Feeling dem holiday blues.....

Why is it that after a summer holiday (as brief and as instant as it was) there are always piles of washing? I had originally delighted under the misconception that there had only been one load to do and as I pushed the clothes into the washing machine, I actually congratulated myself (and the boys of course) on this wondrous event....only one load of washing!

But.   Over the course of today, as I began to slowly seep into my annual PHD (post holiday depression) more and more washing appeared and Himself took it upon himself to fill all of the washing line outside and the lazy Susan clothes rack inside.....and the piles of washing still seem to quietly grow.

Still, I should see it as a badge of a good holiday had by all.   

And it was.

A GooD HoLiDay!

I always feel a little melancholy when I return from a coastal holiday - the light is so different - so clear and so BLUE!

Oh what a lovely little holiday we had. Much knitting, walking, body boarding, picnicking, breathing and being gently happened.

But, first I must return to the tidying away of the holiday detritus - I will pop back and do some blog-catch-up and share photos and stories.

PS thank you so much for your very positive feed back on my initial steps into serious fairisle knitting. I have fallen deeply and woolly-love into fairisle knitting :)  I can not recommend it enough - the delight of the pattern quietly falling off the needles and growing gently before my eyes is absolutely wonderful.

I will leave you this last photo - my fairisle hat loitering on Snipe Point rocks on Lindesfarne. I have almost finished it, promise to show soon xx

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Five things of happiness

Sharing laughs with Youngest as we spent quality time together just goofing around.

Eating a delightfully tasty buck rarebit for lunch with a bunch of teenagers

 Finding ancient beauty inspired by nature

 Finding out that I am not the only one =^,^= xx

Spotting beautifully made fabric panels in Hebden Bridge 

The detail is gorgeous.

What makes you happy?

What makes you laugh out loud?

Have you goofed around recently?

Having teenagers around for the summer holidays can be hard work - but it can also be a delight and I have been privileged enough to be allowed to join in in their fun - thanks guys!

Gone a little giddy! (AND suffering a little from 'bangorreah')

I have gone a little giddy :)  I can be heard to go squeeeeeeeee!!! and grin a silly big grin.
Why?
Well, coz I have finally mastered the art of knitting with two yarns AT*THE*SAME*TIME on the SAME*FINGER!
Squeeeeeeeee (there I go again!)!!

After what felt like a very long week (partially I suspect coz I was working the later shift than normal and partly due to a very sore back) doing a row or two of this tam has made my heart sing and made me feel a whole lot calmer and ready for the weekend.


Oh and bangorreah? I am surprised at you!! Surely you lot should know what I have been suffering!!!!!

Squeeeeee!!!!!!


Have a lovely weekend :) I certainly intend on doing so :)

Baby steps

Trying something new.

Taking it step by step - or rather stitch by stitch.
There is an awful amount of counting and re-counting and pulling back and knitting on.
And slowly slowly a pattern is beginning to emerge.
And I am super excited by it all!

Will report on success (or frogging) as it happens :)

Perverse beauty

Last week, Youngest and I spent some time at Bolton Abbey, a few days ago I posted a series of photos from our self imposed camera challenge. Today I thought I'd  add something else from that day that had caught my eye.

Scum on the top of the river. Swirling and twirling making a marbled effect on the surface.

And in a strangely perverse way, 

the duck paddling a trail through the pollution created added 'beauty'.

It felt odd.

20 things (Not quite)

Today..

Youngest and I spent today together with a self imposed camera challenge. We listed 20 things that we had to find and photograph. We didn't succeed with all twenty, these are the ones we did find. These pictures are mine, Youngest is yet to download his collection - he has collapsed on the settee with a mug of tea!

Boots, circles, bridge, cow, gargoyle, hands, rapids, reflections, shadows, stepping stones,  stones in water, thistles and wild life.

Thank you Bolton Abbey for supplying our entertainment :)

rip rip hook hook knit knit

Have you noticed?

That slight but inevitable turn towards autumn?

The seasons move on, summer softens and fades away and autumn gently but stubbornly moves in.  Well, I think we are on the cusp of a seasonal coup de'etat. I am not sure if I am ready for it yet.

My Shakespeare slouchy is no longer. Rip rip rip. It is quite cathartic - frogging.  The process of the regressive whirling of knitting is fascinating. Each stitch dissolving in milliseconds as it is wound back in to fat yarncakes.

Autumn always washes me with a melancholic feel. I find I try to resist the changes of the season around this time, deliberately not noticing the changing of the horse chestnut tree leaves from a summer mat green to hues of terracotta, rust and yellow.

I've not even had my summer holiday yet..... here's hoping for an Indian summer (or at least and English one without excess rain and cloud cover.....!) But I have to wait another two weeks - may they fly by.

I have two projects (officially) on the go. One is the replacement hat for the Shakespeare slouchy the other is a bit of a secret, will be able to reveal soon, once a certain birthday boy has received it :)

It feels good to be doing crochet again, think I need to do more :)

Well - what have you been up to?
Are feeling the impending seasonal slump?
Are you ready for the end of summer?
Are you also waiting for your summer holiday too?

Oh, before I forget and I keep doing so - how remiss of me - Hello Summertime Dreams - I've missed you and had been wondering how you were, so glad you are 'back' and thank you very much for all those lovely comments xx

Hats off to Shakespeare....

To 'Ta daa or not to Ta daa' that is the question -
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to knit with
the needles and threads of outrageous stash
or to take a crochet hook against the sea of yarn,
and by opposing - weave in the ends. To knit, to knit
no more and by a sleep to say we cast off
the heartache and the thousand stitches (thanks Will S.)

 

Now. To ta daa or not to ta daa?
Well, on a positive note - Yes I have finished my slouchy and yes it is indeed that - a slouchy. The knit was fast and soft. Squishy soft without being fluffy or nose-tickly. It is warm and cozy to wear. Actually, I am miss-leading you here, it is not cozy, coz cozy implies a warm and snuggly close fitting hat.

 Which, this slouchy is neither. Snug nor close fitting.

My slouchy is bordering on big. Soft and big and almost with poncho-sized qualities. Draped down over my brows and ears and almost resting on my shoulders....again I am miss-leading you. It is not THAT big, but ALMOST!

Again with the positives -it was super easy to knit up, I loved making it as I found it flew off the needles in a soothing and creative way. The colours are my favourites and (I keep returning to this) it is so so super soft and squishy.....but LARGE. Hmmmmmm

A quick rendition of Paul McCartney's The Frog Chorus can be heard in the back of my head - think it is frogging time!

Oh and my apologies to William Shakespeare for my shameless rip off of his famous soliloquy  - and to make amends - here is the correct version......

To be, or not to be, that is the question—
Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die, to sleep—
No more; and by a sleep, to say we end
The Heart-ache, and the thousand Natural shocks

Now, got to go, we're on the hunt for school pants for Youngest. His school has the endearing habit of slightly updating their uniform every year and making it compulsory for all students to have the new style. This time there is the small alteration of an added embroidered  logo to the trousers - creating a major shortage of that particular style as all the students are required to have them......deep joy. I just *love* shopping (not) particularly for extra school clothing when he already has two pairs of his own (and has just inherited 2 pairs from Eldest) of perfectly fitting and good condition pants......