p h a r o l o g y

I recently finished this Kate Davies design from her Colours of Shetland book. I found it quite difficult. I think it was probably just me, but the side shaping instructions were quite tricky to follow and stranding the colours behind the stripes got into a real mess. So this has involved a lot of fudging and changes and I changed the top of it completely to be plain grey.

But I'm pretty happy with it now that it's finished and it fits really well. It's inspired by a lighthouse; the flashes of yellow are the flashes of the beam as it turns around. The colours are also quite 1930s, so all in all a bit Virginia Woolf. It also keeps up the theme of looking for light in the dark.

s n o w

Some images from last week's snow (seems like a lifetime ago, but was only last Wednesday). Everywhere completely engulfed, but then it had disappeared again within 24 hours. A magic visitation that was more murky than sparkling. The sun has been out beautifully this week though. I hope this was the last of the snow and we can move on to Spring. I really, really feel we need to right now.

v i t a m i n s

Right, have to concentrate now on getting better, being healthier and stronger, and trying to lift some of the burdens off my shoulders. The next 2 months are going to be hairy, but hopefully worth it -- I dream of the end of April when I imagine things just getting easier. Please let this be so.

l o v e a m o n g t h e r u i n s

Very nice to be spoiled and treated for Valentine's day, even though I looked and felt dreadful. I  made doglet's co-carer a miniature version of our Glasgow tenement, lit up with a tea-light. I used this kit. I always wanted one of these jewellery boxes when I was little -- if my small self could see things as they are now, I think it would be happy.

d e p l e t e d

I'm sorry to everyone I was hoping to contact this week. Unbelievably, another illness has made its home here -- this time shingles (awful), which has wiped me out. We've been staying indoors and often asleep on doctors' orders. But I'm trying to get better and will be in touch very soon. And back here with some pictures of the snow. Xx

b e r r i e s

Not a good year for berries, due to not much sun last Summer. The sun for this year feels a long way off too. Still not wanting to venture outside very much...

s t i t c h i n g

I recently bought this really helpful guide to sewing by Merchant & Mills, whose patterns I really like. It inspires you to get the sewing just right -- snipping curved seams, trimming edges, top-stitching, pinking. So I spent some of Saturday and Sunday making this lined skirt in brown wool. I'm really pleased with it, and it fits very well. I do find sewing quite a challenge -- I'm not that good at thinking in 3D and somehow I'm never quite as neat as I'd like to be. But it is satisfying to lay the fabric out, smooth it over, pin the pattern, cut around, pin together and run up the seams. There's a nice rhythm to it, and it feels so productive and thoughtful at the same time. This is how I would like to spend all of my time.

b a l a n c e

January was brutally busy, start to finish. But, I wasn't as completely wiped out by it as I expected. It must be all the herbs and juices I'm relying on. That and these little spots of brightness. This ginger cordial is great -- has a real kick. The nail polish I indulged in yesterday on the way home from work as it had been a really busy one. The name and the colour are optimistic though, so it's almost medicinal. And I've been wearing this men's cologne lately -- it's lovely.

After a surprisingly optimistic start to the year, I'd like to try to keep that up, even though there are some things that make that a challenge. I think February is something like my new calendar -- there is a down arrow, but there are many more 'up' ones. We have some nice things planned for the weekend, and the doglet and I are concentrating on balancing troughs with peaks. Beginning with a run in the meadow with the rubber balls I suspect (she's very demanding).