Knitting in the Wild

All the rain we've been having lately (more than seven inches in January) have transformed the hillsides:


The change seems quick sudden and shocking, though it has been happening, I am sure, for some time. This photo doesn't even do the landscape justice. The green grass in the sunlight is so incredibly lush and verdant, especially after days and weeks of grey clouds and mist. Temperatures climbed into the low 50s as well today, so I thought I'd take advantage of the fair weather (it's supposed to rain again this week) and go for a quick walk (about 3 miles) in the hills of Briones. This time I started at the staging area at Reliez Valley Rd. This has an extremely tiny parking area (including, weirdly, a handicap spot (there is absolutely no level or paved ground associated with the trail at this point)), and I was lucky to get a spot. Blue Oak Trail though is really nice, a bit steep at the outset (though not as steep as the trail in from the Lafayette Staging Area, I don't think), but there were sections of it that were nestled snugly in between the hills and supremely quiet - no traffic noises whatsoever. It was lovely. I think I prefer this entry to the Lafayette Staging Area even though it is a few miles further. Some sections of the trail were perfect, though the trails on north facing slopes were muddy, sloppy, slippery, slidey messes. I have a feeling they are going to remain that way until the sun creeps a little higher in the sky and dries them out from all this rain. It doesn't look like that's going to happen any time soon.

I took my knitting with me, just in case.


I'm at about the 12" point of the back of Le Lapin Noir (the argyl-ly project from last week), 4" into the stockinette and about 4 1/2" from when I have to start thinking about armhole shaping (I think)

posted by Carrie @ 11:11 PM