Saturday, 2 February 2019

...winter wool-gathering

I've been knitting like a woman possessed for the last few weeks. I completed another Norrland hat for myself (identical to the one I made for my Mum) only to discover that, lovely as it was, it didn't really suit me. It functions perfectly well, but (as my daughter kindly confirmed when I asked her) it makes my head "look funny". Some people's features are enhanced by the addition of a hat, but I have never been one of them - there is something about the shape and proportions of my larger than average skull that means that (more often than not) they just make me appear rather odd. Since I'm still vain enough to feel that if I'm wearing an attention grabbing garment I want to look good in it, I'll be giving the new Norrland to someone it actually suits, and have consoled myself by whipping up a nice chunky cabled not-a-hat headband to keep my ears warm instead. 
Another satisfyingly swift January project was the "Around the Corner" shawl designed by Brian Smith. It's a gorgeously cosy but light-weight thing, knitted in rainbow-hued Debbie Bliss Rialto sock yarn. I'm struggling slightly to find the "right" way to wear it, because I'm more accustomed to scarves than shawls and the asymetric shape makes it trickier to drape, but I will persevere and get the hang of it because I love it so much!
At the park the lichen has come into its own, glowing vibrant turquoise and gold on bare branches under the cloudy sky. I love that there is always something beautiful to see here, no matter what the time of year.

At the end of December I completed my collection of woodland path photos, taken over the course of the year. The four below reflect the different moods of the changing seasons rather well, I think.
Below is the view I've chosen for this year's collection. It remains to be seen if this is going to work from a photographic perspective, as there are issues with light and shade due to the angle of the morning sun (we normally walk first thing in the morning) - but then again I'm not trying to be a professional photographer. I just like the symmetry of the composition, and think it will be lovely to watch those flower beds come to life. They will be full of roses in the summer!