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Crazy as a Loom

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Can you hear me?

I love to read your comments, I love knowing that you enjoy coming here.
Joan, you ARE friends, and that's why it is easy to talk to  you all.
Who would come here, besides friends?  Who would care?
A crazy woman in northeast N.Y. who weaves like a maniac and tries to be sane and reasonable and simple all at the same time.
And does not get it right all that often.


Good God.


I was  loving my morning at home.  My mother and daughter  left for the Salvation Army.   I
tried not to notice the pain on my poor daughter's face.
Yikes.
This morning, I offered a bedspread to my mother.  I had brought it from the studio, to wash, and my mother was groaning that she needed a new, pretty bedspread. So I offered her this one....and thus began a 10 minute long monologue about bedspreads........what would I do if she took this one, and what would she do with the one she had, and what would she do when winter came and she needed a dark one, and what if it was too big and dragged on the floor, and what would look better, and what and what and what..........
You get my drift.
I folded it up, and put it in my car.
This is the kind of craziness that about puts me over the edge.  Nothing is simple in her mind.  I try to see into her mind, and it just makes me crazier.
I am not perfect, let's just say it.
Then DH kicked me out.  Yup.  It's the truth.  He was vacuuming, and I was in his way.
So much for a quiet two hours at home, ALONE.
Guess it takes more planning.

For all of you weavers......this is the piece I just took off the loom.....this is the part that was on the loom when I bought it.......  I am pretty sure this finish work right next to the red is from  Collingwood's book, but I don't know what it is.
Any ideas???
It sure looks neat, doesn't it?



I just broke down and bought a new lens for my Nikon D40.   The one it came with was in tough shape. It might have something to do with dropping the camera on the lens an accident, but it only worked occasionally, making it very difficult, pretty much impossible, to get those shots that only appeared momentarily.
So I went to Ray's Supply for some advice.  They said I should just throw my old lens away, it was beyond help.
So I bought a new lens, and I hope that I am happy with it.  It is a Tamron 17-270mm lens, which means that I don't have to take my regular lens off and put my zoom lens on every time I turn around.
It does make the camera a little heavier, but not so bad that I care.  I hope I made a good decision, I guess   time will tell.  I do have 30 days to take it back, if I don't like it.


I was standing half way across the room from the window when I took this, a shot I would have normally only got with my zoom.  So maybe I will be selling my 200-300 zoom lens.  Should I?

When I got evicted from my house, I went to the studio, and got a few things done.
I finished a dopey little handbag that I had been fooling around with.
I don't even dare put a price tag on it, it is so perfectly silly.


I tied fringe on two shawls that came off the loom, and one funky wrap.



And then I went outside, and sat in the not so secret garden that needs to be weeded or they won't be allowing it in Country Living Magazine when they come to take pictures.
That's a joke.
I don't qualify.
But I should.  At least I think so.


What got me out there was a woodchuck who darted out from behind the barn, just as I was leaving.  He scooted over to the apple tree, grabbed an apple off the ground, and ran back behind the barn.
So I sat out there for awhile, waiting to see if he would reappear, and I could use my brand new lens on him.
Or his FAM, cause ya know he's got one.


Sometimes, on Sundays, I think about what I want to accomplish during the week, just to kind of have a framework to go by.
Plans are good.
This week, I am going to get all the JUNK cleaned out from in front of the barn.  I'll show you how bad it looks, and then I will show you the grand improvement.    Anything would look grander than it looks right now.



I would like to MOVE the barn, but that's not happening any time soon.
My husband would tell me right here, to turn my brain off, for crying out loud.


And I reply, "don't you think I would have done that a long time ago if it were an option? Huh?"

Have a great Sunday.

17 comments:

Rubye Jack said...

That's a dang good photo of the bird taken without a zoom. It sounds like you got a really nice lense!
I think the purse is beautiful! Perhaps it's not for everyone but I like that kind of natural look. I'd put a high price on it waiting for someone like me to come along. :)

Karen thisoldhouse2.com said...

I hear you loud and clear. Because I can never turn it off either. Ah well. We get things done, don't we.

The purse is AWESOME!!!... Are you nutz? Put a price on it!

Susan said...

The fancy stitching is simple hemstitching but what you showed in the picture is the underside of the technique. (I have a tutorial on how to do this at my blog) It would slow you and L down if you hemstitched each rug!

I'm chuckling here... you threw your old lens away. Just try and take the new one back in 30 days! Never. gonna. happen!

Susan

LA said...

Last night, I was looking at Peggy Osterkamp's book, Weaving for Beginners, and I found a "new to me" way to hemstitch. Then I saw your picture, and I can see how it really looks. I guess there are a lot of different ways to do hemstitching....but that does look nice. Enjoy your new lens...it seems to be working well!!!

Deb said...

Well I am loving these pictures so I think the lens is a keeper. It's not easy being part of the 'sandwich generation'. You will always be a mom and worry about them and then you are also a daughter worrying about your mom. I've been there and I found it hard too although my mom did not live with us. Just remember tomorrow is another day and take a lot of time for yourself. It is good that you have many friends and interests that get you away from home. I love your blog and enjoy listening to you rant. You are the real deal, Hilary. Hugs, Deb=^..^=x4

Cait Throop said...

OMG your mom sounds like my mom!!! But I don't live with her! And she totally makes up things to worry about so she doesn't sleep--I keep telling her that she has enough REAL stuff to worry on but does she listen????? I'm such a help to her...love her to pieces but would have a hard time living with her! Can't wait to get down to Brant Lake and call you! Then we will be the two crazy weaving ladies!! :D

Anonymous said...

I really enjoy coming here :-)
I love your work, love your home, your garden, your pets. And annoy me, I do not know English, to express what I feel.
These words translate google translator, so probably sound strange ...
Greetings from Poland
Lucyna

MarthaVA said...

LOVE your photography. Love your outlook, your point of view, your ramblings, your thoughts......especially the ones you can't turn off. Why would you want to? I mean, seriously. It's what makes you, you. And you are fine just the way you are. :-)

The purse, and the wrap, are gorgeous I agree with the above statements - put a price on them, and sell 'em. :-D

Weavin Happy
Martha

Anonymous said...

Well, if these photos were all taken with your new lens then I say sell the other one!! These are awesome!!

Di

Country Girl said...

Do you mean the 18-270mm Tamron? That's a nice lens! If you decide to keep it, you need to sell the 200-300mm. No sense keeping it when you've got the 270. Very cool.

A Brit in Tennessee said...

I just love your new lens, the clarity of your pictures is spectatular.
I always smile at the bright colors of your rugs and purses, they remind me of a happy home :)
~Jo

Cheryl said...

Such pretty photos, such pretty weaving, such pretty property and what a wonderful place to sit! And, by the way....my mom makes me a bit crazy too. I'm glad to read that I'm not alone. ;-)

Connie in Hartwood said...

This post is a perfect example of why I love coming here ... your brain works like MY brain does. There's always an idea, or a new scheme, or something spinning around in there. My husband says that my brain must be a scary place to live ... I'll bet yours is too.

I imagine weaving is a lot like any other solitary activity. It becomes automatic, and while you're doing it your brain waves can be used for other things.

Donna said...

Love the pictures with the new lens; it's a keeper!

I come because I'm dealing with the same mother issues -only a Midwest version and because your former career was probably close to my current one and if YOU can retire and and redefine your life and how to spend our time on this earth, then so can I when I can no longer stand to do child abuse work, then so can I.

Besides your woven work is GORGEOUS; I get high just looking at all the color.
Our 'visits' are a bright spot in my day!

Anonymous said...

A husband who vacuums, I couldn't get past that sentence....

Your Sunday was a creative one!

sharon said...

I like your secret little garden. looks like a nice place to sit and ponder. It's so dang hot here. Although I shouldn't complain. My son is in a lot hotter area than I am. Any who, loved the pink purse. It has character!

Anonymous said...

I had some of those conversations with my Grandmother that made me leaving her house thinking I am never going back because she was having one of those thinking too much days.. A good friend pointed out that she spends many of her hours by herself with nothing but her thoughts so when I dropped in they all came out....the friend reminded me that it was just talk and I should go back to give her something else to think about...I did, we had a lovely day going through photo albums and I enjoyed it.

Nice photos! You have a lovely place, thanks for sharing it with us.

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