Author: Virginia

Cloud Flower and a Hat Full of Sky

Posted on by Virginia

Cloud Flower Hat

Another busy knitting week here at Bunny Acres. I finished a new hat pattern, Cloud Flower made with Blue Sky Alpaca Sport and Melange. It’s so soft and warm, perfect yarn for hats. I blocked this over a favorite vase to get that flat top shape, but it could just be laid flat to block and would have more of a beanie shape to it.

Cloud Flower Hat

I also finished a sweater, it’s called Sallir, I was thinking it was going to be for me, but now I’m not sure, it’s a little long on me. I don’t know if I am extra picky, but I seem to end up keeping only about half the sweaters I knit for myself.

Sallir

We enjoyed our dinner by a little fire this weekend, getting rid of some small branches and pretending like we were camping. It was lovely, so nice to spend time outside again. I have some tulips peeking up in a few places, but snow is in the forecast, so spring is not quite here yet.

Spring Fire

Terry Prachett passed away this last week and while I knew he was not doing very well it was still extremely sad to me. Dan and I have enjoyed his books so much, often reading them aloud. His sense of humor and wit, his insight into the foibles of folks and his way of seeing and appreciating all the shades of grey in a world obsessed with black and white/light and dark. I guess the sadness is for losing such a wise person so young, a beloved author that feels like a dear friend.

This weekend we also went to an Open House for a home we have walked by and admired many times. We love our house but we really could use a couple more rooms. Seeing this larger house that needed quite a bit of work reminded us of some of the things we like about our place, and clarified some of our wishes for a new house if we were to move.

2 Comments

Kingsfoil Socks and Strawberry Pinot Jam

Posted on by Virginia

I had a lovely weekend away seeing my sister and her family and my niece. A bit of a whirlwind trip, which ended with some lovely person asking if I would trade seats with her mother who was flying in First Class. It was my first encounter with the fancier snacks and real glassware, and now I fear I am spoiled for life. 🙂

There has been some knitting around here, first off I am proud to introduce my Kingsfoil socks. These are just the sort of socks I like to knit and to wear. The knitting is interesting, but not too involved that they take too long to knit. A classic style, and one that would look good in plenty of colors besides this basic grey.

Kingsfoil Socks
Kingsfoil Socks

I also finished the latest Kieran Foley Mystery Shawl, which was great fun to knit. Sometimes these mysteries make choosing colors challenging, but it seems like a good exercise.

Kieran Foley MKAL3

We have had some lovely weather this week, unseasonably warm. Dan has been loving being able to bike to work again. It has me in the mind for spring cleaning. In that spirit we decided to make some Strawberry Pinot jam with the last of last year’s organic strawberries we had in the freezer.

Strawberry Pinot Noir Jam
My friend Jean shared her delicious recipe and I can’t wait to try it out!

Strawberry Pinot Noir Jam

This weekend is a poignant one for us here, 6 years and 6 months ago my mother passed away and it’s her birthday on Tuesday, St. Patrick’s Day. It’s also 6 years since Dan’s Leukemia diagnosis. We are pretty grateful to be where we are now, happy, healthy and enjoying this good weather.

Almos spring
*These are store tulips, the weather isn’t quite that good yet.

3 Comments

Morrison Wrap

Posted on by Virginia

Dan and I have pretty different work schedules, so we don’t always get to have dinner together. Last night we made one of the usual items (stir fry with peanut sauce) but made it “fancy” with some candles and wine. It doesn’t take much around here!

Dinner for 2

It was a busy knitting week, and I am happy to report I have finished knitting this lush wrap. Let me introduce Morrison Wrap, another in my series of scarves and wraps named for female authors I really like, this one after the incomparable Toni Morrison. Here is a great piece on her. I find her books so profound, moving and beautifully written, I think she will prove to be the greatest author of our time. Reading her work is not easy, but an emotional/spiritual pilgrimage. Anyway, a big wrap for a big author!  It measures 80×21 inches!

Morrison Wrap

The yarn is Blue Sky Alpaca’s Alpaca Silk, which is so drapey and soft I never want to take it off!

Morrison Wrap

I am mostly a jeans kind-of person, but I think this would look really nice dressed up.

Morrison Wrap

With everyone around here going south for their winter vacations I am happy to report I will be too! I think it’s best to manage one’s expectations in this department, say if you went to Mexico and it was cool, you would be pretty disappointed, so I am playing it safe and going to Chicago and Davenport next weekend. I will hope for 30’s! Poor Dan will have to stay here in the cold weather as this trip is for my dear niece’s wedding shower, a ladies-only event, so my sister and I will be meeting up and celebrating with her! I can’t wait!

No comments yet

February Cheer

Posted on by Virginia

I recently tried the new yarn from Spud & Chloë, called Stripey Fine, which is every bit as wonderful as the Fine, which is one of my favorites. The colors are fun and coordinate beautifully with the solids, which was the inspirational starting point for my new patterns.

First off, a little sunshine for your feet: Goldberry’s Socks, named for the mysterious and lighthearted character Goldberry from The Lord Of The Rings, whose singing is like the sun shining out from grey clouds. Her presence is uplifting and comforting as these socks are in the middle of winter.

Goldberry's Socks

Goldberry's Socks

With Clearwater Cowl, I was going for the comfy Saturday feeling, wearing your favorite jeans, whether hanging out or running errands. It’s also a perfect weekend project, as it knits up quickly, and you could easily finish it over a movie or two. Or, in my case, several episodes of our household favorite, Jeeves & Wooster.

Clearwater Cowl

 

No comments yet

Valentine’s Day at Bunny Acres

Posted on by Virginia

February is a hard month in MN. It’s still very much winter here, and yet signs of spring are popping up in other places, photos of spring bulbs in bloom show up on blogs, people talk about starting their gardening… But, those of us in MN who are not taking trips to warmer climates this month must draw on some very deep fealty to the State and find joy where we can. Dan has a new sweater, a Valentine Grettir:

Grettir

We sometimes call our place Bunny Acres, as we always have at least one bunny around. We have a lot of shelter possibilities and in the warmer months a 24 hour buffet of tasty plants. We name the friendlier ones and while we might sometimes get a little frustrated when they eat a particular plant to the ground, generally we feel like there is enough for everyone in our yard, including the owls and hawks. One famous year we had a bunny who would eat the little piles of weeds I’d pull up! This last year we have had an especially friendly bunny, in fact a few times Fred has surprised us by popping up very close almost as if to see what we are up to.

Fred

Now Fred is very responsive to our presence, since we have been showering our friend with the bounty of our organic veggie and fruit peels and ends to brighten her/his Feb. Certainly Fred has had a much harder winter then we have, and is looking forward to spring just as much as we are.

Fred

1 Comment