A Quiet Thank You

OK, I have been thinking about this for awhile and I decided to do it now. Then I don’t want to talk about it again.

While looking out my east window (the sunrises are incredible), I was trying to think of all the things I love about being here. One of the reasons is I have time to work with fibers. For years, I have loved working with fibers, learning about heirloom crafts, and working with wool. I started my wool journey with Traditional Rug Hooking, and have evolved into spinning, weaving, knitting and crocheting with it. I now start with the raw fleece, and someday hope to have my own sheep to shear.

Still Night at Murphy’s Landing; a rug hooking of Connie’s home.

Hubby and I found this place while staying with my sister, Connie. Now Connie is older than I am, and growing up, I really didn’t know her. In fact, she was in a completely different generation. While I was a Hippie, Connie was already married and living in the responsible world. I never understood her, and I know she didn’t understand me. My other sister, Cara, and I were closer in age and closer in lifestyles. And we were good friends. But in 1999, all that changed. Cara died at age 50. Now they say that some people die for a reason or that because of a death, lives change forever. That is the case with Connie and me. Because of Cara’s death, we became closer, and we became friends. I finally started looking at the lifestyle she and her husband had chosen, and I liked it. A simple homestead way of life. They earned their money with Historical Interpretation; Connie as a spinner and weaver and Norman as a wood worker. So when we started looking for a place to retire, we looked around their neighborhood. And found Anniversary Grove, just 6 miles north of them.

Connie weaving at Murphy’s Landing.

Since moving here, Connie has taught me to spin and lent me one of her wheels until I could get my own. She taught me to weave and lent me one of her looms until Hubby could build mine. She helped me hone my knitting skills, introduced me to all the fiber people she knows and shared her knowledge. And finally, she has supported my dreams and ideas; encouraging me to try them all.
My first weaving, Autumn under the Maple Tree.

May Mulberries; a weaving I did with roving I dyed myself.

I am good at expressing my emotions to some, and not so good expressing them to others. And I have a hard time doing so with Connie. Perhaps because we have only really known each other for a few years. So I want to thank Connie here, for everything she has done for me. A quiet, long distance THANK YOU.

And now, I don’t want to talk about it ever again.