Death & Taxes

Hey, I have not posted in a bit. Working on the dreaded taxes. Just about ready to sign the check!
John & I rigged up a tool to draw out wire. Its an oak plank with a big vice at one end and a come-along winch at the other end. We anneal the metal rod/wire, and grind one end to a point. This we push through a draw plate, which is a special callibrated steel plate with holes of descending diameter. So. We put the point through the hole closest in size to the rod, and fasten on the drawing tongs. Then we use two C-clamps to hold the tongs securely on to the point of the rod. Then one of us holds the draw tongs while the other one uses a big piece of pipe as a lever to make the winch slowly pull the rod through the hole. This makes the rod a teensy bit smaller. Then we anneal the rod again and draw it through the next smallest hole. Its tedious! But it allows us to make rod in more sizes. For crochet hooks, and for knitting needles.
Next item! I have been accepted to the Folklife Festival at the Seattle Center the end of May to teach my Celtic knot making method!! The entire time of 4 days. It will be in the hands-on learning area by the Space Needle. I just bought a big bunch of little sharp scissors on eBay. Tomorrow the world.
An old friend in upstate NY died. John Culver. I hadn't seen him in a very long time. I meant to get in touch, but he didn't do e mail. I know, thats a rotten excuse not to get in touch with somebody. And now its too late. The funeral was this past weekend.
There are baby lambs at all the sheep farms on the island, but not ours. We are thinking we ought to buy another ewe and a ram. But which kind????