Stop in at Tierra Wools anytime this month and you’ll find a buzzing hive of activity. You’ll hear the low thud of the looms beating time in the classrooms and the cheerful din of laughing voices as our staff shows visitors around our showroom and studio. You’ll see the steam rising from dye vats, the sway of freshly-dyed yarn hanging to dry in the golden sunlight, and the coordinated efforts of many hands warping the looms. Our shop in Chama is filled with the energy of movement, the optimistic eagerness of our students and the hum of creative inspiration.
Out on the mountainsides, however, you’ll find a different scene. Not better or worse – just different. Under the wide blue skies, the world seems to shimmer in stillness, with only the rustle of wind through the aspen trees and the dull clang of the sheep bells breaking the gentle hum of the high country. The recent rains have perked up the mountain’s foliage delightfully, enhancing the whiteness of the sheep as they move across the verdant background. Even though each sheep is industriously engaged in filling his belly, when seen from a distance these small movements blend into a gentle swaying motion of the flock as a whole as they slowly drift across the mountainsides.
The transition we are privileged to make between these contrasting worlds, between the animated energy of Tierra Wools and the quiet stillness of our flocks on the mountainside, is our balance of summertime. In one, we are free to engage and connect with others, to share our passions and our experiences with old and new friends, and to admire and encourage the creative ingenuity of our students. In the other, we have the opportunity to experience stillness and separateness, to make the long drive up to the sheep camp in contemplative silence, and to give our thoughts some space as we saddle up the horses in preparation to move the sheep to another part of the mountainside.
It's this beautiful balance between activity and quiet, the yin and yang of summer, that keeps us sane and energized through these long, bright, busy days – a gift from our special way of life that we’re so grateful be able to share with you.