My New Toy

This is my new toy.  Well, sort of new.  It was a Christmas present, and I've actually been playing with it a little over a month.

Last year, I went to an event at the park which included Revolutionary War era crafts.  A lady there showed spinning with a drop spindle.  I was seized with the desire to spin some yarn and knit a shawl.  Which was insane, since I hadn't knitted in years, perhaps decades.

I find spinning to be a bit like meditation as I can do it and empty my mind of all else.  It is very relaxing, (except when it's frustrating).  My yarn is still thick and thin with occasional lumps.  It takes a lot of practice to get good.  It has been a long time since I've tried to learn something new, so this is a good experience for me.  Besides hours spent spinning, I've spent hours lurking about on Youtube and Ravelry trying to learn more.

Next time, back to tatting.   

Whooopppeee! Palmetto Coming

As Jane said, "Whooopppeee!" The Palmetto folks have announced their teachers for this year. I'll be there, and so will Jane, and lots of others I can't wait to see.

This fairy is one of my class projects. And if you click here you can see pictures of all the other classes. Don't you just love Erin's cat, and Jane's doodle critters, and Kaye's acorn, and well, just everything? I wonder which class I will get to take.

Remember how there used to be an amazing display where folks could show off the things they had made? There has been less of that in recent years, but they would like to bring that back. A full scale competition would be simply too demanding, but there could be a display area. (And perhaps some prizes?) They would love someone to volunteer to be in charge of organizing this, or volunteer just to help. For more information on that, write to Donna at tatdays@palmettotatters.org

Guy Stuff Day -- Army Heritage Center

On our previous whirlwind trips to New York, we would be barrelling down the highway, and all of a sudden, there would be this HELICOPTER by the side of the road. And we would say "WHAT was THAT?" as it quickly faded into the distance. So for our most recent trip to the Finger Lakes Tatting meet, DH said to me, "Find me that helicopter by the side of the road. I think it was in Pennsylvania." He is usually very patient about being dragged to tatting events, so I am glad to schedule a "guy stuff" day on our trips when I can. (Just our term, and not trying to be a female chauvanist. It is perfectly OK for girls to like this too.)

Surprisingly enough, "helicopter by the road in Pennsylvania" did not produce any useful links in Google. But with a little perseverence, I found the Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, PA.

Their Heritage Trail has plenty of exhibits, from the French Indian War up to present day Afghanistan.  Here is a reconstruction of a redoubt from the Battle of Yorktown...

and some Civil War cabins...

... a World War I trench...

and,er, more tanks and stuff.

Even I had a good time walking around.  In fact, we spent so much time walking outside that we didnt even go inside the building.  Something else for another trip, I guess.