Magnum Opus

Yellow finches outside my upstairs window

Somehow, every time I sit down to write a post, an imaginary cartoon bubble rises in front of me that says, "What?!"  Like looking at the screen will make the words come.  Then, inevitably, I plug in my camera and upload whatever pictures I've been taking since the last post, and hope for inspiration. Usually something comes to mind, but seldom do witty remarks emerge, unless I start listening to a couple of my favorite authors reading their biographies. Then I feel like I can actually say something interesting, or in case pigs start to fly, something memorable.  To me, that would be my Magnum Opus of blog posts: to say something that people would actually remember. Something worth quoting.  I do have high hopes, you know!

       People worth quoting
          1. Albert Einstein
          2. Abraham Lincoln
          3. Brendamyfrienda
          4. William Shakespeare 
(Picture a list of famous people in Wikipedia, with my name following Einstein and Lincoln. Right before Shakespeare, or maybe he can go ahead of me, what the heck!)

KNITTING
So, no magnum opus yet, but I have made great progress on the Blue Angora Feather and Fan Hat.
 It will probably end up in the Smithsonian someday, next to Lincoln's stovepipe hat.  Einstein didn't wear a hat, that I know of.  Shakespeare didn't either, as far as I know, but don't quote me on that! (ha ha, now that was witty)

SPINNING
Now what could be considered my magnum opus of spinning is the fantastic job I've done of carding my stash. Here are some progress photos that will take you down the path I've been on these last few weeks.

Final weight of all gray wool fleece, picked and carded - 1.7 lbs

Nearly full bag of gray wool picked and carded

Just started the white fleece on the left. Its roughly 6 lbs. or 3 times the size of the gray stuff!

In between picking and carding, I've spun a little here and there on my spindles.  They sure are fun.  Like bubble gum for spinners.  Tasty, sweet and not very productive. Just fun!

Butter yellow wool on my Bosworth spindle!

Bamboo roving, one cop full placed on cardboard roller

READING
I've held off mentioning the name of the paperback novel I've been reading, and for good reason.  You just never know when you endorse a book too early, then about halfway through the book there's a hum-dinger of a you-know-what-scene that would make a sailor blush.  And this endorsement may still embarrass me later, but here goes.  I've been reading a Greg Isles book called Footprints of God.  If you didn't tilt your head and blink when you read the name of the author, then you haven't read any of his books.  But this one has not disturbed me as of yet. So far, it is riveting and suspenseful, with about a PG rating. 

PERSONAL
Tomorrow we are taking a trip to the coast for a few days, to see my niece graduate from college.  Its my husband's alma mater, The University of Mobile, and the place where we met.  My niece is a very bright individual and we're very proud of her. She's lovely, but also smart, and those two should always go together in my book!