Hey everyone. This is Kim. Kim Biegler owner of Ewethful fiber farm and mill. And I am sitting here. Here in the mill. On a Friday evening, getting ready to go home. Home, but I wanted to take just a few minutes to pop in. And share. Share a story. And it does have to do with w. It has to do with wool. So if you're new, welcome, I talk a lot. About wool owning a wool mill. Farm life. All of those things. And sometimes how they interplay with mental health.
And you may think, Kim, is this a story you just told a story? And talk to us about making for our mental health, just like a couple months ago. And you know, what. This is another story that has to do with that. But if you're. Like me, I feel like you may need a reminder fairly. Often with the making that we do. Helps us in so many ways beyond just that finished product. That finished item that we're working towards. So. Okay. Okay. This story starts, it starts a little sad.
I'm not going to lie. But we're going to move past that because that's not the point of this story. So we. We went away last week to lamb town festival down in Dixon Califon. California. Amazing, amazing festival. If you can get to it next year, there's so many wonderful. Classes. I highly recommend it. While we were gone. Our cats were boarding. Our two house cats were boarding. Add. At a new cat boarding place. And halfway through. We got to call. That our cat Ethel, who.
Who is a fair Alish sort of a cat. She had escaped. We won't get into the details of it because this is not. The time or the place, but the fact of the matter is Ethel was out and. About in the world. We were in another state and It was a little heartbreaking to say the least, right. So. So we got back. We knew there was nothing we could do, because if you know our cat. I thought what you don't, even if you've stayed with us because she hides all the time.
Like if I walk into my craft room and she's on my bed in there. And sh and I look at her. She's gone. That's it? The Farrell just. Never quite left. Her. Everything is always, always, always on Ethel's terms. When it comes to affection. So we knew we were, she wasn't the. The cat that was just going to walk back up. So traps were set to entice her. In with delicious food. And that did not work. To date. Date, it still has not worked. She is still out and about, and it's been a week.
So, where is this story going? How does this have to do with making you say. Well, as you can imagine, I've been distracted. I've. Been frustrated, angry, like feeling all the feelings and I've talked a. A little bit about mental health stuff before. And I am the type of person. Gets we'll get anxiety and we'll start to worry, worry, worry. And fixate on it. Well, of course, in a situation like this. We're Ethel is part of our family and there is a member of it that is missing.
So anxiety can run wild and depression. One morning. I was like, I just, I don't want to deal with this. Can I. Just stay in bed. But alas, I have a mill and a business and I have. To pay the bills and I have to get my fiber club out to my monthly subscribers. So at work, I went and I had everything prepped. Before I left, the fiber was washed. It was ready to be picked, go on the Carter. Here we go. Easy peasy when I get home. No. Of course not this week. Of course, not this week.
And everything's. Things right in the middle of the humidity's right. The fibers ready to go? I. I put it through the picker. Absolutely. No way. It's getting caught. Up in the teeth, it's making a mess. The fibers breaking. It looks awful. Okay. Stay calm, stay calm. You wanted to get fiber? about this week and Ethel. Stay calm. So. Plan B. I came up. With a plan B. And I thought, okay. Okay. We're going to go with Lamby because I want to get this fiber off. Oh. And I leave next.
Town next week again, out of town and you all, I never leave town. So I'm on a deadline to get this out. And I just don't like to be, I know my fiber clubs. Clubs subscribers that are listening would say camp. Oh my gosh, get the fiber. when you get the fiber to us, but it's just not in my character to be super late. So. So. Plan B. I come to work the next day. I had kind of started to pick a little handpick, some of that wool. It's not going through the picker. So let me try to hand pick it.
That was going okay. Because it's a longer fiber and just really. It was too long and too. It just, wasn't going to go well through. The picker, but to handpick, it was fine. But of course, to me, I thought there's no. I just don't have the mental capacity to handpick 12 to 15. Pounds of wool right now. And it will slow me down and all the other things. So. I handpicked a little bit. I went home. I came back to work the next day. And I was like, plan B. Let's do this. I had. Set up some tests.
Stuff. It was running well through the Carter, just this little. Test batch. And. I went back. To the picker. And I started thinking, Noah, this is crazy. How about if I just I'll just go buy another. A bag of wool from a local grower. I know I'll go home and I'll grab another bag of wool. I'll wash. Wash it we'll just work with an easier way to walk with blah, blah, blah, blah. And then. Then here comes here comes you all. Here comes the mental health. Part. I said you're being crazy, Kim.
And I say that in all the nice ways to myself as a way to like, just. Just, just take it down a notch and let's see where we're at. So. What if Kim, as I talked to myself through this, what if you just. Start to handpick that wool. And you just enjoy it and you. Just slow down and you just enjoy the process. Enjoy the process. So that's what I did. You all? I. The new idea. I came up with needed a significantly less. Less wool. So it seemed more approachable.
Okay. Step. make the situation more approachable and like, it can end. And then I said, let's just start picking. And I stood there and I. Turned on my home mark channel, which I love. Love. Love you all. I know. It's embarrassing. But I do. And I just stood there and handpicked and I handpicked and I handpicked. And I'm going to tell you. I calmed down. As I stood. Did there. And I just took the time I took the afternoon and I just did that.
And even just comparing it to the handpicking I did the night. Before it was night and day. So now only. When I slowed down and decided, just enjoy this process of. Making, even if it's work making, which is a little different than being at home and. Making just slow down. And so not only. Did I. Slow myself down, calm myself down and then start to again. Again, enjoy the wool and the projects I was working on. But I also. Also was getting a better. Product. I was doing a better. A job.
And I was slowing myself down and then I was like, now, Now you're going to handle in this, and you're not going to freak out that you couldn't do it at the picker. You're just. Going to. Take deep breaths and enjoy sticking your hands in this. Beautiful fiber. So that's what I did. And by the time. I got home. I had calmed down so much and I was able to. Tell him much plan B is working. The fire looks beautiful. And in the process I remembered.
That I. Make, because I love it that I own this mill because I love it. And. And that getting beautiful fiber out to all of you. Is something I love as well. So. Yes. It was a story of mental health. Yes, it's a little bit sad and a little bit anxiety ridden, but. It was just another reminder that for many, many, many. Any probably most of us. Making. Is a way to calm ourselves. It's a way to calm our brains. It's a way to create beautiful things. Things. While doing those things.
So just to reminder, if you. I needed it because it turns out I need this reminder probably monthly. Weekly. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but if. If you needed it. Go pick up something and remember it doesn't have. To go fast and you don't even have to finish it right now. You could have a bag of wool. All that you just pick for the next three months. And every time you get anxious, go grab. That because it's so mindless that you can just. Just shut down.
Shut everything down and just enjoy some beautiful wool and maybe. Throw some hallmark on in, if that makes you feel better. So. That's all I've got for you this week. I hope somebody out there is listening and. He says, yeah, let me go grab that thing that I'm making and. Sit in and enjoy the process. And slow everything down. All right. You all it's Friday evening. I just finished cleaning up the mill. For the day I'm going to go home. I'm going to exercise. I'm going to take a bath.
And then I'm going to go set some. Cat traps. And bring my girl home. Darn. Thank you so much for listening, taking the time out of. Your busy schedule. And listening to me talk about wool. I always get back. To the wool somehow I always do. All right. Thank you all so much, everybody. Take care. Thank you. Don't forget to subscribe to this head. To my Patreon, if you want to be part of that community or get on my email list. I appreciate it.