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Tripping

Well, we’re home again. OFFF was very …er… interesting this year! That big storm coming in from Alaska arrived just in time to dampen our spirits. Well, those of us unused to those volumes of rain, that is, and especially the gale force winds! The upper Oregonians just put on their designer waders and kept on shopping! lol We did a pretty good business, tho I was sometimes convinced that shoppers just dropped in the get out of the blustering wind and driving rain and stayed to get interested. Which was fine, but in the end we had to fold up what was left of our tent and crawl back into the 5th wheel. The wind got a little too strong and was tearing us up. But we’ll be back again next year!

After the weekend we headed out east ion hopes of visiting Yellowstone Nat’l park if it was not buried in snow by that time. We didn’t get there as you all know by now that everything National got shut down by out dilatory congress unable to made compromises and losing votes by the bucket full. But I try to avoid political discussions so will skip over that here. We did see a lot of eastern Oregon, had a nice two day visit in Pendleton, visited the woolen factory and left some $ there then went on the view several museums and art galleries. Went on into southern Idaho finally getting ahead (or was it behind?) the storm and into mostly clear but still Very Windy weather. Beautiful country but boy am I glad I was not a pioneer! Those people were either crazy or desperate! I’d have stayed in Ohio! lol It would have been awful country when viewed walking at the side of a covered wagon. But we went on though Pocatello and into Utah. Salt lake was very interesting. Salt Lake City is just too big for me! But it got worse for those poor pioneers!  Getting around that huge salt lake and then into the Bonneville salt flats and on to the 40 mile desert. It’s a wonder to me that any of them made it to California. Bonneville salt flats My window needed cleaning, the sky was quite clear and blue and the white… it really is salt… went on for as far as you could see. Those mountains are miles away. That place that looks like a blue hill there at the end of the mountains is really a mirage.  The salt was quite flat and there was no real water.

And then there was this. I think you’ll all recognize this little girl. And the piles are more salt. There were many of those piles. mortons

Well, we traveled on across Utah and into Nevada. This was our first trip though norther Nevada but, really, Nevada to tourists, is Nevada, no matter what part you’re in. Well, except for Basin Nat’l monument off Hwy 50, maybe. Took this one on the fly. The last guy cracked an Indiana Jones bullwhip over the last cow just after I snapped this.  It’s going to be hard to see detail at this size. I’m going to print this one up big and frame it. nevada cowboys

The story I started off to tell was of meeting another weaver at a way side park in southern Oregon.  She saw our tire cover on the trailer with our logo and asked about the looms. I took her into our little travel home and showed her mine. She liked them and ended up increasing her loom stash there by the side of the road! I hope you are enjoying your new looms, Cindy! I think that was so neat. It’s also nice to know that people do see that logo after all! lol

But now we’re home and after filling orders it’s going to be firewood and putting the garden to bed for the winter. hope you are staying warm!

Canning season.

Yes, tomatoes and peaches are getting ripe but today I an making bacon bits. Finally got that frozen three pound block of ends and pieces cut up into ‘bits’ and in the skillet. They’ll render for the rest of the day and get canned tomorrow.

bsacon bits

 

I may make a peach pie later on today so it’s nice and warm for dinner! These are just a few I picked to relieve the branches a bit. May need a few more for the pie. There’s plenty but a couple more days won’t  hurt them.

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And so I did!

early peach pie

Finished.

I finally have the baby blanket finished. Nearly have the mixer cover finished but ran short of yarn with only a few to go. I’ll get to town this week and hopefully Jan with still have another skein in her shop.

ducks finihsed

We’re  getting ready for our trip to the Big Sky Festival. This is our first time for this show but our second trip to Hamilton Montana. Then we have to hurry home and do laundry then off to Eugene, Oregon for the Black Sheep Gathering. Haven’t been to that one for years and am looking forward to it.

I am hoping to have a few new projects to show as examples.

Things have been busy around here. Randy is making looms, trying finish our new porch, getting the composts piles ready for the new bed and trying to keep his construction customers happy, too. So far, so good! Except for the porch… Now that he has the roofing off the house, Mother Nature decided it was time for a couple days of rain. Well, it’s Memorial Day weekend… bound to happen, huh?! I’ve been in the shop, too, trying to keep up with him, plus projects, printing, getting the garden going, and all the domestic fun that has to continuously be done as we all know. But it’s been a pleasant month, too. And my little peach tree has a whopping big crop this year! Had to thin some off and may have to thin it again. This is the most it’s ever had!

Okay, enough chat. I made a determination to keep this blog more up to date than I have been doing. I’ve probably lost my three followers already, huh? lol Hope you are all having a wonderful and warm, windless! spring.

 

Some things from April.

For instance, this pretty bowl of spalted Maple which Randy made for me from a tree we had to remove from the property.DSC09606

 

 

 

 

 

 

And tho it’s early and still chances of frost, some things aren’t worried about a little thing like that. My peas are now a couple inches tall.

ppeas 4-15

 

 

 

 

 

 

And we had a guest the other evening. It’s a White Lined sphinx moth. also called a humming bird moth. I have had to put out the humming bird feeder, too. Those little guys are one their way north again.

Hummingbird moth 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And there are daffodils blooming all over, little windflowers in the lawn, the trees are showing new leaves and the cherry trees are in full bloom, as is my little peach. Whatever is happening in the northern sections of the country, it is Spring here! I hope you are getting some, too!

Rain?

Our promised rain… well, they said 60% chance…. turned out to be 40% that it wouldn’t. Not a drop. Very disappointing as we really do need it and our rain is very late this year. This storm all went north of us it looks like, tho we did have our first little fire last evening. I’m going to have to turn the water back in the garden. But it’s been cool enough nights that all but the Kale and the other few cool weather plants have done. I picked the last of things yesterday.  There are still quite a few tomatoes that I’m hoping will at least show a little color before frost so that they can ripen indoors. A late cold spring and a long cool dry fall do not make for good gardening. But here’s yesterdays harvest. The little green melon would have been a cantaloupe but the vine died so it was only starting to show some orange. Bummer. The apples are windfall, those on the tree are better after frost.

We are getting ready to leave for the next show. It’s near Seattle, the Northwest Fiber Fusion, on Oct 20-21, in Winston at the fairground. If you are in the area do come by and see us. And Randy wants to visit Grizzly Tools, which is in the area, so I get to go to the American Girl Doll Store! I’ve never been to one so I am excited. I am going to take Addy and see if they can do something about her hair in the salon, there. Meantime, I made a couple Halloween outfits for them. The knitted Sweater is a pattern from a Ravelry knitter,  Jacqueline Gibb. The woven one is mine, ‘stealing’ her Boo idea, but Kanani doesn’t need a heavy sweater in Hawaii, after all! Hope your autumn is going as it should!

Home again… for a bit

We had a great time in Arcata at the Natural Fiber Fair but I came home with a ‘gift’ from someone.  Sore throat, coff, head ache… Not bad, but certainly not good.  I’m sure I’ll be over it soon. Meantime, I am working on projects as usual.

And the tomatoes are getting ripe at last. I think I have an orange one, too. These are heirloom Oxheart. They average almost a pound a piece & are very tasty. There’s also one early girl, a roma type, and some cherries.

This is the basket I made for Momma to pick her asparagus in. It’s long a narrow, I used willow and our native blackberry vines.

Wishing everyone safe from fire and storm.

 

End of summer?

It’s been down in the 80’s all week and in the 40’s at night. I love it but my tomatoes don’t. They are ripening a couple at a time, slowly. I have some veggies in the dehydrator today, zucchini,  peppers, green beans, a roma type tomato, stuff to make into my soup mix. I dried the Asian pears that a neighbor gave me, those we didn’t eat fresh, that is. Good stuff! And the black berries to deal with tomorrow. I made some dill relish using up the excess cucumbers. It’s pretty good, I have a half pint left over that I just put in the fridge to use more or less fresh.

But today I also finished up a little doll dress. I say a kid version of this in a knitting magazine but this doll one is woven on an assortment of little blooms. Here’s Samantha Whirling and twirling in her new dancing dress,

Been awhile!

I did not realize it had been so long since I posted here. I am really falling down on the job as a blogger.   Well, I have been busy but not that busy so that’s a poor excuse.  Sounds better than “I forgot”, tho.

I got my HandWoven magazine last week with the picture of my toddler set I sent in to the contest. They bumped me out because I sent the shorts with it. The title of the contest and the only rule was “sleeveless” so I don’t quite get this. You may have seen it. They didn’t mention the looms but I guess that’s okay, too. Anyway, it was a nice picture.  Fed Ex was supposed to have it back here yesterday but they can never find us. UPS has no trouble finding us but Fed Ex… well, I have to call and explain every time. Anyway, Hopefully they’ll get it here tomorrow. I want to try to talk a neighbor into letting her little girl model it for some pictures. I’ve almost finished the boys outfit and then I have to find a toddler boy.

I almost sent this one. They’re both sock yarns. Now I’m working on a doll dress for a possible WAL. And I am working up the hooded doll jacket pattern, too, and have started sketching some baby things.

That’s about all I’ve finished since the chicken kitchen  curtain. We’re trying to get the loom stock up for the fall shows and orders are pouring in again now that the very hot weather is abating a bit. And boy am I glad about that. I’m not ready for winter yet but I am ready for a little moderation! It got up to 82 today, I can deal with that!

What else? I’ve been printing snow scenes today for a neighbor who has ordered 20 more christmas cards! Wow, that’s planning ahead! And yesterday I canned pickle relish to use up the excess cucumbers the garden is producing this year. The tomatoes will be coming on by the bushel in a week or so, too.

Did  I mention that I will be teaching a class this November at Fiber Mania in Grants Pass, Oregon?  This is a new venture for me. X your fingers that someone actually signs up for it!

A cool summer day

Yeah, it’s nearly July and only 47 degrees this morning. Rained heavily yesterday but none so far today, in fact the sun is peeping out just now. My tomatoes hate this weather! So does my old man. That’s Robin, not Randy, but he isn’t real happy about it, either, tho in his case it’s the rain, rather than the cool. Cool is good for fixing roofs, rain on the other hand…

But Robin deals with it like this. He’s usually out napping on the deck,  80-90 degrees is comfortable for his old cat body.