Today there's a bitter wind blowing off the nearby mountains and I'm quite surprised the highest peaks haven't got a covering of snow. With such a bracing wind what better way to keep warm than a morning spent cutting logs ready for the winter days ahead. My husband loves his chainsaw and everything to do with cutting wood. I think he might have been a coppicer or charcoal burner had he lived 100 years ago. His enthusiasm and hard work thankfully will provide us with log fires until next spring when the process will begin all over again.
We are surrounded by woodland so fallen branches are plentiful.
You have to know which wood burns quickly or slowly, gives good heat or doesn't. Its all a mystery to me.
The leaves are only just beginning to change colour but the old crab apple tree outside our back door is always ahead of the game and is now shedding its leaves quite quickly. Festooned with blossom in spring and glowing gold in autumn it gives real value for money. I'm always amazed at how many different shaped leaves it has. The ones in the picture above all come from this tree.
The woods are quieter than they were in spring and summer. The sound of birds foraging in the leaf litter alternates with the delicate tap-tapping of falling acorns as they bounce off branches on their descent to the ground. The occasional hoot of a tawny owl is not uncommon. We see this bird quite often around the garden during the day. This little tawny was photographed on our windowsill at midday.
When I was a child my story books always seemed to feature wise old owls like the one pictured above. It is from one of my first books, 'Baba' by Betty Larom. Owls always wore specs and often carried a book under one wing to reinforce their wisdom.
When she was very small my daughter was given a wonderful book entitled 'Come Follow Me' by Gyo Fujikawa. All about the secret world of elves, fairies, gnomes and trolls, the illustrations are really endearing and not at all frightening for a young child. The picture above is attached to a poem about Halloween in which three little witches dance with a black cat amongst the pumpkins. Two haughty owls watch the dancing and frown. No books and no mention of wisdom!
Ted is ready for Halloween but is looking a bit glum wouldn't you say? A woolly jumper could be just what he needs. With this in mind I have two patterns for you this week. The first features Jack-o'-Lantern and the second little owls.
Repeating every 12 stitches, the lanterns are easy to knit and I rather like the idea of knitting a row of smiling ones with just a single frowning one somewhere in the row.
Using bright yellow for the features adds to the effect and really does make the lantern look as if it has a candle inside. To achieve this effect use yellow yarn for the features when knitting or do as I have done and embroider the yellow on later.
The owl repeats every 12 stitches
Both Jack-o-Lantern and the owl would be great for Halloween themed knitwear. You have just a month to complete a project. Have fun!
Oh it is just beautiful in your neck of the woods. I LOVE the owl pattern, thank you Clarice
Posted by: clarice | 03 October 2008 at 08:39 PM
What is it with men and their chainsaws? I swear mine might take his to bed if I said okay:-)
Posted by: Suzanne | 03 October 2008 at 09:46 PM
You really live in beautiful surroundings, how wonderful to see owls like that one in your garden. Take care
Kimx
Posted by: kim | 04 October 2008 at 08:22 AM
These patterns are really cute.
I've fixed the link - thanks for letting me know.
Posted by: Kirsty | 04 October 2008 at 06:02 PM
I am sure you've also seen A Children's Book of Poems by the same illustrator. I now have a copy, having fallen completely in love with that work!
Posted by: Karen | 04 October 2008 at 11:02 PM
Hello Eli..
What a privilege it must be to live with the beauty of nature all around. I would be beside myself if an owl came and sat on our window cill. I do occasionally hear them in the wild garden next door.. hunting for their mice breakfasts.. the same source I believe as our cat's!
We were very lucky to have a red-headed woodpecker in our garden last week..
T'is a beautiful time of year.
All best wishes
Michele x
Posted by: Michele | 05 October 2008 at 12:52 PM
Lovely patterns! I can sew anything but I'm just a plain knitter I'm afraid!
Posted by: Jayne | 05 October 2008 at 02:43 PM
Hello :) Thank you for visiting the pigeon loft- Mr.Pigeon is blushing after reading all those nice comments about him!
I love all your knitting patterns- I reckon a pigeon jumper with an owl on the front should be my next knitting project!
Posted by: Charlie P | 06 October 2008 at 10:12 PM
HI Eli,
I fixed those links, oh dear thanks for the heads up. I had added an extra http it seems. Is that bobbin lace and spangled bobbins in your sidebar?! I started making lace a few years ago. I haven't had much time for it lately but I hope to get back to it:-))
Posted by: Suzanne | 07 October 2008 at 04:40 PM
Yes Suzanne, you are quite right, that is a picture of spangled lace bobbins. My great grandmother was a Bucks lacemaker and I would love to learn the craft someday. I will hopefully be featuring some of the more interesting bobbins in a future blog
Posted by: Eli | 08 October 2008 at 06:16 PM