"A dish pan of spaghetti? Why did you make spaghetti at this hour? Why is it in the dish pan?" That's what sleepy Steve asked me very early this morning when he ventured out to the kitchen for his first cup of coffee. No it's not spaghetti, of course it's wool. I finished spinning this yesterday and set it in the water to soak and eventually hang out to dry. I foolishly also set a skein of a mohair blend that is a lovely earthtone color. It never occurred to me that it might bleed. This skein was as pure white as the driven snow. It now has a distinctive tea stain color to it. I still have more of it to spin so I guess I will just dye it all a dark color, perhaps a purple or blue and live with it.

I'm attempting to clean up the odd bits and pieces that I still have in my stash. I purchased the fiber above at Rhinebeck two years ago. I don't remember if it's Icelandic or Polworth. I know it's different that what I usually spin. I like it, it's just feels different.

I have fleeces that I want to wash and set out to dry. The problem that I discovered yesterday is that I can't put anything out on the drying rack on the deck as I normally do, because, THEY'RE BACK!

The blasted Gypsy moth caterpillars are out. Millions of them. Tiny little 1/2 inch long critters crawling over EVERYTHING outside. Steve and I stood out on the deck yesterday discussing the location of the shed and such. I didn't realize the buggers were on the deck. I came in the house and they were on my arms, in my hair, on my feet. They crawled onto the chair, the bathroom counter, every where! Last year they were very bad here. It was unnerving to go outside and actually hear them munching on the leaves.

I hope the trees survive this year. Last year some of the neighbor's trees didn't make it. We are one of the few houses on this street that still has a wooded area in front. Our yuppies neighbors have been cutting everything down. Why would someone move to a rural wooded area and then proceed to cut down all of the trees? I love our trees. They provide us with privacy from the street, shade, and a wind block in the winter.

I haven't decided yet if I'm going to the NH Sheep and Wool show. Last year our knitting group filled up a B&B and we all spent the weekend. This year, some of the group have other commitments or family things to do. They are going to make a run up there (leaving CT about 5:00am) and just staying for the day.

I didn't buy anything at the CT show this year. I noticed that I have changed since we became fiber retailers. With the hundreds of skeins and bags of roving sitting in the next room, I seem to have lost interest in buying anything for myself. I think I'm on fiber overload. I have to find something that is extraordinary before I will purchase it for myself. Although I would like to buy some roving for myself. But.....I'm trying to clear out the stash. It's a vicious cycle.

I'm feeling a bit melancholy today. Today would have been my father's 91st birthday. He just past away on April 1st this year.

I'd best keep busy today to keep my mind off of it.