Not long ago I wrote a post about something I’d learned from my Grandmother Hunter (whom I don’t recall ever meeting). Today, my sister (one of; “She has altogether too many sisters”) and I were talking online about a number of things—like sisters do once they get going… I started thinking about how life lessons are learned, well, throughout one’s life. They all come together—refusing to stay in separate file folders of the mind—to make us who we are.

After that platitudinous remark, I wish to write up an addendum to the lesson I learned from my Grandmother. This one is from my dad, Willard Wall.

The back of the photo says, “Wall, Willard 1st squad 2nd Platoon Co 7 OCS #1 class 6 Home town, Lyman, Wyoming” in my dad’s handwriting.

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Three and a half years ago, when I started pin loom weaving and subsequently learned to spin yarn, I didn’t know that one day I would arrive at exactly what I hoped to achieve.

These three handspun yarns all have one ply in common; the second ply is different for each.

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Yesterday I spun some yarn on a drop spindle. It’s my usual habit to divide the wool in half lengthwise (with the hope that each half will spin out equal in length which makes plying easier) and begin spinning.

Top left of photo: you can see the second half of the wool in a braid. The first half is partly on the spindle, partly spread under it.

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Do you get your feelings hurt easily?

Notice the careful phraseology. I’ve been taught that getting one’s feelings hurt is a choice one makes. I’m quite sure this is true, but I’m terrible at choosing to not get hurt, really don’t know how to stop the hurt before it happens. But I’m trying.

(My dad liked to say, “My wife says I’m a trying husband,” which, of course, my mom never said.)

My mom once wrote some reminiscences of her mother, Mary L. Hunter. I don’t think I ever met my grandmother Hunter, but I have a childhood birthday card from her in one of my “boxes.” Read More →