Post Eclipse

We sat on our deck and watched the eclipse which wasn't total here but it still was a really cool experience.

We were surprised at how quickly the temperature dropped and even though it only seemed like twilight, it fooled our yard lights into turning themselves on!

I've suspended knitting on my sweataer and am working away on my miniatures for the guild holiday sale.  They're pretty quick and still pretty fun but I'm a long way from my goal of at least a dozen.  I was going to buy some heavier gauge wire to make the hangers but have decided to make due with the 27 gauge that I do have and even though it's annoying to twist the two strands together.  I'll do them a few here and there.

We're stuck with a summer of smoke as they don't expect the Chetco Fire in SW Oregon to be out until sometime in October.  It's the largest fire in the US, and at this point is 0% contained.  Some days are worse than others so then we just close up the house and hope the next day is better.


Yesterday was a nice day at the High Desert Museum, and since it wasn't an especially busy day, Ethan decided to practice with the rawhide lariat, inviting the children to give it a try.  It's an authentic piece and is so impossibly long and heavy, I can't imagine it being useful or manageable.

For whatever reason the chipmunks were especially inquisitive and pesky.  I'm told that off all the animals at the HDM, children vote the chipmunks as they're favorite.  They kept trying to enter the ranch house so as soon as we'd run them out one door, they'd scamper to the other and scoot back in, and repeat.

Ethan took time to oil the lariat with linseed oil with the help of a friend.  At one point he had his front paws on my wheel and was investigating my work.  The smoke and heat were tolerable yesterday so we kept the living history ranch open the whole schedule time, from 11:00-4:00.  I ended up spinning all the wool I had washed and prepared so need to work on getting more done this week.

Late in the afternoon it got really quiet so Hayden brought out a writing desk from the cabin and worked on the love letter he had been writing.  I asked if he would mind reading it to us so you can hear it here if you'd like.  Mind you, we were pretty tired by that point.


Ian I went to Art in the High Desert today, which is supposed to be one of the top ten art shows in the country.  I enjoyed visiting with weavers and printmakers alike.

We went to lunch afterwards at Level 2, a fusion restaurant in the shadow of the Old Mill smoke stacks.  After resting my feet and filling my stomach, I felt like I want to go back for round two.  All of the prints I saw and especially those of one printmaker were really calling my name.  Then I told Ian that, nah - let's just go home, which lasted until we got to the footbridge when I decided I wanted the one print that we had both liked.



Her name is Susan Hestrand and all of her prints are etchings which is the process I'm learning right now. We had chatted quite a bit and she gave me a couple of tips and suggested several books.  I love her work!

It seemed to fit nicely into the last remaining blank spot on our walls.  I had been saving it for some of my work but I can see that there's still plenty of room there for me too.

Eclipse Eve

It's been an interesting month.  For weeks we've been preparing for the total solar eclipse tomorrow morning.  Officials anticipate an additional 200,000 people will converge on Central Oregon and have repeatedly warned us that there might be food and gas shortages, to stock up in advance, and indeed, the pumps and grocery stores have been very busy this past week.  Prineville was sorely tested until Thursday as cars traveled through bringing 30,000 world music fans to the Symbiosis eclipse concert to the Ochoco National Forest east of there.  It's hoped that egress won't be as bad since many plan to continue south to Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada.  People have come in from all over the world for this concert.

Compounding matters are the wildfires and smoke from them.  The Milli fire burning southwest of Sisters exploded on Thursday and caused the evacuation of 600 residents near McKenzie pass, and at this point is approximately 8,500 acres with 0% containment.  This shot is taken from our backyard, and the smoke is worse to the southwest of us in the Sun River area.  I went to the museum on Friday but the smoke was hanging on, seeming to cling to the trees, so Linda had us go in after a couple of hours leaving only two to staff the Miller Ranch area.  Visitors were down anyway though almost everyone told us they were visiting for the eclipse.

I've been concerned that we might not be able to see the eclipse after all this build up, so I took this picture from our driveway at 10:20.  We'll be fine - phew!

I started weaving my hand painted warp with the lavender, and while it was neutral and showed up the warp, it also saddened it.  I didn't like so much that I tore out the 8" I have woven and substituted this blue which I think made is come alive.

I had planned to weave the second scarf with magenta but I think the bleakness of the fires got to me because this is what happened instead.  It depends on the winds and movement of air but some days we just have to close the house up to keep the smoke out.  I haven't been able to walk in the morning for a couple of weeks and my body misses it.

I was going to finish weaving it yesterday but I had this photo album project right in the middle of my work area.  I've procrastinated on this album for the past year.  The album I did before this one dragged on for a month so I just went for it and finished up about 6:00 last evening.  I don't know if my kids will ever look at the albums but at least they're labeled and in approximate chronological order, unlike the photo albums my parents left behind.  It feels great to have finally finished!

My attention got diverted from weaving once again, but this time by these tiny sweaters.  I feel like I need something catchy for our booth at the guild holiday sale November 4th.  Mary, Gillian and I are going to share a booth again this year, and when Mary told me she's working on some new ideas, I realized I hadn't even thought of it.  Now I have and I'm pretty excited about these. My first sample was on size 2 needles and just too big.  I switched to 1s and now it looks like an ornament to me.  I need to get some better wire for hangers.

The pattern is a free download on Ravelry, easy to follow and knits up pretty quickly.  My plan is to knit up a dozen or so and hope I don't burn out before the sale.  I think they'll be good attention getters.