Boiling Over

Saturday means a trip to the Louis Gale Feed Mill for weekly feed pick up.  We decided to drive by the saw mill operated by the new owners of the farm on King's Settlement Road.  I pass them twice a day but don't know much about wood so was glad to have Matt take a look.  The Amish family who bought the place is very prolific and industrious.  Much newly cut wood piled high and lots of cute little kids running around.  Matt thought the wood was a bit rough for the kitchen project we are doing.  I told him I heard there was another mill in Edmeston by the Unadilla River so we motored over there.  We stopped to check out places to launch a canoe or kayak and there were several.  Funny how I live one mile from the perfect place to do something so much fun and never checked it out.    We followed the sign for cedar furniture and passed through the tiny town of West Edmeston, which is officially my address.  Sadly the little post office will be closed due to budget issues.  Too bad.  It is so cute, with flowers in the window boxes, etc.  Will have to go in for stamps before they shut it down.  I go into Brookfield to get my mail from the rented box once a week.  Seems so silly now when West Edmeston has rural delivery....but not for long.  We motored along the opposite shore of the river and passed several Amish farms.  The land is terrific for planting along the river, unlike my rocky, but dramatic, hillside.  Found the furniture farm and the crafter came out to greet us.  Lovely, sturdy pieces that Matt is very impressed with.  Something to think about.  Matt hates my Queen Anne set with the triple dresser and high boy, always has.  He wants the Amish cedar furniture and I'm not arguing, thinking I can give the beautiful Queen Anne set to Mia or Hannah someday.  I have the tractor shed to save it in.  This furniture purchase will not happen any time soon.   I noticed the Amish man had terrific stools the perfect height for spinning at a ridiculous good price.  Thought I might take one to Maryland to see if it sells.  Home to work on the farm.  I spent many hours picking burdock, hay and manure out of wool and mohair fleeces then put them in to soak and wash while I got the dye pots ready.    Very satisfying to take those nasty bags of old dirty fleeces and turn them into lovely, glossy, purple, teal or orange candy for fiber people to play with.  I am mulling over and over in my mind how I want to combine the fibers and colors.  I like to blend some mohair with my very, very soft Bluefaced Leicester to give it some strength.  Customers know they rarely get a single fiber, and never a single color, with my roving (carded fiber in a long tube rolled in a ball).  I know how much I have to sell to cover last year's hay bill and with luck I might get there.  One can only live and hope.  Inside to make a hot meal for Matt, who had spent the afternoon pulling out old fence posts and rolling up barbed wire.  He tidied up the north side of the barnyard very nicely.  Have to get Loren in to pull out some old metal junk which he will turn into cash.  My view out the window will be much nicer now.  The grass is greening up quickly.  I'm keeping the sheep in for a while to give it a chance to grow.  Sheep don't strip the ground of roots  the way other animals do but I still want to get some up off the ground.   Out to finish chores after dinner and finished at 10:30.  I hope the weather is as beautiful tomorrow as my drying rack will be chock full of purple wool and mohair.  Think I will streak it with some teal, and maybe some blood orange, for a run I will call "Pacifica Revisited."  It sold very well last time.   Chamomile tea time for me then I might check out SNL, which I am rarely awake for.  Matt said he was chilled so I built a fire.  Toasty warm in here.  Summer jammies tonight.