tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839Wed, 14 Oct 2026 12:45:12 +0000walk with me Wednesdayspinninggardenphenological eventsgarden harvestknittingweatherwildlifeoff topicflaxspindle spinningweavingchickensGreat Wheel spinningholidayalpacabirdsspinning wheelsobservationsriverdistaffwalkingspinning shetlanddye bathlinenbuttonssupport spindletape loomtriangle loom weavingwoodstovefinished itemsrabbitslace knittingwoolfeltingcardingcotswoldherbsneedlefeltingpysankyslide showtracksweekendwhirlsThoughts and observations from life around the riverrim.... ...including spinning weaving, knitting, gardening, flax, chickens, rabbits, alpaca.............. and whatever wild life wanders byhttp://riverrim.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (cyndy)Blogger840125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-4294340040665277971Wed, 31 Dec 2025 19:06:00 +00002025-12-31T14:10:45.085-05:00birdsholidaywildlife There was an old enamel cup that had been chipped and was no longer fit for use.  I had designated it to be used in the mudroom for measuring out laundry detergent, but then it seemed to be the perfect size for a little suet feeder.The smaller birds can balance on the stick, but there is only enough room for one bird at a time.Soon, the woodpeckers found it. http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2025/12/a-little-cup-of.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-2757141482596364189Sun, 09 Mar 2025 22:02:00 +00002025-03-09T18:03:52.751-04:00gardenpysankySo the first pysanky of the season always finds me a bit rusty.  I played with the kistka and cleaned it out and taught myself how to draw 40 triangles on the surface of the egg.  This one is not to give away because it has too many mistakes.  I searched around under the glass cupboard and found the dye jars.  Then the rest of time was spent on emptying the contents of severalhttp://riverrim.blogspot.com/2025/03/slow-start.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-7265619715283519133Wed, 26 Feb 2025 16:28:00 +00002025-02-26T11:28:59.901-05:00birds This woodpecker arrives each morning to survey the area and find something good to eat.  I have been serving "bark butter" spread, which contains mealworms and other goodies that I spoon into a log feeder.  Most all of the woodpeckers seem to enjoy it.  When the Pilaeated woodpecker arrives, he announces his presence with a loud "hahahahaha!" and then swoops down from the bighttp://riverrim.blogspot.com/2025/02/dryocopus-pileatus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-1680099770060483712Fri, 21 Jun 2024 19:58:00 +00002024-06-21T15:58:43.577-04:00weaving I picked up some motif charts from the "Lithuanian Sashes Book" that Grace had gifted to me.At first I was a bit perplexed at how to go about weaving them on the 4 Shaft Dorothy LeClerc loom.There was not instruction in the book, but there was a lot of interesting history and charts.I wove a strip of motifs as practice or samples of how the designs would translate.  I think some ofthe http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2024/06/pick-up-motifs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-1864637703045148892Wed, 20 Mar 2024 18:59:00 +00002024-03-20T14:59:31.791-04:00weaving I had some wool that Greta had given me a few years ago.  It was from Sweden. I decided to warp the Dorothy Loom for a Krokbragd pattern. The samples were small, they were supposed to be mug rugs.I decided to turn them into a small bag.I stitched together the side seams with whip stitching.I found the whip stitch to be unsightly, and decided to cover it with some fingerloop http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2024/03/a-bit-of-krokbragd.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-5363795216197608748Sun, 19 Mar 2023 14:37:00 +00002023-03-19T10:40:45.591-04:00chickenstape loomweaving Thanks to Paivi Suomi over at All Fiber ArtsAnd Lena Shevtsova's Slavic Patterns for BeginnersI managed to try something a little different, and was successful at weaving a pick up pattern on the 4-shaft loom, using only 3 shafts.It opens up some possibilities for other ideas and future projects and eggsperiments.http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2023/03/three-out-of-four.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-7270418457750647783Sat, 07 Jan 2023 13:56:00 +00002023-01-07T08:56:07.194-05:00knittingV's Food Bank MittsNoro Silk Garden over size 5's6th pair in a serieshttp://riverrim.blogspot.com/2023/01/making-mitts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-4171971239440706196Fri, 26 Aug 2022 13:16:00 +00002022-08-26T09:17:41.380-04:00http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2022/08/blog-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-9052630562717915787Fri, 07 Jul 2017 15:42:00 +00002017-07-07T11:42:09.926-04:00garden harvestGreat Wheel spinningwildlife That is a hard one to pronounce! Sphec=Sfeck ??? CODE?? Dina...um... Anyway, it is easier to call it the Abbott's Spinx Moth. Caterpillar. I noticed it on my Grape Vines. They are said to consume 8-10 grape leaves a day. The false eyeball is not on the head, but the tail. Could have fooled me!(not really) It is also interesting to note, that this caterpiller eats Virginia Creeper and http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2017/07/sphecodina-abbottii.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-3707492732012679719Fri, 30 Jun 2017 13:19:00 +00002017-06-30T09:19:00.465-04:00dye bathgardengarden harvestherbs So many things have to do with good timing. When to pick the peaches, is one of them. They look ripe- but they are still a bit too firm. On the other hand, they may ripen on the counter after picking. The birds and squirrels and chipmunks are watching them for readiness, also. They test for ripeness, just as I do. And so, it becomes a matter of timing. Who will get to them first? The http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2017/06/time-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-4601819713222128104Fri, 23 Jun 2017 11:48:00 +00002017-06-23T07:48:25.883-04:00 The yellow warbler is nesting in the Rose of Sharon bush. I believe there are nestlings. I hear soft whispers and peeping, and see lots of comings and goings to supply those hungry mouths with moths and other insects. I am delighted to have the yellow warbler take up residency. I have not seen this for several years, and welcome its return. Years ago, it would always nest in the Hemlock, http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2017/06/setophaga-petechia.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-1730650436224677928Thu, 22 Jun 2017 12:43:00 +00002017-06-22T08:43:06.618-04:00flaxspinningweaving from Zem spieva - Karel Plicka (1933)http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2017/06/old-ways.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-4208042468858111829Sun, 05 Mar 2017 20:15:00 +00002017-03-05T15:15:57.864-05:00birdsweather It was eight degrees outside my window this morning. Eight degrees, but the sun was shining. This vibrant red bird found a sunny spot in the quince bush. The northern cardinal was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th-century work Systema Naturae. It was initially included in the genus Loxia, which now contains only crossbills. In 1838, it was placed in http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2017/03/cardinalis-cardinalis.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-9098485400750829335Wed, 15 Feb 2017 19:16:00 +00002017-02-15T14:16:43.054-05:00 There are some lovely plum blossoms that are blooming on my windowsill. They are from the prunings that my husband took of our trees, a few weeks ago. These flowers, sadly, will not see any bees, and will never become fruit. They will only be admired. Pruning in winter is advised as fruit trees that are not tended will become less productive. Even with heavy winter pruning, there is http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2017/02/overtime-over-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-1914128482834809820Sat, 11 Feb 2017 22:44:00 +00002017-02-11T17:44:33.283-05:00flax Vlasparlee - een verleden in het vlas from Centrum Agrarische Geschiedenis on Vimeo.http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2017/02/a-past-in-flax.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-2436514077608289380Fri, 21 Oct 2016 14:49:00 +00002016-10-21T10:51:18.057-04:00distaffspinning Note her posture, her position while treadling, the position of her drafting, and the way she has tilted the fiber cone on her sitting distaff to facilitate the draft ...surely these are all the signs of a woman who has been spinning for many, many years. Made me smile. http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2016/10/comfortable_21.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-7301590386260686556Sun, 09 Oct 2016 20:23:00 +00002016-10-09T16:23:54.289-04:00riverwalk with me Wednesday It was a golden walk today, so much yellow all around me. In a few short weeks, the leaves will let go, and only the branches will hide the view of the river. The wild carrot has finished out, and is wearing winter brown already...the flower heads, with their texture and line, inspire me to pick up a crowquill pen. Maybe later. There is bittersweet growing where once, there was not. http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2016/10/walk-with-me-wednesday.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-3333114195024257431Mon, 11 Jul 2016 12:49:00 +00002016-07-11T08:49:02.962-04:00distaffobservationstape loom There is a spot on my kitchen table, where the vase sits. I fill the vase each week, with flowers from my garden. For the past few weeks, the vase has been filled with roses. Yesterday, when I went out to cut flowers for the week, there were no more roses to fill the vase with. I was reminded of the quote about taking time to smell the roses, because however trite that quote may be, there http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2016/07/taking-time-to-pause.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-8896126719737438449Wed, 06 Apr 2016 14:46:00 +00002016-04-06T10:46:20.539-04:00distaffspindle spinning Another example of in-hand spindle spinning without having to use a half-hitch at the top of the spindle. This is how I've been spinning these days. When spinning off the point, it isn't necessary to make a half-hitch at the beginning and end of each make. I take joy in noticing the amount of fiber on the distaves. Oh those optimistic Romanians! The video has another example of in-hand http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2016/04/technique.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-2068268919278228159Sun, 20 Mar 2016 13:46:00 +00002016-03-20T09:46:28.787-04:00birdsgardenweaving Tying on to the previous warp, I wove a few more small towels with the Gebrochene Twill draft. I changed the weft color three times. There is still hemming to be done before they are completely finished. These are 100% cotton and should be nice and absorbent. Hemming and hawing with the idea of winding one more warp with my handspun linen, and weaving the weft with the handspun hemp in http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2016/03/making-more.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-3590879243450751808Thu, 25 Feb 2016 14:27:00 +00002016-02-25T09:27:43.283-05:00weavingI've been working on weaving Gebrochene (translated from German to mean "broken") Twill. Present day weavers may recognize this as M's and W's. This draft was available to me from the book, "The Best of Weavers- Twill Thrills"- on loan from my friend, Judy. (thanks! Judy). I wove this cloth on a 4 shaft loom. There were 275 ends of cotton - KnitPicks Curio - from my friend Brigitte (http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2016/02/broken-twill.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-158635770453933658Sun, 31 Jan 2016 16:30:00 +00002016-02-25T09:35:38.312-05:00phenological events12th Cooper's Hawk 15th snow on the way 21st opossum hunts 28th single digits with slight thaw phenological events January 2016 5th first freeze 11th eagles & hawks 13th 1 inch snowhttp://riverrim.blogspot.com/2013/01/january-2013-phenological-events.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-2067620902104930288Wed, 13 Jan 2016 16:21:00 +00002016-01-13T11:21:16.314-05:00birdsfinished itemsflaxriverweatherweavingwoodstove The weather was crisp and clear this morning. The river water catches the sun and it shines like moonlight against the silhouettes of the trees. We had a scant amount of snow fall overnight. ...and today the winds have caught up with us. On my way to the henhouse, I grab my earflap hat that I knit from handspun Icelandic Sheeps wool. As I slip it on my head, I think of how many years http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2016/01/contrasts_13.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-5767813551724011932Tue, 05 Jan 2016 15:31:00 +00002016-01-05T10:31:36.145-05:00chickensweatherThe first freezing temperatures have arrived.  As I open the henhouse door, I admire the frosty patterns of hens breath on the glass. Do you see vines and leaves? or maybe...feathers? My Golden Lace Wyandotte hen finds a good spot in the sun and sits down to warm her feet in her fluffy down feathers. Last springs pullets produce an egg-stravaganza!  All are now laying, http://riverrim.blogspot.com/2016/01/hens-breath.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5789839.post-7912341535690415649Wed, 30 Sep 2015 14:35:00 +00002016-01-05T10:37:12.934-05:00phenological events 7th harvesting sweet corn 9th morning glory blooms 20th warblers passing thruhttp://riverrim.blogspot.com/2015/09/september-2015-phenological-notes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (cyndy)0