plans big and small

knitting, reading, planning place

{my photos of zimbabwe, africa 2009}

knitting and reading and planning (dreaming) this week...

i cast on for a sweater, knit a bit further than shown here, then saw a pattern i like much better and pulled the whole thing off. so now i only have a pile of lovely curly wool. it is tosh merino light, madeline tosh, colorway alabaster, from my stash. i love this beautiful handpainted wool. can you see the difference in these two skeins? switching off every couple rows is necessary so there will be a better flow of color and less obvious changes in skeins. hopefully the new pattern i plan to make will do it justice. have you done this too, changed your mind well into a project? oh dear. i've begun the new sweater, but don't have much to show, perhaps by next week!

a new box of books arrived the other day (i'd been saving for these!),  i love them all and so am reading them all at the same time. i should say giving each one equal time and attention, and although i haven't read enough to give a complete review, i can say the knitting book is already a favorite. and rachael's book is such fun, i've not read a book like this before.

here are the books:
'how to knit a love song' by rachael herron of yarnagogo.com

'mindful movements', ten exercises for well-being by thich nhat hanh (the book comes with a dvd which i really like, i'm not sure if the electronic edition does, but probably not?).

'my grandmother's knitting' family stories and inspired knits from top designers, i see a few i'd like to make!

and the 'namibia bradt travel guide' , for the trip we have booked for next may.

we've been in a planning frenzy for weeks, doing research on what we'd like to see in africa and where we'd like to go. we'll be making a giant loop around the country of namibia, staying almost a month and in eight different camps and lodges (want a peek at one?). now all the reservations have been made and our itinerary is complete. it's still a ways away, but i like this part as much as the trip, the reading and learning and looking forward to. and dreaming of africa again.

linking up with small things and the weekly yarn along,
happy peaceful rest of the week friends!
xo