2012

According to the Mayans I have until December 21st to do all the knitting I ever plan to do.  On this date the calendar simply runs out, resetting to 00/00/00.  Some cheerful folks take this as a doomsday sign.  I, on the other hand, take it to mean that on December 22nd I will be kicking myself for not starting any Christmas knitting.  I did hubby's Cobblestone sweater in ten days this year.  I'm not so sure about the three day time limit though.  That may be pushing it a little.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Old Stomping Ground

We went for a walk today through Mack Laing Park which is situated in Comox behind where we used to live.  We spent many, many hours in this park with our dogs while we lived there but have only visited a few times since moving house 20 years ago ~

 A pretty trail leads you alongside and over Brooklyn Creek, a salmon-bearing stream, and down to the ocean ~

Hamilton "Mack" Laing was a local naturalist, artist, author and photographer who donated this house and the property to the Town of Comox in 1973 ~

It is a second-growth forest which, at this time of year, is an abundance of white snowberries, orange wild rose hips and purple salal berries ~

 A forest home, artfully decorated ~

 After we left the park we walked by our old house and saw this little fellow perched on the fence hubby built 27 years ago ~

 I love his little fists.

Man, do I have hips!

Nymph Falls

After a rather cool and grey summer we are experiencing a gorgeous fall.  Last weekend we hiked walked strolled through the park at Nymph Falls on the Puntledge River.  It is a popular swimming hole for the younger set, not a place one would take children.  The river is running quite high for this time of year, making the falls a noisy and beautiful sight.

The trails meander through second growth forest ~ 

~ down to the river ~

We met a woman (~60 years old?) at the water's edge who had lived here since she was five years old and had never seen the falls.   I am happy to say that back in the '70's I was one of these paddlers but these days I am content to walk the trails and watch the fun.

A Day in My Backyard

I got all of these shots today, without leaving my patio.  It was a wildlife extravaganza!
 

Okay, the last one isn't exactly wild.  A birthday present from Tink - I needle felted it and my fingers.  I think I'm too young to be trusted with sharp needles.

 

Camera Fun

I have been having a great time taking photos with my new big-girl camera.  It is a huge learning curve so I'm taking a beginners' DSLR course at the local college.   I went to a fascinating lecture on low-light photography given by Boomer Jerritt the other evening.  Who knew that stars have "trails" and that they orbit (I don't know if that's the right word) around the North Star aka Polaris. If you Google 'star trail photos' you can see a lot of amazing pictures that I can't show you here due to copyright laws.


I can, however, show off a few of my own photos, all taken in Comox, B.C. where I am lucky enough to live ~

 ~ Mount Washington ~

 

~ Hornby Island as seen from Point Holmes ~

 

~ Rhododendron ~

 

 

~ Lady's Mantle ~

I love how the raindrops sit on the leaves (skirt) like little glass beads

 

~ gorgeous wool/mohair blend yarn by Leola ~

 ~ Pogona ~

 

~ Her Royal Cuteness ~

(enough already with the camera, Gramma)

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

THE GRASS IS RIZ!

I WONDER WHERE THE BIRDIES IZ!

We have three baby towhees nesting in a clematis bush right at eye level.  The parents are very attentive (who could ignore those open mouths?!!?) and I zipped out for photos when I noticed they were away from the nest.  The babies hatched two days after I took the egg photos.  When I took the baby pics the parents were perched on the apple tree nearby.  They were chattering but not in an agitated way (I don't really understand bird language but they seemed pretty calm) and flew to the nest as soon as I left.  We had a robins' nest last year in the same bush.  It is so lovely to watch the activity and see the babies grow.  I love spring!

The Royal Wedding

  ~ at Wickerminster Abbey ~

Knit Your Own Royal Wedding

by Fiona Goble

Happy Easter!

 Twins!!

I haven't seen a double yolked egg in ages and this morning I got three in a row ~

The bunny cake (containing the afore-mentioned mutant eggs) will be travelling to the mainland this weekend.  It's an odd looking creature but I don't think my grandsons are too fussy as long as it tastes good.  I'm wondering how you cut a cake shaped like this.  Just whack off a hunk, I guess.

 
My Christmas cactus is confused ~

  

and the jelly beans are calling out to me ~

 

I feel a sugar high coming on!

All It Took Was A Peruvian Carver, A Friend, And A Stitch Or Two.

Last summer I made the Lotus Blossom Tank by Sharon Shoji from the summer 2006 issue of Interweave Knits.  It is such a pretty pattern and it knit up nicely in South West Trading Company Terra.  The yarn is 50% bamboo and 50% cotton, has a nice drape and great stitch definition, and is a lovely nutmeg brown.  I was so disappointed when I tried it on as the neck gaped open so much that it wasn't wearable.  Bra straps were exposed and bending forward was an absolute no-no.  It even gaped out over a tee and just plain looked sloppy.  I tried to steam block it in a bit with no success.  Then I ran a line of yarn around the neck and pulled that up.  It looked exactly like I ran a line of yarn around the neck and pulled it up, not good.  So, since then it has languished in a basket waiting for, I don't know, something.  

My friend, Peg, went to Victoria a couple of weeks ago and visited the Button Boutique, an awesome shop in Trounce Alley (take a virtual tour here ).  She brought me back this great button, carved in Peru from a gourd.

It is one of those buttons that just has to have the right home.  I dug out the Lotus Blossom tank, tucked a little pleat in the middle of the front and sewed the button in place.  

I am so happy to be able to wear this top now and be comfortable with the way it looks and fits.  I'm not sure if I'll be wearing it without something underneath (besides a bra, of course) as it would probably show a bit more skin than I like to, but who knows? 

Spot the Bumblebee

My take on Where's Waldo ~

(click on pics to embiggen)