All kinds of goodness

Yesterday I got off work in time to meet friends for a Brown Bag concert I did not want to miss.

Brian was a little bummed he was going to miss hearing Golden Bough, but a stay with Grandpa and Grandma won out. ;-)

Of course I took my spindle (spinning "footloose" leaves the toes free for tapping!):

Afterwards, we walked down our town's charming main street for ice cream:

Later, I went to a meeting with Rick and finished up the roving I had with me. On to the last third of my TdF roving!

What a lovely day, from . . .

Texas tableaus

No vast vistas here, or striking sunsets. Just some snapshots taken while walking around my parents' semi-rural neighborhood; snapshots of things I would never see at home. Not that all of these are typical of the Texas Panhandle in July. Their weather is as wonky as everywhere else, all the excess rain making things there unusually green, overgrown, and HUMID.

Western Kingbird:

Jackrabbit (I think Girafferabbit is equally descriptive!):

Ubiquitous brick; oil industry emphasis:

The boxcar as common storage, with sunflower accent:

If you don't like reptiles – if even seeing photos of them really gives you the creeps, leave now. If grossness grosses you out, DO NOT CONTINUE.












You've been warned!












I take no responsibility from here on out!!!

You asked for it; Texas roadkill:

I don't know if that is a rattlesnake, but it very possibly is. As for the toads, they were EVERYWHERE, like a plague! (Except that I really like toads and frogs.) It was impossible to drive at night without running over the unfortunate reptiles, leaving toad pancakes all over the roads.

(Hmm; I think this blog post might qualify for "Messy Little Details.")  (-;

That's it for now from . . .

Joy in the morning

My loving hubby picked me up from the airport last night and drove me home, sweet home. The dogs, of course, danced at my return with glee – especially Jackson.

This morning I was eager to head to the barn to see the sheep and horses. I turned the chickens out, noting the absence of Perch with sadness. Rick found Brian's and my special pet dead in the coop for no apparent reason, after no obvious illness, while I was gone. All the other critters were fine; a bit surprised to see me at first, then warming right up.

Rick had mowed the upper and middle pastures while I was gone, so the ewes can go out again. Not that there is any grass to eat (I put hay out); they all walked up to the fence line to browse on Scotch broom.

I miss my family, though; it is always hard to say good-bye. The words of an old hymn started running through my mind this morning, and have stayed there all day. The refrain, in part, says:
"What! Never part again? No, never part again." I look forward to that day!

That's it for now from . . .

Newly naked spindle

I finished spinning the first half (approximately 50g) of my rainbow roving today.

My holly Jenkins Aegean Turkish spindle and I are ready to work on the second half of the roving while traveling tomorrow. Blaise's fleece is waiting for me at home, though, so my spinning attention will be divided once I get there. Still, I hope to finish this project by the end of the Tour de Fleece.

Pedaling away for . . .