To Celebrate Life

A long stay in St. Helens has seen a lot of yarn made and shipped out. Here is a little of what we've been doing.......

Northwest Summer in Merino/Angora/Cashmere

Pillow Cashmere in Beaded Lavender Moon
Multnomah Falls in Beaded Pillow Cashmere
It's hard to see them in there but there are about 350 beads in this skein
A day out with Jan and Mary saw this display of purple outside a cup cake shop in Oregon City
Jan, Mary and I went on a tour of artists studio's in Beavercreek Oregon. This shop was built by a husband for his wife as her potting studio....
Another Artist's studio
This artist is doing a living wall picture. She is a mosaic artist so this is a living mosaic,
Leaving St. Helens I snapped this picture of the blooming Wisteria around the porch this is only the second time it has ever bloomed. I'm so happy!
Shopping so Mary had food while I was in LA. we found these desserts for sale. As near as we could tell there are two slabs of chocolate between layers of frosting on top of a brownie. It was too much for us!
Steven took me on some deliveries and we had lunch/dinner and this is what I had...
The back yard in Los Angeles is in full bloom and I harvested these strawberries
Roses
My Ruana in progress. I have 4 projects going at once. I had this project on hold long enough to spin some more yarn for it. I think I have enough to finish. The project is easy enough for a plane trip but too bulky.
More roses
Jan's Meyer Lemon tree is starting to set fruit!
This is our Lemon Grass
This is a huge plant that has come up in the back yard and Mike has let it. It is taking over the yard though and we are uncertain if it's friend or foe
I love this rose


This Oregano is past ready for harvest but it is covered with bees so we've left it for our endangered bees to feast on. As the kitchen is still apart there is no cooking so let the bees to it.

Father's Day was a picnic at Dad's train club at Griffith Park Ca. Mike and I strolled through the Farmers Market and I went crazy with the fruit

The Trains
I've had a great time here and am going to knit with my friends at Jennifer Knits. Then back home and then Black Sheep Gathering. I'm looking forward to seeing lots of my friends. I have a great outfit for the Spinners Lead that I bought with Gina in Tulsa OK.

While I was here it was my Brother's and Mother in Law's birthdays. It was great and to see family on both sides. It is kinda sad to leave but I'm very excited to get back to making yarn.

A week of progress

Now this is the way to wake up, after a long night of plying a short but enough sleep and then this.. Mary getting the day into action by tea, popovers, bacon and yogurt!

This week we dyed fiber and then went to Becky's house and here are the spinner boxes ready to go out!
I had pulled some Rhubarb, Becky and I went to Farmers Market and bought Strawberries so we Jammed!
This is my new project with Discovery Forest in Super-wash Merino and I thought I might need help but with Mary, no additional help required! This pattern in in a new book "10 Secrets of the Laid Back Knitter"- and if you look carefully you will see yours truly under resources! I loved this pattern because of the leaves-prefect for Discovery Forest!
Restful Sunday-Mary had the day off and so Becky and I went out into her garden and weeded, and re potted and planted more plants! We took a few moments to rock but mostly it wasn't restful Sunday
On Monday we met up with Jan and went to this restaurant Singing Hill Cafe in Oregon City! They have lots of living walls and so I snapped a few pictures for Becky


We then decided to go to Jan's house and I got to spin samples on Jan's Druik wheel
While Mary knit
Here are some skeins of Northwest Summer-even though our weather in the Pacific Northwest isn't quite there yet I thought I'd post these. Mary keeps us happy by announcing the weather in Alabama-which today is high of 95 with 44% humidity. Here in St. Helens it's going to be 74 but just now it's 65 we had the heater on last night,
Next week I'll be flying to Los Angeles to see Mike and Steven. I'll be dropping by Jennifer Knits on Tuesday June 21st for an extended yarn drop off- which is a less then a trunk show, but there will be some yarn. I'll be knitting with the ladies and chatting with Jennifer about VK Live in Los Angeles. Steven is going to the Service for Ompa (SIL's Dad) today and I'm so bummed I can't be there. So keep our family in your thoughts.

Mike found Cyruss, missing for 12 days, under the house. We can't imagine how he got under there and Mike had given him up for lost until this morning when Cyruss decided to let him know where he was.

Steven is my Knight in Shining Armor taking my Dad to the Doctors and other long chores for my Dad whom has been recovering from Surgery. I know they had Sushi and something about a hair cut! I'm going to be spending time with him on Father's Day and for awhile that didn't seem like it was going to happen as complications from surgery almost, well another story!

Becky is in WI on a business trip. She sent video's of the thunder storm that raged last night. I haven't heard from her this morning but I know she said she was coming home on Friday.

We had dinner with Emma, Don and the boys last night, Heaven! They had all had hair cuts and Mark's curls are still present, just waves instead of the ringlets. He really looks like a young boy now as Emma and I both think that he has grown a foot this last month. We are hosting a Restful Sunday here at Tanglewood Central and welcoming Bill (Don's Dad) and Peter (Don's brother) a treat to host them as they have hosted me plenty!

Mary continues to be a total joy and helpmate. Her computer skills have been put to the test and she has risen to the challenge. She is skeining endless amounts of yarn and made lengthy lists and made all things easy here. I find myself dreading the day she leaves (it's on the calendar and therefore I see it daily) however we have chatted about further visits and projects so I'm not as bummed as I might be.

I have been battling stress of every kind. With taxes looming and bills flying in and orders going out it has been a lot of work and worry lately. I've been trying to balance but....... my body has been telling me that it isn't 25. I've been having treatments and stretching the body, and my friend Lynn Wilson has had me on a prayer list and wouldn't you know it's all working.

Ms. Audrey has had some time off but is going to host Mary and I at Black Sheep Gathering. Farmer Al is driving the 5th Wheel down to Eugene OR. and we are camping out! If you are planning to be at BSG please plan on attending the Spinners Lead on Saturday night~ you know who will be MC"ing again and you'll get to meet Mary!

The progress

I told you it wouldn't be long! I've been thinking about you but just haven't been able to take the time to write. However it's now on the schedule so things are going along well for us.

Steven had been here at Tanglewood Central (St. Helens) while I was away in Maryland, Manhattan and CT. Then Mary came! Mary is our new PiPn intern standing here with Steven at Voodoo Doughnuts, look at the size of Steven's treat

We let Mary rest for one day and then off to NwRSA Conference. Linda is undoing my terrible mistake in the Ruana I'm knitting. I dropped stitches on the plane and tried to pick them up, I failed and she took the project away from me and handed it back healed!
NwRSA Conference
Alexandra talking with Jill (of Ashland Bay Trading Co)
Mary enjoying knitting time
I won this basket from a raffle ticket I bought YEAH!
Terry is a former Tanglewood spinner, she won Best in Show for her skein at Conference! She is sporting the Tiara she won
Restful Sunday at Becky's house started with a work meeting then Becky and I went out to her garden to plant things while Mary and Steven worked on Computer stuff

Here is Mary in Tanglewood Central's production room working on computer stuff with Cleo's help
Lily post shave enjoying a sleep while we worked

Mary helped with dyeing and laid out all this fiber to dry! Isn't it beautiful?

With Mary at the scheduling helm work is getting done at a lighting pace so I was able to notice the Edelweiss blooming!

With Mary's help we are also getting some free time. The weather has been terrible so our Memorial Day picnic was indoors and Emma brought over the boys and made scones here we are enjoying our 4:00 tea and scones with Becky's homemade jams

Yesterday the morning went from bad to worse nothing was going right for me. Yarn wasn't spun right, money wasn't flowing like water in but out! Mike was bummed because I'm only able to spend 7 days in LA after a two month separation and then I learned my SIL lost her wonderful father.... Mary was so great and supportive on this black day (plus another day of driving cold rain) and so suggested we make popovers...

I had a glass of Glen....

This beautiful skein was for a custom order, and I spun it too thick.... now I have to try again waaaaaa

Mary wanted to start this morning off right so brought me breakfast in bed. It was amazing and cheered me right up. I worked on my scarf a little while eating this feast

We then went down to the dye studio and dyed 6 pound of fiber which is now drying, next off to the post office with lots of yarn to be sent out and then?

We are going to Silverton for First Friday tomorrow and I think both of us are really looking forward to it! Becky has promised a salad of fresh greens that are growing in her garden.

Please keep my SIL in your thoughts and wish her family well. So sad especially with Father's Day so close.