I've actually been engaging in some fiber work lately! I've been working on the Siberian Winter shawl, and I'm almost at the halfway point (of the center square, that is!). Pictures of that soon. I've also been doing a little spinning on my book charkha, and it surprises me how much my hands remember. A couple of years ago I was fortunate enough to take two charkha workshops with Eileen Hallman of New World Textiles. I was astonished at her skill with the charkha, as well as her teaching ability. Cotton spinning on a charkha still surprises me - when it's going right, it just flows so smoothly.

Last Sunday we took the kids (including an extra, a friend of DD's) to Ruggles Mine. It was quite a drive, but it was worth it. I remembered to charge the camera battery this time, and there are some pictures in a Picturetrail album. Ruggles Mine is a huge, open-air mineral mine. It is no longer actively mined, but you can take a self-guided tour (complete with hammer) and collect rocks. The kids had a lot of fun with that hammer!