Like riding a bicycle

 Monday I drove up to Sisters which is about a half hour north of Bend and met up with three other guild members in front of the public library.  From there we caravanned to Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts and Agriculture, which is a 260 acre working ranch.  Ana Varas, the arts projects coordinator of the Roundhouse Foundation gave us a tour with an eye on potential workshop locations.  We were recently a recipient of a grant from the foundation to promote the fiber arts.  The foundation takes its name from his round barn that was built to train and exercise horses.

Ana said that when they began restoration there was no central supporting pole and the structure was on the verge of collapse.  Because it's a working ranch, Oregon law limits groups inside this building to no more than ten.

The property is sprawling but interspersed are buildings in use for an artist-in-residence program.  Because of Covid-19 restrictions there are only two artists now, both potters, but they anticipate returning to their potential of eight after the pandemic.

This is one of the locations we looked at for a painted-warp workshop, but because of the lack of hot water for dissolving the eye powders, we determined it would be more appropriate for a spinning workshop.  it will be shaded by the canopy of cottonwoods this summer and ideal.

Whychus Creek runs through the property and will be the perfect environment for a spinning circle.

Ana really wanted us to take home a bag of fleece.  They're incorporating sheep into the ranch and she said they'd really like to see some of the wool spun and even better, woven.  So the three spinners among us obliged.  They have three Lincoln sheep and when we saw them bedded in straw, I cringed to think what was in the bag that I had accepted.  They're adding another 13 sheep to the flock soon which will also have to be shorn.  More wool!

I don't have a top loading washer any longer so have to wash clumps at a time in the sink.  I did a cursory skirting and am taking off more as I go.  It's one of the dirtiest fleeces I've ever washed, but it has almost none of the dreaded vegetative matter.  Glory be!

I'm flicking the locks and then spinning them which seems the easiest way to spin luster long wool, plus I'd like to preserve the variegations in the locks.  Boy is it hairy.  I can't imagine trying to weave this but I'll cross that bridge when I have a fulled two-ply yarn.  That might, just maybe get dyed with onion skins.  I've been away from spinning for a surprisingly long time and surprisingly my muscle memory can still make yarn.

Spring is a'coming

Delaney was in Reno for three weeks so we took advantage of the free time and went to Yachats for a few days - pronounced Yah-hots.  We were blessed with really nice weather, a window in between rainy days.

The coast had been experiencing extremely high tides which brought in unusually large quantities of drift wood and it was everywhere.  We even brought some home.

We walked the 804 trail to the point it empties onto the beach and continues in the sand for an additional 7 miles.  We took that as our cue to turn around.

This is our third time to stay in this little Air B&B, a shotgun house built in 1904.  It's very small but it's big enough and cheap enough for our needs.

It's situated at the mouth of the Yachats River and this is the view you get in the front room.  A right turn at that stop sign takes you to the state park where I took the first photo, maybe a couple of football fields from the house.

The sunsets were spectacular.  We ate fresh seafood every night and left just as the weather started to turn.  

I bought this stroller from a store that sells used baby equipment, clothes and toys.  I've since learned that BOB strollers are the Cadillac of strollers and I got a steal at $100.  The weather is mostly chilly and windy but we've gotten in three walks.

We walked to a nearby park where they have the only infant swing I've seen here.  I thought she would absolutely love it but she did not.  Plus it takes a lot of arm strength to get her back out!

It's been so dry that we called our irrigation guy and had him come turn the system on early.  He got distracted by me and one valve didn't get closed so water ran all night.  This was a surprise to wake up to but he got here right away and got it fixed.

We have our local deer who hang out here from time to time.  They know us and Ian can walk right up to them.  These is a migratory herd on their way to the Cascades.  I cringe when I think of all the roads and traffic they will have to negotiate in their journey.  They're molting and a pretty scraggly lot.

Delaney turned two while she was in Reno so had a small party there with her aunts.  This past weekend they had a second party for her family here.  

Ian and I are fully vaccinated so I was really looking forward to her party.  This is my oldest son and this is maybe the 6th time I've seen him this year.  Delaney was happy to see him too!

Delaney doesn't have many play opportunities and always enjoyed a visit from Dillon.  Their mothers were best friends at Reno High School and now their children are friends.  I took tons of pictures, we all did, but this is one my favorites because they're so innocent and sweet.  I'm not sure where they're going as that door is the entry to the laundry room and then the garage.

And taped on the garage door is this reminder, after getting to our house on quite a few occasions without formula, diapers or baby wipes.  I think that's her daddy's writing :-). He has drop-off duty.