Relaxing At Home

Today was a gorgeous day and I spent the majority of it outside in my backyard, relaxing and enjoying the sunshine with my animals. I did a fair bit of writing and gained some understanding about the source of the anxiety and stress that have been weighing on me lately. It was one of those moments where you realize the underlying issue at play and see why changing the external circumstances doesn't create any lasting shift in your situation. For me it has to do with remembering to appreciate the moment and not focus on the uncertainty of the future. I don't mean to sound cryptic - I will go into it in more depth in another post because I think it's something that may resonate with some people. For now I'll just say that I made a point of enjoying the day for its own sake today. My pets seemed to appreciate it - they chilled out with me all day and set a great example. I mean, does this guy look like he's worried about things to come?

I also did some spinning today, although not as much as I'd planned. It got really hot in the afternoon and the wool was not working for me, even in the shade. I was working on spinning one of my first dyed rovings, which I thought I had half-finished before. Turns out I wasn't quite done the first bobbin, but I finished that today. I'm really liking these colors - they're turning out very soft and creamy, and I think the final yarn is going to be really pretty. Here's the first bobbin full!

Throughout the day I feasted on the raspberries growing in the front yard. I didn't realize that my mother-in-law (aka my landlady) planted them there last year and I just discovered them recently. I absolutely love eating sun-warmed berries right off the bush in my own yard! There's something so satisfying and wholesome about having food available for free in your own garden. I'd really like to start a veggie garden as well - grow some peas and tomatoes and corn. Yum!

I couldn't resist snapping this picture. Gotta love summer...

Catching up...

Well, the holidays have made it difficult to keep up with my blog and my Etsy shop is looking a little sparse, but I've really enjoyed the rest and the time spent with family and friends. I've also been busy trying to navigate this crazy weather we've been having. Vancouver is not used to snow like this and the lack of snow plows in my neighborhood have made things very interesting. This is my back yard as seen on Christmas Day.

I've actually gotten quite a bit of knitting done for the shop - now I just need some time with my "models". I finished a new style of fingerless glove that I'm very pleased with, and I've made pairs in about 3 or 4 colors. I really hope to get a chance to photograph them soon, especially since I got a new camera for Christmas! It's a Fuji Finepix and I've been having lots of fun playing with it and getting comfortable. The biggest perk for me so far is the super macro feature, which I've been using to take shots like this.

There seems to be a bit of a grainy quality to some of the pictures I've taken, which I also read about in reviews (after I'd bought it). However, since most of the shots I've taken so far have been indoors and in low light, I'm remaining optimistic. I'm very eager to try it out in good light. Although I have less occasion to use it, the long distance focus also seems to be very good. 12x optical zoom is very decent for anything I'd need. This shot was taken from my doorstep, across the yard and into the back lane.

Yep, Another "Cute Cat" Post...

Can you blame me? I was casting on for a pair of socks last night, as a little break from knitting and spinning for my Etsy shop, when this happened...

I think it's safe to say the cats are getting comfortable with each other! Myau (pronounced m-eye-you) joined our family about a month ago and became obsessed with Oliver, aka Fat Cat (black/white), following him everywhere. Until now, Ollie's always maintained at least a little distance - the gap has been getting progressively more narrow. But here they're practically holding hands (well, feet)! I was torn between enjoying the moment and risking disturbing it to get the camera.

And yes, that's Cat Bordhi's "New Pathways for Sock Knitters" under Oliver. I think I've settled on the "Riverbed" contruction for the new socks I'll be making with my JoJoLand "Melody" sock yarn. They're going to be awesome! I'll be sure to post pictures along the way.