many thanks

Thank you all so much for the kind expressions of sympathy in the form of comments, cards and emails that were sent due to the recent passing of my sister in law.  They were comforting to me, and other family members and friends that read along on the riverrim. 

 

Cyberspace relationships are unique, most of you I only know through words and photographs on a screen....but they are a lot like letters, correspondence if you will.... and I appreciate your thoughtfulness and the time that you take to express it.  It is important to me.

 

Life goes on around here...the seasons are changing...

this bear showed up just before the nor'easter...he/she had tags in both ears which leads me to believe that it has been caught and released, possibly a nuisance bear.  The following day we saw a mother bear bring three cubs down the mountain.  We are using an air horn to deter them...which is working for the time being, but is almost certain to become ineffectual after they become conditioned.  The bear live up in these ledges behind our cabin. 

I expect they were here before we were.  There are marking trees up on top of the mountain that they return to year after year.  You can see the growth patterns and size of the bears from the way they mark the trees.  We have to remember to walk around outside with caution now.  The warm weather has kept them from denning- and they will continue to hang around until the freeze moves in.  I worry so much about my rabbits and chickens.  We have nail boards set out as a method to discourage the bears so they don't get to close.

the turkey are about on the hillside too.  I have counted a harem of at least 20.  I have seen so many pullets this year, that I think they were able to brood several clutches. 

here is a close up where you can see the beard hanging off the Tom.

 

I needed a project to make me think...something I could concentrate on...

....so I started a prewarp technique on the triangle loom.  This is done by warping the loom on the bias, and allows for a different design concept than I am used to.  The prewarp technique can create beautiful chevron effects.  I am using handspun Finn that I spun during demonstrations this past summer.  The warp is a single strand, but the weave structure changes to a basket weave when you weave the weft.  Another point to note is the fact that you must interlock the edges on all sides of the loom.  I fringed the edges and used one strand of the warp on either side of shawl to lock the weave in place.  This method moves quickly...it takes more time in the beginning- which is directly opposite from the normal continuous thread method....where it takes more time at the end.  The designs can run parallel with the short legs of the triangle, rather than running parallel to the hypotenuse.  The drape is different also, as the weave is on the bias vs. straight grain or crossgrain.