Looking Up

 Earlier this week, I went out to do yoga on the deck, and I really just did not feel like it.  I unrolled my mat, stared at it for a few minutes, and sat down on a deck chair.  I looked up, and this is what I saw.  Incredible, isn't it?  Well worth not doing yoga to be able to see this.  And I could hear the cattle from Brasstown Beef lowing.  We buy all our beef from them, and they are less than half a mile from my house.  That's what buying local means!

 That afternoon, I had to fire one more person.  That makes four since I've started at the Folk School, and I believe it's my last for the foreseeable future.  I really hope so.  The person I let go simply refused to follow my direction, would not follow any recipe I gave him, and constantly tried to get his co-workers to do likewise.  I finally found a good, trustworthy, hard working and pleasant person to replace him.  And now, he's gone.  My team is now MY team, and I think we're gong to have fun.
  Bella and I went back to the Rivercane Trail yesterday, and had a lovely walk.  This is my new favorite Bella photo!  She loves hiking without a leash, something she could never do in the city.
 




 I love the way they make hay here in the east!  The big rolls left out in the field just make me happy to see.  We walked past a field on our way to the river, I think the Little Brasstown River.  

There's an overlook, so Bella looked it over.
And this morning, we went to campus at the Folk School and wandered around, exploring.  Afterwards, I started working on the turned overshot warp that has been a pain in my butt since moving Tootsie here.  Today, I was weaving along, following the pattern, listening to jazz, thinking about other things, having a good old time, being in the rhythm.  When I stopped to look at the weaving itself, darned if stupid old Tootsie wasn't up to her old tricks!  Shaft 5 was sitting on top of the castle, just hanging out, not getting woven into the pattern.  Many picks had happened since I'd last looked.  I unwove, fixed the problem, and kept going.  And then, about 5 inches later, it happened again.  
  I haven't unwoven it yet.  I started threading the heddles on Jenny with her hand-dyed warp instead.  Tootsie just makes me so angry!  I know many people love Tools of the Trade looms.  I wish I did.  She clacks and slams and the poor design of the shaft channels is so irritating!  But she's mine, and the only 8-shaft loom I have here, so we will make peace.  I'm going to ask two woodworkers I've met at the school if they have a solution, and how much it will cost.  
  On our walk this morning, at the back of the wood turning studio, I saw this flower.  I think it's a hibiscus, but I'm not sure.  I will scavenge some seeds and see if I can grow one in my yard next year!