pure pleasure cape

I am thrilled with the outcome of this knitting . . .

To photograph the model was pure pleasure . . .

I ordered Knit, issue 7 from Jo Sharp about two months ago. This is my second project from the publication.

Note that I did not follow the pattern throughout - I crocheted a scallop edge around the front and neck to finish it off. I thought it would be more suitable for a 11 year old. I also knitted it slightly longer.

Unfortunately I cannot afford the prescribed yarn (it is not available here) and had to compromise. The yarn I used is Elle Tweed Aran, colour Mulberry, Sublime kid mohair, shade 024 and a very thin handspun cotton (which I bought about 7 years ago) of which I used two strands together.

This is quite satisfying to view my pleasurable hand work on such a colourful sun drenched late autumn day with a nip in the air.

Mother and daugter evening

One of our school's fundraising campaigns entails a Mother and Daugter evening for the grades 6 and 7 girls. The grade 6 girls were the hosts for the evening while the grade 7 girls entertained the guests / mothers. The girls staged a fashion parade of home made hats, using only recycled materials (a pity no photo of the hat creations is available). Some of the girls amazed the guests with their creative talents.

surprise . . .

If you go down to the woods today

You're in for a big surprise . . .
The teddy bears have taken leave; the dolls have their day in the woods . . . today.

Yesterday we spent the day in the garden after a week of cloudy weather, rain, wind and staying indoors. The sun was grinning warmly. We decided to toil a bit in the garden, mow the grass, weeding and give the garden a pre-winter face lift.

Early morning I strolled through a bushy patch of the garden. Behind the garage, close to the doll house I stumbled upon . . . these two picnicking, sharing secrets and gulping up the sunlight.

a love story . . .

This little face tells a story . . . a love story . . . love for late autumn, early winter, rain, colour, running around outside, getting wet, warming up in front of the fire, filling herself with hot food, just enjoying the change of the season . . .

Her love finds an echo in our hearts . . .

At this moment it's raining . . . no it's pouring . . .

I took the following photo a hour ago through the window, after remembering two poems by N P van Wyk Louw. The first excerpt comes from "Vroegherfs" (Early Autumn) and the second from "Winter" (Winter) (free translation in English reads alongside in brackets) :
Die jaar word ryp in goue akkerblare (the year ripens through golden oak leaves)

in wingerd wat verbruin . . . (in the browning vinyards . . . )

Nou lê die aarde nagtelang en week (All night long the earth lies saturated)

in die donker stil genade van die reën, (drinking in the quiet, graceful rain,)

en skemer huise en takke daeliks bleek (daily twilight-homes and branches peek)

deur die wit mistigheid en suising heen. (through white wisps of mist and wispers of wind.)