Almost a mitten

I knitted this in the blazing heat (and also in the pouring rain). I believe I deserve a medal just for showing up and trying.

The past two weeks have, of course, been all about the Games. The Ravellenic Games on Ravelry. One is supposed to challenge oneself to knit (or whatever) something in the time between the opening and closing ceremonies of those other games. Here are the original rules. Things have changed a wee bit now that they are on Ravelry, where there are medals galore, for instance. I am not going to get a little .jpeg medal, because I didn't finish two mittens (okay, I didn't even finish one mitten) in the Mitten Medley. 

I didn't get the library book with the pattern in it till halfway through the time, so that was a bit of a handicap. Also, wool, stranding, 2.25mm needles, holiday, etc., etc. 

I also didn't finish (to my satisfaction) my WIP Wrestling event. I knitted up all the yarn on my shawl, but it didn't end up the way I want it, so I will rip out the last four balls and finish it in some other way. Sometime...

Like a good sportswoman, I won't wail and moan too much, but will get back in action, keep training, and be thankful that Team Canada is also taking part in the Para-rava-lympic-whatsit games. So, September will see two finished mittens, yes indeedy!

Car fonts

We hadn't planned on going to Southampton this year, since we had such a big trip in July, but schedules got altered late in the game and we found ourselves with a week booked. Since we were looking for a rental late in the season, there wasn't much available, and the "cottage" we ended up at was in fact a 130-year-old brick house on the main highway in town, with a big yard and a pool! And wi-fi, which we don't usually have there.

One day it rained and rained. Over the week we got two 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles done.

On Thursday the thing to do in Southampton is go to the Cruisers Cruise Night car show. Spot the photographer's reflection!

Or reflections. Here I am in each shiny chrome bumper.

This Ford Econoline van was a pickup! I'd never noticed such a thing before, but they are very cute. And the font is divine, no?

Two reflections of two people, me and Elaine.

I did get some knitting done, and will report in shortly on my Ravellenic Games stumbles and crashes.

A loose end

This is my third "use up the leftovers" hat with the Koigu from my Temperature Scarf. This one is on 152 stitches, which is what the pattern says. I have used 144 before, and this one is definitely for a big ol' man's head, not for a teenage girl's.

I really like the faded-denim blue. It didn't get much used in the scarf, since it signified below -15ºC, but while knitting this cuff I had visions of me going to the store to buy enough for a cardigan for myself. Haven't done it yet, and I now imagine I won't ever get around to it, but I do like it a lot!

I gave the hat to John, cap'n of the Golden Dawn. I don't have a decent picture of the boat, and I don't have a picture of him with the hat, but here we all are in front of a 800-year-old spruce tree at Windy Bay on Lyell Island. John is the one squishing down, perhaps to fit in the picture?! (My SIL Mary, me, Stephen, John)

Just a few disjointed pictures

I took all my pictures on our July trip with my phone because Elaine had my little camera with her. They are long and skinny, cell-phone shape. I find it takes a bit of getting used to! These are from the first part of our trip, all on the north shore of Haida Gwaii.

The beach by our cottage on the North Beach. Grey as far as the eye can see, perfect!

 

We went to Agate Beach in the drizzling rain; all the rocks were super shiny and so colourful!

These are called Jingle Shells. They are quite iridescent on the inside; the bottom shell has a hole in it which allows the foot to hold on to a rock. Very pretty and one will somehow go on our Christmas tree this year.

Some more rocks...

Creatures living on a rock. Limpets, barnacles, mussels, seaweed...

Lichen. This is actually on Balance Rock. 

Just a collection on the deck. Almost every day I took a bunch of treasures back to the cottage and edited them down to a very few to bring home. When I was rearranging things on my shelves recently I did realize I have three bowls of pretty rocks, so I do try to be moderate. Sorta.

A sunny day! A little rain gives you that rainforest feeling, but it is lovely when the sun comes out.

At the dock in town, boxes to put the day's catch in for transport. I'm glad that red one is there. 

This was hanging in our cottage. Of course (of course!) I collected several shells with holes in, but my dangly thing will not be as large or as varied as this one. Sea star, abalone, scallops: this has everything.

And finally for today, my attempt at a picture of the moss in the trees!  Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear.