Knit Alpaca

I did say 'later this week' didn't I? Turns out I actually meant...In a week...Sorry!

After finding this project on the Purl bee I decided 'I'd like to try that.' The yarn suggested is Bag Smith's Big Stitch Alpaca Yarn. After thinking about this I decided I would like to try to find something a little more local, I know there are Alpaca farmer's out there not so far away. And so I found knitalpaca. Yay!

This yarn is from within the state. It is grown, and spun locally. And the lady there, Lauris, has been so kind and helpful. I used the Granda in grey. It's quite pebbly.

Wow. This yarn is divine. So squishy, so soft, warm, gentle tones and it even smells amazing. Yarn that you want to snuggle in bed with. A few small people told me they were going to use it as a blanket. It has been taken from this spot a number of times since I originally placed it. Being at on the stairs and being so soft I have a non slip mat beneath it.

Though we have seen a few windows into Springtime weather it continues to be broken up by stiff cold winds, wet, grey skies and Wintery weather. I do so look forward to putting my toes on that soft inviting rug each day. 

Wonder full: something for the senses

Sunday with three

Magnolia

Forgive me for my, perhaps, superfluity of pictures here. These flowers are a joy to see. Especially on those cold, deep wintery days. And a wonder to enjoy on others such as this blue-sky-sunshine-Spring-is-coming kinda day.  

Look at that contrast, the soft pink and white and that clear blue.

Joy. In colour.

I could write about why I have been here so inconsistently of late. But I won't because, it's not that interesting. I will say we are all well and are preparing ourselves for the arrival of Springtime and all that it brings with it this year. New life and growth of many kinds. While Winter is still with us most of the time I continue to knit, to immerse my hands in warm, soft, yarn. I have one of the softest projects ever to share later this week.

Wishing you all a little sunshine.

Dino-wash quick knit

When I'm between larger projects or need a break from one that is causing me a little frustration, or I'm causing it a little stalling I often decide to make something very quick. Get myself a little hit. A sense of achievement. Change my creative scenery. This time it was a face washer with a T-rex on it for my lad.

I did a little looking and came up with this chart. Unfortunately he tells me he can't really see the dinosaur. Maybe you can? Either way it still absorbs water and is effective for washing faces. And it filled that brief creative spot in between.

Wonder full: something for the senses

Something to hear, something to see, something to smell, something to taste, something to touch, or something to know....

Something to be thankful for.

kitchen doings

I am relishing the chance to make and eat real winter warming food like the pea and ham soup that just smells so damn good and the pie that I got all creative with the pastry which then completely emptied it's insides over the plate the moment it was cut...( but was all eaten anyway)

Chocolate yoghurt cake (recipe from Rhonda over at Down to Earth) because I had a batch of yoghurt that didn't set ( I let it get too cold in the making process) and then I added a healthy schlurp of maple syrup to the cream whipping process 'cause that seemed the right thing to do. It was definitely mapley.

It's been a busy kitchen of late. It's usually busy but this boy wants to be involved in any sort of preparation and cooking at the moment. And he seems to have a preoccupation with rhubarb. There's been an awful lot of rhubarb around these parts of late. I no complain. I too love to have rhubarb when ever I can. Rhubarb cordial, rhubarb and ginger sponge pudding, stewed rhubarb, rhubarb jelly, rhubarb and strawberry icecream.  Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb. 

And then there's these little crumblies. I've had this recipe, cut out from The Age's Good Weekend magazine sometime ago, waiting to be made for, probably, years. They are Ginger Creams (or Ginger Yo yo's) and they disappear into waiting mouths very rapidly. Now, I've made two double batches of these, trouble is they're number is halved the moment you stick two biscuits together....hmmm, funny that. Ahem.

Admission here: I hid a few in a separate biscuit jar that only adults know about. Wink, wink.

Experiment

I remember doing this as a kid. A helping hand in understanding how things grow. 

One afternoon we went straight from school to the florist and one happy hour later they were sitting pretty in our lounge room. And three hours after that we had a rainbow of carnations to admire. By the next morning those colours were even stronger.

I do love seeing all this colour and they way the light comes through those bottles. Wee man keeps talking about watering the pumpkin seeds he planted a few days ago. We explain to him that (as well as it not quite being pumpkin planting season...) with the generous amount of rain we have been getting, watering is really not so necessary, it's probably a little sunshine the plants would love most. But he has this habit, at the moment, that goes along with all the cutting and cooking he does, that every time he finds seeds, he washes them dries them then finds a spot in the garden. Bless.


Learning, experimenting is so much fun.

Wonder full: something for the senses

Something to hear, something to see, something to smell, something to taste, something to touch, or something to know....

Something to be thankful for.

This life

My tummy is growing. People ask how long I have to go, not how far along I am.
I walk like a pregnant lady. My back plays up and Dada has had to take on extra tasks.


I love feeling this life within me. I can chase the baby's foot/elbow (whichever pointy bit it may be) across my tummy. I look forward to meeting this soul. Sometimes at bedtime, sometimes in the middle of the night, sometimes in the middle of the day, I close my eyes and concentrate soley on this little being. I will my body and my passenger to work together and bring this wee person into our family safely and well. I am somewhat reassured, knowing my body can do this, has done it before. We have been so fortunate. At the same time I wonder whether we have had it so good that it can't keep going.


I am reminded how fortunate we are when I read the news, talk to people.


And it was brought home to me again last week. One of my dearest has lost a pregnancy. She is heart broken. So am I. So many thoughts run through her mind, fair and not fair thoughts.


We count our blessings. We learn from life. We grow. Hopefully we become better and stronger people, more able to give back to the world around us with greater understanding and care.


Wishing you all health, growth and joy in whatever form they present themselves. Big or small, fleeting or lasting. Take it and savour it. 


Take care.


x