Summer in the meadow with an unruly dog chasing naked goats!  Yep, that is my morning:)  But last week I got to visit with a listener and yesterday spent a wonderful lunch with some old friends and a new one.

A link to the PAD blog which I have been very bad about updating.  However, there will be a spinning project log on here soon:)

And a link to the Smithsonian Coral Reef Project.  One of our listeners is participating with a bit of PAD fiber:)  Very cool!

I'm back!  A not planned for break means lots to talk about.  There are no links for this show, but feel free to ask for one if there is something I've mentioned that you are interested in.

Next week will be all about tomato sauces/salsas.  Get your favorite recipe ready to share!

I'm always interested in trying things out.  This season it is cleaning sheep fleece with the FSM bath.  Listen for a take on my adventures.  Through that experience (and I forgot to say it stinks!) I discovered Power Scour.  Great stuff for getting light lanolin out of your fleeces.

I also share about Chrissy Gardiner's new project (Rav link) that carries along with her next book.  Check out a great way to support designers!

Come listen to all the noises behind me as I sit in the meadow this episode:)

Stories from TNNA and Black Sheep Gathering are the bulk of this rather long episode.  June is always a full month around here.  Anniversaries, birthdays and Father's Day...oh my;)

If you want to see some great photos from TNNA check out hellotnna.com .  This is the site that Ravelry created to share with you all the new products that will be in yarn shops come Fall.

If you haven't already make sure to sign up for the Pico Accuardi Dyeworks newsletter on our website.  I am about to send out the June issue.

It may never stop being gray and rainy here in Western Oregon.  But at least it is always sweater weather;)

Lots on knitting, spinning, gardening and a catch up with the animals this week.

My spinning goal for Tour de Fleece will be to spin 12 oz of BFL from Spunky Eclectic to knit the Tappan Zee cardigan.  It is another raglan cardigan.  I really do seem to be obsessed with them right now.

My sis and I love scrabble!  I had a show interuption that it was my turn in our Words with Friends game.  We also like to play with the Lexulous email game of scrabble.

The winner of the Abstract Fiber skein of "Astoria" colorway is Eileen (Wiscknitter on Ravelry)!  Congratulations!!  Please contact me with your address.

Lots of new ideas in this episode and the projects I've been working on.

In Spinning--go check out the Jenkins Woodworking and check out the Turkish Delight spindles.  I just love spinning with these!

A very cool and crafty dude Jagadeesh Dev has an amazing website.  Really a creative guy.  This website he created over a very short period of time.

I like the idea of posting a cool and crafty person's site each time.  I think this may have to be a regular segment.

Remember that this is the last week for the Abstract Fiber contest.  The winner of the sock yarn will be announced next Monday.

Music this week!  "Ounce of Nerve" is sung by Amee Chapman and the Velvet Tumbleweeds.  I just loved her voice.

Just returned from the Pico Accuardi Spring Knitting Retreat over in Maupin, Oregon.  Wonderful weather in high desert country.  We stayed at Imperial River Company and had a tour at Imperial Stock Ranch.  As soon as I receive some photos from participants I will upload those and mine and share the Flickr page.

I forgot to mention in the podcast that we still have the contest going for The Abstract Fiber skein of yarn.  Let me know what your favorite colorway is and your name will go in the drawing.  The winner will be chosen at random for the Memorial Day recording.

We start this episode with an interview.  Susan Stambaugh of Abstract Fiber joined me for tea at Gino's to chat about her business.  As promised in the podcast here is a link to her website.  And a contest!  I have a skein of Abstract Fiber's "Astoria" to give away.  This was a colorway she did for our Community Sock Club.  I just happen to have one extra skein to share.  Please share in the comments or on Ravelry what your favorite Abstract Fiber colorway is to enter.  Your name goes in twice if you have a knitted/crocheted/woven item you have made with that colorway;)  I will choose a winner from random over Memorial Day weekend and announce on that next Monday's podcast.

I have a new cookbook to play with this week!  Thomas Keller has done it again with "Ad Hoc at Home".  Expensive, but worth it.  Best fried chicken ever:)

I am charging up my camera as I type.  Later on you can find new goatie pics on my Animals album on Facebook.

I seriously considered tabling this episode, but decided sometimes you just gotta share what life brings to you.

The usual topics are covered here.  However, I lost a very dear friend recently and I needed to talk about her as well.

I feel like this episode jumps about rather abruptly.  You will have two episodes this week.  Hopefully my sanity will come through a bit more on the second one;)

Catching you up on what's been going on for the last couple weeks.  Including the "booze tour" around a few of Portland's indie distilleries.  Visited House Spirits, New Deal, HighBall, New Barn.  There are 20 distilleries in the local guild.  I may have to plan another trip just to see what they are about.  For business purposes you know;)

Knitting away on the February Lady Sweater--not to be referred to as the flu sweater.

Cooking away with my new cookbook--The Taste of the Season.  Given to me by Marisol:)  She also sent some Fluff!

Actually some music to listen to at the end of the podcast today.  Wild Mountain Thyme, by Marc Gunn.