Summer Musings

Oh.... hello!  Been awhile.  I battle with this blog thing.  Can't seem to get myself to post anymore, but then I read these great posts on other's blogs, and I think "well, blogging's not dead yet".  And.... I really do like taking photos and writing about them.  I use Instagram all the time.  It's become a tiny hobby.  Love using the filters, and curating my own little band of people and organizations that I like to follow.  It's sort of like a magazine of pictures that I've personally chosen.  But...... I'm here today to lay a few shots down of my beautiful, but extremely hot and humid world.  Although....the upside with all this humidity is skin, nails and hair.  Really, there's a big difference this time of year as opposed to days on end in heated enclosures.  But, boy do I LOVE a change of seasons!  Would not want to live where it's the same day in and out.  Oh dear, a bit off topic (whatever my topic is.......) not sure.

This photo was taken from the upstairs bedroom window a couple of weeks ago before all this heat wrapped us up in it's sweaty grip .  The mimosa has grown so much this year.  It's become a cloud of pink, with the most heavenly scent.  This tree has been in bloom for a month!  But I'm looking outside right now, and blooms are browning and tumbling into birdbaths and our pond.  Still, the aroma is fabulous if you catch the breeze just right.

See all those pink puffs!  All the same tree crowning our back yard.  It's like a tropical jungle.

I use these super hot days of summer to spend time in my studio with the AC cranked up, and podcasts and Netflix keeping me company (I've discovered "Absolutely Fabulous"  Hysterical!).  Things are a bit untidy, but it's my "happy place".

I took this shot today.  You may see the green shawl I'm working on, and the canvas that I've just painted red.  The color is actually called Christmas Red, but it has just a touch of orange in it that makes it perfect to mount this on.

My Willow Rug.... Willow is our extremely sweet girl.  This rug is done, with a few tweaks since I took this photo.  I'll post again when I have her mounted on canvas.  I'm showing her in December at a little exhibition I'm having.  Just four large pieces.

My new favorite shawl is the most gorgeous dusty sort of lavender.  Lovely silk/cotton blend.  I tea dyed much of the attached ribbon.

Smashing against the old green iron bench!  I chalk painted that bench a couple of years ago, and it just gets better with time and the elements.

Speaking of green.... here's little peek of a deck corner.  Everything is here, because it's the only spot that receives any sun.  I keep a few herbs and my trusty geraniums.

Fact:  when in France I saw that people really do have tidy window boxes of geraniums sitting on windowsills.  The scent keeps away insects.  Good to know.  I loaded up on red this year and have several pots located about.

And lastly...... enjoy this sweet little video I took the other morning of a very industrious garden spider.  The web was amazing with the east sun shining through.  All golden and sparkly!

xo

dulcy

It's All About The Yarn!

I saw this lovely little tunic on the Primitive Spirit blog.  This tunic is called the Liesl, and can be found here.  I had an awfully good time knitting it the second time around........  The first time I made too many mistakes, and it just didn't fit properly.  I'd rather rip than keep something out of this lovely linen yarn that would never be worn.  Fortunately, I was not completely turned off of this project on my first try, and soldiered on until I got it right.

I'm so happy with it that I've ordered some yarn in a pretty shade of eggplant to start another!

I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying my triloom at the moment.  I've woven a few shawls, not wild about all of them, but getting better.  Here's one just off the loom.......

I'm completely smitten with all the Noro yarns right now.  I've ordered some more in a gorgeous turquoise, lime, violet, gray combo out of their Spring Garden Silk collection.  I'm going up north this summer, and these shawls should be perfect for Michigan and Canadian summer weather!

Happy Spring!
xo
dulcy

Wool, Weaving, and Livestock

I'm home from a most fabulous trip to upstate New York and into Massachusetts.  The main goal of this little vacation was to attend the Dutchess County Wool and Sheep Festival in Rhinebeck, NY with my bestie, Ann.  Such luscious wool everywhere!

And check out theses little sweeties.

I was thrilled to find this lovely wool to make a shawl on my recently finished triloom.

It's a combo of wool, mohair, and silk.  I love the color, and it's name, "bloodroot".

Here's a peek at my triloom in the studio.  I'm currently working on a practice shawl in a slate blue with just a bit of teal in the color.  It's wool from Joanne's.  Saving my nice bloodroot for the next piece.  It's my first whirl at triloom weaving.  I'm loving it so far.  So exciting to learn some new fiber fun!

While in Massachusetts, I found the most gorgeous yarn in a lovely knit shop.  It was tucked away in one of the many villages we passed through.

I bought a pretty soft Italian extra fine merino wool.  That is the sock on the left below.

And let me point out that the color is not at all that blue..... my camera apparently decided it should be.  It's actually far more neutral with lots of gray and taupe.

There, much better.  The sock on the right is one I took to knit on the trip, but once I had the new yarn in my hands...... plans changed.  Oh dear, one of each!  More sock knitting ahead.

Hopes for a lovely beautiful fall weekend!
xo
dulcy