Technically, I'm on my way home from Sock Summit and visiting with family. It's a working trip: I'm not getting to take side trips to see the museums and other sites for which I see signs along the way. But I've planned in a few even more intriguing stops en route.
Yesterday I stopped briefly to visit some Lincolns and Romneys being raised by Christiane Payton at North Valley Farm, in the wine country outside Salem (I also saw, in passing, rose growers, and the nurseries from which many garden shops get their plants . . . fascinating agricultural area). Alas, I didn't get any photos of the Lincolns, which were my primary interest. First, it was a very hot day and the sheep were (sensibly) hanging out in the shade, where it was hard to get a good photo. Second, I wasn't there long enough and I tend to forget I've got a camera when I'm mostly listening to someone who is passionate and smart about what she's doing, which in Christiane's case is breeding Lincolns for their color. Gorgeous!
I initially contacted Christiane looking for white Lincoln, when I realized that for the book I'm working on I had samples for colors but not the basic white stuff. It sounded as though she had lovely fleece (she does), and she graciously brought some white samples for me to pick up at Sock Summit.
She also tucked in a few of her colors. I was happily blown away, and wanted to see a bit more of what she's up to, so I took a quick side-trip to visit with Christiane and her flock.
Then I stopped at Woodland Woolworks for a diz. That wasn't all I got. Even though Carlton, Oregon, is a very small town, I had to go into the post office and ask how to find 100 E. Washington. This is what it looks like when you get there:
Lots of great warehouse/showroom type browsing, and a stash-enhancement room of closeouts. I didn't plan to try any spinning wheels, but when they're sitting there with fiber next to them and you've been invited to try anything you'd like, I couldn't resist. A lot of new wheels have been put into circulation since I was editing Spin-Off magazine and had ready access to trying wheels at the SOAR marketplace.
I did get my diz. I got two, while I was at it. My knitting-needle gauge has been working fine in that capacity, but it needs to be in the knitting bag again.
Janet
Will you be traveling much farther down into Oregon? or over to the coast?
Janet
Deb Robson
I’m in southern Oregon now, and heading toward northern California tomorrow. One more stop and then I turn toward home. I’m hoping to have enough net connection and time tomorrow to blog about today, which was a delight full of sheep.
Janet
I would guess you headed down I-5?
Just curious. I am on Cape Blanco which is on the south coast. I guess a whole lot like where you stayed with your family in WA. Lots of cranberries, beaches and sheep…
Janet
Linda Cunningham
Anything new on the wheel front you plan on telling about (good and bad!)?
There’s a wonderful residency program based not far from WW that I’ve looked at from time-to-time: I suspect I’d find an excuse to pop in and check out the “stash-enhancement room of closeouts.”
Often. 😉
Deb Robson
Wheel news, small but significant: I have a new version of the mother-of-all for my Alden Amos mini-T charkha (not from Woodland Woolworks, but direct from the man himself). Just for fun. http://pweb.jps.net/~gaustad/index.html
Deb Robson
Yes, I-5, with a couple of detours not too far off it (not as far as the coast). I don’t like I-5, so I did a bunch of the distance on nearby two-lanes when I could afford the extra time.
I think you have a lighthouse, too!
Janet
http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=125
Maybe you will make a trip back to Oregon one of these days…
Janet
Deb Robson
I really like Oregon. I used to live in Washington (Olympic Peninsula, as well as Seattle). It’s easy for me to think about another trip. I just need to figure out how to live a life that lets me travel more! (Maybe I have a start: I just did travel a bunch.)