Two weeks after Ground Hog Day

Two weeks have passed since Ground Hog Day and the days are getting longer. The deep cold seems to be passing. Spring can't come too soon.

The birdfeeder outside my studio window is constantly busy. When the weather was at its coldest, I had to fill the feeder twice a day. On a few of the most bitter days, three times. Now, I'm down to once a day. Another sign that spring is coming. The suet feeder is a popular spot for our many woodpeckers, and one enterprising squirrel who has figured out how to get three stories up and leap onto it. He breaks off pieces and throws them to the ground, then leaps and tumbles down after them.



DONE!

I had hoped to finish these bright red and purple socks to wear on Valentine's Day to my EGA Chapter meeting; I didn't quite make the deadline. I did finish them yesterday, though, and am already halfway finished with the first sock of another pair. These red and purple ones were knitted from a yarn called "Soxx Appeal." I found this elasticized yarn a challenge when I first started the socks -- it was tough to get the correct tension. I ended up having to go up a needle size -- to a size 3 -- just to get the guage correct. But they are wonderfully comfortable, and I love the bright color! The photo is much darker than the actual color of the socks -- they are eye-popping!

The ice is slowly melting. The sun is bright, but the temperature seems unable to rise above 35 degrees no matter how much sunshine we have. The driveway is mostly in the shade (on the north side of the main house and the studio) so parts are not ready to thaw at all. I now have a couple of narrow paths where I can walk -- but none of them goes to my car. The car is still in the shaded area and the ice is still thick and smooth. If I ever win the lottery, I will have a new, heated driveway put in, using solar panels on the south facing slope of the roof to provide the energy. Then, I won't be held prisioner by the ice and my dreadful balance.

I taught a mini-class in Shisha mirror application at Saturday's EGA Chapter meeting. No project, just working on various techniques for stitching down things that don't have holes in them. We did mirrors, paillettes (ignoring the hole), coins, tiny tiles. It is a good group and the class was fun. Tonight, the local sub-group of the EGA is meeting and I will be teaching silk ribbon embroidery. Did I mention that I've retired?????