This could be fun. I just installed the WordPress app on my phone so I can post from my piece of heaven. The fact that this terrible, all thumbs txter is bogging from a phone is kinda funmy.

I’ll be back.. mwaaaghhaaaaahhaaa

Hey all! It’s been awhile so I think it’s time to share.

I’ve been babysitting my grandson during the week and working weekends. But it’s only till April so that’s fine! It’s been tiring but fun!

Winter is slowly winding down. Is it just me or did it fly by? It’s been like the winters of my youth..deep snow and wicked blizzards to play in. We had “Snowmagedon 2010″ which reminded my husband of the Canadian Tire commercial. You know the one, it’s fall and everything is green then suddenly it’s a BLIZZARD. LOL!

And true to all storms the sun shone eventually making the snow sparkle and the sky glow:

After Christmas we took a trip to Colborne to see my sister. We had a blast! The first morning there I took my camera out to play:

I couldn’t believe the story in the snow! I don’t know if it was a hawk or an owl but something was hunting in the yard.

Okay…I’ll quit boring you with the details and show you my latest W.I.P – The Peace Bag:

I’m using “Denim” yarn and a self-created graph for the designs.

The lining is made using a very lightweight denim type material with a beautiful sky-like batik:

The pattern for this purse is quite loose and free…LOL! Create your graphics FIRST!! and design your bag around that. I’m not going to give you any stitch numbers or exact dimensions because you won’t need them.

Once you have created your graph decide how you want it to look on your bag. Draw a picture and really think about it. Once you have done that simply knit a garter stitch rectangle that will accommodate the number of stitches you will need for your graphic body. Don’t forget to take the side number of stitches into account. PLANNING! Once you have your bottom completed pick up stitches on all four sides according to your self-made pattern and start knitting in the round. You’ll be surprised how easily the bag will come together. The most frustration you will experience will be following your graph..LOL! But what else is new?

I chose to work knitting with crochet. The edging around the flap and the strap are crochet. I’m a third of the way done the strap. I can’t wait to use this bag!

I hope you give it a try and enjoy your journey!

Spring came and went. Birds migrated through our area with little or no aplomb. Was this actually the way it happened? Where were the fresh, cool winds? Was there nothing truly exciting during migration season? Did we even have a spring? Last time I really looked it was April and the sun was shining. Now…it’s mid-August and I”m wondering where did the season go?

When our brains are clogged with too many worries and stresses we forget to STOP, and look around. We tend to ignore the small things that give us pleasure. Why do we do this to ourselves? Sometimes we need our friends to give us a good kick in the butt. Thank you! You know who you are. Thank you for the “straight from the shoulder”, “no bs” talk!

Moving on! Over the past few months I have started as many projects as I have frogged. Nothing has really felt “right”. Recently however I cast on some simple, variegated kitchen cotton. First I tried a prayer-type shawl …no not right. Now I’m more than halfway through an old fashioned triangle shawl and it’s beautiful. I think it will also serve well as a beach towel. We’ll see.

If you want to try an old fashioned triangle shawl here’s the garter stitch pattern. Play around with it, add different types of stitches to have some fun.

Cast on 5 stitches.

Row 1: Knit 1, yarn over, knit 1, yarn over, place marker, knit 1, place marker, yarn over, knit 1, yarn over, knit 1     

Row 2: Knit

Row 3: Knit 1, yarn over, knit to marker, yarn over, slip marker, knit 1, slip marker, yarn over, knit to last stitch, yarn over, knit 1.

Row 4: knit.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until it’s the size you want.  It’s just that simple.

Kayaking has been great this year. I actually had a chance to yak around Dorcas Bay, near Tobermory. It was beautiful. Northern Lake Huron is so clear.  I could see all the rock at the bottom. Honestly it was like looking at the surface of the moon underwater. As I was paddling I kept seeing two and three Cormorants at a time flying overhead. I kept wondering if I would be lucky enough to find (and smell) a nesting site.

Rounding the point into Johnson’s Harbor I spied a tiny island of rock with small specks of black moving around. The closer I paddled the more certain I was that those specks were Cormorants. Now I was getting excited!

Paddling closer still I was able to clearly see that not only were there Cormorants but Terns and ducks that look similar to Hooded Mergansers! I’m still not sure what they were.  I’ve only ever seen one or two Hooded Mergansers so this was treat!

Stayed tuned for my next post!  I’ll share with you the reason we were in Tobermory.