Barbados cottage - first week done.

After 10 years coming here, we describe our Barbados trip as "going to the cottage". We see the same friends year over year. We stay in the same place. We know where everything is, and it's exactly the way we left it many months ago. And we love it just as much every time we come.

Each year, the first week is all about settling in. Getting stocked. Adjusting to the weather. Getting back out walking at 6:30 a.m.with my friend Liz. And going to and from the pool/deck/sea hangout. After walking very little at home, it's absolutely no trouble to get in 10,000 steps a day here.

Seeing sunshine out the windows is another one of the wonderful adjustments. All that green after leaving grey days at home is heaven. Here's a view of our back yard and our front/side yard. No matter what window you look through, it's a nice, green view with blue skies.

Well, most of the time. I did my first load of laundry on Tuesday and finally had to bring it in on Wednesday, after at least 16 additional rinse cycles thanks to Mother Nature and her rainy disposition. When it rains here, it is often car wash strength. It REALLY rains. And this first week has provided much of that. As well as warmer-than-usual temperatures. 

Glad I brought hooking and knitting projects with me. Plus a lot of great books. So no problem doing any of these things on the screened-in porch.

Here are some previews of projects:

I am working on a 7th The Shift Cowl (man they are addictive) and love the colours in this one. I bought this yarn at the Cobourg Hook In from the woman who owns Yarn It in Cobourg. The colours are yummy. I have a bit more done than shown here, but already had this picture. 

Here's #6, which is knit from leftover stretch cotton sock yarn I had in my stash. I don't like cotton much for socks, but it was the perfect thing to wear on the flight here. Kept my neck warm on the plane and wasn't too hot when we landed.  These colours were a total surprise - that's what happens when you work with variegated yarns. And I think that's why this mosaic knitting is so highly addictive.

Because I love this knitting so much, and because I need to make a baby blanket for someone, I decided to see if I can figure out a rectangular stroller/car seat blanket pattern. I am using 6 different yarns from my stash, and plan to do an i-cord edging all the way around when the knitting is done. That is the plan at least. And I thank Andrea Mowry for more than a little inspiration.

Re the hooking projects, this first one is nearly hooked. But I'm not ready to show it just yet. This is the photo run through PhotoMania that inspired the pattern. We call it "Pool Boys". This is what happens when the sea is too rough for swimming. These fellows sit in the pool feeling sorry for themselves lol. Like canaries in the coal mine. Putting the image through the photo editor helped reduce the complexity a bit, but didn't make it a cake walk. 

I think this is the biggest challenge I have ever faced in a mat. The foreshortened perspective is the first hurdle. The "partial limbs" under the water is the next one. They required a completely different flesh tone palette than what is above the water. This will definitely be a teaching piece. It has certainly taught me a ton - including a lot of patience!!!!

The next one, when this is done, is for my 5-day class at the Rug Hooking School at Trent in June. My class is called Cozy Characters, and students are going to create a unique tea cozy or French Press Cozy. I need to have at least one sample for each. the tea cozy is done. My adorable grand daughter's image captured forever.

This is the design I have come up with for the French Press Cozy.  It will have a velcro tab to fasten it inside the handle of the press. This is just the pattern for the wrap. 

The design is inspired by an incredible Zentangle artist named Joanne Fink. Someone introduced me to her "dangles" this year, and I LOVE them. The day I came up with this much-simplified design, my printer was misbehaving, so I used markers to do my colour plan. (May do this from now on.) I brought yarn to hook it with, while I am here.  I actually did a tiny bit before I left home, to make sure the yarn was the right weight for hooking. 

As to books, I am 3/4 through George Washington Black and I am really enjoying it. Several people recommended it, so I figured it would be a good one.  I would pass that recommendation along. I just finished Testament by Margaret Atwood and enjoyed it as well. It, and Handmaids Tale, seem to have that Love/Hate thing going on. I'm on the Love side.

So, it's been a busy settling in. Glad to have so many things with me that a little rain doesn't ruin a single day here in Paradise.

Be warm and safe back at home.