Nothing's really coming together today, and I'm feeling pinched for time, too. This time of year, right? I'll be off the rest of the week, but it's loaded up with stuff to do.

So, I thought I'd share a few photos from our trip to the North Shore… all about the light, color, texture.

This was the view from our "cottage." And this was sunrise. I slept OK up there, but I saw the sun rise on most days. I loved the texture of these trees.

We hiked at Split Rock, Gooseberry Falls (where Kate camped), and Tettegouche… we really lucked out in the weather department. These photos scream knitting inspiration to me… colorwork and cables. You can really see where some of the amazing color combos come from in Shetland and Fair Isle knitting, can't you?

Ever since I took a class with Fiona Ellis a few years ago… OK, how in the world was that 14 years ago?

Anyway, I remember Fiona Ellis talking about tree roots and how fascinating they are, and wouldn't it be fun to try knitting some? I've taken photos of interesting tree roots ever since. Trying to make sense of the scene above just about blew our minds. How the… ?? Anyway, that's some big-time inspo.

And that's Rusty on the day we left for home… the "worst" day. Stitches on his nose from a fall on those very same rocks a few days earlier, he just couldn't stop himself. BTW, the stitches were removed about a week and a half ago and the scar is barely visible unless you're really looking for it.

 

On Saturday afternoon, Kate & I finally hitched up Ducky to haul out to Ali's for the winter. One of the tires was very nearly flat — like, too flat to drive anywhere. But guess what? I have a "new" air compressor — purchased last year in MI when my old one died while Kym & I were airbrushing fabric — and it has a fitting for tires. Kate fished out Ducky's extension cord while I ran for the machine and we were on the road in no time.

It's looking very much like November.

We brought the three big kids – Yes! Malina is now a BIG KID!! – home with us and Kate set them all up to make some "candy" decorations.

Of course they all did their own thing!

Ginny spent a lot of time squirting paint onto her plate and stirred herself up quite a slurry.

“I’m making a rainbow, Auntie Kate. Auntie Kate, listen to me. You have to use all the colors, okay? You have to make the rainbow before you can put the rainbow on.”

Plastic plates, cellophane, ribbon & some stakes. It's so darn cute. Rusty put the "light array" on the front door and I hung my wreath — the same old pinecone wreath that I always have on the front door (the door's open, so you can't see that part in the photo above). The new one that I made is just a little too big for the front, so I hung it on the pergola. I had one out there several years ago and really liked it — we see & enjoy it ourselves in that location more than on the front door, anyway. All I want in front yet is a light on the espalier tree.

 

Sarah asked if I had any idea how much yarn I used when knitting Davy's Safe At Home Blanket.

I didn't, really, so the next time it came along with Davy, I weighed it.

Here are the stats:

1140 grams | approx. 2.5 pounds

approx. 11.4 100g hanks of fingering/sock weight yarn
(yarn held double throughout)

approx. 5,245 yards | 4,800 meters

I kept tabs on my trimmings, too.

This cute fabric tote that I found at a shop in Cornwall last year (which seems like 10 years ago) was handy on the table next to me, so I just started filling it up with trimmings.

They're pretty much all there except for the ends trimmed while we were camping.

I accidentally changed units from grams to fluid ounces in the middle of weighing this morning — so it's a little off (and I wasn't going for complete accuracy, anyway). It's just mild curiosity… that equals over 100 yards of yarn trimmings! Haha.

 

Random blast from the past.

Weaving, ca. ?th grade art class. Front.

Back.

Detail.

I have no idea what my inspiration was. I'm sure the color combo was "chosen" from what was presented. It's faded a lot! I took these photos over 2 years ago… after which I might have tossed it.

But maybe not.  🙂