Good Morning to you!
The sun has yet to rise and I am on my 3rd cup of tea. With headphones in and the fairy lights on, I am sending this out to the universe. I wrote this blog post yesterday, but as I sat down and read it over, I felt totally different and just scraped the whole thing. Yesterday was rainy and I had coffee (coffee makes me a little crazy, which is why I tend to stay away from it!). Today, is so full of opportunity! A calmness and herbal tea (okay.. I might be having earl grey at this point, it is not yet 6am!), a fire started from the embers of yesterday (that sounds metaphorical and it can be, but I mean it literally, ha). And so, finally… this Grey sweater that was sold a couple of weeks ago to a lovely artist in B.C.
I Started this sweater in January, with my Lopi Stash. Greys and Ivory, Black and Gold. Similar to the landscape and skies of winter here. Knit in the darker times, helping to illuminate the long nights. The colours reflecting the ever changing sky in January, February even March. Between PEI and Nova Scotia. In the woods, along the river, in a car, over a very long bridge. In a fire lit basement, listening to the wind and a slow yet quick crackle of birch! I chose wooden buttons and used a vintage, strong German made thread that accompanied my sewing machine gifted to me by my aunt.
- On a walk in the woods, I brought this sweater to do a little weaving in the moss, weaving in the magic of the woods. You can really see the texture of Lopi here ❤
And Voila! A Simple Grey Lopi Cardigan! I have a feeling this sweater will find a kindred in Northern BC! I think it may be time for me to order some more Lopi wool, I am almost out! I am hoping to make myself an Icelandic Cardigan in Rough Seas with metal buttons. Perhaps my summer project!
I hope you have a lovely weekend! The sky is growing lighter and the birds are singing! I have a busy day of working in the library and going to my favourite store… the hardware store! Gardening things are slowly peaking out and I need more seed trays. We also get to pick out the tiles for the bathroom (eeee, I can not wait to have a shower again!). What are you planning to grow this summer? I’ll post more about that very soon because there is just so so much.
Here is a favourite folk song for you! Planxty’s version of the Blacksmith. This song and actually this video really propelled my love for folk music. Such a vast world of music. Steeleye Span does a version of this song as well, definitely worth checking out as it is SO different and also, awesome. The song is very tragic, telling the tale of a woman who fell in love with a blacksmith only to learn afterwards that he is married. I’m not sure the origins but many of these songs are traced back hundreds of years.
Slán !!
Julia
Ways of Wood Folk 
Inspired me to dig out my Steeleye Span and have a listen! Thanks
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That’s awesome!! They have some great tunes, love Cam Ye o’er France and so many others! I was lucky and found some Vinyl at a thrift store :):)
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I love that feeling when your day is so palpably calmer than the day before. What a wonderful sweater, song and plan for the day. Can you feel spring yet? Also I must say you look stunning in that smiling picture, happiness suits every face. On the note of Lopi yarn have you heard of the brand einband? It’s a ply of Icelandic wool spun with a ply of silk and it looks so gorgeous. That would make a really luxurious sweater I’d say, as silks thermal properties are really nice alongside those of wool.
Sorry for that very unorganized comment. I hope you have a wonderful day.
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Hiya 🙂
No need to apologize for “unorganized” comment,! My whole life feels this way so it is very fitting 😉
I can feel spring with the long days – the sun sets at around 8:30 which is a huge contrast to our previous 4pm. But today, I had to wear an Alafoss sweater and a parka on our walk – it was around – 10 with the wind so in that way, sadly no. I also have a fire going and very thick wool socks! Soon though, I am sure. I can’t wait to smell the earth and start working outside!
I have never used Einband, but I was talking about ordering some wool to make myself a cardigan, maybe this is the type? It sounds lovely, I’ll look into it when I hopefully order some wool in the next couple of days!
Thank you so much for the smile comment 🙂 I am shy and never really smile for photographs, it’s weird I just feel like you’re really revealing yourself with your smile and even though I’m on here and share a lot, I still am kind of a private person if that makes any sense? I am weird, so I dunno.
Anywho, I am just waiting for photographs to load, not exactly how I was hoping to spend my Sunday afternoon but it has to be done and our internet is sooo slow!
Happy Sunday and a merry start of the week to you!!
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Julia, I so love the life that you share here with us. Your creativity is so inspiring. And I always discover beautiful music. Fell down the Planxty and Andy Irvine rabbit hole hard!
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Hi Nicole 🙂
Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving this lovely comment! Today, the snow is falling and I am so full of longing that reading this has brightened things for me, so thank you ❤
I am so happy to hear that you liked the song!! I always think it's kind of a gamble posting the music that I like, one because it's all so different and not really mainstream and the other, it's kind of casting a light on things I really hold dear. I can't explain why we like the music we do, so I am just happy that you enjoy it as well! They have some really fun renditions of old folk songs, another is "Wraggle Taggle Gypsy." I have to post a photo of Andy Irvine from the 70s beside a photo of my partner Jamie, the resemblance is uncanny!
Anywho, I hope spring has sprung in Ottawa and everyone is having a grand old time (I went to Highschool outside of Ottawa, and on this day, so many of my classmates would take the "day off" to go to Parliament Hill. In my memory, this time of year was always really beautiful).
Blessings on you!
Julia
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Hi Julia your sweater is beautiful! (As always) thanks for sharing with us!
I wanted to put this out there since you’te Always kind enough to share your music, books etc. I thought i’d Recommend something to you to check out. There’s a YouTuber called wabi sab-e that I think you’d be interested in. He’s a fellow Canadian and is restoring a really old farm house, his renovations are beautiful! And if you like relax-y (that’s a word?) calm folk/pop music I recommend Marit Larsen. Her ‘When the morning comes’ album is on YouTube as well- some songs anyway- and it’s really good. Thought you might like it.
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Hey Kaitlin, thank you so much!
And Thank you so much for sharing your recommendations! They are awesome 🙂 I am checking our the Farmhouse restoration Videos as I write this (such a multi-tasker). Do you know where they are located? Looks like Nova Scotia but I dunno, could be anywhere really (I get strangely obsessed if people are also on the East Coast!). I wish we could devote more time to renovating our house, but it looks like we will be doing about a room a year! This will be super inspiring for us though, thank you!
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Hi Julia!
I’ve been so slow to comment this, but I felt that I had to finish your letter first (and now I have 🙂 ) I’m sitting with a big cup of black coffee this morning, trying to read “Literary Theory” by Jonathan Culler, but find myself almost falling asleep, so coffee was needed. The book is ok, but I feel that the writing is too compressed, if you understand? There is just too much information crammed into every sentence. Heh!
I love to see your photos, as always. You are such a talented photograph. And I’m happy to read that you find so much inspiration in nature for your knitting. Is this a sweater pattern that you just cut up, or is it a pattern for a cardigan? 🙂 Oh, and Henry out in the woods melts my heart. We used to have a dog when I was a teenager, and he and I (his name was Jacob 🙂 ) sort of “discovered” the joys of walking in the woods together.
Now I’m off to buy you some tea once I’ve finished my coffee. 😉 Do you enjoy chocolate? 😀 Hope you day will be good. ❤
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Camilla <3!
Thank you, such kind words you always have and I am just feeling so much brighter today from the comments! Today has been a beyond slow, lazy and rather depressing day just because I am constantly on the brink of working outside and planting and then Mother Nature decides "but just a little bit more winter." i'm hopeful that the prolonged winter will mean less mosquitoes this summer 🙂
I understand exactly when you refer to the book making you fall asleep and hard to focus. If I am wired at night and reading a book I am really enjoying, I always have a Non Fiction book that I read to "slow down" and well put me to sleep, haha. Is it something you are reading for school? I just finished a book called "Himself" by Jess Kidd. It was a murder mystery that had a magical realism feel to it (and possibly the first murder mystery I have ever actually read). It was a fun read but was kind of over the top and silly at the same time.
Ooh Jacob! I am so glad you have nice memories with a dog. My friend and I took Henry and her little French Bulldog to the beach yesterday – Henry is so exhausted today, she hasn't left the fireplace! And As I write that, she comes up the stairs to see me!
Can not wait for your letter 🙂 :)!! Lol and yes, i love chocolate.
Happy Weekend to you and your family!!
Julia
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Oh, Julia! I hope you have gotten better weather by now, and are spending your days out in the garden! As for mosquitoes, we have made bird birdhouses in the trees with holes in them that fit a bird called wagtail (I think?) And they eat mosquitoes. Maybe you could try something like that? 🙂
There will be at least an other month before I can read anything that is not for school, but I’ll have a look at the book.
In my mind I’m preparing a package of chocolate for you, maybe next letter 😉
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