knitting meditations

from this

to this

As hoped, I finished the shawlette in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Yarn in limited edition color, "Bravery". These days when I finish a project it goes into a bath. I used to just steam block stuff, but that was the lazy way. It's more satisfying to lay out a piece and pin it down, knowing that in 24 hours it will be ready to wear. And this morning it's almost cool enough for a lightweight merino scarf.

Days are definitely moving toward autumn. Cool rainfalls, chilly mornings. Heat build-up during the day, released by late night. Frankly, it's a relief from the relentless heat since July. So what do I do? Slowly finish projects, get ready for the stash sale next weekend, think about the things in my life that need to be changed and the ones that sustain as they are. Knitting, writing, photography, run through it all as a connector. I no longer seek knitting challenges (to prove my prowess?) nor do I need to be part of a group. I cherish time spent with a handful of friends who knit with me, teach me, write with me, support each other, provide empathy, advice, and rubber duckies when needed. Quite different from younger years filled with social activities and couples and kids. It's my version of Passages. 

recommended
Always books. Whether e or paper, they are ever present. And I love to stumble upon treats. Two novellas from Geoff Dyer: Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi. Reading it was as addictive as dark chocolate. Found quite by chance at the library the other day, it looked interesting enough to take home. A complete understatement: "profoundly haunting and fearless....wit and uniqueness surround you..." (NY Times). "musical and wildly intelligent" (Time Out New york) - all true. I'm going to start reading Dyer's other books now.

rejuvenation (or, it's never too late)
In my yarn sorting, when close attention was necessary, I came across a couple of balls of Shepherd Sock yarn in "aslan" that I've had for maybe six years. Socks and other projects were started and ripped. The color is subtle and nothing seemed to work to my satisfaction. I still like it so am giving it one more try with a sock pattern I've used successfully with other yarns (Anne Hanson's "Roger"). It requires the attention of a few brain cells while the others can watch movies. So far it's a success. It took an awfully long time to find out what that yarn wanted to be. Guess it had to mature like good wine.

Great grey clouds move as slow as glaciers toward the magnetism of the mountains, revealing patches of solid blue in their wake. It feels like rain later. Or maybe, in the tricky way weather has around here, it will be a sunny hot late summer day. Either way, we're heading to Santa Fe to pick up a couple of things and have lunch somewhere. It's an excuse to put the top down and zoom-zoom through the cool mountain roads.