A week is a long time in nature

A week is a very long time in nature. Or it can be.

You remember the pictures I posted last week of the park full of snow? This was the scene on Sunday when we ventured there once more.
Not a drop of snow or ice to be seen thankfully,leaving it clear for walkers, wheelchairs and the little ones in prams.

Lots of new growth on trees and shrubs.

It is surprising how much growth when you think of all the snow we have had and the very cold temperatures.
Doesn't stop Lady Nature from doing her stuff. Just look at these buddleia sprouting.
New buds everywhere we looked.

If you look closely at the picture below it shows a tiny mouse hole, the reason I saw it was that we heard the rustling and when we glanced down there was the entrance to the mouse's den. Mr Mog left him some food and then we left quietly so as not to disturb him any more.
The view through the tree branches is much nicer now that the buds are coming through.
Then I have some more knitting to show you.
Another Felicity hat, this one is for me. A mixture of one thread of mohair and 1 dk unknown.
Very warm and almost felted, perfect for this time of year.
I used needles a little smaller than necessary to get a very close knit fabric. Nowhere for the draughts to get through.
I'm finally getting a new mobile phone. The one I have is ancient and is giving up the ghost. It doesn't keep a charge any longer and the cost for a new battery is more than a new phone costs. The new one is one of the touch screen ones, unlike the old one which has a flip top to keep the screen safe. Why have they stopped making these? Far safer to have a cover surely?
I digress. As it is a nude screen I thought it ought to have some kind of protection, and to keep it warm in the cold weather:)
I used the remains of the hat yarn to knit a phone cosy. The yarn cord is to help find it in the depths of my bag.
Spinning is great fun and I don't think I've shown you these finished yarns.

Firstly Falkland tops in Woodland colourway from Mandacrafts. This is organic green yarn, grown with no pesticides, chemicals or the like which I heartily approve of. This is my first attempt at Navajo plying to keep the colours true. Not easy to do but worth trying. 2 skeins 100g in total. No idea on yardage as the yarn measure didn't cooperate while skeining this.
This is my Yule gift from Laal Bear. 100gm of Bluefaced Leicester. 178yards. Luscious colours.
This is Lime Green Jelly bluefaced Leicester from a ravelry destash. 100gm 214yards. Lovely colour , unfortunately the destasher omitted to mention she stored her fibre in moth balls. Not good for an asthmatic and despite washing, conditioning it still has a residual smell. Methinks I need to ask how fibre is stored if I do this again.

Several people have asked if I am accepting donations for this fourth year of hospice knitting, yes I am thank you:) If you would like to donate fibre for my project it will be very gratefully received. Just fibre this year thank you as I intend to spin and knit each item for the hospice.

First lambs of 2010

We have been staying at our daughters for a couple of days and yesterday while driving back to her house we saw our first lambs of this year. They looked to be a few days old and looking very sorry for themselves with the freezing weather.
It seems they start to arrive earlier and earlier each year:(
Pain is subsiding a little thankfully, however it should be as it is 2 weeks tomorrow since the fall.
Spinning is slow, knitting equally so, roll on warmer days.

Creativity, inspiration and distractions

At our guild meeting in November we were all handed a bag of merino fibre in various colours and told to take it away and create something with it. It could be just spun, felted, knitted, crocheted or what ever we wished to do with it.
I haven't had a very good relationship with pure merino so far, it has tended to run away with me and I haven't enjoyed spinning it at all. In fact the first skein I spun was so dreadful I made art yarn by adding a glitter thread to it.
The intention was to make a femme as my challenge answer.

As we all know plans can be changed and indeed often are.

I didn't want to give in so a few weeks ago I had another go at spinning the stuff. The colours were lilac, a mid green, 2 shades of yellow and 2 shades of blue.

I decided not to plan but to take random clumps of fibre and spin them, no colour scheme in mind. I wanted to go with the flow and I hoped that doing so would appease the powers that be and they would let it magically turn to yarn on my wheel.
Well they did and it did.

I then had to decide what to knit with it and came up with 2 items I've knitted before. One old, one new.
Firstly Calorimetry, I've made quite a few of these and it is an easy fairly quick knit. I made a smallish one as the yarn I spun was a double knit weight. It will fit a teen I would think. It just needs a button for decoration now.


Then, as it is a spinning group, I thought another felted bag for the bits of fluff and vegetable matter would be in order. This bag will hang on the tension knob of the wheel and is perfect for those odds and ends you don't want to incorporate in your yarn.
What do you think?

I've also been knitting my first item this year for the hospice. I wanted to use hand spun and obviously smaller projects will be easier, in the main, although I am not ruling out making larger items for them. No sense being definite about it we all know where that gets us. Loki is never far away when I make promises.
This is my fallow fields Felicity hat, pattern from Ravelry, BFL yarn hand dyed and hand spun by me.
How do you like my new modelling head? It is pot and cost under £4.

Back view of the hat. This photographing under electric light doesn't give the true colours sadly. Hat is very warm and soft.


I liked it so much I made one for me. This is my purple hand spun from a few weeks ago,the fibre is Falkland tops from Mandacrafts.
I decided I wanted a wee bit larger hat for my head and wanted it warm for this icy weather. I added a strand of a very fine commercial mohair to the mix.
It almost feels felted and is very warm.
I'm still in a great deal of pain, the bruising may have faded but the pain certainly hasn't yet. I'm not the most patient of people and this constant pain is a distraction to say the least.
It doesn't help that the weather isn't fit yet for going out. I'm longing for a thaw and some sunshine to enable me to get in to the park at the very least.

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?

4th year of knitting for hospice, decision made on what

This will be my fourth year of knitting for the local hospice.
First year I did shawls, 13 that was 1 for each lunar month
Second year I did socks 39 pairs.
Last year was an assortment of socks, shawls, hats and cowls. 26 items altogether.
So this fourth year I didn't know what to knit. I do want to continue my hospice knitting, it is part of giving something back and I do enjoy it.
I've decided that every item will be with my own handspun yarn.
That means each month for every item I will have to spin and knit:)
It may be my own handdyed fibre, if I receive donations then it will be other people's hand dyed fibre.
But I'll spin it and I will knit it.
What do you think?

We still have snow and very treacherous ice. Main roads are clear but side roads and paths are awful. I'm getting cabin fever here and I'm longing for the opportunity to have a wee trip out in the fresh air. Not just to sit in the car.

More of this and that

Snow hasn't melted at all on our street and garden. The main roads are ok and driveable here which is more than can be said for most of the country. I suspect we have got off rather lightly this time.

It did get me thinking though.

Not that many years ago if there was snow we would have cleared our drives and the path in front of our own houses. Everyone did it,it was the norm. We would salt and shovel to keep the paths clear.
We had linesmen but that isn't the correct word? Road sweeping men who kept their area clear, they did the roads around the estates and villages, they cut hedges. I knew our local ones by name.
Now if we do this and someone slips we can be sued, health and safety rears it's ugly head once more. We are more likely to have injuries and accidents on the roads and paths by not clearing.

And yes I know I slipped but that was on our step and due to rain turning to ice and my lack of mobility.

The country seems to go to pieces with adverse weather conditions, how about the fact that ambulance men are only going to life and death situations yet call out the mountain rescue volunteers? Why should volunteers do what paid staff don't? What is the difference?

While I'm having a little rant;)
Does anyone else think we are receiving too much information?
It is all very well having the Internet and constant tv news, but what do they show or tell us? Is it the truth? I feel that most of what we see, read is edited sensationally in lots of cases. We always see the dark side of things. Is it to numb us , make us less inclined to follow current events?

Yes it is good to be able to access information we need but what does it do for us when it is atrocities? Does it make us think that tv news is similar to video games? Not really there and you can press the restart button?
Does anyone feel confidence in our so called leaders? Or like me do you find they are all tarred with the same brush?
Are you as cynical as I am when there is a crisis and then something else is shown as a diversionary tactic?
I am not really sure where I'm going with this I just feel uneasy.
Do you believe any politician, any religious leader? Do you think they are unbiased and have our best interests at heart?
I don't:(

Yet more snow:)

Yet more snow to wake up to this morning. As the roads are sheet ice underneath you can imagine the chaos in the county.
Idiots in cars are driving as though it were a normal day. Cars abandoned across the county, indeed across the country apparently.


I think all the schools in Lancashire, Cumbria and most of Scotland are closed. My grandsons went back to school today, I suspect most children in England did. The school closed around 10.30 and they were sent home.
Not weather for venturing far but we have food in the cupboards and fridge so a spinning day methinks:)
We have had more snow since these pictures at 10.30 this morning.
I'm still exceedingly sore, it is very painful to sleep and in fact I haven't slept much since I fell Saturday morning. The bruising is still at the angry stage despite constant applications of arnica. I've had to stop the strong pain killers and anti inflammatories as they were making me ill. I'm back on good old paracetamol but they only work for a short while.
It will go when it is ready, no sense moaning it doesn't help at all:)

I've been thinking about this new year and new decade. Something makes me want to seize more of each day if that is possible. I always have to make sure that for all that I give out in my art and craft, and to others who need it, that I have to replenish the stores of inspiration and well being.
To be aware of each day on all levels and take something from every event and action. Not always easy but necessary. How can we give of our selves constantly without this replenishment? We need to store colour, beauty and love for ourselves as well. Not an easy subject to explain what I mean, I may come back to this.
I'm loving the almost monochromatic view from my craft room window, the way that the sound changes with the blanket of snow. It softens it and it softens the world around to a certain extent. I am grateful that I don't need to go anywhere or do anything except appreciate the Lady's white gown today.

Today I am purple

Today I am purple and extremely sore
Today I am having even more difficulty than normal moving about
Today I am not taking any more strong painkillers, anti inflammatories
because
today they have made me feel worse.
Today I am hoping that tomorrow is better.

'Twere the coccyx what took the brunt

Last night it froze very hard, this morning we woke up to rain. We were going to visit our daughter and grandsons. From the front door to the drive there are 2 steps.
You all remember that I christened the back steps by falling down them in the summer? well I've done the same today . The steps had ice under the rain which we didn't know. Mr Mog had already been out the door a couple of times and no problems. I apparently found the only bit that was slippy:(
I landed firmly on my rear, specifically the coccyx. It is probably some consolation that I'm not a skinny person, the padding helped I think.
But I am in a lot of pain, dosed up on various things, covered in arnica frequently and can't sit too long or lie down for long. Worst pain I have had in a long while.
I don't like steps or stairs, at all.

Honest Blogger award

I was awarded this some time ago by my dear friend Pixie:). I would now like to pass it on to a person who I think embodies everything this post says. Laal Bear, if you read her latest post you will see why I am awarding her this.
And what is this award? I will repeat here what Pixie so aptly said.
Honest Blogger award because SHIfT HAPPENS.
As honest bloggers we:

(Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete, Add To...As You Wish)

* Speak our truth from the heart and tell it like it is.

* Share openly and honestly our true feelings without fear of judgement, Blame or shame.

* We write to share our achievements so others can also share our joy.

* We write about our bad times too, knowing that the love and support of others is around us and perhaps heal another’s pain in the process..

*We are human beings will real feelings and emotions and REFUSE to hide behind a mask.

* We dare to be different

* We are Free Spirits

* We realise that by spilling out, we lighten our load.

* We acknowledge our strengths and weaknesses and don't see them in terms of success or failure.

* We laugh together and cry together

* We are all following our own journey in our own unique way

* Above all else, we may lie on the floor, screaming and kicking, or feel like life is collapsing around us once in a while….but at the end of the day, we drag ourselves up, dust ourselves off and rise to fight another day.

There is no obligation to pass this on but Laal Bear I salute you and your honesty.

Of moons of blue and years new.

A new year, a new decade. A new beginning if we chose it as such.
A blue moon and a lunar eclipse last night. Auspicious signs for a new start to the year and the decade.
There were weird floating circles in the sky, they floated a long way and didn't fizz or bang. It was only this morning ,when my daughter said Chinese lanterns were in all the cheap shops and then described them, that I realised what they were:) Despite them being golden disks almost this is what came out on my picture. Reminds me of a zodiac constellation.


Just look at the colour around the moon.
I had an idea for an occasional blog series on the elements and it seemed apt to start with Water, the colour blue.
Blue is the first colour on the cover of this journal Mr Mog gave me for Yule and what with that and the Blue moon last night water seemed most apt.

Not a normal start to the elements but that isn't set in stone.

So, water, emotions, feeling and West on our compass.
Words associated with Water:-
Blue, feeling blue, blue mood, water,seas, oceans, rivers. Tears, emotive, release, letting go.
When creating a spell water is the release point. Where you send it off into the ether to happen or not.
Ether, mist, water, also clouds. All tied in together.

At Viking funerals they burned the warriors ship, a release of the earthly body and letting the spirit travel on.

I took a lot of pictures of the moon last night, the ones on here and last nights post are but a small selection.
She drew me out in to the frosty night to try and take a picture of her passage or journey across the night skies.
Why are we drawn to the moon? Why are the waters of this earth drawn to her and by her, causing the tides to ebb and flow?

Why is it thought better not to show emotion, stiff upper lip and all that?
Is it because by showing emotion we also show a part of our inner self, our vulnerable part?
Is it fear or commonsense to do what we do?

Is it better or worse to have our feelings on show?
Sometimes it is good to show your true self but it can be manipulated by unscrupulous people.

I think what I am trying to say is that we maybe always need some barrier or distance to protect us. Even if it is a thought within us that keeps a circle around when we are in a vulnerable or open position.
When we do magic in any form we are told it is important to shield, ground and centre ourselves prior to working.
A base to work from?

I was told in my very early days to visualise a circle of silvery blue mirrored light around me. To deflect negativity or harm. The Moon again?

All to the good but how does the work we do then go forward?
Some of (most of) what we are told is a starting point,
a beginning for us to explore from and then find what works for us.
Yes in some circumstances we need shields, but not all the time. Otherwise we aren't open to the good in the world and the love.
We have to find the right degree of shielding for us, OUR selves.
What works, or worked , for others isn't necessarily for us.
Through out my life I've had people ask what am I, what do I believe, what path do I follow. I tell them that I follow my own path, harming none to the best of my ability, including myself. I take parts of the old knowledge that I need at a specific time and add my own twist, my own magic if you will.


My feelings and emotions show the way if I listen carefully and am guided by them and of course the Lady of the Moon guides and protects me.

So a ramble through water:)

Now onto more mundane things.
I've two pairs of socks to show you. Both have been on the needles for a very long time, languishing in the sock bag.
This past few days I decided it was time to finish them before going on to new knitting.


What do you think? Please note both have blue within them:) I wonder if that was why I had the urge to complete them?
There has been spinning. I have some woodland Falkland fibre spun up and awaiting pictures and indeed plying, but more on that another time.
For now I give you the wondrous moon nights that Mr Mog gave me for Yule. From the very talented Laal Bear's dye pot and hands:)
This is part of the first batt resting over Tillie Traveller.

This is the rest of it spun up.

You can't really see the sheen and sparkle on the bobbin but I can assure you it does shine , a moon night indeed.