nancy | Long Ridge Natural Dyes

Burning, burning….

One of Jack’s projects, and most favorite of all pastimes is improving the forest and fields here. When we bought the place in the 90’s there was a lot of low brushy growth, small pines about 10″ through. In 10 plus years the pines have matured, blocking the sun to the undergrowth. We have since lost our Woodcock, rabbits and other wildlife that thrive in brushy undergrowth. So Jack has been taking the pines and some of the hardwoods in a number of areas at the edges of our fields. This is one area at the bottom of the far field where the hill banks down to a stream. Many years ago it was open and full of apple trees; he has recovered many of them in the effort to open this area up. This weekend he burned two whopping brush piles,it was 5 degrees without the wind chill, brrrrr, and one more waits, the biggest, for next weekend. Slowly but surely, in a few years this will be a wildlife paradise once again.

Resolutions

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This year I have RESOLVED! to finish up all the fiber projects I have stashed away on my studio shelves. It’s a common affliction for fiber addicts like me to have a number of different projects going; one may be simple knitting for times when we don’t want to count and think, others may have complex colorways or repeating texture patterns for times we need brain work. This felted market bag fell into the former catagory of easy knitting. It was a one piece pattern from Wool You Order which entailed simple knit and purl stitches. I had started it about a year ago and lost interest as it just went around and around for what seemed forever! It was 112 rows for the body (the base another 42 rows) and then the straps were 170 rows each! Knit, knit, knit, knit, knit! One picture shows it pre-felted next to a regular sized book (which is a great read about one of our local veterinarians, Chuck Shaw and his large and small animal vet practice, A Country Practice. Available everywhere). The other picture is the completed project next to my loyal companion, Shelley, and wool lover!

Frosty views

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It’s 5 below here this morning and this is when our old house makes beautiful frosted window etchings. This one is very cool the way the long straight lines form a mountain peak behind the sheep, also a resemblance in the lines that outlines the state of NH and the lower frost resembles a snowy field or snow falling. Snow falling, that would be nice!

In the moment

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Today on my morning walk with the dogs I stopped to look around and wanted to share this thought with you. As you travel through your day and the ones to follow, try to envision your life in small components; perhaps the snow flakes as they fall by your window, your child smiling as you walk across the room, the dog stretching out on the floor in warmth and comfort, making a phone call to a friend, even a hearty laugh. The small moments are the the riches of our lives. Add them up and they build our journey. The hard moments help seal the cracks. Love the journey, don’t focus on the destination. Be thankful, be cheerful, push away the dark imaginings. Negative thoughts bring negative results. For today do and be your positive best and live!