Shades of Nature

Shady Grove Farm is the home of my fiber and art venture “Shades of Nature”. This past year it has also become the home of a growing collection of fiber producing animals. Shown here is Alfonso, my only suri alpaca. The rest of the gang are huacaya. Boo has gorgeous, crimpy white wool that will be perfect for natural dyeing. Chicopee is black and Antonio and Catawissa are shades of caramel. I am anxious for shearing time to arrive! Be sure to check back in June for pictures of Catawissa’s first cria (baby alpaca).

The other fiber producers on the farm are my two angora rabbits. Baltasar’s wool is creamy white tipped with champagne and Blimunda’s is a beautiful silver and gray. Their fiber is so soft, it feels like spinning clouds!

This past year I was able to expand my fledgling organic natural dye garden and I have great ideas for 2008. Woad, weld, yarrow, dock, coreopsis and madder are some of the dye plants that survived the drought conditions last summer. The snow is still falling but the seed catalogs have arrived and plans are underway for this year’s garden beds.

I have been busy in my farmhouse studios as well. The loom room has been a productive place. I’ve been weaving pillows, blankets, table runners, placemats and scarves. The spinning wheel has been occupied with targhee, Shetland and my angora. The dye lab has an indigo vat bubbling in the corner and a huge new metal sink for felting. Check out the Art page to see what I’ve been doing in the painting studio.

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