For me alone ...

There are thousands of ice crystals dancing in the sunshine outside my window. I don't think they're hitting the ground ... just swirling about, kept aloft by the sheer joy of being so beautiful.

Fuzzyfeet ...

I got a call from a good friend about a part-time work-from-home gig organizing monthly luncheons and an annual meeting for a group of economists. I wouldn't be willing to take the position unless they're willing to just about double what they're paying now, but I sent a résumé.I figure I'll never know unless I ask. Besides, I've never written a résumé before, so it was an interesting exercise.

I've wanted to make a pair of Fuzzyfeet to try felting (though I believe it's more accurately described as fulling). My godmother gave me some lovely Noro Silk Garden last Christmas and I've had it in the back of my mind, mulling over what to do with it. The two ideas finally bumped into one another and voilà!

Here they are pre-felting/fulling with Mona's house hat and the first of twenty-four l'il sockies for Annailese's advent calendar (for next year) for scale,


And here they are after 8 times through the wash cycle in hot water,


They're fraternal twins. And here's a picture of a cool shadow on the livingroom wall that has nothing to do with anything.


I did the l'il sockie on a whim early in the week. The house hat has a much less impromptu provenance. It is a second attempt at a copy of a hat I made for Mona a few years ago that went walkabout. I didn't make it from a pattern, and I didn't have the original to work from, so the first attempt was too small (it's the too-small one in the pictures). It spent entirely too long in the back of Mary's vehicle with a bag of compost and got stinky, came back and got clean, then ended up in a drawer and forgotten about. Fortunately, Mona reminded me about it recently. I counted stitches and cast on that many and a few more, knit the ribbing, didn't like it, ripped it, cast on and knit it again, still didn't like it, ripped it, cast on and knit it again, knit the hat, didn't like how the decreases turned out, ripped the top third and tried something different, liked it even less, ripped the top half and tried something different, wasn't quite happy, ripped the top half again and tried something completely different, still wasn't quite happy, ripped the top third and reknit it for the last time. If I'd had any sense at all, I'd've written down what I did.

Stuff and Nonsense ...

Daylight:

Length of day: 8:42
Hours of dark: 14:00ish
Sunrise: 7:57 am
Sunset: 4:40 pm
Start of twilight: 7:19 am
End of twilight: 5:18 pm

Current weather: Light snow. -6°C (21°F), -14°C (6°F) with windchill, humidity 67%, wind NNW 25.6 km/h (16 mph.), barometer 30.36 in. Hg

Forecast:

Tonday.. Cloudy with 60% chance of flurries. Wind NW 20 km/h (mph). High -5°C (23°F).
Tonight.. Cloudy periods with 60% chance of flurries early in the evening. Low -18°C (0°F).
Tuesday.. Sunny. High -7°C (19°F).
Wednesday.. Sunny. Low -9°C (16°F). High 3°C (37°F).
Thursday.. Sunny. Low -3°C (27°F). High 6°C (43°F).
Friday.. Sunny. Low -3°C (27°F). High 0°C (32°F).
Normals for the period.. Low -11°C (12°F). High 0°C (32°F).

Lest we forget ...

Today I light a candle for those who gave their lives, their limbs, their sight, their sanity, their loves, their innocence. Every day I light a candle for peace, that it never happen again. Blessings

I met Nina when she was seven. In April, Nina had a school retreat before her grad. Parents of the grads were asked to write letters to them, to be delivered at the retreat. I was honoured to be asked to write one to Nina. I didn't want to post it before her retreat and then forgot to, so here it is.

Dearest Nina,

At seven, you were remarkable. You told me when I was to be the adult and when I didn't have to be and you made it the standard for my relationships with not only you, but your brother, your cousin, and many others.

At ten, you told me your hopes and dreams and troubles and fears. You trusted me.

At thirteen, you said you wanted to go to the Fair with me and you helped me figure out what rules would be fair for both of us.

At sixteen, you told me your hopes and dreams and troubles and fears. You still trusted me.

This year has been a little different and a little the same. We shared a roof for a while and, while the circumstances weren't the best, it was still a great experience. And when my world fell apart, there you were, being the adult, the caring friend.

At seven, you were a remarkable little girl.
Today, you're a remarkable woman, intelligent, loyal, thoughtful, vibrant and beautiful. You have a natural poise and presence. I am honoured to call you friend and look forward to seeing who you become next year, and the next and the next and the next ...

With all my love,
Lynn