A Walk in the Woods

Oh Oh Oh! I got my Amazing Lace (yarn) in the mail today. It has taken every single ounce of self control I have not to post pictures of it all over this blog, I love it so much. But it's a gift and I'm trying to make it at least a bitty bit of a surprise. But... it's a Sundara yarn and it crunches like freshly fallen snow in the middle of winter (my favorite sound, by the way, next to the sound of the screen door at my grandparent's house on Lake George slapping against its frame -- now that's the sound of joy). And someday, I'll find a way to post pictures where the gift recipient can't find them.

In the meantime, a knitting update -- This


orange blob is on it's way to becoming a modified version of Peony's Anthropologie Sweater. I'm messing around with it a little -- longer sleeves, slightly longer body. We'll see how it turns out. I'm hoping I'll finish it tonight.

I've been working slowly on my Lorna's Laces "Freedom" socks (with yarn I bought to celebrate my new advising situation). No pictures yet. They're coming very slowly. When I finish one, I'll post.

In the meantime, my friend Jennifer from Memphis is visiting with her husband. She and I took the afternoon off, after the rainstorm passed, and went hiking to Bad Branch Falls, on the Kentucky/Virginia border. Since folks have remarked that they like the "scenery" photos, I took a couple on our hike today.

Kentucky is beautiful. This is a view from the top of Pine Mountain.


We saw lots of small, beautiful flowers on the trail, like this woods violet:


and this blackberry flower.


There were also a lot of really interesting mushrooms.


The falls were beautiful as always, but the highlight was the walk there. The trail to Bad Branch is damp and dark, with bits of woods peeking through the dense, tree-like canopy of rodedendron. I love it.



We also saw a lot of wildlife, like this snail:


and, the highlight (literally and figuratively):


this little, fluorescent orange newt. He was very patient and photogenic, though my camera kind of freaked out about his color (notice, not in focus).

I love spending time in the woods, particularly after it rains. I've grown to love it here, and feel so connected to this place, it's hard to imagine leaving. I made the deicison, after my last trip to Philadelphia, to spend more time here. Originally, I had planned to return to Philadelphia this fall. Now I think I'll stay through the winter (and lets be honest, who could leave here in the spring when it is so beauatiful), and write here, stretch my legs a little, get some chickens, and see how long-term rural life treats me. I feel really good about this decision. I just don't feel ready to leave...