Autumn is Just Another Word for Overload

Simply put, fall snuck up on us. It was so hot for so long we were lulled into laziness. Then poof! frost is on the pumpkin (and everything else), and high gear kicks in. Time to winterize, oh and then there is wood and fences and shelters to attend to. Plows to think of, hay to get in. Any of you living on a farm or ranch or with a garden can understand the urgency with which one welcomes in the most wonderful two seasons of the year. Pretty leaves and fresh pressed cider followed by the reverence of the world (mine at least) shrouded in white and pale grey, muffled and quiet as we have a time to reflect. And there is certainly a lot happening in the world to reflect upon.

And then of course there was the week of Spinzilla, I managed 1830 yards, which for me is a happy total. As much as I love Amelia Joy 2 the wheel, I am still not a fast spinner and will never be, but my yarn did improve and I got some very nice fingering yarn. Here are my humble skeins,



 which have gone to The Web-ster's to give away to those who are inclined to do charity knitting. The shop sponsors hats for Dunn House a local emergency shelter for women and children escaping abuse be it domestic, sexual or date etc.

This was the skein I finished up before Spinzilla started, one of the few I'm keeping for myself.




Once that ended there was just a whole lot of catch up on mundane chores. Last Friday was the year anniversary of my Dad's death.  Can a Friday the 13th get much worse I ask you? We muddled through, maybe it should be puddled through.

All those give-aways minus two mailed out Monday. The two held back I was waiting on addresses, which I have but they missed the big batch. They will leave here this week too.

 I am just about to take this warp off the loom. Five holiday towels for gifts.



I really love this pattern and will do it again, and again. It doesn't have to be in Christmas colors. Oh and looky loo, who wants to learn to weave! ;-)



Another warp is starting on the reel, I'm calling this my bumblebee warp.



Yellow, white and black. I've wanted to do one of these for years and dagnabbit, now is the time. The first bout of 170 ends is just about done. I sold the Harrisville reel to a weaver in Klamath Falls. Hope she loves it.

The ever rotating road crew has been out all the days I didn't have to go to town. This is the usual group. Jack, Hazel and Mandy.



Speaking of Mandy she has found a toy to call her own,



these Nylabone fake rawhide bones. I bought one and when she called dibs on it, I bought 3 more. She seems to feel all of them are hers. Don't mess with the Little Red Queen's bones, just ask Jack!



 Dogs must be the original hoarders.

Speaking of walks, some of my most loved birds are back now that the seasonal interlopers are gone. Mountain Chickadees, beautiful Chestnut Backed Chickadees, Red Breasted Nuthatches and a first this year a White Breasted Nuthatch. The little Pine Siskin's have taken over the thistle feeder. Our Junco's are back and the Stellar Jays and Ravens make themselves known throughout the day with the calls and caws. We spied bear scat, in our back yard and across the road on one path. The foxes have returned to pillage dropped seed and raw egg handouts. There is a pair. It is too early for mating so I suspect they are siblings just sprung from their mothers protection to make or break it this first winter. The raccoons are here but not as often seen as when Momma had the 3 terrors with her. They may have a different denning place for winter. The deer are gone, the stupid hunters are back. Sigh.

There have been a few little treats these past couple of weeks, some fun fabrics.



You do know I like mushroom and hedgehog fabrics right? And this little treat came home with me when I dropped my yarn off at the Web-ster's.



 I have the hat kit too and am going to try to knit both of them up this winter. HA!

Four hours later I'm sneaking in a "Did That Just Happen" because this opinion piece is so well written and finally tells us something about the four soldiers that lost their lives in Niger. My heart goes out to the families, not only for their heavy loss but that it now must be part of the political circus of the so called President.

Parting shots: Weenie in the wild. We had to cross a pretty wide stream to get to this spot!