Great pieces of functional art

A yarn bowl. Artistic yet completely functional. I love my yarn bowl! It has a wonderful opening to let yarn feed fron the bowl to the needles, a great shape for all balls of yarn and rubber grippers on the bottom to keep it from slipping. I have even set it on the dashboard when riding and knitting (not driving!). It's kept me company with my Cascadia Mitts...
It's kept me company with knitting up some cotton washcloths....
and a cup of coffee....
and currently a pattern from Ravelry my cousin and I are knitting together, the Shroom Slouch

you can find one for yourself at Neal Pottery
Luna has created her own piece of functional art. A snow cave. It faces the sun, has protection from the wind, is cool on the underbelly and beautiful to boot!

A Bit of Ireland

I was in the barn doing chores this morning on this beautiful St Patrick's Day morning and Danny Boy came on the radio. I wanted to hear it again and found this version...short but absolutely lovely.

Danny Boy

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'Tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'Tis I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow
Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.

And if you come, when all the flowers are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me
And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be
If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me
I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

I'll simply sleep in peace until you come to me.

Sugarin'

Saps running and the mud is rising...spring is in the air!

We are so happy to have our maple sugar groves tapped again after a few years off. The Clace family and friends are local and great to work with. We let them set permanent lines in return for maple syrup and believe me the gift is precious. It runs along the theory of many other things. If you have a sheep, shear it and use the wool, if you have a cow, milk it and drink the milk, if you have land, till and feed the folks. So if you have maple trees, tap them and enjoy the sweetest gift on earth.

The logo tells all. They are doing the tapping, the boiling and the creating. Among other things.

We stopped by the sugar house today to spend a few hours...

They are doing it Yankee style. The sugar content in the sap is so strong right now they've been making fancy grade for 2 days. And I tasted it today and, oh man, is it good!

The fires were stoked constantly to keep the sap boiling.

Being at a sugar house is an event...it's hard work and social. At this house there were people from 9 to 84 years old, sharing stories and friendship.

This shows the syrup coming out of the evaporator into the filter where it then flows into a finishing pan and then is poured off into a container as finished syrup.

The kids went out and scooped snow into cups and then poured syrup over it as a treat known as "sugar on snow".

Things are pointing toward spring....including the outerwear. Here is our corner at the kitchen door. It is now full to the max with cold weather coats, rain coats and possibly a sweater in case we have a day that reaches 45 degrees.

If you want maple syrup you have the number to call!

Dye work continues

The beat goes on....focusing on the handpainted yarns.

Katie prepped ...

I got a dye lot of Rooster done. It's been a challenge between snow and rain, watching the weather for clear days...the color was developing here and turned out predictably beautiful!

The handpaints piled up...

Steaming and running the indigo vat...

Colors are looking good after a wash and rinse....

Comparing a pair of skeins for saturation and hue after drying...

The weather may be glum in March but creating color warms the palette of life!

Stylish

Theresa at Camp Runamuck nominated me for this stylish award! I enjoy Theresa's humor, talent at the loom, sewing machine and beyond and perhaps especially her deep affection for animals and the joy they bring to our lives. Thank you Theresa for all you give!

Here's what comes with the award:
1. Thank and link back to the person who sent you this award.
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers
4. Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award

First, seven things about me!

1. I love natural dyeing. No matter the medium, it is as good as breathing for me.
2. I love snowmobiling.
3. I have been married to the same man for 30 years this May. And that's a good thing!
4. What I see each day and surround myself with fuels my creativity.
5. Music is vital to me.
6. I am a complete and total animal lover. My life will never be without them.
7. Friendship, laughter and honesty...required needs.

Part two: I don't spend a great amount of time strolling the blogosphere...I have those I connect with and consider friends. So here are the blogs I have come to enjoy, some newer, some older, but all good and stylish!

Earthues From both the team at the studio and Michele Wipplinger, owner and founder of Earthues, style exudes through and through. I am eternally grateful for the style they have brought to me over the years.
How The West Was Spun Anne is hands down the most avid spinner and knitter I know AND she's good! Her work is current and stylish!
ConcateKnit Here's a woman with a style for honesty. She holds nothing back and I find that current and real.
Knit Quest Sam is designing style on a full time basis. You need to watch this woman.
Nutmeg Owl The owl works through the night and ferets out fibers and patterns and owlways recognizes what is in style.
PoMoGoLightly Let me say Beverly just has style...she is always working on a new way of being and her fashion sense and writing are most stylish.
Say This About That Laurel has a great style for writing and can spin a mean yarn.
Sweet Georgia Felicia...a great sense of color and that makes her stylish in my book.
Yarnslinger I got to know the yarnslinger through our mutual love for animals and she has an unabashed love for baseball making it stylish to be a fan.
Plucky Knitter New blog to my list but certainly many know Sarah and she puts together a stylish presentation and product.
Yarn Wench Lynn is new to my list but I find her absolutely creative, hip and free-flowing..that's stylish.
The Painted Sheep Kris is a great dyer and business woman AND she snowmobiles! That's stylish!


Congratulations! Here's to your style and love for all you do and share.

Dusk at Long Ridge Farm.