Saturday, January 2, 2010

Spinners Guild - and Seeds - and Snow


I love the old-timey feeling of the word "guild."  It makes me think of the middle ages, when this is how people socialized. And of experts teaching new people their craft. For me, that's especially a propos, since the lady who (re) taught me how to spin in June is here, one of the 16 people spinning and knitting at the coffeeshop yesterday.  We had show and tell and I got many oohs and aahs over my 200 yards of mixed, green Romney.  I oohed and aahed at some of the beautiful, soft, even yarn these other people made.


In this shot, there are 5 spinning wheels, all different kinds, and one drop spindle.  Many of these ladies own their own fiber animals, too.

Plus, I know I'm in with kindred spirits because three of these ladies don't have closets in their houses either!  We commiserated over how messy our houses look because there are no built in hiding places.  I think I'm going to enjoy knowing these people!

I put together my seed order yesterday!  I have a bunch of seed catalogs, but if I had looked through every one, I never would have finished.  So I picked one catalog (Johnny's Selected), and chose my stuff.  I'll get:
Tavera Filet Green Beans
Sugar Snap Peas
Spring Raab Broccoli Rabe
Gypsy Broccoli
Tadorna Leeks
Spicy Mesclun mix
Maverick Canteloupe
Snow Leopard Honeydew
Yankee Bell Green to Red peppers
Anton Zucchini
Magda Summer Squash
Brandywine Tomatoes
Sun Gold Cherry Tomatoes
Genovese and Thai Basil
Extrakta Sage

That's enough for now.  I'll probably drop a few of these off in favor of buying started plants later.  I have some seeds left over from last spring, but the door to the shed is stuck closed (same as last winter), and I can't get to the seeds. I don't think I took care of the old seeds the right way anyhow.

My original plan for today was to go into town and buy cider to start the hard cider with, and large baskets to organize with.  There are two problems with that.  First, the orchard I was going to use has closed for the winter (last week, sigh), and I don't know where else sells unpasteurized juice.  Second - it's snowing cats and dogs out there.  I've gotten about 5 inches since midnight and it's still snowing hard.  This is the western edge of the storm that's hitting New England this weekend, and our weather peeps say the mountains could get a foot or so.  That's me.  I think today will be a day to stoke the fire and catch up on some reading in the Salvation Army recliner next to the wood stove!

It's amazing how much I can get done when I have 3 days off in a weekend, and when I keep the TV off.  I think I should have 3-day weekends every week!

4 comments:

  1. Don't you just love the great feelings (talk about warm fuzzies!) you get from being in a group of like-minded women? Such support and connection. Connection to those there and connection to women of the past who were involved in the same creative arts.

    We've got a good weekend for staying tucked inside, too. Minus 16° this morning with a wind. But no more snow since Christmas time.

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  2. The evening news says the cold up there is breaking records! 30 below at International Falls. Stay warm!

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  3. It's snowing real good here in Western NY, too. Have to head to Pittsburgh tomorrow, so I'm hoping it lets up in the night.
    I'm blogging and deleting and sorting pictures and have the fire going in the other room. Wish I could do it from the laptop, but the desktop is where the pictures are...
    I do have a bit of alpaca that I want to make a scarf, I think. Not a lot for something else. Or then, I thought my bed could use a new quilt, so I could always start cutting some squares. Think it will just be a throw-together without design, but I do like the Yellow Brick Road. I sense the couch will be calling and that's where I'll really end up.
    Have a good day.

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  4. Have a safe trip, Karen Sue. I always find when I have a hard time deciding which project to start, that a nap is just the thing!

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