Comfort Day

     It is a dark, dreary morning, the rain continuing to fall, the creeks full to capacity and over.  The day dawned about the same temperature it was when I went to bed, in the low 40's, but the weatherman says it is going to change, soon, in the next couple of hours.  The temperature is going to fall to freezing, the rain to snow and up to a foot to accumulate before tomorrow morning.  We have not had any real snow this year so far.  I love snow, to walk in the quiet, looking for tracks, seeing it pile gently on the branches.  I'm looking forward to this, a pot of stew will simmer all day on the back of the stove for dinner tonight and likely for lunch tomorrow, for if we really get a foot, we won't get out, even in the 4 wheel drive Xterra.
     While I await this winter beauty, I will sit and read, and knit.  I finally finished the black lace sweater my daughter requested.  It is being sewn together a bit at a time.  The plan is to mail it to her this weekend.  As I was preparing to ride the bus to Northern Virginia last week, I decided to take the recycled yarn from my favorite shawl that the shepherd destroyed and design a cowl.  I cast on 399 stitches and have been working my way through about an inch of linen stitch, trying to decide what lace or interesting stitch pattern to use for the center couple of inches when I get there.

 Once it is decided and finished, I'll share the pattern if I like it.  Last night at our knit night group, one of my friends brought to me a scarf she had woven from my first decent handspun.  The scarf is beautiful and is now calling for a hat to go with it.  She used so little of the yarn that there is plenty for the hat and a small cowl of simple stockinette that I started for a friend.  This friend does not know she is getting the cowl, unless she stumbles on this blog.  She is the type of friend who you may not hear from for a while, then out of the blue, she is there and it is like we visit daily.  The type of friend who on a whim sends a wee gift because it reminded her of me.  She commented when I posted a photo of the yarn that "it was just her color."  I think she will be pleased.

     Also on my needles is the start of a raglan cardi for me, from a lovely sport weight Corriedale wool from Bovidae Farm in Mars Hill, NC.  I purchased the winterberry color when my friend and I went to SAFF in the fall and at the same time, purchased 5 lovely Raku buttons that matched the yarn.  This will be a slow knit, but knitting like reading is for the pleasure, not the product.