Friday, December 29, 2006

Aren't Knitters Nice?

A while ago, I was whining and moaning about the weather, the light (or lack therof) and the Black Dog being all over me. Lixie (no stranger to the Black Dog herself) was most sympathetic and asked if there was anything she could do. I, of course, replied (tongue half in my cheek), "Send yarn!".

Guess what arrived this morning?



The complete "Don't let the Black Dog get you down" package.

Some fun little magnets to help me express my mood (that's if the flinging of cushions and banging of household items hasn't already given the game away);



some postcards with beautiful pictures of yarn, yarn and more yarn - two of each design thoughtfully provided so I can send one and keep one;



Issue 2 of "Proud to be Crafty", wherein articles by Ruth of Woolly Wormhead fame, and Mary-Lou's patterns for fab flowers; last, but by no means least:

a skein of the most beautifully soft hand-spun angora ("bunny fluff") from Tess at Silkwood.



Lixie, I can't thank you enough.

Aren't Knitters Nice?

Did I miss a week (or two)?

I honestly do not know how the time seems to slip through my fingers - worse than money, worse than a slippery eel.

I haven't been doing a great deal of knitting. Cooking and keeping the peace have been much more important of late. I have cooked. I have kept the peace. Christmas has passed off without incident and a good time was had by all.

Here's "Back Field Saturday" again. (Yes, I know it's not Saturday - it's not sunny either, but there you go.)




This time, we have a horse.

Things do change, ever so slightly, in the Rural Backwater.

New Year's Resolution?

a) No list of "What I knitted this year" (that's a promise).

b) More regular blogging (ditto).

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Sad, Neglected and Unloved

and that's just the blog.

I know, I know, I've been remiss. I want to thank you all for your kind thoughts. The Black Dog (not to mention the Black Cat, aka Beelzebub) has been knocking at the back door. The days are short and dark and as for the Christmas Madness - don't get me started.

However, I didn't start this blog to talk about me, and there has been a certain amount of knitting. As in, I have finished the frilly-edge scarf (done while I was waiting with #1 son for him to give evidence in a case of ABH - don't ask, but another possible reason why the blog has been a bit rocky of late.)



Don't even think about making "2 x 3.5cm diameter pom-poms using yarn B (Kimono Ribbon)" as recommended in the book, because, even using the new, improved pom-pom method, the whole thing will fall to bits, causing short strands of Kimono Ribbon to cascade onto the floor, thereby adding to the general unkempt nature of the household. Some say it adds to the "Christmassy feel" - I say "Bah, humbug!", but you knew that already, I think.

What I did in the end, was to use a bit of the same "Impression" yarn, hanging about in stash, albeit in a different colour. Knitter's choice, Knitter's fudge, Knitter using her own brain.

I have also decided to do "Out the back Saturday". Lots of people do "Saturday Sky" on their blog but to me that doesn't really give you much of a context. Sky is sky, after all. I am going to treat you to a view of the back field. I'm going to try and take it at the same time each Saturday. I may post them all, I may post none. Much of this depends on the new and improved (insert hollow laugh) Beta Blogger.

So, doing the best I can to catch up and ingratiate myself with the blogging community (if not the Knitters), I give you my back field on December 2nd:



and as if that wasn't enough, here it is again on December 9th:



As you can see, not much changes in the Rural Backwater.