Captain’s Log - Summer colds. Some aren’t.

Whhyyyyyyyy does this happen when it’s least convenient? I’ve come down with germs. Somewhere between Sante Fe, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, and Las Vegas, I touched something covered in something my stellar immune system has never seen.

I haven’t breathed through my nose in two days.

And you know how well your brain works in the toxic soup created when you’re not sure it’s a cold or allergies. Let’s take one of these for allergies. And then you still can’t breathe, so you try the Sudafed. An hour later, you’re so desperate you’re into the Dayquil. And then the witch doctor sister is making you some tea that you probably should have started with.

It’s going to be 108 degrees in Vegas today, but I’m headed home and will ease into our high of 92. Sloanie says the bunnies have been fine while I’ve been gone, but she’s kept them shut in with the A/C running in the bunny hut.

I cannot wait to get home. One of the most amazing parts of this trip happened by accident – as the best things always do. The New Mexico delegation took us all on a tour of the burn scar left by the Hermits Creek Fire in 2022 and out through the pueblos to a beautiful sanctuary tucked in a canyon north of Santa Fe a bit. 

 This part of the world is home to families of fiber artists who have their own fiber shops scattered along the rural roads where you can stop and meet them and watch them running their looms and buy the most beautiful blankets and scarves and whatnot. Who knew???  

I had to backtrack the day I left to a little town where there was a Fiber Art Center and look at the looms and the fiber, and meet the ladies who that day were taking a basket weaving class. I got to see the original Churro wool from the Churro sheep, a heritage animal and the producer of the fiber used in the original Navajo blankets. I bought some yarn spun from it, thick and rough and hand dyed. And I bought some other fiber roving to spin – something to try other than the silky angora I’ve learned to spin - Romney, and a mystery wool that is hand-dyed deep purple.

Getting home to see the bunnies and the Great Dane will be really good, but mostly, I’m excited to try out these new fibers on the spinning wheel.

So I’ll finish up and get on the road, but still be right here… 

…Keeping you Posted. 

Rach