Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Yarn Along - Here Comes The Sun!

Today 9 January means 3 things: Yarn Along, Salomé - my niece's 19th birthday and the return, clouds permitting, of the SUN!!!
After 5 WEEKS of no sunlight on the house, today the sun makes its return! albeit only for a few minutes, but those precious minutes get longer and longer each day, until finally my car defrosts itself, without me having to run it for 10 minutes and scrape the windows outside and in.  And maybe this 'extra' warmth means that we all, here in this long narrow valley surrounded by 3-4000m peaks, can turn the heating down a notch - for the greater good!
I took this picture on Sunday afternoon from my bedroom window - see those mountains in the back ground - they have been hiding the sun since December; and see that 'fuzzyness' in the middle - that's pollution!! from heating systems.

But I mustn't complain too much, I have plenty of 'rays of sunshine' to fill my days!  one of which is knitting! With christmas knitting finished I finally cast-on my Shalom and have already found the cutest little button to go with it.
it is a cute button but a really bad picture, sorry!
Just finished a washcloth, which is a bit small so is being repurposed as a jug cover.  I'm going to brighten it up with a few crochet flowers - daisy's I think, thread some ribbon through the holes and add a few beads in the four corners!

Currently re-reading On Angel Mountain, the first of a 7 book series, (yes 7 but each one is as good as it's predecessor) set in 1796 in beautiful Pembrokeshire, Wales.
'18 yrs old Martha Morgan is newly established as the Mistress of Plas Ingli, a small and vulnerable estate on the flank of Carningli (Angel Mountain) in North Pembrokshire.  She is pregnant and suicidal, having just been forced into a shotgun wedding' 
don't worry things get better for Mistress Morgan, but unfortunately they also get much worse. The 7 books follow Martha into old age, her loves (and there were a few!!) and losses, her children and grandchildren, and her beloved 'servants' at the Plas.
On the front cover is a house - Plas Ingli, the fictional setting for Brian John's novels.  The house is on a mountain, a real mountain in north Pembrokeshire, which we (my father, best friend Amy and her daughter Katie) decided to visit.  We found ruins - the ruins?- so we thought but they didn't correspond to the picture on the book!!  Well it just so happens that the author and his wife Inger, a very talented artist, live near by. So next stop, Inger's studio.  Brian wasn't home but Inger patiently explained to us that apart from the mountain, the entire thing - house included - was all fictitious!! I knew that!!  Anyway, we had a good old chuckle with Inger, who reassured us that we weren't to first to get so wrapped up in the story, and my father bought me this lovely candle holder made by this beautiful Swedish artist.


Well, this is quite a long Yarn Along for me!  but I just love these books and want to shout about them from the top of my mountains here in the alps!

17 comments:

  1. What an intriguing book. I think it is fantastic that you visited the site and got the true story from Inger. So glad you have some sunlight too. I think my Shalom is my coziest sweater. Will you be making it with long sleeves?

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  2. What a view from your bedroom, just gorgeous! You picked a very pretty yarn for your shalom, you are going to love wearing it. I know I adore mine. :-)

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  3. so happy that the sun returned and you have a breathtaking view from your room!! I hope the sun stays and your knitting is lovely :)

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  4. That shalom looks lovely, I wear mine all the time. The book you mention sounds intriguing, thank you for sharing.

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  5. Oh, the Shalom is on my knitting list. NIce!!!

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  6. WOW, you have mountains! :) Thanks for commenting on my blog!

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  7. Beautiful knitting and love the wool you've chosen. Lovely view from your room. The book sounds really interesting. :-)
    Thanks for sharing.

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  8. Gosh, you live in such a beautiful place! And isn't all that cold weather a great excuse to stay home and knit?!
    I love the button you picked out for your Shalom :o)

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  9. Well, at least you have an excuse for knitting, I am missing an entire winter! Your valley is beautiful, I must return to France and see the mountains, one day.

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  10. Oh wow. That view is amazing. Love your blog. References to Wales and France, two of my favourite places. :) I will have to check out those books, they sounds really good.

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  11. Such gorgeous scenery you must enjoy! Thanks for visiting my YA post and leaving such a sweet comment. I like your idea for keeping a small project in the kitchen for "while the water boils" -- such a good idea! I do this in the car while at red lights but never thought of keeping a project in the kitchen. Thanks for the great idea! Your book sounds interesting; happy reading! Blessings, Lisa @ HappyinDoleValley :)

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  12. Beautiful view! You are the second person working on the Shalom this week, it looks like a great knit. Happy Knitting!

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  13. Pretty knitting and gorgeous button.

    Sounds like an amazing story.
    Enjoy the sunshine.

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  14. Hello dear Emma,
    Very glad to year about you. First, best wishes for you and your whole family for 2013. Second, I you want to beginn crosstitching I'm yours to give you some advice. My mail suzelgiraud@gmail.com. If you have questions you can write me. Blessings

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  15. dear emma, when i come here for a visit i just want to stare out your windows, knit with you and read your books! what lovely knitting you've got on your needles, i am going to cast on some dishclothes too, thank you for the inspiration! the story about the books was great, i wonder if i can find them? your recomendation is very intriguing!

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  16. Hi Ema, I just found your blog through the message you left me on Pins and Needles, I love your blog and all your creations using yarn are beautiful! This year, I will add more creations on my blog using techniques with crochet. knitting is something I have yet to learn, but I learn with videos and books. Well, there are two things I want to say, one is that I left you a message on pins and neddles in response to your question about tips for sewing on denim fabric and the second is that you have with me today a new follower. Your blog is really inspiring, thanks for sharing your creations with us!
    Marisa from
    http://passionetcouture.blogspot.ca/

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  17. I just wrote the longest comment and it seems to have disappeared. anyhow, your view is gorgeous and I love your shalom! and your christmas cakes (wow!) and friendship in a tin:)

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