New Critter

 Our neighbor sent The Man a text and pic today:

 

 

No, unfortunately, we missed sighting the newest Critter to the Neighborhood.

Who knew there were elk around these parts?

TdF 2026: 7/5 - 7/7

The Tour continues. Spin everyday ✔

Spindle #2: Midi, Temple Teak/Walnut, 24 gm

Fiber #2: "Rumpelstiltskin" Signature Blend (50% Merino wool, 25% Shetland wool, 12.5% Tussah Silk, 12.5% Sari Silk).

 

 

Spindle #3: Skinny Midi, Canarywood/Walnut, 20 gm

Fiber #3: "Maraschino" (80% Targhee wool, 10% Tussah Silk, 10% Viscose from Bamboo).

 

 

 

Spindle #4: Skinny Midi, Blue Mahoe/Blue Mahoe, 21 gm

Fiber #4: "Chrome" Hand-Carded Batt (50% Merino wool, 10% BFL wool, 10% Corriedale fleece, 15% Tussah Silk, 10% Mulberry Silk, 5% Viscose from Bamboo).

 

 

 

Monday Read

 

Library Audiobook

 

Sunday Read

 

Library Audiobook

 

TdF 2026: Day 1 "Hope"

Tour de Fleece started today. This will be my third tour.

Fiber: Hipstrings Base12 Spinalong Fiber Kits (2025). Twelve 1/2 oz mystery packages.

The Spindle Line Up: Bosworth "Bossie" Suspended Top Whorl Spindles.

 

  

Spindle #1: Skinny Midi, Dogwood/Bubinga, 27 gm

Fiber #1: "Hope" Hand-carded Batt (70% Merino wool, 10% Tussah Silk, 10% Mulberry Silk, 5% Sari Silk, 5% Silk Noil.)

 

 

  

 

2026 Tour de Fleece

Start: Saturday 7/4 -  End: Sunday 7/26

Challenge Days Sunday  7/12, 7/19

Rest Days Monday 7/13, 7/20

Goals: Spin everyday - at least 15 minutes.

"When they spin, we spin. Challenge yourself. Spin. Have fun." Star Athena, founder 2006.

Nik, thank you.

 

Friday Read

 

Library e-book

Lucky Goat

Jack, living his best life.

 

July First

I spent today working on a presentation and demo that I will be giving during the July Little Looms group. I am calling it, "Knitting Joins for Weavers". I narrowed it down to my three favorite joins:

Magic Knot (Fisherman's Knot), Spit Splice (Wet Splice), and Russian Join.

I worked on the PDF handout and played with yarn.

 

Two Tuesdays

A nice stack of twelve Comfort Scarves and two shawls collected from last Tuesday and today's Spinners' group.

 

 

Monday Read

 

Library Audiobook

 

Creepy Crawlers

 Last Wednesday I saw a couple of unusual critters:

2:17 pm

A bat hanging outside the house during the daytime.

 

 

 

 6:54 pm

A tarantula crawling about. We usually don't see these guys till September.

At least the bat was gone.

 

 

Weird, right?

 

Snowy Owl: Pre-Ply Bobbins

I brought the Lendrum and the Quill Head Flyer to Spinners' group and wound off Snowy Owl onto storage bobbins. The spun singles have been sitting on the Bossie Spindles for way too long.

 

 

 

 

Egg Cooperation

It has been a few weeks and I am happy to report that I am no longer finding pecked and broken eggs.

It appears that the two hens have come to an understanding:

Kochi lays an egg while Sage waits patiently nearby.

 

 

After Kochi lays her egg and leaves the nesting box, Sage takes her place.

 

 

Thursday Read

 

Library Audiobook

 

Wednesday Launch

7:50 am

Nell leaving Santa Barbara Harbor - heading out to the Channel Islands - with The Man and Kurt.

 

 

 8:31 pm

 

8:32 pm

 

8:33 pm

 

 

Tuesday's Box

 

 

The Good Smoke

I saw a scary-looking smoke plume today but nothing happened as I watched: no aircraft, no sirens, no Watch Duty App alerts on my phone. This was a prescribed burn - a controlled burn - a good fire.

 

Solstice Sunday Read

 

Library Audiobook

 

Jack Updates

Text from Lauren:

Good morning! He’s hanging with the herd this morning ☀️

 

 

 Lauren's Mom and Jack chatting with a neighbor. 

 

 

It looks like he is settling in nicely.

 

To the Farm

Today Jack went to live with, Lauren, a neighbor. Getting him there was easy-peasy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We unloaded Jack into a nice shady enclosure where the goats were hanging out. All the animals are able to free-range the property but I made sure the enclosure gate was closed for the Meet and Greet.

 

Lauren is down to three lady goats - a much smaller herd than before. They seemed quiet and calm. 

 

 

 

Poor Jack, there was so much going on the poor guy was quivering.

 

 

 

 

 

Tortilla chips seemed to help.

 

 

I am sure it won't be too long before Jack adopts into his new happy herd and Lauren's menagerie farm of 2 donkeys, 3 pot-bellied pigs, 3 goats, 2 (or 3) dogs, a multitude of hens ("We get 16 eggs a day"), a bunch of ducks ("You guys want some ducks?"), and not to be forgotten, Lauren's 2 daughters.

 

 

 

2 Twins

Pics were shared by The Man while out for a walk: