Faces of shearing

Shearing Day was yesterday. We had a great time and I owe a huge thanks to Farm Club and a few other friends who helped.

Some of the ewes waiting their turn.

Lola

Our shearer, John. Hailey is scooping up fleeces.

Tina, Kathy & Hailey bag the fleece.

Shelby & Alison as sheep wranglers.

It's lunch-time. Rusty has his eye on someone's sandwich.

This is one of John's wool shearing shoes. It is made of thick felt.

My friend, Colleen, brought her sheep for shearing. This is her ram, Razor.

Look at this face under the skirting table. James was happy to scoop up wool that fell through the slats. He spent most of his time playing in the new sand we got for the parking area.

Here is some of the crew. Others were holding down the fort in the shop.

Faulkner, the BFL, after shearing.

Amaryllis watches, while Dazzle calls for her friends.

Terraza in the pasture.

Mary is glad to find the flock.

This is what is it all about. Beautiful fleeces. So far all the fleeces I have looked at are strong, clean, and gorgeous.

Weaving Wonderland

I gave a presentation called World of Wool to the Portland Weavers Guild on Thursday. There are two meetings and the morning group meets at Ruthie's Weaving Studio. This is a fabulous place. Look at the number of looms here! At Ruthie's weavers can pay a monthly fee and use the looms and all the other equipment at any time the studio is open.

This loom has 16 or 20 shafts.

This loom is set up with a long warp for overshot coverlets. There is a waiting list for the weavers who want to weave a coverlet using the warp that is already threaded and ready to go.

This is a rug loom designed by Peter Collingwood.

Being able to see this in person I finally can finally understand how shaft-switching works.

Here is a small Jacquard loom.

Look at the size of this warping reel.

Inspirational textiles abound, including this sampler using Moorman technique.

Ruthie's Weaving Studio

I stayed with a friend (who used to be part of the Sacramento Weavers Guild) not too far over the border in Washington. You catch a glimpse of Mt. St. Helens on the way to her house.  I hope to be back to Portland for more weaving related activities and some sight-seeing.

More New England photos

It's been 3 weeks since the trip to New England but I am still enjoying my photos. Here are just a few. This is my sons and their SO's on the coast of Maine. Meryl awed us with handstands in unusual places.

Eating lobster and crab in a Maine restaurant. Chris has mac and cheese with lobster.

Not to be outdone, this is Matt's handstand.

Matt, more at home in a canoe than upside down. We spent one night at a friend's house on Squam Lake in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire foliage.

Photos from New England

I have been avoiding my blog because I'm frustrated that I can't separate my blog from Rusty's, but I'll have to wait now until the WP tech-support is back. Oh well. I want to share some of my favorite photos from our trip to New England and Katie's (daughter) wedding. Katie and her junior high friend, Camila, who now lives in Boston and was her maid of honor.

Walking down the aisle.

Presenting the bride and groom. Could you choose a more beautiful setting? This is the farm where Katie and Kurtis are living.

My sons and wife and girlfriend -- one of each :) .

Katie and her brothers.

Katie, Kurtis & Libby. Libby has been Katie's horse since Katie was in junior high. She traveled with her to Cal Poly, then Texas, and now Vermont.

Wedding in Vermont

This is Robin, not Rusty, even though WP thinks I'm Rusty. (I have to do something about that.) Poor Rusty stayed home and will probably have his own version of events. I spent 5 days in New England and the culmination was my daughter's wedding to Kurtis Jolander. I will post more photos of the wonderful New England adventure later.