November 12, 2007
Whuffle, Whuffle, Whuffle
You know how, on TV nature specials, they show bears starting to wake from hibernation and how they uncurl and stretch from the cramped, curled position they’ve held for three months and eventually they poke their noses out of the cave and whuffle the air? Well, that’s me right now; I’m a whuffling bear. You can't see me but I'm waving my large, leathery, liver-brown nose around in the air to see if I’m fully prepared to reengage with the world yet.
While I won’t go into any details, suffice it to say, relationships: Sometimes, not all they’re cracked up to be. Friends, family, relatives, knitting buddies: Everything they’re cracked up to be. And more. So much more. Chicken soup made for you by caring friends: Elixir of the gods. But things are improving on all fronts and, at the very least, I’m up to blogging a bit.
Because I’ve been feeling so very bloo, I asked my good friend MaryB if she could find a way to entertain and distract me last Saturday. And, boy howdy, did she come through with a vengeance! She and some other local knitters who are retired or who work part-time—and most of whom I know—meet every Friday for a knitting klatch and the group recently decided to get together on Saturday for a “dye day.” MaryB invited me to join in the fun, and the day couldn’t have been more perfect, more distracting, more engrossing. The hostess provided an abundance of working surfaces and tools and dyes and pots and heat sources, and many of the women were experienced dyers who were willing to help the neophytes like Yours Truly, so we had all the elements we needed for a big, successful, companionable dyeing bash. I didn’t take a lot of pictures but here’s what I got.
The unique view of West Seattle and the Seattle container port from the lovely house where the event was held. This picture doesn’t even come close to doing the view justice:
One of the work tables, covered in plastic sheeting, dyes, tongs, thermometers, paper towels, bowls, scissors, vinegar, detergent and only three of the many large slow cookers—plus a multitude of other pots and pans—that we kept busy all day. This should give you a sense of just how free-wheeling and shoot-from-the-hip the event was. Anything went! (What you can't see, though, is that the host and hostesses own canaries so we were serenaded all day by the most ethereal and sweet birdsong. And then there was the large, friendly doberman who participated in the dyeing process by wandering around and leaning heavily and hopefully on anyone who stood still for even a fraction of a second.)
MaryB’s emerald-to-forest green success, destined for a shawl:
One of the things I learned was how to use less water (and even dry dye powder) in the dyeing process. In fact, most of the roving and yarn we used wasn’t even soaked beforehand. While this isn’t one of my efforts (stupidly, those were the things I forgot to photograph), it still shows how little water there is in the pot. The roving was slowly pushed in until eventually it was soaked through but there was still only enough water to barely cover the top:
Some astoundingly beautiful salmon pink roving, with colors ranging from a blush pink to a dark coral. Yummy!
Here, a similar but pinker salmon yarn:
Our reward after a day of fun, a salad potluck which accompanied a remarkably delicious fish chowder made by the hostess:
Thank you, MaryB and everyone else, for making room for this whuffly bear.
Posted by Ryan at November 12, 2007 10:22 AMGlad to see you back. You have been missed. Are you going to the fairgrounds this coming weekend?
Posted by: picadrienne on November 12, 2007 11:38 AMAw man. Sorry about whatever that other stuff was. Hooray for whuffling! (I just hope you didn't do it in the steam, or youda knocked yourself out.)
So, do you NOT want to see pictures of graffiti all over my neighborhood that says TMK? I thought maybe you two were on a stealth vacation in my neck of the woods, marking your favorite things. Like the back of the drive-in, and the neighbor's wall.
Sorry you're so blue but I'm glad you have a network of friends who help you.
Posted by: Donna in VA on November 12, 2007 11:51 AMSaturday WAS a Good Day to Dye, no? I'm so psyched about my green-shawl-to-be I can hardly stand it. Still have yarn to knit from the previous Good Day to Dye party, though...sigh. I heartily encourage any of the Mossy Cottage faithful to consider taking a dye class or getting together to dye with friends -- it's a real blast. Having ownership of the colors is exciting! Ryan, thanks for coming -- I know you had a blast! Hugs, hugs, hugs, MaryB
Posted by: MaryB on November 12, 2007 11:59 AMPost a picture of TMK with today's newspaper in front of her face or we're going to think you broke up. And if you did, then don't, and then we'll know and you won't have to tell us.
Posted by: Jenn on November 12, 2007 12:05 PMBut, Jenn, since you've never seen TMK's face, how will you know it's HER behind the newspaper? I could just grab any old schmo off the street. (Wink!)
Posted by: Ryan on November 12, 2007 12:16 PMRyan, you've been missed. Glad to have you back!
Posted by: Bonney on November 12, 2007 12:40 PMBecause knitters don't lie. Gauge lies all the time, but the knitter? No.
Anyway, don't want to pry. Just hoping you're feeling better.
Posted by: Jenn on November 12, 2007 12:41 PMOh, Ryan. (hugs) For whatever ails you.
Posted by: Bether on November 12, 2007 12:43 PMGlad to see you back and hope things are getting better.
The dye party looks like fun. I always have fun when I'm messing around in my horribly small kitchen, so it must be a lot more fun to have the run of a larger space (and friends to enjoy it with).
Posted by: Seanna Lea on November 12, 2007 01:42 PMCool job Mon Cheri - does this mean I no longer have to drag mein heini to mein computer to blog the day myself? Wheeeeeee.
Posted by: Linda "K" on November 12, 2007 02:13 PMQuite literally wishing you well...fingers crossed, pennies in a fountain, the whole sha-bang!
Posted by: marylee on November 12, 2007 04:19 PMThere's nothing like wonderful soup and the company of good women to lift a person's spirits. Glad you're back, Ryan, I missed your particular brand of wacky.
Posted by: Barbara on November 12, 2007 04:34 PMSounds like it was a great day! What a lot of gorgeous yarn. Makes me wanna break out the Kool-Aid!
Hope things are getting better - ((((hugs)))) - and I love the word "whuffle." :)
Posted by: jules on November 12, 2007 04:36 PMWow, you got soup twice?
Okay, you're reallllly glad I didn't send you fish chowder. If you think the chicken stuff would be rancid, boy howdy, that's nuthin' compared to week-old chowdah in a mailbag...
Love, love, love. And a little more of same.
Posted by: Lee Ann on November 12, 2007 04:45 PMI've been worried about you.
Hang in there--whatever's happening.
Hugs!
Posted by: Janknitz on November 12, 2007 05:22 PMHey - we've missed ya, but glad that you're at the Whufflin' stage.... next we want to get you to the Grizzling stage, OK? Scare them nasties away!
Irina
Posted by: Irina on November 12, 2007 07:19 PMFrankly, m'dear,...you had a kick-ass-fun day and I'M SO JEALOUS!!! What sweet, good friends, what a great luncheon spread, and what great fun to simply mess about with color. What more could heaven want?
Posted by: Gail on November 12, 2007 09:52 PMI'm a vegetarian, so I can't promise chicken soup, but I make a pretty mean veggie soup with lots of garlic to keep the life-sucking vampires away! Keep whuffling along the best you can... We're here for you.
Posted by: Kristen on November 12, 2007 11:14 PMPretty food and pretty yarn are good for whuffling bears. Take care of yourself.
Posted by: CarolineF on November 13, 2007 09:07 AMWhen are you coming back to Sat knitting (assuming of course you even like us anymore). There is no way TMK has been working on that same bundle of roving since Sept! :-)
I hope all is well or at least moving in that direction.
Glad to see you have pack of friends to hold you up when you don't feel like gettin' up.
Missed you on my Saturday gathering but I'm glad you got distracted and felt loved and supported!
Been wanting to thank you for something in person but I haven't seen you.
Hope to see you soon!
This may sound mushy and sentimental (which I am a terribly sentimental person) I care about you and have been thinkin' 'bout 'ya!
Posted by: Naomi on November 13, 2007 12:27 PMIt's safe to come out, whuffling bear. The weather is still warmish and there's lots of friends around!
Posted by: Tee on November 13, 2007 03:36 PMGlad to see you back. I was beginning to worry that maybe you had gone to visit someone in the hospital and they tied you to a bed thinking you had some horrible disease. You know, some form of a vicious fruit disease, what with your strawberry smelling nose and banana smelling pits :) (I do hope you remember the post/comment I'm referring to here) A dying day and a salad pot luck sound wonderful! Glad you had a great time and here's to many more wonderful, friend filled days!!!
Posted by: Weaver on November 13, 2007 05:40 PMGlad to hear from you Ryan! I love your quirky, entertaining and educational posts (everytime I sniff conditioner I will remember the fart bubble). Hope that more people come and kidnap you to help your forget about being blooo. I'm terrible at making soup but if you think of anything else us blogglanders can do for ya, let us know.
Posted by: Meghan on November 14, 2007 07:53 AMwhuffly is the perfect word. i hope you are doing better!
Posted by: marti on November 14, 2007 12:42 PMSo, this 'dye' virgin (but curious) wants to know, why use less water, other than the, oh, so obvious, it does not take as long to dry?
Hope you are ok.
Posted by: picadrienne on November 14, 2007 02:53 PMDang! You were in my neck of the woods! Though I have to admit I don't seem to have the hang of dyeing ;)
Glad to see you're back to blogging. Sorry life has been a bit rough and tumble lately.
Please know if you need anything you can give me a holler...I know you have lots of support and people you know WAY better but I still appreciate your votes of confidence a couple of years ago...it meant a lot...
Posted by: Carry on November 14, 2007 03:40 PMAnd cracking up is also all it's cracked up to be, which is what I did when MaryB offered the proper name of the event: A Good Day to Dye. You know I love me some puns, and that's a corker.
Posted by: Cuzzin Tom on November 15, 2007 03:55 AM