Spring is Done…..

Spring into Summer painted version is finished
Spring into Summer painted version is finished
Details
Details
Back details!
Back details!

…..Well the painted sample for the Spring into Summer KAL is done anyway!

I finished the beaded crochet applied edging Thursday night and I am thrilled with the results!

I hope that you like them as well!

Happy Viewing

Lynette

 

Surfing DuckVille

Amazing site - the water was black with ducks.
Amazing site – the water was black with ducks.
Riding the chop!
Riding the chop!
The debris on the beach was thick with roe.
The debris on the beach was thick with roe.

The Surf Scoter – according to the “Book” – is gregarious and loves to flock together – especially when there is herring roe to be found.  Sometimes the flock can number over 300,000!

There weren’t that many at Neck Point yesterday morning but there were at least one thousand – most likely more – Surf Scoters and other ducks surfing the chop!  I saw Buffleheads, Merganzers and Harlequin ducks as well!  I have never seen anything like this flock of ducks.

Harlequin ducks bobbing the chop.
Harlequin ducks bobbing the chop.

The flock would separate out into fingers that would move away and back towards the main flock.  Ducks disappear and reappear as they dove down and popped back up.  The Gulls dove down and settled or veered away into the breeze!  The wind was freshening up as we watched the flock and the water got choppier.  Sometime the flock would almost disappear behind the approaching waves – incredible!

"Fingers" would separate and then rejoin the main flock
“Fingers” would separate and then rejoin the main flock
Loan Eagle
Loan Eagle

It was an amazing morning for bird watching.  A loan Eagle soared overhead – the Gulls were flying and diving around the ducks – the air and ocean were full of movement.

Happy Viewing

Lynette

 

 

 

Waiting for the Final Touches

The sun is pouring in the front window and making Spring into Summer glow!
The sun is pouring in the front window and making Spring into Summer glow!
Not quite so much light - back view!
Not quite so much light – back view!
Just before winding!
Just before winding!

Ready for the final edging to be crocheted on! More beads and a thin accent of colour over the leaf edging!

Before I painted “Spring” I dyed some yarn for the edging.

Before steaming the yarn was striped with pinks, purples, reds and rose dyes.  After dying it was the same but much more!

I will start the edging this evening – I can hardly wait!

In Anticipation

Lynette

Painting Spring into Summer

Five hours later! Its painted and now is being gently steamed!

Guess what I did yesterday – all of yesterday!

I have decided that I need a bigger steaming pot or I should stick to smaller pieces.  I noticed while blocking that there are two defined lines of dye blending on the shawl.  Right at fold lines and there were a lot of fold lines to get “Spring into Summer” to fit into the steamer basket of my current steaming pot!

Happy Viewing

Lynette

 

Mornings…..

Ready for her paint!
Ready for her paint!
I think that is going to be a Sun image - suitable for the Spring/Summer!
I think that is going to be a Sun image – suitable for the Spring/Summer!

…..are fraught with possibilities. A great start to the day can set the tone for the following hours! A bad start can do the same!

This morning is a great one. The shawl for the Spring into Summer KAL is done – the knitting anyway. It is ready to be painted this weekend at any rate!

I have also started a new project for the Buffalo Wool Co.! It is looking like a great start to the whole weekend – never mind the day!

I hope that your morning is just as delightful!

Happy Knitting

Lynette

Sexy Two - in lace and leather!  And a pretty new project bag!
Sexy Two – in lace and leather! And a pretty new project bag!

Spring Is!

Modern Art and Nature at work!
Modern Art and Nature at work!
Walking through a glade of Curly Lilies!
Walking through a glade of Curly Lilies!

There are Curly Lilies at Planta Park and Neck Point.

Simple, graceful, beautiful!
Simple, graceful, beautiful!

Birds are singing everywhere and the deer are everywhere as well!  It has been a busy week and has been followed by a busy weekend.

Walking has been wonderful and it started with a special walk at Planta Park Friday evening after work – my husband just had to show me the Curly Lilies there – carpeting the moss and surrounding the Path!

Trees are forever shaped by the wind!
Trees are forever shaped by the wind!
Surf Scoter at Sunset Bay!
Surf Scoter at Sunset Bay!

Saturday’s walk was at Neck Point and I saw a new (to me) bird – a Surf Scoter!  This sea-bird has a very distinctive white crown which made him easy to find in the bird book!

It was very windy at Neck Point.  Gulls were riding the winds and diving through the breezes.  The odd feather could be seen caught in the still bare branches of bush.  For some reason the trees seemed more shaped by the winds than normal – perhaps it was just the angles and breezes that caught my eye.

Neck Point used to be Private Property, you can see it in the patches of Daffodils and other flowering bulbs and trees that we see on our walks around the Park!

Vibrant Salmon Berry Blossom!
Vibrant Salmon Berry Blossom!

Sunday’s walk was a part walk around Westwood Lake – the sun was shining – an unexpected treat.  It was a gorgeous way to start the day!  The Salmon Berry bushes are starting to bloom.  They are so beautiful – a bare grey branch with dangling vibrant pink flowers and the greenery slowly coming along behind the flower.  The Salmon Berries are the first berries of the Summer!

Westwood Lake was so calm that the reflections were perfect – creating a very cool optical effect around the shore as the trees were reflecting right back to each other.

Spring into Summer KAL

Spring into Summer!
Spring into Summer!

Then Fiona and I went out to take some pictures for the preliminary advertising for the Spring into Summer KAL.  The advertising will start soon and the KAL will start May 15th.  Things are gearing up!

I am knitting and writing the pattern with the undyed Einband – I am going to paint it next weekend!  And Fiona is test knitting from the pattern!  She is working with Malabrigo Lace.

Her lace version will be a little smaller than mine- as the yarn that I am working with is almost closer to fingering than laceweight!

Playing with the edgings and spacing!
Playing with the edgings and spacing!

The shawl is based on EZ’s pi shawl construction with a beautiful knit edging that will be complimented by a beautiful beaded Crochet edging!

I will keep you updated!  Looking forward to working with other interested Knitters!

Happy Knitting

Lynette

 

Payback!

Pinks, purples and the odd white Violet were beside the path at Morden Colliery Park.
Pinks, purples and the odd white Violet were beside the path at Morden Colliery Park.
Perfect, bright white Trilliums were also beside the path!
Perfect, bright white Trilliums were also beside the path!

What is payback?!

It seems to me that it is usually negative – I am going to get you for all the bad things you have done to me! 

It is sometimes positive – reimbursement for all the hardship that has been done to a person!

It is almost always an over the top reaction to the initial action!

Here, nature goes really overboard!

Here, Payback, is flowers in March and Early April – payback for the many days of grey that we live with all year long.

Do you know what these little bells are?  They were all around the path at Morden as well!
Do you know what these little bells are? They were all around the path at Morden as well!

The Snowdrops and crocuses are gone but over the last weekend flowers have really been appearing everywhere!  In gardens I have been seeing Daffodils (though mine are not blooming yet), Hyacinth, Camellia and even early Rhododendrons.

Skunk cabbage covers the marsh at Morden.
Skunk cabbage covers the marsh at Morden.

In the marshes and damp boggy grounds – Skunk Cabbage is blooming, glowing bright sunny yellow against the greens and browns of its surroundings.

Coming through the grass of our front yard are Violets – much to my husbands dismay!  Wild Violets are coming up through the mulch around the path at Morden Colliery Park – purple, pink and white.

Purple and white Violets.
Purple and white Violets.
Indian Plum blossoms festooned the small trees surrounding the path at Morden.
Indian Plum blossoms festooned the small trees surrounding the path at Morden.
Wild Violets - did I mention that I love Violets!
Wild Violets – did I mention that I love Violets!

At Morden Colliery we also saw Indian Plum and Trilliums!  The Trilliums are just starting.  they will last quite a while unlike the Curly Lilies, which bloom and disappear until next year.

Happy Viewing

Lynette

 

 

More of those little bells!
More of those little bells!

 

Beautiful spears of Bright Yellow really brighten up the marsh!
Beautiful spears of Bright Yellow really brighten up the marsh!

Japanese Cherry Grove

Perfect blossoms - each branch a work of art.
Perfect blossoms – each branch a work of art.
Thousands of pink blooms colour the entrance to Mill Stream Park.
Thousands of pink blooms colour the entrance to Mill Stream Park.

There is a small grove, a circle of Japanese Cherry trees at the bottom of Departure Bay hill. There is a small commemorative stone in the center of the grove. The trees are in full bloom! What a beautiful location to honour a memory.

Small Perfect blooms.
Small Perfect blooms.

I watch for the blooming of these trees every year.  Last year the blooms were sparse and had been driven down by hard rain.  This year, this year, the trees are stunning.

Thousands of blooms
Cotton candy blooms

Last night on the way home from work I had my husband stop so that I could take pictures to share the beauty.

Graceful branches move gently in the breeze.
Graceful branches move gently in the breeze.

I hope that you enjoy.

Lynette

Clusters of Pink!
Clusters of Pink!