Avalanche

Second week of December, and it feels more like October - there are dandelions blooming on the lawn, even! But Christmas is coming fast enough...with any luck there will be snow by then.

Last day of (outdoor) work for the season was November 20, after which came the pile of things-to-be-done-before-Christmas. Knitting, mostly. There was a commission of socks and little sweaters for Joan's family holiday:

Got that shipped off and started socks and fingerless mitts for a friend, with some lovely alpaca from this year's Rhinebeck trip:

Now there's a cowl on the needles for another friend, no pictures yet. I did a little spinning also, and the mostly grey Jacob yarn on the left will go in my mother's stocking, for a throw she wants to make with a pile of hand-spun she's been collecting.

The last thing that will need to be done by Christmas is the fingerless glove liners that were my brother's request, and I don't have the yarn or measurements yet. After that - well, apres moi, la deluge, as the French have it. In other words, there's an avalanche of stuff, mostly commissions, on the way. I started a list, and I'm a little dubious about my chances of knitting for myself anytime soon! Two sweaters, a shawl, a baby sweater, and a pair of leg warmers, plus two patterns to sample-knit and write up in the next couple months, plus some spinning...

Well, it'll be fun. And only a couple days until I hit the country for the holidays! Today has been about prep for a cookie exchange tomorrow, so there is sucre a la creme in the fridge and some decadent and festive shortbread on the counter. And tomorrow I also get to take in a concert by a local choir (Harmonia Choir), which I am very much looking forward to.