Sunday, and a new Camera

I have a new camera. A supposedly better camera, that get higher quality, but I think that it might have a steep learning curve. I took several pictures, but these where the best ones.

Note the sky is white, we got a few drops of rain, but nothing like we need, it was even dry a little as an hour latter.

I walk by this wall often, and it's aging bricks always charm me, as does the golden tiles in all their New Orleans style dilapidation.

I have some more proof that Spring is here.

The images are random because I was just experimenting with the camera on my walk. I have never noticed this column before though, I have walked by it at least 20 times.

The trees are budding.

The golden buildings of the blog title in the late afternoon sun.

Primavera parte dos

Happy leap year!

I have been meaning to get pictures of this "plaza" for quite some time.

 It is a simple little plaza in a roundabout.

With bushes trees and rock surrond this rather intriguing statue of two grasping hands with flames coming out of the bottom. Apparently it was a gift from El Salvador to Spain. I like it a lot.

I have more spring flowers, look some lavender is already in bloom and feeding the bees!

This group of plantings is so typical here: Lavender, rosemary and palm.

We saw this margarita just before we went to drink Margaritas, and that cracks me up.

Golden sweater

Remember the yarn from this post?

I made it into a sweater of awesomeness.

The yarn is super wash and it "grew" a bit so the sleeves are longer then I would have liked, but this yarn is better knitted up as Dk weight.

I need to find someway to make the button band not as "gappy", maybe some gross-grain ribbon?

Maybe also some gross-grain ribbon along the back neck?

But overall I am very happy with the way that this has turned out.

Pattern notes:

The short rows at the collar are a bit tricky and you have to really pay attention at first.

Mods: I made this more A-line, and if I did it again I probably would not. Also I knit this sweater in the round and steeked it. I added waist shaping (I really did not read the pattern except for the yoke and the sleeves). I added an applied I-cord up the front and made I-cord loop for the "buttonholes".

Spring!

Even though this winter has been very mild (so everyone here says), I am very happy that spring is here.

I though that maybe spring was here, and then today left no doubt in our minds as we walked across the park to go have lunch at a Mexican restaurant. There were flowers everywhere!

The sun was shinning, people were in the park in just their t-shirts, and that "spring feeling" was in the air. You know the one, the one you cannot describe, but you recognize every year that when you feel it.

That quality in the air that makes you think of new beginnings,and the possibility of a summer spent longing in the sun.

You pass fellow pedestrians with smiles on their faces, and dodge the running kids at play.

The sky has a special "glow" to it, somehow spring blue is deeper then winter blue.

You can sense that the trees are gathering up their energy to sprout leaves and flowers.

The city's fountains have been cleaned in preparation for the long season ahead and are merrily splashing.

The parks are full to bursting as everyone is out to welcome the spring with grins and musical laughter.

The roses have already started putting forth their buds.

Happy spring everyone!

A Walk to Knitting group

When I do get a chance to go to knitting group, I take this route.

I go by the Bernabéu, where Real Madrid plays.

I love the light in this next picture.

I cross one of the bissest streets in Madrid, the Paseo de Castellana, a 6 lane super road that used to take me more then one signal to cross it before I developed my "city walking pace".

I also pass palm trees, which tickle me every single time.

Four towers

A week ago I had to go up to this area. I will be going again this morning.

This is one of the four towers, it is my favorite, because with it's handle it looks as though you can just pick it up and carry it away. 

Just look at how that early morning sun is hitting it.

I love Spanish style buildings in this color, what can I say?

Coming back to this area was very interesting. This area was were we stayed our first week in Madrid. Both of us traveling bak this way has brought back the feelings of insecurity and adventure that we had that first week. It was a period of adventure, but also fear for both of us. We had no idea wether we would even be living here for any length of time, and in a very real way we gave up almost everything to be here.

Here was our first park in Madrid.

Here are the four towers "Los Cuatro Torres" The tallest buildings in Spain. There are very handy landmarks, in more ways then one. :)

A little bit of art to carry around

I took my Sunday morning and started and finished a lit piece of bright cheerfulness to carry around with me. I will fill it with tools of my trade: pens, pencils, post-its etc. Maybe during a hard class I can find an excuse to pull it out to have a corner of brightness in the room.

I bought this little 100% wool felt pouch at Corte Ingles a while back, and I finally put needle to wool.

I save all of my wool. Every bit on this bag is from recent spinning projects. Those little bits that are felted or get tangled, are all saved up and used.

I think maybe because of the bright orange color of the bag I wanted to to do a sunset scene. Luckily all of my recent wool scraps were very sunset-y.

 I decided to go for the stained glass look again. I feel as though it is easier for me to be free form, more free with my artistic expression in this medium. I am very happy with the results. :)