Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Heaven an earth

Thank you for all the good wishes for my journey! I have been home already for a few days and been reading blogs. I have enjoyed your writings and it amazes and delights me that all you out there in the different corners of this small world have become so very important to me!

When coming home (it does not make any difference if you come by a car or by a plane) I always get this feeling of sky being closer to the ground, it does not appear to be quite as high as anywhere else... I have wondered why it feels this way. Now I just think that the reason for this is that my heaven is right here. I don't want to be anywhere else, this is fine, this is perfect.

It is May. The May light is like magic. The sun is up at about 0430 and goes down about 10 at night. And it gets better by the day. The migranting birds are coming back. Two days ago I heard swans making these funny noises - "deep honking calls" by Wikipedia - above the lake, they were looking for water to be able to land, but the lake still has ice cover. But the snow is mostly gone. This is how the ice on the lake was early this morning.

Again the long and dark and blue winter is behind. Mr Cat and little Tina are enjoying the hunting. There are so many voles out there. The cat stays out all night long and is getting picky with the food that is being served inside. My stomach turns when I see him eating out but try to stay calm and tell myself that this is the reason we have him. It is his job to keep the house free of these little creatures and he is very good at his work and is very diligent. Little Tina is almost as successful as he.

The old black Labrador Miina has grown more grey hair over the winter. The girls have got out the roller skates and take the dogs for walks with skates but Miina is getting too old for this sport. She can't and does not want to keep the speed the girls are making so she gets behind. Maybe walking with me these little rounds with low speed is all she needs any more.

While away I did some Koigu knitting.

Once home I have had hard time getting back into a good knitting mood. I have done few rows on my Pacific Shawl but knitting silk blend is very difficult with dry, rough and cracked skin that the garden tending is causing. I really wonder if I'm able to finish the shawl before the ice on the lake is gone. I'm knitting already the lace edging but am not very far yet.

The past two days I have been going through my books and mags looking for a nice pattern that would not require any adjustments. I don't seem to be able to handle any kind of a knitting challenge right now. I want something very simple and easy. And have told myself that any simple pattern is fine and I can go and buy or mail order any yarn my little heart desires. And guess what, I can't find anything. Only patterns that talk to me right now are the sock patterns but their calling is also very vague.

So I have decided to sit outside at the steps facing the lake and sip coffee and wait until I hear a strong pattern call. The temperatures have been exceptionally high the past days and the weather forecast is promising even higher to the weekend. Somehow I enjoy these quiet days and at the moment don't need the turmoil that the inspiration brings. Right now there is nothing between me and the waking nature. When - I fear it is not far - the yarn starts talking with big letters and loud voice again, my vision gets blurred and I see the whole world through wool and fibers again... and the only thing I'm able to focus at is the knitting.

But today I will just look at the spring and be happy to be back home.

PS. My daughter commented that this bird looks a bit sooted. Well, she might have been cooking by the open fire already...

PS. The Austrian Stockings are not going to happen in the near future. The best yarn though for the stockings should be quite tightly spun so the cabling without the needle would be easier I think. But I have not swatched any new yarns for them since the Sisu did not work.

42 comments:

  1. Tervetuloa takaisin. Tuosta keväisestä järvikuvasta tuli haikean koti-ikäväinen olo. Kiitos.

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  2. Anonymous12:08

    Welcome back! Your posts have been missed!

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  3. Anonymous13:53

    Glad you are back - nice looking sooty bird too!

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  4. Welcome back! I am new to the blog world, but already hooked on yours. I love your drawings.

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  5. Sometimes its good to take a break and renew your spirit, give your mind a bit of a clean slate for the next spurt of creative inspiration. I'm glad you're back!

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  6. Welcome home!

    While you were away, I happened across synchronized ice-skating, on tv. The two Finnish teams were amongst the very very best.

    I immediately thought of a line of little birds, skating gracefully in perfect synchrony, and wished I knew how to say "skating" in Finnish.

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  7. I have missed this time we share too. Blogging has been a happy habit to fall into -- thank you and welcome home.

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  8. I love the tan socks with peach, green and lilac tones in them, and everything is so beautifully crafted.

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  9. Anonymous16:09

    Lene, I am so glad you are back. I have missed you. What a gift to have the time and inclination to soak up the beauty of your surroundings. It can only enhance what is to come.

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  10. Anonymous16:10

    Tervetuloa takaisin, Lene. I hope your trip was a good one--perhaps it has put some things in perspective? You are right: home (wherever that is) is more precious than gold.

    Your knitting "sisu" will start up again soon. Juhannus is just around the corner now, always a time for a little craziness and celebrating.

    Be well!

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  11. I'm so glad to see you're back, and so envious of so much sunshine!

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  12. Anonymous16:48

    I'm glad you're back!
    Fleur

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  13. Anonymous16:55

    Missed you - welcome back :)

    Spring will bring a new found beginning to your knitting - just wait.

    Enjoy the 'awakening' of your surroundings.

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  14. Lene, we've been missing you! Glad you're back! I know just what you mean by the "call" -you want to hear the call before starting something, otherwise it'll become one of those forever-UFO's.
    I don't know if anybody has told you this before, but you really should make those birds into a book. They are fabulous!

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  15. Welcome back! What lovely photos - no wonder it feels like heaven!

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  16. Anonymous17:07

    It is so good to have you back again. Your blog is always a lovely place and I missed you!

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  17. Anonymous17:35

    You have such an amazing way with words...reading your posts is like seeing beauty in the written word. Thank you!

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  18. Welcome home! I remember how wonderful May was in Norway, I can just imagine how lovely it is in Finnland. What great memories!

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  19. I am SO glad you're back! I really missed your drawings and your socks and your photography and your Finnish lessons. :-)

    And speaking of socks, the ones you knit while you were away are lovely. Maybe that's all you really need for now--simple, useful socks.

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  20. Anonymous18:16

    welcome home!
    about a simple pattern; have you looked at the "knitting pure and simple patterns? knit from the top down and no seams. my students love them and they always seem to fit beautifully. truly, they are the essence of simple, but you could always add a deorative panel up the front or down the sleeve . . .

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  21. Anonymous18:25

    Welcome back Lene! It's good to read you again.

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  22. Lovely socks! I love your little "learn some Finnish" cartoons. (Are the words pronounced the way they're spelled, like with German?)

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  23. Anonymous18:41

    I'm so glad you're back. We've missed you! I had a similar lack of knitting inspiration, so am making a rectangular shawl/wrap out of Mango Moon recycled silk. The yarn is making it gorgeous and I'm just doing stockinette with a garter stitch border. I'm sure your knitting inspiration will strike again soon and in the meantime, spring is a great time to sit and ponder.

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  24. Welcome back. I hope all went well on your travels. So nice to read your love of nature and your surroundings. Your socks are lovely; it feels so very good to put koigu socks on one's feet. Kitting will come as it always does. Meanwhile, fondle your yarn and enjoy the textures.
    I love making an easy shawl, in the shape of a V, in garter stitch with koigu. Three skeins of koigu. Cast on about five stitches. Mark a center stitch. Every otehr row, increase one stitch at the beginning, one on each side of the center stitch and one stitch at the end. It makes a very cozy small shawl that stays on one's shoulders.

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  25. Anonymous19:26

    Lene, so glad you are back! Maybe the bird has been cooking outside, but oh won't it taste delicious! Will a strong wind come one day soon and break up the ice in the lake? So glad you are back and happy to be there - I have missed your words so much! Enjoy both the coffee and the sunshine - the pattern and yarn will come when you are ready! Again, welcome home!

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  26. i'm glad you're back. you were missed over here on my bloglines list....

    you're one of the special ones!

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  27. Welcome home! Glad to have you back! Gorgeous socks . . .

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  28. Hurray, You're back!

    It's so great to read a new post from you. I kept checking here almost every day this past week in anticipation of once again being drawn briefly into your beautiful world.

    Enjoy the sunshine and the new world unfolding about you. These are precious moments that will too soon be snatched into busyness.

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  29. Anonymous23:59

    Welcome back Lene!

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  30. Anonymous02:09

    Hi Lene! I too have been checking in hopes that you would be back soon. Glad to hear that spring has arrived in Finland, and that you are safely home. Now, what to knit? In my crystal ball, I see you making something simple, a soft vest perhaps, in a robin's egg blue. With maybe a wee bit of cableing on the front. Just a thought.

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  31. Welcome back indeed! You can see that you are much appreciated and have been missed. While you were away, my husband was in Finland. I had hoped he would return with some fun sock yarn (I hinted) but too much business I guess. Anyway, so glad you are well and home.

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  32. Anonymous05:07

    Oma koti kullan kallis, indeed. So good to see you're back and posting. It seems like when spring is here there is nothing more important than enjoying it, in peace.
    Sherri

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  33. Anonymous16:21

    When Alexander was a baby and toddler, he had a poster on the wall of his room. It was a piece of printed fabric with a bear, a bed, a chair, etc. It also had the words Oma koti kullan kallis printed on it. Seeing the phrase again brought back a flood of memories.

    Glad you're back to blogging!

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  34. Anonymous18:38

    Lene, I forgot to mention to you about the swans yesterday. We have over 2,500 Trumpeter Swans - like your swans, over winter here in the Comox Valley each year. In fact, my DH and I go to a particular field each Tuesday morning at 10:00 am and count the numbers. We have had as many as 1,000 swans in 'our' field. They come down from Alaska and early in the season eat the carrots, corn and potatoes left in the farmers' fields. They have left now for the north, but will be back in November!

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  35. Hei Lene, olipa mukava lukea kuulumisiasi taas pitkästä aikaa! Onnellisia päiviä! :-)

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  36. the koigu socks colors reflect the landscape- your inspiration will come-
    lovely drawing!

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  37. Nice to see you are back home safe and sound.

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  38. Anonymous09:30

    welcome back. To me, you live in a very exotic place where there is so much ice and snow and yet sunlight for such long hours, so it does sound like heaven :)
    I'm also waiting for the ONE pattern to call to me. Meanwhile I will knit a little and sew a little and wait for inspiration to strike.

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  39. Anonymous20:11

    Joining the chorus I too welcome you back. It was only lately that I came across your poetic blog that creates such a peaceful atmosphere = I enjoy it so much. Glad to see that Badger is full of life. The Hedgehog is new to me, but maybe I´ll have to look at older entries to find her. Your reminding me of learning some Finnish words, I think I will go and pick up the phone and call a friend in Helsinki and after that maybe I will pick up my newly aquired Koigu yarn in variegated blues and one in variegated pinks. Which one to choose to start with is quite another question:) Wish you all the best, Lydia (without my own blog)

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