Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Arctic Wednesday

The temperature is down close to -30 degrees. Here see survivors of the Arctic Winter... These two, actually there were three, but could not get them into the same picture, were seen from the kitchen window and the picture was taken from the inside. The weather is a bit too cold for me to wander around taking pictures but these three seemed to be doing fine. It is so cold outside that it is very easy to get frost bites. I'm a bit too concerned of them maybe (children would say here definitely) but I cannot stress enough of the importance of having plenty of wool (this is where I stress on wool and wool only and talk against those modern man made fibres) on plus a mandatory scarf to cover your face. (Can you here my tone of voice here? I try to sound very convincing even now... I'm very convincing.) For rosy cheeks I could thank frost bites few winters ago... And believe me, it is no fun either when your nose is similar to these guys' cousin Rudolph's.
This was Tina's doing... So the visit was cut short.
The fire is on nonstop. Tina comes in ever so often to warm herself and seems to be hungry all the time.
I had this lovely pale pink Koigu pegging to be knit into Embossed Leaves Socks. So once again this entertaining pattern from Interweave Knits Winter 2005. What can I say about the pattern that has not been said many times before? It is a beautiful pattern. This is my third pair.And finally, finally got around knitting the Victorian Lace Shawl out of Kidsilk Haze.

28 comments:

  1. You probably don't need to be so worried about the reindeer staying warm. They, and caribou, have air-trapping hair that makes their fur the warmest of any animal. I'm addicted to documentaries and saw a caribou hair under a microscope. Their are even air channels in the hair. Apparently reindeer fur is the same. Thanks for sharing the beautiful photos. Imagine having reindeer out the window to admire.

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  2. I just bought my first laceweight yarn and feel a little nervous. I've yet to do a lace project. I found a cat rubbing his head against it so I had to move it to a more difficult place

    I love your photographs so much. I live in the country but it's really very urban now. Do you talk in older posts about how you came to live north of the artic circle?

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  3. I don't think I have ever commented on your blog before, but I check it quite regularly and love your work.
    I live in rural Minnesota and our winters used to get cold and snowy, but in the past few years we've had just a few inches of snow at a time. Seeing your pictures of wildlife and the nice snow bring back memories of growing up here. We don't have caribou or reindeer here, but I often see white tail deer and hear coyotes in our pasture.

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  4. It's very cold here too in Canada. I actually posted about it myself yesterday and wrote similarly about how cold weather has one major advantage: the excuse to buy lots of wool.

    You should know that I was inspired to start a blog mainly because of the enjoyment I've had reading lovely ones like yours. You've set the bar high with the quality of your photos and knitting. Keep up the good work. We northerners are really the keepers of the wool arts!

    I too LOVE the embossed leaves sock pattern. Have fun with your lace. I can't wait to see.

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  5. Anonymous23:03

    Hi, Lene

    Thank you for the pictures of "charismatic megafauna". I live in a little city but at the southern end, near the water and woods, there are coyotes and white-tailed deer. In my neighborhood I see opossums and skunks.

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  6. My goodness, living in a temperate zone like the Pacific Northwest I almost can't imagine what -30 feels like.

    I love the photos of the reindeer in the snow!

    I read your blog almost every day but rarely comment. One of my blogger friends chastised me for not commenting on the regular blogs I read so I'm doing my best to change my ways. :-D

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  7. Anonymous23:36

    Those a great photos and what a wonderful view out your window.
    Keep warm and I agree wool and only wool!

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  8. Such majestic animals. I think they look warm!
    I love the socks. I am getting tired of the multi coloured socks, and any I knit now will be in basic colours and I know I will wear them more. I agree - that is one terrific pattern. Have you gone to IK and had a quick peek at the Spring 2007 issue. There is a pair of knee socks there that made me think of you! I see a few articles I would like to knit!

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  9. Anonymous00:22

    The view of those two creatures is a bit sobering. I can't imagine walking around with a frozen snout! Thus your scarf recommendation.

    Yes I love the embossed leaf socks as well.

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  10. Anonymous01:11

    Such lovely neighbors you have there in the North Country!

    The Embossed Leaves Pattern just leaped over all other planned projects...I must make them now, yours are just gorgeous! I am trying to do small projects as I will be taking a class in drop spindling in early Feb. I expect that will become my new focus for a bit.

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  11. Beautiful, beautiful creatures. Fairy tales, it seems to me here in the desert. I love them.
    I am always hungry too, is it the cold?
    Keep warm, Lene and Tina!

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  12. Anonymous03:23

    wonderful. I love seeing your nature pictures. I was sure my son had frost bite on his nose a couple of years ago after we came home for a skiing trip in Canada. His poor nose turned almost purple, but the doctor said it was just chapped, not truly frost bite. Scary.

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  13. Wow, I really like the view from your kitchen window. I also enjoyed seeing the pictures of your projects.

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  14. You live in paradise. What beautiful animals. On Christmas morning, 2005, we looked out the back windows to see about 20 dolphin frolicking and fishing in the bay. What a gift! It's humbling to be able to watch nature "happen" before your eyes.

    Love the socks!

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  15. Winter has finally arrived here also. I agree, nothing warms like wool (or angora).

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  16. Anonymous06:52

    It's -28 degrees here in Northern Ontario, Canada, but we have no reindeer here, just moose. I got Victorian Lace Today as a Christmas gift and fantasize about knitting everything in it, but I haven't been able to choose which one to start first.

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  17. Anonymous08:03

    What wonderful evocative photos. And those socks are already beautiful! Thanks for the inspiring post.

    ps I love lace knitting in all of its stages .. looking forward to watching this one grow.

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  18. Anonymous11:59

    Beautiful pictures - they make me want to move and live there. I miss having snow like this - its been pretty warm here this year. Beautiful socks too!

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  19. Oh, the raindeers look so cute! I have to go to Lapland one day.

    Sitting inside, knitting by the fire sounds so lovely!

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  20. Love reading your blog, you make it so interesting. Temp here in England is zero at the mo, live down on the south coast. We have had a dusting of snow..but it quickly melts.

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  21. I want to reach through the screen and caress the Kidsilk Haze! It looks heavenly, but I don't know what it feels like.

    Spending time knitting by the fire, a dog at the feet and a cat at the shoulder sounds wonderful.

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  22. There is something marvelously "just so" about the Embossed Leaves socks in that pink yarn. Lovely.

    http://ruthlessknitting.ruthlessediting.com

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  23. Anonymous16:31

    The library lent me a cd containing a Finnsh language course.
    When will Tiina teach us some more of your facinating language? ?

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  24. Anonymous00:11

    Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos. They, and the animals, are incredible.

    Have fun with your shawl and socks.

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  25. Cold weather is supposed to be hitting Massachusetts tomorrow, but nothing compared to "reindeer weather". Thanks for the picture, and thanks for sharing -- and try to stay warm!

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  26. Anonymous00:45

    Brrr! I don't blame you for taking your pictures from inside. I have not felt -30 temperatures since I lived in Saskatchewan. Bare skin can get frostbite very quickly! I'm glad Tina is coming in for some warmth. She is a sensible dog. Also, your reindeer are beautiful and I would like to see some in my back yard.

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  27. Love those pictures - it's very cold here also -35Celsius if you count the windchill today - wool is a must at the moment. We've got white-tailed deer but no reindeer around these parts - they're gorgeous. Great socks too!

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  28. Thank you for photographing and blogging the reindeer!
    If only you knew how utterly magic that seems to me sitting here in sweltering summery Sydney!
    (No, I can't see kangaroos from my kitchen window, sadly).
    Amazing and beautiful.

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