Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

It's chilly and foggy again today.  We just got back from our walk where we saw lots of evidence of freezing fog, so Dick went back out with his camera.

Tree branches high and low were lightly frosted.

Can you see the car in this picture?

In the summer these hardy rose bushes have flowers and leaves; today they are dusted with ice.

Spider webs were iced, too.  Any brave flies could see them easily!

This spider web reminds me of an icy trampoline.

At least today the frost was confined to the vegetation, and the black ice was temporarily  gone from the roads and sidewalks.  Last Thursday we heard a car take the curve too fast and jump the curb a ways behind us. Walks can be very interesting!

Happy 11/11/11!

It's rainy and chilly here, but if you happen to be out tonight and the sky is clear, be sure and look at the moon. It was so pretty last night, and Dick took this photo the night before.

We just got back from our daily walk. Leaves were raining down and
making huge piles in the middle of the streets and along the curbs. We were glad to have taken these photos earlier in the week because these trees look very different today. (That tall skinny tree in the second picture is a ginko. They turn the prettiest yellow each fall.)


I thought these were the last two purple hats, but then I found some leftovers from one of Sophia's sweaters, so I'll probably make a couple more. I am, however, very tired of lavender yarn! Can you see how little was left from the original skein?

Hope you've had a nice Veteran's Day. Many thanks to those who have served!

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.....

The weather people keep predicting rain, and we have had some, but lately we've had some beautiful crisp fall days, just perfect for walking. Last Saturday, as we trekked up and down hill, we stopped for some photos as the fall color was very nice. Since then it's been raining leaves, millions of them with lots more to come.





Even the moon was out that afternoon!

We've been meaning to get a photo of this tree for ages and finally remembered. Nothing, not even a chain-link fence, can stop a determined tree!

Our beauty berry in the backyard is nice this year also with lots more berries than last year.

I also finished a challenging KAL called the Seaside Shawlette, yarn and pattern from the Knitters Brewing Company. Besides learning a lot about lace, I got to witness the magic of blocking. Just off the needles, the shawl was a lumpy looking mess! Just a little water made it straighten out and shape up. No Socktober socks though.....

More on some other projects later as we're off to volunteer at the UW hospital. Have a great afternoon!

Ramblings~~~~

Once in a while a trek in the woods turns up something unusual. These aspen leaves are covered with what looks like insect trails, what kind, I don't know. Interestingly enough the trails were only on the topside of the leaves, but they were on lots of trees in that area. I wonder what that means for the health of the forest?

This is probably the most perfect example of a "nurse log" that we've ever seen. Occasionally a seed sprouts and grows on a dead log, and the log usually decomposes, leaving interesting results. When this stump rots, I wonder whether the tree will be able to support itself? In the meantime, lots of kids will have fun exploring its nooks and crannies.

It always amazes me that tall trees have such tiny beginnings. I love Douglas fir pinecones and the way the seeds peek out like little tails.

The perpendicular lines of the strata in this area were intriguing and so was the explanation. These rocks have been pushed up from the ocean floor! Can you even imagine? The trail here is probably around 5000 feet above sea level. Wow!

Despite our wanderings, I have finished a few small projects. I'm also working on a couple of sweaters which I hope to have done by September. We'll see.

A UFO scarf of Moonlight Mohair that had been languishing in my knitting bag.
Dishcloth
Inspired by the Fourth of July.
Dishcloth
Small but challenging..... I did not do it in the car!

Back to Normal!

The clear skies and cold temperatures have moved on, and our normal winter rain has returned along with warmer days. What you've heard about the wet weather in the Pacific Northwest, I heard "Northwet" on the radio recently, is mostly true and is certainly reflected in our vegetation. We're the EVERGREEN State for a good reason. Many of our tree branches are covered with lichen, like this hairy branch.

Long ago in biology class, we read about lichens and moss. Moss was common in the Wisconsin woods, but back then I never expected to live in a place where lichen grew so readily. It's everywhere, even on rocks in our garden.

And then there are these little critters which are all over the sidewalks. At first we thought they were the result of errant birds, but on closer examination, we realized that they are some sort of plant!

Our damp and chilly weather make a warm hat a necessity. We learned in a mountaineering class once that you lose a lot of your bodily heat when your head isn't covered, so a knit hat makes a lot of sense in this climate. Thanks to Dee and her blog, I found a link to this pattern called "Utopia." It was fun to do and should keep someone's ears and head nice and warm.