2010 Olympics – at home

We have heard many reports of how snow is lacking in Vancouver for the 2010 Olympics.  We can understand the dilemma because we have acquired 3” of it – wonderful powdery snow that I don’t know I’ve ever seen before.  We went out this morning in order to make a snow dog and this will not clump in the least!  So this must be Olympic snow that got lost like those sea gulls we see occasionally in the summer.

Since this is Olympic snow, we were compelled to give our all to the spirit of excellence and competition.

I chose the sport of snow angels.  While form was nearly perfect, the snow was not in the best conditions.  The Russian judge only gave me a 2.  Sticks and leaves poking out are deductions.James took on the biathlon event that extremely physically taxing event that takes great nerve and skill.  The first step is sweeping.  The consistency of this powder is new to James.  So sweeping could be a challenge.  He seems to be adapting well….. The second part of the competition involves shoveling.  Again, James is more accustomed to ice that must be broken before being shoveled.  Working with powder will require flexibility on his part along with extreme mental focus.  Will he make it??? The one athlete everyone looks to for bringing home the gold is Shadow.  Today his event is digging up sticks.  Look at his form in this training run.  He is a born natural! Once the stick in retrieved from the snow, it is Shadow’s time to shine.  The stick must be shredded within 30 seconds and there are extra marks for the number of pieces.  This initial heat run puts Shadow in the medal round. Shadow says “Grrrr!”Weather conditions did change drastically for the actual medal round.  This will test the will and mind of all the athletes, but this is what they have been training for since they were pups.  Shadow enters the arena with his recovered stick.  Snow is blowing from all directions, but he is unfazed, completely focused on his stick.  Shadow has broken the Olympic and World Records!!!We have finally come to the medal ceremonies for today.  Shadow does win the “gold” medal and receives the frozen Kong!James wins the silver receiving the pewter medallion and Jennifer consoles herself with 4th place by making a cup of hot chocolate!  

After such a big day, our hero Shadow takes a well earned rest!

What is this stuff????

I know…

  I really do know…

Most of you out there have had enough of this stuff, but I must tell you this is first that I’ve seen of it in a year (I think) and even if we do get it, it will only stick around for a day or so.  This can bring out the kid in me.  You can always tell who was brought up in the South.  We get a gleam in our eye and chat about it more than the latest gossip.  “Hey I got a call from Anderson and it’s started over there.”  Giggles begin and phone calls are made again and again.  “What are you seeing?”  This is a time to look forward to playing around, a day off, found time.  Growing up it meant hot chocolate, jigsaw puzzles and chicken ‘n dumplins.

It’s so rare, there’s no justification to invest in equipment.  We just hunker down at the house and watch how things change outside.  I’ve been known to sit and watch as every branch of a tree is outlined.  I’ve heard stories today of watching deer come up to the house to munch on the boxwood while a blanket grows on their backs.  Right now in fact, I’m sitting at the window with a pot of tea watching the cardinals, titmouses (or is that titmice), house finches, chickadees, and the Carolina wrens devour the black oil sunflower seed from the feeder in the yard.  I just learned a new bird the dark eyed junco that only comes here for the winter.  They are doing a nice job cleaning up the ground. Shadow on the other hand could be having his first experience.  He first walked rather timidly through the yard, but soon ran excitedly from one to the other.  Then he decided that he must eat it.  (Oh he’s so much easier to photograph against the white!)  He’s now fallen asleep watching the birds.  Oh wait maybe not.  A female cardinal just came to sit on the window sill right at his nose.  Those eyes opened wide, but he was sensitive enough to not twitch a muscle. In any case, it’s about time to start on the comfort food.  I think it’ll be a black bean soup with some sausage.  This is all supposed to start up again in a couple of hours.  I might just get some movies and weaving in!

From 28 to 82 – part 1

When I arrived at the Folkschool Sunday it was 28 F and when I arrived home Saturday it was 82 F! I asked my husband when did Spring happen this week? I made it through without a snow sighting, but heard many stories about other’s traveling through. It seems it snowed everywhere around but not at the Folkschool. My husband actually made a snowman as large as he is. I can’t remember when we had enough snow to play in. Here’s his snowman – and here’s the view from my room!

It was a wonderful week as always at the Folkschool. Sunday at school, we began with introductions and learning the basic wedge weave technique on a piece of cardboard with acrylic yarns. Then we talked a bit about how we’d start the next day. There were only 5 of us in the class, so the instructor offered to help me warp the floor loom if I’d like. I jumped at that. I decided to only make a 4” wide piece on the floor loom that would complement the 16” wide piece on my tapestry loom. The Folkschool has a number of looms and have named each one to differentiate - and so much more creative than a number! Mine was "Norman" - He was the only "male" Macomber in the room! Being an engineer I thought I could handle it! Norman taught me all sorts of new vocabulary words - like rattle, leases, heddles, harnesses, reeds... I don't know that I could warp a loom on my own, but I do think I could at least ask intelligent questions the next time.

My walk back from lunch was accompanied by the rapping of Woody the Woodpecker. The birds were quite vocal with the end of the rain and didn't seem hindered by the cold in the least. I was glad for the warmth of my down vest - I think I understand why they can stay out in it.
We warped the loom from back to front and tied off to the front rod. From there we used sticks to space the warp back out evenly rather than waste yarn. The main reason was not just using something besides waste yarn, but to avoid starting out with a header whose corners frown or smile. The stick always gives a straight hard surface to pack against. I thought it was clever. From there we put in twining and were ready to weave. I was able to put in a wedge and begin the second one the first day on the 4" piece on the floor loom. I was pleased to see that the wedge was actually starting to make the selvedge undulate or scallop! More later....