autumn | The Contented Crafter

The month is slipping past and while I am daily engrossed in blog land and catching up with the writing, photography and daily doings of you my friends – not much attention is paid to my own posts. So, more to keep a record than to add pleasure to your day, here’s a quick catch -up.

It’s Autumn here and the last rose in the tiny courtyard is making a break for it

Courtyard April 16 The crochet shawl got finished – it’s beautiful and oh so soft……….. worked in an alpaca/silk mix and edged with beads. Learning the art of blocking is finally paying off – I just wish my photos were better. Each edge scallop has ten tiny red beads hooked through. Jo's shawl April 16

There’s some new light catchers being worked on – some simple ones and some very ornate ones. Here’s a glimpse of two versions of the Simple Single Rainbow ‘Catcher. Can you spot the difference? Simple Rainbow x2 April 16

And just for Alys, in lieu of a ‘fairy garden’ here is a glimpse of the guardians at the front entrance……. Entry Garden April 16

Can you see them? No? Move closer to the door and look down. They make me smile!

There’s the green wobbly headed dog with the waggling tail and little Winnie the Pooh smiling hopefully up at visitors. Everyone smiles!

I’m not a collector of twee garden ornaments usually. These two turned up in my Christmas stocking and wandered out to the front potted garden and stayed…..

Entry Guardians April 16 Everything in the garden is dying back now, even though the weather remains unusually warm for this time of the year. Soon the tiny courtyard will be without any sun and will stay that way – barren and unloved until next August when both the sun and I will return to replant and enliven once more.

I’ve started work on an open vest for me for the cooler days – the knit pattern stolen from the jumper knitted for ED for her birthday last month Vest 1

I’m moving it along a pace because I want to start this – more alpaca and silk and maybe some beads too …. Isn’t it a stunning colour? Artesano Shawl April 16

April has been a time of concentrating on health and well-being. Walking and creating and reading and spending quiet times concentrating on gratitude for all aspects of my life and enjoying the quiet way everything unfolds around me. I live simply, I make time every day to hold others close in my thoughts and also to seek understanding of what is going on in the world. There’s more good going on than the news media would have us know, I look for that and do not give my attention to the other. This long Indian Summer lingers on and Siddy and I go walking every morning, me enjoying the subtle changes in nature and Siddy- well Siddy just enjoying being alive really…….. I say it often – and mean it – I love retirement!! March 16 3

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did.

I have been having trouble with my hearing. I think six times up and down in planes in a ten day period was a bit much for my delicate Eustachian tubes and they have become resolutely and immovably blocked. I have done steams, nasal sprays, ear sprays, all the exercises and then some, hung myself upside down and hummed loudly – you name it, we’ve attempted it!

As I hit the ten day mark and if anything the hearing loss is worsening, I am resorting to chiropractic care to try and get everything moving again. This is a man I have an enormous respect for and his ability with understanding the body and what happens when it is even slightly out of whack is quite amazing. My body is apparently quite a lot out of whack! Time will tell if he has success.

In the meantime I am gaining a whole new respect for and understanding of, what being ‘hearing impaired’ is like. I used to think a slight loss of hearing maybe wasn’t such a very bad thing, given the inordinate amount of noise in our daily lives – which just goes to show that I equated deafness with silence.

This world is not silent! It is accompanied by an on-going high pitched hum that only I can hear. It is like listening to people talk while six feet under water. There is a ring of exhaustion around my head from having to listen carefully and work through the constant high pitched hum. I am aware of the space between my ears in a new and quite unpleasant way. There is a weight in my ears I never knew was there. I can hear my bones creak and crack, every swallow made in my throat. the sound of myself chewing food. I hear the throb of blood moving through my head that keeps pace with the beat of my heart. I am forced into a noisy, internal world that is quite solitary.

I noticed today that I was relieved I met no-one on my morning walk with Siddy. The intensity required to conduct a simple exchange of pleasantries is getting too much for me. I understand now why some people just give up on the polite, phatic exchange and opt for avoidance of others.

How many ways can you say ‘I’m sorry, can you repeat that?’ in any conversation without driving the other person bonkers. Lip reading is an art I am quickly learning and guessing what is said also forms part of it.

It’s not a pleasant world to be trapped in! And as there is always a silver lining to every experience we have, mine is that I shall have much more understanding and empathy for the deaf and hearing impaired from this point on.

My enforced solitude means I am making good progress on my Lace Leaf KAL which is over on Mollie and Claire and I am up to date I think – these photos were taken a few days ago.

I am knitting with a bamboo yarn that is deliciously soft and silky. The Indian Silk yarn didn’t suit this pattern so I am saving it for something else.

I love the pretty leaves and now I know where I am by sight in the eight row repeat pattern things are moving along quite smoothly. Though I have just spotted there is a mistake in the centre leaf on the left side………… I am not frogging again. I have frogged at least three times back to the beginning and any imperfections can now stay in place!

I want to show you my beautiful sea dragon, Arthur. He arrived soon after I returned home from my American Interlude. He comes from Wales and was made especially for me by the divine Dr. Snail of Happiness fame. These are her photos and you may admire her pristine work and delicate finishing touches all you wish and if you want to see more, go here.

The photos on the dark background are true to colour, the last two shots give you some idea of the detail that has gone into this magnificent beast. Just look at those cute webbed feet – I am a little in love!

And for those of you who love him – here is the first photo taken of a happy and exhausted puppy the day his mumma came home to him

I must remember to take my camera on our walk tomorrow – the weather is beautiful and autumn is at her best. I love having the images of spring still in my head and knowing that we live in harmony – autumn really does reflect on the youthful vibrancy of spring, only in an older, wiser more muted version of what once was. It is quite lovely!

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!