Bob is Great, Bob is Good

Some weeks just feel like you are shoveling the proverbial crap before the tide. This week was one of them for me at least. Outside I had so much to do I didn't know where to start. I skipped Monday cleaning...enough said on that front. ;-) 

First up really was attending to the paddock gate area. If anyone wants some nice horse manure, come and get it.  I've got plenty! Said manure producers ( I need the t-shirt that shows a horse pooping money) are always fascinated when Bob pays a visit into the paddock. Now, if it wasn't for Bob, the hay would have to be hand carted up a hill. If it wasn't for Bob, the manure would have to be hand shoveled. If it wasn't for Bob, the 8 stumps I removed would have to be hand dug and the list goes on. Bob was my constant companion this week in just about all my endeavors outside, even if it was just to carry tools for me. We love Bob and even though he has at times been called old, cranky or ....puny the farm wouldn't run without him. He sports his own burgie too.

Yesterday I took a big break from all the outside chores, got in my little Subaru and went to town, in a number of ways. I really needed a storage solution for all the bits and bobs of yarn. This is what I came up with. They live on the top of the big yarn cabinet and even if I drop one getting it down, it's unbreakable plastic. Everything is nicely visible so I don't have to go digging around the stash for a little something I thought I might have.

We also have a cashmere warp going on the Murphy loom, the first of the gift scarves.

The prayer flag wrap has been woven off and the flags for friends have already been delivered.

The saddle blanket is into the 3 color pattern and needs about another two hours of work to get off the loom. Might get it this weekend, might not. I want to get Mr. Pink Bunny-Ears out for a ride and see if we can get up to the snow line on a trail or two.

The weather is cold and sunny and just perfect to bundle up and conquer a mountain or two.

Finally, I wanted to post my favorite picture of spring!

Flowers may fade, but sheets hung out to dry after a long winter of being machine dried is just heaven.

Subaru Come Home!

Well, the POC (poor old car) is in the shop until sometime around the 20th. I guess it is viewing it as a long restful spa treatment. I leaves me without wheels and feeling housebound, if for no other reason that it's not there at my disposal. Gene and I don't share vehicles well. His is decked out with radios and communication stuff for when the fire department gets emergency calls. It makes it difficult to just borrow since he really does need that stuff. This morning, he'll drag out all his gear and I'll  drop him off to pick up the official fire depart. rig and when I get back, we'll do it all in reverse. A PITA for sure. The other aside is I don't like driving the truck and parking it is a harrowing event. I have a hard time parallel parking the little Outback! Beware Ashland folks trouble is coming to town. ;-)

The curtains are done, off the loom, washed, ironed and awaiting hemming and hanging. I'm pleased with them. They aren't fancy, quite rustic really and rather pretty with their Monks Belt border. Pictures coming soon.

I have lots of stuff to choose from to go on the Murphy loom but I'm going to start with a scarf in some yummy Kid Slique from Prism Yarns. I'm going to try weaving in some bits of silk cocoons. The picture doesn't really show all the deep purples in this yarn. The colorway is called Embers.

  I have a number of scarves I want to do and it would seem, not much opportunity to do other stuff, so next week I'll try to do as many as I can. The saddle blanket hasn't been touched in a few days but that is on track to be off the loom this weekend.

Puck has been seen regularly, although not a glimpse of him yesterday. I wasn't really watching for him. It rained just about all day but saved the hail until feeding time for the horses. Looks like it's going to be wet through most of next week too. I may mold!

Heavy Petting

Maybe it was the giant case of spring fever that hit yesterday, or all the spring buying going on at some great blogs I follow. Sometimes something grabs you and just won't let go. Yesterday while dutifully picking up more saddle blanket dark grey wool, I was simply enjoying all the yarny goodness Websters has to offer. One of the gals was ironing and modeling some beautiful shibori dyed silk clothing and while saying hello to favorite yarns and people alike, I happened to put my hands on the softest stuff I've ever felt. It's like touching a cloud without the damp or cotton candy without the stickiness!

It was cashmere and silk  spun together to make Filatura di Crosa's Superior yarn and

two lovely puddles of it made to my pile on the counter. To keep it company we threw in some nice complimentary Habu lightly variegated and hand dyed cashmere. These will be a couple of gift scarves. 

Looks like on the first day of spring I have gotten a jump on my holiday shopping. 

I also stumbled upon a little Schacht Mini Loom kit. I needed something like this to make sampling a bit easier than using cardboard and thought this a good buy

with all it's little accessories. I should have picked up an Ashland Sky bag to keep it in now that I'm thinking about it. Next trip.

When I pulled up the driveway, car full of yarn and groceries it truly looked like spring had come to the mountain. The bird population seems to have doubled, the mud is drying out a bit in places, squirrels of all varieties are sprinting from place to place, goats are roaming looking for spring browse and the horses putting on quite a show of running and mock fighting. The mock fights involve a lot of nipping, rearing and heart stopping (mine) kicking. The games usually end quietly, everyone breathing heavy, a little sweaty and with a long group drink at the water trough. In 20 minutes time everyone is buddied up, head over a back grooming or resting with head to tail mulling over their victories. So it was yesterday.