Tofino, Vancouver Island, BC

{Extreme Knitting Vol 1}

{Maquinna Provincial Park)

Bear Sighting

I was happy to finally cross this animal off my life list. A black bear amongst the season-changing quaking aspen.
We were unsure why it had treed itself. We thought it might be a cub and threatened by something below. Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, BC.

Ferry ride to Vancouver Island

{We took a trip to Vancouver Island in British Columbia last week. It is almost a two-hour ferry ride from the city of Vancouver to Nanaimo on the island. As you can see from the photos, the ferry ride was very windy.}

{We spent the night in Nanaimo and then drove west across the island to Tofino.}

{Thermal}

And finally, a post about knitting. It took me a year, but I am finished with Thermal.

Pattern: Thermal from Knitty Winter 2006 by Laura Chau
Gauge: 28 stitches and 36 rows = 4 inches
Size: 32-inch chest
Yarn: Fleece Artist Blue Face Leicester 2/8 1093 yards per 250 gram skein (I used just over one skein for the sweater); Colorway - Ivory

Ravelry page

The pattern called for an alpaca-silk blend yarn, but I was worried about it stretching out, so I substituted with a wool yarn. I knit the sweater with two inches of negative ease - it works well as a fitted garment because the waffle stitch pattern is very stretchy. There is quite a bit of purling in this stitch pattern.

The yarn is beautiful and incredibly soft with subtle variation between beige, blue, and pink in the ivory colorway. It's a fairly loosely spun two-ply yarn. I was smitten with it since I unwound the hank and it more than made up for the tedious portions of the knitting.


The sweater is knit in the round from the bottom up. There is no shaping until the armholes and neckline. It's a good travel project. The neckline is a bit awkward to work. The shoulder shaping uses shortrows, which makes for a nice fit. The collar and cuffs are worked in twisted rib.


Finishing: Two 5/8" buttons
It helps to bind-off on the wrong side of the work - this makes for a neater finished edge. The three-needle bind-off should be worked on the wrong side also (I learned this the hard way). I wet-blocked the sweater after it was assembled.


The finished garment is warm and lightweight. I'm very happy with it.

EGGS

It has been discovered what came first - the chicken (the egg took a while...). After an endurance trial of 6 months, our flock is happily laying. Here is a photo log of the past six months of chicken hood.

{This is Heidi - a Wellsummer breed}

We picked up our chickens on a whim at The Urban Farm Store. We purchased them for all the right reasons - because they were adorable. They quickly grew out of that "phase", and every time we went back to the store, for food or knowledge, Maya remarked that the new chicks are cuter than ours ever were.

{Cherry - the Silkie and ugly duckling}

Sadly our dear Cherry turned out to be a boy (the molting buff silkie in the photo above). We had to return the he/she to the country. The silkie is an ambiguous breed and all investigation into the sex said wait until it either lays an egg or starts crowing. Cherry started crowing and now she lives with a different flock. We like to imagine our little turkey strutting and crowing with his own kind. We are better off without a rooster.

{This is Tulip - the big Australorp. We also have a small Australorp named Amelia}

Then one day they were full grown.

{You can't see in this photo, but this egg is blue. It came from Paloma, the Ameraucana}

And the final result: a demented coop-keeper and his prize.

New Year, Crab Chowder

We made this chowder recently and will be making it again in the new year. It is rich, buttery and filling

DUNGENESS CRAB CHOWDER
recipe from edible Portland



ingredients:
1. crab
2. olive oil
3. bacon
4. leeks
5. onion
6. carrots
7. thyme
8. cumin
9. coriander
10. cayenne
11. white wine
12. red potatoes
13. heavy cream
14. parsley

Missionaries

Photo: Maya and Sienna
{Maya} Jacket - Filson; Jeans - Lucky; Shoes - J.Crew; Hat - Handknit Shibui yarn
{Sienna} Sweater - J.Crew; Pants & Shoes - unknown

Maya and I visited the La Purisima Mission in Lompoc while we were in California for the holidays. We were looking for a potential wedding venue. The mission has been historically preserved, and is still imaginable as a working system unlike many of the California missions. The grounds are well kept with courtyards, fountains, livestock stables and open space. A beautiful setting.
One of the real reasons for being wed at the mission is that Maya can have some of her best friends present and not even need to waste the invitation.

{Bryce} Jacket - Barbour (Christmas gift from Maya); Pants - J.Crew (also a gift from Maya); Shoes - Camper