It’s raining. It’s raining on the snow that fell last night, and on the ice pellets from yesterday, and as much as I try to understand that I live in Toronto, the doggedness of this winter is starting to put me right over the freakin’ edge. We’re at a solid six months of this crap now, and I don’t know anyone around here who hasn’t spent the last 24 hours trying to figure out what they’re going to do to keep themselves from finally bursting into bitter tears and starting to scream expletives in public all the time. (I admit that I’m already swearing several hours a day, but so far have managed to keep it mostly in my head, or at a reasonable volume.)
I’m going to knit. I’m going to hunker down with that cup of tea and that yarn right there and I’m going to knit a sweater. That’s two balls of Liberty Wool Light (unbelievably, they’re the same colourway) and it should be enough for a little pullover for a little person. It will be simple, and it will keep me from losing my mind, and by the time it’s done, maybe spring will be here.
oh, what an excellent plan on a day like today… wish I were at home doing the same. Do you know the book, The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder? I think of it every year that it feels like winter just won’t end…
I hope you’re right. Please knit fast.
But at the rate you knit, that means noon tomorrow, right?
Lovely way to compensate for the winter that never ends. Here in Saskatchewan? 7 months and counting. I’m getting out the nicest yarn in the stash.
Just wait till you see that little baby dressed in spring sky and flowers–it’s going to be a beautiful sweater!
As a fellow Torontonian, I, too, am cursing this stupid weather. You may have pushed me further over the edge, though, when you reminded us that it’s been SIX freakin’ months! No wonder we’re losing it. I remember when I was a kid my mother would try to fool us on April 1st by saying “oh, look, it snowed last night”. I don’t remember it ever snowing in April until one freak (and it was) snow storm when I was just out of high school (and no, you don’t need to know how long ago that was). Not so much now, I guess. Sigh.
Oh man, I wish I were there or at home knitting instead of at work in cold and dreary Calgary.
But at least I have coffee to fortify me! Almost…It’s brewing…Slowly…
At least the yarn looks like flower colours~!
Have a lovely day with your yarn and a lovely weekend.
Katie =^..^=
I feel your pain…I am just a little west of you and can already feel the tears and expletives getting away from me 🙂 I am clinging to the truly Canadian hope that we will be rewarded with a wonderful summer, and am steadfastly ignoring historical references to the contrary.
I feel exactly the same way about THIS winter. I knew we would pay for last year. I went to my LYS yesterday and said, “I’m heading for the sock yarn. I need warm sock. I’m making lemonade.”
With those atomic powered needles of yours, you need to be knitting for a bigger child to knit your way into spring…
But the sitting, knitting, and cup of tea part are lovely and much envied.
I’m in St Catharines and I can commiserate fully. BUT: I saw this morning that the buds on the magnolia tree in my front yard are beginning to open and there’s a tine glimpse of pink on top of each. Yay! Spring *is* coming. Hold on there, next week should be much better.
They are the same colorway? Yes, that is unbelievable. Perhaps that yarn company has seen too much winter also and it’s lost its mind too.
We woke up to snow this morning in Minnesota. And there was ice yesterday morning. The weather will need to melt the snow off the driveway- I refuse to shovel it.
Knitting with a cup of tea is exactly what I’m doing right now! I just finished yet another pair of socks, and as much I love sock knitting I’m kind of ready for something else. Seems like the people in my life have an endless need for handknit socks. . .
Here in KY we had a total tease of a week, with temps up into the 80s!!! Now, it’s cold and rainy again. This winter can seriously kiss my ass. Just saying.
Have a good one!
🙂
Experiencing the same thing in Wisconsin. No snow in Oshkosh, but, rain, ice, wind power outage, is the sump pump working?, thank goodness we got rid of that big old tree, rain, wind puddles, rain….@#$!
I just finished an orange sweater–promised myself it would be spring before I finished that. Now working on a pink baby item–it BETTER be spring before I finish that–but I’m not betting on it.
Have you considered buying a vitamin D lamp? I have a friend who is slightly bi-polar and gets really depressed during the winter because of the lack of sun. His doctor suggested he get a vitamin D lamp. So now he sits in front of his “happy lamp”for a while and feels completely better.
Just imagine– a sun lamp and knitting! You would be a new woman! 🙂
I’m in Vermont. It’s sleeting here…. and my dryer broke last night……. I understand.
20 cm. of snow and 50 kmh winds forecast for tonight in Edmonton. Winter, I am so DONE! Stop already.
This story is now lost in myth and legend. My birthday is early April. My mother swore that in one of my elementary school years, there was a birthday party in the backyard and the girls wore cotton dresses and ankle socks. I can’t remember, but hope that it’s true.
Lovely yarn. Happy yarn and lucky little person.
I don’t know how to say this without sounding like I’m rubbing it in, which I’m not trying to do, but I totally get how you feel about needing winter to end. Spring has been in the Fraser Valley for a few weeks now and I keep marvelling at the beauty of it. And I’ve said out loud, more than once, “We made it!! We made it through that dreary winter.” I can’t wait til you get to say that too!
Dear Canada ~
You have left the back door open again. Please rectify this matter immediately!
Love,
Texas
We’re going through the same thing here in Minnesota. I see we have snow in the forecast again, and I can’t even summon a really good rage about it. I’m just too tired of it. I love winter, but it is so far beyond when I want this one to end it’s incredible. (And, seeing as this is Minnesota, we’re perfectly within normal parameters to get snow about now. It just doesn’t make it any less soul-sucking.)
I am with you on this…swearing in public? Maybe…hahaha
Snow started in September. We have had a thaw in January, now I knew it wouldn’t last; then another in February, I washed some of my outside windows; another at the end of March; yeah,then it snowed and got cold again. Probably going to snow today. Blah.
I KNOW spring will come. It does every year. That said, I am knitting with lovely yellows, greens and blues. Thank god for beautiful yarn.
I have a lovely yarn called early crocus…makes me smile everytime I look at it. Soldier on, Stephanie and know – you are not alone!
Same crap going on here in Kingston,ON. Only consolation is that according to friend of daughter, there’s so much maple syrup this year that there aren’t any jars left to put more in. Now I’m going to light a fire in the living room and get on with some mittens (for a publication next fall). And tea will help too–maybe.
Amaryllis – I’m sure the story is true. When my daughter was 4 months old we had a heat wave in April (I’m in Toronto) and I remember walking around with the stroller with her in very little clothing (her, not me!)! I seem to remember the same thing in recent years. Maybe we should close our eyes and go to that happy place!
Enough about you. How’s Sam?
Very pretty and you’re right, this winter crap is taking way too long to go. It was just getting warm enough to set my seedlings out on the patio to allow them the maximum amount of light away from my one cat who thinks they’re for her to play with and then the cold came back, walked out this morning to find my deck coated in ice.
What pullover pattern are you going to use, or is it one of your own designs?
Um..I won’t mention the weather here in San Francisco then. The yarn is lovely – lucky little person. Do you have a fireplace? A fire, cup of tea, knitting, something good on the telly and a warm cat always makes me feel better. Hang in there.
Don’t hate me, but I think I need to move to Toronto. I hate, loathe, and despise the heat and humidity of summer so much that I actually get depressed when it starts warming up here in Ohio. I love snow, though I do understand that it’s possible for me to love it because I don’t have to go out in it every day for work.
I’m sorry you’re having such a long winter that you hate. I can understand how depressing gloomy wet winter days can be for normal people, even though I’m not normal!
I’m in Michigan, where it’s been winter since 1892. Or at least it feels like it. I’m also knitting. And drinking tea. Cheers!
It was 75F/24C here in Boston on Tuesday and I gleefully put on Birkenstocks and a skirt. Today it is 38C/3F and raining/sleeting alternately. Clearly the planet is punishing my glee. Sorry about that.
Living in Southern California (where, despite near-constant local complaints, it’s ALWAYS good weather) has spoiled me for life anywhere else, including the East Coast of the US where I spent much of my life. Now I’m able to wear alpaca when it drops into the 50s. Sad but true. On another note, I very much like Liberty Wool, but the long colorways can be challenging if you need to match them up at all. You’ll appreciate working on a spring project, even if it’s not quite spring yet where you (and the majority of the US and Canada) are.
I’m in Ontario too. I share your pain and annoyance at the treacherous nature of this spring. It took 15 minutes for my son to clear a patch of windscreen the size of his hand this morning, so we decided not to go anywhere until this afternoon.
I think I need to knit baby things. This 1000-yard shawl is growing far too slowly to be satisfying.
You mean it’s possible NOT to burst into bitter tears and hurl expletives? So far today (south of Mtl) we’ve had sleet, rain, freezing rain and snow. The snow plough has just gone by. It’s cold and grey. And I’ve HAD it. This really has been the worst of winters. I’ll try knitting and tea if you think that’ll help, but I fear it might take gin.
I, and other North Dakotans (and Wisconsonites and Yoopers), join you in your frustrated cursing. We, too, get it that we live in the northern part of the US and thus winter lasts a long time, but we are SUPER TIRED of it for the year!
Hang in there Steph! we are well below normal here in Interior Alaska. Woke up the last two mornings to temperatures in the -10F range up in the hills…with -20F ranges in town in lower elevations….It should be in the low to mid-forties during the daytime right now and with all this sunlight (near 15 hours a day currently) it is hard to get a grip on the fact that it is only warming up to a mere 11F above during the peak of afternoon daylight….talk about screwing with your head! i’m sick of it and i do actually like winter….
BTW – a gal in my office decided yesterday that we somehow weren’t in April but that January decided to have 120 days this year…. sigh….
It’s a glorious 83F/28C here in north Florida. But it’s also tax season & since I’m a CPA, that sucks for me. It might as well be snowy & miserable for all the enjoying of it I’m capable of.
We had one (1) teaser of a day in the 70’s last week before it turned cold, windy & wet. Iowa’s 5th season of MUD. The grandchild we were waiting on was born (in Hawaii) The pictures are lovely, he is lovely, his name is lovely. The yarn is GRAY! Soft cotton fingering that matches the sky. I’ve propped the daffodils in mom’s milk-glass vase before me (blatantly copied from your post last week)read your post (love the yarn)& am knitting, thinking of the wee one I’ve yet to hold, who reminds me so much of his father when he was born.
If I could spend the day in that bubble it would be a good thing BUT the cupboards are bare, the list half done, the refrigerator can’t be put off another day. Life and weather – the hand is dealt & we play.
I am with you. Down here in Vermont the weather is horrendous. Snowing, sleeting, raining, freezing. I am so over it. Although, I had lost my knitting mojo for a few weeks there and sure enough with the drop in temps yesterday, it suddenly came back. Now I am working on a little spring dress for my babe. Have a good weekend full of knitting and tea and hopefully some sunshine, too.
I know how you feel. I’m only in Boston, but the winter still keeps coming back after holding out a tantalizing glimpse of actual spring. I’m also afraid we’re going to miss the crisp, cool spring and go straight to hot muggy summer.
I feel your pain, I just want to kick old man winter in the snowballs!
Another shout out from Vermont where I just had to walk out on my lunch hour to do some errands. There was a nasty rain/sleet/snow/slush combination falling from the sky and freezing to the sidewalk. Thank heavens I didn’t remove the snow tires when it was nice last week. I have been running a fairly steady stream of curses in my head for about 48 hours now…. I have even invented some new ones. So. Over. Winter.
I have some of that yarn… I can’t wait to see what you knit!
Is it too early in the day for a nice, warming (large) glass of merlot . . . ?
I live in South/Calif, and spring came earlier. Nonetheless, it doesn’t stop me from knitting. I even started to this on the beach. BUT….if you must be stuck in a long winter, thankfully, we have the perfect hobby to stave off cabin fever.
If not for your great health care system there, I would suggest you move to California. BTW, regarding your post yesterday, I started to think Luis’s mother might have been subtley hinting for a new sweater just like it, but bigger! With the same buttons if you can.
With love from Minneapolis – we’re about the same latitude, and have had the same spirit-crushing, never-ending winter. This time last year, we had already mowed the lawn once. Hang in there.
Like someone said on Ravelry: “Winter, go frigging home, you’re drunk.”
Both yesterday and today, while slopping around the neighbourhood with the dog, both of us soaking wet, all I could think of was that a cup of hot tea and a pair of warm, dry, hand-knit socks waited for me at home. I think it was really the thought of the warm socks, even more than the enticement of the tea, that kept me going. I thought of the soldiers in WWI, fighting in the muddy trenches with soaking wet feet, and how hand-knit socks and socks made on circular sock knitting machines helped prevent trench foot and gangrene. And then I realized that I really don’t have much to complain about.
Dear World/Gaia/Big weather God/ess
The Northern hemisphere is so fed up, we need the big yellow thing in the sky ASAP (with added warmth): when Canadians are crying and Brits are blubbing you know we need a change and soon!.
Please, please some sun now.
ps
Steph, love the yarn!
xxxx
I’m sorry to say but I’m so glad I’m not in the only area, nor the only person to be driven to expletives over this winter. It’s our first year in Vermont, and I’ve not been sure what to expect. However I grew up in London, ON, so I *know* winter and I *know* snow (snow’s weird here, just sayin’). I’ve been worrying to myself that this is a VT winter and I need to either get used to it or leave (not really an option, that). I’m relieved to know that it’s *not* a normal winter and I’m very normal in how far beyond “tired of winter” I am.
It actually occurred to me, this morning, that the snow? It’s my fault. See, I’m 3/4ths through an EZ Rib Warmer and callously thought to myself how unfair it was that I’d finish it, only to have to store it until fall before I got to try it out. I shouldn’t have thought that, and I apologise if I’ve had any part in prolonging winter. I promise to have it done by tonight.
I’m going with the flow and knitting mittens. You know it will stop snowing when they are finished and there is no need for them.
But they are gorgeous and I am head over heels in love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOTkKhGBD4c
You are welcome to visit either of our two guest rooms….it’s pretty bright and sunshiny here in San Antonio! I’ll even take you to the
Alamo! And if you time it right there’s Fiesta which is 10 days of absolute madness in April with enough bling to put your eyes out! 8^)
I’ll trade you my ~6 inches of WET HEAVY DRIFTED BLIZZARD for your rain. Geesh. This “spring” is gonna do me in, I swear. I make paper snowflakes to decorate for winter every year, and up til this spring, I’ve burned them in the fireplace on the equinox. I thought they were especially good this year so I kept them. Perhaps I’ll go get them & some matches…
Driveway is coated in ice pellets, car is white here in Maine. I feel everyone’s pain! Will this winter never loosen it’s grip?
You know…we could plan a Spring Knitting Break for the northerners who knit all winter and need some relief from the winter. North Alabama has a nice Botanical Garden where tired winter knitters could rejuvinate them selves with the flowers. We have a nice convention center for classes and etc. We have a local Women in Agriculture organiziation with llamas and sheep and goats associated with the local Extension Office and Alabama A&M that perhaps we could get in on the activities. Everything is close by, traffic is not bad. It might be interesting! Oh and miles and miles and miles of green fields this time of year!
Oh, I hope you are right! It’s pretty melty now, but we live on the shady side of the street and I’m sure there will still be ice in the yard at the end of April. But really, soon it should be over, we’ll have our week of spring and then it will be too hot. Fingers crossed, and I”m looking forward to seeing that finished sweater!
Excellent choice, Liberty Wool is my crack. I challenge you to knit just one wee sweater in it.
I’m in Northern WV on the PA border. We finally are having warmer weather. I feel for you completely. The bad words were hurling down here as well about a week ago. Soon as we are able, we are heading about as far south as we can get…Can you say the FL Keys???
Oh yuck. I am also SO OVER this winter. We’ve only just started to get spring here in Tennessee, maybe a week or so. It’s dragging its feet all over this year.
Raymonde @ 2:43 pm I LOVE it !!!! weres the little cutie Marlow ?
Oh, ouch. How rude of the weather. Okay, take a deep breath, pack up some yarn, pick up your passport and get on a plane to Maui. We’ll pick you up at the airport. Dez Crawford will provide her veggie gumbo recipe, and life will seem do-able again.
My sympathies, really.
Aloha,
Lisa
I used to live in a place that had 2 weeks of autumn (my fav season!), 4 months of a cold humid winter, 2 weeks of spring and… 7 months of sweaty, humid, freaking HOT summer. Temperatures reaching 52ºC (around 125ºF), for weeks.
I’d change for winter in a snap.
And I’ll never ever EVER live again close to beaches. 😛
I am very interested to see what is in store for that wool. I have 2 balls of the same yarn (though in a different colorway) that have been in need of a project.
I absolutely will not tell you about the cherry trees and tulips blooming where I live. Absolutely. That would be rude.
I’m with you, Sue @1:43, the 2 or 3 inches of snow that have fallen on Green Bay, WI today are going to have to melt where they fell because this person is NOT shoveling another flake.
I love balls of yarn that don’t look like siblings, much less twins, being the same color and dye lot. Can’t wait to see the sweater they make.
It has been grim in Manitoba too, but finally, FINALLY the temps have crept above freezing, the geese are returning and the Sandhill Cranes are back. Once the Cranes are back, Spring can’t be far behind. Take heart; it has to end eventually and even if the summer is not a scorcher, at least it isn’t everlovin’ freakin’ snow!
Love that yarn. I don’t drink tea but I’m thinking warm thoughts about a giant mug of coffee and a slice of the fresh Fruit and Nut Loaf I just baked, and sit down again with the very large afghan I’m knitting for my husband. It’s the masculine version of a prayer shawl, a prayer afghan, seeing that most men of my acquaintance do not wear shawls. It is meant to go in his car but I doubt it; more likely on his bed. Acres and acres of it. However, it is in lovely spring-crocus colours so that at least is heart-lifting.
The weather you speak of is coming to Halifax tonight. I will not be knitting, I will be doing a research project and pre calculus. 😛
We have had 8 inches in the last 24 hours in Duluth, MN, and all the colleges (3) and schools were closed. We are at the REALLY?? stage around here, too. I don’t want to make soup any more. I want to eat fresh chives from my yard. I don’t want to wear wool (I know, shoot me…) I want to wear cotton. And I am sick of hat hair, heavy coats and boots. It is time for flip flops and salads and sunburns. Grrrrrr….
I’m with you, Stephanie. The view from the window is just so….. Gah! But I’m stuck. Can’t find the pattern that scratches my itch. I have puh-lenty of potential just humming away in the bins downstairs (I can practically hear it!) but — what to make, what to make???
I hear you, honey. I live in Auburn, Maine and this afternoon I have watched rain, sleet, small hail and now snow falling outside. It is cold, wet, muddy and brown. Enough already!!!!!
You have my sympathy, if not my full comprehension. Grew up in the desert, ran to Northern California as soon as I could get away, and just don’t understand truly extreme weather, either hot or cold, any more. On the other hand, I’d love an excuse to curl up with knitting and a cup of tea… I’m sure if anyone can knit Toronto into spring, it would be you!
I grew up in San Diego, CA, the place with the most perfect weather with a mean temp. of 73F…then I moved to MI for 4 years when my kids were 2 & 4. The last year I spent there it snowed on the 20th of April. That damned weather reduced me to a bucket of tears and
caused the cast iron skillet to fly out of my hand and into the wall leaving a gaping hole. The language was so blue it reduced visibility to about 3 inches in front of the face. I swore I would never live in a place where shovels were required for winter. I now live in NV where we have 350 days of sunlight and where I now bitch about summer with temps in the 110F range…but it beats snow. If I should want snow, it’s a 30 min. drive to the mountains. Yay!!!
Oh, I hear ya. I work in Toronto and as I walked to the office icy water (rain? slush? slish??) was being hurled at my face and down my collar. MUCH unlady-like language under my breath. But my spirits rose as I pondered what yarn to get for my latest project. Truly it lifted my spirits.
I hear ya. We still have over a foot of snow here in Manitoba. And they are forcasting more snow instead of melting temperatures. I’m very close to insanity. I may have a solution though! I’m knitting a pair of mittens, because I know that as soon as I finish said mittens, it will be too warm to wear them. That’s just how it works…
I wonder where in Texas Angela is. It was a tad cool here this week but I won’t complain about 60F yesterday and we’ve needed the rain we’ve had in Austin. The best part about all the cold is ya’ll get to wear your woolies for such a lovely long time!
As you knit so fast, you could finish a baby sweater long before Spring has truly taken hold!
I’m from Chicago and never truly put the winter wear away until June. This is because I’ve seen it snow here in May — including one occasion on which a British friend crossed the pond to visit. He and his girlfriend wanted to go walking around the Loop, sightseeing. I had to loan them some heavy sweaters because the only outerwear they had were light windbreakers! The snow started while they were taking photos of the Daley Center Picasso sculpture. We ended up skipping anything that wasn’t between the Daley Center and the Art Institute, where they got to spend the afternoon indoors and warm!
I very much doubt that spring will be here in five minutes when you finish knitting that, but ok…..
The only one happy about the snow in my house is the dog. Good thing I didn`t throw out my winter boots last week when it was warm(ish) Tonight the fire is going, baby sweater on the needles, hot chocolate in the mug, movie on the tv.
Waiting for spring in Northern Ontario
Sorry, little sympathy from here. Sunday we hit a high of 72F, Tuesday’s high was 21F. Yes, a 50 degree temperature swing with 14″ of snow to bolster its’ street cred. If that knitting thing works out, please share about it on your blog. The comments make it appear many would be interested.
In southeastern North Dakota we’re preparing for another winter storm Sunday into Monday while our neighbours in South Dakota and southern Minnesota are still trying to dig out from the the last one. It’s crazy. I’m crazy now too. Only the hope of 24 hours without snow or wind (the Saturday forecast) and a spinning get-together in LaMoure, is keeping me from feeling completely defeated. Until then I’m knitting an eggplant purple shrug while watching Doctor Who. Bought a cute shrug pattern on Ravelry. Decided it wouldn’t be cute on me and almost completely revised it. Only the crocheted edging will remain the same. Can’t wait to see how it turns out.
I too live in SW Ontario. Want to start a sunshine support group??
Just a thought… you say those balls of yarn are both the same colourway… and I’m willing to believe that not seeing the whole ball but… given the precarious state of weather-mind and what has sometimes surfaced as a need to match stripe-iness (how the heck do you spell that!) or avoid colour pooling that has sometimes surfaced as a theme in your blog entries, I’m hoping you have chosen long and wisely to pick a pattern that will avoid the need to deal with these issues.
Challenge in knitting is good – at an appropriate time and place.
Wishing you very much happiness with this yarn – which is very delightfully bright and springy in colour to match happy knitting for a little one.
(Loved your perspective on well-loved knitwear yesterday. Similar to a that of friend who gave me lovely crystal wine glasses – but only if I promised to use them every day and not just for special occasions.)
Sping….I’m starting to forget what that is. I wore a pink, yellow and green shawl today to pretend it was Spring 🙂 Happy knitting!
Winter will just not stop lingering around! I live in Iowa and my family is in Wisconsin and it has done nothing but rain for the last five days … there is water everywhere! We have a farm and even the animals don’t want to go outside to get drenched. I keep thinking of the “where’s waldo?” books but instead, “where’s spring?”
Have fun with that yarn … I loved working with it! I made a matching hat, mittens, cowl set out of it for a Christmas present.
Getbout ! You missy really know how to party through a crappy winter, that is some seriously beautiful yarn you have there. some little person will look stunning in it. I will send some sun your way as soon as I can find some.
Even here many kilometers and miles to your south we’re having the same kind of spring. Temps below freezing tonight. Our only advantage by being to your south is the frost is mostly out and mud season is in full swing.
Michigan here…. We actually had a school snow day today. WINTER…give it up already….
If I didn’t know you knit REALLY fast, I would be REALLY worried about having to wait until you are done a sweater for spring to finally arrive in Toronto.
It’s only when you think the swearing voices are coming from the TV that you need to worry. And I know you won’t believe me, and if you did it would be no comfort, but nine months of freakin’ summer is no treat, either.
I’m not sure which is worse–having straight winter until it ends, or having a teaser of two beautiful weeks before plunging back into snow, cold, wind, etc. like we’ve had lately.
I’m not going to commiserate at all. Yesterday it was blowing sideways outside my downtown window (near Wellesley and Yonge). I have a video. On March 14 you said there would be three more snows (or you said at least three more snows, I’m dizzy) and I took you at your word, since I always think of you as more wise than me. *sob* COME ON.
Cold weather is bearable when you can wear your lovely hand knits.
I do love Liberty Wool oh so much. I always enjoy finding out what burst of unexpected color has been buried in the skein.
We had 85 three days in a row then as if there was a strange caprice it cooled down…alot. Now we are thinking of launching a boat to get across the car lot due to rain though our resident Canadian insists that the 18 inch rise in the parking lot is enough high ground to save us. We are in Delaware. DELA WHERE? The weather you got yesterday we will have today. Please wish for weather responsibly because I have finished all my current knitting(I feel so alone, no knitting can you imagine???.) Knitting will not help me with the crazy weather you donate to us here. Thank you. I will wish you good weather Karma.
We had a rash of babies in our family last year and I have just discovered what fun it is to knit sweaters for little people . Dying to see what pattern you pick – I need inspiration. But only in the pattern, I’ve already fallen for that yarn in those colors.
I hope the snow and ice melt soon and the spring comes out! 6 months is an awfully long winter!
We have about 18 inches of snow on the level in my yard. There is a winter storm watch out starting tomorrow(Saturday) and on to Monday. They’re expecting 7 to 14 inches of snow. Then there is a flood watch….the Red River of the North may decide to flood, depending on the way the snow melts-hopefully slow melt! I have a big knit project to do and will have lots of time to work on it as I just lost my job due to the company declaring bankruptcy. SO these are things I can not control therefore I just knit/spin and enjoy the wool fumes.
My sister and I used to live on the southern shores of Lake Erie and can remember similar feelings. We now live in Alice Springs in the centre of Australia and winters are blue skies, sunny and 20 C during the days. Bliss. Summers are hot but everywhere inside is air conditioned so it doesn’t interfere with our knitting.
Montreal got 20 cm of snow. I saw little sidewalk plow trundling along earlier today.
I’m tempted to climb into a hot bath with a bottle of wine and not come out until things improve.
I moved to San Francisco four years ago (sorry about that), but before that I lived in Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Michigan. I completely understand your plight. There is a saying that Michigan (or the other Ms) has four seasons: Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter, and Road Construction.
Keep on keeping on, it will truly end. How about a drop of brandy in your tea? 🙂
I know what you mean about this winter dragging on an unreasonable amount of time. Yesterday I wore sandals to work with cropped pants. I know that’s not exactly work attire (especially right now here in Michigan), but I honestly felt like maybe this was a mind over matter thing and maybe that ditching the winter clothes in favor of something more springlike would somehow speed up this process. It didn’t work – back to the long pants and wool socks today as it pours down cold rain and sleet on our heads. I finished 3 baby sweaters this week and an appliqued quilt top for a baby quilt. I don’t even want to look outside when it’s like this. Fortunately I have enough yarn, half-finished socks and sewing projects stashed away to take care of the doldrums.
I live North of you in Alaska. You’re reading my mind…the good news is the geese arrived a week ago in lovely sunny 30F ..or what we like to call 30 ABOVE ZERO. The geese mean spring has arrived. The not so good news is spring can mean 6 inches of snow overnight and then 30+ degrees the next day turning everything into a skating rink. The really good news is the tomato plants have sprouted so they like the geese and ourselves are reaching for spring.
Just a few weeks from now as you slog through mud and ice, just lift your face to the sun….it missed you too.
I like you’re solution.
Have to say down here summer has lingered far longer than is necessary and a few cooler days are welcome. High 20’s C in April! What is with that?
Enjoy your pretty yarn and your tea.
So sorry for the bad weather, everyone! This is all my fault. Last Friday all the snow had melted off my front deck and I retrived one of the deck chairs from the garage, thinking that my DH whose A-fib meds quit working and who is feeling rotten, could sit out and get some sunshine and fresh air. Said chair is still by the back door and is now filled with the second pile of snow, each of which was over 8 inches deep. Not to mention the 55+MPH winds screaming for a couple of days. It’s still snowing! I pushed a foot of wet heavy snow off just enough of the front deck to fill my bird feeders and put some seed down for the squirrels, rabbits and the one small deer that are visiting us. We are out in the rurals about 3 miles north of the big lake and are old enough to remember that this is not so unusual for April. I didn’t say we liked it!
Oh, I remember this feeling about 2 days before spring actually did arrive. Surely this spring-y sweater will usher in the season!!
I’m a teacher and schools have been outright closed (do not get out of pjs, do not come in to work, do not attempt to leave your house) for two days. Yesterday I knit a Baby Yours and today I knit a Baby Mine for my impending baby of unknown gender. The sun will come out tomorrow? Or Sunday? Monday’s supposed to be quite lovely, I’ve heard.
We can make it through. We’re strong Canadian women and we have yarn and pointy sticks, damnit!
I hear you. We’re supposed to get 5 – 10 cm of wet snow in Calgary tomorrow. I’m going to close the drapes, turn up the heat, pop open a Corona and pretend I’m in Mexico.
Best of luck my friend. Remember, that when Spring springs in Ontario, it happens in a week and a half. Hang in there for the ride. You know it’s coming.
Frustration is a bummer. Please send some winter my way – Nor Cal is having too warm a season. Freaky. That wool is precious.
I totally hear you. I just moved from Texas to London. Even though London is way more “my kind of weather”, this winter has been severely testing me…Uncle, I say! I am going to knit today as well:-)
Ah, the weather over here in the Netherlands is out of order also, an apple orchard has lost more then 4000 of their trees (about 10 %) due to the extreme weather. We have been told the great gulfstream that brings springweather to a start is this year way down more south then in other years. Great, now we can wait for the 11-year turnaround, which is due next. Although, after weeks of dry weather, we now have some drizzling rain and a hint of meadows maybe, just maybe, turning a little bit green. But today to me is a joyfull day, three years before I was born, 68 years to the day, my little place of the world was freed from occupation by Scottish Canadian regiments, placing their firing tanks on my grandfathers meadows to free the town of Groningen. Just when the fighters had passed. jeeps with bagpipe players assured the whole population of about 100 people they finally were free! We will be forever grateful to the Canadians and other nations, who made this possible. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.
I’ll be waiting to see how that colour way works. Looks like a really unusual combo.
I hope that spring comes quickly to Toronto. I also hope it will come here to Maine as well. This weather is dreadful. I am sick of snow, sleet and freezing rain. I welcome April showers, but am over this garbage.
Maureen on 4/12 @3:48, so we have to be from the great white north to join your knitting retreat?? (please say NO). Stephanie, that yarn is scrupdeli-ishous!! And Dutch Margaret on 4/13 @ 5:14and marjorie on 4/12 @ 3:05, your comments brought tears to my eyes.
We have rain/snow/cold here in N IL as well. I’m swearing in my head (and out loud) right along with you. That yarn is lovely though. I have a 10 year old project perhaps I should dig out and work on 😉 Many others have come and gone but I hate this one with my very existence and NEED to finish it someday.
I feel your frustration. When I was a senior at SUNY Potsdam, it snowed on Mother’s Day (mid-May)! I have lived in Florida for the past 22 years and I don’t regret it one bit. I’ll take hurricanes over blizzards any day. Try to stay sane and trust that beautiful weather is on its way, dear Harlot.
Even Maryland has shared your woes. It has been a long, weary, cold, grey winter. Very little snow, but consistently raw. We finally had a break a week ago, bringing much welcome sunshine and warmth, then a “heat wave” soared temperatures to 90F one day before plummeting 30 degrees the next. But the trees and flowers seemed to bud and bloom overnight. I hope we can say spring has finally arrived. I’d like it to stay a bit longer this year to make up for the past six months. — Love the colours you picked for the sweater. Anxiously awaiting the completion.
I keep asking myself “When did the White Witch take over?” And “I hope Aslan comes back soon!” So you see, I’ve finally lost it. I’m in central Minnesota and we had a school SNOW DAY on April 11th!!! In 23 years of teaching I’ve never experienced that. It was our 5th snow day of the year. Oh…and another winter storm is headed our way tonight and tomorrow. I am now convinced we are stuck in some January time loop and the Dr. is out there with his TARDIS trying to fix it for us!!!
Liberty Wool is the BEST! I love it extremely, and you’re going to, too.
Southern Wisconsin, cold, windy, a real challenge for those of us trying to put some miles on the bicycles. We have flood warnings and they are sandbagging in spots on the Rock River. It may be time to take the loss on the house and move somewhere sunnier.
Perfect colorway for a fresh new spring sweater!
As a native of Cleveland, I remember those oh-too-long winters that often lasted until nearly May! The grayness, the overcast, the never-ending cold.
May your spring come quickly indeed.
I live in Grand Rapids and it’s snowing today. I am also ready to scream.
Minnesota? snow. South Dakota? snow. I just keep reminding myself that it weeds out the riff raff.
FEELIN Your pain Sista!
Rain, ICE, snow here in N. Michigan… Winter MUST DIE! Absolutely LOVE Liberty Wool, I get it at my bestie LYS The Thistledown Shoppe in Suttons Bay Michigan!
Can’t wait to see your pullover!
I’m in the Keweenaw Peninsula, in Lake Superior. It’s snowing. We’ve had another 18 inches or so since Thursday. I’m knitting bamboo lace. Summer will come sometime. I can tell because the ice is melting on the Lake.
Being a (dedicated and experienced) teacher of young children, Friday morning in northern Vermont we bundled our five energetic charges into all their gear for an April morning walk: snowpants, winter boots, parkas, waterproof fleece-lined mittens, wool hats, neckwarmers… and headed out ever-s-cheerfully into the dreary, cold, blustery day. We made it down to the local salt shed and watched an ancient bucket loader fill a big dump truck with road salt. The dump truck driver sounded his horn for the kids as he drove by in the just-beginning freezing rain. “Look,” we told the children gleefully, “they’re clearing out all the road salt because it is the *end of winter!* They need to make room for the gravel they will use for road repairs this summer!” As we turned to cross the parking lot, the freezing rain turned to a vicious pelting hail. “Ow!” exclaimed one of our 3 year-olds. “I don’t wanna break my eyes!” “Squint and run!” we replied, “Squint and run!”
Meanwhile, we in Pennsylvania, USA, have been experiencing summer in springtime. Having achieved 88F to break the Philadelphia record for the day (Thursday) we watched in wonder as the west and somewhat south west of us received 1 to 2 feet of snow, hail, and tornadoes.
I wish you a speedy Spring arrival! Do, please hold on to your sanity while waiting!
Guess you’ll just have to plan a trip to Las Vegas then! It’s warm and totally Spring here. 🙂 We put in our garden a couple of weeks ago and it’s coming along beautifully.
Until you too get Spring weather, finally, enjoy your gorgeous knitting! 🙂 Such a fan of your blog!!
Hang in there,
Agnes <3
Steph!
I laughted until tears rolled down my face! I am right there with you! It is still COLD in Connecticut and it is mid April! I had to get more oil yesterday and I was NOT happy. It rained here yesterday and it was COLD, COLD, COLD! I have been sun deprived for far too long!
I drank last night, got out my needles and some yarn and decided on a sweater as well…for me! It seems as if spring will never come. But it just has too!! Easter is past and the bunnies are all out..so, where is the sun?
From a cold knitter in CT USA
Right. Spring… maybe. I live an hour north of you. There is a foot of snow on my garden, even though it feels like it’s been raining for a week. (It’s probably just been 24 hrs, but I’ve given up keeping track…)
@dutch margreet
Thank you for the reminder to us all that there are many things in this world far worse than a miserable end to winter and a tardy spring. My father was with the Canadians who liberated Holland, though he was not with a Scottish-Canadian regiment but with the 15th Canadian Field Regiment, recruited largely in the Prairies. How lovely that the wonderful Dutch people still remember. You brought a tear to my eye, but a smile to my face. So thank YOU, dear Margreet. Very soon, the tulips and other spring flowers will blossom, and on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, thousands of tulips, the gift of the Dutch People to the People of Canada, will bloom. A very fitting and beautiful post – thank you.
Would pictures of spring in Asheville, NC put you over the edge or cheer you? Rain and gloom is my favorite tea and knitting weather– we’ve had plenty of that this past month. PRETTY yarn!
“hatfiend”
Will you put the birdie buttons on it?
(Sorry. Sorry. I’ll try to stop. I just… the birdies!)
I’m not rubbing it in (really, I’m not) but living in the San Diego area means that gardening starts before Easter. Being a fairly recent transplant I missed the moment, but did start Easter weekend, and am knee deep in peat moss, compost, and this stuff they call amend (smells like manure), and what I call specimen plants (i.e., kind of like sock yarn, I buy one of various plants to see how they like my gardens). This has taken a serious chunk of time away from knitting, and tonight I’m sort-of envying your rainy evening and the prospect of a new small sweater. Grass… greener… other side…
Must be all that global warming.
I know exactly how you feel. Here in the UK, it’s only been in the last few days that we’re getting anything but rain, sleet, and utter winds coming across the North Sea from Siberia. I’ve been finished up all my winter WIPs as it just feels plain wrong to even think about knitting the lovely lace throws and cotton tees that I’ve had my eye on all through the cold. I wanna make something in pastels, damnit!
Here in the south of the US, winter seems to be keeping a tight hold too. I’m mourning our lost spring because it’s really about the only nice season we have here.
The only sensible thing to do is move. Really. I know the cold weather is conducive to knitting, but you’ll adjust with lighter weight yarns and you’d still have a myriad of family and friends who’d remain in the Canadian cold. At the very least consider migrating for large portions of the winter. Do I hear the word snowbird? Anyway, Just a thought. Take it for what it’s worth.
I’m in Delaware and we had NO snow to speak of either this winter or last. My little grandson is about to give up on the idea of ever building a snowman. Spring is here and I hate the hot, humid, yucky weather that is right around the corner. Give me a snowy day, a cup of tea and a knitting project any time. I used to live in Massachusetts and I’m trying hard to remember how I used to feel at the end of a long winter . . . Oh well, autumn, my favorite season is only five months away.
Oh yeah, spring. I remember that from previous years. Here in Britain it has been really cold – by that I mean really cold for us, which is round about freezing. I know that you hardy people from properly cold places scoff at this being called cold, and my only defense is that it’s all relative. I’ve seen snow falling and then staying on the ground four separate times this winter, which is just unheard of. One week, I saw it snow every day – I thought I’d fallen down the rabbit hole.
This weekend has been milder, and drizzly, which is more what I expect from the British weather at this time of year. But I’m not switching to the lighter duvet yet…
However, because it takes me a long time to finish knitting anything, I am knitting in a 20%/80% wool cotton yarn (Debbie Bliss Prima) – it’s super nice!
I live in Saskatchewan…’nuff said….sigh!
Just keep knitting, spring has to come soon – right? We had a couple of hours of sunshine today but I think it only served to give the rain clouds time to build up from drizzle to drenching – alas.
No empathy for you – try living in Calgary – Yikes. At least we have some decent yarn shops to stock up on during the 2 months of mild weather we get-and some years it is not July and August.
(I am from the Toronto area a million years ago and to be truthful – I’d sooner live here – I love Alberta)
Take care and knit on!
Donna
On March 16 we had 12-16 inches of snow here in the Shenandoah Valley, followed by a second storm a few weeks later. My thought at the time was, “I haven’t moved far enough South.” But today, I have forsythia, daffodils, crocus, a flowering Bradford Pear tree, and day lily leaves two inches tall. Winter is a test of faith. Spring is the reward.
About that yarn. . .have you unwound a bit of each ball to see if there are any colors in common?
Here, in France, not far from Switzerland, we had our first day of springtime … yesterday. I live up at 1000m altitude and we still have snow. It has been a long winter from everybody but I think living in town make it worse. Outside at least we can admire nature, even in its worst show, and feel life coming back, all little animals busy catching up… Yes, spring is coming and it will be there in Toronto as well!
The good side of winter is that it is the perfect alibi for knitting and knitting and storing more and more of that yarn… mmm… lived in hot countries and believe me, you dream about winter, even long winter!
No joke…what a crappy weekend. Cloudy, gloomy, grey, everything looking utterly dismal. A weekend where at the end of it all you have to show for it is a whole lot of laying around on the couch, eating chips and watching drivel like “Karate Kid II” (truly an abysmal movie…).
And I’m in SoCal where the weather is relentlessly wonderful.
We’ve had high winds, snow and ice pellets here in Northern Wisconsin, so I know exactly how you feel. The shoulder high drifts of snow are getting a little annoying.
I feel your pain! It snowed 4 out of 7 days here last week! Enough is enough, right? Hang in there!
Liberty Wool Light? That yarn has been staring me down at Windy Knitty here in Chicago. So pretty, nice color segues. The stare down became even more intense after I wrote about Liberty Wool Light. It was like, “You wrote about me and you **still** haven’t added me to your collection.” Liberty Wool most definitely has a pout on full display when I go into Windy Knitty. I have to pretend I don’t see it. Sorry, Liberty Wool.
Anger, depression, despondent. You name it . . . Wisconsin yesterday, snow, followed by freezing rain, followed by rain, then snow mixed with rain, it was still raining went I went to bed. Over 12 hours of precipitation. I ordered yarn on-line to take the edge off.
Yeh, Wisconsin weather sucks right now too. We got the snow and ice shortly before you did. Good thing we have lovely warm yarn to keep us sane!
I spent quite some time on our freezing cold SPRING camping trip to Tintagel (Cornwall) last week suggesting we might as well live in Canada (I always fancied living in Canada). But actually there were a whole ten minutes when we took our coats off while on the beach – scarves and woolly hats remained on though – so maybe it’s not that bad…
The Meladem cream is the most effective treatment for so many skin discolorations and conditions and provides you with great
relief thanks to it’s all natural ingredients.
You are my hero. Period.
One more thing. I do think that there are quite a couple of travel insurance web pages of respected companies that permit you to enter your journey details and have you the insurance quotes. You can also purchase the particular international travel insurance policy on the net by using your own credit card. All you have to do is to enter your travel details and you can start to see the plans side-by-side. Only find the plan that suits your financial allowance and needs then use your credit card to buy them. Travel insurance on the internet is a great way to check for a reliable company to get international holiday insurance. Thanks for giving your ideas.
I wondered how you got so lucky with the stripes… Yup I’m one of those people who don’t care. 🙂
I’ll accoutrements this appraisal to 2 types of people: vogue Zune owners who are in view of an upgrade, and people annoying to make up individual’s take note of between a Zune and an iPod. (There are other players value in the luminosity of outdoors there, like the Sony Walkman X, but I await this gives you reasonably info to exhort an educated conclusion of the Zune vs players aside from the iPod limit as well.)
I leave a comment when I especially enjoy a article on the blog or I’ve some thing to add towards the conversation. Usually it’s caused by the sincerness communicated within the article I browsed. And after this article Attain Your Resolution! What?? It&. I was actually excited enough to drop a thought I actually do have 2 questions for you if it is allright. Is it only me or does it look as if like a few of these remarks come across like coming from brain dead individuals? And, in the event you are creating on other online social websites, I would like to adhere to you. Would you list every certainly one of your community websites like your twitter feed, Facebook web page or linkedin profile?
Love the cup 😉
Thanks for sharing, this is a fantastic blog.Really thank you! Awesome.
Your place is valueble for me. Thanks!…
relocation moving company http://www.danneo.org/index.php?title=The_Only_Ideas_To_Get_Educated_About_removals_And_How_One_Can_Become_A_Part_Of_The_removals_Elite
Useful info. Hope to see more good posts in the future.
relocation http://wiki.xingong.net/index.php?title=The_Ways_To_Learn_removals_Plus_The_Way_One_Might_Be_A_Part_Of_The_removals_Top_Dogs
Thanks again for the article. Want more.
great submit, very informative. I wonder why the other specialists of this sector do not understand this. You must proceed your writing. I am certain, you’ve a great readers’ base already!
Yesterday, while I was at work, my cousin stole my apple ipad and tested to determine if it can survive a twenty five foot drop, just so she can be a youtube sensation. My apple ipad is now broken and she has 83 views. I know this really is completely off subject but I had to share it with someone!
This is a really good site post, im delighted I came across it. Ill be back down the track to check out other posts that
I have study a lot confusing info on this topic and have been disappointed in the content material. Your post makes this information clear and easy to understand.
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I think that you should write more on this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers