Well the fires are out. Of course now the Peace region is in a state of emergency due to floods. There currently is no way to get South except going east through Alberta. It sounds like they will have temporary 1-lane passes set up within about a week between Chetwynd and Prince George but it's a bit of a mess up here. As far as us, we didn't get quite the rain as a little bit further south but it was a muddy mess down here and the pen had large patches under water -- luckily the side with the youngest kids has better drainage. And my beloved beaver pond...blown completely out. I wonder if they will try again there or move on? Right now the water is still moving too fast for them to try so we'll see.
For the most part, I've been doing pretty well recently (ignoring the past few days when I went back to my panic mode for a lot of legitimate reasons...currently trying to breathe past that), getting into a groove and being productive on all kinds of fronts. But still making sure I take the time to just 'be' as well. I've been thinking about it and while I don't feel like I allow distractions at home (Netflix and internet) to completely consume me, without those here, it seems like I just have more time in a day. Go figure. I still go down the internet hole every now and then but we only have a limited amount of data transfer and so I have to be really careful that what I do 'for fun' doesn't take up too much transfer. When I'm feeling bored or frustrated or stressed now, I either go out and hang with the kids taking a book with me, go for a walk/exercise, or knit a few rows instead of getting sucked into the net or TV.
So as you can see, I've been taking my camera out lots (those butterflies are everywhere...after it rains there are hundreds on the road leading out of basecamp!). I'm on my 5th book since starting the new book challenge. I finished my garter knit lace shawl, but can't block it until I get home in July for a brief visit so photos will have to wait. And somehow a colorwork cardigan jumped on my needles. It's worsted weight so aside from the fact that I keep doing stupid things and having to reknit several sections, it's moving right along. This sweater is going to challenge me in a few ways: zipper, steeking, and if I do as the pattern is written, purling with colorwork (I'm not yet sure that I'll do that...may substitute knits for those as others have done). But I'm excited to get to the colorwork again...it's been about a year since I've done any. 1.5 more sleeves to go before I join to start the yoke!
And finally...I'm trying to aim for about a sketch page a week. So I've got one more completed. We get a lot of olive-sided flycatchers here and they keep coming to land on the brake wire on the horse trailer. I try but can never get a good picture. And then I was in the barn and saw one land with a dragonfly in it's mouth. I had my camera and was able to get a decent enough shot through the window that I could use for reference. When I sat down to sketch, I had intended on just laying out a quick sketch to use for a future drawing. And instead I couldn't stop. It feels good to start having some confidence in my drawing again...to just let my hands go instead of overthinking everything and letting the fear paralyze me.
That's all the fun stuff...amazingly I'm also making lots of progress on work stuff. Still not as much as I want because things always take longer than I anticipate...but then again, it will never be 'as much as I want'. I'm just pleased that I'm moving in the right direction again!
Happy Summer Solstice everyone! What did you do to celebrate? I'm celebrating the days getting shorter -- that's what the north does to me! The moon photos, because I used a short shutter speed, show the sky to be black...oh how I wish!
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Now playing: Waiting for a Miracle by Leonard Cohen
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I'm eager to hear about the books that you read, and may steal the blue butterfly picture for watercolor practice.
ReplyDeleteFirst -- that is about the highest compliment (someone wanting to use your photo for art) so thanks! I can't wait to see if you use it!
DeleteAs for books: So far I've read 1) Fates and Furies (pretentious, abstract writing and un-relatable characters but an honest take on marriage with an interesting POV so I give it 3 of 5 stars), 2) All The Light We Cannot See (loved this although slow at first...lived up to the hype), 3) We're All Damaged (kindle first free book...okay for that genre...easy read and at times quite funny), 4) The Life We Bury (cliche at times and predictable, but enjoyable, easy read), and just started 5) It's What I Do; A Photographer's Life of Love and War (so fascinating so far) and 6) Daring Greatly.
I always enjoy looking at your photos, Rachel. And now your lovely drawings are added in - such a treat! Have you ever thought of writing a book about your experiences out in the field?
ReplyDeleteI hope the road south gets sorted out soon. That falls into the life category of "if it's not one thing, it's another." I love the colourwork sweater you're knitting!
Thank Kristi! Hopefully I'll continue to sketch and continue to share!
DeleteOthers have also asked me if I would consider writing a book on my experiences. And I often respond with 2 glib responses: I'm not a writer and a lot of this stuff, I'd just rather forget. But I realized lately, upon some reflection, that the idea may have taken root on some level...not sure.
I think that 'if it's not one thing, it's another' will be on my gravestone! ;)
I just stalked your ravelry for details on that sweater. LOVE it. I've been on a colorwork yoke kick for, oh, several years now. Strange about the purls in the pattern--is that the texture I see in some of the yokes then? Interesting. FWIW on the rare occasions when I've done purling in colorwork it wasn't as awful as I thought it would be. But also I'm not sure I'm a fan of the texture in that yoke, so knitting might be the way to go just for that reason, if you feel the same way!
ReplyDeleteI'm about 3 rounds from the yoke and now have to make the decision...and I am leaning heavily toward knitting rather than purling. It's an interesting texture with the purls, but I'm not sure that it's one that I like. Even though this is only my second yoked colorwork sweater, I have many in my queue that I am itching to start. ;)
DeleteThese photos are beautiful. Your bird drawing is superb! Have you seen the beavers?
ReplyDeleteThanks Denise! No on the beavers. We keep getting these horrendous thunder storms that drop a couple inches of rain in a matter of half an hour and those deluges are enough to keep the water flow high enough that the beavers can't rebuild. I don't think we'll know if they will try until the water level goes way down... Sad. I look for any evidence each time I'm down there.
DeleteI hope they're able to build again, and that it isn't too far off.
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