Dear Kay,
Greetings from the wilds, I mean milds, of the Shenandoah mountains. Family reunion running on tight schedule thanks to sister Buffy’s crack planning. Breakfast/yoga/walk/lunch/nap? CHECK. I slept through the trip to the winery but recovered in time for Dad’s lecture on the history of the Meadors of Marengo County, Alabama. Weather: wet/sunny/cloudy, take your pick depending on the hour. Company: it’s family. It’s comprehensive. The attractive cousins once again outperform the rest of us in terms of punctuality and general comportment, but we’re old enough to know we can’t beat ’em, so we just stand close by so we look better.
Thanks to everybody who provided such wise advice about how to handle a family reunion. No politics or religion (yet—fingers crossed). Cousin Dan told me that he stopped reading this blog but will start again. All we can hope is that he leaves a comment.
Our reunion site is a lodge that is spread out over a mountainside, with cottages and shacks and strip motels all stuck into the woods. Varied is the word. Among the trees are a number of outbuildings that seem like they’d make excellent knitting huts. It could be like Yaddo, only for knitters.
Knit all day in your studio. Lunch brought to you in a little basket. Seems like a good idea to me.
This one is for the knitter who hates that look-out-the-window thing.
This one is for the knitter who hates that glass-in-the-windows thing and the whole walls-need-to-be-vertical thing.
This is for the knitter who wishes she had a hut made out of reclaimed barn wood. Or in this case, unclaimed barn wood.
This two-foot-high hut is a little grotto to Our Lady of the Cashmere. You just offer up some yarn in there, and surely something good will happen to you.
I’m not the only one making stuff here. Brother-in-law David is thinking about trout flies.
As for me, I started a family reunion souvenir sock using Elemental Affects’ Cormo. WOW is this springy stuff. I wish you could give it a squeeze.
The shade is Citron. It really looks like this. Because this is a DK weight yarn, I’m knitting on size 2 needles in hopes of some cozy slippersocks. Or something.
I’m not knitting with much focus, honestly. The amount of talking going on is something. I forgot how this family gets to talking.
Love,
Ann
Ann, I love you and your family so much, and I have never met you. You have no idea how much reading this lifted my spirits. You guys are so good!
Aww.
Funny stuff, Ann. “Our Lady of the Cashmere”! Ha! Knitting is such a great thing to have on hand for occasions like this. You can retreat into it or set it aside, depending on the moment. So helpful.
Tell BIL David that I have that same tackle box but use it for stitch markers of many varieties.
I love your description of the place and the people. The no religion or politics is tough to maintain but necessary to world peace. Enjoy the hills and hopefully your cousin will read again and learn.
The porch shot looks so heavenly. Have a great time.
Delightful! Does BIL David know there’s a tackle shop inside the drugstore in Edinburg? A friend used to take me there when we were at Shrine Mont in Orkney Springs (where the cathedral of the Diocese of Virginia is a larger outdoor shrine). Also, Route 11 hosts a miles-long yard sale I happened upon once around the time you posted about something similar (but I think it’s in July). Enjoy your peeps!
Had do for knitters! That’s inspired! I want to know what’s is in the lunch boxes!
Arg auto correct. Yaddo for knitters. {shakes head shamefully}
Looks perfect. Enjoy the family time.
Lucky you. Our families only seem to get together for weddings or funerals. There aren’t too many of either, (un)fortunately.
My blood pressure just lowered itself to somewhere between resting and bliss. Thanks for this great post from a NYC knittet who yearns for some space. With huts. And yarn.
Yes, please give me a knitting hut. I’m from Kansas and I’m humming to myself “Oh give me a home, where the skeins of yarn roam……..” (to the tune of Home on the Range) I am getting ready to go with a friend to a tea shop/yarn shop called Tea for Ewe here in Denver to celebrate World Wide Knit in Public Day, and my spirit is already in retreat mode. I am sure that making flies and fishing is exactly to your brother in law what knitting or crochet is to us! Long live those things that bring inner peace and sighs of content. Enjoy your reunion.
Our Lady of the Cashmere…Amen! What a beautiful retreat. We never do this reunion thing, but we do try to get together at Thanksgiving most years. I would love to do this mountain retreat. That hut thing is genius. Have a wonderful and restful visit with your family!
Love this post, love your family reunion, wish I was in your family! Thanks for sharing 🙂
When I first heard about one of those writer/artist places – MacDowell, maybe? – I got almost dizzy imagining being alone in my own tiny cabin, with nothing to do but My Own Work, and food appearing daily outside my door. I’m pretty sure I could write a book under those circumstances. Possibly even illustrated with little drawings. Pretty sure. Fairly sure.
I’d certainly give it a go!
Full disclosure: I live in what many people would call a tiny cabin. And I’ve got paper and pens and such. I also have a crazy dog and a herd of goats (and am now adding “build shrine” to my long list of construction projects), but it’s not the non-creative responsibilities that are holding me back. It’s…the lack of food delivery. I mean, oh my gosh. Can you imagine? Someone quietly bringing a little box or basket of something edible right to the door, then quietly going away? Every day? Every day!
I am genuinely light-headed right now.
We leave on Tuesday for the annual family reunion in Sonoma County, Calif. I am bringing socks to finish, and Ropedance. This year I will stand a little closer to the punctual, attractive cousins.
Pretty Ropedance! Thanks for mentioning it, I just added it to my “Gifts for Daughters” list.
Adore the wee adult playhouses in the woodlands……& thinking small & uncomplicated. So refreshing!
Aghhhh Ann you’re nailing me here! I’m from Alabama, in the midst (mists?) of planning a giant family reunion/party for mom’s 90th birthday in August. Southern people are not short talkers. We are loooong talkers. Must allow many hours for proper “visiting.” This was why rocking chairs and porches were invented, and combined! The huts in the woods are also taking me back back to the shambolic ruins of my youth.
I’m happy to have my mom around to plan for, don’t get me wrong. But the family gathering is always a bit daunting. I’m not sure who the more attractive cousins are– guess that means it’s not us! My sister and I emigrated to the west coast over 20 years ago, and the religious-political divide remains. But we’re older and somewhat wiser now; and shockingly, we’ve moved closer on more of those topics than I would ever have dreamed. Hang in there and keep sweeping your springy sock!
Squeezing damn you autocorrect
Our Lady of Cashmere. Snort! Love it! Hope you’re having a grand time – looks like fun!
Oh, that looks lovely. Thanks for sharing with us.
Good call on the magic loop for socks. I have lost many a dpn between deck boards.
Enjoy! (And use bug spray.)
LOVE the notion of knitting huts! Happy reunioning to you and all the others!
Dear Ann (sorry, Kay, am I authorized to write that here?),
It was great to be together with you and all. If we are the attractive cousins (not true), then your side are the thoughtful creatives (so true) and attractive!
Apparently you slept through our trip to the winery, and we drank through your nap. Win-Win.
In fairness, your readers should know that I only stopped reading this blog when (ahem) you and Kay stopped writing it. I am glad that you are back on the regular.
Love,
CousinDan
proof of identity: The not-Barcalounger was an olive green.
password: targetsleepingpants
Love reading about all your adventures and misadventures. I am new again to knitting and have been inspired to get on and learn and try new things. Thank you for all your sharing.