Make room for the loom

This has been a productive day around here. Thanks to some sterling platinum help from the daughter person and her fiancee, a sizeable loom which was given as a mother's day present is now assembled and presumably functional (I wouldn't know since I weave with words and pictures, not textiles.) The entire process would have been less complicated if someone in this house didn't have so damn many books in book cases and stacks etc., several of which had to be moved to make room for the loom. (Increasing bookshelf space is the next project.) Here's what a 6 foot loom (that's supposed to, at some future time, weave Navaho-style rugs) looks like.

 assembled loom   © harrington

There were several (re)adjustments as we went along, but no major disasters. I think I only cursed once or twice. It was, indeed, a classic case of anything's easy once you've done it. I will say, however, that I think the loom designers could have spent more time at design school. There are a number of places where lag bolts would have been considerably easier to use, but then, maybe they didn't have lag bolts when this design originated. I know I still enjoy fishing with a bamboo fly rod despite the improvements in graphite etc. It's done. 'Nuff said. Speaking of being done, I managed to get a couple of pictures of the flicker this week, so that's done. None of them came out really well, so I'm not finished. Here's one of the better examples.

flicker and woodpecker at suet   © harrington

When I took this, I hadn't even noticed the little woodpecker on the railing waiting her/his turn.  It is a real treat to see the color and activity created by chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers, goldfinches, cardinals and the other critters that come to the feeders in the Winter. I hope you find pleasures that help keep you warm this cold season. Bundle up for the next several days and, hopefully, we'll be through the worst of it for this year. Janet Lewis points out that each of us are weavers in our own ways.

Days

By Janet Loxley Lewis 

Swift and subtle   

The flying shuttle   

Crosses the web   

And fills the loom,   

Leaving for range   

Of choice or change   

No room, no room.

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