Birds of the Kimberley

" They shall see teal, blue winged, green winged, shelldrakes,
 whistlers, black ducks, ospreys, and many other wild and noble sights before night,
   such as they who sit in parlors never dream of . "

- Thoreau

I took my morning coffee sitting outside yesterday morning :: just watching it rain gentle and steady.
I sat out there for two hours and watched this frog mouthed owl up there on that tree branch. They usually always sit in pairs, but this time just the one.
The only time it moved was once an hour into things - a shake of the head to rid the raindrops i imagine.
I do often wonder what it would be like to escape the world, and sit and watch and wonder and write.
Did I ever tell you that I once visited Walden Pond ?
A big Thoreau fan, it was quite a moment in my life.
Here you can see and read about other birds of the Kimberley, seen where I live.

Yarn Along

Hello lovelies !!
It's yarn along time again.... and I have a finished project to flaunt.
It's my chick a dee scarf - and I do love it. It's my first ( finished ) lace project.
I am also working this week on a new project - a white cable and lace cowl.
I hope to be sharing more of this test knit soon.
No reading this week - Hubby has been away in Tasmania.
Thank goodness he is home. xxx

Making Men

1784  by Benjamin Franklin in Remarks Concerning the Savages of North America :

....at the Treaty of Lancaster, in Pennsylvania, anno  1744, between the Government of Virginia and the Six Nations...the Commissoners from Virginia acquainted the Indians by a Speech, that there was at Williamsburg a College, with a Fund for Educating Indian youth; and that, if the Six Nations would send down half a dozen of their young Lads to that College, the Government would take care that they should be well provided for, and instructed in all the Learning of the White People.  It is one of the Indian Rules of Politeness not to answer a public Proposition the same day that it is made ... they show it Respect by taking time to consider it ... They therefore deferr'd their Answer till the Day following; when their Speaker began by expressing their deep Sense of the kindness of the Virginia Government, in making them that Offer; 'For we know,' says he, 'that you highly esteem the kind of Learning taught in those Colleges, and that the Maintenance of our young Men, while with you, would be very expensive to you.  We are convinc'd, therefore, that you mean to do us Good by your Proposal; and we thank you heartily.  But you, who are wise, must know that different Nations have different Conceptions of things, and you will therefore not take it amiss, if our Ideas of this kind of Education happen not to be the same with yours.  We have had some Experience of it ; Several of our young People were formerly brought up at the Colleges of the Northern Provinces; they were instructed in all your Sciences; but, when they came back to us, they were bad Runners, ignorant of every means of living in the Woods, unable to bear either Cold or Hunger, knew neither how to build a Cabin, take a Deer, or kill an Enemy, spoke our Language imperfectly, were therefore neither fit for Hunters, Warriors, nor Counsellors;  they were totally good for nothing.  We are however not the less oblig'd by your kind Offer, tho' we decline accepting it; and to show our grateful Sense of it, if the Gentlemen of Virginia will send us a Dozen of their Sons, we will take great Care of their Education, instruct them in all we know, and make Men of them.'

 sharing poetry at Linda's space today. x

                                                   Celtic Memory Yarns - dyed by my pal Jo.
                                                  Who can resist such yarns? I couldn't...
                                                   psst.. go away nosey stash Leprechan !

Knitting a Fool

My new years resolution?

To knit like a fool.

I finished my study shawl  !!!!
It is so lovely i've been wearing it round the house.
Veera has some lovely striking designs, doesn't she.
ps. Test knitting coming up soon :))
Also, do you see how my sunny day scarf is growing !?
I am so encouraged by that lace ball slowly getting smaller, smaller, smaller.
Truth be known, the only reason I am working on this one is because I am
waiting for more exciting things to arrive in the mail !
Test knitting times two :: COWLS.
With that beautiful blue MadTosh Vintage you see there..
Joining up today with Ginny's yarn along  - (my word there are alot of link to get thru nowdays)
xo

New Camera

Yarn Along

Helloooo!
I've got some knitting to share with yoU!
I'm making HATS , AND HATS, AND HATS !

I am wearing that 70s hat , and Jack is sporting my rose red. I am casting on soon for another rose red. That's 4 hats in two weeks !@!

For this weeks yarn along ... I will show you my lace knitting progress. I warn you, it doesn't seem to look much different that my last blog post here = which was in OCTOBER !!!!

Doesn't this look gorgeous , fluffy , and adorable. Can you believe I frogged then unfrogged it.

I'm sorry little item of fluffiness - but you are slow going. Anyway, i'm persisting on. I will love wearing you little chick a dee scarf . ( thank you all for your tips on this last year, i did manage to untwist my twist )

 As for our reading :: John and I both have read this book - it's  beautiful.

Swimming with Crocodiles     by Will Chaffey

If you are interested about Australia or the Kimberley ; this is the book to read.

This book is all about where we live right now. Derby even gets a mention.

Happy knitting and reading to you all, Blessings. x