Little Cotton Rabbits

Longing for rain

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are longing for rain here and we British are not accustomed to making such statements about the weather, on the contrary we're usually characterised by carrying our umbrellas everywhere and complaining about it being too wet. It has however been so very hot and dry here for the last month and with no rain in the forecast for the next few weeks we are longing for a torrential downpour, though even a light shower would be most welcome. The land is utterly parched and out in the woods the leaves have crisped, turned yellow and fallen, the blackberries are already ripening in the hedgerows and acorns are already well on the way to dropping - as though autumn has already arrived. My pictures in the previous post of the countryside in June now prompt me to feel nostalgic for the green and lush growth that we had throughout the Spring. Everything is now baked dry, bleached out and wizened by the sun and the seasons seem to be all out of kilter. Though on a positive note there have been some amazing sunsets recently.

We're now half way through Toby's long summer break from college and we have fallen into a comfortable routine. In the mornings he chooses to stay in bed with his breakfast on a tray and his musical books and duplo to play with. Once he decides to get up he and I head off for a 2-3 mile walk and a picnic lunch. It's lovely spending time with him outdoors - he loves being outside and is usually at his best, especially when we have a quiet walk and don't encounter many people or dogs. It's a nice time together and we've mainly walked near to lakes and rivers where it's a still green and is a little cooler.

I had a couple of objectives to work on with him this summer and those are going well. Firstly I wanted to get him used to carrying his own rucksack with his snack and water bottle inside, that way my backpack isn't as laden and heavy and I don't get so worn out at the end of our walks. That has gone really well and he's now completely used to carrying his own supplies in his backpack - something I'll be so grateful for in the winter when he'll also be able to carrying the layers of clothing that he always removes on our winter walks.

My second objective is to get him to choose when to take off his ear defenders and hat without needing to be prompted. He always wears them whenever we go out anywhere as they help him cope with sensory overload, which he frequently struggles with and which often freezes him to the spot or results in a meltdown. When it is quiet and calm (with no barking dogs or human noise) he is relaxed enough to do without them and it's nice to see him coping without them for at least part of our daily walks.

Thirdly I'm trying to get him used to me stopping to take pictures of things. This is something that has always distressed him and so up to now it's something I've not often done. But being able to take pictures will make our walks more fulfilling and enjoyable for me and so with my eye on future life after college when he'll be my constant walking companion I've decided to start what will probably be a long process, so far with mixed results, though as you can see I have managed to get a few pictures on our recent walks.

On the knitting front there's not much to show, my fingers get all fat and fumbly in the hot weather but in between looking after Toby's every need I am slowly working on small versions of some of my animal patterns and also on some sweaters, coats and cardis for the smaller 7 inch sized animals. Once Toby is back into his term time routine in September I'll be free to step up the pace on these patterns and will keep you posted here. 

Hopefully see you again soonish, 'til then be well and happy x

 

 

Summer days

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer has arrived. Here the month of June has the longest days of the year, and the countryside all around is at it's most green and pleasant so as there are only 2 more weeks until Toby finishes college for this year, I've been making the most of what free time I currently have. I'm getting out and about with my camera as much as possible, because although we'll walk every day over the long summer break together, walks with Toby are all about his needs rather than my wants, so we'll be going at the pace he dictates, along the route he chooses and he's really not keen on me stopping to take pictures of things.

For my solo adventure this last week I headed off to Panshanger Park. Though it's on the edge of Hertford town it feels like deep countryside, especially midday in the midweek, when there are few people there. Oh my, this place makes my soul sing, there's so much there to delight in...

wandering along the woodland paths, dappled with sunlight and cool green shade, listening to the small bird chatter in tree canopy overhead.

wading down through the open meadows, past the great gossamer globes of the goat's beard seed heads, swishing through the long grasses which move like the gentle swell of the sea in the breeze and buzz to the drone of bees, dragonflies and hoverflies and where the longhorn cattle go about their business of meditative munching.

squelching along the marshy margins of the lakes and the meandering river, where coots, ducks, swans and grebe all call out their warnings from nests hidden deep in the reeds and rushes.

The heat of the summer sun has not yet been with us long enough to have bleached the intense green from the leaves and everywhere there are flowers; exquisitely delicate lace of cow parsley, fragrant heads of elderflower, tiny flowers of deep periwinkle blue that glint in the verges along the path, daisies and buttercups and dog roses. I walk with a big smile on my face and a lightness in my heart that has been a little lacking of late.

Back at home I'm making plans for the autumn, which is when I'll have time to work properly again. I'm drawing up lists of the patterns that I'm planning to work on, and the tutorials that I'd like to share. As always these lists will probably be rather more ambitious than realistic, it's hard to factor in the limitations that caring for Toby brings and I forget that everything always seems to take twice as long as I'd imagined it would. I do however already have samples made for a blog post on the increases and decreases that I use in my patterns and their relative merits - I'm hoping to write that up and share it soon and as always I'll keep you posted on news of new patterns later in the year.

Well that's it until next time. I hope that you're able to find some of the same kind of joy that Panshanger brings to me sometime in your week ahead and that you've enjoyed seeing some of these pictures, thanks as always for visiting with me here, J x

PS: In my 3 hour wander I managed to take 443 photos! So these are the heavily edited highlights :)

 

 

Snapshots from February

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are some pictures from my February, but words seem hard to find right now. What to say when the world has undergone such a monumental change? Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness abound and it seems unlikely that anyone in the world will be untouched by the ramifications of this horrific war in Ukraine.

It is hard to balance feeling both overwhelmed and distraught at world events with moments of contentment and happiness in our own individual existence, it creates an uncomfortable mix of emotions that are hard to accommodate. But it is human to feel both, and so I am sending the hope that you are finding some moments of peace and pleasure in your days. As always I turn to nature for solace and find it constant and steadfast in it's ability to calm racing thoughts and soothe physical tension. There's knitting going on too, but it seems so inconsequential at the moment and I don't have anything finished to show.

I'm still trying to work out how best to help, for now I've donated to the British Red Cross Disaster Emergency Committee fundraising appeal but there are many many other charities raising funds to help. If you or your loved ones are directly affected you have my very deepest sympathies.

 

 

Emerging

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February is always the time when I feel like I'm emerging from hibernation. Not that I have slept all of January of course, though the temptation was certainly there. I have been busily knitting away and have put together the beginnings of a couple of new patterns. They still need editing, photographing, laying out and testing so it will be a while before they are ready but they will be coming soonish and when they're a little further along I might give a sneak peek. I've also been out and about with my camera a bit, enjoying the quiet of the winter countryside, though never venturing too far from the pull and comfort of home.

Winter this year has been mild, with only a few frosty January mornings. I do love how the frost transforms the dull coloured twigginess of the winter landscape, so couldn't resist heading out to take some pictures before scurrying back home to curl up with my knitting again.

In the last week there has been a sense of change in the air, especially at daybreak, which throughout December and January has been a silent affair. But now that February is here the dawn chorus is gaining new voices each day, with small birds singing out their territorial boundaries from first light. Spring is waiting in the wings, ready to burst forth with colour and fragrance and celebration of warming and lengthening days. I don't know about you, but I feel very ready for it.

 

Out in the autumn woods

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Temperatures have dropped a few notches here this week and out in the woods that has signalled the start of a co-ordinated leaf drop. As we've walked the woodland paths, great flurries of leaves have been whipped from the overhead branches and blown together to form deep drifts underfoot. Because there's been very little recent rain they're lovely and crisp and the most beautiful colours, from the light gold of silver birch, through the ochre tones of hornbeam, the copper of the sweet chestnut and burnished bronze of beech, to the dusty browns of the oaks. Toby is delighted. He kicks through the crisp leaves and uses his booted feet like small ploughs, leaving furrowed piles of leaves in his wake. Our walks take twice as long at this time of year, as he likes to double back and go through the deepest patches again. I love to see him so happy at such a simple pleasure, and we keep cosied up against the cold breezes with scarves and mittens, though we do arrive home again with wind-chilled cheeks and pinkened noses.

Throughout October and November I've been out in the woods on my own too, with just my camera for company and have had fun toadstool hunting. I thought that this might be a good year for them, but they've been a bit thin on the ground and I've not found any of the beautiful fairytale Amanitas at all this year. That's half of the fun though - never knowing what you might find around the next tree stump, and I never tire of looking.

Back at home in the warm I've been trying to sort through the mass of 'in progress' animals. So far I have 4 boxes full of bits and pieces and still have more bags to sort through. It's my mission to finish them off over the coming year and get them to new homes and I think I might have a few more giveaways over the next year. By the way, I'm still reading through all of the comments on the last giveaway - there were so many! Thank you so, so much for all of your kind words and for taking the time to comment and share what has made you happy recently - I will continue to enjoy reading through all of the comments in the coming weeks.

Well, I'm off to do a bit more sorting and to try and marry up various body parts of animals and try and remember what yarn I used so that I can make any missing pieces - not a way of working that I would recommend!

Have a good week and warmest best wishes to all my American friends for a happy Thanksgiving xx