Winter's Surprise Gift

 

Before she leaves (and Spring steals every waking moment), I want to make record of the surprise Gift of this winter that lingers, even as I speak:  the "Dregs" of Hydrangeas.

I didn't grow up with them and didn't even know what they were called when I moved to the Netherlands in 2009.  The Dutch call them hortensias.

To be honest, they don't do anything for me when in bloom, which explains why I have no photos of my own during their normal summer growth: 

[photo credit:  Daily Mercury/Google]

But once they start their transformation in autumn, I suddenly sit up and take notice.

And then this year came the late January rain, followed by snow in early February.

What made me pay more attention to them THIS year?  Was it the pandemic...

making us all pay more attention to everything around us (with nothing else to do)?

The week of snow was followed by a week in late February of unseasonably warm temps, 

up to the 60s F...

when with friends, just a 5-minute walk away, we grabbed the chance to sit outside in the sun.

And there from my chair, (thankful for the macro lens), I fell in love.

Will I pay more attention to the coming Spring and Summer growth, I wonder, now that I'm in love with Autumn and Winter?  

Yes.  I will.

But deep inside me I already know that it will always be the well-spent end-of-life stage that will forever enthrall me.  

Is it another reminder to fall in love with myself where I am in Life now as I know it?

Socks Socks Socks and More Socks (cont'd)

Two months later, how about 8 more socks (for the record), picking up from where I last left off on December 31!

38th Pair (for Ria), finished January 6, 2021

Katia Olé India, #50, Spain, 75% wool, 25% polyamide

[Ria is one of our faithful volunteers here in our senior community,

taking charge of the koffie hour every morning in our recreation room.

She loved this yarn in my stash because of all the brown she wears.]

39th Pair (for Astrid), finished January 15, 2021

Schachenmayr Regia, #03657, Germany, 75% wool, 25% polyamide

[Astrid is now at the point where she wears my socks every day, with 7 pairs.]

40th Pair (for Diane Wilson), finished January 23, 2021

Opal Schafpate, #9757, Germany, 75% wool, 25% polyamide

[At the beginning of January, I collaborated with 4 of my high school friends to make socks for them,

in appreciation for their faithful, undying, and daily support of me on Facebook.  This pair is for Diane!

Even though she graduated from Central Michigan, she took graduate classes at Michigan State

and became an adjunct professor there, teaching science to undergrads.

Lucky for her, I had this green and white (MSU!) yarn in my stash.] 

41st Pair (for Janny), finished January 30, 2021

Opal Comedy, #9833, Germany, 75% wool, 25% polyamide

[This is my first "commissioned" pair of socks, meaning Janny chose and paid for the yarn.

She lives here in our senior community and is part of our Wednesday knitting group.

They all know now that if they supply the yarn, I'll make them a pair of socks.]

42nd Pair (for Dicky), finished February 6, 2021

Opal Comedy, #9834, Germany, 75% wool, 25% polyamide

[Remember neighbor Dicky who waters our plants and picks up our mail while we're on vacation?

I've already knitted her 2 gratis pairs, but this one is now a commissioned pair.

She says she eventually wants one pair for every day of the week.]

43rd Pair (for Thea), finished February 14, 2021

Opal Black Dragon, #9964, Germany, 75% wool, 25% polyamide

[Thea is an integral part of our community and also of our knitting group, even though she doesn't knit.

This is a commissioned pair for her.]

BTW, I finished this pair on the one-year anniversary of when I first started knitting socks last year.

If you had told me then that I would make 43 pairs in my first year, I would have LOLed.  :)

44th Pair (for Els), finished February 21, 2021

Opal Adventure, #9825, Germany, 75% wool, 25% polyamide

[Here's a thank-you to Els, President of our Activity Committee (of which Astrid is Treasurer),

always ready and willing to help out whenever/wherever she can.

BTW, she chose the same yarn as Ary, another helper here, in case it looks familiar.]

45th Pair (for Janny), finished February 28, 2021

Opal Comedy, #9834, Germany, 75% wool, 25% polyamide

[Here's Janny's second commissioned pair, choosing the same yarn as her friend Dicky,

from three pairs ago.  You could say we're a close-knit community.  HA!]

There you have it, one pair of socks at a time!