Blogging by mail received...

Just realised that I have been blogging for over a year now! What I never anticipated when I started was how the experience of blogging goes beyond the virtual and enters the material realm. Take the BBM3 foodie swap: not only did it inspire our household to make Christmas puddings - one of which was sent to Mia in USA - it also meant that I received these goodies from Caryn.

Caryn made us some tasty flapjack-type food bars, which are very tasty indeed, and included some yummy Scharffen Chocolate, a pack of cherries and of blueberries (these are so tasty with yougurt for breakfast!), and some Trader Joe's Tempting Trail Mix. And, to satisfy the garden lover in me, she also included a card with seed which - if I lived in the right part of the world - would attract hummingbirds (one of our most exotic garden visitors is a woodpecker, but a hummingbird would be amazing!).

Now you may be asking, where is the knitting content? Christmas knitting... have to keep some things under cover! But I did receive a fibre treat in the post yesterday, because I ordered a spindle kit from Hello Yarn. I kept missing out on this kit because they tend to sell out very fast, but I was lucky a few weeks ago and managed to get a hand-dyed wool top called 'fairy fingers'. I love all things fairy  - the moss and bark loving kind who inhabit dark realms, not the pink and fluffy and sparkly girly ones. I only spun a little bit to check it out...

This kit is so worth it, because Adrian includes a pre-prepared strip of pre-drafted and in the form of a tidy little nest for comparison purposes. That really helped me when making this 7 yard skein. I am saving the rest until after my first spinning class which is in a couple of weeks.

Comments

[Tracy]

Put the bird seed out, you never know, there might be a hummingbird lurking out there. In my case a greedy fat pigeon would snaffle the lot before one even got a look in. I like the earthy colours too, even though occasionally a bit of pink rears up and hits me right between the eyes. Your little skein is lovely, now what to do with it?

[Mia]

Jess, I owe you an email. But humkingbirds are summer birds. Save it for the summer. And spiing can be fun or so I have been told. I need to practice some more.

[Maria]

Lovely, woodsy fairy colors! You'll have lots of fun with that, I think. Congratulations on your anniversary. I enjoy your blog, so I hope you keep doing it.

[Hilari]

that tempting trail mix is aptly named! I can never resist it when I'm in Trader Joes! Enjoy!

[Siow Chin]

Yes, I can't agree with you more. Some of my blogging friends have become really good real life buddies.

[Hazel]

More wonderful food! I'm beginning to think that you're a gourmand! And why not, too. Xmas pudd came today. It looks wonderful with its pretty fabric around the lid and smells absolutely divine but it's gone into the cupboard for safekeeping until Xmas day. Thank you so much, Jess!! And I love that little skein you've spun The colours in it are, indeed, very woodsy/foresty evocative. Seeing that has got me interested so thanks for the link!

[Kristen]

I've fallen behind in my blog reading and finally have time to really go back and read all of what I have been missing - you've been busy! the spinning is wonderful - the colors are very fairy'like, and the thick and thin sections look like manos.

I've been thinking about signing up for sp7, but I've heard an awful lot of bad things about pals that never make a full effort. I am so grateful that you were such a great pal - in both of the swaps I was a part of. I've loved reading about your projects and travels this year and look forward to seeing what the new year brings you. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas holiday!