This weekend was my spinning group's spring spinning retreat. Unfortunately I missed the beginning of it because I was feeling a bit lousy, but Saturday dawned with no more lousiness so off I went, and boy was it fun!
They hold the retreat at the Silver Falls conference center in Silver Falls State Park. It's a great place for a retreat like this, rustic cabins, a nice clearing, beautiful forest and 3 squares a day, all for a low price, and they're friendly to boot!
Indoors the retreat looked like this. Those are some happy campers spinning away with the gentle rain falling out the window and the cozy atmosphere inside. On the left is Andrea, who just learned to wheel spin (she's a veteran spindle spinner) on my Ashford Joy.
There were lots of tempting goodies around... chocolate, cookies and fiber of course! These beauties were brought by Janis of Dyelots. She always has gorgeous fibers, and she's funny and sweet. Her fibers can tempt even a die-hard stash budgeteer like me!
This little bunny is made from a "bunny batt" a beautiful blend from Janis with angora bunny in it.
Right outside our meeting room this pretty little stream was burbling merrily along.
This beautiful old moss covered tree greets you just as you enter the conference grounds. It's spectacular in the misty light of an overcast day.
I love the way the licorice ferns grow right out from the old tree. I've heard that the stem of these ferns actually tastes like licorice, but they're much too pretty to pick them off a tree.
The State Park is called Silver Falls and it's definitely true to the name. There are 10 waterfalls in the park, many that you can actually walk behind. This is the beautiful North Falls roaring down the canyon. When I wasn't eating, or walking about looking at trees and water, I was playing with this - my new Hansen mini spinner. A review of this spinner is coming soon on Spindlicity. I got this puppy at Madrona a few weeks ago and already I love it. It's so compact and easy to spin on! And of course it needed a house so I got it a Zuca bag to live in. I was in a very citrusy mood the day I ordered that one!
Now that I'm home it's back to knitting, knitting, knitting! See you all around the water cooler...
I can't wait to see more posts about the mini-spinner and how you like it. I was able to try one over the weekend and fell in love with it myself. I will order one very soon. Your retreat looked heavenly!!!!
Posted by: Liana | March 13, 2011 at 07:00 PM
I am so envious. What a wonderful setting for a winter spinning retreat. How could you not have the best time.
Posted by: Lori Lawson | March 13, 2011 at 08:14 PM
It was great to have you there with us, and not just because you brought me a wheel to use!
Posted by: Geek Knitter | March 14, 2011 at 09:55 AM