Enlightened Pet Owner Very Surprised

This has been an amazing discovery! My beautiful 10-month old Keeshond puppy, Carmen Ruttkay, was being stubbornly difficult to train. She is very smart, and gorgeous is not enough to describe her sweet face and luxurious coat. But when I would attempt to walk her she pulled on the lead till my arms ached from trying to hold her back. Now touching the scale at more than 30 lbs, I knew something had to change. I took her to the pet store and read on the back of a halter (as opposed to a collar) that some dogs bred for pulling (like huskies who pull dog sleds though snow) just naturally "pull" when their collar strains a certain place on their necks. Whoa!! Keeshonds are originally from the Netherlands and were originally bred to pull barges along the canals. I thought it way too easy to simply swap her collar and change a total behavior pattern, but definitely worth a $24 try. My Carmen was Immediately a different puppy when the halter replaced the collar. She walked cheerfully alongside me -- nary a pull in sight. This morning, after both of us had a good night's rest, we headed out for our daily walk. There was absolutely NO pulling of any sort. She walked right beside me, adapting her pace to mine, looking up approvingly and appreciatively as we enjoyed the crisp beauty of fall. Maybe dog breeders knew this secret all along, but for me it was a discovery of Einstein proportions! Anyone else have this experience?

The Castle Is Ready!

The Castle Sweaters site (known more officially as svetre zo zamku) is up and functioning! We are also on Facebook. Please LIKE us and tell all your friends!!! The love of your life would be thrilled beyond words to get a beautiful, hand knit, uniquely designed alpaca sweater. What better way to let that special someone know they dazzle your life?

Castle Sweaters Premiere This Weekend

Very exciting news! We've been working for months on a great project: a small group of extremely talented European women have been making sweaters out of the yarn produced by our own alpacas. This is not as easy as it sounds. But the designs are exquisite. The techniques are flawless. You could never find sweaters like these in any store, regardless of how high-end it might be. They are premiering this weekend at The Homestead Arts and Crafts Festival in Hot Springs, Virginia. Stop by if you're in the area . . . But at least keep an eye on the website because we will soon put up a link to the new sweater website, www.Castle-Sweaters.com. Or in Slovak, svetre zo zamku, which means "sweaters from the castle". We've named them all after Slovak castles. Truly, these are straight out of sweater dream-don.

Summer's over??

Hey, wait a minute. Where did August go? Somehow my calendar says October. Unbelievable. Our store has done a brisk farmers market business since last we blogged. It's plum full of the most enticing yarns. We're getting ready to start formulating classes and dragging out our spinning wheels! After a sweltering summer we're sure looking forward to fall breezes and beautiful leaves in the Shenandoah Valley. Next goal: get regular blogs posted so you know what we are up to. Thanks for checking back!

Westward Ho!

The weekend found my husband and I traveling through northern Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. What tremendous, impressive country: huge mountains dating back 200 million years, cool Plains Indian Pow Wow in Cody, national parks (among them Yellowstone and Teton). It was so interesting to notice that the colors found in nature are very similar to the colors I like most when working with hook or needles. Got some fantastic beads in Jackson Hole to try out the newest "tool" in my quiver of techniques: lace knitting with beads! Can't wait to experiment. Saw buffalo, elk, bald eagle, and antelope. Would sure have loved to see bears like we used to in Yellowstone when I was a child.

Sort, Search, Separate, Repeat

Tonight I went through the remnants of my overwhelming visit to TNNA. Organized receipts (travel and purchases) filed all my notes and handouts, delighted in what was ordered for the store and planned which new yarns need samples made. This after a day full of weeding, planting, and taking my car in for state inspection. But we're set now. I can hardly wait until the UPS trucks start to bring the stash to the store!

Learning New Skills: Bringing Joy to the Journey

Learning a new skill, polishing up on an long-unused talent, trying your hand at baking something incredible .... All these types of mental or physical challenges awaken you to the luxury of a new day. Give yourself something to look forward to. Plan something wonderful to look forward to at least every week, with longer-term wishlists for monthly or annual "goals". Anticipating that upcoming gift/opportunity is at least half of the fun. Make your journey an event! My sentiments, precisely. I'd really forgotten the thrill of Learning outside your normal routine. But it's all beginning to come back ............

What would I do if I ever had some spare time?

I'd almost forgotten what really drives my engine: What I love to do, to learn, to focus on, to revitalize me. This weekend I have been blessed to rediscover my creative roots. As a retail member of TNNA (The National NeedleArts Association) I have spent the weekend at their national convention. Not only have I been able to take classes in lace knitting and implement beading into their intricate designs, experience the ages-old technique of weaving on a small loom, and learn the Continental style of knitting -- I was able to meet and speak with so many of the women whose genius powers modern needlearts: Laura Nelkin, Lesley Solomon, Nicky Epstein, Liz Gipson, Paula Lishman, to name just a few, whose books and patterns and creativity have been an inspiration to so many of us. Wandering the aisles of vendor exhibits was like feeding my soul the best chocolates ever tasted. At the hotel each evening I have practiced new skills and poured over handouts and articles. I didn't have to sit at the edge of the pond and just dangle my toes -- I have been able to completely immerse myself in yarn, yarn, and more yarn. It would be difficult to put into words the emotional energy these experiences have generated and reignited for me. I've had a blast and can't wait to get back and nurture this rediscovered passion!