The Retreat is over and went well.  I saw some finished mittens and hats half done and a great many happy retreaters.  I think that I will focus on small projects with big impact for the next Retreat – it worked great this time.

A group of friends who come to the Retreat almost every year now were willing to play with me as I took pictures of the patterns – we had a lot of fun!

The Retreat handout is now an E-book on Ravelry – Winter Series.  Right now you can use the code Retreat 2015 to purchase the Winter Series E-Book from Ravelry for a 25% discount – $12.00 US in stead of $16.00 US.  The E-book holds all of the patters with some options to personalize them with changing the bands.  The patterns are also available as singles – Winter Crossings – Winter Skies – Winter Dancers and Winter Shadows.

I have been walking regularly and taking pictures all the time.  I will take time to share as the month progresses.

Yesterday we walked at Richards Marsh – an amazing place.  I saw many birds – even managed to take a few shots.  We stopped at the Chase River Estuary to check out the changes there.  I love this old car.

We have been blessed with a very mild Winter to date.  My bulbs are coming up and the mini Iris’s are blooming!  I am so worried that there might be a late freeze – I lost my Magnolia tree to an April snowfall – the weight of the snow knocked the tree over and it never came back!  I worry, but we will wait and enjoy!

I have one project left with a heavy deadline – it is almost there!  Then I can breath again.  The Slideshow below is from the Nanaimo River Walk – Indian Plum in bloom, fruit tree gone wild, the delicate tracery of tree against the grey sky and soft fog all around.

Happy Knitting

Lynette