Purl and Plain

So my mom showed me how to do the two basic knitting stitches, plain and purl, the other day, and how to cast on, to start a knitting project. I think it's pretty straightforward, and I now have a scarf about a foot wide and an inch long. It's my third attempt, after messing up and having to pull it all apart and start over again. This time, though, I think it's working. So if I knit about an inch a day, I should have it done in a couple of weeks. Whether it will be wearable remains to be seen, but it will be a scarf and I will have knitted it. And that will be something else off my list.

Wool

I've decided to learn to knit before the new year arrives. Last month I met a woman who is completely deaf and going blind, who knits for a living, and I was inspired. This woman lives on a small farm about 20 km south-east of Merritt, where she and her husband have about 20 sheep. For each of them, she can get enough wool to knit three sweaters. She also knits toques, scarves, gloves, socks, and a bunch of other things. They have a shearer come in every spring to take the wool off the sheep, and then she takes care of the rest -- carding, spinning and dying the wool herself. Along with her beautiful finished products, she sells batting and spun wool. I bought about three spools of a great melon yellow coloured wool to try my hand at making a scarf. My mom has promised to teach me over the holidays, so here goes!

A long walk

Whenever I start something new, whatever it is, I get antsy after a while and start thinking about how great it would be to go somewhere else and do something different.

My thoughts, as I sit at my desk at work, often drift to the depths of a lush rain forest where I can be alone with just a big backpack and a rolled up mat to sleep on and a journal to write in.

Mostly, I just want to be moving and away from real life for a while.

The reality of this, I suppose, is a very long hike, like the Pacific Crest Trail, or the Apalachian Trail. Obviously this would not be a good time of year to drop everything and run off to find myself in the woods, but if I can get time off next summer I think I'd really like to pursue this fantasy.

I can imagine how difficult and even lonely it might be at times, especially if I were to attempt a few weeks worth of the trail, but I think it would be worth it. I've heard from people who have done it that it is worth it, for sure.

Big trees, fresh air, a long path that doesn't end and a chance to think and walk all day. Sounds good to me.