Jason’s been badly neglected lately – he hasn’t had a new hat in ages. I’ve been knitting of course, knitting up a winter storm, but shawls, wraps and kiddie knits have been occupying my needles Winter’s been grey, not particularly cold, but we’ve certainly had our fill of grey. More than fifty shades of grey, … Continue reading CHEERING UP JASON
Lady Bird Johnson, wife of President Lyndon B Johnson, together with Helen Hayes founded what became the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center which is both stunningly beautiful and a significant educational resource. Mrs Johnson, Texas-born like her husband, devoted considerable time, energy and enthusiasm to promoting knowledge and appreciation of the vast number of native … Continue reading Jason Tips His Hat To Lady Bird
The clocks went back today, marking the end of Daylight Saving Time in Europe. As if on cue, the weather has turned distinctly wintry, with heavy cloud on Mt Pelion, intermittent rain and some chilly winds nipping spitefully about. The waters of the Pagasitic seem unsure of themselves, taken aback that the gales have ceased … Continue reading JASON GETS A PHILOSOPHICAL HAT
My yarn stash cannot be described as small, and it’s certainly very eclectic. Colour dominates the collection of almost every type of yarn, but wool and wool blends are well represented from tweeds to angora, mohair to baby-fine merino, worsted weight basics to the wildest novelties. I confess I collect. Many of my yarns, whether … Continue reading JASON CHANNELS MEDUSA
The sun has been making a tentative appearance today which is encouraging the Sternbergia buds to put on a growth spurt, so we’ll soon have these cheerful yellow flowers dotted about the Pelion again. Jason was staring at me in his transparent manner these last few days, so I decided to brighten him up with … Continue reading JASON DOES FLORAL
Jason, so the Greek myth tells us, set sail from Volos in search of the Golden Fleece. My window looks out over the Pagasitic Gulf down which he steered his fragile wooden boat, the Argo, with his sailors at the beginning of their great and wonderful adventures. Above is Mt Pelion, home of the fabled … Continue reading In the Land of Jason
Several years ago my husband had to undergo surgery, and I wanted to have something for him to be a sort of comfort. A blanket came to mind. It needed to be something bright, something cheerful. Different. Happy. And so the idea of the Happy Blanket was born. He loved it, and so did everybody … Continue reading HAPPY KNITTING
Persephone has wrought her wonders once again this spring, thrilling the vegetation into exuberant displays of colour, waking the sleeping leaves from winter-dormant trees, encouraging the buds to open, and enticing tiny fruits to peep out at the warming world. The olive flowers have given way to teensy olives – pale green beads sheltering tightly … Continue reading GREEN’S THE THEME
We had some very good rain yesterday, and though today’s quite cloudy the flowers about the property are, to quote Oliver Goldsmith, “the very pink of perfection.” What is it about rain? It washes the plants clean in a way no amount of watering can do; leaves gleam and blossoms sparkle.
That poor man! I can’t imagine what he went through, and how difficult his life must have been by today’s standards. I’ve lived in the Austrian Alps. I’ve hiked there, even in winter. Not in blizzard conditions of course, but certainly through deep snow, equipped with the proper boots, thermal underwear, ski jacket, hat, gloves … Continue reading A HAT FOR OTZI