Morning glory,,

Utter sheer glory .  To see the sun rise, golden and smiling, after cold windy days... Calm, bright, all goodness.

The sky is a cloud pageant and this may be shortlived but it is intensely, hugely wonderful. As long as there is just enough moving air to keep the local wildlife at bay,,

The roof is ticking as the sun warms it!   A largely unheard of sound this last while. 

It has been below 10 degrees much of the time these   
last days. But there we are; no grumbling here for life is sweet and precious and no time to waste in discontent.. Taking each day as it comes, busy indoors and with handwork when outdoors has not been feasible.

Always a short walk very early as I am awake around 4 am or earlier to "call home" with the sheer miracle of the phone system.
So I am out around 5 am.

And am never ever alone. My oldest cat demands WALK, and actually runs these days. And the others follow.. Still not managed to get all five on one photo but this one  is rather fine.,

The two small black cats are of the three newbies from last winter.. strangers to each other then unrelated then but great friends now and loving the outdoors. Strong and safe and a joy. 

Earlier I checked the small garden area between gate and dwelling. Even with the chill and lack of sun, inspiring growth. The first nasturtiums are glowing, in the container that will sit atop the wide sturdy gatepost for the summer. and the strawberry plant that had apparently died has two flowers. Peas are flowering and swarming up the wire fence,,,,Broad beans preparing to pod.  A joy and a deep fulfilment and content to see the new growth. 

The rose hedging is only just flowering; late this year but still lovely. and always the ocean, in all its moods. Today a mirroring of the incredible clouds up aloft. Skylark untiring and cuckoo still calling.  

Abundant time for inside work and for knitting! A total addiction here and with no orders  in just now... Years ago at a craft fair in Killarney, an old lady and her brother came to the stall and asked if I would like some wool.. Often this is a bag that has been sitting around; but they know the work we do and bless us with whatever they have.

This time it emerged that they wanted to clear the contents of their mother's craft shop! She had closed it as she could not afford the commercial rates many years before and now years after her death they wanted the room.. 

For many weeks they came in on the bus with six huge black bags filled with top quality yarns. Threads, needles, patterns. A lot was by then vintage mohair that would be costly now. 

That gift blessed us mightily. and I still have bags of the mohair. Odd balls in many wonderful colours and marls. 

So now I am working a wide thick blanket... 77 stitches, 7 mm needles, double mohair yarn, in striped with lacy inserts. 

So far it is around 25 inches wide and nearly 30 long and growing fast...

And rain now but the garden is thirsty and  nothing can undo the blessing of that early dawning.