Metaphors for Writing (and Reading)

Someone recently asked about the role of metaphor in my writing. At least that's what I thought they were asking, and launched into a long thing about setting as character (with metaphor providing the depth), etc., etc.

I'd misunderstood. The question was meant to discover if I had a metaphor to describe my process of writing.

I flubbed an answer. Climbing a mountain, or something silly like that.

Reflecting since, though, I realize that there is one. There's always been one. I've always imagined combing strands. Hair. Threads. Something like that. I get a tangled pile of them, and I comb them straight. It describes the process perfectly for me, since that tangled pile tends to be a mess of little bits of whatever I'm reading, thinking about, etc., at the time. Sometimes, there's weaving involved. Patterns and colors. I don't see the machinery, just a portion of the product still hanging from the loom. (It's a loom, right?)

It all got me wondering, though, if I have a metaphor for the reading that I do. A lot of it is enjoyment, but some of it is definitely looking for those little bits, those little threads. Harvesting the little stigma of saffron, maybe?

Please share your metaphors.