Hello Gentle Readers. Here we are in the middle of October. This past Sunday autumn blew in with cooler temperatures and by Monday I pulled on a pair of wool socks. Birch leaves drift from the tree as a red bellied woodpecker hops up a big limb. Early today the official temperature dropped to 29 degrees. I am so happy to have crisp October days. Maple leaves turn red and shine against a brilliant blue sky. No rain has fallen and none is predicted. The area is dangerously dry.
Wednesday is the day to link with Kat and the Unravelers. These days I am working on three knitting projects. Some evenings I knit on the Leaflette shawl/scarf. I enjoy it but progress is slow so it looks much like it did last time I posted here. In between, I'm having fun knitting the World's Simplest Mittens in a bright Noro Silk Garden yarn. I bought this yarn last year with a birthday gift certificate from my son and daughter-in-law. The colors and texture of the yarn do the work.
I'm also working on these scrappy socks. I'm knitting intermittent rows with slip stitches, adapting the design feature to suit the yarns I'm using.
These last two weeks, I read There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak. This novel is beautifully written. Layered themes of water, rivers, oppression, poverty, and opportunity flow seamlessly through the story. I enjoyed learning about the rich culture of the Yazidi people. Shafak's characters grow and change in human believable ways as the story progresses. Somewhere that Shafak stated, she "writes for the silenced." She does so with grace, dignity, humor, and wisdom.
I wish you lovely autumn days as we hold onto hope.
Patterns: World's Simplest Mittens - Tin Can Knits
Cold Brew Socks - Lofty Loops
I do love those mittens, and I think I might need to knit a pair with some Silk Garden to help me hold onto hope with warm hands. Those are such wonderful colors! We've also got chilly October weather with brisk winds and had a fairly hard frost last night. It's far too dry here also so I hope we all get some rain in the near future. Thanks for reminding me to hope.
ReplyDeleteI love the words you shared about Rivers in the Sky - it's such a beautiful novel! We have a freeze warning for tonight ... I found my hat and mittens, and need to find Lucy's sweater!!
ReplyDeleteJane I love the mittens and socks. Are they for you? Mittens are one of my favorite thing to knit. They can be simple or fancy. We are under frost warning tonight...brrrrr but 70's next week. My reading has been minimal the last couple of weeks.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to that novel. I saw her at the Edinburgh Book Festival (online) and she is so well spoken. it is good to have a variety of projects
ReplyDeleteI love mittens in Noro -- they always coordinate even if they never match (I know that would drive some people nuts, but I think it's charming and a sign of something being hand made). I also really enjoyed There Are Rivers in the Sky and thought it had so many important things to say.
ReplyDeleteI am also reading There Are Rivers in the Sky and don't want it to end. It's so beautiful and moving. I also love it when items/ideas connect us through the centuries (like in The weight of Ink and People of the Book) and it totally has that feeling! Lovely mittens and socks. Stay warm!
ReplyDeleteI am behind on my blog reading. Those mittens are beautiful! I just read your post before this and love that note book you made. I am big notebook person and love stuff like that! Thanks for the encouragement to vote. We marked our mail-in ballots and my husband and delivered them to the Election Commission this morning. Voting is essential - especially this year! I hope you have a good weekend.
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