Fluffys Garden, fluffy... garden... fluffy, fluffy. Hmmm.
For the last two years, Fluffysgarden has been more about fluffy and less about garden. Part of this is because the the Wool Addiction and part is because of the chicken affliction. Well, chickens are fluffy in places, but they are mostly garden destroyers. I have not focused as much on the growing things because the little birds would terrorize the sprouts, roto-till the seeds up, and in general re-distribute the soil and mulch.
I had managed to scratch a bit out of the beds- tall things mostly and things they chickens didn't like. But this year, there are no more chickens. I am restoring the beds and planting great yummy stuff. We had lettuces, celery, carrots, peas, onions, cabbage, brocolli and fava bean already. Now I am planting the summer garden and hoping for some squash and long beans. It has been more rewarding to do this work knowing that the chickens are not going to dig it up. I had forgotten how much I love the soil and eating the fresh veggies.
The Wool Addiction is still going strong, though. It takes up lots of time- washing, carding, dying, spinning, knitting..and..weaving almost. This year, we drove to Oregon to the Black Sheep Gathering at Eugene. I spent two days in Wooly bliss- fondling fleeces, stroking roving, investigating blends and tools. I left with a car full of fleece, roving, honey and people.
Honey? that is not fluffy you say. Well, I have to admit that fluffy has a sweet tooth. I say I bought it for my husbear, but really does he need 60 pounds of honey? I also bought 60 pounds for my friends and re-distributed between Oregon and So.Cal. Most of them bought a 5 lb jug or two, but I buy in cases and get good prices for them. Thus, we have a year supply of sticky sweet stuff- a by product of fluffyness.
So for the fleeces, wools, blends, batts, fluff balls- I am re-energized in my Wool Addiction. I have been spinning up older projects to get them done so that I can wash and spin the new and exciting stuff. I am cleaning my drum carder and getting ready to address the last of last year so that I can get on with the new and knit with the old. I am passionate and inspired.
I am not yet ready to balance the Fluffy with the Garden. I think it will take the rest of this year to settle back into the garden cycles and get the beds re-organized. But I am up for the job and looking forward to a chicken free environent full of fluff and good eats.
Now, for a bit of greasy wool and some thoughtful spinning.
3 comments:
I feel your gardening pain. We banned the chickens from free ranging due to their destructive nature. Grrrrrr. It's nice to have little green sprouts sprouting up through the ground.
Do you take knitting commissions???? Sweater or vest?
Commissions? No. The amount of time invested in hand processing, spinning and knitting makes each item a very expensive one of a kind art piece. I indulge my family members with such items, but I don't have the time or machinery to "knit" on a professional level. Most hand knit items are partially done on a knitting machine which is still considered hand knitting. This speeds the process while reducing the creative options. Very few machines are able to "knit" hand spun yarns. The cost of commercial yarns is very high as well. There is no financial discount for buying yarn and knitting your own sweater or vest. Even less so with hand spun, hand processed, hand dyed and hand knitted items. But, you could learn to knit and make your own. There are wonderful teachers all over who would love to pass the skill to you.
I can totally believe it. I did not expect the process to be inexpensive.
I think I will have to have both my legs broken to start knitting at this point. Between horses, kids, kids, maintenance on our property and work (oh and my husband) I think my hands would fall off if I took up another hobby. :)
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