Snow has been delicately falling all day, adding more fluffy padding to the ground. I'm so happy that winter has finally come. Although I have an extremely low tolerance for cold, I could not live without winter. (My mother always wondered if I had ice water running in my veins. Seriously, I wear a hat INSIDE the house!)
Why I love the four seasons (a crazy Canadian's manifesto):
First and most importantly, fluctuating temperatures mean that I have highly variable fiber needs. For instance, cold winters gives me a reason to re-mortgage my house in order to buy more wool. It justifies me having 14 scarves, 8 hats, 6 pairs of mittens, too many hand-knit socks to count and even 1 pair of leg-warmers! Summers give me a reason to remember why I HATE knitting with cotton (cotton blends are ok as long as they don't have stinky silk in them).
Secondly, I love living in a place that offers an ever-evolving landscape. My daily habits and interests are really impacted by the time of year. I find myself listening to different music, eating different foods, even reading different books based on the season.
Third, I don't have a choice, I'm Canadian, it's part of my DNA. I, like all northerners, think that living in minus 40 is character-building. Putting up with crazy weather makes me tough and down-to-earth. And get this, no one is forcing me to live through this, I CHOOSE to live here, so clearly, I'm bananas.
Fourth, I always have something to look forward to. Up until recently, I was wishing for snow. Soon I'll be dreaming of green...
Here's a little green cardigan that I knit several years ago. It hasn't seen much action because I never finished it properly. At the time I knit it, I was still struggling with @!&^@ button bands. I tried to convince myself that it looked good without a band but who was I kidding? I knew better and the sweater sat abandoned in my closet. Last week, I decided to give it another go. This time, the band worked and now the sweater is ready to come out and play.
Yarn: Jo Sharp Silkroad DK tweed (LOVE this yarn, though it does pill a bit)
Pattern: Fern by Kim Hargreaves, Rowan 24
Hi Nicole, I just discover your new blog on the comments of "dance with wool"(Lene Alve in Finland)...curious to think that we met so far away ! I'm living near Québec city, south shore and...English is not my native language but a marvelous way for communication all through the world !
ReplyDeleteI now put your blog(sorry I don't have one)in my favorites, I'll come back ...
Esther
I adore the seasons too. Although I grew up in Georgia and my family thought I would never survive the Vermont winter, I find the cold and changing seasons so invigorating . . . and motivating in terms of knitting! I'm also very cold-natured and constantly have chilly fingers and toes, but I love bundling up with lots of handknits and drinking lots of tea. It sure beats the oppressive heat and humidity of the South! Wow, 40 below though . . . I have yet to see that, you are a trooper!
ReplyDeleteHi Megan,
ReplyDeleteIn the interest of full disclosure, I should say that it's not -40 here all that often. Usually between -15 and -25 at this time of year, but when you count in the wind chill factor, it can get pretty nippy!
Very nice button band. The sweater did well to wait for your skills. I've yet to tackle buttonholes or bands.
ReplyDeleteIt seems winter has finally arrived full force in the North. Enjoy. :-)
I discovered your blog on "Dances with Wool" too. Love your pink knits!
ReplyDelete