This weekend is going to be the warmest so far this year.  By Monday, possibly 75° or better.  It feels so great!  Got the mower back yesterday, runs like a dream.  Somehow the blades got bent??  I wonder who or how that happened.  Anyway, I mowed today.  Tomorrow early in the morning we are going to spread the weed killer around on all those pesky weeds that grow so well with a tiny little bit of grass in between.  Our animals sure like being outside when the sun is out rather than having snow and rain.  This is Breeze enjoying a little warm weather.

My indigo plants are getting big.  Not big enough to play outside by themselves yet, but certainly doing well.  I need to put them in a safe place outside tomorrow and daily now to harden them a little, then maybe by Memorial Day they can be placed in the garden somewhere.  Those darn kitties love to find a place where we've been digging or planting and plant something very unpleasant there.  Then Bella comes along to 'plant' her latest find in the same place.  Oh well, I may just use containers to plant in this year.

Got some great fiber from Paradise Fibers this week.  I can't wait to try them out.  This summer I definitely need to start skirting the alpaca fleeces from the last couple of years.  I started that project but had to stop in the middle, and I never got back at it again.  Interestingly, it will wait for me For Ever!

Spring has arrived in north Idaho full force this week.  I actually mowed our yard yesterday.  Seems a little earlier than usual but with the warmer weather and nice sunny day I thought it would be a good idea.  So glad I did since we had rain last night and looks like next week for several days also.  We are taking our mower into the shop tomorrow for a spring tuneup.  I usually wait for the weather to turn really nice and warm, then have to leave it in the shop for a week or two because everyone else wants to have theirs done too.  Ha!  I've outsmarted the crowds this year.

Not sure if its the warmer sunnier weather but I certainly have felt a lot more like working this week.  I've got my indigo seeds going strong with a plant light and yesterday afternoon I actually got my loom in the studio working.  You know which one with the beautiful autumn colored warp on it from last fall.  Some days its just to hard to walk all that way across the driveway.  Must be at least 50 feet from my back door to the shop door ... but its working now and I love it.

I also got the plying done on the two merino silk I've been spinning.  The one on the left is called Autumn, the one on the right is Sandstone.



I think I like this.  The bottom pix are the same yarn plyed, left one without the flash and the other with.  Check out how shiny the silk is in that bright light.





Ahhhh spring ... can summer be far behind you?

Wednesday was a sad day for us.  We had to put down our wonderful, smart, loving border collie Savannah.  We bought Savannah for our daughter in 2000, when she bought her house.  Savannah has been her constant companion for 12 years.  Good bye sweetie, we will miss you so much.  You were the best dog ever.  07/04/2000 - 03/29/2012

Last Sunday I got my Japanese indigo planted in the little starter trays.  It took a few days, but the seeds are just starting to come up and look healthy, although I thought there would be more.  Probably after a few more days more of them will be showing their little heads. 

Our weather has been so cold and constant rain so I set them on my bed upstairs where I get sun most of the day.  The east facing window is perfect for lots of light after the sun passes overhead.  Can't wait to get these guys planted out in the garden.