Change is in the air

It may still be mid-winter but I can see and smell and feel that Spring is on it's way. I enjoy the start of Winter, the early sunsets, the warm fires, the blanket on my knee in the evenings and the inclination to knit, cook hearty meals, and generally hibernate.

from here

However by this time of year I am overjoyed by the first signs of blossom on the trees, the occasional balmy day, and the gradual easing back of sunset until after I get home from work: all signs that nothing stays the same for very long - winter will pass and spring will be here again soon.

from here

So today I am coming out of hibernation and having a wonderful catch up day: mending things that have been broken for ages; clearing out cupboards; and taking a big load of unwanted stuff to the op shop. And it feels great!

Rapt...

...as in rapture.
Meaning I'm in rapture over my new converse high tops.
OK maybe rapture is a bit strong.
I heart my new converse high tops?

My projects are at a standstill, but I did get out into the garden on the weekend and did some much needed weeding. That beautiful moist rich soil is going to waste with nothing growing in it which prompted me to think about raising seeds for planting in Spring. Just thinking about it makes it feel closer, yay!

Hmmmm what should I plant this Spring?

New things update

We're half way through the year so I thought I'd do a round up of how my '12 months of new things' projects are going:

Jan - sew a padded seat cover for our new bike. I did this and am very happy with it. I even completed it before the end of January!

Feb - make my own pasta dough. Didn't happen at all but I did substitute this with another project - learn to applique, which was very successful and has held my interest.

Mar - learn to crochet. I had a good go at it but I ended up with several tightly twisted scraps of yarn that I could no longer get the hook through and decided it would be better to learn from a person... and haven't tried again since. I can't say I get it at all and therefore my enthusiasm has waned.

April - sew an item of clothing for myself. I watered down this project to what I thought would be a more achievable refashion job but it's turned out to be quite tricky (naturally). I'm about 90% there I think, just need to gather strength for the home straight.

May - knit a vest for Angus. Well it's early July and I'm still going strong. I didn't touch it in June but last week I finished the back and immediately cast on for the front. I'm enjoying this.

June - make my own bread (learn how to do it and keep doing it). Didn't even try but the trip kind of took over June so I will get to this at some stage... maybe this month?

July - try quilting. I think I'll shelve this one until I have an idea of what I might like to make. I'll make July the bread thing instead.

Verdict: My commitment to the timeline has slackened considerably, I need to get back on track. But I love having a plan and look forward to what is coming next on the list.

I need to decide what my August project will be; at the start of the year I just said something to do with photography but I need to work out what. Perhaps it should be to finally read the darn manual and set the camera up how I want it instead of always using it on auto settings and being disappointed with the results!

Today I...

...danced around the house with my two boys playing music and singing and pretending to be horses and aeroplanes etc.

...enjoyed a picnic morning tea party on a blanket outside in the bright sunshine on this beautiful winter's day.

...had a quiet cup of green tea while knitting a few rows of Angus's vest and contemplated how totally awesome my trip to England was and how glad and thankful I am that I was able to go.

I've been back for a few weeks but I have been letting the experience brew within me, I haven't talked about it a lot and I haven't put any photos up. Last night I re-read my notes for the first time and was reminded of stories I had already forgotten.

The wedding was brilliant - a simple ceremony in a stately home followed by a high tea, and later a party with a steel band in a marquee. It meant so much to be there to share my friend Alison's special day. It also meant a lot to me to be back in London which is so dear to my heart, I soaked it up and filled up on it as much as I could in the short time I had.

When I got back I just stared at the boys all day, I had missed them so intensely and they seemed to have grown six months older and six inches taller in the ten days I'd been gone.

A few weeks later and the holiday doesn't feel so physically real any more, it's settled down to memories and photographs, but I am still feeling refreshed and inspired and changed by it.