Fall is coming on us quickly now, the massive oak tree behind our house is starting to drop a few colorful clusters of leaves and the maples are just starting to flame. I love autumn, for the cooling temperatures, the changing colors and the crisp smell in the air. Fresh apples, pumpkins, chrysanthemums, our wedding anniversary, my birthday, Thanksgiving.
The chimney sweep has come & gotten our chimney ready for the heating season and we have laid in a supply of firewood - we have two woodpiles this year, one of mostly oak,
and one of hickory! There is such a sense of comfort in having the entire winter's wood supply ready & stacked.
I seem to be having a love affair with Rambouillet this fall - I have bought three different Rambouillet cross fleeces in the last two weeks. My only defense is that they were irresistible! I picked up two at the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival in lovely mixed greys and a dark grey and then a third beautiful moorit brown fleece at the Fall Fiber Festival. These are all from the same farm in Luray, Virginia.
I washed a large handful of the brown and picked it - it weighed in at 50 grams when dry. I finally got to card most of it yesterday, while demonstrating at the Waterford Fair and then last night at home while watching a movie. This fleece is very springy and cards into a dense, soft rolag. I can't wait to spin some and see the yarn it's going to make! I am thinking 3 ply for a cardigan.
My Handpaint Magic Spinning class at the Fall Fiber Festival went very well - there were ten students and they spun and plyed all day, learning to use a nostepinne, make an N-ply 3 ply yarn and lots of different ways to work with painted rovings to get the yarn you want.
Next in my fall schedule will be our trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I will be teaching my 8/2 Towels class - a combination of the Structures and Color & Weave classes, while Peter strolls the beach. We celebrate our 29th wedding anniversary on Sunday and will stay an extra day or two to enjoy the beach in autumn.
