Yes, drifted snow! The wind was very busy this morning! Blowing hard for hours through the night. What a lullaby!
I watched, in the dawn, as the snow swirled first one way, and then the other in my little courtyard. What a dance!
I began to ponder what Tornado season would be like.
Recently, I was introduced to a young woman in the Hilltowns, she asked, "What brings you to live in C...?" I responded that it was many things, and they were strong!
I will soon post a Super Serendipity story that will tell some of this.
Yesterday, I did receive a piece of mail. ( I hardly get any here). A catalogue, but not just any catalogue! It is Territorial Seeds! My neighbor, Mary was present, and kept remarking about the wonderful artwork on the cover. So much sunshine in this catalogue!
Maybe I will actually be able to garden this year! Pepper has offered a plot. I could do a plot where I live, but how I hanker for perennials...asparagus, strawberries, chard, high-bush blueberries...!
Yesterday, I brought a few carrots, and some grain out to where the deer and squirrels have been feeding. Many more tracks than the day before!
So much life in the winter!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Over The River and Through The Woods...
Yes, Over the river twice! And through the woods.
My travel to work even takes me down a wooded road that has no electric poles on it!
When a child, Faye would drive me back to my hometown on Monday mornings to go back to my family, or to elementary school. I would lay across the back seat, belly full from the Strawberry Jam toast Margaret would give me for breakfast. (because I liked that!)
Laying across the back seat, content, I would gaze out at the overladen boughs of the evergreens as they were bowed over the road, forming a romantic canopy of green and pristine white!
Today's drive through the woods, was equally magical as the large flakes of white drifted to me in a mesmerizing way. Woods thick with white. And...Where was my camera!!??
My travel to work even takes me down a wooded road that has no electric poles on it!
When a child, Faye would drive me back to my hometown on Monday mornings to go back to my family, or to elementary school. I would lay across the back seat, belly full from the Strawberry Jam toast Margaret would give me for breakfast. (because I liked that!)
Laying across the back seat, content, I would gaze out at the overladen boughs of the evergreens as they were bowed over the road, forming a romantic canopy of green and pristine white!
Today's drive through the woods, was equally magical as the large flakes of white drifted to me in a mesmerizing way. Woods thick with white. And...Where was my camera!!??
Friday, December 25, 2009
Stars and Tracks
It is wonderful to live where the stars are! The sky is so full! My two brothers would love living here! Constellations everywhere!
I took a walk with the stars on Christmas eve. There were the friends of my childhood!
Cold, still, partial moon sky, over trees and snowed landscape. Upon that landscape, many tracks from animals, either domestic or not. We have plenty of cats at the houses, and there are coyote, bear, fox, etc. all around us.
This is how I feel Christmas. Becoming one with the unspoiled wild world.
I took a walk with the stars on Christmas eve. There were the friends of my childhood!
Cold, still, partial moon sky, over trees and snowed landscape. Upon that landscape, many tracks from animals, either domestic or not. We have plenty of cats at the houses, and there are coyote, bear, fox, etc. all around us.
This is how I feel Christmas. Becoming one with the unspoiled wild world.
Angels we have heard on high...
There are people that hear angels! And people who understand what they are saying.
There are people that can help you and I hear and understand better!
Doreen Virtue is one. She has written many books on the subject. One of which talks about 'repetitive numbers', a sort of code. This past year, my life was loaded with repetitive numbers. Everywhere, all the time. 333, 444, 666, 888, 121212, 11:11, etc.
I contacted Gary Paul Friese. http://www.yourangelsguidance.com/
Gary was helpful in interpreting these messages. Gary does Angel Readings, and has this wonderful, supportive and guiding website. He has a special offer this December, too.
I did Angel readings with Doreen Virtue's, Healing With The Angels Oracle Cards.
http://www.angeltherapy.com/
This was in Shelburne Falls, years ago.
It was an humbling honor to be present to the reactions of the persons receiving the readings.
Once, a woman took exception with my using the first three cards on the top of the bottom stack of the cut. We did the reading, and then did a great deal of shuffling. I then took the cards from where she strongly felt they should come from, and...
The Exact Same Cards, in the same order!
She purchased a deck immediately!
I commit to a year of listening closer, praying and meditating more, and making my body into a more fit vessel.
There are people that can help you and I hear and understand better!
Doreen Virtue is one. She has written many books on the subject. One of which talks about 'repetitive numbers', a sort of code. This past year, my life was loaded with repetitive numbers. Everywhere, all the time. 333, 444, 666, 888, 121212, 11:11, etc.
I contacted Gary Paul Friese. http://www.yourangelsguidance.com/
Gary was helpful in interpreting these messages. Gary does Angel Readings, and has this wonderful, supportive and guiding website. He has a special offer this December, too.
I did Angel readings with Doreen Virtue's, Healing With The Angels Oracle Cards.
http://www.angeltherapy.com/
This was in Shelburne Falls, years ago.
It was an humbling honor to be present to the reactions of the persons receiving the readings.
Once, a woman took exception with my using the first three cards on the top of the bottom stack of the cut. We did the reading, and then did a great deal of shuffling. I then took the cards from where she strongly felt they should come from, and...
The Exact Same Cards, in the same order!
She purchased a deck immediately!
I commit to a year of listening closer, praying and meditating more, and making my body into a more fit vessel.
Just Keep Knitting...
and knitting, and knitting.
Have I learned anything? Sure!
I am now 1/3 of the way, and so tedious!
I spin fine, and now I'm learning that it
takes forever, and fine knitting skills to work with
fine yarn.
Needed 5's for the brown.
I have been spinning for many years, and not used
much of my own yarn. sold plenty, though.
My first homespuns, I wove into a rug. This is my second time knitting with my homespun.
Must invest in smaller needles!
My life is so disrupted. In all this moving, my Knitting Tote with 80% of my needles has gone
missing!
This is truly a 'primitive' scarf.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Return to spinning and knitting! Yeah!
Spinning and knitting again! Had to relearn to knit.
I am soooo spoiled by my homespun yarns!
Can't keep my fingers out of it!
Making a neck scarf to keep Ernie warm.
He wanted the colors of the woods, and nothing
bright. So I am working in sage, spruce, browns,
grays with a touch of blue and white.
Most of this yarn was spun in his apartment a
few years ago on my old faithful Louet S75.
I included some of Honey Bunny in with Alpaca
from a trip to the Northeast Alpaca Farm in
Whately, MA. The registered shetland was from
Cairn Farm in Vt.
Ernie was friends with Honey Bunny, and helped me
to bury him on his land.
The scarf will consist of this and lots of Merino.
This is all spun for the project on the Majacraft.
Yes, we are getting along better now!
I will have photos soon of it in progress.
It is all a simple KPKPKPK for each row.
This gives a wonderful texture! And Reversible!
Most of the 2 ply yarn is DK size, so I am working on
6's, and it is slow.
This brought me to a need to know which patterns were
reversible...? There is a book out there, but I wanted a
simpler guide. Am I formulating ideas for a beginners
guidebook?
My new neighbor asked me to teach her to knit.
I had never done that before, and it was great fun!
We tried to watch 'Out of Africa' at the same time!
I am soooo spoiled by my homespun yarns!
Can't keep my fingers out of it!
Making a neck scarf to keep Ernie warm.
He wanted the colors of the woods, and nothing
bright. So I am working in sage, spruce, browns,
grays with a touch of blue and white.
Most of this yarn was spun in his apartment a
few years ago on my old faithful Louet S75.
I included some of Honey Bunny in with Alpaca
from a trip to the Northeast Alpaca Farm in
Whately, MA. The registered shetland was from
Cairn Farm in Vt.
Ernie was friends with Honey Bunny, and helped me
to bury him on his land.
The scarf will consist of this and lots of Merino.
This is all spun for the project on the Majacraft.
Yes, we are getting along better now!
I will have photos soon of it in progress.
It is all a simple KPKPKPK for each row.
This gives a wonderful texture! And Reversible!
Most of the 2 ply yarn is DK size, so I am working on
6's, and it is slow.
This brought me to a need to know which patterns were
reversible...? There is a book out there, but I wanted a
simpler guide. Am I formulating ideas for a beginners
guidebook?
My new neighbor asked me to teach her to knit.
I had never done that before, and it was great fun!
We tried to watch 'Out of Africa' at the same time!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Fishing is Genetic?!
Fishing is Genetic!!! My daughter goes deep sea fishing!? What did Paul start?
Here she is off the Atlantic Coast in the winter, with her fiance of the time, John Hoffman. John has started a Fishing Academy to teach children to fish! He is holding a striped bass.
This photo, taken by Al Ristori, was published in Fishing Magazine, Salt Water, January, 2003. Susan says she was very cold out there! She is beautiful, anyway! I call her the improved version!
Here she is off the Atlantic Coast in the winter, with her fiance of the time, John Hoffman. John has started a Fishing Academy to teach children to fish! He is holding a striped bass.
This photo, taken by Al Ristori, was published in Fishing Magazine, Salt Water, January, 2003. Susan says she was very cold out there! She is beautiful, anyway! I call her the improved version!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
I had not been fishing for 23 years.
In 1972, I had the great benefit of being initiated into an Eastern Meditation Path. Along
with the initiation, I took several vows (vows of poverty, my friends joke). Among those vows were the vow of being a vegetarian, and the vow of Ahimsa ( no thought word or deed of harm to others).
So, I had not been eating fish. When I became Disabled, and it became difficult for me to prepare all my vegetarian meals, I began to eat fish again.
My friend Tom took me out onto a Fishing boat charter on Lake Ontario, along with Pat and Eric. At first, I was not going to fish, just use my license to let them each catch extra, but they talked me into it!
It was early, just after sunbreak when the boat left the dock. The boat had a fish finder, and a very interesting Captain. Eric was practically a professional Fisherman!
I sat on the floor of the back of the boat and did some Yoga, and hummed a few Bhajans as we headed out to the deeper colder waters.
I had already caught the largest Salmon of the day, though I needed assistance bringing the fish in, and it was my turn again! I hooked a fighter! the Captain and Tom took turns helping me to bring the Salmon in!
I had Chronic Fatique Syndrome and Fibromyalgia among other things, so I did not have the strength and stamina to do this!
We were about to net the fish, and it managed to take off again! Another struggle, and we had it. 20 pounds!
I caught the two largest fish that day, and we shared all of it! I found out later that Pat had accused me of 'calling the fish to me' with my Yoga and Bhajans. I like to think that it is my Native American inheritance, and my DA, Paul.
So, I had not been eating fish. When I became Disabled, and it became difficult for me to prepare all my vegetarian meals, I began to eat fish again.
My friend Tom took me out onto a Fishing boat charter on Lake Ontario, along with Pat and Eric. At first, I was not going to fish, just use my license to let them each catch extra, but they talked me into it!
It was early, just after sunbreak when the boat left the dock. The boat had a fish finder, and a very interesting Captain. Eric was practically a professional Fisherman!
I sat on the floor of the back of the boat and did some Yoga, and hummed a few Bhajans as we headed out to the deeper colder waters.
I had already caught the largest Salmon of the day, though I needed assistance bringing the fish in, and it was my turn again! I hooked a fighter! the Captain and Tom took turns helping me to bring the Salmon in!
I had Chronic Fatique Syndrome and Fibromyalgia among other things, so I did not have the strength and stamina to do this!
We were about to net the fish, and it managed to take off again! Another struggle, and we had it. 20 pounds!
I caught the two largest fish that day, and we shared all of it! I found out later that Pat had accused me of 'calling the fish to me' with my Yoga and Bhajans. I like to think that it is my Native American inheritance, and my DA, Paul.
Stella plays!
Once, only, in my childhood did I witness my mother, Stella at play!
Stella was stern, Stella was sad.
I had often been told that Stella had been a figure skater, though it was difficult for me to believe this.
She had taken us up to the Square Piece to skate.
The Square Piece was a few miles above the Mill Dam, and then there was still a walk to the apartment from there.
The current flowed through the middle of Square Piece, from the Red Dam on to the Mill Dam, and then on through the basement level of one of the Mill Buildings! I know because when my father had been night watchman there, I would bring his supper pail to him, and I saw this!
It was the year that my brothers' were making sailboats out of their sleds. They had been gliding around on the ice for hours! I had been fallling on the ice for hours!
When we were all sufficiently wet and frozen, Stella declared it was time to go home.
To our surprise, she unbuttoned her long wool coat, held the sides of the coat out,and made a sail out of herself! She sailed in front of us all the way to the Mill dam, right down the middle over the current! As she moved along, the ice at the shore edges BOOMED! and BOOMED, and KA-BOOMED!
We followed along after her, in shock and in fear that the ice would crack open under us. It was a quick trip to the Dam!
It must have been quite a sight for the deer!
Stella was stern, Stella was sad.
I had often been told that Stella had been a figure skater, though it was difficult for me to believe this.
She had taken us up to the Square Piece to skate.
The Square Piece was a few miles above the Mill Dam, and then there was still a walk to the apartment from there.
The current flowed through the middle of Square Piece, from the Red Dam on to the Mill Dam, and then on through the basement level of one of the Mill Buildings! I know because when my father had been night watchman there, I would bring his supper pail to him, and I saw this!
It was the year that my brothers' were making sailboats out of their sleds. They had been gliding around on the ice for hours! I had been fallling on the ice for hours!
When we were all sufficiently wet and frozen, Stella declared it was time to go home.
To our surprise, she unbuttoned her long wool coat, held the sides of the coat out,and made a sail out of herself! She sailed in front of us all the way to the Mill dam, right down the middle over the current! As she moved along, the ice at the shore edges BOOMED! and BOOMED, and KA-BOOMED!
We followed along after her, in shock and in fear that the ice would crack open under us. It was a quick trip to the Dam!
It must have been quite a sight for the deer!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Paul was a Fisherman
Paul was a Fisherman. No! Not that Paul! My DA, Paul Nash.
Paul had a broken back, one kidney, and 6 to feed. He did what he could.
He fished, we fished. We all contributed to the family food supply.
Paul took a long length of thick rubber band. At several spots he had attached groups of hooks.
A rock at the far end, and bait onto each hook. He would throw the rock far out into Lake Monomonac. After a while, he would haul in the band, and we kids would scramble to unhook all the fish. I always found this to be amazing!
We kids would be there with our sticks and line and hooks and bait. Bait gleaned off the yard at home early that morning, usually! Perch, Pickerel, Trout, hornpout, sunfish! Young Harry, I think, took to the fishing best.
Later in my childhood, we had a rowboat, and a lot at the Square Piece below the red dam.
Usually two of us would take the boat out to fish.
That same lot became a gathering place in winter for the ice fisherman. We would have a bonfire, and all would gather there. We Nash kids would be out skating on Square Piece, keeping watch on the flags from the holes cut into the ice by all these ice fishermen. We would either yell, or skate fast back to the group to alert the right person! Often, we had our own holes to tend.
When we would arrive back home, our wet socks and mittens were draped over all the shelves on the wood stove that we cooked with and heated the apartment with. The old black thing with the removable burner covers, the deep soup belly, and the wonderful bread oven. My mother made wonderful brown bread in there! I miss that stove, and all the colors of winter upon it!
Paul had a broken back, one kidney, and 6 to feed. He did what he could.
He fished, we fished. We all contributed to the family food supply.
Paul took a long length of thick rubber band. At several spots he had attached groups of hooks.
A rock at the far end, and bait onto each hook. He would throw the rock far out into Lake Monomonac. After a while, he would haul in the band, and we kids would scramble to unhook all the fish. I always found this to be amazing!
We kids would be there with our sticks and line and hooks and bait. Bait gleaned off the yard at home early that morning, usually! Perch, Pickerel, Trout, hornpout, sunfish! Young Harry, I think, took to the fishing best.
Later in my childhood, we had a rowboat, and a lot at the Square Piece below the red dam.
Usually two of us would take the boat out to fish.
That same lot became a gathering place in winter for the ice fisherman. We would have a bonfire, and all would gather there. We Nash kids would be out skating on Square Piece, keeping watch on the flags from the holes cut into the ice by all these ice fishermen. We would either yell, or skate fast back to the group to alert the right person! Often, we had our own holes to tend.
When we would arrive back home, our wet socks and mittens were draped over all the shelves on the wood stove that we cooked with and heated the apartment with. The old black thing with the removable burner covers, the deep soup belly, and the wonderful bread oven. My mother made wonderful brown bread in there! I miss that stove, and all the colors of winter upon it!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Spinning Wheel makers, Endangered Species!
Gilbert with my Robin
We're familiar with the little girls that bring their dolls to the doll hospital, well I just brought my precious spinning wheel to it's maker!My wheel did not handle being in storage very well, the heat, humidity, and then the cold left it out of alignment!
I drove to Maine to Gilbert Gonsalves' Workshop. He adjusted it for me, and I got to ogle the newest finished products. Gilbert makes the wonderful Robin Wheels, and the Lilly Spindles.
Gilbert shared with me the current challenges which may result in his going out of business! God, do not let this happen!
Gilbert uses brass, which has increased in cost (doubled and tripled), and delrin plastic, which has tripled in price! These parts are tied to the increase in petroleum prices! Gilbert held back from raising his prices for these past several years. Now, he has to! He is not making a living wage, and cannot order any more wood to continue!
The real dismal part of this, apart from how good Gilbert is at making wheels, and that he loves doing it, is that Gilbert is one of only two people (the other is Norm Hall) in the United States that hand make quality Spinning Wheels! Gilbert has been doing this skilled work for app. 13 years.
Gilbert's wheels are precision! He was a nautical engineer. In his workshop, is a second workshop where he fabricates or adapts the tools he uses to make or assemble and adjust the wheels.
Gilbert's wheels are beautiful! Mine is Pennsylvania Cherry with the Sunrise pattern on the treadles.
Each time I bring the wheel to Gilbert, he, himself, remarks at how beautiful it is. My Robin is 8 or 9 years old! The wood has a deep richness of color! The Sunrise pattern really stands out, and glows! It spins divinely! (above, right) Gilbert demonstrates how the 'key' in the brass locks the pieces together.
Each time I bring the wheel to Gilbert, he, himself, remarks at how beautiful it is. My Robin is 8 or 9 years old! The wood has a deep richness of color! The Sunrise pattern really stands out, and glows! It spins divinely! (above, right) Gilbert demonstrates how the 'key' in the brass locks the pieces together.
Lilly SpindleI have ideas...could Gilbert receive money from Smithsonian, or from Fine Woodworking, or for a documentary on the precision handmaking of wheels? Any ideas...? Let's preserve this fine craft!
We as spinners value fine handiwork!
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