DropOne

There’s not been an awful lot happening in Assynt recently to regale you with.  I’ve been busy, Stevan has been busy, and the dogs have been lying in front of the fire, when they’re not outside enjoying the fresh air.  They’ve not been outside much this week as we have had so much rain.  The little burn that runs close to our house was in spate for most of the week.  But mostly, it’s been a quiet life of late.  My little Lucia (otherwise known as “the yellow peril”!) has returned after a marathon 4 weeks at the gararge to repair some scratched paintwork.  She now has a bumper that is ever so slightly different in colour to the rest of her!  You have to look pretty closely to see it, but I guess it gives her character.

However we managed to get out for a lovely walk today.  The seasons have definitely changed, and the countryside has pretty well covered itself in winter clothes now.  The last of the heather has faded, and the bracken has turned the wintery deep reddish brown that so typifies the Scottish hills in winter.

The days are very much shorter, and it can really catch you unawares at time.  I find the autumn time change a difficult one - as do Peggy and Lexie, as for them it means having to wait an extra hour for dinner!

But even though winter is closing in, the light in our part of the world can still surprise you.  This was the view towards the south of Assynt this afternoon.

On the work front, my first batch of yarn has gone off to the US, and is currently sitting in customs waiting to be checked.  But once checked it should be on it’s ways to shops around the US.  I have not had a list from the distributer yet, but if I am able to get one I’ll let you know where you may find a skein or two.  And in the meantime, I’m still accepting members for the Totie Toe Sock Yarn Club for December.

The Ripples Crafts Totie Toe Sock Yarn Club has been launched.  Details can be found here.  Club membership is open to knitters from all corners of the globe.

I find it very difficult to watch, or listen to, programmes about the two world wars. Or any war for that matter. I find the injustices that arise during periods of conflict just too overwhelming to contemplate. The example that my parents set me through their tolerance and acceptance of all people, no matter what their beliefs or skin colour, has stood me in good stead throughout my life and I find it intolerable that modern politicians believe that any possession, be it oil, land or political/religious belief, is worth the killing and maiming of hundreds of thousands of people.

This year represents the 90th anniversary of Armistice Day. According to the Imperial War Museum’s website the idea of the two minutes silence was instigated by Sir Percy Fitzpatrick. I remember soon after we moved to the UK doing some shopping in Sainsbury’s in Newbury on the 11th November. At 11.00am there was a brief announcement over the tannoy, and everyone in the shop stopped what they were doing, and stood in silence for 2 minutes. I found it incredibly moving. The fact that even in our busy modern day lives people were prepared to stop what they were doing for two minutes to remember the sacrifices made by everyday people like you and me was, to me, a great tribute to those who fought in the two world wars. I found it even more meaningful than the organised Remembrance Sunday events, moving as they are.

There are very few veterans still living from the first world war. However last night on the news there was a clip of one veteran who is 112 years old, and he was talking to school children 100 years younger than himself, trying to impress on them the importance of remembering. I hope they do.

Let us not forget.

I was browsing around Ravelry and having a look to see who had bought my yarns.  All of a sudden up popped a page (I’m not sure this link will work if you’re not a Ravelry member) which said that a Ravelry member had bought my yarn at Kraemer’s Yarn Shop in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and it finally sank in that my yarn will now be sold at a few locations in the US!  It really does feel strange.  To think that yarn that I dye in my little workshop in the garden of our home in Assynt makes it all the way to Nazareth, Pennsylvania.    I must look at a map and see where Pennsylvania is!

Dyeing started early this morning, in an attempt to get through a lot on a day which dawned beautifully clear and dry, and so I thought it best to get as much done as possible so it could dry in the fresh breeze.  While I was working I could hear some tapping on the outside wall of my shed, and I remembered that Stevan had put a nesting box up for any passing blue tits that wanted a new home in the spring time.  Well, somebody has put a “sold” sign up on the nesting box, as a lovely blue tit has been busy inside the box.  I’m not sure what he/she is doing, but they’re making a lot of noise.  Definitely a few adjustments being made in preparation for moving in next year.

As a reward for all my hard work today we set off into the hills for a walk this afternoon after Stevan had finished lectures for the day.  Just about 20 minutes uphill walking from the house we spotted some deer and wanted to get close enough to get some photographs.  They spotted us, unfortunately, and so we didn’t get as close as we would have liked, but Stevan managed to get a couple of the lovely stag, who kept an eye on us until all of his harem had made a safe escape.

The last time I had a photograph of Peggy up on the blog, she looked like this.  Well, she’s had a “short back and sides” since that photo was taken, and looks far more presentable.  For the first time ever her ears are almost (but not quite) standing up, like a yorkie’s ears should be!

We stayed out a bit longer than planned, but we were rewarded with some beautiful views over the sea and Lexie’s Loch as the sun sank in the sky.

I should be spending the evening winding some yarn, but I’m now off out to see if I can see the promised meteor showers - the southern taurids I think.