After pics ...

After the shed has been torn down:


After the Noro scarf is finished:


After the wood is stacked:

Just a tiny bit left to stack and I'll take care of that tomorrow.

After my book arrived:

I stumbled upon this book in my search for dyeing information. It was available on Amazon so I ordered it and it arrived yesterday. It's brilliant! Also LOL funny. Wonderfully written. Most fascinating!!

The bird house is in business...

Good news today from the selectmen's office: My permit application to build a room for my birds was approved last night! Yippee! Quite a relief.

The wait had given me plenty of opportunity to practice mindfulness... I was catching myself having imaginary arguments with officials I've never met over a situation that had not occurred. The fear of having my application rejected created easy fodder for less-than-constructive imaginings. So when I caught myself sliding into these imagined scenarios I tried to focus on my breathing and mentally went over other possible options if my plans were not approved. It took repeated tries at times to still the angst but it was worth it. Practice.

Now to see when the contractor can start. Soon I hope.

I am predictably experiencing the let down of a naked loom. As I've written before, when there's a warp on the loom, the corner where the loom sits acts almost like a sanctuary. It beckons me when I need to slow down or simply when I want to enjoy the gentle waves of quiet being. So at the completion of a project, that source of contentment is temporarily removed. But not for long, usually.

The loom is already warped anew. I spent an hour this evening sleying and threading it with a skein of Noro's "The World of Nature", a wool/silk blend that I purchased for the simple reason that it was beautiful. I had no project in mind when I bought it. Since purchasing it I've wondered how I could employ it in such a way as to highlight it's beauty. I really want the yarn itself to be the focus of whatever I make with it. Believe me, if it would work, I'd simply wear the skein--as is--around my neck and call it a scarf! Ha! But that wouldn't work very well. I didn't want to knit it thinking that twisting it into stitches would diminish it's essence. So I'm using the yarn as warp and will make a plain weave scarf using a very thin wool for the weft. This, I hope, will allow the yarn to shine in all it's glory.

An interesting result ...

There it is hanging out to dry in what was gorgeous weather yesterday. (Not so gorgeous today as it's raining, but that has it's own beauty and joy--as long as it doesn't rain every day for a fortnight like it did this spring!)

I have learned a good lesson with this project about using different wools in the same cloth. Two of the wools were slightly greasier than the others causing them to behave differently in the wet finishing stage: They didn't shrink as much as the other wools. That in turn has left my stole with a little puckering. Not much, just a little, and seeing how it's for personal use I don't mind at all. In fact, I think it's a charming aspect of the cloth. But notes have been duly jotted down.

I'm very happy with the way the colors worked. It looks country.


Well now, I better get spinning because I want to make a scarf out of these two merino/silk blends:

This and that ...

My neighbors (Mr. and Mrs.) have been over to work on tearing down the shed. I'm glad it's finally happening. The remnants should be gone by the end of next weekend. This evening we all enjoyed pizza and chips: Mr., Mrs., their four utterly delightful children, a good friend of theirs, and myself. Being around the young children reminded me that I miss my former students.

That was taken last evening which shows it gutted out. As of tonight, half the roof is gone. Won't be long now.

What's that in the extreme foreground, you ask? Why, that's my exercise regimen for the next week.

Two cords. Two more on order. I started stacking last night. This, to me, is good exercise. It has a purpose outside of myself and therefore is meaningful exercise. I have always found gym exercise to be very difficult. In fact I once bought a year-long membership in a gym in NYC at a hefty price only to end up going once. Yup. I went once! Lesson learned. I had much better luck with a stationary bike that I had in my apartment some years back. I used it religiously for a whole year, and with good results. The big problem with it was the seat--it made me sore! A folded towel, as I recall, did a lot to cushion the work out. No, for sure, these constructed exercises never did as much for me as something useful--like chopping, or stacking wood. As I recall, the stationary bike faded into the background after a disastrous and, as it turns out, whirlwind relationship. Funny that: relationships in their budding can be a great boost for physical activity but depending on the circumstances, less desirable endings can set up hurdles to overcome.

- * -

In my first few weeks here I purchased a lovely little fern and placed it on the sill above my kitchen sink. It's done well there and it's prominent location means I'm reminded to water it frequently. It's done so well that it's growth has caused it's leaves to press against the glass, resulting in constricted development on that side.

Inspired by a leaflet on macrame which I purchased at a thrift store a month ago, I decided to take time today to make a hanging holder for my sweet fern. A ball of jute and 4 beads--which I happen to have from a visit to a fantabulous store in NYC, Beads of Paradise--was just about all that was needed. Missing from my inventory was a 3" metal ring but I managed to fashion one out of a twig and some raffia. I must say I like this twig ring better than a metal one.

I'm happy that my fern is no longer restricted from growing freely on the window side of it's perch. (Recent work at the cello and piano have also opened up my left chest and shoulder area--the location of surgery several years ago--to a considerable degree so that I am no longer as restricted on that side. And, as one would expect, greater freedom on the left means greater freedom on the right. Happy developments.)
Constricted by the window pane:

Hanging happily unconstricted in it's new holder:


- * -

Happy news on the flora front: The canna lillies I brought up from NY, which were a gift from CT--although not growing as tall up here (which could be because they had a late start)--are beginning to blossom. Happy, happy.


- * -

Just this week decided to take one of the first articles I wove--when I had my rigid heddle loom--and add a cross-stitch embroidery to make it a Christmas scarf. Adding a Christmas tree to each end. Just starting:


- * -

Travelled to Hanover, NH Friday evening to hear Vladimir Feltsman in recital at Dartmouth's Hopkins Center. (Trivia: The Center was designed by the same architect that designed the Metropolitan Opera House in NYC.) What an inspiration. It was a real treat for him to come out after the program and converse with the audience. ... I literally laughed out loud when I went to pick up my car, which I'd left in the parking garage--in NY mode I expected to pay around $30 for the evening's parking. Total cost for the 4 hours turned out to be a whopping $1.00!!! :)

- * -

Made big progress on the handspun stole today, down to the final stretch. Continuing to make progress on the hat... and the scarf... and continue to come up with so many new projects. I'm thinking I may need to hold a private raffle to see which one I start next! Hee hee.

Progress...

Not a fast knit, but not terribly slow either. There is enough going on with each row to stave off all possibility of becoming boring. Yes, it looks like a scarf but it really will be a hat when finished.

I was able to finally submit my application for a permit to build the bird's room, only to find out that the selectmen don't meet this week and I'll have to wait until next Wednesday to see if it's approved. (Fingers crossed.) Approval from the state energy code come last week shortly after the DES septic approval number was found in the state's archives. Yes, the permit application needs the DES septic approval number. Let me tell you: If there are any concerns about my septic system being adequate I'm going to be very emphatic with the officials that my birds do not use the toilet. Here's hoping I can call the contractor next week to give him the go ahead as soon as he's ready.

The oil tank in the basement is now full--it was completely empty for the last 2 months. Then I found out it was not a good idea to leave it empty because rust can form. So the oil tank is full, the wallet is empty. I also ordered 4 cords of seasoned hard wood the other day and I have a feeling I did so just in the nick of time. A number of places were all out of seasoned wood. I tell ya, my wallet will be light as a feather when all is said and done! But the house should be warm this winter and that's important.

I stumbled--really found it by accident--this video about my house. I was searching for images of the Groton windmills and there in among the photos was a link to this video. The woman being interviewed is the previous owner from whom I purchased the house. Seeing this video made me feel good because it gave me an idea of what I'm looking at for keeping the place warm this winter, and it doesn't sound bad. There's a quick shot of the exterior right at the beginning.


Also in the works: I've hired my neighbor to tear down the 'car port' and he has made a start on it. When it is gone I'll be able to start work on next year's garden areas. For reference, here's a 'before' picture.

The fiber front ... and a cello update ...

Aahh. Nice week fiber-wise. The stole took a patriotic turn today:

Italy has also made an appearance in it.

The scarf of alpaca, hand spun by the 12-year-old neighbor, is finished. Tomorrow I will show it to her. At the moment it is keeping the pheasant's head warm. :) The yarn was a bit over-plied and/or under-plied in places. To even it all out, I steamed it when the knitting was finished. Years ago I purchased a steamer for the purpose of cleaning the walls in the bird room. Turns out it was really not necessary but it is very handy for relaxing wool or other fibers after spinning. I used it to relax the rainbow skein I'm currently knitting up. I like this scarf quite a lot and it is good and warm. There is enough yarn left to maybe make a pair of mittens.


With the scarf off the needles I thought I'd start a hat. I'm utilizing my own hand spun wool. This hat has not just one, but two provisional cast-ons! I don't yet know why... will find out when it comes time to attach the pieces together. There are also a handful of stitches I've never employed before. I really like the way these 2 color ways are working together and I really like the pattern. It's called "Traveling Rib Hat" and can be purchased on Ravelry.


Not sure if I ever mentioned it, but I continue to take a cello lesson with my teacher in Brooklyn when I go down for my monthly trip. In the meantime I take lessons from him via Skype--over the internet. A video lesson. It has worked out amazingly well after we made just a few adjustments in the structure of the lesson. For instance, we cannot play duets so I work on them here and we play them when I'm down there in person.

Today was a Skype lesson day and I played the Sarabande from Bach's Suite #1 in C Major. I will continue to work on it--and the Prelude--while starting the Allemande. The marked up music should arrive via email in the next day or so. A few weeks ago I started scales in 3 octaves--what a wonderful range the cello has. They're a bit toughie once the notes get up high on the neck. We also touched on what is called "thumb positions" today--more work way up the neck of the cello. Lot's going on! Very exciting. :)

Collaboration ...

Well, this is exciting! Last month, visiting the Plymouth farmer's market, I spied a skein of yarn that had been handspun by a 12-year old girl from nearby. Her family own alpacas, make soap, sell bread, eggs, etc. Last Thursday, on my 2nd visit to the market, I spied the same skein of yarn... and snatched it up! I didn't have much cash with me the first time I saw it or I would have bought it then. Better late than never, no?

So I'm knitting her yarn into a scarf which I plan to take to the market Thursday to show her the fruits of her labors all knit up. Sweet fun.


I will also mention that she and her sisters sell pies and cookies at the General Store in Rumney. !!! Smile.

Too, in fiber news, I'm weaving on the handspun stole. Loving it...

I was a bit ticked off to find a smidge of moth damage in some of my handspun. Grrr. I need to find the right herbal recipe to ward them off. At the moment I'm using a cedar spray made for refreshing cedar wood blocks. I think it's working because I'm not seeing the little winged wool munchers much these days. However, the piano tuner was here Saturday morning (finally!) and he found moth damage on some felts. I will need to have those attended to in the near future. I suspect this damage happened before I moved as I did have a few bouts with moths while in NY. I'm resigned to they being a fact of life, I just need to find a way to keep them off the grass so to speak!

Critters! I love 'em but can't they just leave my wool alone? Is that too much to ask in exchange for roaming privileges?