Pennsylvania

I'm in Pennsylvania again. Its beautiful here, even though March is generally an awkward in-between month. The light in the early evening is stunning and the farmer which lives across the way has begun to work on his field in preparation for the coming summer. We have fires most of the day, and basically try to remain under blankets when reading. Tea is perpetually being prepared and the dog is always ready to cuddle. So its an ideal place to hide away and knit, read, write, or draw. We go on late night rides through the countryside, which might be my favorite part. The trees and the hills by the moon light are stunning and the deer and foxes are everywhere.



Today Eric and I made chili and cornbread, it was fantastic. One of my friends gave me the recipe, thanks Molly! I have been drawing and reading a lot recently, taking a break from my Middlemarch paper. I really want to get started on my Shetland tea shawl but I find it very frustrating so I may not attempt it for a while yet.

Again

Oh my, its been a while since my last post. After winter break I sort of ran out of steam and needed to get back into the swing of class and what not. I've also been exercising a lot more this past week, so that has cut into my time significantly. I haven't really sat down to knit in a while, which is sort of strange because I'm so so close to finishing Icarus that its ridiculous (I have two more rows!!). I think the main reason is a sneaking feeling that I mussed up something in the pattern toward the end, it looks ok its just I don't think the final stitches are really lining up like they should and I fear for the state of the bind off. Oh well I'll hope for the best and recount. I'm looking forward to starting my shetland tea shawl, although I'm still debating on what color it should be.
Driving down from Pennsylvania to college was beautiful, we left around dusk so the fields took on this golden mist and there were deer everywhere and as we headed into Delaware we saw this huge, and by huge I mean miles long tunnel of starlings. There must have been thousands and thousands of them and from a distance it looked as if they where not birds at all but a massive cloud on the horizon.

Green Winter

Oh my so much to do, so many presents to buy, its a bit overwhelming. But I finally untangled the knot that is my parents internet, just for you (and my sanity). I've also managed to do some much needed relaxing. Its so nice to watch the news and see that some of you are getting snow, lots and lots of snow, its a warm 61 degrees here in Florida, and of course this is considered "cold". As you can see I'm still a bit bitter about not having any snow for Christmas. Hopefully my Pennsylvania New Years will be snow filled.



While traveling home I discovered the hypnotic magic of knitting in airports. I brought my lace with me for my five hour wait before boarding and I think I drew at least seven people, one of which was an army boy who informed me that his mama also knits. Most were nice, some slightly odd. The airplane was a bit less enjoyable, some gentleman thought it would be great to get really plastered before and during the late night flight....let me tell you the entire airplane cheered the second he left. And the trip was ended by me forgetting Middlemarch in the airport, and after traveling to four different book stores (Florida seems not to like George Eliot) I finally found a copy, not the one I was looking for though. Oh well, it could be worse. Overall I am quite happy and much more relaxed now that first semester is over.

The Road Home

Oh, how nice it is to be back again. No more airport pushing and shoving, dragging enormous bags, 'handling' strange relations, eighty degree weather, or dealing with odd bus drivers who seem intent on telling you all about how the British once ruled America and then how the settlers rebelled, as if all this were news to me. He seemed very much to expect me to gasp and say WOW really? You mean America was not founded at the beginning of time?? The fact that we had about eight other stops before mine didn't really help matters, his deep southern accent made it near impossible to help him navigate ( the GPS thingy was down). But then again thanks to all of this we went through some really beautiful back roads where there was a carpet of orange leaves on the ground and bright yellows and reds still on the trees. At one point I saw this large clearing with a lake and the forest line on the other shore, the setting sun's rays were hitting the trees and the lake in such a way that everything took on a golden hue, there was even a deer at the edge of the water (and this competed the postcard beauty of it all). So I was appeased and decided to calm myself even though a half hour of navigating was ahead of me.
I finally got back at a very decent hour even with the strange bus ride ( thank you nice man at the check -in- counter for moving me over to a better flight- I did not relish waiting five hours in the Georgia airport even with icarus to knit and a french poem to memorize). I bought myself a few goodies, like some maple tea, mint hot chocolate mix, and a movie, before I settled in for the night. So here I am cosy and warm ( with a bunch of work screaming my name ) but the important thing is that I don't have to take off my shoes again and go through the puffer ( the newest in airport security, if you've never had the pleasure imagine a glorified metal detector that blows air at you and has doors).