Monday, May 21, 2007

New old world

I had totally forgotten how beautiful the lake can be. The long and cold and dark winter days had swept away the memory of her.

Over the past days I have watched her and loved every single moment.

The lake has been in different colours, mostly different shades of blue, but last night she was dressed in pink when the sun was setting. She has worn intarsia patterns, when clouds have been reflecting on her surface in a quiet evening, or stripes when a sudden little wind has picked up a part of the surface making tiniest ripples, or million little sparkling pearls like now when the sun is dancing on her and slow wind is quietly caressing her, not to talk about the patterns the birds have been creating when swimming and diving.

I have been staying up very late at nights. The light is just too beautiful and I don’t want to miss anything, I have to feel and see and witness all the first things like the first butterflies.

I would say that I have not been knitting. Just a few rows here and there. Henry is resting in his box at the moment. He is quite demanding and wants me to concentrate on him solely and right now I am not able. I have to let my eyes look further and see more. (Plus the fact that the wool is quite harsh on my hands. I’m going on a trip next week and I don’t want to have sore and red and burning hands. Henry and garden work and housekeeping are too much to my hands at the moment. )

DH and I are going to Italy! I’m so loving the thought of going on a vacation and I’m thinking about leaving without knitting. You heard me, without knitting. Right now I need to see other things than knits, I probably will not knit even in the plane, I will concentrate on refreshments and DH's stories! He is a good storyteller and in everyday life there is just never enough time to tell or to listen. My hands need to rediscover new things and feel new surfaces. I need to fill my mind with new impressions. Needles will stay home. Yarn will stay home. Patterns will stay home.

I said that I have not knit, but three socks have been born. For these I must thank Cara! Thank you for pointing out the pattern. Monkey is such an enjoyable pattern and very easy to remember and easy to adjust to if you need to. This is the Monkey sock pattern from Knitty.
I love my stash and have found sock yarn beauties there. This first pair of socks was knit with yarn from Cabin Cove. I used 2,5 mm (US1,5) needles and all the time I was wondering if I should have used 3 mm (US2,5) needles instead. Knitting these was a joy and don't you just love the colours? Luckily I have many more skeins of Dave's yarn left!
And the next pair on the needles (the pair for the left sock) is being knit with Black Bunny Fibers sock yarn. I'm using 2,25 mm (US1) size needles and the process is just as enjoyable as with Dave's yarn. The dying is again very pleasing. I have lost the bands for both of these, so I can't tell the names or numbers of the colourways. There are many many more socks yarns that I don’t know yet. And would love to know. Maybe joining a sock club would be a perfect way to get to know new yarns and to get to know new colourways. There are so many lovely colours to be discovered and I really should be more adventurous.

The sun is shining. Mr Cat is lying on the deck and I will make fresh coffee and join him.


And I will listen to the concert of the birds and watch the beauty of the blue lake. If knitting happens, it is fine but if it doesn't, it is fine as well.

26 comments:

  1. Anonymous17:25

    Good morning Lene, Your writing is so wonderfully descriptive I almost feel like I am sitting beside you looking at the lake.

    A trip to Italy with its new sights and sounds sounds terrific. Sometimes we do need to take a break from our beloved knitting even if it is hard to do.

    Lovely socks. Socks have become my favorite knitting project. They're fun and interesting, always fit right, and its easy to keep a supply of yarn on hand - one always knows how much is needed for a pair! If only my sweaters always went so well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous17:45

    Your monkey socks look great! I'm still loving the pattern myself - going through my own stash to find the best yarns for the pattern.

    Have a wonderful vacation!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am so happy for you, the trip to Italy with your husband, and how delightful that he's such a good storyteller!
    Your socks are beautiful, I've been hearing and reading raves about that pattern.
    How I would love to join you in keeping watch on the lake, fresh coffee and the peace and quiet.

    Thank you so very much, Lene.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous18:04

    I was envying your beautiful lake until I remembered the photos of the ice from just a short while ago. We are firmly ensconced in Spring and I, too am loving the scents and textures. The trees are in full leaf and I love all the greens. I haven't tried the monkey sock pattern, although I have downloaded it and I think I have a perfect yarn for it. I joined a sock yarn club just to branch out into colors I would not normally choose and so far it has been great.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your trip sounds wonderful! And I wish I could sit with you, have a coffee and admire the lake too.

    I can understand not bringing knitting along on the trip. Something tells me you may come home with yarn though.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous18:41

    You sound so relaxed and balanced and generally happy. :-) Of course, I'd be awfully excited about Italy too! I'm so glad you're going on a lovely, well-deserved holiday. See the beautiful sights and eat the delicious food, and if you think of it, have a glass of prosecco for me. :-)

    I'm intrigued by your decision not to bring any knitting with you. I'll be very interested to hear how that works out... if you'll notice more things and be in the moment more often because you're not distracted by wool.

    ReplyDelete
  7. So glad spring has finally come to you! The Monkey socks look perfect, a good way to welcome the sun to your lakefront.
    Your vacation sounds delightful; I hope you will come home refreshed and inspired!

    ReplyDelete
  8. This morning when birdsong and rain woke me up I wondered if the ice had left your lake. Now I come wandering by to have a look, and behold, she has shed the cold white mantle and is wearing peaceful, warmer colors.

    Oh! Enjoy Italy! Where will you be going? I'd love to spend a couple months moseying through the various regions, indulging in food, absorbing the art, basking in the music... :-)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lene, have a wonderful time in Italy! I wish i was joining you there.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great job on those socks, and thanks for taking such detailed photos. I've often debated knitting those same socks, but the Knitty site doesn't have as detailed pictures as I'd like.

    Your writing was so beautiful, too. It made me want to sit back with a cup of coffee and enjoy the beautiful scenery around here.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous00:29

    Hi Lene,
    Your description of re-discovering the beauty of your lake is similar to my feelings lately too. We live in the woods but next to a busy road. So when the leaves come back in the spring the road just disappears and we have our special "secluded" place again. I just love turning into our winding driveway through the trees. Thanks for prompting me to reflect on the good things today.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Italy is cool but I guess you will suffer some major cultural shock.. they are just different down there.

    ReplyDelete
  13. So calm… just like glass. Would that I could join the esteemed Mr. Cat on the deck as well. I could use the down time!

    Enjoy your time in Italy. A change of scenery and time alone with your DH is always a good thing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous02:21

    Those socks look so warm and cuddly. Perfect for chilly spring mornings. Or evenings. We have been having lots of sunshine but the temperatures are a bit on the cool side. Enjoy your trip to Italy. There is so much culture to absorb. I think I would start with an indepth study of the food and wine!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Beautiful pictures and writing, and thank you for sharing them. Oh, Italy! I envy you!

    ReplyDelete
  16. The lake is beautiful, as are your socks.
    Enjoy your holiday! Perhaps we all need to put down our needles from time to time and listen and feel new things around us!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank you for a beautiful post. The socks are lovely--I love the colors (plus I'm a BlackBunnyFibers fan). I am taking a break from knitting, too. ..so that I can get some other projects done. It feels both good and strange.
    Enjoy your trip!

    ReplyDelete
  18. oh i love your monkey socks! the lake is SO beautiful as you say . . . what a treat to be able to get up each day and gaze on it. have fun in italy; they have gorgeous yarn there!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Have a great trip!
    These nights really show new colours, colours that I before thought didn't exist in nature! Like neon pink in the sunset. I'm glad new things still come to grown people and not just kids!

    ReplyDelete
  20. The socks look fabulous! After all the gardening I've been doing, I truly understand the need to knit with something soft and squishy.

    Italy is wonderful! Have a great trip.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thank you for such a beautiful description and set of photos, you live in an area of the world I have never seen so its great to get a feel for it. Your socks are good too!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Lene, your photo of the lake dressed in pink is just so beautiful, I love it.
    I can just feel how peaceful it is.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous15:13

    I'm looking forward to reading your description of your vacation to Italy! Lovely socks.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous19:05

    Wow - vacation with no knitting. That is daring. I am sure you will have a wonderful time either way! I wouldn't be able to leave knitting at home because I'd just buy more needles and yarn wherever I found myself. Better to bring it with me.

    Venice was my favorite part of Italy (though I certainly haven't seen it all). Lots of colors and activity and an interesting land/waterscape.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous04:08

    I'm knitting my Monkey socks with some of Dave's yarn too. But had to go down to US1's to get even close to gauge.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Socks look tremendous! And what a thrill to see BBF yarn in action...

    ReplyDelete