Happy Birthday, USA!

We had our usual 4th of July, with the shop open 7 days a week, we don't do much.  I did sneak off to a barbecue and chatted with people about the upcoming An Tyr War just south of us.  It's a Society for Creative Anachronism event held yearling, with jousting, sword fighting, archery contests, and lots of cool stuff to purchase.  Cindy and I got into our Renaissance costumes and wandered down there a year or two ago, had a good time.  What we like best is that all those folks traveling home on Sunday stop in our shop to stock up on wool goodies.  I was very proud to serve Her Royal Highness, the Queen on Sunday afternoon.  And best of all, I managed to finally get rid of (oops, I mean charitably donate) the last of the looms we were saddled with when we first bought our felting equipment 5 years ago.  It was an inkle loom, and the recipient was very happy to get it, and I'm so grateful for the storage space reclaimed in the felt factory!  Now I can construct the shelving I need where it was.

Blueberries are ripe a month early, and the plums are late.  You gotta love farming.  It looks like my pie cherry tree has 3 cherries for every leaf, I may need to cover it this year, we've been hit with a rather large rowdy group of crows, eating our cat food, our chicken food, and nabbing blueberries. 

I've been dyeing and carding reds, whites and blues, it seems appropriate to the month.  I've hired two new wool pickers, the first has petered out already, the second just started.  We'll see how long he lasts.  Everyone starts out thinking they can make good money (which they can) and then the tedium of the endless chore finally gets to them.  Meanwhile, I'd better get out there and card some of that picked wool, it's avalanche conditions out in the factory right now.  Need to do a re-org!

Fiberly yours,

Sandie