this week i finished the Riff socks i started last spring for my husband. they're already in use and he says he likes them. half way through knitting these i read that knitting socks at a tighter gauge helps them last longer so i went down a few needle sizes for the second sock. i'll report back and let you know if the tighter gauge sock holds out longer until it's mending time.
tomorrow i'll package up the sweater for my daughter and mail it off to her - along with some lavender i grew this summer. if time permits i'll also swatch for the next knit - more about this next time i post.
one of the things i've found with writing down the happy moments is that patterns emerge - a lot of the happy moments involve water and/or birds.
here's a moment from last thursday morning when i stopped by the beach before going in to work.
"the sun is coming up and the tide is out. i follow the path down to the beach, over some logs and on to the smooth beach stones to stand still half way between the tide edge and the logs. it's cool and a bit windy. gulls and crows fly over to me and because of the wind hover for a few seconds over my shoulder. they feel quite close, not quite close enough to touch but close enough that i have a strong sense of their presence. probably they've come to see if i have food for them and i don't. but i also feel welcomed back to the beach by these birds."
last weekend we went down island to visit my mother and also to hang out in the bookstores. i bought THE UNFOLDING NOW by A. H. Almaas. it wasn't a book i went in looking for but i've read and enjoyed one of his other books. the first chapter is called Loving The Real - and the chapter title alone sold me on the book.
here's a quote from the first chapter.
"Reality is not what is usually reflected in our minds. Reality is much cleaner and simpler, and in comparison to the noisy world of our usual inner experience, so much more settled and at ease."
the photograph above was taken 2 weeks ago with a plastic disposable camera. on my lunch break i try to walk down to the water even when it's raining - as it is here. i'm 2.5 hours from a photo lab - so if i want to use film cameras i either have to develop my own film or save up exposed rolls of film and get them developed when i go down island every few months. my plan is to unpack my Zero F pinhole camera tomorrow and load it with a roll of film. and then order some more color developing chemicals and do the developing myself. wish me luck.
lovely post, Michele... it seems you are enjoying your surroundings. I'm glad about it!
Posted by: Luisa | October 17, 2011 at 08:17 AM
Birds are smarter than many people give them credit for, I think!
I hope you can do some more photography, I think it helps to see things with a different eye.
Posted by: RoseRed | October 18, 2011 at 05:27 AM
How cool, developing your own photos! I did a bit of that in art school, about a million years ago and really enjoyed it.
I love that quote. I will look for this book.
Posted by: Nicole | October 18, 2011 at 09:30 AM
love going to the water and now that boating season is at an end i will have to find other excuses to do so. i walk to the river every day on my work breaks as well. keep taking photos look forward to seeing your surroundings!
Posted by: gay | October 24, 2011 at 04:37 PM