Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Travel memories and the fabric of life -


This time two years ago we were on what was to become our last overseas trip prior to the arrival of the pandemic.  Looking back through my blog posts from that trip to Morocco, Western Sahara and the Cape Verde Islands, I am noticing that many of my photos on that exciting and enjoyable journey included colorful fabrics.


Our colorful friend Kim preparing for a camel ride.



Today I'm starting to change over my wardrobe ready for cooler weather - although that won't be this week as we're due a heatwave!
I'm amazed that much of my personal wardrobe has nothing quite as vibrant and eye-catching when it comes to colors!  First things out of the storage boxes today are an unbelievable number of black jogger pants and basic black long sleeve tee shirts . . . . . . . which will now be my going to physical therapy uniform!

Perhaps COVID had me over-buying comfy, boring clothes these past almost two years.  After all I didn't travel anywhere to throw caution and neutral color dressing to the wind. I didn't pull out the portable clothes rack to assist in organizing a travel wardrobe for an expedition or cruise ship to a colorful location far from home.
Other than a small suitcase and a brief flight to New England this year, I didn't pack everything but the kitchen sink for a real adventure! Crossing oceans, and visiting colorful venues where one can buy bright swirling caftans, soft pashmina wraps, and silk scarves never happened.
Will dressing change back to how it was prior to COVID?
Will masks be my only splash of color for much longer?

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Regarding the knitting giveaway - love that so many of you have
 already left a comment on my previous post for the drawing next week.
Several of you are overseas but that's OK, posting something light 
is not that expensive.  
Also, some of you want the pattern to knit your own cowl. 



It's so easy that I really don't have a pattern, and you only need to know the 'knit' and 'pearl' stitches. . . . . . . 

On a pair of size 8 (US) knitting needles, cast on an odd number of stitches, I usually do 49.  
Knit first two rows into the back of the stitches for a neat edge.
 Next row, knit two stitches also into the back for a neat edge, then pearl one
knit one across the entire row to the last two stitches and knit those two into the back also. 
Turn and repeat the same on each row until knitting is about 25 inches long.  
Knit into back of one last row all the way across, then cast off - again knitting
 into the back of stitches for a neater edge.
Twist the knitting one turn and line up the two short edges, pin together, and 
hand-stitch them together (I use a crewel needle) with a length of your
 remaining yarn.

Voila - you have a warm cowl for your cool neck - and perhaps,
 like me, you feel you actually didn't completely waste all those hours
sitting in front of the TV!!!!!

I'm off to decorate with my pumpkins and potted mums!
Also to bake an apple and blackberry galette.
The sun is shining ~ the grass is growing - granddaughter is 
coming for supper and hopefully will share those Alaska 
wedding photos she took!



7 comments:

  1. By the time you read this, I am sure you have had a wonderful evening with your granddaughter, supper and Alaska wedding photos!
    Colours matter so much for our wellbeing. It is known that they can really influence our mood, same as scents and sounds. We are, after all, animals with instincts and instinctive reactions.

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  2. I love those colourful garments. And it reminds me of a trip I had to the Atlas Mountains many years ago. A man called Hassan appeared at regular intervals throughout our stay and tempted many of our group to buy the beautiful fabrics ha had to offer. So much so that when it was time to leave some people found they had bought more than they could take home with them. No matter, Hassan turned up in the nick of time to buy back any surplus at a much reduced rate!

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  3. Such colorful photos from your trip. I know you miss traveling.

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  4. Dear Mary,
    I have a confession to make that beautiful neck warmer you made for me sometimes goes to bed with me.

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  5. Dearest Mary,
    Got to be at choir practice for the Messiah by G.F. Händel.
    You are so right about so many things having kind of dissipated due to the China Virus.
    Very sad and also the clothing industry will suffer because of it.
    Hoping you had a great viewing of the wedding pictures by your granddaughter Jasmin.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  6. Such beautiful, colourful photographs ….. I’m afraid that I am a lover of black, grey, and brown clothes with maybe a touch of white ! But I can still appreciate someone who loves to wear colour …. I just love dark colours on me ! Hope the physio is helping Mary. XXXX

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