Wednesday 26 February 2014

Spring Weather & Knitting News.



Spring: I can feel it in the air; see it in the hazy light & slow unfurling flowers; hear it in the increasingly loud birdsong emanating from outside our window where finches flit frantically from branch to branch. And today I felt it in the hot sun as I walked across the beach.


It is close enough to touch and even if the weather should turn icy the clock still ticks toward the brighter months with the promise of all that brings.


The seas have been brisk and swirling myriad shades of blue. Oyster-catchers and herring gulls skim across the foamy waves in a dance of catch-me-if-you-can, sea spray fingers reaching up to cast silvery trails into the sky as wings dip and dodge and hover.

Sunlight turns the dullest patches of seaweed into illuminated tableaux full of vibrant citrusy yellows back lit to render them a stained glass quality. Spring light does this. It takes the ordinary and humble and shouts,"look at what is here! Take note!" ... and I do.


It is precious time, though I am spending far too long walking Pepper. The air is so fresh, the waves so enticing that the thought of being shut indoors does not appeal so very much. I think, "I'll just see what the next wave does," and so it goes on.


Plus, as ever, there is treasure to sort through and search out. The strong stormy winds have thrown plenty for us to turn over and that sun, when it is there, is telling me there is no rush.


 Pepper is in no particular hurry either. She has friends to play with on busier days or, when I find us a secret spot hidden away as is my favourite, she pootles through rockpools with me, her lump-of-coal nose shuffling around under stones to chase out something special to amuse her for a while. Then we sit and watch and listen and just breathe it all in.


Eventually home calls but even here I am filling the shelves and sills with signs of spring. On Saturday I decided it was time:our first duck egg shone bright white in the duck pen and told us that the ducks are ready for a change of season even if the calender isn't. The first egg from the ducklings I hatched and hand reared last year. I must admit I feel quite proud! 


Bowls and baskets of shells are popping up everywhere so that the light can bounce off their surfaces.. pretty flat winkles, cowries, whelks ... so many.


My pockets are always full of things I find.


Evening time is still so chilly though and so we light the fire and I pick up my knitting. Yes, I finally settled on a pattern from the masses saved to my Pinterest knitting board. Not an easy thing when I want so many of the things I have on there, but I have started with Deco by Kate Davies.



It's a lovely cardigan which I am knitting in Sirdar Sublime extra fine Merino DK. The shade is as you can see but with more depth than my photo shows. It is giving me the chance to use my Knit Pro circular needles from a set I treated myself to a long (long) time ago. They come with a gorgeous range of coloured interchangeable tips and are very comfortable to use. The patterning is simple with enough going on to keep things interesting.


Of course, I bought a few more balls in another colour at the same time as I was having trouble choosing. Davey encouraged this as he was heading off to purchase a little more yarn himself. I call him ' The Enabler!'


The blue I am using is called Spruce & the other is aptly named Gorgeous, which it is.


 And so that's me for now.


 Bye for now x



20 comments:

  1. Your blogs always lift my spirits way up!

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    1. That's such a lovely thing to say! Thank you Cait :)

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  2. Hellooooooo, you're back, how did I miss that. And you're knitting, even better.

    And you now have me longing to visit the shore!

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    1. Hello Annie. yes, your knitty news inspired me!

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  3. Ahoy there! So good to be visiting this lovely space once again. I've been away from my blog for a year (gulp) and just making my way around to everyone to say hello. Pepper is lovely! Good to see the family are well and business has gone through the roof - so to speak. Speaking of which I hope you were all OK during those dreadful storms. You certainly took a battering over in the west! But I see the good old Cornish sun is working wonders ... fabulous photos as ever.

    Jeanne
    x

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    1. hello again Jeanne. Yes, I had a bit of a break too! Some rain damage in the house & studio but could have been so much worse. Lovely to see your pretty blog again x

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  4. Pipany, all that golden light in your photographs of the shoreline treasures is such a welcome sight here in freezing (if occasionally sunny) New York.

    Your posts always take me to a very good place. Thank you and Pepper, too, for taking us along on that walk, and for staying a bit longer to see what the next wave would be like.

    What else...oh yes, I also think that Kate Davies is a marvelous designer, who like you seems to draw inspiration from the area where she lives.

    xo

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    1. Hello Frances & thank you. I 'm glad you enjoy our trips as much as we do. Yes, Kate davies is quite new to me, but I really like her work and the pattern is so well written. x

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  5. Now that is what I call good procrastinating, spotted your twitter post. Love the photos. Been meaning to get k knitting again and with you and Frances posting about it am truly inspired. Those colours yummy. School hols for little guys next two weeks so will teach them me thinks.
    Rachel xx

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    1. Thank you so much for popping by & glad you feel inspired!

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  6. Oh so lovely and spring like! Your pictures have reminded me that spring is definitely coming despite a grey start to today. Love the knitting too x

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  7. Such a lovely inspiring post as usual. I so envy your proximity to the beach. Those wool colours are beautiful - hope you'll be posting the finished garment(s) soon. Great to see you posting!

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  8. What utterly glorious photos, full of sunshine and the illusion of warmth. I forget what amazing light you get in Cornwall. The knitting looks good, that is a gorgeous shade of blue. x

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  9. Oh, Pipany!! What a joy to visit you and your seashore, again!! =) xxo

    But... could we possibly live on the same earth? We are still buried deep in snow with very, very frigid temperatures. (It will be -18°C at night, here - or colder - all week long. And this is how it's been since November.) All this to say, I can't even begin to describe how your pictures and words make my heart feel - curiously happy!!!

    Well! Have fun with your walks and your knitting! I can hear the rhythm of the waves filling your ears outside and the quiet click, click of the rhythm of your needles inside! =)

    xxoo

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  10. Hello Pipany, long time no speak (so to speak). I hope your absence means you are busy with work. Or perhaps you're beavering away on your Deco. I do love that pattern, it's been in my favourites for some time now and I can't wait to see yours.
    Happy week to you. Kate xox

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    1. Oh dear, sorry I meant to say thank you for admiring MY knitting too xox

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