Another reason to love living in New Mexico.... It is the 24th of October and outside the air is an intoxicating 75 degrees with a light breeze. After the farmer's market today I came home and sat outside on my back porch and spun yarn in the sun. What could be nicer?



















These colors will go in a hat or vest for the fall, right now it is a single in handpainted corridale but will probably be plied with something else, or more of itself for the final product.

settling in

Early morning light on newly unpacked cones of yarn. After months of house hunting and the trials of buying and selling a home, I have begun the process of unpacking in Las Cruces. This is such a different place from my hometown of Hobbs although really just across the state. Not only is this place larger but it is much more art friendly. Art in Hobbs was considered a kind of indulgence, almost like it was nice if you could spare that kind of time but the rest of the population had real work to do. Like running around in the oil field or teaching school. I chose Las Cruces because of it's vibrant arts community and also because I had friends and family here. I actually know other people here in this community who do art for a living and don't have to apologize for it. I love that and the Liberal bumper stickers. My favorite this week was one that said "After we rebuild Iraq can we rebuild our schools?" I love that there is a Friday Ramble at the downtown mall on the first Friday of every month. People come and look at art and listen to music and have snacks and walk around. I also love the Farmer's Market. Even though it has undergone a lot of controversy with renovation in the downtown mall area and the market has been moved -- it is much more upscale than it was. There are blocks of vendors selling all kinds of wonderful things. It is a great place to people watch, especially if you like to see people with their dogs. I am enamoured of all of it, the huge peaks of the Organ Mtns and the view over the valley filled with chili in fields and pecan trees along the Rio Grande.

Murphy is helping to arrange the studio. He likes to get up on the desk and look out the window. Sometimes he tries to type on the computer but is not very successful. All the furry children have made the trip well and are settling in. Soon the weaving will begin and this will really be home.