Yarn Along and my first fat quarter

Phew - finito! 

Never thought I was going to come to the end of those l-o-n-g clue 5A rows!!

All the stitch counts came out right but I'm not sure I've done the last clue correctly.  The edge doesn't look as 'pointy' as it does on other people's  5A's?
It's been blocked but it's already starting to curl up.
 Oh well, never mind, I'm not frogging it now!!
Not quite sure how I'm going to wear it but I'm sure I will, some way or other.

Bought my first fat quarter last week.  I told Richi that I intend making us a patchwork quit for our 25th wedding anniversary, so that gives me approximately 15 years to get it done! Sewing projects never seem to graduate from the w.i.p basket around here so even with my best intentions this may never be more than a pillow case.  I think I should make the squares fairly big, I'll need to see it progressing rapidly if I'm to stay motivated.

Halfway through Sophie's World, my third attempt since university (all those years ago).  Can't believe I've never made it to the end before! - it's great stuff - 3,000 years of thought in 400 pages, as told to 15 year old Sophie by the mysterious Alberto Knox, her philosophy teacher and his dog/postman Hermes.

Linking up with Ginny for Yarn Along today.

What a difference a day makes

It snowed again last night! but this morning we were greeted with glorious blue skies that rekindled my friendship with Old Man Winter.  

After rushing down the valley to stock up on enough provisions to see us through the week, I indulged in an extra long hike in the forest with Ringo.

Apologies for yesterday's 'whinny' post!!

sNOw more....Please!

Oh boy, it's never ending...

....I haven't seen my garden since November!!!

It's very pretty and all that, the kids and the dog can't get enough of it, but well, I'm plain fed up with wearing Sorells! (this has nothing to do with my new red clogs arriving this week!)

This morning, yet again, we woke up to the more of the white stuff!

afro-birdhouse

And it's only mid february, so it will be around for some time yet.

Then will come that 'dirty' time when it all starts melting and mounds of semi-frozen dog poo appear everywhere!!

The poor chickens - not only is there no worms to be had for miles, but they have to endure the Ringo 'snuzzle' first thing in the morning...

lot's for repair work for the spring!

...while the very place they call home, threatens to come crashing down around their wee little heads!

Luckily we've got Big Rich to dig us out!

On a more sober note, today marks the first anniversary of the loss of our dearest Oban.

still missing her like crazy!

Yarn Along - Straight A's!

My choice of clues may be straight A's but my knitting, well, with the various missed 'yarn overs' might merit only B's or C's - but this slightly fuzzy yarn does a great jobs of hiding my 'lower grades'!!  On the flip side I think the yarn doesn't do the lace work justice.  There are lots of  'Follow Your Arrow' Mystery Knit Along w.i.p to be seen over on Ravelry where the pattern definition is much clearer due to the type of yarn chosen.

I'm also a bit behind! Clue 5 (the last one) was released on Monday and I'm only on row 13 of a 24 row pattern of Clue 4!!  Richard's cousin gave birth three weeks early so I had to put away my shawl to make her wee one a little gift.

I'm very happy with my clue 4A.  I was worried that my choice of 1A, which has a lot of garter stitch was looking a little heavy next to the lace of clue's 2 & 3. However,  4A has a nice garter stitch section to it which I think ties in nicely with 1A.

I came home from the Chamonix Ladies Book Club (book exchange) on friday evening, with three interesting looking books -
Barbara Kingslover's - Flight Behavior, A Long Retreat - Andrew Krivak (a memoir of one man's search for his religious calling) and Inside of a Dog - What Dogs See, Smell and Know (Alexandrea Horowitz).  Thought this might make interesting reading with a puppy in the house.  Richard is convinced that Ringo is doted with superior intelligence and thinks he will try and teach him to read!!! - well if he succeeds I'll teach my furry friend to knit, then he can have his own Yarn Along posts!  Watch this space...

What are you (and your animals) knitting and reading this week?
Linking up with Ginny for this weeks Yarn Along

superpup!