It finally feels like summer

This weekend I had the most perfect summer morning experience. The patio door was open and I could hear the birds chirping outside. The sunshine was streaming through the windows and the kitchen smelled of freshly brewed coffee. The kids were playing quietly and happily, no arguing, yelling or throwing tantrums. For once.

My knitting needles were clicking away on a swatch that makes me very happy.

A while back I blogged about a family heirloom that is very dear to me. It is my only knitted family heirloom. A little baby dress in a stitch that was a mystery to me for the longest time. I pulled it out recently for Sienna, she's just the right size for it, and it reignited my curiosity. So I poured over stitch dictionaries and I searched and searched until I finally found it! 

It is appropriately called the "Oyster Stitch". I've got plans for it, great plans, and I cannot wait to show you more. For now, I am happy experimenting around. 

This discovery comes at a great time, because I have felt a little stuck in my knitting. Ever since I finished the "spark of Grey" shawl, I have been ridiculously indecisive and have been unable to pick my next project. I am looking for a summer project, and there are some great ones out there, but I am having a difficult time choosing a summer-appropriate yarn. Any suggestions? Advice? I would love your input. Currently my top choices are Vaara, Ashby Tee, Over the Top top, and Togue pond.

Wool @ Home - Dining Room

My quest to include, or add a nod to my love of wool and knitting to every room of the house continues. I recently talked about my project to use up leftover yarn by adding a pom-pom garland to my daughter’s room. It’s still a crowd-pleaser, and my son asked for one as well, albeit in his favorite hockey team’s colors. I will of course  oblige. 

His interest in my knitting and wool-related stuff is really contained to his appreciation of this garland, I do not believe I will make him into a knitter, and I am ok with that. I may have another chance with my daughter. Her favourite animal? 

Sheep! I know, you can congratulate me on a job well done, thank you. But to be honest, this was all her, I did not consciously influence her. Maybe it’s because they are all white and fluffy, maybe it’s because “BAAA” is easy to pronounce, in any case, sheep it’s where it’s at with her! And I am loving every minute of it. 

This has prompted my decision to also knit her a sheep toy, and I have my eye on this pattern, but that’s a topic for another post.

Today I would like to present you with our dining room decoration that includes, in a very prominent place, my sheep calendar. When I first glimpsed the preview on Ashley’s blog ,“Woolful” I was hooked. I missed her first shop update, but thankfully was able to snatch a copy when she restocked. It is beautifully illustrated by Emily Fratson with watercolor drawings of different breeds of sheep and dye plants. 

It watches over us as we have dinner, cook and do homework. Sienna loves pointing at it and yelling “BAAAA”, and her excitement when the picture changes every month is adorable.

I am really  enjoying the is process of adding little touches of wool related goodness to our home. Cannot wait to show you what else I've got.

Going Home

“Home”. 

When someone asks me about “home”, I find it hard pinpointing where that is for me. Is it the place I grew up? The place that has turned me into who I am today? Or is it the place I have now lived for the majority of my life, the place I became an adult, a mother, a wife?

Can “home” be more than one place? In my case, that is probably true. Parts of me feel at home and grounded back in Romania where I grew up, where my oldest memories formed. Memories that become vivid every time I visit. I have not been back to Bucharest in nearly 10 years. Ten years is a lifetime. I finally returned a couple of weeks ago.  As soon as I stepped off that airplane it was as if I never left. I took a deep breath and I felt peace. Strange how certain places can have that effect on you.

The reason for my long overdue visit was my grandmother. Her health has deteriorated significantly over the last few months and it felt important to make an effort to go, giver her something to look forward to. It was emotional, and sad, but I am incredibly happy that I went.

Besides the time spent with my Oma, my days were filled with rediscovering the town, and reconnecting with friends. 

Bucharest is a city filled with contradictions. Old and new, clean and dirty,  modern and traditional, tacky and stylish. It’s all those things at once.

I barely scratched the surface in the 4 days I spent there. I wish I could have stayed longer. Hopefully it will not be another decade before I go back.

Here are a few images I captured while there.

Old books for sale near University square.

Little hidden alleys.

Parisian inspired architecture.

The amazing Carturesti bookstore

Beautiful building details are everywhere.

The yard of the Farmer's Museum hosts this miniature church.

Lots of potential

More charming corners.

Abandoned places waiting to be rediscovered.

What hides behind these gates?

Not a lot of places in Bucharest offer this kind of view.

Calea Victoriei.

Cafe's ad restaurants abound.

On my way home.

If you want to see my Instagram feed, check it out here.