Finally Fall is Coming

The days are cooling and we seem to be getting cloudy, rainy skies closer together. I anticipate this time all through summer. I know, we are supposed to like the blue skies and 80 degree weather, and I do. But, we LOVE winter in western Oregon. The trees get covered in moss, the vegetation turns an unbelievably intense green, and the patters on the windows. Winter inspires me to work on my weaving, to bake blueberry crisps from frozen blueberries picked during summer, and cuddle on the couch with the boys and a nice cup of coffee while watching something, anything, by Joss Whedon. There just can't be anything better. Textile wise, I am at my most productive in the rainy season. Maybe it's simply that I can't fuss in the garden then, or drag the kids to the river. Whatever the reason, I love nothing more than to be at the loom, listening to the rain, with fresh pretzels baking for the kids to come home to (okay, so the pretzels don't happen quite as often as the kids would like, but they aren't exactly neglected food-wise either).

My current weaving project is a set of 8 napkins, a kitchen towel and a table runner in Complex Twill pattern out of the green book. It's woven out of Swedish Cottolin that Andy bought me for Christmas. I can feel see my beat becoming more even as I work on it, and I am much more confident in my selvages. I know that I am still a novice, but I think it is turning out quite nice, I think it's Andy's favorite of my weaving projects. I should be able to finish it up this week, only the runner is left on the loom. The pattern has been a lot of fun to work on, and I only have a few treadling mistakes, I am proud to say. I am feeling the need to do another painted warp project, but my next linens will need to be a Christmas gift for my mother, so the painted warp will have to wait. I am planning a red runner and napkin set for her in a huck lace pattern.

In art news, I painted some silly chickens on our coop. The "girls" could care less, but we like it. It was fun to flex my painting muscles again. I am throwing in a chicken picture as well, just because you can't have too many chicken pictures.

Posers

Our family had a great and exhausting day at Silver Falls State Park. This was taken somewhere near Winter Falls, during the climb back up the, um, little hill. I guess all that biking around town comes in handy for something.

Double Falls

Silver Falls, Oregon