Finally Friday

You know how when you are young, and waiting for Christmas to come? Time slows and it takes forever to come. That is how I feel.

I'm going on a road trip with a friend to check out Hand Weavers Spinners and Dyers of Alberta Conference being held in Olds. Not to the conference mind, but the vendor market, which opens this afternoon. These are some of our great western Canadian vendors, and I can't wait to check everything out. The original road trip was going to include a stop at Ceiligh ( spinning wheels out of Millet Alberta). She is going to be at the conference, so we will visit her there, and will stop at her shop another day.

The trip also is going to include a stop at Custom Woolen Mills, an intriguing mill near in Carstairs. They operate using old fashioned techniques and antique machinery to make marvelous modern yarns. I have not had any experience with their yarn except for the bulky weight yarn, so I can't wait to see their some of their other offerings.

They are one of those rare places that still offers a yarn close to the old buffalo yarn (brand not fibre) used to make the Cowichan sweaters which are once again coveted by sweater people. (See Vogue Knitting from last fall). They sell cones and skeins so there is something for everybody.

And rovings and quilt batts. And bags of fribres. And socks, and blankets... and oddly enough, roving of the sort that is treated and meant to be used for chinking between the logs of your log cabin and insulative batts for your home. These guys think of everything.

I've got to get moving. There will be photos next week of the market and if we are allowed to take photos at the Mill, I'll put some up too.

For now, I will leave you with pictures of last weekends lake adventures. Mr. Needles took the photos and finally sent some home. I don't imagine that it would be much different up there this weekend either. Until today, no one is this part of the country saw any amount of sun.

Along the creek near the campground.

At the mouth of the river, looking across the lake. You can just see the ice pack on the lake.

Full on ice

Today the sun is out, the sky is blue and I am on a road trip.