Hello to you all,
It all has been a whirlwind lately hasn’t it? I’ve honestly been feeling like I say that so often in the past few years that it’s become my default greeting. I know that it’s said that time moves more quickly as you get older, but it all seems like more than that. The world is full of tragedy, and senselessness, and in the midst of it all, so much beauty and hope. It’s everything all at once over here.
Thankfully in the midst of all of that there is wool, and the calmness that stitching and spinning brings with their meditative repetitions & textures. There are the dogs, ever ready and waiting to get out into the woods, good reminders to stay in the moment with their enthusiasm. There are the woods, which now with all the rain we’ve been getting are a bounty of things for both my dyepots and my cooking pots. The greenery and walking are good for the soul.
There are also all of you! After a two year hiatus the spouse creature and I have been hitting the road and started vending at markets in person again. Julian is a talented artist ( you can see some of his work here on my website where we have copies of his “Troll Sheep” piece available, or on his website ) and does mehendi (henna tattoos.). I’ve been loving the overlap, sitting in our shared booth and spinning up plant dyed wool while he stains peoples skin in intricate designs, with a plant dye. All the same principals are at work, the plant made into a paste and mixed with an acid to activate it, tea added in for the tannins to darken the stain. Henna can be used to dye wool as well of course, and I have some of last years cones of the stuff frozen just waiting for the dyepot.
Clearly it’s time for me to give that one a go.
There have been other projects on the go of course, wool spun, commissions knit, dyepots on and off the stove. I would have shared them more with you all if I had even a moment to think about it between, well, everything else, all at once, that was happening. I will try to be better about it, hopefully when I do you will find the work as exciting as I do. Until then here are a few photos of things we’ve been finding in the woods: wild onions and morels - both were eaten as soon as we got home. 
