greetings from the tropics

By golly it's hot.

Advent :: Week 4

The fourth light of Advent
it is the light of man.
The light of love, the light of thought,
to give and understand.

Our shepherd made his appearance last night and tonight I think Mary and Joseph might begin their journey.

We're in final count down mode here. Today I'm making the last two batches of fudge to package up prettily and deliver to neighbours and car-pool friends, there are drinks and nibbles on every night somewhere in the street this week, and I'm dragging out the suitcases and wondering how I'm going to fit in clothes as well as presents. Good thing we're going to Queensland where clothes are minimal and all you really need is bathers and sunscreen.

Yesterday morning began with the CFA truck tootling about the streets blowing its siren as Father Christmas leant out the window and threw lollies to all the kids. Living in the same street as the CFA station means our boys are some of the first to receive a hail of lollies, and if there are still some left an hour later when the truck has done the whole suburb, they get the leftovers too as the firefighters return to the station. Not bad.

Tonight there's another party with neighbours (the ones with a pool and spa, yay!) and tomorrow night I'm hoping that we can all get to the Botanic Gardens for this year's production of Midsummer Night's Dream. Then it's a long drive to drop off the dog at Greyhound Holiday Camp, followed by frenzied packing and a plane ride at sparrow's fart on Christmas Eve.

Happy Christmas or Hannukah to you all (I can't bring myself to say "Happy Holidays!" - it sounds so sterile to me) and thanks once again for a lovely year of comments and friendship. I'll see you in 2010!

PS. Congratulations to Bells whose name popped out of the random number generator last night. (60 bids for the calendar - wow!) Bells, a calendar is winging its way to you - I hope it brings you much pleasure next year.

pink artichokes

This one's for those of you who come here for the knitting.


Sock pose I

These socks were my lunch hour project. They lived on the bookshelf in my office and every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday I would take them across the road into the park (or if it was too cold, to my couch) and work on them. Consequently they took many months to complete. I'm pleased with them though, and so is their new owner apparently.

This was my second time knitting the Artichoke socks. I enjoyed the pattern the first time and knew I would knit it again, although this time I made some small modifications to the heel. I would happily knit this pattern yet again, I love it so much.


Sock pose II

I knew once they had been given away I would never get a chance to photograph them again so I asked a friend to do a proper photoshoot with me. My feet, my camera, Janet's photographic skills.


Out take

Oops, and my poor timing.

Vital statistics
Pattern : Artichokes
Yarn : Footscray Sock Yarn from Yarn Workshop, dyed by me with Kool Aid
Needles : 2.5mm
Started : July 2009
Completed : November 2009

Ravelled.

a Christmas giveaway, just for you

I know I keep banging on about the 2010 calendar that Mary, Janet and I have put together, but my own copy arrived a couple of days ago and I think it is just beautiful. (Said she, modestly).

Those four pictures up there are my contributions to the calendar. If you want to see the full calendar and check out the other, rather more magnificent, photographs, have a look here.

To celebrate and share the lurve around, I would like to give away a copy. It's my thanks to you for reading this wee blog over its four and a half years, for commenting, for sharing, for cracking me up, for support, or for quietly lurking in the background.

Leave a comment on this post by midsummer's eve (Sunday 20th December, EST) and I'll pick a random winner. I'll post anywhere in the world. It might not make it to you by Christmas, but I reckon it will get to you prior to the 1st of the new year.

(Don't forget, if you don't win, you can always buy your own copy. Buy three and you get free shipping!)

Advent :: Week 3

The third light of Advent,
it is the light of beasts.
The light of hope that we may see
In greatest and in least.

This week brought a couple of rather elderly looking sheep to the Advent table. These sheep were made years ago from a pair of old fluffy pilchers outgrown by the third and final baby and too knackered to be sent to the op shop. Each year the poor sheep get a little more splay-legged.

Son #3 ran to the lounge room this morning to see if the donkey had shown up yet. (He hasn't but he'll make an appearance any day now). It warms my heart to see the littlest boy still feels the magic - youngest children always seem to get the shortest childhood, don't they?

Advent :: Week 2

The second light of Advent
it is the light of plants
Plants reach up to the sun
and in the breezes, dance

A combination of hardware issues (dead cable) and life (something on every.single.night) has kept me offline for best part of a week now, but I'm back and squeezing in an Advent post before the third Sunday of Advent tomorrow night!

I was happy to be back online until I saw my inbox. Sheesh. I'm ignoring it for the moment until I'm caught up on the more important things in life ... photographs, children's concerts, dinners, celebrations, and soothing cups of tea.

Have you had a look at our calendar yet? I can't wait for my own copy to arrive.

calendar!

Just a note to let you know that the collaborative calendar that Mary, Janet and I have put together is now available.

I think it's beautiful, and I'm honoured to be part of this project with two such talented women.

It's hosted on Mary's redbubble account, and you can find it here.