It's Now Official!

     After waiting for nearly 2 months, the paperwork has finally been completed and all the necessary signatures and notarization's are in place and Robin from the bank has FINALLY been able to call and tell me to come and pick up the deed to the farm.  You would think that by now the giddiness of the situation would have taken hold but the continuing "drama" in our private life has taken much of the joy out of this milestone.  Now that we no longer have an "official" farm payment, the money that had been going for the mortgage is now going into paying the taxes & insurance directly rather than through the bank and the beginnings of rebuilding much of the house due to being unable to afford repairs AND a mortgage.  I'm not sure exactly where the repairs will begin but with all that needs done, it will be a coin toss and away we go!  With the family situation being what it is, putting a massive amount of effort into repairs and remodeling may be a good thing....something "new" to dwell on as we start a new chapter in our life.

     I can also report that the 2013 Pima cotton crop was started in origami pots this past Sunday and in only 3 DAYS, we are already seeing germination!  Now.....if the weather will EVER warm up enough to get the garden worked up, we may be able to get something planted.  In the normal scheme of things in Tennessee, we are able to start turning the garden (I do the whole thing by hand with a fork!) in January.  This year however we have managed to get a whopping 2 days in the garden so far.  Between the colder than normal temperatures and the unusually wet winter, gardening hasn't been an option. I for one am praying that the summer we are about to face is not as hot and dry as last years.......last years summer STUNK!

The Jokes On US!!!

     OK....I have to admit that I was having a little fun with the last posting just to see who was actually reading this blog and so far it appears that one person does.  When I posted that we were "expecting twins" I was actually expecting just 2 of these Russian spindles but low and behold, we ended up with THREE so the post should have read "triplets"!  These spindles were hand crafted for me by Joshua Lynch out of Texas from some flame birch lumber that I had been hoarding for 20 some years.  To say that Joshua did a superb job is a gross understatement!  In my emails with him, he said that this wood was some of the hardest stuff he's ever dealt with but we could not be more happy with what he sent back. So....without further ado let me introduce you to the newest members of our growing spinning family!  (Yes, we are rather like the Duggar family but with wheels and spindles!)

    The three Russian spindles pictured above are Theona, Hepzibah, & Finn.  Having just received them in the mail, I haven't had the time to take them to the shop and put them on the scale to know their weight. Most Russian spindles used to spin Gossamer lace weight need to weigh around 12-15 grams.  I'm pretty sure these will weigh more due to being made from flame birch which is a heavy wood.  The three will add to our growing number of fiber tools that now number (I think!) at 8 wheels and somewhere around 24 spindles.  I hope to one of these days take them ALL outside and make a "family" portrait with them but may need to use a wide angle lens!

Surprising News!

     I know this is going to come as a big surprise but we are expecting a new addition to the family and its going to be TWINS!!!!  I will share more on this next week so stay tuned!

Surprise Package!!!!

      A couple weeks ago I had placed an order for printing supplies at work from Mike Weist over at Printers & Duplicators Services out of Nashville.  Besides being a supplier of printing chemicals and equipment, he and his wife Melody also own Double Creek Farm in Lebanon Tennessee where they raise alpacas.  Susie & I have purchased fiber from them in the past and have really enjoyed the quality of their fiber and their knowledge of their animals fiber.  Imagine my surprise when Mike came in with my printing supply order and asked if I had a moment to go out to the truck with him only to be given TWO bags of alpaca fiber!!!!   One is black and the other is a really nice fawn color. I'm now chomping at the bit for some warmer weather so I can get them into the wash tubs on the porch and then out into the warm sun to dry!  We are not sure yet what this fiber will ultimately "become" but I know we are going to enjoy working with it regardless!

THANKS MIKE & MELODY!

Gray Aland Fleece....REALLY!

     As promised, here is a picture of the gray Aland fleece we bought from a gal in Helsinki Finland.  I am still not happy with the photos!  For whatever reason, I can't seem to shoot gray without it either looking blue or white....so trust me... this IS gray! (I still owe pictures of the black Aland but I'm having MORE problems with the black shooting right than I did with the gray! Man I miss my 35mm!)

Praying For Better Times!

     As we came in from scouting out more firewood this afternoon, Susie reminded me that it was that time of year to start our cotton plants.  For me it's hard to imagine that we've arrived at this point again since last years crop was SUCH a bountiful one...as seen in the picture of our 2012 Pima cotton yield.  Actually this really is just a Q-tip but you get the idea!  With last years heat and drought I think the grand total of developing bolls was either 3 or 4.....it was SOOOOO many I couldn't count!  I think this year we are going to plant only white Pima again but if I can find an area away from the main planting, I would really like to plant more of the colored cotton.  It could have been just the difference in the growing season but the green & brown cotton we planted a couple years ago did much better than the white.  Once again I am also reminded that the growing frame that I promised Susie several years ago is still in the wood shop in pieces so that is going to have to be the next project I face.

Snowed In!

     Well....snowed in may be putting it a little dramatically! In actuality we had a dusting last night and much colder temps today, which in this area of Tennessee is enough to make Kroger and Walmart go into survival mode with traffic being directed in the area around the stores as people circle like buzzards for a parking spot.  I have NEVER been able to understand the absolute crazed desire for pork rinds, toilet paper, milk and beanie wienies every time the weather even threatens to get "bad".  Fortunately I was off work again today so we decided to "hunker down" by the wood stove and stay off the roads.  What better thing to do on a "snow day" than sit by the fire and knit and card wool?  As you can see, Susie continues progress with her black shawl. She hand spun the lace-weight yarn from some black alpaca roving we purchased a few years ago from a breeder at the Greencastle Indiana Fiber Event.  The pattern is from Knit Picks by Rachel Schnelling and is adapted from an original pattern in a book called Danish Lace Treasures.  I asked Susie how far she was along with it and after counting, it appears she's about a third of the way done.  Whenever it is finished and blocked, we will be sure to post pictures of the finished piece.

     I have promised shots of the Aland fleece we recently purchased from Finland and I have NOT forgotten!  I have tried numerous times to shoot these fibers but have yet to hit the secret setting on the digital camera that shows the fiber in its true color.  For whatever reason, EVERY time I shoot gray fleece, it either photographs as blue or white....and as far as the black Aland goes....it shoots as a dead mess.  I realize my eyes aren't as good as they were 30 years ago but I sure didn't have this kind of problem shooting 35mm FILM! (Yes!....FILM!....I AM that old!)