Yarn in snow. Dyeing was not to be yesterday, and I have some great new fiber I've been dying to play with! It'll be a priority for the weekend.
There was a fresh overnight dusting of snow and, baby, it's COLD outside! Windchill is at about -20F. Definitely not ponytail weather... so, guess my hairstyle today!? At least it's sunny, and I'm feeling the warmth of the sun. So great. The returning/lengthening light is beginning to be noticed, as well.
Yesterday was busy. Busy! I managed to slow down for an hour of Chi Kung in the morning...while it's sometimes difficult to completely quiet the mind and focus, I think there's benefit in simply being forced to slow down.
I hit the gym for the first time since signing up last week and biked for 8.5 miles. Registration opened on Monday for Door County's Ride For Nature, my new favorite early summer bike event, and I really want to do my first 50-mile ride, so getting in shape for biking is going to be my main focus. And now that I know my RPMs (I wasn't quite sure), I can work on a playlist at jog.fm to keep it fun and keep me going. It's important to note that I'll only be listening to that playlist while on a stationary bike, when actually on the road I need my wits and all available senses!
Knitting out tonight.
I also have times when I can't 'quiet my mind'. Then, I aim for a mindful presence and view it as practice for quieting my mind. Maybe that helps? I think there is definitely benefit in slowing down.
Posted by: Robby | January 19, 2012 at 10:55 AM
That green and blue combo is gorgeous and reminds me of my favorite flannel shirt. Maybe you could name it "Flannel Shirt"! We're supposed to get a little snow tonight and again on Saturday. We shall see.
Posted by: Carole | January 19, 2012 at 02:03 PM
the chi kung sounds so interesting and I agree that sometimes it is nice to have that focus in a more structured form. good for you on the cycling - congrats! it has been freaking cold here, hard to adjust given the bizarrely balmy winter we had been having up until the weekend.
Posted by: Cynthia | January 19, 2012 at 03:06 PM
So glad you signed up for the gym! :-) I took Jenny out for a walk mid-day today. . . and my face was frozen into a grimace for at least an hour after we got home. Brrrrrr! It was so cold and so windy out there. (Isn't it nice to start thinking about warm-weather activities. . . like your bike event?)
Posted by: Kym | January 19, 2012 at 03:10 PM
The way things are going you'll be kickin' ass by the time your race rolls around later this year. Go grrl!
We're waiting for (more) snow. It's not very cold, which means we just get rain. At least the mountains got a foot!
Love the yarn!
Posted by: margene | January 19, 2012 at 06:33 PM
whoa, that blue green kills me. kills me.
have a great weekend!
Posted by: cauchy09 | January 19, 2012 at 08:23 PM
That green is spectacular!
Posted by: Angela | January 19, 2012 at 08:56 PM
Inspiring. The colours of the wool. You signing up for a gym. Snow. Life is busy and beautiful, as you've pointed out in this post!
Posted by: Melissa @ Hilltop Hausfrau | January 19, 2012 at 11:33 PM
Did you dye that yarn? It's stunning!!
We woke up to some snow, maybe 8 inches. It has been a relatively warm and snowless winter for us, though the past week or so was really cold, especially in the mornings, -8 to about 2.
We all need to slow down. Good for you for doing so!
Posted by: Lisa | January 20, 2012 at 06:11 AM
Great depth of colors in that green skein. -20 is too cold for me!! When it dips below 10 I stay inside!
Posted by: Robin F. | January 20, 2012 at 09:48 AM
Really a marvelous green yarn, Vicki!
Posted by: Angie | January 21, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Gorgeous green, esp against the white
Posted by: Red | January 22, 2012 at 08:46 PM