Early summer
G'day all!
A rather early summer hit and I've been a little busy enjoying it, in between getting work done and frantically knitting my cardigan for Syttende Mai. Last year I decided that there were not enough handknits at the parade, so I am adding one more. Of course I've had a whole year to do it but you know me. I gave myself a month instead and I've been pretty much loyal to this one project. I am yet to do the tops of the sleeves, then do the steeks (yes, I have to cut my knitting! Cut it! Eeek, steeks!), the neckband and the button bands. The button bands will be interesting - I have to sew them on to the steeked front of the cardigan and use an extra knitted bit as a placket to cover the steeks. The cardigan will be stunning if I do say so myself - it is Fana style in Norwegian Blue (Heilo, a Norwegian yarn) and natural coloured (from sheep on Lopez Island, an hour or so north of here) yarns. But I have to get it done first, and I think the finishing will take me quite some time. The remaining knitting will take tomorrow and part of Monday.
And yes, there is a joke in the Norwegian Blue. If you get it, you get it, if you don't, you don't, but when I discovered a certain dull indigo is called Norwegian Blue, I had to have it...
Last weekend we went up to San Juan Island. The weather was superb. It was sunny, the wind had died away so that apart from a couple of narrow passages the ferry was glorious. We got sunburnt - I had put sunscreen on my arm and my face/neck but not on my legs and certainly not behind my knees. How old am I now and I still don't remember to put sunscreen there? Yes, I was wearing shorts. That is how glorious the weather was.
We went up there because there is a wildflower festival on, except umm someone forgot that the main thing was this weekend, not last, even though the festival runs for last weekend and this one. Still, it was lovely and sunny and quite different to my visit in early April. I'll remember driving around Friday Harbor with the scent of lilacs in my nose - actually pretty much anywhere where there were houses smelled of lilacs.
It's been pretty nice during the week, at least after noon - we've had fog in the mornings. It made it very hard to work some days - such lovely weather calling me.
It's ok, summer will go away for this week, though the forecast isn't too bad - instead of hitting 26C, it will only be hitting about 18C. It will feel cold but will be pretty average for this time of year. Plus it hasn't rained for almost two weeks and this is Seattle. Funny thing is, two Mondays ago, before the nice weather set in, a foot of snow fell in the passes, and it rain/hailed on me and a friend. This means the melt is extra quick and heavy, and the rivers are running hard and c-c-c-cold.
Because the weather has been so warm, various plants that would not be flowering until later this month are already in full bloom, and some are already done. It's a bit crazy, but we are enjoying it!
I went off to Bellevue for a quilt gathering today. If I had known the weather was going to be nice all day (the forecast was for rain likely in the afternoon) I would've taken DH for a drive instead. It might've staved off the half meltdown and the reaction to the burger he had for lunch. Ah well, it is all purged now... We did a little ride out to Golden Gardens, which was rather pretty and all leafy and green except for where the beavers have cut down a number of trees. There were even adults swimming in Puget Sound, not just little kids.
I may have acquired a little more fabric, against my stash building rules. We are trying to save a bit more money, whether for a place here or to put on our place back home I'm not quite sure at this point. DH's insecurities have raised their ugly heads again and it makes it difficult to plan sometimes, and I am well aware of one of my responses. When insecure, Buy More Stuff! No excuses, not even that you've been eyeballing it for months and months and months, and now it is 50% off. But I did anyway and it will be grand when I get to it. But I have a cardigan to knit first!
I should get back to my knitting! Have soooo much to do in the next few days - I can't get this close and not succeed. At least Syttende Mai is on a Friday, so I'll have Friday morning to finish off the last bits....
anon!
A rather early summer hit and I've been a little busy enjoying it, in between getting work done and frantically knitting my cardigan for Syttende Mai. Last year I decided that there were not enough handknits at the parade, so I am adding one more. Of course I've had a whole year to do it but you know me. I gave myself a month instead and I've been pretty much loyal to this one project. I am yet to do the tops of the sleeves, then do the steeks (yes, I have to cut my knitting! Cut it! Eeek, steeks!), the neckband and the button bands. The button bands will be interesting - I have to sew them on to the steeked front of the cardigan and use an extra knitted bit as a placket to cover the steeks. The cardigan will be stunning if I do say so myself - it is Fana style in Norwegian Blue (Heilo, a Norwegian yarn) and natural coloured (from sheep on Lopez Island, an hour or so north of here) yarns. But I have to get it done first, and I think the finishing will take me quite some time. The remaining knitting will take tomorrow and part of Monday.
And yes, there is a joke in the Norwegian Blue. If you get it, you get it, if you don't, you don't, but when I discovered a certain dull indigo is called Norwegian Blue, I had to have it...
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| Mt Baker in the distance |
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| Lovely water, pretty point |
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| Looking at Canada |
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| Lime Kiln lighthouse - familiar, non? |
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| George the cat, whose eyes were brown, not green |
Last weekend we went up to San Juan Island. The weather was superb. It was sunny, the wind had died away so that apart from a couple of narrow passages the ferry was glorious. We got sunburnt - I had put sunscreen on my arm and my face/neck but not on my legs and certainly not behind my knees. How old am I now and I still don't remember to put sunscreen there? Yes, I was wearing shorts. That is how glorious the weather was.
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| Wildflowers Redoubt, American Camp |
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| Wild native Fritillarias! |
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| Death camas plus buttercups |
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| Usual beach - a bit of sand, lots of logs |
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| Leaving Friday Harbor |
We went up there because there is a wildflower festival on, except umm someone forgot that the main thing was this weekend, not last, even though the festival runs for last weekend and this one. Still, it was lovely and sunny and quite different to my visit in early April. I'll remember driving around Friday Harbor with the scent of lilacs in my nose - actually pretty much anywhere where there were houses smelled of lilacs.
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| Ladybug! |
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| Nice combination |
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| The rhodos are amazing at the moment |
It's been pretty nice during the week, at least after noon - we've had fog in the mornings. It made it very hard to work some days - such lovely weather calling me.
It's ok, summer will go away for this week, though the forecast isn't too bad - instead of hitting 26C, it will only be hitting about 18C. It will feel cold but will be pretty average for this time of year. Plus it hasn't rained for almost two weeks and this is Seattle. Funny thing is, two Mondays ago, before the nice weather set in, a foot of snow fell in the passes, and it rain/hailed on me and a friend. This means the melt is extra quick and heavy, and the rivers are running hard and c-c-c-cold.
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| Poppies! One of my favourites. |
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| Clematis |
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| More clematis |
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| Horse chestnut leaves |
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| Horse chestnut flowers |
Because the weather has been so warm, various plants that would not be flowering until later this month are already in full bloom, and some are already done. It's a bit crazy, but we are enjoying it!
I went off to Bellevue for a quilt gathering today. If I had known the weather was going to be nice all day (the forecast was for rain likely in the afternoon) I would've taken DH for a drive instead. It might've staved off the half meltdown and the reaction to the burger he had for lunch. Ah well, it is all purged now... We did a little ride out to Golden Gardens, which was rather pretty and all leafy and green except for where the beavers have cut down a number of trees. There were even adults swimming in Puget Sound, not just little kids.
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| Mad dogs and Englishmen... no, no, wrong thing... |
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| Cloud increasing |
I may have acquired a little more fabric, against my stash building rules. We are trying to save a bit more money, whether for a place here or to put on our place back home I'm not quite sure at this point. DH's insecurities have raised their ugly heads again and it makes it difficult to plan sometimes, and I am well aware of one of my responses. When insecure, Buy More Stuff! No excuses, not even that you've been eyeballing it for months and months and months, and now it is 50% off. But I did anyway and it will be grand when I get to it. But I have a cardigan to knit first!
I should get back to my knitting! Have soooo much to do in the next few days - I can't get this close and not succeed. At least Syttende Mai is on a Friday, so I'll have Friday morning to finish off the last bits....
anon!
You're in flower heaven over there!! I've never seen a real life Fritterllaria. 50% off fabric is too good to resist. You're saving as much as your spending so it equals itself out. Those steeks sound scary, good luck with them.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your cardi, those patterns are gorgeous, and yes, I got the Norwegian Blue joke. Most amusing. I am certain you will finish in time!!!
ReplyDeleteSo many gorgeous flowers and blue water and skies. We have had two days of rain and sun/grey/sun/grey. It can't make up its mind.