And still it snows

I woke up this morning to 4 inches of snow.... not quite sure where it came from. The forecast seemed to indicate we might get some, but certainly not as much as this. I was meant to be taking my Rainbows to our city's Thinking Day event, but got a phone call saying that was cancelled. I was then left with the dilemma about what to do with this bonus day off!
Of course with all that snow it seemed silly not to take advantage of it. I was also inspired by Kate Davis of Needled. Kate is a designer extraordinaire, she designed the iconic Owl sweater (look in the sidebar to the left for my version). A couple of weeks ago she suffered a stroke, and lost use of limbs on her left side. Kate is just a few years older than me, and like me combines knitting with teaching, and a love of being outdoors. She posted in her blog today updating us on how she was doing, she's posted so many pictures of herself over the winter of her out enjoying the snow that I felt it would be wrong not to go out today. I already commented wishing Kate the best, but wanted to pay tribute to her here as well.



I feel so lucky to live in a city where I can enjoy walks like this within 5 minutes of leaving my door, if I wanted to I could walk for miles following the park right out in the countryside.
My return route takes me through a graveyard, I have a real fascination with graveyards, I love reading the headstones, imagining the story behind the dates. No reading today though as everywhere was very snowy and slippy. The gravestones are slowly being taken over by the wood, everything is going back to nature. I'd much rather see this than somewhere immaculate.

Early to bed, early to rise

I wish I could say I'd been up to something interesting but alas I've not. I did go to a pancake party last night so have had my yearly dose of pancakes. I'm also off out tonight with one of the other teachers from school, after all it is the holidays and I've not had chance to relax for very much of it.
My one concession is having a lie in, normally I get up at 6am, which means I'm asleep for 10pm. I don't mind getting up that early but going to bed that early really hurts at times. So many social activities become difficult if you have to leave at 9.30 to go to bed!
However while it's the holidays I'm enjoying being able to spend time in bed... though a new mattress would definitely help,but I'm working on that!

Lists

I am busy making lists, lists of things to do this week, lists of what I want to knit, lists of where I want to go in life...
Nothing like a good list to still that inner voice in my head, I am very much one of those people who need to write things down to remember them, and to organise myself.

Mind you lists have their place, and being sat on the sofa with SB (aka smelly boy aka best boyfriend ever), is not one of them. I'm about to start a weeks holiday and while there is a to do list, there are also several pleasurable things to do on it. Not least is casting on a cardigan as my Knitting Olympics project, nothing like a bit of pressure to bring out the best in me!

A new skill

I am generally quite bad at being shown how to do things, I like to teach myself, and have to fight out my inner demons and struggle through things.
I sort of taught myself to crochet but whenever I looked at crochet patterns my mind went blank, they might as well have been in clingon! I had seen a pattern for squares using crochet that I really liked the look of, so asked at York if anyone could teacher me to make them.

I came away with this...

Not perfect, and I want to make it bigger, but still it's crochet, and I can now follow instructions!
Thanks Melinda, you were a wonderful teacher.

The Chapel

I am not religous, but I do love churches. Quite often the church was the only people with any money and as a result they could pay the best architects, and best artists, and it shows. Aesthetically churches are thing of beauty, it's very rare I go in to one and think "this is ugly". The chapel at the Bar Convent was no exception, very unusual, but still very beautiful, and very peaceful, complete with priests hiding hole!

January

January it seems has flown by with only 6 posts...
Given I only seem to manage to find time to post at the weekend it seems apt that weekend is what is mentioned most in this quick Wordle

Get thee to a Nunnery!

Title lovingly stolen from the wonderful Probably Jane with whom I have spent the weekend.
Two years ago I decided to learn to knit, not long after that I discovered The Yarn Yard, very shortly afterwards I joined Ravelry and was invited to join The Garden Shed where all of Natalie's wonderful customers hang out.
Over those 2 years I've had the pleasure of being in the company of a truly amazing group of women. They've laughed with me in the good times, consoled me through the bad times, held my hands through many of life's trials, and been in many ways my inspiration. I've met most of them in person at various events, though we have never all been in the same place at the same time.
This weekend most of us managed to go to The Bar Convent in York.
We've laughed, w've talked, we raised money for p/hop, we taught each other new skills, we inspired each other.

My life would be poorer without them, and I am so grateful and honoured to know such a wonderful group of women!



(Jane, how much will you donate for me to take this down!)