Knitting and Quilting in the Methow !

I have found in the last few days that people are under the impression that we're buried under several ft. of snow. It's not true, because what has been happening is the storms have been going from the north on the coast, then going south than taking a turn at the bottom of the state, then turning back north, on up to Spokane and Idaho. We here in north central Wa. have been getting the outer edge of these storms, we only have a few inches. Now yesterday we got more snow than any time since the snow's have began. Now yesterday was very strange, in that it snowed all day, but in the afternoon the sun came out, and the snow just came on down. You can't see the snow but this is a picture of it snowing and sunny at the same time, this is facing East. It wasn't twenty minutes later it started snowing really hard for about two hours, the sky got dark and you couldn't even see through the snow. Then we got about five inches, which was the most we have had accumulate in one day.

I'm really proud of myself, because of an idea I had to solve, and that was to make a design wall in my multipurpose room. When I did this in our house in Lake Stevens I just would use tacks or tape, but I really want to avoid using that sort of thing here. What I use is a plastic picnic table cloth and turn it so the flannel side is facing out. Then you can just put your fabric on it and it sticks. I still had to decide how I was going to do it without damaging the wall. Soon the idea flashed in my head, and I don't get many flashes except the menopause kind, well anyway back to the table cloth. I use a lot of those no stick, pull the tab hooks around the house, so I'll use those,and then I made button holes in the cloth and hung it up, and it still hanging there as of this morning. This picture is side ways but you get the idea, and I may mention the color is way off, my room is butter yellow, I might add that yellow is suppose to be the color of 2009!

Thought you might like this beautiful picture that Katie took a week of so before the snow's came, the sunsets here are just unbelievable!

Well the sun is out today here, I hope it's nice and sunny where you my be. L. Diana

Continue the Christmas story, or almost disaster?

Well, to get back to the story, as I said I was fixing dinner, and I had most everything prepared till it was time to put in the oven, or what ever. I thought how nice, I'm going to have a cup of Chi and sit down to watch a movie, then I thought I better make sure I have enough wood in the fire place so that when I get settled I won't have to be disturbed to get more wood. When I walked into the living room something caught my eye. There was water coming towards me in the carpet, and coming fast. Well I just panicked, I'm usually calm in these kinds of situations, but no I panic. So I ran in circles for a while screaming at my self "What the heck do I do" then I started screaming for Lonny, now mind you I normally don't scream, but I found out if I have to boy howdy I can. No response from the shop, so I ran, I can't run, but I did to the shop and guess what , he wasn't there. So here I had wasted all this time, so I got it together, as I was speaking out loud at how I felt about the whole thing, I'm sure can imagine. I shut off the pump, then back into the house, to the bed room closet were the access to the water shut off is, after you take everything out of the closet, pull the rug up then the access door, jump down under the house and turn off the water. Climb out and hope for the best, then grab every towel you own, get on the phone to see if you can find help. By then I couldn't breath, really I couldn't and that scared me. So finally help arrived and we got a carpet cleaner from a friend and started sucking the water out, about ten gallons, the water didn't make it to the kitchen, thank goodness. So that was our Christmas afternoon and evening. The carpet was cleaner and dry in a couple of days. We were so glad that we didn't go away for Christmas after all. So the next two days I spent recovering from the whole ordeal. So today (Sunday) Lonny asked if I would like to go snow mobiling, at first I really didn't want to, but I also didn't want to be a total stick in the mud, but on the other hand I told him I didn't think my snow mobile suit would fit, it had been a couple of years since I wore it, and I was right it didn't, but I wore it anyway, I just sucked it up. It was a beautiful sunny day today and the ride was just as good, now I'm really sore, but I'll get over it. This will be the Christmas we'll never forget! Love to you all Diana

P. S. It was a outside pipe that broke, so Lonny just cut it off and will repair it next spring,

A work in progress

Welcome to my new blog template, thanks to my friend Carol W. who is trying, and I mean trying to bring me into the world of customizing, so I'm giving it a try! Well I hope everyone had a great Holiday, I know some of us didn't get to spend it the way we had planned. The Coast had more snow than we did here in the Methow, we have only about ten inches here were we are in mid valley. I was very sorry that we had decided to stay home instead of trying to drive over to see our family, but as it turned out we did the right thing. Christmas eve we went out to dinner at a new Mexican place called Salsa's Cafe, I guess there are some of these over on the coast, it was very good, we got home and had a visitor, we opened gifts to each other and went to bed. Then Christmas morning we were invited to a Friends for a Christmas brunch. We got home in the afternoon, then I decided to fix some dinner, and that's when Christmas got exciting. opp's got to go someone is knocking on the door! remember my new blog is a work in progress! Love Diana

Brrrrrrr it's cold outside!

A week ago we were worried about the strange weather we been having for the whole year of 2008, we were having unusually warm weather this fall, don't get me wrong it's been cold but not as cold as most years. Then wondering wether or not we were going to get snow, because we usually do by Thanksgiving. Well the snow came, not much, maybe five inches on the valley floor, but the temps have drop dramatically, this morning it was 10 below, and at dinner this evening it was all ready that, so who knows how cold it will be in the morning. The one thing here in the Methow, is you can never count on the same thing every year, so it makes it hard to plan ahead. Well it's been awhile since I've posted, but I do remember some of the high lites since we took our trip to Canada.

Knitting retreat is all ways a high lite of my year, and this year was no exception. Here's a picture of the "Down Stairs Deva's" L to Right JorJan,Carol, Me, JoAn, Holly peeking from behind and Dorothy, what a fabulous bunch of girls! Thanks to Katie for getting us there safe and sane. Here's Katie and I getting a big chuckle looking at old retreat pics, Thanks to JoAn for keeping up a wonderful year by year book.

I just love all of my retreat buddies! Since retreat, lets see I have to think, oh yes, I've had my "Spinners Monday" and for those who might not know what this is, well it's the second Monday of every month, and it's open for anyone to come join in on the fun, but it was started so the spinners in the area could have a place to come and talk, share and have a little lunch, and we have the best time. The Guild I belong to over the Mt. and in the city of Omak have also been having some great meetings, unfortunately I haven't been able to make it to all of them, but I try. In November is our Methow Valley Spinners and Weavers annual Show and Sale. This is a big event not only for us, but also for the community. We have it on a Friday and Saturday, and I went to help on Saturday and I couldn't believe how many things had sold on Friday. It was a great success. Here's a picture of my lovely friends in the Omak Guild. Starting in the back is Diana, Sandra, Elaine,Katie, Bobby, Ingrid who's lovely home we're in, Debbie and here cute as a button Grand Daughter in the front row Kathleen, and behind here Carol, Diane Teressa, and last Me.

Well for the first three weeks of November, I was sick, and you know it never fails for me, and usually I'm prepared ahead of time just in case this exact thing happens, I get so be hind, especially close to the Holidays. For thanksgiving, we stayed home, witch tuned out to be a good thing cause I really got sick, but before I knew that, I got 8yds of cotton warped onto my loom and once I got though all the mistakes I made threading it, I got eight towels woven off, but not till I got all better.

Oh and I shouldn't forget the rayon Chenille scarf I made, I love this scarf so much, that I keep by me were I sit watching TV, so I can pet it, it feels so, ah, elegant and just plain cozy.

Well the Holidays and the New Year are closing in, it's hard to believe isn't it. I plan on finishing my quilt and a whole bunch of other projects I'll share with you next year. My Love to you all!

I would also like to thank my friend Carol W. for the really groovy new header on my blog, Love Ya Man. Check Carols blog out at www. curlywillowsranch.blogspot.com/

Jr's all excited about Christmas as you can see! We wish you Happy Holidays from our house and blog to yours! Love Diana

We took a fall trip up into Canada

The beautiful sights on Hwy 33 in Canada

Greenwood Canada

The beautiful scarf!

Life is good here in the Methow! We have had the best fall weather, and the colors have been out standing. Last Saturday the 18th Katie and I took a trip over to Omak for the spinning meeting at Mary's house, couldn't have pick a better day for it, the sun was shinning and I think it got up to 62, amazing isn't it. There were just a few of us there, some were knitting and some were spinning, it was a great sharing experience. I have a few skeins of hand spun I just didn't know what I was going to do with, because there just wasn't enough to really make a vest, and just a little to much to just make mittens or something like that, but I ended up making a scarf, and I'm happy I did it turned out very nice. I just did a simple Feather and Fan pattern, The colors from the painted roving really show well, and besides I needed something to take to knitting retreat, also I decided to knit a dickey, yes a dickey with some more hand spun and it's coming along well,I should be done wit it tonight Ths last week Lonny and I took a trip, we left on Tuesday just after noon, and went East then North on up to Osoyoos border crossing into Canada. We thought we better do this be for they require a passport, so we dorve along the west side of Lake Okanagan, What a beautiful lake, it reminds me of Lake Chelan only much bigger. We drove all the way up to Oliver, which is at the end of the lake. In between was Penticton Kelowna and various other small towns. I was surprised at the big cities, and all the building going on, many housing developments, not many cute quaint towns. We got to Vernon just as it was starting to get dark, turned and went back towards Kelowna nd found a place to stay. The next morning we got on hwy. 33 and headed south down to Kettle Falls border passing. In between these two places were lot and lots of mountain road. We went over Sherman pass, and another smaller one, but Sherman pass is impressive, around 7o20 ft. Boy your ears do some popping. There was one cute little town towards the end of the Canadian side called Greenwood. The town reminds me a little of Snohomish, really cute. Low and behold there was a great yarn store there, and it had really nice quality goods, so I picked up a couple of patterns, you see I'm getting into gear for Knitting Retreat. We got over the border and to Kettle Falls Wash, we had lunch and tryed to contact some friends of ours from Lake Stevens that moved there just before we moved, but sadly they weren't home. So we headed home, got home in time to talk to our Grand Daughter Sam. Love to hear from her any chance we get. Love you so much Sam! So this week I am gearing up for Knitting Retreat, in case you haven't noticed. Katie and I will be heading out Wednesday morning, hopping to get over the North Cross this year, seems in the past it's been close this time of year. So I'll have lots to tell you when I get back. We had a surprise this week end, Lonny's childhood friends were back here in the valley this week end, and we all went out for dinner at a newest cafe here in sunny Carlton, and the food was great and so was the company. The farm on the south side of us is own by the niece and her family of Lonny's child hood friends, and I have to say it's nice living next to a young family. Well I'll be back to blog you next week! L. Knits Plenty Diana

Timely (in good or bad time)

A local getting ready for winter

The ladies in the class!

What my quilt will look like when it's done

New table

I'm all ways amazed when it comes to good or bad timing, but I must say I've had some good timing lately. Remember our little visitor we had this last summer, Billy the bunny. Well I thought he was going to spend the winter here with us, but to tell you the truth, I really didn't want to take care of Billy through the winter, because it's just to hard with the cold and snow, changing frozen water etc. As much as I loved my bunnies when I had them, all these things that I didn't like to do came back to mind. Well one nice fall evening a week or so ago after dinner, I saw Billy and Jr. playing in the back yard, and went out to watch, so cute, but I was thinking that it's getting cold and I didn't have cage for him. Well not a half hour later, here came Jean @ Tyler, just taking a chance that they might catch Billy and take him home. So, I told them that I just saw him, so he must be close by. So I called him, he usually came when I would call, and sure enough there was Billy in a narrow wood shed, opened at both ends. So Jean and her son blocked Billy in till they caught him, took only a minute, he was just fine, but I could see it in his eye, that he was all ready missing his freedom. Ah, for me it was good timing that they came to get Billy, I was very happy and have visited him often. So my next, good timing, was when Vicki said she was going to take a class at Pacific Fabrics in Everett, so I thought that would be fun, and I needed some inspiration, so I checked on the class, thinking I would surprise her and show up for it. Well that was actually bad timing because I will be at Knitting retreat then. So I got on line and checked out our local quilt shop in Omack, Needlelyn Time. I found a great one day class and signed up for it. that was good timing because the class was starting in a week. The quilt is done by strip quilting, but the really groovy thing is the majority of the quilt strips are all ready cut, and you just have to pick a back ground fabric and a accent fabric. The strips that are cut come in what's called a jelly roll, and the color's match and the designs. So the class was fun, and I met some comical ladies from a town called Molson, which is on this side of the Canadian border, North of Oriville. This town also has one of the oldest ghost towns in the state of Wa. some day I'm going to go take a look see. Then there was another class member and that was Peg, she lives near Omack. Peg, was good timing for me, because she needed someone to go to a quilt show with her this Friday in Wenatchee, see how things work out. So sewing brings me to a resent good timing story. Do you remember about a year ago, I bought from one of my weaving friends a Singer Feather Weight Sewing machine? Well you all may already know this, but I didn't, the sewing machine has it's own table just for it. How did I learn this you ask? Well my dear friend Katie with her quick eyes and wit saw one at an antique shop in Montana, she called and left a message for me, that her and Rick found this Feather Weight Sewing Table, would I be interested? So I called her back, but the shop was far behind them, but that was a cool thing to learn about. Just this last Sunday Katie called and said "Rick and I have a surprise for you, we'll be over in an hour", Wow a surprise for me! Well they came and the surprise was truly a surprise. The same day they found the first table, they stopped in Reardan at another shop and can you believe the good timing, they found another table, the condition wasn't great, but they bought it and took it home, then Rick, a wood artist, took the time to finish the wood veneer and paint it around the edges, and some needed hardware. I am truly a lucky person, to have such good people for friends. Timing was good for my Dad today, he went home and missed the storm, but it was bad timing for me, I'll miss him terribly. Hope all your timing is good! L. Knits plenty Diana

Labor Day weekend in the Methow

My Dad, eatting a brownie

Kim, who lives in Tonasket

Cathie and her children

Judy

The entertainment, the man on the left is another character here, Uncle Lester

2008 Color - and - Weave Callenge

WOW, Labor day weekend has come and gone. I get this feeling of something ending, and that's true in a sense, it's the end of summer for the children when they go back to school, and for me it's an ending to soon, the shorter day light hours, and the veggie garden that was pretty good, and the plants are saying please for give us but we're just done, let go. It's hard, but then I'm reminded of the things to look forward to, like the Okanagan County Fair, which is this week end. I'm getting ahead of myself, this last weekend my Dad and I went to Saturday Market, which I go when I'm able, and it's especially fun on the big weekends. This summer the markets been not as busy as usual, but that's maybe due to the gas thing, and what ever keeps people close to home. Well this time the market was a buzz with lots of visitors, so like we always do, I get the coffee, and my Dad gets the elephant ear, that my friend Lillie sells, and we sit down by the local entertainment and listen and watch the people, and what they buy, or how their dressed, you know how to do that, it's fun. Then we walk around to see all the vender's and what they are selling. Well one of the venders is an ole friend from my spinning guild from when I lived at Lk. Stevens, The Snohomish Valley Spinners Guild, her name is Kim. When I first saw Kim at the Market you could have knock me over with a feather, she said she had just moved to our neck of the woods in the Tonasket area, she has an glass etching business, and she doe's the most beautiful things, I'm at a loss for words. Then there is a gal name of Judy, she lives about five miles south of me, she has the most beautiful vegetables , and she's consider a character here. Then there's my hard working weaving friend Cathie, she sells her items at the market, and her children's help. The entertainment at the market is usually good, sometimes not so good, but always entertaining. We always come home with something yummy, or useful, the Senior center has a rummage room, and the sell stuff really cheap. Back to looking ahead to whats to come, well this Thursday my Uncle Paul is coming over to visit, and on Friday we're all going to the fair in Okanagan, that will be fun. Just today, my friend Kay and I went to the fair grounds to set up for the weavers from our guild, the display for this year, it looks mighty fine up there on the wall. Then yesterday I got the Knitting Retreat info for Nov, hard to believe it's that time again. So there's lots of things to look forward to. So I guess Labor Day was just the beginning of my most favorite season, Fall. The leaves are starting to change, and we hear that the winter is going to be pretty ruff, but I'll be ready for it, Lonny's just about got all the fire wood cut and stacked, so we'll be warm. I have some projects planned to get done for our sale in November. Well what was I worried about, before we know it it's going to be spring and I'm already looking forward to that. Knitting Plenty L. Diana

We had a visitor by the name of Billy

Jr. and Billy

Our little visitor

Well it's been 4 months since I've posted, why is that? Well I don't really know myself, I think I get intimidated by other blogs that are so well written, then mine seems so, well you know, but I've been hearing from little fairies, that I've been missed, and I appreciate that. So much has gone by since April, I'll just hit on some of the things that were a high light. In May we went to Rochester N.Y. with Lonny's Mom for his oldest brother's retirement, that was for two and a half weeks. Then I got home in time to finish planting the veggies, and then leaving for Stehekin, for the yearly Spinning Rendezvous, and that was especially fun cause Vickie went with me, and that gives me one on one time to spend catching up with each other, this is nice. Then a couple of weeks go by and Jens and our beautiful and smart, kind and sweet Grand Daughter came for a few days, and we had a great time. Lonny and I had our 39Th Anniversary, we went out to dinner and then drove up to Mazama to see Jay and Vicki at their cabin. In the mean time I've been taking care of the garden, fighting, grubs,chipmunks,grasshoppers and tomato worms, but all in all I think it's been a success, I got 16lbs of Raspberries, Yeah! Seems like I didn't do much, but I must have because the month's have flown by. A couple of weeks ago our Son and our Grand Daughter came over for a week and the weather was hot, Sam and I spent a couple of days down at the river swimming and that was the best. So the signs of fall are showing and reminding us, by way of the change in the weather and the birds are gathering, the humming birds are leaving and the pine needles are starting to fall, it's coming faster than I'm ready for, but I don't have a choice. I am getting those urges to, knit, work on a quilt, weave and spin, but first I need to harvest the garden and enjoy that for a while longer. Tomorrow, Dad and I are going to the Waterville Fair, this is a small fair, about one third of what the Evergreen State fair is. You still get the fair food and I always get free Yeast for baking, I like that. It's a great thing to do with my Dad. Saturday the Guild members for Omak are coming here to spin, and I'm looking forward to that, they're a great group. So you're probably wondering who our visitor was, well one day in July, I think, arrives this little white bunny with a grey nose. Well next door to us is a pet farm, they have a little bit of every thing. So I called and said "I have a bunny in my yard and it's probably yours, so you need to come and get it. Well, they never came so I called again and again, so after about a month or more I finally caught him and took him home. Well we, especially my Dad was growing fond of this little feller, but our cat Jr. and the rabbit were crazy about each other, and play chase, and sleep ed on the front deck together, on and on. I felt it wasn't our rabbit and he needed to be home safe in his own cage. So, when I took him home, I said "If he comes back to my house I'm keeping him" I was sure that would keep him home. Well, just the other day I was out watering and talking to my Dad when something caught my eye, and sure enough, it was Billy Bunny back again. So I guess I have a rabbit, and need to get a cage and all the accessories before winter comes. I hope everyone who reads this is doing well, and maybe you'll be so lucky as to having a Billy Bunny come into your lives. With much Love! Knits Plenty, Diana

Here in the Methow

Merino X Morit prossed fleece, mmmm love the color!

Jackies first Whidbey spin-in

The Whidbey Spin-in, Hi, Katie

My colors of the sea wrap

Here in the Methow we're know for having four seasons, but I question that, seems lately we have three seasons, winter, summer and fall, spring seems to have decided to be strangely different. Take for instant today, Lonny and I needed to go over the Loup-Loup Pass to Okanagan, well it was sunny and 60 in Okanagan, coming home, at the top of the pass it was 46 and sunny, then coming down into the valley the temp. dropped to 40 and cloudy. Then off and on it would be sunny, then cloudy and hail. My kid's and Grand Daughter called and said, they were getting snow on the coast. We have also had terrible winds, almost every day. I'm very happy to announce that the weather hasn't swayed the humming birds from arriving, yes I saw my first one day before yesterday! So it's been almost two weeks since Katie and I went to the coast for the 37th. annual Whidbey Island spinners and weavers spin in. We left on Sat. morning of the spin in, and arrived at noon, just a couple of hours behind, but we know now if we do this next year, we'll leave the day before. I had a wonderfull time visiting my dear friends from the coast, Dorothy was there, Anna Rose & Delores, but the biggest surprise of them all, was my friend and former neighbor and coworker, Jackie. Jackie had her Lendrum that I sold her, money I needed to buy my loom, and was getting lessons, and meeting some people that lived pretty close to her, so now she has some more people to add to her resource list. Of course the international queen of spinning was there, Judith McKenzie-McCune, So the gym at the Oak Harbor High School was packed with spinners. There were some great vendors there too, and our own Sara Anderson, from Snohomish was present, she and the Tea lady wrote an article in Spin-Off Magazine, on a technique that Sara came up with, and she also had a sweater that she designed and knit, it also won peoples choice at the spin in. So many talented people, and so inspiring. Judith did a wonderful talk on Bison, and some work she's doing with the local Native Tribes, in her area of Montana. She is so awesome to listen to, and the stories are incredible. So at the end of the day, some people leave to go home, and some go to an Inn, because their coming back for the Sunday portion of the spin in, which is some more time to spin and learn from Judith. As for Katie and I, well we hung out with some friends at the Coachman Inn, then decided to go eat dinner at the Flyer's Pub in Oak Harbor. Had a great dinner, then departed for Deception Pass were Katie's parents live and spent the night, in Katie's new A line trailer, we had a great visit with her parents, and went to bed. The next morning, we got up and going had something to eat, and I took off with Katie's car, and she and her parents went of to visit her Brother, who is building a new house. there were only half as many people at the spin in then there was the day before, but Jackie came back too, and we had a good visit and some great lessons from Judith, on spinning Bison, Yak and Cashmere. Jackie is really getting the hang of spinning! The day went to fast as usual, but well worth it. So I found my way back to Katie's parent's house, and that's putting it lightly, I don't have the greatest sense of direction, but I did sort of have some direction and got back just fine. The family was home and Katie, her Mom and I had a great visit, then it was time for dinner, and Katies Dad took us out for a lovely dinner at a Marina that is just a block from their house. So the next morning we were off for home, and arrived safely. Monday was catch up day, then Tuesday our son Jens, would be arriving . We had a wonderful three day's with him, it ended to soon, he left on Friday. So then it was time to get ready for the Monday spinner's day, this is a set day, every second Monday of the month. As usual it was a wonder day, I just love and look forward to this time. Well, I had a good surprise, the fleece that I had bought last year at the Whibey spin-in, had come back from being prossed by Osark Carding Mill, Gail White, an ole friend from my beginning in spinning, and it's fabulous. This is a Merino X Morit, and it's so soft and spongy, and the color is one I've been looking for, for the last twenty years, I hope it spins up really nice. This week was also the week our Guild Challenge was due, well I 've been running around to much and didn't get mine done, but there were some gorgeous things that members did, we had the challenge of doing a color and weave project, an unbelievable effect. Well I'll have mine done soon. Speaking of done, I did get my wrap done that Katie designed, and it is so cozy. Well I think I've rambled on enough, I'm sure I've forgotten something, but I'm sure we'll live. Tomorrow I'm going to Omak to spin with my favorite spinning group, it makes for a great day. Hope April was a great month for you too! Love Diana

It's snowing! That's just not right.

Laurie calls this the baby hammock

Four little Cashmere Kids, so cute

Just to show you what I started with.

See the new snow on the logs!

My Hair!

Last week,the weather was very nice, but today it's snowing, and that's just not right. I know for a fact that last Thursday was the first day of Spring, because it was my Birthday. So I ask, whats with the snow! Having my Birthday on the first day of Spring is really nice, and it was made even better because I have such caring friends, all during the month my friend Jan was dropping off little gifts and telling me this is your Birthday month, my friend Vicki also holds that policy when it's her birthday. I got Lot's of great cards, but my favorite was from Katie, a rather humorous one. Then Katie took me out to lunch at Glover Street Cafe. If your ever in the town of Twisp you should try it, but like alot of places of business here, they change their opening times and days without any notice. Twisp has a lot of good places to eat and or dine. We had a great lunch, and visit, then off to our Guild meeting. I've been taking my spinning wheel with me to most the meetings this month and I have finally finished the Corridale pencil roving and the black Merino, and now I think I will go on to something I got from a friend who has Cashmere Goats, but is all so interested in the Pygora fiber and gave me an ounce of a pretty red color to spin. So that will be a whole new fiber for me to try. Also last week I went to visit my friend Laurie, who has her hands full this time of year, because she has a huge herd of Cashmere Goats, Romney and Icelandic sheep and it seems they are all having babies. The day I went wasn't as sunny as I had hoped, but those little ones didn't care they were romping around, and sleeping in the most unusual places. Since that day there has been many more arrivals. I rode my bike 15 miles last week, and I haven't since because my back started to flare up and I didn't want to get that started again. I been trying to get out to walk, I started to go back to the Mundey road were it's flat, I would like for it to warm up a bit, it would be more pleasant. Oh yes I can't forget Our Friends Butch & Carol came over for the coast to stay at their cabin at Gold Creek. We haven't seen them for a while, so we were happy for a nice visit . They all so spent some time with me and Lonny on my Birthday, I had requested to go out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant in the town of Brewster, we had a fab time, and the best food. This week I got some carding done, on my hand crank, boy what a difference from Katies big carder. This is a Jacob fleece, I think I got it a couple of years ago at the Whidbey Spinners and Weavers annual spin in. Well before I sign off , I all most for got to mention, I got my hair cut off short, and I can't do a thing with it. I'm not sorry I did it but I hate fooling around with my hair, so I'm really having to learn all over again . So we're all on to April, and this will be the month for the Spin in at Whidbey, I hope to see you there. Knits Plenty L. Diana

Getting what you hope for

Happy Easter

My first ride of the year!

We rarely get what we really want, but there is that moment when it does happen, and that moment for me was Saturday. This was just a small hope, because our friends were coming over to visit us,and our area,from the coast, and with some out of town friends. This was a long time friend from the Lake Stevens area, and a long time knitting retreat Buddie, and neighbor to my good friend Dorothy. So JoAn calls Friday night to make sure we were still expecting them, and that's when I had to apologize for the possibility that the weather might not be very good. It's been over cast and cold, also a slight bit of rain. But JoAn said it is winter still after all, and we'll be dressed for the cold. Well I hoped that the weather would change by the time they got here. So Saturday morning came and it had rained, and it was cloudy, and cold. Well, soon it started to show a little blue sky, not much at first, but just enough to make you wonder if it might be possible for it to clear up. Then by noon it did clear, and it warmed up. Now let me digress a bit, to us who live here 40 degrees is a heat wave after a very cold winter, and we're ready to put our shorts on. So around 2 pm JoAn and Don and thier friends arrive, I was so happy to see JoAn, and to be able to share with them our beautiful home here in the valley. First thing we went out to see Lonny's shop (barn), then did the rest of the tour after.I don't think that JoAn and her friends thought it was very warm that day, they were bundled up pretty well.Then we countinued our visit in the house and had a great visit. We all decided to meet in Whinthrop for dnner at Three Finger Jack's, we had great food and I enjoyed the company.But far to soon it was time to leave and say our good byes. I was happy to see my friend. So today is Sunday, and and it's another beatiful day, so I dicided to take my first bike ride of the year, and it went well, I think I did about 7 miles. I surrvived! So next week end is Easter, now that a sure sigh that spring is coming. I hope you have a great Easter! L. Diana

Just a thiught

The wased fleece, with red tips

It's a beauty !

First run through, just like a dream

First run through, noe we will divide and run it again

Three pounds of black sheep all carded

I took a walk after...

I took a walk tonight after dinner. I know a lot of people don't like daylight savings time because they get up at the crack of dawn and it's still dark, but I love the longer evenings. So I took a walk after dinner and stopped to talk to Deb and Rozz. The snow is so close to being gone, I was looking around the yard and was happy to see the apple tree survived, we didn't think it was going to, this little tree has the spirit to keep going on. Then even better yet my rhubarb that I thought was gone is now coming up, the thought of rhubarb makes my mouth water, mm mm I can hardly wait. I need to get out in the garden and do some cleaning, since last year I was having trouble with my back and couldn't do it. I got my bike out (do you think I might have cabin fever?) it needs a good cleaning and air in the tires. Well I shouldn't get to carried away now should I. When I last blogged I started to tell you about the machine that Katie brought home from her adventure at the Judith McKenzie week long work shop. Well a year prior Katie had an interest in a electric wool carder, and this year it was ready. How exciting, and it needed to be broken in with some wool before using finer fibers, so Katie asked if I would like to wash my Romney Lamb fleece and then bring it up to card. Well I washed the wool and mostly it was just dirt, hardly and debris, the tips were sun burned just a little, but they weren't weak, I thought the reddish color of the tip would add some color interest after it was carded and it did. Really I wasn't going to worry about it anyway. So I took it up to Katie's last Monday the 3rd and we started to feed it into the toothy jaws of the carder, one after the other till we were just about through, and then there was a slight malfunction . We had put some fiber to close to the chain drive and it got suck up and jammed the works, it wouldn't work right, so we stopped for the day and Katie called Judith and they got it fixed with her advice. So the next morning I went back and finished carding the wool, and the second time through it turned out very nice. Katie is going to put together bats of fibers for spinners and I'm sure they will be beautiful. So then the following Saturday, the Omak guild had their meeting at my house, and you couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day either. There were about 14 of us all together including some from the spinners from our guild here. We had a great time and lots of show and tell, also good food. We also did a "whats this fiber" challenge. I put out little bits of unidentified fiber that had numbers on them, then each person who wanted to participate could mark on a sheet of paper that had the answer, which ones they were. This was fun and a learning experience, I think it was a enjoyable day all together. Then sooner than we wanted it was time for everyone to get going back over the pass for home. Well I didn't have much time to rest on Sunday, because my regular group of spinners were coming on Monday. The group was Small but that's OK, because some of them came on Saturday. We had a nice relaxing time, Sandra came back over from Omak, so that was a treat, and Jan came, that's can be rare cause she's usually busy working out of town, I was happy to see everyone. Tomorrow we are going to Wenatchee, I need to pick up my window blinds I had fixed and we're looking for a new dish washer, so that will make for a long day away from home. I'm knitting on the wrap that Katie designed, I took a break from it for a while, truth be told, Deb got hers done and it inspired me to get busy. I hope all is well with you and you'll be hearing from me again. L. Diana

February and the snow is meltting

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The little Gems

The new toy, is'nt it cute!

The Twilight colored pencil roving.

The Snow isn't all gone but every day it's disappearing at a rapid pace, and that seems to work, it warms up during the day and drops down into the twenty's at night. So what do I do with these days that are getting longer, well I've been doing lots of spinning and knitting. Oh and just before Christmas I bought something that I've wanted for a long time, and that's a Singer Feather weight sewing machine. These are old machines, even though they have a model that I think they have just started to manufacture again.So a Friend and fellow member of the Methow Valley Spinners and Weavers Guild, wanted to sell a 1938 Feather Weight Singer, so I bought it from her and what a gem. Val said that her Aunt, who was a expert sewer in her day bought this machine new, well the Aunt took to a cabin that they owned and kept it there for her use. Well everything was there, but the instruction book, but luckily a friend of mine had one and lent it to me to copy. It sews like a dream and it's so cute. Also I'm spinning the twilight painted corredale pencil roving and it's coming right along very nicely. I also finished the little gem fingerless gloves, the pattern is in the magazine that Interweave Press put out at Christmas. This Saturday, my friends from Omak are coming to my House to spin, I'm really looking forward to that, it should be a good size group. Then, the following Monday the spinners that come to my house every month will be here and March is the month we celebrate us living here for three years. Wow! So this month is going to be a busy one, also my friend JoAn and her husband Don are coming to the valley with some friends to visit, so I'm looking forward to that too. So the next time I blog I will be telling you about the new machine that Katie came home with after going to the Madrona fiber conference and the next week going to a Judith Mckenzie-Cune week long workshop. So enjoy the coming Spring and keep on do the things you love to do. L. Diana

Katie sking up at the Loup (my picture turned out blurry)

Done! this project turned out just like I wanted it too, it's just lovely

This is the next spinning project, can't wait