A park in monochrome with added colour for interest

Today we ventured out for some fresh air. Luckily we found a disabled car space very close to where I wanted to be.

Although we are currently snowless(thankfully) there is some all around us.

 I love pictures like this where it looks as though I have been snapping in black and white.

 with slight tints of copper

 and moss green

 It reminds me of old photo albums, a frozen moment

 Glimpses of other places as you turn a corner

 Then home and the start of a one pot dinner. We found some candy beetroot yesterday in Booths and I thought it may add a little colour and taste to the savoury bean pot . Lots of different vegetables and beans and 3 tiny hot chorizo sausages sweated with ginger and garlic to begin

 The flowers are all in full bloom now and add a little colour to the Buddhas dark corner

 When you are sitting of an evening they release their perfume, just a slight aroma permeating the house.

and still the land is white

And still the land is white and the frost and ice grow deeper and harder by the minute.
It hasn't thawed at all around us but we do at least have the main roads clear which is a bonus.

We managed to get out today for some much needed fresh air especially in my case. We went to the local park.
As you will be able to tell from these pictures it is a winter wonderland.
Always seems strange to me to see the seaside so white, normally the salty sea air keeps the snow away or melts it speedily.
Despite the heavy snow there are signs that the lady is wakening from her winter sleep. These catkins danced in the frosty air.
On some trees you couldn't see if there were buds or not. Just snow, more snow.
We took food for the creatures of the park, they still need to eat. We melted some suet and added various seeds and some bird crumble mix we were given for Yule, poured it into ramekins that were lined with cling film. Mr Mog placed these on the front step while we had breakfast and by the time we were ready to go to the park they were firm and cold. The smaller birds will appreciate these. We also took monkey nuts (peanuts in their shells) and sunflower seeds for the squirrels and larger birds.
The ponds were well frozen and no sign of the ducks.
There had been a few creatures walking across the ice though as you can see:)
It would appear that the forecast is for more of the same this weekend (sigh)

I can't see us getting very far at all. But as long as I can get out to the park at least then it is enough to quash the cabin fever:)
To be honest when it looks as beautiful as this then the park is perfect for us. It gives fresh air, beauty and a sense of well being from the sights and sounds.
When the country seems to be held to ransom by extreme weather it does make you realise that the Goddess and her consort are not averse to showing their power after all. We are but a part of the land, not the main reason for it and this shows us so.
Man may think he is clever but the Lady Nature is far superior to him:)
Not many people about either, mainly dog walkers and one party of toddlers and their carers, I suspect from a nursery.
I do love the peaceful scenes of nature's beauty, untouched by us.
Winter wonderland indeed.
There has been knitting at the Moggie household. I wanted to make Mr Mog some more socks as several pairs of his are wearing out fast. Sadly much as I love hand dyed yarn unless it has added nylon or mohair or acrylic then socks wear out much more speedily than commercial ones.
These hopefully won't because (gasp) the yarn was an acrylic, mohair,wool mix.
It seemed only right to photograph them against the snow outside.
Do you like?

Star, femme of the heavens

Star is a true femme of the heavens. Her path carries her far and wide through dreams. The colours of her outfit reflect the night sky in all its glory. The moon phases on her necklet and the word Luna remind her that we are all part of the journey of life across earth and the heavens. As the moon's face changes when she travels her path so can we change or transform. Negativity can be transformed to positive an we will it.

She carries a cluster of ice droplets, we all need water to nourish and sustain us.

The spiral on her cloak is the road she travels, always onwards and upwards . She tries not to stay in one spot.

Introducing Fireca,femme of the sunrise

Fireca is a femme of fire and ice. Her outfit reflects the colours of ice at sunrise when the winter sun begins to climb the skies.

She brings a welcoming warmth tinged with the early morning chill. She carries a charm that says Blessed Be to remind her that we are all blessed.Her dress is strewn with ice crystals and frost but her warm clothes carry her through any winter.

Her cloak carries traces of Summer's colours as a reminder that we carry within us the promise of summer days through the darkest, longest nights of winter.

New Femmes are on their way

New femmes are on their way, currently you can see the beginnings or nearly finished Forest,

2. "Be wary of Lovers who come from the Greenwood" title of this one comes from a Riven Inside CD by Carolyn Hillier and Nigel Shaw. Fabulous CD,

Summer

more to come when I can upload pictures:)

I promised you knitting.

I promised you knitting so here goes.
The autumn greenery jacket is finished. Here you see it taking a little early evening sun with the very berry elsewhere jacket.

I really love the colours in this despite them not being what I set out to dye. I had it in mind to dye autumn greenery as a more faded and darker green. Seemed the dyeing fairy had other ideas. That notwithstanding I love it and the fit is perfect.
The colours blend yet don't which is just what I wanted. Why have matching sleeves and fronts if you don't have to?
This was going to be Autumn greenery Elsewhere jacket as I said but the goddess had other ideas as I dyed the yarn.
What was going to be faded greens going darker and more fragile became spring greens. The beauty of the trees awakening and unfurling their leaves. No two trees have the same shades of green so my jacket reflects all the green spectrum.
Sometimes the Goddess takes a hand. Autumn's glory has within it Spring's awakening.
It comes from there via the nurturing touch of winter's earth.
Could be her way of reminding me once more that the wheel is always turning.
We live on a spiral so we are always moving onwards and outwards.
From the faded ideas and completed projects can grow new plans, new dreams and new hopes.
The trick is to move with the energy not at right angles to it.
To be open to growth at the right time and to know when to be quiet and let the seeds germinate.
Sometimes I feel I miss the messages. My ears aren't tuned in or I hear and don't decipher the words.
Awareness can be lost in the day to day things if I am not in the now.

I did mention I wanted to knit another Elsewhere jacket. This will be my Winter Blues jacket.
Dyed in honour of the winter Solstice and the dark velvet nights of that portion of the wheel.

What do you think? Have I captured it do you think? This time I was listening.

Then I was out of dyed aran to start another so had to have something on the needles.

Here you see the sunny day socks. These are for me to wear of an evening while sitting reading, knitting or the like. I have very bad circulation and always feel cold so these will be ideal for winter. The yarn is some double knit alpaca merino I dyed some months back.
Very speedy knit as it is double knit yarn. Very warm also.


There has also been spinning and here you see the latest yarn off the bobbins


Fibre was from limegreenjelly and spun beautifully for this newbie. Didn't half leech a lot of colour when the yarn was set though. The water was vivid green:(
I'm very pleased with this, it is still thick and thin but it is getting better I think.

Festive fun to all and good health as well

A little post today to wish you all a happy festive season, whatever you celebrate:)
As we are now (just) past the shortest day and on our way towards spring I thought a few of Mr Mog's winter photos may be appropriate.

I love the blue colour that this picture has. It brings a touch of fantasy in a winter landscape and is completely un retouched.
Berries are always much in demand for our feathered family.
This picture was a reminder that amongst the bare trees there is still a touch of green. I'll interrupt here to say that whilst posting I can hear much chattering. I have my magpies on the roof, least 4 and I think there is a fifth flying around:)
Doesn't this picture draw you in? I (Amber) took this a couple of years ago at the bottom of Castle Howe near Keswick, very magical and although they can't be seen in the photo there were several deer there. It was just taken on my mobile phone through the car window as I didn't want to disturb the deer.
This was a winter haiku I did for a swap a few years ago using one of my photos.

Then a blog post wouldn't seem right without socks would it?
These are made in double knit blue faced Leicester that I dyed a few weeks ago. They are going to be a new year prize for someone on the blog.
Just need to come up with a contest now:)
Thank you for reading and commenting on my blog this past year and for every one's help,support and encouragement during my hospice year of socks.
Don't forget next years project is to be hats, scarves and fingerless gloves.
I've already had donations including the fabulous book Wee Woolly toppers donated by Woolly Wormhead.
It has been great to meet up with so many of you and put faces to names. Here's to more of that in the new year.

A wintery wonderland with knitting

Friday we went up to Cumbria to see Mr Mog's aged parent and to stay over with friends for the night. It was very icy,snow everywhere and extremely cold. Most of the pictures I took came to nothing as there was a blizzard to travel in. I do have some pictures to show though.


This gives you some idea of the kind of weather we came home in. It became much foggier than this the nearer we got to home.
The trees are stunning in their naked beauty.
This is a path you can see from the road over Whinlatter,near Keswick.
The view of Bassenthwaite Lake from the top of Whinlatter.
Another view towards the top of Whinlatter .
Just an idea of the snow going over Dunmail Raise towards Keswick from Ambleside
Yet we also had some sunshine

This morning's view from the promenade looking over towards the Lake District Hills.

I received the above letter of thanks for the Hospice socks from St Johns. What it should have said was a big thank you to everyone who helped and encouraged this project.

I have been knitting for Yule gifts. A moebius cowl with a mixture of sock yarn, rayon glitter yarn and mohair hand dyed.

This cowl is for me and is made from some wonderful hand spun/hand dyed yarn that Artis Anne made me. Isn't it lovely? It feels so warm to wear.

These socks are made with blue faced Leicester yarn that I dyed, these are for a gift.
Then this morning we woke to magpies on the roof opposite. Just 2 here but there were 5 at one stage. I love magpies.