...autumn sunlight

I was working yesterday (Saturday) so had to wait until today for a weekend walk at the park. It was another dry, frosty autumn morning, and the sun was still quite low in the sky as we set off, illuminating just the topmost branches of the trees. I loved the combination of the stark black silhouettes tipped with warm, delicate peach against the clear blue sky.

These images remind me of traditional Chinese watercolours of cherry blossom, with their bold lines and pastel shades.

Of course gazing upwards through the leaves becomes quite addictive...

 ...and the view is equally beautiful in black and white.

Whenever I'm looking at the big picture I always like to zoom in on the finer details too. Like this lightly frosted pastel yellow  leaf nestled in the grass at the side of the path. My 'leaf of the day' collection is growing all the time. I'm pondering some leaf paintings on the mdf offcuts I unearthed during Carpetgate. I only allowed myself to keep them on condition they got used, and the idea really appeals to me. But first I need to sew up the seam and make a bobble for my friend's Wee Willy Winkie stocking hat, and finish the cowl I've been making for my sister for Christmas!

...shepherd's delight

The carpet-fitting marathon has ended! Last weekend (a.k.a. Phase 3) the last two rooms were carpeted and had their contents replaced (why is is so much easier to refill a room than it is to empty it?). Other than a few bits and pieces and a dozen boxes of books from the hallway bookshelf which we stored with the in-laws for the duration and haven't yet collected, everything is back where it belongs and order has been restored. It has been a challenging experience for both of us, but even though there were times I wanted to kill my husband for bullying chivvying me into moving faster when I wanted to sift carefully through every last drawer before emptying it, it also made me appreciate him more. After all (as he never tired of telling me) new carpets were not his idea, but he stuck with the process anyway - even when that process involved the pair of us shifting an enormous double wardrobe (on it's side) along a narrow hallway with a tight 90 degree turn at the end. It's a strangely satisfying thought to know that I have moved and/or handled almost every single thing in our house at some point in the past four weeks! We've had numerous trips to the dump and the charity shop, we've rearranged furniture to give ourselves more space, and I can no longer live in denial about the full extent of my craft materials hoard. I'm hoping that this will inspire me to make and do more, now that all those potential projects and ideas are at the forefront of my brain again.

Although nearly every waking minute outside of work was consumed by carpet-related activities, there were a few unmissable  moments along the way which made me pause to draw breath:

An awesome "red sky at night" sunset - the photo doesn't really do justice to the dramatic volcanic red and grey clouds over the car-park as I left work late one afternoon. 

This beautiful autumn  leaf my friend brought into work for me.

Yellow leaves and crimson berries in the autumn sunshine - the car-park at work again!

Finally - the Sunday morning after Phase 3 Saturday when we allowed ourselves 'time off' for a leisurely morning walk through the park in the Autumn sunshine. Sheer bliss