybe spring?

May6

It’s hard to tell what season it is. One day it’s 80 degrees and sunny, nest day you wake up to 31 degrees and frost, nest day back to warm and sunny then a week of cloudy, dark, cool, and rain showers that don’t really add much to the water table. Today is one of those. I worked in the garden this morning, cut a bunch of kale off my blooming kale plants and finally let him dig up most of them. There a bunch of little seedlings to make a new patch. I hate to give them up, suck pretty plants, but it’s time for a new generation. They don’t seem to mind the weather, in fact judging by the number of  plants coming up. I’d have to say they like it.  But my tomato plants won’t and they are starting to out grow their quarters in the house!

So I’m weaving little triangles today. Don’t know what I’ll do with them. Maybe a quilt design. But they’re easy and fast using the Tiny Weaver Tri.

PUD called awhile back and told us the poser would be out last Sunday from 8 am to 4 pm. Si I made a picnic lunch and we headed up to take a look at how the winter had left Mt Meadow at the end of the road. Seemed a good use for a powerless day. I hadn’t seen the burned area since they started the “clean up”. The clean up consisted of tearing up and hauling off the burned structures, leaving the woods pretty much the way they were. They’ve cut “hazard trees” along the road, those they deem a danger of falling on the road and/or whoever happens to be there at the time. And a few private landowners have logged the burnt timber. on their property. Federal property gets left as is… natural.

But once up the road a few miles the fire did not come down to the canyon do the view along the road is green and thriving. You can see the burn up on the ridgetops, rows of standing poles that used to be trees. The fire came down to the meadow in a few places but by and large it stayed safe, as did the old historical Mt Meadow Ranch. We saw three bear and the trip. Going up, a sow and a yearling cub ran across the road ahead of us. Bright cinnamon colored. Coming back a young black bear was munching grass in the meadow. I guess the bears are hungry this spring, with all the old rotted logs having burned up, taking with them those nice fat grubs the bears like, there’s not much to eat up there this spring. Randy got a shot of this one also munching grass on his hike up Union creek Saturday.

 

He wasn’t interested in visiting, tho, once he spotted Randy he departed the meadow in a hurry.

But we enjoyed our picnic and hiked around a bit indulging in what is now days called  “Forest Bathing”! lol Ah well, I live in the forest but i still enjoy getting out in the woods.

The alp’s I’m afraid didn’t fair as well as the meadow. We didn’t cross the river but had a depressing view that way.

 

We walked down and took a look at the meadow from the bottom, The fire came down into the Aspens, but didn’t hurt them. We only have this one patch of them in Trinity Co. That I am aware of, anyway. Here’s Himself contemplating the view. Yo can see the brow trees. But there’s still green ones, too. Still birds and a nice sized deer herd so lots of things survived the fire.

I guess that’s about all I have to day today. Guess I’ll go weave a few more triangles, maybe I’ll get inspired!

 

April Oneth!

Mar31

Yep! It’s that time again. I’ve had a lot of them but I’ll tell you, I am just delighted to be having another one! I’m hoping to have several more. Hope all of you keep on having them too! So what am I going to do on my special day? Probably the same sort of things I did today, just keep on keeping on. No big plans. We’re signed up to go to Black Sheep Gathering and later to OFFF so those will be our big trips this summer. I’ll get to spend a day or two with my sister in Oregon as well. If fuel prices happen to go back down a reasonable amount we might take a trip just for fun. Not holding my breath.

It’s about time to get the garden started. I’ve planted peas, both eatable pod and shelly. That’s all so far, tho. I ought to have cucumbers starting and winter squashes, too, probably. No frost lately tho the night temps are well into the 30’s.

I thawed, roasted and canned up the extra turkey I bought in December . We had a couple nice meals from that 24 lb bird, and now I have pints of meat and turkey soup filling the pantry shelves so here’s a lopsided photo of some of the shelves. I could have sworn I had the camera lined up correctly! lol I guess I need to get out there and Organize. There’s more pints in their boxes that could be on the shelves where they are seen and remembered.

My housebound geraniums are glued to the window, trying to get out in the sun and the red one even put on a flower!

  I took this from outside the window and the yard is reflecting on the glass so the geranium has the bare stemmed maple tree superimposed on it! I think this must be an Art photo! But this is the first red one I’ve managed to over-winter. The pinks and white I’ve had for years! In fact that’s been 20 years! I’m not saying they are the same plants I brought home from my classroom at the school, but are at least clones of them! I hadn’t realized really that it had been that long. oh boy! There are some things you’d rather not think about too deeply!

Ah well… We’re onto another year of Little Loom magazine projects. I just submitted my spring ideas and will get to working on summer. Already know what I’ll be doing for the winter issue, I think they’ll like it. Sometimes these projects get pretty stressful but I usually enjoy them and it keeps me motivated.

I hope you are all keeping your looms well dusted! Like anything else, you’re looms will look their best if they are being used. Remember, I like to see your projects! Post them on Ravelry or the facebook group or just email them to me if you feel like sharing!

Well, hope you are having a lovely spring!

New Years Day 2022… Good wishes for the future!

Jan1

I hope you all were able to welcome the new year in the way you most enjoy! And stayed safe!

Randy and I celebrated as old people tend to do!

Today I finally got my new patchwork top out and got a photo. I don’t know if I mentioned but the yoke turned out to be too short, so I added another row of squares and I think it’s much better. Not my most flattering color but I like the way I did this neckline.

Pretty slow in Trinity this time of year. We had a lot of snow a week or so ago and it’s still here along with an impressive display of icicles along the roof line. We hit our winter low this morning at 14 degrees f.  The Wizards say we are in for more snow on Sunday and Monday and then they think it’s going to warm up and rain at our elevation. That’ll be a nice mess! Well, we are still in a drought so not all bad. This last snow was pretty dry stuff. Which is nice when you have to shovel it but doesn’t add much to the water tables.

Well, l Himself has mentioned a couple times that there is a cake mix and a can of frosting in the pantry, so I guess I’ll go make him a cake.  Hope your new years day is going well and that it continues to be well throughout the year! If we all do our best to stay positive and friendly and safe I’m sure the world will be able to recover.

Be kind, be positive, be safe! And do lots of weaving!

Merry Christmas, Happy new Year, and also happy anything else you celebrate this time of year!

Dec23

I don’t have to  be “Dreaming of a white Christmas” this year. It’s already white and the Weather Wizards tell us we’re going to have Nice nice new snow on Christmas day and it looks like, the whole week after! Delightful, since we have no travel plans this year. Staying home by the fire! But my poor Tennessee Red cedar doesn’t seem to like Trinity winters. It broke away from it’s support. I think it may need a cage until it can grow a thicker trunk.

 

We’ve been working like crazy in the shop this month. I did not plan well. Those of you who’ve had to wait for your looms know this. I really didnt’ expect the new fine sett to be quite so popular! But I think we have just about got it done. The last one goes out tomorrow, then no more until after the holiday. And of course, in the middle of this rush, the Loom maker got sick and then with the snow storm the power was out for three days! One of the special woods that was ordered decided it didnt’ want to play. Randy had to make those looms 3 times before he got one to do what it was supposed to do. You would not think a lovely board could be so troublesome!

I finished up the last weaving projects for Little looms Magazine and actually did a little knitting making my mini dolls new Christmas outfits during our evening movie. I was asked why the green theme. I had to admit convenience, it was handy! lol

And I did actually finish the patchwork shirt in the previous post. after I fulled it became apparent that the yoke was too short. While I was looking for the yarn to weave more squares, I lucked out and found just the right number of already woven squares in that yarn! I promise to get a photo wearing it, one of these days when there is a little light for pictures.

But meantime…………………

     

 

Once a UFO

Dec6

Now it’s nearly done. Just has to have a trip though the washer. After that I’ll decide if the bottom of the yoke needs stitching down. I think I pinned this in place before the Big Evacuation and it’s just been out of sight out of mind since. It’s kind of long on me, too, so I may have to re-hem it. I like these shirts. I got them on sale at WalMart in Yreka a few years ago. There’s a green one and a red one left. They’re well made men’s shirts so have sleeves of a decent length. I prefer those without the band but liked this color in spite of that. The yoke is sock yarn on the 4 & 2 inch Multi Looms. I just place the assembled yoke over the shirt, pin in place, sew it down with the machine and cut away the parts I don’t want. I left the shirt fabric under this one to gvie it a bit of heft.

 

 

We’re supposed to have rain today sometimes and snow next weekend. Good time for shop work except…! He’s gotten a case of food poisoning somewhere and has had to spend most of the last two days… well, you know where. But he has gotten some stuff done in the shop. If you have an order in, please be patient, we’ll get them done as soon as we can.

Trying to stay warm these December days! Hope your December is going well!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov25

I hope you are all enjoying this day and are finding many things in your life to be thankful for! There are so many things we tend to take for granted that, when we think about it, are not granted to most people on this planet. As much negativity, quarreling, and tragedy as we have seen these last couple years, there is still a brighter side to our lives if we can look for it.

I hope you can all find the bright side today and give thanks for it, no matter who or what you credit that to.

I am thankful for all of you!

Even in Death Valley there’s life and Beauty.