Ancient woodland full of ancient trees 

more ways to the otherworld 

Entrance to the underworld? 

Start of the walk 

Walk on the wild side

A gentle walk today as my lungs and chest are wheezy from the head cold that this weeks trip to England provided. Hope you like the pictures, this woodland walk is just across from our home and looks different each time you go in there. I love the trees and walls with crannies, a place to head into the underworld or other world? especially as we head towards Samhain when the veil between the worlds is thinnest. This week has been a strange one. I've had a very heavy head cold all week which didn't help but boy when I did sleep what strange dreams I've had. Everything from taking Margaret Thatcher foraging for fungi to spinning moss for blankets:))
Seemed that each time I awoke and then drifted back into sleep there was an even more bizarre dream awaiting me. Knitting, I've done more on the sideways jacket, hopefully photos tomorrow. I'm also finished with the fire shawl and have started a Samhain shawl in blacks to reflect the dark half of the year. Other knitting stuff I received my copy of Yarn forward and its definately one to subscribe to if this first issue is anything to go by. Some very good patterns, lots of interesting articles and inspiration. Plus no pages and pages of how to cast on, knit purl etc. And yes I know that some people picking the mag up won't know how to do that but there are books to teach without doing like the other British magazines and filling many pages with the basics. It gets a tad boring each month to read the same old thing. I'll not be renewing either Simply knitting or Knitting they are too samey IMO, I will stick to Yarn forward and Interweave knits in the future.
If you haven't purchased Yarn forward do it now, lets encourage Kerrie to keep it going

Cracks in paradise?

I feel as if paradise has a tiny crack in it at the moment, its really damp and cold and the house heating is inadequate to say the least. My craft room has no heat since the stove blew up, landlords have not replaced yet. What always used to be my haven in the old house isn't in this. I am permanently cold and due to this quite miserable, I even regretted the move this weekend which isn't me at all. I'm putting some of it down to the wheel turning, maybe I'm nearer to it here? I feel the fact that its the dark of the moon and that from Samhain it is more of an inward retrospective time of year and my thoughts are dark. Instead of looking forward to the dark half of the year I dread it. Being in tune with nature isn't all light, you have to have the dark to balance and my dark is a maudlin tearie dark today. Some of it is the pain, constant pain and the cold makes me lose feeling in my feet and hands and that doesn't help with knitting. I've done a lot more on the shawl and a little on the sideways jacket. Yesterday I didn't go over the doorstep, not even to help with the firepit renovation. Mr mog helped but I didn't want company except my own so I stayed in by the fire knitting and watching the flames. Tomorrow we go to baby sit and my daughters house is warm and there is the large bath so I will be a warm moggie:) I'm working on ideas for warming the house, I wasn't going to have curtains as we aren't overlooked but think certainly in the rooms that aren't double glazed I'll need to. Also maybe a couple of little heaters to help in the mornings when there is no warmth at all. Our heating is from the coal /wood fire so only works in the day when fire is lit.
Sorry to be a morbid moggie, come Samhain I hope my mood lifts

Home again, home again

Great giddiness as we have come home from baby sitting early:) We actually took the boys to school this morning and then came home instead of tonight or tomorrow morning and what joy:) Our most thoughtful neighbour ,dear sister that she is, lit the fire so we came home to warmth. Its been a wet few days for us and the mog has suffered greatly with the cold and damp, BUT as we came past Gretna on the final leg home the sun came out and stayed that way,. The view over the mountains was mightily nice and had misty edges to it as it does in autumn. My house was welcoming and I had goodies to open which is always a good thing. Photos to follow when camera is found. I received a large cone of yellow mohair from an ebay seller and some knit picks in sage from a destash in the states. Never used this, not sure now I've got it that its me but we will see. I've done around 12 inches of the restrained cardigan (VBG). I was a wee bit too sore for sustained knitting this week.
Only other bit of news was so so sad. A dear friend of mine who I purchased my first narrowboat from quite a long while ago is terminally ill. I have known he and his wife for around 20 years I'd guess, we don't see lots of each other but when we get together its as if we only spoke yesterday. I'd last seen them early May before the move and R looked very frail then. He was awaiting a scan for indigestion probs. It is one of the times that I really hate being psychic for lack of a better word. I saw him and had a dreadful cold shiver and death feel eminating from him. I told Mr Mog when we went home but put it down to being tired etc etc. For one reason and another I hadn't spoken to them, Tuesday I rang as it had been niggling me. His wife answered and as we chatted I asked how R was, "well "she said" as you know the cancer is inoperable". I didn't know what to say. He has stomach and liver cancer is on constant chemo and has told doctor he doesn't want to know how long. They can't operate and its only a matter of time. What do you say? We are going to see them next week and J said "you know we were only speaking of you last week and saying how much you cheer us and that we always feel better after you have visited". I now have to try and do just that next week and I know it will be oh so hard.

fire elemental shawl various yarns 

WIP sideways cardigan from Colinette pattern made from assorted oddments 

cavendish throw 

Where do the misty mornings go?

Where do the misty mornings go when the dragons breath disappears? Do they go in to hiding til the next day or are they there but overlain with the sunny day that follows? Today when I first peeked out at the forest all that could be seen was mist and shadows with eerie sounds of the wild geese echoing gently through the mist. Then betwixt my getting up and next looking out the window clear sunny day. Truly magical living here in the Scottish Borders. The smells are autumn but with the decay of winter hinting at its presence. We are heading towards Samhain when the crone goddess is in the ascendent, a time of fear for some and indeed used to be for me . I could never think of winter without a shiver, the thought of being stuck in on long dark days and nights filled me with horror. Gradually I became aware of the fact that without the death there could be no rebirth, the plants had to sleep to renew their strength for the following spring. Once I realised that the winter months were a time for me to take stock, an inward meditatory spell not a negative thing then it became easier. I do still suffer from lack of sun but when I win the lottery(VBG) I intend to spend a month in the winter somewhere sunny and that will fool the SAD genes:))
Anyroads on to something different, I've uploaded a finished object, don't faint but here you see Cavendish in Noro Kureyon just off the needles and still needing the ends finishing etc but finished none the less.
Also 2 works in progress, firstly a sideways cardigan from a Colinette pattern. I'm using some pinguin mohair, a cone of something unknown(cost all of 50 pence) and a ball of I think sock yarn? I know there is enough on the cone and enough mohair in the cupboard but when the sock yarn runs out I'll see what the goddess of the stash cupboard gives me to follow on with. The second WIP is a fire shawl to honour the element of fire and to enjoy some of its heat when the shawl is being worn.
Hope you like