HELLO 2012

Over the past couple of months, I have thought about blogging, but I got myself into a bit of a Winter hibernation mode -- sort of.  What has gotten in the way is "Summer" -- we have been having Summer weather in the middle of our Winter. My welcome to 2012 had to take a back seat for a while.  

So I have been going on a daily trek along the wonderful San Clemente beach trail -- thanks to the City of San Clemente for making this available. This takes at least two and half hours, so it kind of cut into my days.

The trail runs along the railroad tracks so it's very exciting when a train zooms past.

Today was so glorious.  Rumors are swirling that our weather is going to change very soon. Oh, no, low clouds developing -- rain, showers, snow in the forecast.  In the meantime, I am eeking every last drop out of this summertime weather.

There's something so peaceful about the beach in the middle of the Winter -- no crowds, just a few beachgoers, surfers and nature.

Last weekend.

We took a walk on the beach at Crystal Cove State Park just after Christmas.  A holiday tree on the beach -- I just love it!

And I was so excited one day to see that the lot where I park to take my daily walks had been "bombed" by an anonymous crocheter.  Had to capture this on film.  

Well, despite my "hibernation", I have been productive.  I have been spinning like crazy. Here's one of the many, many skeins I have spun  -- this is Blueface Leicester and Silk handpainted by me in "Bougainvillea" and "Vintage Merlot".

And I've been reading India Flint's book "Second Skin" and attempted her tube felted scarf on a piece of cardboard, but after stitching and felting, I couldn't bring myself to cut it diagonally -- I liked the long piece but it came out thicker than I had anticipated.  Don't know what I'm going to do with this, but I like it.  

And I have been knitting quite a bit, too.  Here is a shawl I knit using Miriam Felton's pattern for the "Adamas Shawl".  I used some Handmaiden Casbah which is a merino, cashmere yarn.  

This shawl might look awfully pretty with some of my handspun yarn.