The countdown

Driving home from town yesterday

Only six more sleeps until I fly back to CA.  The days have been full and happy here, so I'm torn about leaving and knowing it will be fall when I return.  I don't recall if I've mentioned this before or not, but in our little corner of NM, July 4 is considered the middle of summer in many ways.  The aspens in the mountains start turning colors in September, and you can sometimes smell that crispness of fall in the air as early as late August.  I adore fall and think it's my favorite season here in the mountains.

The monsoons are trying hard to give us their blessings.  We've had a wee bit of rain, but not nearly what we should be having at this time of year.  It's just wonderful to see the clouds building over the mountain in the afternoon, hearing a bit of thunder, and smelling the few showers we have had.  It has been enough to cool down our evenings, which is delicious.  This morning it was under discussion to put the down comforter back on the bed...a good thing.

In and around other things the last few days, I've been dyeing up some wool for my next hooking project.  I guess because I've been working with such gaudy colors, the appeal of muted colors was too big to pass up.  It has been slow going, though, doing only a couple of pieces at a time, and maybe only four small pieces in a day.  I have photographed a few to share with you.  I also over dyed some plaids and checks I had hanging around, also fun.  I think I've decided that I should probably wait and not do any more until I actually have my pattern in hand...otherwise I might just get lost in dyeing up lots and lots of colors I may never use.  It's addictive, like making magic, and almost as much fun as dyeing spinning fibers.

And now...off to start packing, so I can spend some time hooking later this afternoon when I'm finished.