Although I am allergic to many pine trees, which is why I no longer have a live Christmas tree, I have always wanted a Norfolk Pine as a house plant. I saw them for years in Arizona looking ever so gracious and at the holidays, often reminding me of a Charlie Brown Christmas tree! They were so beautiful in the country decorating magazines I used to peruse. I just couldn't find any to buy....except for one costing $100.
This past weekend we finished up our Christmas shopping and there was a display of Norfolk Pines, including little guys like this one for $4.95. Now, that's more like my tree budget.
During my last decade in Arizona I learned to spin and to weave. I'll have to go to my cousin's over the Four Way to see if she'll let me take a picture of her grandmother's spinning wheel that was the impetus for me wanting to learn to spin since I could remember. Her grandmother was my step-great grandmother and lived next door until the State of Pennsylvania decided to build part of a divided highway through my hill and taking Becky's house along with six others.
The last years I was in Arizona I'd demo spin at the Willcox Apple Festival. The last three years Greta the Sunizona, AZ ceramic painting teacher was at a table across from us (often it was a threesome spinning -- Layl and Tina and me). Greta always had sheep among her display. The sheep in this picture was from her grouping one year. With my penchant for sheep, I had to buy this one that reminds me so much of my Cleo, one of my first three sheep when I was 5.
And the salesman snowman? He was a present from Tiffany one Christmas when we both worked at the Arizona Range News. Neither of us knew when we might get back to snow country. I had to return before she did.
2 comments:
I rember those pine trees were popular this time of year when worked in flower shop. Take care of it and it will become a big one.
Do not want to go to Four Corners till the snow and ice is gone (having it up there yesterday).
Spin and weaving are good to know. Can never have enough skills to use and to teach is to pass on something special
Nancy - those years at apple festival were indeed great fun, esp setting up the night before, seeing who won ribbons in the craft contest (sometimes it was us 3), and then having 2 whole days to do nothing but enjoy the Christmas music, spinning and each other. Not being the passionate knitter that Nancy is, i am friends w/my loom and in fact just took off the 2nd shawl for 2007 - mostly white with 3 stripes - wide pale taupe, med black and then further along the shawl length one more slender black stripe for 'mystery' ("why did she do that?"). currently spinning a lofty grey/white jacob for perhaps a wedding shawl for a friend. Yarn Vixen
Post a Comment