Sweater Weather

These days, the sky begins to darken around 6pm; even earlier when it is blanketed by rain-filled clouds. It’s terrible for my photography, but perfect knitting weather.

I am working on a pair of fingerless gloves for my husband, using this cozy wool that is the same colour as our barn board shed. It is a simple rib knit pattern but being new and out of practice I have started and restarted them several times. Thankfully it is a forgiving wool; it hasn’t frayed or tangled at the hands of my inexperience. I hope to have something finished to show you soon!

Brown Paper Packages

Today I got a little package in the mail from Wild Pulp. It’s a set of cards, each with a photograph of a bird’s nest against a white background.

When I read more about the artist, I realized that he not only photographs the nests, but he actually makes them himself.  They are meticulously hand-crafted using natural materials. I think that’s what convinced me to buy them; talk about commitment to your craft.

Please check out his work HERE~ he also creates tree bark silhouettes of woodland animals, I’m sure you’ll love them.

Wordless Wednesday -Dragonflies

Just another photo from our last trip to the cottage in July:

Giveaway Winner, Pinterest and Caterpillar Non-News

I just signed up on Pinterest, so of course I left announcing the winner to late Sunday night. The winner is Georgianna, whose choice for the auction was one of the Dragonfly Fern prints. (I’m partial to those two as well, I chose one for my current blog banner.) Thanks to all of you who voted (all 4 of you, LOL) and G, please send me your info and I will mail you your prize. 

Like I mentioned above, I opened a Pinterest account this evening, and it hasn’t quite sunk in yet how much precious time will be lost on it. Please feel free to add me, my username is PaperDragonfly, because PaperButterfly was already taken :) I haven’t added her yet.

Another FYI~ if  you haven’t heard any caterpillar news and you were wondering, there haven’t been any changes. Since it was late in the summer and unseasonably cool, I suspect they may have gone into diapause, which means they will be hibernating until spring. I have put them out on the sunporch, which is protected from the elements but will be appropriately cold. The six-year old in me would love to see them hatch in my bedroom in February but I know that wouldn’t be fair to them. So, we’ll just wait longer.

Wordless Wednesday - Birch Trees

Nuts…

The squirrels are readying themselves for Winter…

{taken two years ago, in November}

Time for a Giveaway…

A very talented, lovely friend of mine, Amanda (who joins me on many forest photo shoots) is hosting a charity event in October (visit her website, Kickass Canadians.ca for all the details). I was asked to donate a photograph for the silent auction. Of course~ but which one should I choose?

I could just pick one that I love, but I want to know which one would be the most universally appealing (to both men and women, for instance). In exchange for your help, I am offering one of you the chance to win a free 8x10 print of your choice.

To enter, please stop by the shop, decide which print you think should go in the auction (ANY print from the shop, not just the ones in this post) and leave it in the comments here. That’s it! I will pick a winner next Sunday (Sept. 25).

Pinecone Cake

Out in the woods the other day we were looking for some inspiration, so I started collecting pinecones. As soon as I noticed this tree stump, frosted with an even layer of bright green moss, I knew it would make a perfect pedestal for a natural assemblage. It even had a fern growing out of it. Thinking out loud, I said “It needs something in the centre.” To which my friend replied, “A chipmunk!”

It would have been perfect, but we couldn’t find any willing participants. :)

September

Sometime, about halfway through the summer, I stopped carrying my camera every day. Maybe there were too many rainy days in a row, or maybe I just fell out of the habit, I’m not sure. This weekend was just as beautiful as this day last September, when I took these pictures:

It has felt like fall for almost a month; the mornings are cool, perfect for sweaters and sandals. the geese are flying south, and there has already been talk of Thanksgiving at the cottage.