Sunday, February 19, 2017

Grateful To Live on Higher Ground

Welcome to Northern California where when we say rain we mean it!

This is a view of the Sacramento River yesterday as I flew down our mountain to pick up a few items. Look closely to the left yes  that is a mobile park and yes the water is encroaching on the cabins and mobiles currently living there.  Below is another view and I wish I could have stopped on the bridge for a better shot  but there were others behind me. However it gives you an idea of how it is moving .


But when I got further down the road I was greeted by this pastoral vision. Reminding me that there is beauty even in the middle of potential disaster and also one always needs to make choices . Yesterday I choose Anderson via Cottonwood. I am a wimp I couldn't decide so stopped at both little towns.
I have pretty much been hanging out at home the last few days and will continue until Wednesday which is my girls day out. I have quilting in the morning and an evening at The Shed which was featured in my blog entry a bit ago http://walnetto-farm.blogspot.com/2017/02/mish-mass.html
In fact I was there last Wednesday but was spinning up a storm (no pun intended) and didn't get any photos. Promise more this time. 

Then there is the loom thing. Some of you may remember this post http://walnetto-farm.blogspot.com/2016/09/pardon-me-do-you-weave-part-one.html  Well I am still working on the Hammett floor loom to this day. It has taken some detective work and such to find out exactly what is needed to make her weave. Besides me the weaver. The mystery to this loom is the age (something older than me ahha!) she rolled off the line in 1946 with that said has had multiple owners  lives that is . And as happens over time some will be purist and some will try to build a better mousetrap loom. This dear loom had holes and missing pieces that she accrued along the journey. I am hopeful that I will have the last piece to my puzzle done soon. The "black hole" you are looking at below should be adjusted to look like the photo to the right with a proper bolt , bushing and nut.  

                   

Took me bit to find a fellow weaver on my weaving group online that has the original set up as I do. There were several folks who have the same loom and year of production but their looms had been tweeked along the way by someone. There was a positive side to this loom being in my friend's storage area from 1969 to 2016 it kept it from anymore rearranging of original parts.  And I need to attach the spring to the warp beam release treadle aka brake that is attached to the pawl that keeps the warp beam from moving while one is weaving. In laymen's terms it keeps the warp on the loom from advancing forward while one is weaving.

With all this said I have high hopes to have a warp on by the end of March and will then do two things. Begin my rug weaving endeavors and add part two of my walk down how to weave on a floor loom for you all.

With the advent of Spring also springs forth finishing my greenhouse. Until I change it after this post the greenhouse has been living only as a feature post on this blog http://walnetto-farm.blogspot.com/2016/09/the-growing-green-house.html. Again delayed by rain and wind. All ready to roll except for the attachment of the plastic. I have missed my planned winter of puttering in it growing winter salad fixin's but to everything there is a season. I will be glad to see it done and get growing!



7 Comments:

At February 20, 2017 at 3:46 AM , Blogger Leigh said...

That's some great detective work for the loom! Glad to hear it's being successful.

And the rain! Making up for lost time, I suppose. I agree about being on higher ground!

 
At February 20, 2017 at 9:26 AM , Blogger Goatldi said...

Right on Leigh. The loom issues have pretty much lead to dead ends. Finding things and beating head on wall as leads evaporated before my eyes. The weaving community is a friendly one so it was just a matter of time. Rain and strong winds today popping over to the cattle ranch to see what Janet is up to on her loom.

 
At February 21, 2017 at 9:50 AM , Blogger Rain said...

You know, when I think of California, I think of sun, I guess that is just ignorance of climate on my part! Up in the mountains here in Canada, we don't get floods luckily. Our bane is just the cold, snowy winters, which I cannot complain about!! I just looked at your link to your friend Judy's studio. The looms and the beautiful things you all create, I'm jealous!!! Everything is so pretty, what a great skill to have, I think I may add that to my future list of skills as well!

 
At February 21, 2017 at 9:56 AM , Blogger Rain said...

Oh I also just looked at your greenhouse post. I'm excited to see the evolution of the greenhouse and your winter gardening. That's one thing I'll be building asap when we buy our property because my goal in life is to leave the house as little as possible for one, and also to have fresh, home-grown organic veggies all year long. Can't wait to read more!! :)

 
At February 21, 2017 at 12:58 PM , Blogger Goatldi said...

Rain thanks for the visit (s)! I think most folks often think people in California wear shorts year round share sidewalks with movie stars daily and live at the ocean or Disneyland.

Most folks have no idea the physical size of this state. Understandable since a great deal of the US population live in states so small it is nothing to cover multiple areas in a few hours. Here you can drive all day and still be in California.

We have as diverse climate as we do population. With that said I live in the most southern tip of the Cascade range go a bit further and you fine yourself in the north end of the Sierra Nevada range. I can be at the Oregon border in a couple of hours and our farm elevation is pretty much 1000 ft. so we don't flood either. Which I am thankful for.

I am looking forward to watching you grow in homesteading it is such a treat to see folks get started. My best advice is the same I give folks who are getting into goats. Start small tackle a project at a time. If you jump in too deep too fast you will burn out.

You have time to get it all done in its season. Have a wonder filled day!

 
At February 22, 2017 at 9:50 AM , Blogger Rain said...

Thanks so much for your encouragement! :) Your area sounds just lovely, location is the most important element for me so when we're ready to buy, we're really going to take our time. I'm using the next few years to learn what I can. It's pretty exciting. And I can't wait to see how your greenhouse works for you!

 
At February 24, 2017 at 12:38 PM , Blogger Goatldi said...

You are welcome Rain and when you find your Paradise you will know. Like so many other things in life what is most important is seen by the heart. Apologizes to Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Me too on the greenhouse getting itchy!

 

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