When I peer through the gray and brown landscape, Spring is visible. A tiny bit of red fringe edges the maple branches. Single blades of green grass poke up here and there. A neighbor rakes dead grass from a lawn. In our yard, the daffodils and iris are up a few inches. A few brave robins poke about in dry grass. Yesterday the juncos came to the feeder. Until they fly north, we have one foot in winter.
Today is Wednesday and the day to link with Kat and the Unravelers who post about knitting and reading. I'm knitting on three projects with mostly forward progress. I am enjoying this purple shawl. The fabric of two strands is warm and soft. Last night during the "Read With Us" discussion, I knit until I needed to count stitches for the next eyelet section. Then I picked up the hitchhiker, adding a fourth row of eyelets when I really wanted only three. Oops. Some afternoon when I have a minute, I'll lay the piece on the counter, pull out the needle and rip out three rows. It's all knitting and I'm just getting more enjoyment from the yarn.
Early last week, I noticed the lace pattern in this sock was a smidge off but I ignored the voice in my head and kept knitting. Eventually I noticed an extra stitch in that section. I knew if I pulled everything off size 0 needles, I'd have a hard time getting the eyelet stitches back on correctly. So I took out sixteen rows, one dumb stitch at a time. It was a good move. Not only had I added an extra yarn over, I also dropped a stitch during an SSK. Anyway, I reknit those rows and have since completed the heel turn and gusset. The color of the coordinating mini-skein that came with this yarn is more coordinating than contrasting but it's good enough for winter socks.
Last night I finished reading Lucy By The Sea by Elizabeth Strout. Although I'm late to the party, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. Strout accurately captured the slow-motion soap opera of the pandemic year. I loved Lucy for her honesty about herself and for the way she extended grace to fellow human beings. I especially enjoyed her warm relationship with her daughters. The scene of Lucy sitting in Central Park between her two daughters reminded me of the times Mom took my sister and I out for lunch. Mom rarely gave unasked-for advice but she did like to spend time with all her children. She was also someone who extended grace to fellow human-beings.
I've just begun listening to Booth by Karen Joy Fowler. The story is interesting and I hope there is an author's note at the end detailing her research. Actually I need to look for that information. The narrator's depiction of small children's voices irritates me but is only a small part. Like other families of the time, the Booth's lost several young children to illness. Since the eldest daughter is the narrator, the reader sees these losses through her eyes. It's an interesting perspective. Multiple perspectives are one of the reasons I enjoy reading.
I hope you are seeing some signs of Spring amidst all the gray days.
P. S. I haven't seen a junco all morning.
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Maybe all your juncos came here!??!! There are still a lot of those snowbirds in our backyard and trees. Like you, I feel as though we are not out of winter until I no longer see those birds! Your knitting is so pretty. It is hard for me to imagine un-knitting 16 rows of a sock on #1 needles. Not sure I would have the patience for that!
ReplyDeletewell, all the sighs about the knitting progress, but I love your attitude about getting to spend more time with the yarn and projects ... and I'm delighted you enjoyed Lucy by the Sea. My neighborhood bookclub is discussing it next week!
ReplyDeleteThat purple is so royal looking and I'm glad to hear that it feels as nice as it looks. I'm glad your Hitchhiker will be easily fixed, and even if your sock was a bit more painful, at least it was worth spending that time. I love Lucy in all of Elizabeth Strout's books and would welcome another one. We have a convergence of juncos and robins here, so they are telling me that we aren't yet done with winter nor fully into spring.
ReplyDeleteIt’s ‘temperamental time’ here in Melbourne - the weather keeps changing its mind. One day it’s summer next it’s autumn (winter even)! Shorts&Tshirts are not back in the drawers yet - what am I going to wear’ is a daily cry now.
ReplyDeleteTinking back that sock sounds like it was tedious but worth it. If you hadn't done it, you probably wouldn't have found that dropped stitch until much later. If I'd put in an extra row of eyelets on the shawl, I probably would have left it there and continued to add an additional row of them in each set, but I also understand wanting to follow your original plan. Both shawls are looking lovely in any case.
ReplyDeleteI was a little late to the party in discovering Lucy, but Lucy by the Sea was by far my favorite of her series of books. Her experience of the earlier days of the pandemic so perfectly captured what it was like for me.
Oof... that unknitting of that sock. Sigh. It is more work that knitting it! I am glad you are back on track, they are lovely socks! The yarn is really perfect!
ReplyDeleteLikewise, I so loved Strout's candid thoughts on Pandemic Living. I appreciated them so much.
Your attitude about "getting enjoyment" out of your yarn is such a good one, Jane. I loved Lucy By the Sea, and I'm glad you liked it, too. I find it . . . oddly comforting . . . to read well-done books that describe those early days of the pandemic. It was such a frightening, odd time and I almost forget about that now.
ReplyDeleteI have one junco hanging around, all the others have left. I love all of your projects, nice colors to push the new season into being. I'm working on a sweater for myself and a pair of socks for my husband, I'm enjoying both.
ReplyDelete