Fran yes! The vice is a thing of beauty. It will be even more beauteous once I can spare the time to see to it.

I have had a bit of a varied week last week. Monday I headed to Hobart in the hopes of seeing an exhibition at the Art School, but as it was a Public Holiday the school was closed and so too was the exhibition. Fortunately the parking meters were also closed and as it was a nice sunny day I took advantage of the chance to have a bit of a relax and wander (instead of my usual frenzied approach to Hobart). It was a glorious day as you can see.

I comprehensively failed to share my calamari rings and chips with this poor bewildered juvenile (stormy petrel?) on the principle that I do not encourage youths to develop bad habits.

Tuesday was my day off from the History Room as well, so I had a day of carrying stuff out to the shed and reorganising the inside and did much the same on Wednesday. It was nice to have a week off cleaning the bank - no obligation to go out in the evening etc, but when I did finally return to the bank on Wednesday it was rather early as I had expected there to be a gathering at Diana's but there wasn't. So I parked down by the lake and played on the computer till six. The Mill is illuminated at night, and after several attempts I managed to get an image that was not too grainy (sorry about the implied pun).

The autumn colours are starting to emerge in a major way and further fecundity in the orchard is producing apples faster than I can use them. I do have a plan to slice and dry them  but it remains to be seen if it happens.

The medlar has also been remarkably productive this year, though not enough to bother making jelly. By the end of the reduction process I would end up with a teaspoon full, so will pick them once Wednesday is past and give them to someone with a more productive tree (and kitchen).





The colours on their leaves and of the fruit themselves is gorgeous as it is every year, and have inspired me to attempt to reproduce them in dyes. So I have bought some colours to add to the ones I already have and dug out a partial length of corriedale top to play with.

Knitting wise I have finished the beanie I designed for the bloke who gave me the Ryeland fleece. The blue and white are the first attempt at 'woollen style' spinning in the Ryeland, the black is a FinnxEnglish LeicesterxMerino fleece and the brown (which is invisible in this image) is moorit. The green background is the merino fleece I dyed ages ago when first experimenting, plyed with some Ashford merino/baby alpaca crepe style. I love the fleckiness! I don't love the poor execution of the beanie, but i have posted it off anyway.

And I am presently working on a pair of socks - the current one is presently 8 inches long, so another inch and I can start turning the heel. This is the tops blended with nylon that I obtained at the Spin In and which I have since spun to end up fingering weight once plyed.

Another load of wood turned up on my doorstep the other day so  I am well prepared for Wednesday when, by my forecast, we will see some snow. With minus 2 forecast overnight and a maximum of 8 combined with precipitation I reckon it is a pretty safe bet and that will start the bletting process for the medlars - hence my plan to pick on Thursday (or Friday as I hope to get to the Guild on Thursday).