Southern Seasons



I just have a little bit to cast off, and then I'm done.  Then it's on to making another shrug, this time with the heavier
weight Aran yarn the pattern calls for. 

This past Saturday, I went to my local knitting store, Cottage Yarn, to sit and work on my Brynn shrug for a while.  A sale was in progress, along with a free class, so the shop was busy, but there was a comfortable chair available, so I sat down and chatted with a couple of other women.  What a pleasure it is to find company in this manner, without having to play telephone tag, without having to compare school or work or family schedules to eke out a few mutual free hours for a get-together.   Visiting with like-minded companions without having to lay the groundwork of planning and mapping out is a rare pleasure in the jam-packed life of a modern working mom. 

After my brief respite, however, it was on to my younger son’s first football game.  There I sat on hard bleachers, sweating from the heat.  (The expanding piece of wool knitwear that lay on my lap as I worked my needles certainly added to my discomfort, but I couldn't resist the chance to use my time seated in a productive manner).  My son’s team won the game, and, despite having been sick and missed several practices, he was able to play some, so the day was a cheerful one.  Moments after the game ended, a forceful afternoon rainstorm began, but, luckily, my knitting project was in a plastic tote bag, so I was drenched, but the tweed stayed dry.  (I do have my priorities in order.)

The rainstorm also ended a miserable weather cycle.  After weeks of insufferable humidity, high temperatures, and daily violent afternoon thunderstorms, a cold front moved in on Saturday night.  Sunday dawned, cool and bright and clear.  I celebrated the brief, perhaps short-lived onset of cooler weather by taking my dog for an early-morning walk. 

That evening, I went to a cookout at my sister-in-law’s house. A passionate knitter herself, Karen showed me the latest additions to her impressive stash (including some Noro Aya I gazed at longingly). The colors of Noro yarn are so intoxicating. As the get-together was a birthday celebration, during my visit, I gave Karen a book, Sock Yarn Studio, which has some great ideas for using her sock yarn stash. There is also a pattern in the book for a beautiful shawl that is made using remnants of leftover yarn—perfect for avid sock knitters who don’t know what to do with leftover bits of yarn. 

I was also able to spend some time wandering outside a bit and here, I thought I’d share some pictures I took of the North Carolina countryside. I hope that soon the leaves will be fiery in color, my tweed shrug will be complete, and I can wear my other fuzzy wool creations, items that would serve me well in the depths of snowy winter in more northern climes. 

The Icelandic horses enjoy the cooler temperatures. 

 

These chestnuts have such a beautiful rich brown color. 

I love the old-fashioned outbuildings. 

 

The hibiscus are still in bloom.