Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Colors of May


Warm hot days have arrived this week. The trees are the brilliant shade of Spring chartreuse-like green. Soon they will deepen into summer's green but for now the color looks so fresh. The ninety degree temperatures feel warm. In two days, I went from walking while wearing a light jacket, cowl, and fingerless mitts to T-shirts and shorts. During May, I hang an oriole feeder with half of an orange in the back yard. Yesterday two pairs of Baltimore Orioles vied for spots on the feeder. They are so brilliantly colored and fun to watch.

Our son came to attend a funeral and is working remotely from our home. He came to support a good friend but it has been grand to have him around. On Mother's Day we made dinner together, a veggie lasagna, salad, and his "killer garlic bread." We had the nicest kind of Mother's Day. 

As we barrel toward summer, I link with Kat and the Unravelers. The best knitting news is I finished the Prairie Shawl. We took photos yesterday morning in 84 degree weather. Except for a few strands of leftover cream and the swath of the deepest blue, the yarn is handspun. The Polworth is warm so I won't be wearing it until Fall. I used the shaping and some stitch patterns from a commercial pattern calling for fingering weight yarn but this yarn was slightly heavier. The shawl is a generous size and may not be perfect but I was able to incorporate much of this spinning project. I like it.

Although my wool sock wearing season has ended, anytime is a good time to knit socks. I finished a speckled sock and cast on the second one.  I also knit a little on the Guernsey Scarf.  This advent set was a birthday gift last year. I'm enjoying the knitting and adding colors in the order in which the dyer numbered them. The DK wool is wooly and warm so this project may rest over the summer months. 

I'm in a reading lull. It's time to make my summer reading list. I recently ordered two used books by Helen Humphreys. I am waiting for a few holds from the library so I picked up an older book by Terry Tempest Williams. An Unspoken Hunger: Stories From the Field was published in 1994. This collection of essays weaves together William's personal experiences with her passion for the natural world. For me, her writing stands the test of time and is worth rereading. 

I hope May is treating you to some bright colors. 

Ravelry Links

Prairie Shawl 

Speckled Socks 

Guernsey Scarf 



9 comments:

  1. Your shawl is beautiful, Jane! I hope that you still have some chilly spring nights in your neck of the woods and that you can use it once or twice before packing it away until the fall. I also believe that when it's hot outside, it's the perfect time to knit socks -- no big project sitting in your lap!

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  2. Your current heat should be reaching the east coast in a few days, so I will be prepared! I do love your shawl - the handspun yarn, colors, shape, and stitch patterns. What a delight it will be to pull out in the fall and wrap its warmth around you. Your Guernsey Scarf may rest over the summer but that's always a good time for socks. You find the best writing about the natural world, so I'm off to look for this book.

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  3. That shawl is lovely. I do hope you can use it at least a few times before setting it aside for fall. I haven't heard of that TTW collection; I've been enjoying Margaret Renkl's Graceland, At Last.

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  4. The Guernsey Wrap in multiple colors is amazing. I've only seen it done in one color. Wow! GORGEOUS.

    Congrats on finishing the wrap. It's a double win since you used your handspun. It is lovely.

    Happy knitting!

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  5. What a beautiful shawl! I love that you are using your own handspun and I think it turned out great. Likewise, your Guernsey Shawl is magnificent. Using a set of Advent colors is just brilliant. I love the different play of patterns in the different colors. I hope you get some moderation of heat...warmth is nice, but I don't like it to be over-bearing.

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  6. Oh, Jane. Your shawl is just lovely! It reminds me of the beach . . . all those colors of sand and sky and water. What pleasure it will bring you, whenever it is chilly enough to wear. I'm so glad you had such a pleasant Mother's Day. I've recently finished The Last Garden by Helen Humphreys (perhaps I learned of it from you?). I enjoyed it very much, and would like to read more of her work. XO

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  7. Jane, your shawl is just magnificent! I love the colors and the size! It will absolutely be the loveliest thing on a chilly morning!

    And thank you for the Helen Humphrey's reminder. I need to plan now if I want to read some of her things this summer!

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  8. I'm so glad your son came to see you, sadly for a funeral. That shawl is gorgeous!!! Look at that sunny weather you are sporting. We had so much rain, then a whole week of sunshine and now we are back at rain rain rain.

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  9. Jane all of your projects are so lovely but that shawl…. It’s beautiful!

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