Welcome 2011!

Some highlights as we edged towards the end of 2010:


I finished Lucy's birthday sweater, the popular Central Park Hoodie. I stitched it together exactly two months to the day that I cast on - not bad considering all that went on in between. Lucy was pleased to have a new sweater to add to her wardrobe in this chilly days.


Lucy, herself, finished her first pair of handknit socks. She made them as a gift for her friend. And like any good knitter, she immediately cast on for another pair after finishing these.


Dan and I managed to make a Christmas Eve trip to the south shore of the Bay of Islands, taking advantage of the lack of snow to make the long drive. It was astoundingly beautiful. This is a picture of Blomidon Head. The light! The colour! Winter, winter, winter - how I love you.


After Christmas festivities were over, we joined up with some friends for a night of readings, food and, yes, even a powerpoint presentation in celebration of this book. As you can see, we each have heavily marked the book for our favourite passages. There was wild talk of a movie version, and I must say that I immediately had a strong vision of exactly how that might shape up....perhaps a summer project is in the works?

I am not linking to the book or the author because this was his first novel and I know he has moved on to more obviously well-recognized heights in his field. He might not think it so great that we have such a deep appreciation for his youthful endeavour. Indeed, his later works don't have the same quality of this one and while I understand how they might be considered "better" in a more mainstream way...well...let's just say that tight editing isn't always a good thing in the name of art.


Two nights ago, we were visited by mummers - a first for us. Part of the game of it is to guess who the people are and we almost immediately guessed who they were. Once that was established, they gathered up Dan, dressed in his finest mummering garb, and off they went to sing and dance at other neighbor's houses.


Lucy looks on, somewhat skeptically.

Mummering is technically illegal in Newfoundland now, but since they stayed just to houses on our street, I think it was ok.


We rang in the new year with a bonfire and some fireworks with friends. Chilly but festive!

Dan drove away this morning - driving our car back to New York, which some might say is a crazy plan for early January in Atlantic Canada but he was adamant about it. The ferry is already delayed by five hours due to weather, so we hope his crossing isn't too rough and that he doesn't encounter too much snow between Nova Scotia and New York. The story of exactly why he is doing this may have to wait for another day as it involves immigration and customs issues that I am not quite feeling energized to write about. Suffice to say that some Canadian customs officials are more particular than others.


The multi-talented Brenda Stratton led a workshop in felting last week. The seductions of colour and texture of wool are, if anything, even more pronounced in felting. I know at least one person there seems to have been entranced by its possibilities.

And there has been a little bit of yarn....


More gorgeous skeins from the handpainted fleece from Widdershins Woolworks. It is merino and seacell (70%/30%) that I spun thin and chain plied, so it is incredibly soft and luminous. After re-reading the Harry Potter series recently I called this one Pumpkin Juice.


Some wild yarn made from uncarded BFL/Icelandic locks, plied with a single spun from naturally black Shetland. I have made three skeins, all called Villtur, which is Icelandic for "wild". I do love this yarn.

Taking that short break from blogging was helpful - sometimes it is good to be quiet a bit. The last few weeks of 2010 felt like a time of gathering resources for what is to come next. I feel excited about taking a new direction with my work, a new direction that is feeling more personal and less communal, but we will see how it shapes up.

I love New Year's day, perhaps for same reason that I love early mornings - everything is possible. A new year, a new day, a new breath. Remember: time swiftly passes by and opportunity is lost. Do not squander your life!

Welcome 2011!