Great big fluffy clouds and blue sky with big beams of sunshine beaming down beckoned to us. We MUST go OUT! We thought to revisit the trails up the hill and go right instead of left. Then I remembered the neighbor who is giving us Welsh lessons mentioned a river up that way so I went over to get precise directions to it. After a discussion of walkways and how to get to the entry point the quickest the conversation veered to the fact that he'll be building an ancient Celt style boat to go down the rivers here with his brother. We will be invited over to see the building of it - bent wood frame covered by cow skin. They are oval shaped, open top and low, much more stable than the modern canoe and definitely not constricting kayak-wise. Lightweight and watertight they are carried on the back when ported on land. I asked if people still use them or did they have one before. I was told no, they 'saw it on the telly' and thought it would be fun to make. Adventures await!
Another glance out the window as I was heading out the door, suddenly I had a guide for our walk. Half an hour later we set out to see the river. We learned the proper [and extremely cool] way to walk up and over the stiles rather than straddle the fence and swing a leg over. We went up past the last entry point we used and used a public access walking route which took us thru somebody's garden. And what lovely gardens they are! Up the river we went. The higher we went up the more snow and ice we saw. Icicles hanging on low branches over the mini falls, caches of ice in the form of firey clear diamonds nestled in open treasure trunks. Creeky swings low slung over the edge of a farm's sideyard.
Suddenly I look up as we come to another stile, I stop. I squint and walk up to the fence. I turn to Kiddo a bit behind me and ask her if THAT IS WHAT I THINK IT IS!!!! And it was. Wool On the Fence. Wool On the Fence *insert happy dance here* Wool On the Fence! Finally! Before us, what so many had mentioned.. ooh here in Wales we have wool on all the fences! As it turns out, we just had to know which footpaths passed the right fences. One took us into a field, there was a flock of sheep to the side. I was enjoying the scenery and stuffing highly compressed balls of wool that were coaxed off of fences by Kiddo. I am happy to announce I found the perfect HikingColdButt cure. Looks silly as can be as you stuff wool back there but keeps you nice and warm. We were shown the entry point for a six mile park of walks that were built by one of the local barons. The paths are marked with colored shale. Can't wait to explore!
Home again, wool came out of the pockets, coffee made and soup for dinner put on then I sat down to meet the fence wool. Kiddo said ooh, it's recycling!! I pondered that for a moment then said no, we get the wool before any cycling starts. No machines involved. Sheep is fluffy, brushes against the fence or nettles or brambles and the wool pulls. We gather it, spin it, create with it in a very non machiney way. No, not recycling, Kiddo, it's PREcycling. I picked out a couple balls of the cleanest looking stuff, fluffed, floofed and spun a single in the grease. Amazing the twist that it can take when fine and a touch thicker, much less needed. The lanolin makes the fibers behave beautifully. Two plied on itself I knit up a small cabled swatch then washed it to see that magical bloom. Photos of that tomorrow along with photos from tomorrow's return to the fleecy fences. We'll make our way back to the river again. I'd love to shoot the ice crystals before they melt. Snow is forecasted, who knows what tomorrow will bring.
Final words of wisdom from a native ~ There is no bad weather, only bad clothes.
Great big fluffy clouds and blue sky with big beams of sunshine beaming down beckoned to us. We MUST go OUT! We thought to revisit the trails up the hill and go right instead of left. Then I remembered the neighbor who is giving us Welsh lessons mentioned a river up that way so I went over to get precise directions to it. After a discussion of walkways and how to get to the entry point the quickest the conversation veered to the fact that he'll be building an ancient Celt style boat to go down the rivers here with his brother. We will be invited over to see the building of it - bent wood frame covered by cow skin. They are oval shaped, open top and low, much more stable than the modern canoe and definitely not constricting kayak-wise. Lightweight and watertight they are carried on the back when ported on land. I asked if people still use them or did they have one before. I was told no, they 'saw it on the telly' and thought it would be fun to make. Adventures await!
Another glance out the window as I was heading out the door, suddenly I had a guide for our walk. Half an hour later we set out to see the river. We learned the proper [and extremely cool] way to walk up and over the stiles rather than straddle the fence and swing a leg over. We went up past the last entry point we used and used a public access walking route which took us thru somebody's garden. And what lovely gardens they are! Up the river we went. The higher we went up the more snow and ice we saw. Icicles hanging on low branches over the mini falls, caches of ice in the form of firey clear diamonds nestled in open treasure trunks. Creeky swings low slung over the edge of a farm's sideyard.
Suddenly I look up as we come to another stile, I stop. I squint and walk up to the fence. I turn to Kiddo a bit behind me and ask her if THAT IS WHAT I THINK IT IS!!!! And it was. Wool On the Fence. Wool On the Fence *insert happy dance here* Wool On the Fence! Finally! Before us, what so many had mentioned.. ooh here in Wales we have wool on all the fences! As it turns out, we just had to know which footpaths passed the right fences. One took us into a field, there was a flock of sheep to the side. I was enjoying the scenery and stuffing highly compressed balls of wool that were coaxed off of fences by Kiddo. I am happy to announce I found the perfect HikingColdButt cure. Looks silly as can be as you stuff wool back there but keeps you nice and warm. We were shown the entry point for a six mile park of walks that were built by one of the local barons. The paths are marked with colored shale. Can't wait to explore!
Home again, wool came out of the pockets, coffee made and soup for dinner put on then I sat down to meet the fence wool. Kiddo said ooh, it's recycling!! I pondered that for a moment then said no, we get the wool before any cycling starts. No machines involved. Sheep is fluffy, brushes against the fence or nettles or brambles and the wool pulls. We gather it, spin it, create with it in a very non machiney way. No, not recycling, Kiddo, it's PREcycling. I picked out a couple balls of the cleanest looking stuff, fluffed, floofed and spun a single in the grease. Amazing the twist that it can take when fine and a touch thicker, much less needed. The lanolin makes the fibers behave beautifully. Two plied on itself I knit up a small cabled swatch then washed it to see that magical bloom. Photos of that tomorrow along with photos from tomorrow's return to the fleecy fences. We'll make our way back to the river again. I'd love to shoot the ice crystals before they melt. Snow is forecasted, who knows what tomorrow will bring. 
Final words of wisdom from a native ~ There is no bad weather, only bad clothes.
You're living in Wales now?! Where sheep leave you spinnable wool on the fences?
ReplyDeleteJealous. I want to live in Wales, with sheep within walking distance.
Yeah, living in Wales currently. Magical day and (spinnable yes) WOOL ON THE FENCE! Now that the fluff source has been located we'll start on natural dyeing using local plants. Fun stuff :)
ReplyDelete