Rain comes, and birds —
Silhouettes against the pearlescent sky–
Respond excitedly in song.
They open their throats to heaven's nectar,
And rhyme with the drops.
Deng Ming~Dao
I wish you could all read the meditation that is attached to the above verse, but it is too long for me to type out. To sum it up….it is up to each of us to sing as we feel moved by the overall song of life. Do we harmonize with it? Do we sing a counterpoint? Do we purposefully sound discordant tones or do we sing with joy?
It is up to us to fit into it, go against it or even flutter off on oblique angles. Look to the birds who sing in the rain and know what to do when winter comes… and will sing a counterpoint when they need to….who will sing poetry that is discordant when it must be and rhymes when it is proper.
There is no doubt that this has been a hard summer for me….that sunflower really inhabits how I feel right now but I am pushing on and doing what I need to do to feel good again and feeling hopeful. :-) Verses from my favorite little Tao book are always an inspiration. 🙂
I have decided that I will try to do shorter daily posts instead of the long posts that I tend to do when so much time goes by. This way I can stay in touch with you more regularly as I deeply miss your companionship and company when I am away for so long.
So….I will try to catch up with what I have been working on. My knitting this summer has been a bit scattered, but it has been a happening all the same. The sock above is another Keukenhof set done in my Pearl sock yarn. I did switch out the short row heel and substituted it with a flap heel. (I am so not a fan of short row heels…just sayin'). The first sock is finished and the second one is started. 🙂
Next on the needles is Pea Vines and it is such a beeutiful stitch pattern! I have to admit I am struggling with loving the nupps, but the complexities of the pattern keep me moving forward….it is going to be one stunning shawl when it is finished!
Last on the needles is my favorite vest pattern. Ken likes to refer to the one I currently wear as my "dye uniform". I LOVE that vest because it keeps me warm and cool all at the same time, which is why I wear it when I am working.
The yarn I am using for the new one is hand spun as was the first one and so far I am loving the fabric. I love the mindlessness that this knitting project gives me right now, so this is the one that I tend to turn to at the end of the day. I'm thinking I will have a new vest very soon. 🙂
It's good to be back!!!
The Woolen Rabbit 
It’s so good to see you back Kim! I’ve missed you. I’m hoping that things improve and that you’ll be feeling much better soon. Pretty knits you have there.
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I’m so glad you blogged, I have really missed you. (even though I’ve seen you, figure that out!) Anyway, I love that sock. What a gorgeous rich brown and the pattern is beautiful.
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Kim, I’m so glad you’re back. I’ve missed you, as well. Shorter, more frequent posts will keep us all in touch, and that’s a good thing. 🙂
Love your Keukenhofs. For the record, I’m not a fan of short heels, either.
And the pea vines!! Oh. My. Even mid-way through, even unblocked, it’s beautiful. The color is perfect, too.
You’re like me, I have to have mindless knitting around in addition to whatever else is on the needles. You know how runners cool down after a run? My plain, comfy raglan sweater (or vanilla socks), like your vest are my cool down at the end of the day when I still want to knit, but I’m done with the intricate for the day.
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It’s so good to see your posts. Everyone’s lives are so fast paced and it’s hard to keep up with blogging the way we did. My plan is the same, to make smaller posts, more frequently. This post is lovely Kim. You’ve captured the essence of fall. Sending hugs and good thoughts your way, with lots of love.
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What can I say…I’ve missed you. Missed hearing about what was happening and how you were doing. It is funny how much you grow to depend on these threads of connection. I do hope that you are feeling better. This summer has been crazy and wild all at the same time, I for one am looking forward to a change in the “weather”.
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So good to have you back! Hope you’re feeling better. I’ve missed you! Love that sock color.
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I’m sorry you’ve been going through a tough time. Hope you find your own personal “Spring” soon.
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Kim, every day I check in on your blog and I was happy to see you back. I think brief little posts are a good idea and I pray that each day finds you feeling a little better.
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Kim that is a great post. I hope that you are feeling better. I appreciate the link to the Tao book which I think is exactly what I have been looking for.
The Pea Vines shawl will be wonderful, I like the color of the yarn of all three projects.
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Glad to have you back and hope that whatever made the summer rough will be gone and you are able to enjoy the autumn. Can you tell me what pattern you use for your “dye uniform”?
Look forward to more frequent posts…who cares if they are short…just glad to hear from/about you and yours…and knitting of course.! 🙂
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So great to see you back!
Loving, absoluteling loving that sock!
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Kim, So good to read your fine post. I actually prefer shorter blog posts if that is any encouragement! Love the photos, especially the sock with the wee pumpkin.
Paula
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Good to see you! Hope the nagging issues are quieting down.
How do you do the nupps? Mangofeet’s method is pretty easy. Doesn’t involve trying to purl X stitches all at once.
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I just tried a short row heel, and ended up having to unravel the entire sock. I restarted it, but may convert the heel this time. I don’t like giving up on a technique, so maybe I’ll try it with some spare yarn and bigger needles to fix what I’m doing wrong.
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HI KIM – good to have you back— life always throws us these little hills to climb eh?
– have moved and been busy while you were away – need to get back to my knitting
– those nice mindless projects sure are the best through busy , stressful times
cheers and hugs –pat j
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I love the colour you have chosen for your vest. Beautiful.
I wonder if I might enquire which vest pattern you use? (I am on a constant hunt for the perfect, or even a little imperfect, vest.)
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Hi Kim, I’ve been missing you as well! Would love it if you’d share the vest pattern if possible, I’ve got some stunning reddish orange yarn yelling VEST! Great to have you back.
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