Peter Pan Flies Again

Most of us have written a letter to Santa as children. Hopefully we all received presents under the tree from Santa and woke up to baskets from the Easter Bunny at the foot of our beds. But I wonder how many received letters from Peter Pan and Tinker Bell and woke up to presents magiced into our bedrooms from Neverland. I can say yes to all of these.

My friend Brie recently wrote on her blog about her love of Peter Pan and it reminded me of this unique present my grandma gave to me and my sister. The present that magic and fairies were possible. That Neverland might actually exist and if we really needed to escape it was there waiting for us.

When my sister and I first saw Peter Pan we were swept away by it and my grandma helped spur us on. I would receive letters in the mail written on flimsy tissue paper stationary. Peter Pan would tell me about his adventures in Neverland and how he came to visit me at night and watch over me. My sister would receive similar letters, except hers were signed by Tinker Bell. Sometimes I would wake up to find presents at my feet with a note from Peter Pan saying he had found something he wanted me to have. It might be a new book, or a pretty necklace, or some other thing I had been secretly wishing for. One time my sister woke up to see that Tinker Bell had visited her in the night and left a framed picture of herself that was all glittery like she had dusted it with pixy dust just before she left.

I think my grandma wanted us to believe. She wanted us to believe that anything was possible. She wanted us to believe that life was magical. She wanted us to believe that we could create a place where we would only grow as old as we want to.

Spinning on Through

I have been absent, but busy. The biggest news is that I finally got my spinning wheel! I decided on a Kromski Fantasia unfinished and with a little guidance from Mark, finished it myself.  Mark insists on reminding me he did the first coat of linseed oil. Never mind it was followed by 5 more coats while he was galavanting about with his buddy on a 4-wheeler. Boys like to feel they are an indespensible part of your project if it includes construction of any sort I suppose.

I also painted the MDF with a hammered copper spray paint, along with a portion of the grass in the front yard. Who said a lawn doesn't appreciate a little adornment once in a while too?

After everything had ample time to dry I began assembling. I nearly cried when I discovered a very vital piece was missing. The crank that connects everything to the pedals so the wheel actually moves was nowhere to be found! I dumped all of the wrappings out of the package and filtered through them in case I had missed it, but no. Thankfully Paradise Fibers came to the rescue and quickly shipped the item to me though and while I was at knit night Mark put the last pieces together so it was waiting for me when I got home. I told you he likes to be helpful.

A week later I have already produced a few hundred yards of finished yarn, and that is not including what is waiting on my spindle. I will come back later with pictures of the first yarns produced by my little beauty soon.