Dear Jan,
Though he will come to aggravate me in coming months as he chases the little birds off the feeder, I so welcome the first red winged blackbird of the season. Technically, I saw the first a couple of days ago, but couldn’t get a good shot till now. The ladies have yet to show, as they are dallying along the way north, letting the males check out the real estate market. It looks as though this guy has figured out where some good restaurants are, anyway.
The season is less frosty now, but there will be a little more snow and frost, I’m sure, to provide company for my Rimfrost sweater. I should be able to finish the yoke before we hit frost-free weather (mid-May around here), but I am not guaranteeing anything more than that.
.
I’m trying to avoid knitting deadlines - so I can feel free to spin. Though it isn’t 100% clear that this isn’t a passing fad instead of a long-term trend, the data is looking ominous.
Does Rome have red winged blackbirds? If not, they should get some.
Love,
Ellen
P.S. Another sign of spring - I saw a bear.
Jan and Ellen are identical twins who have always had an innate fashion sense. Crafting is an integral part of their lives and they stay stitched together sharing their love of knitting, family and community.
March 24th, 2010 at 8:47 pm
The sweater is looking lovely! And the bear, sleepy (and to be avoided). Your spinning is gorgeous; avoiding knitting deadlines to make time for spinning sounds familiar, and like a sign of things to come.
March 25th, 2010 at 7:59 am
You two - Jocelyn and you - will get me to pull out that spindle yet!
(love the nature shots and the sweater is scrumptious!)
(((hugs)))
March 25th, 2010 at 9:03 am
Spinning is bad news…. especially if you have a large stash of commercial yarn. I didn’t really want to learn to spin, but was talked into it: “Ohhhh, look how PRETTY this fiber is! It makes WONDERFUL yarn!” lol
For many years afterwards, my large stash of commercial yarn sat boxed away in my basement because I liked my handspun stuff much better.
I recently started using the commercial stuff again this last year when, due to a move to a small house that doesn’t lend itself to spinning, I finally ran out of handspun. I’ve vowed not to spin again, until the commercial stash is radically reduced…
Word to the Wise: One should vehemently resist learning to spin, especially after buying a lot of yarn at a “going-out-of-business” sale….. LOL
March 25th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
I didn’t know you were spinning! Wicked cool.
Beautiful work on the sweater.
We don’t get grizzlies here in Massachusetts until at least May.
March 25th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Oh. My. Goodness. Bear wtih me while I take a deep breath. Wow.
Back when my kids had braces, the orthodontist told me his wife had gone to take the trash out, found a mountain lion sitting on her fence, and backed back into the house, going, uh, NO.
March 26th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Birds and bears! My favorite. (Not that I ever see bears wandering around in real life, but I think I’d be thrilled if I did.)
March 27th, 2010 at 10:52 am
I think it’s obvious that the bear was confused trying to follow me from Colorado Springs and decided to turn north to Minnesota. I’ve not seen him around here…though he might just be turned off by all the hot air coming out of DC.
The Rimfrost is progressing beautifully. I’m looking forward to seeing it in person…not sure if I’ll bring my yarn for my Green Mist variation (bought the Green Mist plus many more turquoise and blue skeins to change up the color skein as that means less room in my luggage to bring yarn home.
I might bring my spindle though…hmmm….
March 28th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
I love red winged blackbirds (though in the wild swamps where they belong, not bullying little birds at the feeder). I haven’t seen any yet this year, but it’s good to know that they’re coming back soon!
Both the Bohus and the spinning are beautiful. Hard to split your time between such wonderful projects, isn’t it?