Beginning of the 2016 & 2017 Ski Season

First Day on skis this year (2016_17 ski season) was November 19th. We still don't have much snow here on the tundra.  I am have become used to skiing on very limited snow coverage.  The tundra is actually rather forgiving as it is not too rocky. 

 

My favorite type of ski, if I could only have one pair, would be a metal edge, waxless touring skis.  I have two pairs, this narrow Rossignol pair and a wider pair of Fischers.

Christian setting up snow fences on top of Picnic Hill.  We use these palettes to build snow drifts to cover areas that get scoured from our high winds.  This is what a certain physics teacher figures out in his free time---it works great!

We are always happy when  we are back on snow!

A ski is not complete without a tea break!

Sadie laying on my insulate pad warming up her toes.  I carry a pad to sit or stand on, plus the dogs can rest on the pad to warm up a bit.

Heading home after our first ski of the season.

Late afternoon cooler colors.

My Sadie decked out in her Ruffwear Jacket and Harness.  Traditional dog mushing booties with cross-country ski straps holding them in place.

Break time

Ah so pretty--my girl Sadie!

Little Miss Tally who never ever gets worn out, and will chase a stick forever!

Thanksgiving Day ski over on the Dragon's Back.  It looks like the Dragon is back but still in ill health.  Sven will need the skiers to bring him back healthy and strong!
(This is part of my story I tell--that should be made into a book!)

Nulato Hills to the south

The northern setting sun about 3:00 p.m. I love this time of year as we move into the darkness of the winter solstice.

Sadie the lap dog at 80 pounds warming me up during tea time.

Bliss is being back on skis . . . long northern shadows, darkness creeping in more and more each day, the return of winter!

The Lopi Sweater: A Love Affair

I have always loved the Lopi sweater and have been intrigued by Iceland. I am not sure where or how the love affair started but I suspect it was with L.L. Bean.  The Icelandic sweaters they had for sale in their catalog while I was growing up always caught my eye.  When I was about 19 (the late 1970s) I finally was given and Icelandic sweater from L.L. Bean by my parents.  I loved it and I still have that sweater in our storage unit at home.  I have thought of cutting it up to make it into a pillow. I also have dreams of wearing it again . . . I am hoping I will fit into again instead!

Here I am sporting my loved Icelandic sweater from L.L. Bean!  I should look at this sweater this summer, chart it out, and knit another one using this pattern!

I have always wanted to knit sweaters.  It took a long time to learn to knit and to put all the pieces together to be the knitter I am today.  In my mind, a real knitter knits Iceland or Lopi sweaters, Norwegian ski sweaters or Fair Isle.  I love color work and these styles were my goal!  If I could knit them I would be a "REAL KNITTER."

Recently, I have fallen down the rabbit hole of the Lopi sweater!  I love the patterns!  The bold geometric shapes, the creative designs that abound today, the colors are rich and vibrant.

Below is my current project which is a mix of two different yarns.  I am on a destashing kick. This destashing trend just happened! I have no complaints as I have yarn that really needs to be knitted up and worn. The gray yarn is actually a Jamieson's Chunky Shetland that was gifted to me from my Aunt.  Here this yarn is in the beginning stages of a vest. I recently have decided, I want a break from anything with a button band. The vest was frogged and has now turned into two sleeves.  I am pairing this yarn up with Unspun Icelandic Wool or Plötulopi.  The sweater will be a pullover and the color work design I will be using is Annika from The Best of Lopi.  There will be some slight modifications in my sweater as it will be a closer fitting sweater to wear for skiing when it is minus whatever here on the tundra. 

These are the colors I will be using for this sweater.  On the left is a very pale gray.  The pattern has 3 colors but I am going to try to get a 4th color worked into the design.  This is to help with destashing and more color is always a good thing in my world.

Sleeve #1 on the needles.  US 10 needle 4 sts to an inch with a provisional cast on. At present, I am thinking of an icord trim but may change to a knitted hem.

Off & On the Knitting Needles

I have been on a bit of roll here with knitting and getting WIPs (Works in progress) off the needles.  I tend to do this a bit of needle cleaning!  All work must be DONE!  If you are a Ravelry member then you can find some of my projects listed on my projects page "knitski".  I am not a great one for keeping up with my projects there either.  Details . . . I am not a detail person at all!

Bláithín #2  headed south as well and it was a fun knit once again.  I did change the button band to a crochet.  I didn't want to knit a steeked sandwich again.

Buttons just placed for setting up the holes.

On the board

DONE!

I loved the pockets on this sweater just a nice detail.

These slippers headed south last week. I am curious to see which grand niece they will fit and then who else will want a pair.

Calling all SNOW . . . Where are you?

This day came and went!

This photo and others are just a review from last weeks walks on the beach or tundra.

I always love the cold blues and pinks from the time of the year.

Sea ice forming

Our setting sun . . . 

Ms. Sadie in search of a moose head

My dream one day soon!

I sit in northwest Alaska and I am still waiting for snow . . . it is cold, the ground is frozen, the river, slough, and the sea are all freezing up nicely, and yet there is no snow in the village or on the tundra.

I wait for my snow to arrive and worry about our climate the impact man has had on earth and the atmosphere.  How the world has changed over my lifetime.  How population has increased. How careless we have become with our lands and with life in general at times.  Yet, I know that in many aspect life has improved for many around the world and just the opposite life has diminished for others.

How do we make the world a better place for ourselves and others?  I feel it is our job, all of us to not sit around and complain! We all need to voice our concerns in a positive way, write to our leaders, and stand up for what we believe will make our world a better place.  Tantrums just don't work---just in case no one told you that growing up!

Get the kettle on, knit, get outside, think, write to our leaders, be a positive role model and let us all make our world a better place!

Procrastination & STILL . . . WAITING FOR SNOW! Photos--lots!

Here I sit in November which for your non-knitting folks is the month of "Wovember"   and all things wooly are just wonderful.  The world would be even more wonderful if I looked out my window and there was glistening snow covering everything.  There is no snow at all . . . well, I take that back we have had a few flakes after our original snows in October.  All of that snow melted, left, and is GONE!  This weekend we had just a bit of snow, not even a dusting just flakes of snow.  This whole global warming and lack of snow really pisses me off! I wish we would return to a mini-ice age!

Let's start with PROCRASTINATION or should I put this off a bit more hehe Eee!

I am an amazingly great procrastinator!  I have this trait down to a science and I am very productive when I procrastinate.  The project I am procrastinating over is the crochet button band on the sweater posted below.

The girls are ready to head out on the tundra.  You can see something one might try to call snow on the ground.  The village isn't very pretty at this time of the year. Two adults also fit on the MG convertible as I am starting to call the 4-wheeler.

Saturday's walk.  If you look close you will see the stick flying through the air that Tally is in hot pursuit of said stick.

The southern hills in a light blanket of snow.

At about +20ºF and no snow.

Snow in the distance over by the villages of St. Michael's and Stebbins.

Last weekends almond flour orange poppy seed scone---dang good I will add!

One of my procrastination projects.  Christmas stocking for my nephew Giovanni.

Last weekend's beach walk on a stellar day.

Tally a little bummed as she does not have a moose nose to chew on like Sadie!

Nothing like a moose nose for a snack so yummy!

Really, can I take this home, Please!

Another procrastination project--#2!  A functional but ugly dishcloth.  Our dish clothes are in varying degrees of old and worn out.  I am trying to use up stash, more on this later!

This sweater is for my grand niece and I need to get to the button band!  I loved the pocket design as well as the sweater. This, of course, is a Kate Davies design:  Bláithín 

A steek for me is far easier than a button band!

Where's the button band?

I grabbed this off of twitter and I didn't get the site.  I never thought about how the fall equinox is about half from summer to winter.  I knew this but really like this schematic.

Procrastination project # 3.  I have wanted to knit this felted slipper pattern for years.  The button band pushed me right to knitting up a pair of slippers!  It is a very simple design with a bit of engineering tossed into the mix. 

My DH suggested that I use masking tape to label the sections.  This made the construction so easy!

All sections labeled and ready to be sewn together.

Before the washer . . .

Drying away

Don't you just love this one!  Thank goodness for sheep, shepherds, wool, designers, yarn shops, oh the lists goes on . . . Do support your local yarn shops and wool producers!

I will leave you all with this little quote from the Washington Post!  Soon this crazy election will be over!  I know my candidate won't win but will be paving the way for third parties in the future!

I started this post pre-election and am just getting back to it now Nov. 18th.  I certainly don't need to have a tantrum about the election but I would like all of us to make sure that we each fight for what is near and dear to your hearts.  Hold the elected officials accountable . . . for me it is the environment, healthy organic foods, and health care.

Be kind to yourself and others, be a role model in making our world a better place for all!