Sunny Sunday

After two weeks of clouds and drizzle, we finally had a  sunny autumn day. It was the perfect weather for a long walk in the park wearing new woolies.  In fact, my walk was very long indeed as I took a wrong turn ending up lost, not for the first time, in the maze of High Park's trails.  I came out much further north than intended and had to double back.

These gloves are actually re-purposed socks.  The lovely Daughter threw them in the laundry not realizing that this Stoddart Family farm mohair/wool blend is not machine washable.  The soles of the socks did not survive. I love this yarn too much to abandon it and there was a bit left.  So I salvaged the cuffs and added and inch of ribbing with thumb and improvised index finger openings.  Cool, right?

Renovation Sadness

Today I am sad because I am mourning a building.  I went down the fire escape this morning, heading for work and discovered that the lovely red brick garage, beside which I have posed for many a knitting shot, has been destroyed.  The landlord has had it stuccoed and it is now a nondescript flat beige.  Whatever possessed him?    The old brick was not crumbling and insulation is not the issue (it's a garage after all). These are the only good reasons I know of to stucco over brick.  The side of the house is stucco so perhaps he wanted it to be matchy-poo.
I don't understand some people's compulsion to replace anything old and that has colour and character with blah, blah, flat and pale.  There's an illusion of clean that they see as "better".  They pave over grass, lay beige carpet over hardwood and stucco over beautiful brick.  And you just know that in a couple of years, this "improvement" is going to look like hell.
My landlord is a lovely man.  He's always been kind to me.  However, he has dropped the ball in a big way on this one.

For Me?

The Daughter recently went on a trip with her Dad to Reykjavik, Iceland and because she loves her old mum so much, she brought back yarn.  It's 5 skeins of Alafoss Lopi direct from the land of the traditional Icelandic sweater.  I just love how the red, purple and teal bits are spun into the beautiful dark blue.  This a truly woolly wool.  Yet, I find myself pondering what one makes with Lopi besides a traditional Icelandic sweater?  A hat, maybe?

Day 7 - Yellow

Naturally, I couldn't resist this tree on yellow ribbon day.No, it is not an oak but it is spectacular.  If, like me, you are old enough to have fond memories of the Tony Orlando & Dawn television show, here is a musical trip down memory lane for you.

Day 6 - Blue

Blue skies today!

Day 5 - Red

Red has so many meanings in our culture,  It is the colour of royalty, of blood and war and of sex.  It is also red heart coloured Love.  In the spirit of positivity, it is on the Love that I have decided to focus.

I love my beautiful and sweet calico cats.  Every day they bring me joy.

I love that High Park is rehabilitating the marsh lands.  Now you can see swans, ducks and several kinds of heron here.  Blackbirds are plentiful as well.

I love this approach along the bike path going downtown each morning.  When there's a bit of wind, the boats are all swaying attractively.

I love locking my bike (double locking actually) outside my workplace on my favourite rack.

Day 4 - Orange

Orange like the marigolds I planted in spring alongside the tomatos.  They're supposed to keep the bugs away.  Well, they didn't work against the slugs but now, in October, when the tomato plants are long gone, these flowers are prettier than ever.

Naturally, being a Torontonian and a Canadian, I can't think of orange without thinking of the NDP and especially of our beloved Jack Layton.  Did you know he helped design and implement the use of the now familiar ring and post bike racks?

Day 3 - Green

Green you say?  There lots of green in my hood!

Day 2 - Pink

"Pink as autumnal blush", said the email.
Alas, it rained and rained on Sunday and I had to take the streetcar to work.  Irony.

Ribbons 2011 - Day 1

Can you believe it's October already?  With the first seven days of October comes the Ribbon Project - the interactive art project in which I've participated for the last several years.  The email arrives in September and I always say yes.  Then, suddenly, October 1st has arrived and I find myself wandering about with a purse full of camera and coloured ribbons.
This year October 1st fell on a Saturday and the organizer, Hannah Godfrey, chose a ribbon colour we've never before used - black.  I had a few lengths of black tie-line in the drawer. I carried them with me throughout the day.  However, nothing I saw wanted a black marker. What can black ribbon do?  Mark a spot of mourning?  Tie off cable to a grid in a theatre?  These were the only two images that came to me.  As I wasn't feeling particularly mournful, and I was no where near a lighting grid, my ribbons remained untied.
And thus was my theme for this year's project born.  Using the colour of the ribbon to inspire the marking.