alisonknits

In Bud

"So much is unfolding that must
complete its gesture,
so much is in bud."

               -Denise Levetov

It's an exciting time. I'm working on a lot of cool things which are currently un-blogable.  But here are some things I can tell you:

1. I really like tech editing.  Who knew?
2. Thanks to those of you who expressed an interest in a knitting or knitting/yoga retreat with me. I'm working on it; watch this space for more updates.
3. My Rapunzel sweater is going up on my site soon. Kinda soon. Okay, I still need to have it photographed and finish the pattern and get it tech edited, but all of those things are in process.
4. I also am near finished another new sweater, a linen wrap-style cardigan. But I still have to write the pattern for that one. And photograph it. And get it edited.
5. And I have another design that I created last year, which is finally nearly ready to be published.  It's called the Rose Trellis Stole. I leave you with a photo of that piece:

I've been a busy girl.

Come Away With Me

Several months ago I read about this really amazing-sounding knitting and yoga retreat.  Two of my favorite activities, one of which I haven't practiced in months much to my own detriment, and the setting for one of the retreats this company offered was in Italy.  Italy!  I love Italy.  It costs some amount of money that I can't hope to afford anytime soon.  So then I thought, "what I need to do is get these people to hire me as one of the knitting teachers."

And then I realized, I could make my own retreat.

Particularly since I now work at a very lovely retreat center... it's not in Italy, but it is a beautiful mansion situated on 38 acres on a lake.

This idea has been kicking around in my head for months now, and I haven't done anything about it.  Partly because I don't know if anyone would come.  Or what kinds of knitting classes I should offer.  Or if it should be a knitting and yoga retreat, or just a knitting retreat.  Or whether it should be one night or two.  Or what I should charge.  Or any number of questions.

Here's what I do know: If I did it at Rolling Ridge (where I work, and therefore might be able to get a bit of a break on the room & board costs), it would probably be scheduled for a weekend in early January.  Picture it: sitting by a roaring fire, munching on our famous cookies, learning new knitting skills or just kicking back after the holiday rush.  Sharing delicious meals with new and old friends.  Maybe taking a yoga class to help counteract the excesses of the holiday season and get the New Year off to a healthy start.  Sounds good, right?

What do you think?

the very life of life

Sitting here on my little deck, watching bees and other insects buzz in and around a beautiful flowery tree, I suddenly thought of one of my favorite readings from the back of our Unitarian Universalist hymnal:

Look to this day!
For it is life, the very life of life.
For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision
But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well, therefore, to this day!

~Kalidasa

May it be so.