Looking back & ahead: Holiday snapshots

This past May we went on a family holiday to one of my most favorite places on earth, a little cabin on a spit of land in the middle of nowhere, smack next to a glorious body of water. It is sort of tradition to go there on Holidays and for a blissful week we are off the grid and living electricity and gadget free. It feels so good to unplug and not worry about anything or anyone. No obligations, no place to go, no phones ringing.....just nature and family, making memories and treasuring our time together. And time does truly slow to a crawl as the pace of life becomes less busy. We have time just to sit and read or be read to.  Or time to sinply do nothing at all if we wish! We poke about looking for driftwood, or knit quietly while looking across the gently rippling water.

We beach comb a lot, looking for rocks that strike our fancy, sometimes strolling slowly down the beach, other times sitting right in the piles of rocks and sifting throught them for hours at a time. We clamber over breakers, clinging with our toes and finding spots to sit on sun-warmed boulders. We poke feet in frigid water and wade out too far in the hunt for the elusive "perfect" rock. And then there are the huge driftwood bonfires on dark nights. Lying on our backs in the cool, almost cold sand, we gaze at the countless stars twinkling in a blue-black sky. Sometimes ghost stories are told around the fire, & then with a healthy thrill of delight & terror shivering down our spines we scurry back through the dark, over the dunes & bluff to the cabin. The haunting call of the loon & eagle float across the waters and at night the wind whips up with a lonely moan in the tops of the pine trees. Cozy around the table, under the light of the lamp we read, knit, play games, sip tea,  until dark sets in and we retire early to bed. Morning comes, sometimes foggy & still as glass, other times sunny & marvelous. A walk down the shore at 6am with coffee in hand is a glorious thing indeed. 

As we slowly swing towards the winter months it cheers my heart to look back over these Holiday photos and reminisce about that lovely week. More then once over the summer I have longed to be back there. And so we shall be again, if the Lord wills it. But for now I will dream of mist, rocks, sand, and moss, and of wind murmuring in the pines, as I eagerly await the return of spring. 

Late Autumn Snapshots

I'm still catching up on my blogging and past photos. Being absent the whole summer makes me feel like I'm scrambling to get back on track.

This particular batch of photos is not from any one day, but rather snapshots scattered throughout the autumn. 

The garden did well in most respects this year. We had a good corn crop, zucchini coming out of our ears and lots of butternut squash. The tomatoes were rather sad this year though. I think they had a touch of something because most of them were rotting before they even ripened fully. 

Because we had warm weather so late into the autumn it felt like the summer lasted for a long time. And that thrilled me.

I love all the seasons, they each hold their own charms, delights, activities and trials. But spring and summer have a special place in my heart because it is the time of year when I can be outside, as much as I want without the limitations that colder weather brings. There's is no bundling up in coats, warm socks, hats, mittens, cowls and boots to face the blustery, bitter winds for a quick run to the city or nearby post office before dashing back inside out of the cold. 

When it is warm I just walk outside, barefoot in the grass, to do chores, spin out on the patio, check on the garden, or just take a meandering little walk. I can be in nature and revel in all the glory that summertime brings. 

Cool summer evening, the tree frogs making racket high above, a blush of pink on the horizon as the last light fades. Early mornings with dew-drenched grass and having oatmeal and tea out at the picnic table in the front lawn. Taking walks before the heat of the day hits. Sinking toes in the cool earth, or walking across the hard, rain-deprived clay. Picking veggies and flowers on a quiet evening. Bonfires with friends and family. The cheerful crackle of logs and the chatter of voices. Trips to the lake, across the hot sand, cooling our feet at the end of the journey. Hiking in the still calm of the forest. Bicycling with the wind in my face. Climbing the bluff at our favorite cabin and smelling the crisp lake air. The sound of the wind blowing high above in the pine boughs. The smell of a freshly mowed lawn. Watching the sun rise....

I could go on and on. 

And maybe someday I will. As I have been typing this up the thought occured to me of jotting down my favorite things/memories/moments of each season. I'll probably write it down in my art journal, make it all fancy and splash on some watercolour. And then maybe I can share my thoughts on here. Or perhaps even photos of the actual project. 

Meanwhile, what's your favorite season? And why is it your favorite? I'd love to hear from you!

Up Next: Thanksgiving Snowfall

Summer has flown by

The summer has flown by in a whirl of busyness and already the first days of Autumn are upon us. Surprisingly our weather has been very mild so it hasn't really felt like fall until just this week.

I have abandoned my poor blog and all my lovely followers this summer. Between the birth of my niece and the wedding of my little brother, life has been extremely crazy. With running around, planning showers of all kinds, attending more showers, and helping my new sister-in-law with wedding plans and moving plans, and trying to keep my shop afloat amid the insanity, well......I sort of let the blog slide. I do apologize for that.

However here I am, back and blogging and I hope to keep up with things now that the pace of life has slowed down somewhat.

I'll be posting snapshots of the summer happenings for you all in short order.

Take care my friends!

Sale in the Shop this weekend!

Starting right this very minute, I am running a store-wide 10% off "Black Friday through Cyber Monday" sale! I have no idea how this idea will float, or if I'll ever do it again, but I figured it was worth the shot. So if you have a hankering to stock up on roving, spindles, or yarn, now is the time and place to do it! Be it gift giving, gift making, or just splurging on yourself, feel free to come on over and browse to your heart's content!
Visit my shop for more information and details.

Inside Out:: Two

 Inside:: Saturday afternoon at the bookstore with my brother, a stack of reading material, a cup of chai tea, and a tasty dessert! It was a lovely treat. A few hours in the bookstore is such an enjoyable way to spend part of an afternoon. 

Outside:: My fiber, which was not due to arrive for another two to three weeks, showed up on my doorstep this past Wednesday! And so I happily carved out a slot of time in my schedule to do some dyeing. It was especially important to me to have a dye session or two as this weekend was extremely windy and very warm. High 60's, low 70's to be precise. Perfect weather for drying fiber on the line!
I dyed fiber late on Saturday, and I hung 8 ounces outside to dry over night. But I was unsure if it would rain so I decided to keep the rest inside to hang out in the morning. Well, the wind picked up during the night and when I woke up around 5am and heard it I resigned myself to my 8 ounces being lost or in a sad snarl. I had forgotten to put the clothes pins on. 
But, lo and behold, I looked out when the sun came up and the fiber was still on the line with only one tail blowing loose in the wind. I was so very thankful! So Sunday the rest of my fiber blew in the wind, fluffed up beautifully, and is now waiting in a box for me to braid it. I did braid a little last night, Lord willing I can finish it up tonight and then list some tomorrow!
I was extremely happy with the way the colors came out. I dyed some of my regular colorways, plus also created a few new ones. I'm looking forward to sharing them!

Scottish Highland Knits

A couple of weeks ago I purchased Scottish Highland Knits from the used book section of our bookstore. I had been browsing the bookstore a few weeks previously and saw it, but couldn't quite make up my mind whether I should by it or not. To my surprise when I came back later, there it was! It was only $7.oo, but i still stood there and dithered back and forth trying to make up my mind whether to buy it or not. I thumbed through it and realized that I liked all the patterns in the book, save one. When you consider that just one pdf of a knitting pattern could sell for the same amount, well, it seemed like a good deal. Not to mention that the book itself is quite well-laid out and beautiful. More on that later.

But first let me show you the first project I am planning on making out of Scottish Highland Knits. These are the Felted Slippers by Catherine Tough. I have some handspun wool & llama yarn that I am hoping works for the pattern. The yarn that it originally calls for is Rowan Scottish Tweed DK. My yarn is a worsted weight. But the way the pattern works is you knit the general shape of the slipper, felt the knitted fabric, and then use the templates to cut out the exact shapes needed for the slipper. So I'm pretty sure I can make this yarn work. We'll see. I haven't started the project yet, other then winding one skein into a center-pull ball.
I have a few other projects I need to get out of the way first. And with spring just days away I don't anticipate that I'll need these slippers very much until this coming autumn. So its not a pressing thing that needs to get done soon. Just something I'd like to make up and have ready for cold weather. We have wood floors in our home and with the wind that whips over the fields around our hill it sure gets chilly at times.

Patchwork Throw

Here are some other projects from the book I would really like to make.

Doesn't that look so cozy?

Cabled Blanket Coat

I think this sweater looks simply scrumptious! So warm, cable-y, and perfect for layering during those brisk autumn days. I think this would look amazing in handspun yarn. Hmm, maybe I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for some appropriate fiber while I'm out and about at fiber festivals this summer.

Fair Isle Socks

Tie Shrug: by Wendy Baker

I think this around-the-shoulder shrug looks so cozy. Its perfect for curling up in the evenings by the fire with a good book. Or some knitting. It would also wear nicely to church or out and about as well.

Wrap Cardigan: by Sarah Dallas

The lace pattern is open and quite dainty, while the fabric of the cardigan seems to be substantial enough to keep one warm on a cool spring day. I also love the dainty touch the crocheted edging adds to it.


Not only does the book have great patterns, it is also a visual treat of beautiful scenery, textures, and gorgeous knitting photos.

I hope you've enjoyed this short little review of Scottish Highland Knits. I look forward to sharing the projects with you as I make them! 

I'm at my brother and sister-in-law's house today. We are having a big family shindig here later this afternoon. The house is sparkly, the food is prepped and we are now enjoying the sunshine, and the fact that we can have a few windows open letting in fresh air! 

 Lord-willing I'll be back here soon. Until next time, may you have a lovely day!