Those of you who know me well, know that I really enjoy handcrafts--especially the traditional handcrafts. I love spending time creating something with my hands that will last more than 5 minutes (unlike clean dishes!). When I went to Rhinebeck last month I kept stopping at the booths with looms and watched the process of weaving. "Someday I'd like to try that, but looms are too expensive so it'll have to wait." is what I told myself.
In our area (and probably in yours, too) there's a neat program called "Freecycle" where people can list items that they want to get rid of or items they are searching for. I've given several odds and ends away to others that we no longer needed, but were too good to throw away. I've also been able to find some terrific treasures for our family to use.
A couple of weeks ago I was browsing through the new postings on the website and was surprised to see a listing for a free weaving loom. I emailed the contact person and after several emails we made an appointment for me to come look at the loom.
It's an antique 4-harness loom which needs to be reassembled and restored, but the parts are all here and it'll be a fun project for Wayne to work on during the winter months. It was formerly owned by an 80-year old German woman who lived outside of Philadelphia who said it was her mother's or grandmother's loom. She had shown the woman who was giving it to me beautiful items that were products of this little loom. The woman who listed it on Freecycle had started restoring it, but since she wasn't a woodworker and would rather put her time into weaving, she kept putting this project aside and did her weaving on another loom.
As we talked, the woman mentioned that she was also giving me a rigid heddle loom (complete in its box) to have fun with. I was thrilled since this is the type of loom I had been considering at the fiber festival. When I told her this, she asked if I'd like some more rigid heddle looms. It seems that she had bought several through e-bay with plans on teaching weaving, but soon discovered that she was not a teacher. If I wanted all the looms, she'd gladly give them to me to use with the children or however I'd like.
As we left her driveway, I turned to Katelyn and said, "I can't believe that woman just
gave me all those looms!" Katelyn rolled her eyes (she didn't understand the magnitude of the gift) and turned on the radio to a kids' show which at that moment had a character say, "Sometimes God performs miracles in amazing ways." She looked at me and said, "Now
that's a God thing!"
Later that evening I got an email from the weaver. She had a warping reel that she wanted to give me also and would deliver it at our shop within the week...AMAZING!
So in the winter months ahead, when I'm not spinning or knitting, you'll probably find me sitting with book in hand learning to weave on my new looms.
(A scene from our first 'big' storm with accumulating snow)
Grandma Jackson and Uncle Dan came for a short visit over the same weekend. The days flew by, but we had a wonderful visit.
A yearly tradition is Matthew leading the gang in making gingerbread cookies. They combined it with watching The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and other Christmas specials on the internet...
Our five guys...
We had snow one evening a couple of weeks ago. Jonathan was so excited that while I was occupied somewhere else in the house, he got his coat and boots on to go join Wayne and Raven for their evening walk in the field. He didn't care that he was in his pj's!
Raven loves to chew on sticks, but sometimes her choice of stick is a bit large...
The four youngest...
Mom and her 2 little big guys...
Whenever I walk along this section of the lake road, I think of it as a cathedral of trees...
We took Raven along. By the time we got home she was exhausted and happily stretched out by the woodstove for a snooze after a bit of cuddle with Wayne.
Of course, this was his favorite page...
She's a sweet girl who loves to play and take long walks in the field. The kids are having so much fun with her and it's nice to have a 'big' dog part of the family again. We've really missed Brittany and Raven is settling in nicely to fill that void on the farm. I'm sure you'll be seeing more of Raven in future blogs.
Jonathan was trying to grow a beard and mustache with bubbles. He discovered that this type of "beard" tasted a bit soapy when mixed with his juice!
The two youngest boys have been having a lot of fun the past few weeks playing with their wooden train sets and re-enacting Thomas the Tank Engine stories. It seems like just a couple years ago Marc was at this age and enjoying these trains/stories. Some toys are timeless and each generation enjoys them...
Katelyn is working on making a quilt from patches of old jeans...
This is what Matthew calls, "Ian being a pill"...
Wayne found this Thanksgiving decoration a few weeks ago when we stopped in a store after one of his doctor appointments in Albany. It's a good reminder for every day of the year.
Somehow I don't think this is Linus's version of the Great Pumpkin!
As we talked, the woman mentioned that she was also giving me a rigid heddle loom (complete in its box) to have fun with. I was thrilled since this is the type of loom I had been considering at the fiber festival. When I told her this, she asked if I'd like some more rigid heddle looms. It seems that she had bought several through e-bay with plans on teaching weaving, but soon discovered that she was not a teacher. If I wanted all the looms, she'd gladly give them to me to use with the children or however I'd like.
As we left her driveway, I turned to Katelyn and said, "I can't believe that woman just gave me all those looms!" Katelyn rolled her eyes (she didn't understand the magnitude of the gift) and turned on the radio to a kids' show which at that moment had a character say, "Sometimes God performs miracles in amazing ways." She looked at me and said, "Now that's a God thing!"
(A scene from our first 'big' storm with accumulating snow)
Katelyn in her 'official' Little Delaware Youth Ensemble t-shirt...
Warmed up and ready to play...
Mark O'Connor warming up and getting ready to play...
Walking through the vendor displays provides an opportunity to see amazing hand-crafted fiber items...on the other customers! I heard one vendor say to another, "I didn't realize I would have a front row seat for a fashion show when I agreed to help out!" Rhinebeck is definitely a place to be inspired to create new items with fiber. 
And when I found myself overwhelmed by all the choices I walked to the animal barns to visit with the fiber on four legs
Then the ride home offers the beautiful views of the Catskill Mountains...
This year wasn't as crowded as previous years, but it was a wonderful time of bumping into (literally) like-minded fiber-fanatics and seeing people I knew from my 'neck of the woods'. Of course, when we see each other over the course of the next few months, we'll ask "what did you buy at Rhinebeck?!" Here's my answer... 
I've started spinning the roving on the left (called Cathedral windows) and it's turning into a lovely yarn. I think I'm going to use it for color work on a black sweater. The roving on the right is going to be used in a project with cranberry colored yarn which I made with roving from a previous Rhinebeck experience. I'm thinking the middle roving will go well with a solid brown project. The skeins of yarn are for the girls to use on a small lap loom they have. I've made progress in my purchases--I actually have projects in mind and didn't just buy them because they called my name!
Marc and I found our way to the other side of the city for his appointment without getting lost. (I never thought this girl from Pownal, Maine would be maneuvering around so many cities!) Later we found our way back to the zoo and joined the fun.
I like this picture as it looks like the lioness is whispering in Jon's ear...
Of course, being a mom, I had to make my kids get behind this silly photo panel...
Here's Jon enjoying the penguin pool...
The tigers were a lot of fun to watch. Mom Tiger and two of the three cubs were having a nice snooze on the rocks at the top of their hill. This was nice since the rocks were on the other side of the window by the walking trail. The third cub was relaxing in the forest at the bottom of the hillside amidst the trees.
The elephants have a nice field to roam and a huge new barn for stormy Syracuse winters. I could have watched these guys for a long time.
God's creation is amazing!
