Saturday, March 22, 2008

Forced Theme

I'm one of those pesky "daily bloggers."  OK.  So I take Fridays off.  But, otherwise, I'm up and running each evening.  I like to write and I'm told I do it passably well.  So, it's a rather enjoyable mental exercise, really.

But, every once in a while, the well runs dry.  I have things I can post, but no real way to connect them in a style that is anything other than a "What I Did Over My Summer Vacation" sort of format.  I'll go there if I have to.  But, I kind of like it when things flow rather than just listing where I've been and what I've done since I don't do this particularly well.   Failing that, I can always force them to flow.  Which is probably something less than flow-y.  It's more along the lines of force-y.  But, I am easily satisfied and even more easily distracted so I'll have no doubt forgotten the forcing by the time I've left the computer to go get my evening snack.

This morning as I was heading off bright and early for my designated follicular flogging with The World's Greatest Stylist And Life Coach, I stopped off at the Convenience Store Where They Call You Honey Or Dear And You Sort Of Like It for a Mountain Dew.  The budget has been tight of late and I've been suffering along with beverages of a more generic nature.  I felt that my fiscal responsibility deserved a little reward in the form of my favorite big, green bottle of happiness.  

The clerk who was manning the counter this morning is one of the Dear-ers.  Not the one who called me Honey Bunny that time...the other one.  This is a store full of the love and it can be hard to differentiate between the various flingers of endearments.  I try to make it easy for you to follow along.

The Not Honey Bunny clerk was wearing this truly amazing dress.  I'm not a wearer of the dresses.  I can't recall the last time I had one on me.  But, hers was striking enough for me to comment.  She thanked me and told me that it was the result of a particularly fruitful trip to North Conway, New Hampshire.  This was rather odd, because I have been thinking about that general area a great deal over the last few days.  

We chatted for a moment about the amazing shopping opportunities to be found there and the spectacular scenery.  I can remember one trip where I stood in a store parking lot and gave serious thought to just staying where I was and living in the car for the rest of my days.  She shared with me the story of a recent dog-sledding weekend she'd experienced in the area.  The whole conversation made me wonder why it's been so long since I've visited...

I was a little late to my appointment with The World's Greatest Stylist.  But, she is understanding about these things.  We're cool.

Last summer, I volunteered to do an on-line interview with one of my favorite bloggers and all-around nice people.  Beth is a pretty darned talented knitter and spinner and I was really rather flattered that she'd consider me a good subject for an interview on creativity.  As a Thank You for my participation, she sent me some very, very beautiful fiber.  It is another one of those things that has been sitting in the stash for a while, just waiting for the right time to be spun.  That time came a few days ago and, oh my goodness gracious and heavens to Betsy, is this the softest stuff I've fiddled with in recent memory.  It's got yer merino, it's got yer silk, it's got yer angora...it's got my heart 'n soul!  

And fiber from another state, one that is sort of far away always seems so darned exotic, doesn't it?  I wasn't familiar with the seller, though.  After a few hours of blissful spinning, I took a minute to check the card that came with.  This glorious ball of fluffy goodness is from The Woolen Rabbit.

In Conway, New Hampshire.

It is within driving distance.  The mind reels.  Where have I been?  Did I miss the memo on this one?  How is it that it takes a gift from afar to make me realize the bounty I have in my own backyard?????

So, today's post is, apparently, a salute to our friends in beautiful Conway, New Hampshire.  We love you guys!  And your delicious fibery goodness!

We just don't always remember to say it enough...

Probably because we are too busy with the spinning...

SA

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Added to my Life List: visit Conway, NH.

Anonymous said...

Ooo, it's pretty yarn! Great job! How hard is it to spin? I haven't tried anything but merino, corriedale, or BFL yet.

sheep#100 said...

Aw, it wasn't force-y at all!

Happy Easter, Sheepie.

Knitting Linguist said...

You fiber enabler, you. I really didn't need to know about another place to get roving. Really I didn't. (And is that an Ashford you're spinning on?)

mehitabel said...

Ah, the Dew--drops of goodness! A favorite beverage of the Daughter in Residence. I haven't been to NH in a long long time (went to Keepsake back before Patternworks moved in next door) but keep meaning to go back, just cause it's so much fun to say Lake Winnepesaukee!

Leigh said...

Well, I'd say you write quite well. I always enjoy reading your blog. Can't say I've ever heard of Conway NH however.

Tania A said...

I've been to Conway. Probably because I lived in New Hamshire ... or it's not-as-nice Southern neighbor Massachusetts ... until I was 22. It's beautiful up there, almost all the time. Except bug season. But I never thought of it as being a fiber-haven.

Time to send the maternal unit on a field trip to get me yarn pretties!

Anonymous said...

Kim also has a blog if you are interested: http://thewoolenrabbit.typepad.com

missemilysmom said...

Conway.... I love North Conway... I should visit there soon to shop...
Have a Great Easter!

Anonymous said...

That didn't seem force-y at all!

I'm a little shocked that you would dare be late to an appointment with the World's Greatest Stylist and Life Coach - how does your hair look?

Anonymous said...

You are a mighty fine writer.
Again you're spinning some beautiful yarn! Kim has lovely fiber. Her blog is excellent too.

catsmum said...

see how you're educating me - I didn't know of the bounteous goodness of North Conway NH and now I want some of that merino/silk/angora-ey goodness

Anne said...

oh, dear--that's driving distance for me too. I wonder if I could manage a pre-Tour de Fleece field trip ...

The Kelly Green Rogue said...

ooooh how cool to be so close to fibery goodness! ;)

Ronni said...

You know, it'd almost be worth the risk of snow and zombies, and snow zombies to live close to some of the places in your neck of the woods. Like The Woolen Rabbit. Lovely yarns there too by the way judging by the ones I've bought online.