Our September weavers gathering was a hot sunny day at Anne Marie’s  country home.  It is fun to travel these winding roads and see the homesteads tucked back into the hills where gardens are bountiful, children are raised and life just happens.  After driving these back roads not so far from my own house I am not sure how Anne Marie and her husband ever manage to leave in the winter months.  It makes my steep driveway seem lots less intimidating. And that is good as I am writing this just a few days before our next weavers gathering ( what can I say I procrastinate); summer is gone and fall has been mostly wet and cloudy so far.  I can feel  winter just peeking around the door and waiting for her entrance.  I must smell all the smells and absorb all of the color before the land is laid to rest.  One last filling of the hummingbird feeder to help the travelers on their journey and a few last hardy flowers left to pick.  Glad to throw those tomato plants to compost.  I wait all summer for their bounty, get just enough for a couple of BLT’s and then they seem to wither and die well before I am ready for them to do so, making the farmers market the most welcome back up to being a crappy gardener.

Our visit with Anne Marie was a most welcome respite from a busy time preparing for the Driftless Area Art Festival. It was so nice to sit outside and share our knitting and weaving projects with a cool glass of lemonade.

I was so impressed with the lovely artwork and pottery that is a natural blend with Anne Marie’s old farmhouse.  Apparently her husband Will is as talented of a potter and painter as Anne Marie is at spinning, knitting and cooking with heart.  Altogether another inspiring visit that will be a good memory to pull out when I need some warm; bees buzzing about, wind in the grass, sounds of combines at harvest, thoughts to get me through the colder months ahead.

geese

my pinwheel and deflected doubleweave scarves made with alpaca/silk

wool and lemonade

sheep in the shade

not slapping each other, just admiring Sonya’s scarf

my tencel and silk undulating twill scarves

Anne Marie modeling Barb B’s lovely cabled sweater and a camisole knit by Anne Marie

good food and lovely plates made by Will

great pottery work area on the porch and a sample of Will’s work