I Made a Tablet Weaving Loom...

Yesterday I made a tablet (card) weaving loom. It didn't take long. Last night I tried it out and made a sampler of several easy patterns... This goes very quickly and I can see how a person could make yards of ribbon in very little time.

However... as I began to finish off and had cut the yarn, my left hand was holding the cards so they wouldn't fall all over and my right hand and arm... went crazy. You know that charlie horse you get in your feet and legs... well that's what I got in my right arm and index finger. My right index finger was pulled into a 90° turn and I couldn't straighten it up. This does not look good as far as all my hobbies go... sigh

Rockport, Massachusetts et.al.

My children's grandfather came from Rockport. There were many stories told and talked about over the years. There was a small oil painting that was kept hanging on the wall for years of a bright red building sitting on a pier... and here it is. I was amazed when this picture showed up in the photos that son Phil emailed to me of his and Loretta's trip to Rockport. The perspective is a little off and the colors are a lot brighter than the very old painting...but there is no doubt that this is the same building. (Well...there may be some doubt. It has been about 35 years since I saw that painting..lol But this is how I remember it.)

It seems that Loretta had to do a genealogical study for a college course she was taking. Voila'... new obsession...lol (I laugh because those of us who have been bitten by that bug totally understand... kinda like the knitting bug!) There was much information found on this trip...even the house the family lived in.. and they found the natives to be wonderfully friendly and helpful.

This trip was made before the tourist season started. It seems that once the season begins a person can hardly walk down the sidewalk for the wall-to-wall people. Of course, it was a little on the cold side. Notice the cap... polishing lapels here... That is the hand spun merino, hand knitted fair isle cap that I made for him... and this one even fits..lol

This is one of my favorite photos. It makes me want to go... and maybe stay...lol I think I will try to either paint or pastel this picture.. We'll see...

The movie The Proposal starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds was made here. There are some photos shown here of some of the movie props that were around town. I have to admit that I have not seen this movie...but I will now...lol And I adore Sandra Bullock.

As for life in general... the trip to Tulsa this week went well. My shoulder actually seems to be feeling some better. I seem to stay a bit tired, but I think that is because for the first time in years he has me doing some exercises to strengthen my neck. And the vitamins and supplements.... Lawzee... what a mess of them to try to swallow. But will continue... I'm ready to try anything and for as long as it takes. Seems it's either that or give up knitting. I really think that I am holding the knitting needles not only wrong, but too tightly and that is exaserbating the problem. Oh well... either way... must be fixed.

We are again in the woodworking aka shop mode. Yesterday and the day before was spent re-setting the routers. That sounds bad..lol It did not take that long to set the routers...but had to try several to get the one that made the look we wanted. Then had to buy some things..so that meant trips to Lowe's... etc...etc.. The first picture frame has been cut and will be sanded and put together today. We are working on a quilt holder/shelf that will fit one of my small quilts to be put up on the wall. Can't wait to see how that will work out!

The baby wrens gave me a scare a couple of days ago... I checked the nest and they looked dead. So I checked it again later and they still looked the same. I checked again later and they had moved, but still couldn't tell if they were breathing or had been moved about by the mom. About an hour later we emerged from the shop to see the mother flit away and heard them cheeping... phew... I worry that they are so close to the ground and accessible to cats, snakes and anything else that may want to harm them. We'll see if they make it to the fledging stage... Fingers crossed.

Have a good day...

The Simple Woman's Daybook... August 17, 2009

For today: August 17, 2009

Outside my window: is a mass of green from all the trees and grass. DSIL once remarked that I needed to go sow something that would add some color in the meadow during the summer. He is correct... lol The sunshine is just beginning to shine over the top of the house and I love this time of day with the interplay between light and shadow...

I am thinking: about the Angel-Grooms reunion coming up and trying to figure out a way to go. It's been years since I have seen everyone and it would be lovely to see them again.

From the learning room: I have just finished my first ever plying of silk and merino singles. It came out well with the softness of wool and sheen of silk. The dyeing process is next to see if it will dye consistently. That will be today or tomorrow...

I am thankful for: colors. I cannot imagine a world with only black and white...or for that matter only red and blue. The blends and shades of color all around us makes life so much richer.

From the kitchen: comes the same old thing these days...lol This section will be very boring for months to come, but I have lost almost 15 pounds... so I am not complaining... ;o)

I am wearing: the turquoise ugly dress today...lol Later will be Donkenny slacks and shirt in either red or blue... haven't decided yet...

I am reading: another Alex Cross book by James Patterson. This one I have read 4 or 5 times already, but can't seem to get interested in too many other authors lately. Wonder what's up with that?

I am hoping: to get the cd in the mail today to DS #3 that is video of baby Hannah ... came out tooo cute. Just wish I could see his face as he watches it.. ;o)

I am creating: not very much lately. I finished the snail/mushroom quilt and the spinning of the silk/merino. Not too much left on the agenda unless I once again pick up the flax and give it another go. We'll see.

I am hearing: I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song by Jim Croce.

One of my favorite things: is seeing the light in a child's eyes when they are happy. (Or anyone else... for that matter..lol)

A few plans for the rest of the week: another trip to Tulsa. Then we'll see what comes after that.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you:

Four Year Anniversary... I Missed It

On August 13, 2005 I made my first ever blogging post. I never dreamed that I would still be posting 4 years later. The customary thing is to link back to that first post on your anniversary... however... we were out of town. So I will do it here... Sharon B's Bags of Fun That was a fun undertaking. As the pages clicked by while I was looking for that first post there were several that stood out as places that turned out to be kinda important. Here's one...

The Joy of Handspinning Anyone who has been around my house lately can vouch for the fact that this site definitely changed my life...lol I am now surrounded by hand made spindles, a spinning wheel and a rigid heddle loom. I teach anyone who will stand still for a minute and doesn't fight back...lol

This site gives step by step instructions for making your first spindle and how to use it. Somehow it never left the back of my mind, but nothing happened until August of 2007. That was when I had been back to the site multitudes of times and finally decided that I would give it a try. That would be 2 years ago this month.

Much has happened in the 10 days since my last post. A trip to see my sister, on to Tulsa for a trip to the chiropractor (none near us uses our insurance .. bummer), and back home just in time for our son and daughter in law to arrive from Michigan. Busy time.. ;o) What a wonderful visit!

I hope all are having a good Sunday... It's a lovely, sunshiny day here and we have tiny baby wrens just hatched out in the back yard. It will be fun to watch them grow...

Spinning in the Dark...

We had no chance of rain yesterday... Yahoo weather said so. We checked....

This was taken around 4pm... See the sign...Almost on the ground with the wind. About five minutes after my computer acted like it was shot and then shut down this is what I saw when I went to the door. The electricity went off all over the house. When we call our neighbor next door, he said they didn't have any electricity either. It seems that the electric line in their yard broke and was hanging free. DH was standing at the door watching for the work crew when a huge lightening bolt went off and I guess it charged through that line because he said it looked ten times brighter than a welder's torch arcing across the air. Scary...





When we called Reliant Energy we were assured the problem would be fixed by 6pm. So we lit candles and got out the flashlights because it is dark in the center of our house...especially with it storming outside.

6 o'clock came and went... Dinner was prepared under the romantic lights of our heavy duty flashlight... For the first time in a long time we actually ate at the dinner table in the kitchen..lol Another call the Reliant... Now it's 8pm. I got out my spinning wheel and went to work on some Merino that I've been spinning to sport weight. I have a little more than 300 yards finished in Navajo 3-ply. Anyway, DH used his flashlight and worked a crossword puzzle. Another call to Reliant promised an 11 o'clock fix.

Well... our romantic evening continued until we finally gave up and went to bed around 9pm or so and read our books by flashlight. We left the bedside lamp on to wake us up when the electricity came back on since everything had been unplugged and we really needed to plug in the refrigerator.

I woke up about 3am freezing to death... It seems the electricity came back on around 1:30am (great show for the 8pm fix time... don't you think?) and DH had gotten up and fixed everything and let me sleep. I turned off the overhead fan and sunk back into oblivion... What a night...

But... we did decide that if it were not the laundry and refrigerator we wouldn't really mind all that much living without electricity. And then again... there is the pc... and the printer...and the... hmmmm

Simple Woman's Daybook 08/03/2009

For today: August 03, 2009

Outside my window: the sun is almost up and it looks like it will be another hot day today. The wren has nested in the utility trailer that DH pulls behind the mower, so there won't be any using it until after fledging. I can hardly wait... This is the second breeding period for wrens and I would love to know how many eggs are in this nest.

I am thinking: very slowly this morning in my effort to drink my first cup of coffee and wake up. I did not want to get up this morning... it was so nice to just lay there in the cool comfort of the bed and slide up to DH's back. The only problem with staying there was the beginning of a dream... I was walking into work and pulling out a med cart, taking report and watching other nursing staff come into work... Had a very deleterious effect on my semi-sleep progress...lol

From the learning room: I have found through working on the little snail/mushroom quilt that I can design my own quilts. They may not look totally professional yet, but I can do it. Working on color balance will help... Maybe I should do a color wheel quilt..

I am thankful for: mornings like this one where I can sit and blog while half asleep... take my time waking up and not have to worry. If history teaches us anything, it is to appreciate what we take for granted today. At the turn of the century everyone worked hard every day... 6 1/2 and 7 day workweeks were the norm beginning about age 10 and lasting a lifetime.

From the kitchen: doesn't come much new. I have learned to make a meat loaf that DH and I can eat on the Atkins diet. That was for supper last night.

I am wearing: that rather horrible loose dress that was bought at Dillard's. I may have to start leaving this one out..lol.. since this what I put on every morning to get around, drink my coffee, cook breakfast and eat. Then comes the getting dressed and ready for the day.

I am reading: my new Spin-Off Magazine that arrived a couple of days ago. Love that...the first one since I subscribed. Also started a new book for bedtime reading. It's called Dragontears by Dean Koontz. I'm not far enough along in it yet to know whether it will be a favorite, but since I usually really enjoy his I don't think there will be a problem... ;o)

I am hoping: that whatever the floor in the office is going to do, it does it soon. The lift in the center of the floor that caused the tiles to lift about 4" and break loose has gone back down, but still going down more. It will be really nice when it is all done and the tiles are re-set.

I am creating: a bit of a mess trying to learn to spin cotton with a supported spindle. The spindle is one that I made with a round something..forgot what it was.. and a bamboo skewer. It is working quite well. I was using a small Japanese bowl to support it, but it seemed to be too big and allowed the spindle to move around. Sooo... I moved one of my painted eggs from the candle holder that was supporting and used the candle holder. That works much better. The problem is that I think my support spindle is too long. While I don't have a problem with the no hook part, I have reach quite high to draft or just put the twist in then park and draft. We'll see what comes from this... ;o)

I am hearing: the air conditioner purr. Not long ago a flash back memory jumped up as we were walking across the parking lot going into Sam's. It was not until the late 1950's that air conditioning became widespread across the South. I can remember as a child seeing the banners in the windows of some grocery stores and department stores advertising "Air Conditioned". What a treat it was on a hot August afternoon to just stand in the door of such a wonderland.. lol
Around the house: plans are being made for the arrival and visit of son and daughter in law in a couple of weeks. What a joy that will be.. ;o)

One of my favorite things: is a small triangular stool that sits in my bathtub with a little pull out tray with a footstool attached. Love it... makes it so easy to do the daily ablutions like shaving the legs so much easier.

A few plans for the rest of the week: include finishing the last 3 seams of the snail/mushroom quilt, finishing with the de-clutter of the kitchen and then on to the rest of the house. Would love to totally redecorate much of my house...but will settle for the de-clutter...lol

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you:






















"Grow old along with me!The best is yet to be.
The last of life, for which the first was made. "
Robert Browning
Robert Browning "Rabbi Ben Ezra"