The fiber I'm currently spinning is the December offering from Southern Cross Fibre called "Oasis" - its colors remind me of those roosters. A Southwestern palette, to my eye. I was spinning this up as a 2-ply sock yarn for the Etsy shop, but decided I like it too much to sell it, so it's for ME, ME, ME. I'll have some yummy southwestern socks soon. It's superwash BFL, and it spins up so nicely:
See what I mean? Roosters, I tell you.
Carole does a great job with Ten On Tuesday - her lists are always interesting. I'd like to play, too. This week’s Ten on Tuesday topic is 10 Things You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without. Of course, family and friends are far above such a list - that goes without saying - but I think the spirit of it is intriguing, if only to give a better appreciation for what I have. Here goes:
1. My cats. I have 6 of them (well, 5 plus my daughter's cat who is in permanent residence with us) and they are my babies. My only grandkids so far (ahem). They are spoiled rotten, with little catbeds all over the house and toys underfoot. They give us great joy, and I never want to live my life without cats in the house again.
2. My glasses. I've been wearing them since I was 6. I'm severely nearsighted - I can't focus further than 6 inches from my face without them. They're the first thing I reach for in the morning and the last thing I take off at night. I've worn contacts from time to time, but my correction is so strong that I need reading glasses to counteract them in order to see anything closer than 18 inches. I'd rather wear the glasses.
3. My laptop. It's my file cabinet, my photo album, my stereo, my diary, my dvd player, and my connection to the outside world via the internet. Knowledge at my fingertips - wow. I keep EVERYTHING on it, and yes, I do regular backups.
4. My iPhone. This is a new addition to my life - I got it 6 months ago, and I'm trying to figure out how I lived without it. It's a pocket laptop. I hardly ever make or receive calls, but I text a lot to family. It's a camera, an mp3 player, a game machine, a translator, a portable library, a mailbox, and a million other things.
5. My GPS. (I know, I'm going techie here, but remember, I'm married to an IT guy.) I have NO sense of direction. If you set me down in the middle of the city in which I was born, raised, and have lived all my life, I'd be lost as a ball in the weeds. My GPS is the only thing that enables me to venture out of my neighborhood - and get home again. Please don't talk to me about maps... I don't speak their language.
6. My foot warmer. I suffer from Reynaud's Syndrome, and my feet and hands lose their heat rapidly. At night, I can't get to or stay asleep if my feet are cold, and they're ALWAYS cold at night. This was the most thoughtful gift the husband ever bought me. It's like a heating pad, but it goes under the fitted sheet on the bed, and can be used all night. (It's similar to THIS one.) He turns it on 30 minutes before we go to bed, and it makes the foot of my bed toasty warm. Delightful. I take it with me when I travel, too.
7. My spinning wheels. Spinning brings me such a joy and a peace - how did I ever do without it? My Schacht Matchless is my dearest wheel - this wheel is my constant companion in the evenings. It sits in front of my chair in the living room and I spin for several hours each night - more on the weekends. I've added a Schacht-Reeves saxony, a Hansen miniSpinner, and a Majacraft Suzie Alpaca wheel to the fold, but the Matchless is my baby. (The Majacraft Suzie Alpaca isn't getting any lovin' anymore, and I put her up for sale on Ravelry yesterday - check it out if you're in the market for one in good condition.) (EDIT: She's gone to a new home!)
8. My looms. I've not spent as much time with them this past year as I'd like, but I intend to remedy that. Weaving is fascinating - so many different structures and techniques to learn. I have a big floor loom and 3 rigid heddle looms - they usually have projects on them. My dream is to fill my house with textiles from my own hands.
9. National parks. We love them - such a treasure. These are usually our vacation destinations. We've been to Yosemite, Great Smokey Mountains, Glacier, Carlsbad Caverns, Rocky Mountain, Rainier, Grand Teton, Mesa Verde (5 or 6 times), Yellowstone (3 times) and Grand Canyon (3 times). We love to do little short day hikes, and I am passionate about collecting waterfalls. I can sit by a waterfall for hours. Our favorite mountains are the Rockies - one day soon we'll live close enough to see them every morning.
10. The public library. Now this one is embarrassing - I used to spend hours reading library books. I took home 10 at a time, devoured them, and went back for more each week. Sadly, I've gotten out of that habit, and I am ashamed to say that my library card has EXPIRED. Egad. Getting it renewed is on my list of things to do next week.
I'm so glad you have the time to join us for ToT posts! And yes, you'd better get back to the public library!!
ReplyDeleteYou have got to get pictures (and post them of course) of the roosters in the park! You are so right about "Oasis" having the same colors as roosters do.
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine living in a home without cats either. They are our furry kids and are so spoiled these days. I love it when the vet calls and asks if I'm (insert name of cat here)'s mommy. :-D
Hey I have Reynaud's Syndrome too along with my brother, sister and oldest daughter. My feet are contantly cold at night, I must try that warmer.
ReplyDeleteYes, your lovely yarn does remind me of roosters. I wish I could have seen those colorful roosters.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is looking lovely.
Me thinks retirement agrees with you.
I loved reading until I started working at the library.
It was like being in an ice cream parlor everyday. After a while I grew tired of all the books. Now that I am no longer working at the library I am back to reading and loving it.(thanks to Kindle)