Is it just me? My little blog, the one I’ve loved and nurtured since its inception, that tentative first posting, seems to have become more of a burden than a joy in the past seven or eight months. It’s not just summer…I’ve been lousy at posting for quite a while. I wonder why? Let’s look, okay? I’ll make a list of the top ten reasons I haven’t posted and see if any of them hold water.

10. I’m too busy to knit, so how can I blog?
9.
8.
7. Blogger’s writer’s block’s gotten hold of me.
6.
5. My life has been so daily recently that I’ve not wanted to bore everyone.
4.
3.
2. I feel like it’s all been said before.
1.

See? Can’t even really do that. What I’m *beginning* to suspect is that back when I started my blog, back when Blogger was a start-up and MS Vista wasn’t even a gleam in Bill Gates’ eye, and Mama-E hadn’t even organized her first Sock Cruise, there were so many fewer of us. It was a new venue. Fiber was newer to me as well, and I always had something exciting (to me, at the very least) to yammer about. Today we are myriad. Ravelry blew by the 100,000 users mark months ago. What was a smaller, more intimate online fiber community has become a day at Disney World.

So, maybe that’s it. Perhaps I just don’t feel like I have anything substantial anymore to contribute to the fiber community that someone else isn’t already doing, and doing better. And not only better, but outstandingly newer, shinier, incredibly better. I’m still operating in Windows95 fiber mode…they’re working on the code for the next upgrade already.

Lest you think that I am bitter about it all, allow me to share the number of blog feeds in my Bloglines: 712, all fiber related. I love reading what others are up to, what they’ve discovered. Come to think about it, most of the blog feeds I subscribe to have under 75 Bloglines readers subscribed to them. Save for the Yarn Harlot, the Wendys and a few others, I’m not reading the big posters any more. (Have I lost inspiration as a consequence? Is that my problem?) Most of what I read is from people just discovering, just edging into spinning, dyeing, knitting. Excited and bubbling over with delight at new accomplishment. I am jaded. Ennui has set in and I am only getting my online fiber kicks from the newbies. Call that #3.

I’m not going to give up on my blog. And I once again thank all of you who haven’t either. For the time being, what I can do is send you to some blogs (that post more often than I do) that I thoroughly enjoy and if you haven’t been there before, go cop a read and see what you think. And just maybe the cooler autumn weather will bring new inspiration for this blog.

Ask The Bellwether first on my list when I need information about spinning. Bookmark this one.
Fiber Corner lace and lavender along with spinning and knitting
FiberFish babies and booties and knitting and more
Hither and Yarn I wish I could tell a story in pictures like this
Knit Me a River super sock knitter/spinner
Ok! What Next?? hats, hats, hats and the Ukraine
The Soapy Knitter knitting, designing…free patterns, too
teleknitter alpacas, llamas, a baby on the way, and knitting as well
Storm Moon Knits great pictures…although she’s Etsy competition, but she does it well
Spinning Athena currently more knitting than spinning

There are hundreds and hundreds on my feed list…just ask if you need more. Meanwhile, I’ll be off contemplating my own mortality or spinning the purple Corriedale or something.

Can’t leave y’all without a picture. This, btw, is all for sale. Some will be going into my shop, the rest will be uploaded to flickr and linked in my Ravelry stash for sale/trade. Lots and lots. Roving and top (dyed and undyed) destash and handspun and more.

Oh…and I’m shipping the package to my HHHH downstream swap partner today…I just couldn’t wait!

It’s been a crazy summer so far. As a general rule, I’m a hermit. (No, really.) I love my house, I love my nest, in all the world, my nest is best. (Author, anyone? Book title?) It takes a lot to pry me from my little house in the woods. But there have been a few events just too fun to miss.

I spent 3+ weeks in Shreveport, Louisiana with my kids, observing and participating in the birth of my new grandson who is, incidently, going to be two months old on Tuesday the 8th, and can already do calculus, speak three foreign languages fluently, including Mandarin Chinese, and write poetry in quatrain and haiku forms. Oh…and he’ll be taking over Becks’ underwear modeling contract shortly as well.

Seriously, he’s grown so much. I’m so very fortunate that I get to see him on the webcam often. He’s smiling and giggling and in constant motion, making him mostly a cute little blur on camera. On the other hand, Katy’s doing pretty well (she looks fabulous) and would love to hear from you all…go say ‘hi’!

I’ve been scrambling to start getting yarn orders off to The Loopy Ewe on a more regular basis. (That link will take you to my mostly empty shop there, but it’s only empty because Sheri’s on vacation. When she gets back, there’s a whole whack of new colorways of sock yarn waiting. Laceweight’s next, and then the Merino/Cashmere sockweight. I love my job!) I’ve got a little help now…a very part time employee who actually doesn’t mind skeining and reskeining (God bless her.) It’s nice to have to company too, even though she’s only here for ten hours a week or so. It’s amazing to me how much faster things move when I have a little assistance. (Skeining. I listen to podcasts when I skein. I fall asleep when I skein (those of you who’ve gotten the occasional unexpectedly huge skein can attest to this) I’d rather be typing a doctoral thesis.) Still, it’s part of doing what I love so much, so when she’s not here, I skein, too.

I got back from Louisiana at the very end of May. Three weeks later I headed for Atlantic Beach, Florida for my niece’s wedding. I’ve always been close to my sisters’ kids and Scott insisted that I go (thanks, Honey.) I haven’t seen my dad in quite a while either, so it was a great opportunity to spend some time with him too.

It rained (Florida rain, for those of you who know what I mean) buckets each of the four days I was there save for the morning of the wedding and the day I left to come home. The wedding was a blast, I saw SO much of my family (when did the kids all get so big?) and danced so much that I needed assistance getting out of bed the next day (old, I tell ya. I’m getting old.)

Bridal party cast of characters… Newly married and waiting to go take the formal photos. We all scurried over to the reception and laid out the last minute touches. Fun was had. Bride and groom are in Hawaii, will be living in California upon return as the groom works for some tech-y corporation (I failed to get details. Perhaps upon their return. and Erica, if you read this, feel free to leave any info in the comments or email me. Happy Honeymoon, sweeties!)

Before I left Florida, I decided to see if my sister BJ was willing to let me abscond with her other daughters for a week or so. Here in Grayling, Michigan, the last full weekend of July is raceweek. There are all sorts of festivities, even a craft show. The girls (Paula and Grace) will be flying into Lansing where I’ll pick them up and bring them back here. The AuSable River Canoe Marathon is a 120+ mile canoe race from Grayling to Oscoda on Lake Huron. It’s done pretty much in the dark. The paddlers have time trials for starting position. At the start of the race, 9PM on Saturday, the pistol goes off, the teams (two per canoe) pick up their canoes (these babies cost many thousands of dollars…) and race to the river. They paddle throughout the night. The record time is just under 14 hours. These folks practice most of the year…I wish I had half this much strength and endurance! The next day, almost all of the 50,000 people who come for the race are gone, and we (our family) head over to one of the canoe liveries and grab canoes and kayaks for a leisurely float a few miles down the river.

One of the girls (Grace) has some experience knitting. I intend to encourage it while she’s here, perhaps even get both to do a little dyeing with me and create colorways of their own, and there might even be a spinning lesson or two. Now, if I could only get my sister (also a hermit…it runs in the family, I think) to come North…how ’bout it, BJ? October? The leaves are mighty pretty… Anyway, I’m totally geeked about having them here.

The day after I arrived home from Florida I was honored with a visit from a very special knitter/indie dyer/pattern designer/all-around pretty cool person. While I was in Florida for a wedding, she and her family had driven across the country for a wedding in Michigan. And I got to see her! I’ll leave the pictures and stuff for her (she hasn’t posted yet) but I do have to show you the picture that made my day…

I am one lucky lady. I had the pleasure of a visit from Emeline and Lila Pearl. They’re delightfully bright, adorable, clever, they love yarn, and they’re downright fun. I’m still picking up the dry cat food…

Last Saturday we (Scott, Nick and Miescha, his gf) went to Traverse City for the National Cherry Festival. We did get to see The Blue Angels (warning….loud website…) but no cherries. There must have been 100,000+ people there. We waited in line for almost 2 hours for food. :::sigh::: Perhaps the opening day wasn’t the best time to go.

Up next…posting some yarns and rovings to my Etsy shop. And maybe a nap.

The Summer isn’t over…I’ll have more to add to my essay, I’m sure.

And as EZ would say, “Knit on~”

I’ve been on the run for the last few months (my lame excuse for failing to post more often, even though interesting things have happened) (and I’ve been spinning like a maniac, but not knitting) and I joined a very cool spin swap on Ravelry (I don’t know if that actually links to the swap or not…hang on. I’ll go check.) (Apparently you have to be logged into Ravelry to get there. Are you? If not, why not?)

So there’s a questionnaire involved and instead of telling y’all about the wedding I went to in Florida on Saturday, I’m going to do this. And then maybe some wedding pictures.

1. How long have you been spinning? What skill level do you consider yourself? Several years, intermediate-ish.

2. What kinds of yarn do you create (singles/2-ply/3-ply/art yarn)? Yes.

3. What do you spin with (spindle/wheel/both)? Two wheels, twenty four spindles.

4. What are your favorite fibers to spin with? Anything you don’t like? I love Superfine Merino. BFL, Cormo, Shetland, Superwash Merino. Not overly fond of Angora, Lincoln. Love to spin Mohair but it makes me itch…

5. Who are your favorite crack dealers fiber sources (etsy or otherwise)? Tough question. I’ll buy from almost anyone who has clean fiber at a good price. Bright colors catch my attention and my Paypal card.

6. What kind of fiber do you want to try? Surprise me!

7. Is there any techniques you would like to learn? I’ve never taken any classes…I’m self-taught. I’d love to learn longdraw and multiple plying (more than 2ply or Navajo 3ply.)

8. Do you dye fiber? If not, would you like to learn? Yep. I have an Etsy shop and Sheri sells my yarn at The Loopy Ewe.

9. Do you have fiber prep tools (and like to use them) or would you prefer ready to spin fiber? Yes, yes, and yes!

10. What do you do with your handspun? What projects have you completed? Most of my handspun has been sold in my shop. Currently I have a basket with recently spun yarn that I like to admire and occasionally pet… I’ve made several hats, scarves and mittens. I’ve got plans, if I ever get around to knitting again.

11. Are you in need of any spinning gadgets (WPI Gauge, threading hook, etc)? Not currently, unless you’d consider a Strauch Finest drum carder a gadget…I’d sure like one!

12. What colors “fall into your shopping basket”? Any colors you just can’t stand? I’m a rainbow kind of person, but I find myself spinning deep, saturated colors.

13. What is on your wheel/spindle right now? Superwash Merino in deep rainbow lengths to be plied into sockweight for me; Finn blend in deep garnet; undyed Optim; Superfine Merino, handdyed; Icelandic, natural grey; undyed Cormo; others that I can’t name because that would require me actually getting up to look and I might never get back to this questionnaire.

14. What other crafts/hobbies do you have? Sleep?

15. Other than crafts, what are you passionate about? My faith, my family, my kids, my brand-y new grandson!

16. Do you have an online wishlist? Somewhere there’s an Amazon list but it’s probably not current. Ignore this answer.

17. Is there anything that you collect? Dust. Please don’t send any more…I have plenty, thanks.

18. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What magazine subscriptions do you have? I’m a book junkie, so it’s unlikely that I haven’t already got it if I want it (sry). I’m subscribed to Spin Off, IK, Creative Knitting. For some reason, I let my subscription to Vogue Knitting lapse. I don’t subscribe to Knitter’s or Knit ‘n’ Style or Knit Scene (and others), yet seem to always buy them at the newstand (’stalking’ them, as the Harlot puts it…)

19. When is your birthday? August 11th. I share it with my son.

20. What book or movie character do you most resemble in personality? The Grinch.

21. What is the climate like where you live around this time (need to know for careful shipments of anything meltable)? Northern Michigan really does have a Summer season, though it’s more likely to be in the 70sF than super hot.

22. Tell us one weird fact about yourself! I’ve been knitting for many years and have not yet completed a sweater.

Favorites
Favorite painting/picture(link): My grandson… (Filched from my daughter’s blog…)

Candy: Reese’s Pieces (I’m allergic to chocolate!)

Food: Meh. Whatever’s easiest when I’m hungry.

Drink: Icy cold water.

Movie(s): Romantic comedies.

TV Show(s): Stargate SG1 and Atlantis.

Book(s): My Bible and anything about knitting or spinning.

Guilty Pleasure(s): Extra sleep…

Photo of grandson and wedding pictures will follow once Photobucket decides I’m really who I pretend to be.

…and I’m in the process of repricing. Thanks to all who came and took advantage of my ‘on the road again’ sale…your items have all been shipped. Keep an eye out for new rovings to make their way into the shop when I get back.

Meantime, I’m hoping to be done with my 24/7 Sock Yarn order for The Loopy Ewe by tomorrow afternoon before the UPS guy gets to my drop off point. Lots of bright new colorways and a few more skeins of the MRHP Merino/Silk laceweight for good measure.

I still have to pack, but I found a dress and sandals for the wedding, so I’m all good.

Thanks again to all!

…didn’t I just get home?

My sweetie has been working lots of overtime so that I can head to Florida next week (aaaack! Heat! Humidity! Relatives! (just kidding there…) Beach! Wedding!) I’m going to my niece’s wedding. Word on the street is that most of my siblings will be there along with a whole whack of nieces and nephews and stuff. I’m leaving next Thursday morning and will be gone through the weekend. Yay!

Before I leave, everything in my Etsy shop will be on sale for 20% off. Everything. From 12:01am on Monday 6/23 through 11:59pm Tuesday 6/24…just two full days…everything will be 20% off. Everything that gets paid for (Paypal, please) by Wednesday mid day (before the mail lady gets here) will be shipped before I leave.

Stuff like this…

Wedding. Florida. Family. Yarn and roving. On sale. Wedding!

Totally. I can’t wait!

ETA: 6/22, 9:45pm Prices already marked down!

…not me, but Photobucket. Until the wizards at Photobucket get it fixed if you click that link you’ll see why there are no pictures on my blog currently. :::sigh::: Turkish hackers, indeed. I want my pictures back!

ETA: Not a single photo was lost. It took about 48 hours more than originally anticipated but everything works again. YAY computer wizards! BOO hackers!

…I’m in the process of listing lots of hand dyed rovings (and some Rainbow Black, some Rainbow White sock yarn) in my shop. Come take a look!