February 2010 Update

Please pardon our laxness in posting lately. I'd say we've been busy but this is honestly our quiet season and we've enjoyed our first winter in the new house along with blazing fires in the wood stove.  Spring will arrive soon and we'll going in circles trying to keep up with the schedule of herb and plant festivals, caring for the greenhouse (which will start next week), and attending the farmers market at Cherry Street.

Until then, let me share what's happening this winter on the farm.  Soap - yep, it's soaping time.  Handmade soap takes at least four weeks to cure and I've been in the studio mixing up our first batches of Lavender Patchouli Soap (as well as our usual line-up of fine hand crafted soaps).  I'm very excited about this blend.  For years I've thought I'd never make anything with patchouli because it wreaks havoc with my asthma.  What I've discovered though is that while incense and dried patchouli cause problems for me, the essential oil doesn't (I only use essential oils never synthetics).  The sweet scent of patchouli is a perfect match for the richness of lavender.  The first bars will be available in about two weeks.

The studio has been a busy place this winter. On the outside we've finishing priming it for new paint and are waiting for a few warm sunny days to finish putting on the final color.

On the inside of the studio not only have I been mixing soap but dyeing plenty of yarn.  Silk, alpaca, merino... all lace weight or ultra-fine weight.  The shop yarn is located on my knitting blog  (it's easier to update than the official website) where you can purchase using Paypal.  Shipping, as always, is USPS Priority Mail so knitters have their yarn in 2-3 days.

Here's a look at what's currently available in
The CCL Yarn Shop

Lost City Silk in Silver Bells and Pink Champagne.  

(lace weight) 1000yds/90grams & 500yds/45grams - 

coming next week Wild Violet (1000yds/90grams) 

This is the same yarn shown in the Wild Violet Echo Flower Shawl.

Pink Champagne was used in Mom's Echo Flower Shawl.

North Pasture Alpaca in Turmeric, Saffron Threads, and Paprika (Paprika is sold out) 

(all ultra-fine weight) 950yds/90grams

Oak Barn Merino in Fleeting Moments Dawn and Fleeting Moments Dusk 

(1000yds/90grams)

Inspired by those fleeting moments of color at dawn and dusk as the sun sits below the horizon casting the spectrum across the Oklahoma sky, these laceweight merino skeins are subtly shaded and soft to the touch.

Chris has been chopping wood, cleaning pastures, and baking cupcakes this winter.  Of course, he's also our face on Facebook you can keep up with Clear Creek Lavender there as well.  I'm a single-social-community-website-type-gal so you won't find me on Facebook but I am on Ravelry as Lostcitydenise.

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Back in Tulsa!

After a wonderful week of vacation fun in New York, we're back on the farm.  For a bit anyway. There are a few photos of our trip on my knitting blog if you want to see what we look like when we're stoked up on Magnolia Bakery cupcakes.

Tomorrow begins the Garden Deva Open House in Tulsa.  The studio is easy to find on Trenton between 3rd & 4th and I highly recommend everyone coming out to spend an hour (or two or three) perusing the art, crafts, and delicious food available.  This is the last event for us in Tulsa so be sure to pick up those lavender holiday gifts!  We'll have Handmade Naked Lavender Soap, Soap in Sachets, Shea Butter, and several options of gift combos.

The music at the Garden Deva is always outstanding.  Especially fun is the final hour of the event on Saturday when the djembe drummers from the Tulsa area show up in great numbers and really get the crowd's mojo working.

Don't miss it!

Edited to add:
Sadly the djembe drummers did not make it the Deva this year - but there were fire dancers!!

4x4 Required

As forecasted the rain began yesterday.

And continued.

It may sound a bit strange (but if you know me you're used to me being strange - yes?) but I absolutely love heavy rains.  Yes they make for a mess and can be dangerous.  I love the deafening sounds of heavy rain.  I love the roaring of an overflowing creek.  I even love the feeling of isolation.

Yesterday evening Chris checked the rain gauge between our house and the red barn - it held three and a half inches of water.  This morning I checked it again - another two and a half inches had fallen.  After coffee and a bagel we put on wellies, jackets, and hats and walked down to the lower pasture where the creek was over flowing.  It is at least twice as wide now and the large boulders that lined the crossing are no longer visible.

Still curious - we walked down the lane to the dirt road and further to the blacktop where there is a low-water bridge about a mile away.  Actually it isn't as bad as expected but still overflowing with water.  Last year they cleaned the "whistles" or pipes that run beneath the cement and allow water to pass under the bridge.  Because Clear Creek is lined with gravel the whistles can easily be clogged when heavy rains erode the floor and banks of the creek.

If necessary we could possibly cross in our truck which has 4x4 or maybe use the big tractor to cross (which poses the question of what to do then?).  It's not necessary as far as I'm concerned.  I enjoy a little isolation.

For an update on knitting - while going to and from, and staying in, Memphis last week I finished four of the five repeats of Chart A on the Icarus Shawl in llama yarn.  It's going to be great!

Chris and I went to the Tulsa State Fair to see the knitting displays.  I won a blue ribbon for the Blue Silk Aeolian.  Sorry no photos - but we'll take some nice ones when I get it back home next week.

On the way to Memphis I was knitting away when Chris pulled over the van.

"Get out" he said.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"Just get out."

So - being the sort of trusting type I hopped out.  He didn't appear angry so I only worried a mild amount that I was being deposited on the side of a highway for knitting and not carrying my side of the conversation.

I love this guy!  He'd found a sign for me!

cross posted on lostcityknits.blogspot.com

It's what's for lunch!

I love when the Armenian cucumbers show up at the farmers market. For a few short weeks each summer we have Chilled Cucumber Lavender Soup for lunch. It's the perfect cool lunch on a hot day and it's easily made ahead - even for several days worth.

You can click on the sidebar for more recipes using our culinary lavender products!

Chilled Cucumber Soup with Lavender

1 Armenian Cucumber, cubed
½ cup Plain Yogurt (unflavored)
1 + Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ Tablespoon Clear Creek Lavender Salt

Cube cucumber and put in blender with olive oil and yogurt. Blend until smooth, add lavender salt and pulse briefly. Pour into small bowls and chill several hours. Just before dining swirl a teaspoon of olive oil or yogurt in the center of each serving.

Midmorning break from soapmaking...