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!

Dressing up, or down, for Spring -

In my previous post, my sleeplessness story included just a mention of 'pandemic dressing.'  Elastic waist jogger pants I believe! I probably came across as an older woman who has now resorted to old lady dressing!  But that's not so. Yes, I am older but if you know me you also know I love fashion. Always have, always will.

However, you can't get away from it, fashion has changed a lot for most of us in this past year. I for one have not made any real 'fashionable clothing' purchases. . . . . have you?

These days getting dressed takes much less effort.  

Pull on a comfortable bottom - I so love those knit jogger pants for chilly days purchased at Target I went back and bought five more pairs - and pull something cozy, light, non-itchy over the head, and you're ready to go. "Go where?" you might say. That's a question to which most of us have a simple answer today. . . . . .and the past three to four hundred previous pandemic days!

But now spring is coming and we may soon want to dress a little differently. Lighter weight, prettier colors, linens and cottons etc. Maybe skirts rather than pants at times, looser, cooler knit tops with shorter sleeve lengths, sandals rather than sneakers and booties.

All these clothes in such inviting spring/summer colors are from the POETRY spring catalog. Somehow I got on their mailing list a couple of years back. They are based in England and do have online sales direct from across the pond. I have admired much of their clothing, styles/fabrics/colors, however their prices are somewhat high and I don't know anyone who has purchased from them so wonder if the quality is that good. If you happen to have purchased from them I'd love to hear from you, thanks.

Other news: I'm now 99% gray-haired. One more haircut and I can say it took 13 months of no color and several haircuts to go from my red, chin length, straight, blunt bob to a short wavy silver pixie! I was only able to handle this transformation because of the pandemic. Not going far from home, or needing to look put together with perfect hair, helped a lot. Wearing hats last summer when I looked so bad with half red and half gray tresses helped. Now perhaps I need to find new colors to wear with gray hair. Let's go shopping soon!

My daffodils are blooming - Spring is on the way!