I'm sorry I've been such a bad blogger :(
Every time I switch on the computer I think 'I must post on the blog today' but to no avail. I seem to have had some kind of mental block. Anyway - I'm forcing myself to post today so quality control may go out the window - lol.
So, what have the last 2 weeks been like? I've been busy, too busy probably. I bought a second hand Ashford Country Spinner from someone at the online guild. It's a beast with its 2lb bobbins
I'm getting the hang of it slowly but surely and am starting to crank out some thick n thin singles. It's a very fast wheel and very heavy so it's easy to overspin. I'm using the singles to practice dyeing things the same colours that have a semblance of regularity. I still can't recreate that bright skein I did a month or so back. The colours seem to be much tamer than my original attempts but I'm not losing as much excess dye. People who've seen them seem to like them so maybe it's just the critical beyatch who resides permanently in the front of my head who's unhappy with them.
Re: Wonderwool. I had a letter yesterday with a complimentary exhibitors pass for the Saturday so it looks like my hat and/or tea cosy are being exhibited at the show. There was no explanation in the letter - just the pass. Peculiar. I'll get some photos of them while I'm up there and post them when I get back.
What else has been going on? Oh yeah, I've been dipping in and out of the guild workshop which, this month, is Silk Spinning. I've never spun silk before and was expecting it to be trickier than it was. I've really enjoyed the little bit I've done (not the smell though - it stinks) It was easier than the soy silk or tencel that I've been playing with. I think I'll definitely do some more another time.
Last Saturday I took my middle boy, Murphy to another chess tournament. There were two competitions running concurrently. One for the UK Land Chess Challenge and one for the Penwith Cup (local schools competing for the cup) He was playing on the school team as well as on his own behalf and the clever little smorgler got a perfect score (won every game he played) which meant that he's under 10's champ and his school won the cup. These tournaments are always a mixed blessing. It's fantastic that he wins stuff and I'm so proud of him but when they get over that 4 point qualification score you can see the mums going 'Oh god I've got to take him/her to Manchester for the next stage now' lol. Anyway - here's a pic of his trophy. It's a beauty this time.
And here's just a gratuitous pic of my youngest playing with the young nanny Bracken while her (very pregnant) mum looks on.
He gets jealous if he's left out - lol.
I think I can definitely say I've been overdoing it. I just wish I was able to listen to the warning signs I get and not just plough on regardless. By the afternoon I feel like I've been sucked dry and am running on empty.
Still, it's almost Summer, the trees are in leaf and the meadowsweet is in flower. I love it when the meadowsweet and the campions blossom. I've made this years batch of Oil of Swallows (Green elder ointment) which gets used to help heal cuts and bruises of livestock and small boys and the elder flowers are starting to bud so it won't be long before I'm up to my elbows in elderflower cordial - yum. We've got one ewe left to lamb - a first time mum who we're concerned about lambing while we're away. Hopefully she'll have it tonight on the full moon or I don't know what we'll do. We're off to Wales early on Friday morning - so she needs to have had it by then. The other lambs are at their nicest stage. There's something about lambs at that age that just looks inherently naughty. They charge around the field looking for all the world like they're playing tag. There's always one who's more naughty than the rest. And for some reason that one's always my favourite ;)
