Nice things

The following is a terrible photograph. But I just wandered in to the bathroom with my camera - as you do - and for the nth time had my heart lifted by this view of our little bit of garden. And yes, aforementioned is at the same level as upstairs.



We have had a few fine days recently, and the DSM has been living up to his name. He is a Vegetable Man (vegetable love....??) at heart, but he does know that I love the ornamental, and have a small yearning for a garden full of beautiful flowers. This is extremely difficult to achieve in our garden, due to it being practically in the woods, somewhat damp, full of slugs, and at a slightly raised elevation sufficient to make growing conditions less than optimal. But this year, as he is coming to very happy terms with retirement, he decided to start on the flower bit first, and even to weed the gravel path, something that has not been done for...a number of years. This means that I have an uninteruppted view of the snowdrops and some of the hellebores, two major favourites of mine.

It is pouring with rain again today, so I declined to go outside and up on to the garden to take the photo, hence the poor quality through a window on quite a big zoom.

I may even get out there and do some work myself if it isn't such a depressing experience with all the weeds and crap removed. That's just on the ornamental bit - the veggie garden generally looks pretty spic and span. And I do see that veggies are more important. (I just wish we could get pak choi to grow - managed it one year and then not again.)

Now.



My gateway drug. First mitten finished. Please note the major error right in the centre of the patterned bit - quite unmissable. But I am very proud of it and myself, and can easily live with all the many mistakes (you should see the palm!) The second one is on the needles and growing, and already there is an improvement. I'm still clumsy with yarn carried on my left hand, but I'm getting there, too.

As I said before, I have yarn lined up for two or three more pairs of mittens, and am constantly thinking of further projects I might try. Not a sweater, at least not yet. I'm not that daft.

So hat and mittens are all going to be finished for Our Canadian Adventure. A simple scarf is on the needles to coordinate, but it will make good travel knotting if it isn't finished. Very nice looking fabric but deadly dull to do - sl1 wyif, k3 ad nauseam. What on earth is happening to me? Am I turning in to a knitter?

The last booking for the trip has been made. Now I just have to finalise exactly when and where we meet up with my goddaughter and her visiting mum. I'm getting excited.

And according to Google, there are a lot of yarn shops in Montreal (in Quebec, not so many, seemingly). Oh dear.

Right, off to spin a bit, I think. I have some very pretty camel and silk on the Timbertops that is very nearly finished and then has to be chain-plyed. Then knitted into a lacey-ish scarf (I mustn't get too carried away.....)