knitting

I haven't posted a knitting post for some time, mainly due to lack of knitting! These past few months have been busy, I have three sets of curtains to make (one done, two to go) and I tend to knit less in the summer anyway.

There have been a couple of finished projects. These socks knitted with Beregere de France Goomy 50. I bought the wool whilst on holiday in Shetland. I often buy a couple of balls of sock wool when on holiday, a souvenir although in this case made in France! I did also buy some Jamieson's wool to make a hat and gloves but those projects are yet to be started.

My current knitting, shown on our patio on a sunny afternoon last weekend is a pair of fingerless mitts. I always have cold hands in winter and find these so useful. I have no pattern I just knit them to fit!

The yarn is another holiday souvenir. I bought this on the last day of our holiday in Norway. We were in a supermarket buying our picnic lunch when I spotted the wool section and this ball just happened to end up in the basket.

Here is a photo of our picnic that day, the wool fits in well I think!

I photographed it on it's home ground amongst the arctic vegetation before it was packed away in the suitcase.

Since it was a souvenir of our holiday, its a good excuse for a few more Norway photographs. This was our lunch stop that day. It was a wonderful place for a picnic, above the arctic circle and with temperatures of over 20ºC.

Absolutely beautiful. I hope I can go back someday but if not I'll have my souvenir mitts!

holiday photographs, Bergen (2)

A few more photographs from our stay in Bergen. These are from Mount Floyen. There are numerous footpaths up to this hill or there is a funicular railway, the station is very central near the harbour and fish market, which takes you up to 320 metres above sea level. We chose to take train up and walk down and enjoy the gentle walks through the woods at the top. The paths were very well maintained and there were plenty of signs to keep us on the right track.

Then there was this sign which didn't offer much practical help but made me smile.

It was a very quiet day, no sun or wind but just very soft gentle light which made the place seem quite magical.

The area around Bergen has high rainfall (luckily for us, not while we were there) giving rise to lush growth and many shades of green,

lots of orchids

and these very pretty flowers which I didn't recognise and haven't been able to identify yet.

Our destination was Brushytten, a small hut and cafe in the middle of the woods.

 We took our coffee outside and sat on rocks enjoying the peaceful surroundings.

It was a wonderful place to sit quietly for a while. The Japanese have a phrase  Shinrin Yoku (video) which can be translated as forest bathing.  There is increasing evidence that walking in woodland has many health benefits and in a place like this it was easy to see why.

After coffee, a walk back down, past more orchids

more ponds

until we reached the streets with glimpses of Bergen through the trees.

Finally a photograph looking up at the summit of the funicular railway taken from the bustling harbour. Such a contrast, two completely different places just a few minutes apart on the train

holiday photographs, Bergen, Norway

We have just come back from our holiday in Norway. It is a place I have wanted to visit for years, since I was a small child. The north in particular has always sounded magical, no sun for a few weeks in winter and then endless daylight in the summer. I've waited a long time and hoped that when I finally got there I wouldn't be disappointed. I needn't have worried, Norway was every bit as beautiful as I had imagined it.

We started our holiday with two days in Bergen. We wandered around the city exploring the tourist spots, the colourful wooden buildings above and the famous fish market.

The city centre was very compact and walkable.

The weather was warm enough to wander and then have a picnic in the park.

Bergen is a very popular tourist destination with many cruise ships calling but I found that I didn't have to walk that far to be able to explore the narrow cobbled streets with their wooden houses in relative quiet.

 

The place was full of flowers

and there were florist shops with imaginative window displays.

 A wonderful start to our holiday.