December 1 is World AIDS Day

Knitted Handspun in the City of Lights

So we traipsed through France and Italy in early Fall for two weeks and a half. My companions were two family members, Lorna and Merle, from Manila. Two restauratrices -- bakers on the side -- but defnitely non-crafters.

We met up in Bordeaux after they finished with wine-tasting in the Rothschild vineyard and then we took the train to Nice to pick up a rental car. Seven hours of autoroute driving followed to visit Joelle Guevarra and her family in the Cevennes region where they raise donkeys and run a bed and breakfast called Le Mas de Riols. Joelle, and her husband, Pascal, will be hosting the next francophone spinners' meet scheduled for June 2007.

As de rigueur practice when crafters meet, there was an exchange of swags. Joelle gave me a few of her handspuns, which came in handy as Lorna is frileuse, as the French would say, or sensitve to the cold. One of the skeins was promptly knitted up and that is what you see in the photos above and below.
Dinner was prepared by Pascal. Fresh sardines simply marinated in lemon and fleur de sel, meat stew with handpicked wild mushrooms, and a platter of cheese from the region. Dessert was made by Joelle: gateau au chocolat with mascapone cream. Below, Pascal and Joelle. The following morning, we hiked to the mountain plateau where Pascal and Joelle are building a second house. We were accompanied by their son, Francois, and grandchildren, Anatole and Agathe

From left: me, Anatole, Joelle, Lorna, Francois, and Pascal. Agathe is in front. Below, Joelle and one of their free-roaming donkeys.

Whoa, spinning on Joelle's Ashford Country is a real challenge. Time to consider a Majacraft with the Wild Flyer.