Thursday, December 29, 2016

This and that between celebrations

Thursday, December 29th, 2016

For a long time I have been quite dismayed that there is no public recognition of the Fairview Heights Irrigation District where as Veterans we turned 600 acres of dry sagebrush and grasses into a verdant orchard that stretches along the Cawston Bench, a veritable treasure of apples, soft fruit and grapes.

(Well, I wasn't a veteran, but we veteran's wives did our bit towards accomplishing this wonderful new community)

A few days ago I read that the Province of British Columbia Heritage Branch  was planning to add to their marvelous collection of signs marking historical spots, and I thought, "oh there, an opportunity to recognize these war veterans and the wonderful farmland community they established!!!".



I went to the site, filled out the submission (which must be done online) came to the end with my mouse on the submission button (I guess) - turned my head to check a point and when I looked back everything was disappearing from the screen, and all I saw in that flash was 'thank you for your submission' - nothing saved, no way to get the information back.  Did it go winging over space to the office of the Heritage Signs or did it disappear somewhere into that dark hole that sometimes swallows whole screens of information....  I will have to wait and see if I get an acknowledgement email....

In the meantime, back to my knitting!

I am making this mysterious scarf, the instructions for which were scribbled down on a spare bit of paper and whispered in my ear as we went to singing a few weeks ago.  The idea is to divide thirty stitches amongst three double pointed needles, join them and work two rows of ribbing.  Then increase in each stitch, knit a long, long tube that will go round your neck and shoulders, DROP ALL THE INCREASED STITCHES YOU ADDED WAY BACK AT THE BEGINNING, knit two rows of ribbing, cast off and then gently pull the knitting so the dropped stitches make their way down to the beginning and you are left with a lovely lacey scarf.....  I have about five inches to go before I can see the metamorphis!!!

Yesterday afternoon I settled down to knit in earnest.  I had two David Garrett DVDs to watch and listen to.  His "Legacy" is the one I like best, live in Baden Baden  with the National Philharmonic of Russia and ending with Beethoven's Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, - but Garrett's Rock Symphonics has the Adagio in G Minor which I find so moving, and he plays it so beautifully.  So I listened to them both and got to within the light at the end of the tunnel as the needles clacked along in plain knitting....




Still Christmassy here, but the New Year approaches
 and we have all those family birthdays coming up within the next two weeks!!!!

I will let you know how the scarf turns out.....

Monday, December 26, 2016

Yuletide

ABC Wednesday
December 28th, 2016
The letter is Y for Yuletide




YULETIDE

 A period of celebration of a pre-Christian festival

 associated with the northern winter solstice,

 and later absorbed into the festival of Christmas.

One of the traditions of Christmas Eve -

Bringing in the Yule Log for the warmth and light of Christmas

and here is a Yuletide Carol with just slight variations
from that which you might find in a Christian hymnbook

Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green,
Here we go a-wandering, so fair to be seen!
Love and joy come to you, and to you good wassail, too,
All Gods bless you and send you a happy New year,
All Gods send you a happy New Year.

Originally the historical Germanic peoples

connected the Festival to the Wild Hunt


to the king, Odin,  and the pagan Anglo Saxon,  Modraiht


The Winter Solstice is still celebrated by many in these times.


Ring the Solstice Bells


For more Ys click here to visit
ABC Wednesday
with thanks to all who celebrate and help
with this thought provoking meme.