I’m Still on the Planet
Yep, still here.
Four weeks ago we left to go on a family vacation, west to Montana and Alberta. It was a good trip …
I got a little work done while we drove through South Dakota. (Yes, those are new designs.)
We zipped passed the Badlands.
And soon we were seeing glimpses of the Rockies.
So beautiful.
And those clouds were full of snow – I know I drove through it!
We did a little relaxing, we did a little hiking.
The weather was cool, even had snow over the next ridge,
but the spring wildflowers were bright and beautiful.
After a week of play in Montana we drove north to Alberta.
for my Dad’s 85th birthday party.
And here we are – Dad and his eight surviving children (eight of ten).
(A big thank you to my niece, Rachel for her beautiful family shots. Wingtips Photography)
And the larger clan: Dad, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and spouses.
It was such a rare treat to be all together.
Great grandchildren got to climb trees and get to know each other.
We cooked together, we ate together and we cleaned up together
And we relaxed and visited and played – in my “home and native land!”
And then we headed south again…for a few days with my children and grandchildren
We stopped to play at Writing on Stone Provincial Park in Alberta.
We, 9 adults and 10 children ages 2-8, climbed Mount Helena
It was a warmer day 🙂
We hiked, we played in the woods –
and what could be better than playing in a mountain stream with all of your cousins!
It was so good to hang out together.
Me and my girls.
We all had so much fun –
until I got a virus, which turned into pneumonia. We had several more days of activities planned, but needless to say, I was not involved. We drove home slowly – I slept and slept and slept. It was good to get home.
And this is why my two week blogging break became three and then four weeks… but I am happy to say I am catching my breath, recovering my voice and napping less each day.
Despite pneumonia, it was a special vacation –
a wonderful time with people I love dearly in the most beautiful place.
Next week I hope to report on my time with the West Tennessee Basket Guild. I have two more events in June – I’ll tell you all about them – and then it is time for me to slow down. My goal is to get my event travel down to 6- 8 times a year. The plan is more time to blog and weave, more time with family and more down time.
thanks for reading the Basket Teacher
Dear Annette, I do not know you and will probably never meet you, but I so enjoy your blog and your tutorials. I am a novice weaver – actually I wove for about four years and learned initially under South Carolina weaver Pati English. I have been away from it for more than a year now and almost feel frightened to begin again. I am one of those perfectionists who has trouble even starting if I fear the shape may not be perfect. I plan to try to dye some of my own reed this summer – to try to learn to master that so my work can have more color. I will be using your dyeing tutorials for sure – they are the most complete I have read.
Thank you for sharing your adventures as well as your weaving. You obviously experienced a very moving time with your family and took it all in at a deeper level than you may have realized initially – I am happy to hear you are o the mend and taking time to rest properly. Remember to be gentle with yourself a bit – I think we often forget to do that for ourselves. I thank you again for all that you share – I plan to keep reading and hope to eventually order a kit once I get back up to speed. You have beautiful designs. Be well and happy – always.
Thank you Susie. I appreciate your kind words.
Patti is a wonderful teacher, so I know you had a good start. Time spent weaving is the best investment for developing and fine tuning skills. I hope you share your dyeing and weaving adventures with me. Basket weaving is as much about the community as the art and development of skills.
So so sorry to hear about your sister… it is never easy. Keeping you in my prayers and will see you at Weavin’Winona.
Yu were in m country. The badlands are not far from where I call home. Gland to here you are doing better. Love your blog. Nancy