Weddings are fun! Our family has had several weddings the last few years. Our backyard is one of the places that events around weddings or the wedding itself takes place. Two weeks ago, I gave a wedding shower for my sister in the back yard. It was a simple event, yet even simple events can, and in my case do, take quiet a bit of work.
The yard is rather wild. The flowerbeds are full of culinary and medicinal herbs. The "lawn" is mostly clover, selfheal, English lawn daisy, and plantain. Around the chairs, I put bamboo poles into the ground and tie ribbons on them. they are festive fluttering in a small breeze.
Scattered around the yard are torches, candles, and lanterns. As the evening grows dark, the yard becomes magical looking.
I forgo the usual cake and use the seasons bounty to make pies for dessert. Deciding what pies to make is a huge problem, there are soooooooo many! I finally narrow the selection down to eight.
Topping the list is strawberry pie. I love this no fail receipe.
I tried a new receipe from the Better Homes and Garden magazine. pie.
White chocolate Cranberry Pie. YUM!!!!!
Then.............
This past week, the wedding.
We rearranged the chairs. Added lots of tule, as bows on the chairs, streaming between the poles with lights hidden in the layers.
We added more candles and lanterns.
As people arrived, the light faded, candles were lit.
Vows were spoken.
I'm very thankful that our place has hosted so many special events, and created so many memories. Last night, when Gerry and I were sitting in front of the backyard fireplace, we recounted memories, family times, what life is about, our relationships. The memory of an events, simply done, so much lasting joy.
It seems so intimidating! All those warp ends, so easily mixed up and knotted. If dressing the loom isn't done right, the weaving is harder to do and the whole thing could look awful. So I console myself, "It's my first project on a big loom". " Irregularities will make it seem more charming and one of a kind." You know how it is when you start something new, you really want to do it well. You really want it to look nice. I mean do you really work on a project and say to yourself," I want this to look like trash" when I'm done?
Well, time to get started. Dressing the loom. Putting all those threads through the slots, then through the heddles. I'm making a "rag" rug. When I went to the Pendleton Wool outlet, I purchased a bag of "worms". Worms are the long strips cut off the edges of their blankets. Pendleton sells them to weavers for rug making.
Dressing the loom took longer then weaving the rug. It's something I could sit for a few moments and weave two or three shots, leave, then come back later and do more. Almost done here. I'm taking it off the loom. Weaving worms is really messy. There is soooo much fuzz from the cut edges. Then all these little pieces of worm that break off. The floor is littered.
Here is the rug next to some "worms". I have enough for about 8 more rugs. A little goes a long way.
Finally finished, and on the wood floor in the dining room. Yes there are some mistakes. It just adds to the charm and makes it more one of a kind. It was fun, and I want to make a few more. Now I wont be nearly so intimidated.
