FRIDAY AGAIN!

It's been another full week here at the Wind Walker ... Hailey was home from Whistler last weekend for a workshop and stayed until Wednesday, and then my friend Monica from Mayne Island came over for the day. Yesterday our friends Susan and Sri were here from Qualicum (and yes, the women lost at euchre AGAIN)so I haven't accomplished much this week -- in the writing department, knitting department, with the FibreFest, or on the 'home front.' This morning, if I'm lucky, I'll get some marina paperwork done, and then it's off to Knit'n'Cafe this afternoon.

A few of you commented with fond memories of the Esquimalt Lagoon. I love it there, too, but ever since we discovered Albert Head, the Lagoon has taken second place in our hearts. During July and August we do day-trip knitting cruises out to Albert Head, so if you can come along, I think you'll see why we're so enamored of it.

And I'm already looking forward to getting off the dock this year -- we've had more snow and cold spells this winter than I can remember in the 5 years we've been here.

I spent several hours yesterday wrapping up the International Scarf Exchange, which I'm now coordinating. It's a lot of work, but it's a lot of fun, too. I'll be starting another one in April, so if you want to bookmark the site, you can watch for the announcements. We accept up to 100 knitters (and crocheters) from around the world!

As my friend Grace says, 'Knit On!'

LAST PUBLISHED ON MARCH 6th??

That's what my blog just told me, but I don't believe it! It doesn't take *that* long to recover from chasing herring boats! :-)

Been a busy time, though... I helped River with his first-ever public speech (all about his rock collection):

I knit:

I actually left these 'leftovers' socks with my sister in Qualicum, but forgot to show them to you. :-)

These will be finished today, and will go to Mischa.

And these also need to be finished today, but they're for a newborn baby, so not a big task.

And we played... Michael and I went out to the Esquimalt Lagoon for a picnic lunch on the weekend, and hung out here ...

And relaxed...

And saw this...


And on Saturday afternoon, just before the snow hit...

...I saw the first pink cherry blossoms of the spring...


There. You're all caught up now, and my friend Monica is coming over from Mayne Island today, so I better get myself together to go meet the early ferry! :-)

HERRING TIME

Here's a SLIDESHOW of the highlights of the 2009 herring fishery up-Island.

Enjoy!

ROAD TRIP

It's time, once again, for my annual herring migration. I'm leaving shortly to drive up to Parksville, and I'll be back tomorrow morning. I've also been invited to pop in on the Bradley Centre Spinners and Weavers while I'm up that way, AND there's a new yarn store in Qualicum Beach to check out, too.

Sounds like a fun road trip to me!

I know I'm a bit odd, but if the herring run fascinates you as much as it does me, I've written two other pieces about it for other publications over the years ...

Silver of the Sea
Conversation with Myself

Later!

THE FLOWER COUNT

Victoria's 33rd annual Flower Count will get underway a little late this year ... not for lack of flowers but because a new organizational/administrative partnership (of the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Victoria) was solidified just recently.


For the week of March 18 to 23, the citizens of Greater Victoria count all the blossoms they can find, and report their results to Flower Count Headquarters via telephone at 250-360-BUDS (2837) or via the internet at http://www.flowercount.com. As the numbers come in, announcements are sent to local and national media to inform everyone of the growing count. And every year it's in the thousands!

The flower count began in Victoria in the 1960's as an initiative of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce. Since then it has grown to be a symbolic and light-hearted signal of spring in Victoria, while winter still covers the rest of the country.

I love living here! :)

UFOs

I've been up since 3 a.m. AGAIN, so I'll be going back to bed in a few minutes! Aaarrggghhhh....

I'm afraid I haven't been much inspired lately in the knitting department ... I'm knitting, but all I have to show for it is three different UFOs!

The current pair of socks...

The resurrected purple sweater ...

And a baby sweater I'm knitting for a store sample. I'm the most taken with this one ... it's a luscious bamboo/silk blend yarn that feels like no-big-deal on the skein, but this sweater? Soft, soft, soft, yet sturdy -- I'm really liking it! This picture doesn't show the green very well, unfortunately -- it's really a pretty apple green.

Today I'll wrap up an editing job and hopefully have some time to get to Clover Point. The first few days of a new month are always really busy here at the marina, so I haven't had much time to myself.

YA GOTTA LOVE IT

"Yarn Bombing"

I'm off to work at the store!