And Christmas was bright

I just found  these stats.They document the hard work these men and women did to restore power to everyone by Christmas morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Storm Stats – incredible numbers from an incredible storm

• Wire    Restrung more than 120 miles of power cable (the distance between Nashua and Littleton on I-93)
• Phone Calls    Answered more than 435,000 customer calls in 11 days (equivalent to 4 months of calls, normally)
• Poles    Reset more than 250 broken poles
• Fuses    Installed more than 16,000 fuses
• Transformers    Replaced about 1,500 transformers (almost a year’s supply)
• Crews    Deployed more than 1,200 crews, including workers from Maryland, the Midwest and Canada

THANK YOU.

Is Mother Nature mad?

All over the country there has been extreme and often unusual weather. Snow in Central Texas and Vegas?!? Here in the Northeast we had a record breaking ice storm the night of December 11th. By Friday morning the 12th, over 4000 homes were without electricity, mostly in the southern tear of the state. Our power went out at about 10 pm on the 11th, we got it back on the evening of the 15th.  Friday morning it took David and I several tries to find a road out of town that was not blocked by trees or downed wires so we could get to work. My usual 50 minute commute was 1 1/2 hours. This storm was followed by three snow storms (17th, 19th and 21st) for a total of about 2 feet.

Some homes in our area are still without power, they will have a dark Christmas. At one time there were 750 power and tree crews from far and wide to help restore power. Roads were impassable for days, schools have been closed and will not open until after the winter break. Some homes sustained damage from falling trees, cars were totaled and, unfortunately, people died. A 75 year old man refused to leave his home, fell and died of hypothermia on the floor. Some have died of carbon monoxide poisoning from generators and other portable heaters not properly set up or ventilated. Food poisoning was a common complaint of ER visitors (food spoils in a refrigerator in 4 hours). People stayed in shelters or with family but unfortunately some empty homes were broken into: copper pipe stolen from one and Christmas presents opened and some gifts taken.

Not all that has happened this past 2 weeks is bad. Neighbors helped neighbors (even ones they did not previously know). My father refused to leave his home (Mom came to stay with us – we have a wood stove and generator). Dad is 81, an old Yankee, who wanted to protect his home and did not want to move his two Siamese kittens. On day 3 of the power outage, a neighbor from up the street came knocking on the door, offered hot tea and the intermittent use of his generator. This man brought the generator over every afternoon for three days for several hours to warm the house, allow Dad to cook and shower. Their power was restored the evening of the 16th.

In one of the small towns not far from here, there is still no power in many homes. A very prominent business man (contractor) sent his biggest truck south to find as many generators as he could (no generators within a 50 (100?) mile radius). He parked the truck in his parking lot and offered the generators at his cost to anyone who wanted one. He did not sell them to make a profit, and I bet some families got one for nothing.

Shelters have been open in fire stations, town halls, schools and such. They are manned by volunteers who often did not have power in their own homes. Fire and emergency personnel have come from other parts of the state not as badly affected to help out so that our volunteer firemen and EMTs could go home.

The local hospital was on generator power from the 11th to the 18th (do you know how much gas that is?). The Wellness center was open 24 hours a day so hospital employees and their families could shower. The kitchen fed everyone who came in over the weekend for free.

The local store in my town found a generator to run the gas pumps. They lost a lot of perishables in the store, but the two women who run the store were out there filling gas cans and gas tanks well into the night.

I feel fortunate to have been able to stay warm and safe. We could not shower at home or do laundry, but my house did not sustain any damage. My family all weathered the storm pretty well. I feel bad for local businesses, they lost 7 days of Christmas sales and those that are already struggling will probably not survive.  

Here are some pictures:

Trees missed my garden shed.

Ice is at once both beautiful and destructive.

Here are a couple of images for comparison. The first was taken December 13th the second December 21st.

I am sure there are more stories like this around the country, wild weather is being reported everywhere. I hope everyone is safe and able to celebrate the holiday of choice with family and friends.

“May all beings everywhere with whom we are inseparably interconnected,

be fulfilled, awakened, liberated and free.

May there be peace in this world and throughout the entire universe,

and may we all together complete this spiritual journey.

                                                             Mahayana Prayer

Peace and be well.

Cynthia

Time Passes, Paca Poop and Knitting

I know I say this a lot: Where does the time go? October and November were very busy (see previous post) but are now in the past. Thanksgiving in Texas was great. We spent two weeks helping David’s brother and sister in law set up their alpaca ranch (what is the difference between a ranch and a farm?). I loved being on the ranch everyday, working with the animals, scooping poop, cleaning garden beds (I could have done without the copper head!) and pastures. The ranch is Peeka Ranch in Burton,Texas and now has 14 alpaca. It is a very ambitious start but they are doing very well.

I have done a lot of knitting. Small projects but it is so satisfying to have finished objects in hours or days. Here are a few items:

This is the Baby Sqash Hat by Tamara Del Sonno. (Yup that is a gourd it is on)

 

This one is the Garter Stitch Loop-through scarf by Marci Richardson. (both done in same yarn – a 100% alpaca, hand dyed).

 

This one is Blanket Buddy by Mary Anne Thompson (I actually made 2 of these), this is The Alpaca Yarn Company’s Snuggle. All of these patterns are in 101 Designer One Skein Wonders.

Other knitting I have done: I started a Swallow Tail Shawl (I’ll post pictures and tell the tale next time) and I am making a pair of fingerless gloves (gauntlets really) for a woman who will give them to her husband for Christmas (he has MS and his hands and arms are always cold in the house). My own design and very easy. I promise to post pictures of these also.

My on-line store (www.Nightingalefibers.com) is beginning to see more traffic. I advertised on Ravelry in October and November and will probably do so again in January. I would like to do more fiber festivals next year, some are very hard to get into, they have limited space and the vendors who have been doing the festivals are locked in. I will get my name on the lists and see what happens.

David has healed well since his surgery to repair his Achilles tendon. He wore his air cast until last week and is getting around fine. He sees his surgeon in a few weeks and will probably not tell him what he has been doing the past few weeks (working on the ranch). But I think he was very careful and except me dropping a heavy barn mat on his feet he did not do anything to jeopardize his recovery.

Here are a couple of pictures of Peeka Ranch to end with:

 

 

 

 

“Not to do any evil, To cultivate good, To purify one’s mind – - This is the advise of the Buddhas” Dhamma pada

Cynthia

Time Slips Away

I cannot understand where time goes. My life is getting busier, I really want it to get less complicated. David and I have so much going on all the time. Here are a few of the things that have happened in the past month: David ruptured his Achilles tendon, David’s brother and sister in law visited from Texas, , we showed alpacas at The Big E, David had surgery on his ruptured Achilles tendon (and has been in a non-weight bearing cast for past two weeks ——- can’t really do anything, soooo I have to do everything), I was a vendor at the New Hampshire Wool Arts tour. And coming up: Showing alpaca at Empire State, fly to Houston while David and his brother drive with 7 alpacas, enjoy Thanksgiving with family in Houston, drive empty trailer back to New Hampshire. And work. And clean garden and yard to prepare for winter. And bring in wood (remember cast). And keep house reasonable clean. And keep web site up and current. And knit. And spin. And Red Sox are in the post season. Whew.

I really do enjoy my life and I feel very blessed.

I have not been getting much done in terms of knitting and I have not been spinning. I am working on a pair of socks because they are easy to pick up and put down. Although I had a heck of a time getting started. The first pattern I tried I could not get the twisted rib stitch right so I just started a 2X2 rib but wanted a pattern on the leg. I finally used the rib pattern from Heart Strings Autumnal Equinox sock pattern but I had to adjust because I had more stitches then the pattern called for. But they are coming along, I am almost to the toe of the first sock. I am using The Alpaca Yarn Companies Paca Peds in the Singing The Blues colorway. Here is a couple of pictures:

 

 

 

I work on my Log Cabin Blanket occasionally. I want to start a sweater or a shawl but need to finish a few things. I still have the Landscape Shawl that I pick up and work on for a while then put away. I think it is pretty but I am not in love with it. I just feel it is too far along to quit. I will probably give it as a gift if I ever finish it. I will certainly have a lot of time to knit when I am on the road at Thanksgiving but I want something that will keep my interest.

I have so much fiber to spin. After my Thanksgiving trip things should slow down and I want to set aside time to spin and also get out my sewing machine. I have three fleeces to get ready for show and get them out of my way. Once they are gone I will have more room to set up my sewing machine. I have some great fabric and want to make some project bags to sell. I am doing a Vendor Fair at a local organization the beginning of November (I forgot to list that) so if I can get a couple done I can see how they will sell. I plan to have “Gifts for Knitters and Spinners” at my booth. I’ll put together some kits too.

It is a cold Saturday morning in New Hampshire. The foliage has been beautiful this year, but we are at the end of the season now. I hope to get lots done on the “clean up and put the gardens to bed” list today.  I think we’ll light the woodstove tonight when we settle in to watch the Red Sox.

 ”Stopping at third base adds no more to the score than striking out.”  E. Joseph Cossman

Cynthia

Fall is in the air

Wow, where does the time go? It is already the middle of September. It is cool in the morning, beautiful during the day. We are expecting a frost tonight, so the garden is done. I picked the last cucumber and summer squash today. The potted cherry tomatoes on the porch probably will still produce until a real heavy frost.

I was feeding the goldfish before I went to work one morning last week. I was watching the fish come up to the surface to eat, and I saw a small little flash of orange! Yup, a baby fish. There are actually two of them. So, I guess, more goes on in the pond than we know of!

My knitting has been hot and cold. I have worked some on the Log Cabin Blanket and the Landscape Shawl (which I realize is not listed) but have not seamed my Laguna Blouse.

I have been doing a good amount of dying. I have enjoyed experimenting and coming up with a few Nightingale Fibers colorways. I am mostly dying alpaca yarn, but have used wool to exhaust some dye baths and to absorb or use some dyes. Alpaca takes color is such a different way, the colors are more subtle, softer. I really like the colors I am seeing. Here are some examples:

 

 

 

 

 

As usual, these yarns will be on the web site  (now or in the future). I am a vendor at the 2008 Wool Arts Tour Columbus Day weekend , so I may not list them until after that weekend. (You can always contact me if something strikes your fancy!). It is all 100% alpaca, fingering weight. I did dye some lace weight today.

Here’s are a few new alpaca baby pictures:

 

 

 

 

They are sooooo cute when they are babies.

Please visit my on line store: Nightingale Fibers. You will find yarn, spinning fibers, accessories, patterns and gifts.

“Always do what you say you are going to do. It is the glue and fiber that binds successful relationships.” Jeffry A. Timmons

Dye, Spin, Knit

The week at Harrisville with Lynne Vogel was great. It was relaxed but productive. There were 16 students, most with more spinning experience then me. But it did not matter. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Lynne’s teaching style let everyone work at her own pace and skill level.

The first day was an introduction to spinning with color. We took painted rovings and experimented with how to divide and spin it. The first project was to knit something with the energized singles. I made a little bag to hold my orifice hook or what ever. We did a lot of spinning, which was good, since I have a new spinning wheel.

The second day was the first day of dying. We had 6 ounces of Blue Faced Leicester to dye. Lynne gave a demonstration in the morning and we had a few “assignments” but then we were free to do what ever we wanted. We had access to several dyes, learned dilution and mixing techniques. The heat for setting the dyes were microwaves. We then left the hot packets of fiber in a dark pail to slowly cool and rinsed them the following morning. It was so much fun.

Here are some pictures of the “dye studio”  (which was the loading dock):

And pictures of finished rovings:

On Wednesday, we had a choice of more dying, or spinning and knitting. I dyed in the morning, I had some merino and alpaca I wanted to try. Then in the afternoon, I worked on spinning the roving from the previous day. I was not happy with my roving after I pulled it apart, there was too much green and not long enough sections of the other colors. My yarn was coming out just green. After thinking about it overnight, Thursday I finished spinning one single with the green then using the bits of other colors to spin randomly with the green for the other single. I plyed them together and this is what I got:

It is not a great picture, but I am very pleased with it. I am making a neck scarf. (Lynne’s goal was we spun something for a project). I’ll post a picture next time when I have more done.

As I said in the beginning, a lot of the women were more experienced spinners than I. And more productive, as evidenced by these photos:

Of course, most of these women were staying at the boarding house and I suspect spun into the evening after I left. But they were great women to hang out with and to see their finished work. Amazing.

One last picture, my dyed rovings:

I am very happy with the experience at the class and my work. I am ready to do some production dying so keep an eye out for handdyed alpaca yarns in my store.

“Color is one of the most powerful means of nonverbal expression.” Lynne Vogel (from her book The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook)

Knit and crochet, and a little spinning

My sister and I went to the Knitting and Crochet Show in Manchester, NH this past weekend. Even though it was only 40 minutes from my house, we got a hotel room for two nights. We had a great time. I took two classes. I took an all day class with Jenny King on Crocheted Australian Wild Flowers. I am not a strong crocheter and it was a challenge to do these flowers but I think I did a pretty good job. I definitely understand crochet stitches better now. I even bought a pattern to crochet a market bag at the market place. We’ll see. The second day I took an Intarsia class with Edie Eckman. She went through the details of how to do intarsia (It was called Intarsia without fear!). I am not sure I will ever do much intarsia, but I have some information and some myths were dispelled for me. I could add a motif to something if I wanted to.

The other news this week is I treated myself and bought a Kromski Sonata. I wanted a portable wheel to take to fiber festivals and to Harrisville next week for the class with Lynn Vogal (Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook). It is a nice wheel, easy to carry and to put up. I need to practice with it this week so I don’t look like a fool next week. The class is Dye, Spin, Knit and is five days. I am looking forward to learning more about dying yarn and roving.

I have been doing some spinning this week. I finally finished the batt I have been working on forever and it is almost completely plyed:

 

 

I have also been busy finishing up my Laguna Blouse. I just need to do the side seams and work in ends. I think it even fits! Here is a pic:

 

One last photo tonight. Here is a visitor to my garden this weekend:

 

“Paradise is where I am.” Voltaire

Peace

Cynthia

Respinning or making new out of old

Several years ago I bought some alpaca yarn to make a lap throw. This was before I really knew what an alpaca was. I never made the lap throw and I came across the yarn recently. It is actually an alpaca-merino mix (80-20) in a natural gray color. In looking at it closely now, with some spinning knowlege, the yarn is a single. I thought it was overspun looking at it in the hank, but although it is an unbalanced yarn (it twists when I hang the hank open) it is probably not overspun. I don’t feel it is a great yarn, or at least a yarn that I would use, so I got some advise on Ravelry and this is what I did:

Here is a before picture:

I then “spun” two skeins onto bobbin on my spinning wheel. I went fast with little tension on the yarn, sometimes adding a little where the single was not spun as much.

I then plyed them together

 

When I washed the “new” skein, it was dirty which may have added to the issue with the original skeins, if they had been washed they may be more balanced and fluff up a bit, which is what the new skein did. I could not fit the whole new skein on my Ashford Traditional bobbin so I will have to get out my jumbo flyer to do the rest. But here is the final product:

I think it came out okay, the yarn averages 8-9 wpi. I have eleven more skeins to do. I will need the bigger bobbins so I can do the complete skeins which are about 160 yards each. Since I have an odd number I am not sure what I will do with the odd skein. Maybe I’ll wash it and use it as is or Navajo ply to see how that works. Of split the skein and make one smaller one.

This was an interesting process, I learned a lot about the construction of yarn and what the spinner can do to influence the final outcome. I am so glad I finally decided to learn to spin, now almost 2 years ago. I had resisted it for awhile, but I am getting so much enjoyment out of it.

Funny, I said that about dying yarn, too. And now what am I doing? DYING YARN. In fact, I am taking a week long class at Harrisville Designs August 4-8 with Lynne Vogel called  “Dye, Spin, Knit”. I got the supply list yesterday, I’ll need a suitcase to carry it all. I am looking forward to this class to learn more about the process of dying and how to design the yarns.

 

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.” Goethe

Have a great day

Cynthia

Garden and knitting

My day today was bittersweet. On Saturdays, I usually go to Weight Watchers and then go grocery shopping. This morning I got up and went for a walk (I have been trying to walk the mornings I do not go to work) then went to WW. I have not weighed in in a couple of weeks because of the company we had, I gained so I was pretty bummed. I tried to remember there was a reason but I do not feel this is a good excuse. I should have tried harder to eat more sensibly.But going out to eat every night makes it hard to eat low fat and healthy. After I went to the meeting I did errands and went grocery shopping.

When I got home and put the groceries away I decided to get out into the yard to work on things I feel I have been neglecting. Right behind the house we have a deck, a brook and then the rest of the yard. On the banking on the other side of the brook there is a ground cover the deer used it as dinner last winter, so it is looking a little ratty. And the weeds have gotten the best of the area. I pulled the weeds today, cut away dead stems and cleaned up the whole area. It still looks a little straggly but I think it will look better with time. I pulled out small newly rooting plants and put them in small pots, I will replant them in areas that need to be filled in.

I love working in the garden. I did not listen to any music or podcasts, I just pulled weeds and tried to be in the moment. This is something I do not often have an oportunity to do. It is comforting to clear my mind of the clutter that is life. I hope to do the same tomorrow. I have not had much time to spend in the garden this year because I have been working extra time, but I think I will just try to get something accomplished every time I get out to work in the yard. I cannot do everything I think needs to be done this summer, but I know I can get some projects done.

Opening the online store has been a learning experience. I really did not know the work involved in maintaining a web site. Adding products, changing text, looking for new products, checking out the competition, and planning ahead takes time. I am also planning for festivals and fairs coming up. It really is a lot of work. But I do love it. I hope I am able to grow the business to a point of being profitable

 

I finally did the three needle bind off on the shoulders of the Laguna Blouse last night. I was not happy the first time I did it, I thought there was something wrong with what I was doing, but I looked on Ravelry to see what others had done and found the technique was an important feature. The picture on the pattern shows the blouse on a hanger so the shoulders look bunched up. I thought it was the way it was hanging, but the finishing technique on the shoulders is a knit three together and then a three needle bind off which makes the seem “bunched”. I am going to steam it tomorrow before picking up for the neck finishing tomorrow. I am hopeful it will be a finished object I will wear! I’ll post pictures.

I listened to PixiePurls podcast this week (she is back after having a baby) and she talked about a tank top she made, Pretty in Pink. I bought some Peaches ’n Cream cotton today at Walmart to make one. That will be my next project.

“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. if we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.” Gail Sheehy

Cynthia

Alpacas and Turkeys?

I had hoped to write a post sooner but I seem to have less time to do anything extra these days.David’s brother and his wife were here last week, they own several alpacas here (they plan to transport them to Texas this fall when the ranch is ready) and had some business to attend to. It was great to have them here. LaNell and I went to the alpaca seminar at Kilblaan Farm on Saturday. It was fun and informative. The speaker is a alpaca farmer and an AOBA judge. There was a lot of information about how judging is done, I especially liked the part where we had hands on alpaca fleeces and looked at them like the judges look at them. I definitely have a better understanding about what to look for in the fleece. It is interesting though, the features we and the judges look at when looking at an alpaca are not necessarily important when making yarn (in my opinion). Staple length, crimp, bundling of locks, uniformity of color and fineness do not necessarily indicate what type of yarn it turns into. The alpaca blanket (back and sides) is generally the softest and has the most crimp and generally thought to makes the best yarn. The flip side is it may be too fine to be of value as a 100% alpaca yarn.  Seconds (legs, bellies, and sometimes the neck) is not “prime” fiber and is often sent to a fiber pool to be made into socks or, I guess, rug yarn. I find this fiber mixed with merino wool makes a beautiful soft yarn.

I have been doing more dying of alpaca yarn. It is fun. I have not been doing any “scientific” dying, just mixing and having fun. I think I have gotten some great results. The skeins are up on my website, so take a look. I am now planning to dye more than one skein in a color way, and keeping records. I am working on getting more white (or light colored) yarn and fleeces to work with.

I got a surprise this past weekend. I was gifted a large white fleece. Legend is a Herd Sire, co-owned by Paris Hill Farm and Spring Pond Farm. He is a big, beautiful animal. I am excited to have his fleece mill spun to make a yarn I can dye. His blanket will be 100% alpaca and his legs and belly will probably be mixed with merino wool. I hope I have time soon to ready this and other fleeces for the mill. I would like to set up a booth at the Wool Arts Tour in October so I need to have more product.

Not much knitting or spinning has been getting done the past few weeks. I have worked a little on the socks but not much else. I was listening to StitchIt pod cast on my way home from work this afternoon, Mehgan has started a new job and was talking about finding time to do everything she needs and wants to do. I could so relate to her. I don’t think there are enough hours in the day to do the things we are required to do (work, clean house, cook, have quality time with family) and the things we want to do (knit, spin, dye, garden). She was setting up a sort of schedule, pick up and clean a room in the morning before she goes to work, set aside evenings (after the little man goes to sleep) to knit or spin. I wonder if I could pull that off. I think I need to get up earlier so I can have an hour to do something constructive before I leave for work. And, honestly, I need to spend less time on Ravelry! I waste time just looking around. I think Ravelry is a great resource, but it is also a great time waster. I went on at lunch today and realized I could be knitting instead – so that is what I did. I even read a little from a professional journal while I knitted. That was a better use of my time.

David and I like to sit on the deck or in the gazebo in the evening when we get home in the evening before dinner. I am sitting here writing this post in our gazebo talking (or listening) to David. Does this count for quality time with family? Is this what is called multitasking? And is this healthy? I don’t know.

I love where I live and the opportunities I have on a daily basis. This time of year there are a lot of baby turkeys around. I see mothers and babies everyday. Here are a couple of pictures I took the other evening. LaNell and I jumped out of the car to check these babies out, the boys just followed us slowly with the car doors flung open The babies were running across the road to join mama.

Did you know, turkeys have day care? When you see a flock it is not uncommon to see one or two females with a bunch of babies while the rest of the flock is foraging for food. It is fascinating.

 

“I’ve always wanted to be somebody, but now I see I should have been more specific.” Lily Tomlin

Cynthia