Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Things That Let Me Know It's Spring

Magnolia TreeWhile it doesn't rate #1 on my list o' favourite seasons, Spring does have it's own kickass qualities.

All that rebirth, renewal and sprouty-greening of stuff generally leads to an enlivening and uplifting of spirits round these parts.

My spirits are currently being enlivened by one of the most lovely sights to be seen - it's the magnolia tree outside my work.
On a recent breaktime jaunt around campus, an overwhelming desire to revert to my teenage self urged me to climb the tree and be in & amongst all that pretty floral fragrantness. My reasoning-lobe notified me that this would not be a proper activity for someone on break from work, and gawd it'd be embarrassing to get caught up a magnolia tree.

So, I decided to do the next-best thing and create my own pretty fragrant floralness with which to wrap meself in.
With no small part of my stash being laceweight (which has generally gone unnoticed) I impulsively and irrationally plucked some frantastic hanks from the Indigo Moon table at the recent Knitter's Frolic.
The appley greenness of the silk got me started on a Springtime knitting kick, and so far I have the result of a couple day's work on my very own magnolia-tree substitute.

The pattern is Elizabeth Freeman's Aeolian and I'm bonkers for it. It's one of those knits that has that special, all-consuming hold on your knittal-lobe. I can't put the leafy thing down!
(in plumbing the depths of various thesauri, which incidentally I do for fun, I've come across this gem of a word, bosky. Means to be covered with bushes, small trees, and other wee greeneries. Just thought I'd share!)

While Aeolian grows like a weed (and I do intend to extend this metaphor to it's breaking point), I have found myself a fun little website, which you might find fun too. It's The Phrontistery, and it has a cool Lost Words section. Check it out. This particular entry made me laugh, as it's rather reminiscent of knitters I know:
aeipathy n 1847 -1853: continued passion; an unyielding disease.
"Her aeipathy for stamp collecting bordered at times on the pathological."
English is messed, and yet so fun.
I leave you with some more magnolia prettiness, and scoot off to inhale some more fragrant floralness.
Magnolia Tree

5 comments:

Susan said...

Gorgeous!

Team Knit said...

Bosky is such a fun word!! I can't wait to see that shawl, it's going to be gorgeous. I've been loving the magnolia trees in full bloom, too- I love that part when they still have lots of petals on the trees, but lots on the ground, too- makes me think of a wedding cake exploding, for some reason!

- Julie

soknitpicky said...

Lovely knitting choice. BTW, I think it's funny that apathy means the opposite

Kai said...

I love Magnolia trees and plan on having one in our front garden soon!! :)

Love the lace pattern and it's on my to-do list. And I love the word Bosky!!

Hilary said...

What gorgeous photos!! And I can't wait to see your bosky shawl.