Monday, September 27, 2010

And we make things

Even though I'm supposed to be here in Canada studying, I can't help but make things. Making is comforting to me when I'm tired, stressed or simply had enough reading for the day. Even just a few minutes, a round of my knitting before I sleep helps.

I've also been photographing my fruits and veggies because the veggies here look great. The weather this summer must have been nice because all the veggies at the market are beautiful...

Aubergines

Figs

Asparagus

Potatoes (and yes, my nice new teapot)

Cauliflower

Not a veggie but very nice Sugared Almonds


I brought the new Debbie Bliss knitting magazine to gaze at while not studying. It has a gorgeous colourful fair isle (I think!) jumper on the cover that I'd love to make but it looks just a little too challenging for me just yet. They have these cute mittens inside though that I might be able to manage. It think they would be nice in alpaca or cashmere...

This is what I brought with me: my tool kit for the year. The chunky grey wool is from that cardigan I was making. The little bit of wool managed to sneak into my bag while the cardigan would not sneak nicely.

The wool I brought along: Grey fluffy Mohair and Purple Alpaca. The purple alpaca calls to me but I don't yet know what to make from it...

The beginnings of the Rebecca knitted dress with grey fluffy mohair. I'm making it as I choose, and not following the pattern (I can't read it anyway). I'm starting with my measurements based on the way I made the knitted skirt a while back. So I'm starting from the bottom and working up using circular needles until I get to the armholes then I'll put parts on stitch holders and extend up for the neckline so its almost seamless. Then I'll make the sleeves in the round too and then sew them on. This also means that if happen to have not calculated the amount of wool I need correctly, and I run out part way, I'll have a long tube I can wear as a cowl scarf. So either way, I win, as knitting in really fine mohair is really slow going and its hard to undo as it felts to itself easily.

I also made a little necklace with crochet thread and yellow beads. Its really simple and cost me a grand total of 60 cents. I made knots between the beads to keep them from sliding and to give them more definition and separation.

I like it a lot. I'm planning on making a trip here later to pick up some more beads for some more little necklaces.

I've had a migraine for 3 days now and I don't really feel like reading (since I can neither see properly or focus on words - I touch type so I'm not so bad on the computer, plus I can make the screen bigger!) so making some things would be just the thing... if only I didn't have to present this book tomorrow for my seminar... sigh... schedules don't allow for human frailty.









Sunday, September 19, 2010

Squirrel Hunting

No birdies to report but I've been chasing squirrels! Here are some of the squirrels I met (pictures courtesy of the Mr. as I was too busy squealing at the squirrels in happiness).

Hands clasped over the stomach in action intended to gain food from us (nope, sorry, you are a wild squirrel, you must find your own). Eastern Gray Squirrel.

This handsome striped fellow is the Golden-mantled ground squirrel. He is really really small compared to the Gray squirrel (and also really really cute).

He stopped to eat something...before darting back into the undergrowth of the tree

Here he is sitting on a rock beside the path - you can see how tiny he is!

The most friendly gray squirrel to date came right up to the camera lens to check if we really didn't have any food.

A little squirrel in a big world

Yep, that's an albino Gray squirrel (we later saw another one). Its a beautiful creamy colour.

We also saw very briefly what looked like a Groundhog grazing on some roadside clearing out in the suburbs. No picture though as it saw us and run away really fast. It was quite big and was a rich brown colour.