It is the dog days of summer here in Michigan. We’ve been blessed with a hotter and drier summer than normal this year, which is great for the tomatoes growing in the garden. A couple weekends ago, at the Wine and Wool Festival in Jackson, we huddled under our booth tent while storm after summer storm rolled through - once it cleared up, the sun came out and suddenly it felt as though we were selling yarn in a steamy sauna. A chilled glass of riesling helped - we were at a winery after all!
I’m currently knitting a cardigan, and yesterday at the beach the sun beat down on me while I held a large pile of wool on my lap. Why work wool in the summer, when the temperatures climb and most people strip down to bathing suits? Here in Traverse City, even as the days fill up with lake swims, bonfires and ice cream scoops, during the month of August we notice a subtle shift in the evening. The sunset ends slightly earlier. The heat breaks for a morning and, reminded of fall, we pull on a layer. The relentless wave of tourists suddenly slows as soon as the dreaded back-to-school routine begins. Summers are glorious, but fleeting. I know I’ll be shaking sand out of that cardigan when the first frost hits. For now I’ll set it aside between rows of colorwork to jump in Lake Michigan and cool off.
We’ll be selling yarn, fiber and notions at the Michigan Fiber Festival in Allegan this weekend (August 20-21). Even if it's hot and sticky, we’d love to see you and talk about your fall fiber projects. We’ll have several new colorways for fall, inspired by the change in seasons, as well as our classic favorites. See you there!