Friday 29 January 2010

A Slow Unfolding (and a long post).



Signs of a waiting spring with the slow unfolding of new life. I find more sweet crocus every time I step into the garden, though the absent sun means they are not lighting the scene with their starry faces, petal thrown wide to celebrate the gentle warmth.



The first of our primroses peeked its head above the cold soil and said hello with a soft yellow almost-unfurling of skirts, deciding at the last it seems to wait a little longer before shaking them out completely. It had only stopped flowering a short time before Christmas, so I guess it deserves a little rest.



The winter flowering cherry slowly, slowly fattens its tiny buds. I love this dainty plant with its elegant branches which suddenly explode into masses of beautiful blossoms making me feel spring is truly here even if it is really too early to be so.



I received the loveliest surprise from my dear, wonderful friend Diana this week in the form of the most beautifully decorated envelope containing knitting patterns. How perfect is that! Actually, how perfect is the envelope which Diana decorated with a collage of all varieties of witch hazel, one of my very favourite plants (yes, I know I have lots).



There is the most amazing witch hazel along the road from us which is now a mass of bloom scenting the air with the most beautiful and delicate perfume. I almost crash the car daily as we pass by in my attempts to negotiate the busy road and drown in the breathtaking beauty of this most beguiling of tiny trees.



Isn't it beautiful?



And there was one of Diana's equally beautiful photographs which is now firmly in place on the fridge door where I can gaze often as I virtually live in this one room.



And knitting patterns...woohoo! I think I may have to show you these in another post as they are so gorgeous, but I am desperate to start a new project and just having these to look at gives me the incentive I need...



..to keep going with this. I have nearly finished the back - 2cm left to do - and can honestly say I don't know what I think of it. It is light, soft to the touch and warm, but so odd that it needs to be completed and made up before I can commit myself.



It certainly isn't a grabber in photgraphs taken on such a dull day is it? Well, I'll stick at it and see how it goes. I hope I like it as I can't bear wasted effort and I really could do with a jumper like this.



In contrast, Mr Davey's knitting goes on apace with the last sleeve now started.



It is so lovely and I am really proud of his first attempt at a garment other than a scarf. I do love Crofter wool!



Well, that was a mammoth post, so I will leave you now with a huge thank you to dear Diana for making my week and another thank you to those of you who made it to the end of this post without losing the will to live!



Have a wonderful weekend x

17 comments:

  1. I think you're a bit closer to spring there than we are. Lots of green shoots but no flowers yet - but then while it's cold we can have log firesevery night and drnk hot chocolate so it's not all bad!

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  2. Those signs of spring make my heart sing, Pipany--thank you! We are so many, many weeks away from such beauty and things growing again... so I can only *swoon* around blogland in the meantime...LOL! Your friend is a very gifted photographer...very inspiring...thanks for sharing. Happy Weekend to you all there. :o ((HUGS))

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  3. Certainly not lost the will to live - your posts and pictures are always so lovely I don't want to get to the end! We have a couple of tiny primrose buds peeking through too but none of the witch hazel or cherry blossom - lucky you!

    Jane

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  4. Hello Pipany.

    Seeing all those hints of spring was just what I needed this morning, as New York's temperature has suddenly dived way below the freezing mark. I have several outdoor errands today that will involve longish walks. I foresee lots and lots of layers of wooly knitting!

    Best wishes for a fine weekend in Cornwall. xo

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  5. Spring - already, 'aawwwwww' it's not fair!!

    I keep having a peek into the wasteland of our garden and nothing yet, nowt, not-a-jot!!!

    Have a lovely, lovely weekend and those prints are gorgeous.

    Nina xxxxxxx

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  6. What a gorgeous envelope - could almost arrive empty and be enough of a treat.
    You and your Mr D are certainly going great guns on the knitting. You've got me going too - loving it!

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  7. Pipany you write the most beautiful posts, and share the most wonderful photographs that I wouldn't care if it took me two hours to read each of them!

    Your blog is lovely and warming to read, and I always feel a bit better when Ive visited!

    Love Julia x x x

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  8. Beautiful photographs - there's no sign of flowers in my garden yet. I'm inpressed with Mr Davey's beautiful knitting. Have a good weekend. x

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  9. Lovely post Pipany and thank you for the kind comments you left on my blog. The sunshine is wonderful isn't it, it's put a real spring in my step. I usually love Winter, epecially my birthday month of January but the cold weather has made me feel quite glum this year. Mr Daveys knitting is amazing. Have a great weekend.
    Twiggy x

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  10. It must be so much warmer with you, although I did see some daffodil shoote today, but I still feel I'M 'In the Deep Mid-winter!'

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  11. oooh I think you are very brave working with boucle wool! I made a cardigan once and never again. I hope you like the end result :o)

    Oh, we are such a long way from spring up here in Caithness, though - nothing is growing yet!

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  12. Nope -nothing in the midlands yet - just nice to have very slightly longer days!

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  13. A good day here turned into a snowy blizzard and now it's all white again. Your spring shots made me feel hopeful that it might get warmer and greener soon.

    Your jumper sounds like an ok book that you need to finish just to see if it gets better. I really hope it does work out as the wool looks great.

    Have a good weekend.

    Lisa x

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  14. I think you are nearer to Spring than we are here in the NW but my bulbs are growing stronger day by day and the days are getting longer so winter is losing its grip- I am really impressed with HIS knitting !

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  15. All white here agin today Pip so spring seems an age away. Scouitng around the garden yesterday I've found one single, solitary bud on an early daff pokign through the ground. Not a thing else. Must get some winter flowering shrubs to keep me going next year, witch hazel has been on my list for years, thanks for the reminder!

    What a talent your Dave is - love that pattern and colour.

    Have a lovely Sunday.
    Stephxx

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  16. You are always about 3 months ahead of us in the garden!! My snowdrops are JUST poking through! What a lovely package from Diana - she is so clever. xx

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  17. I adore witch hazel esp teh cork screw variety! Very impressed with the knitting...

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