Renfrew

I hope you don't think that all I did on vacation was gorge on sweets and relax? Well, ok, you got me, I did, but I also did some knitting. When packing for our vacation, I purpusley left any hats at home and took yarn with me instead, to knit myself one. I had been eyeing the Renfrew pattern by Jane Richmond for a while, and decided this would be my next pattern to knit. I used O-Wool Balance, which was originally meant for another project, but was re-purposed last minute.

It was such a quick and satisfying knit. 

Do your knits have a story? Most of mine are associated with a story, an event, a location. The blanket I knitted while my baby was in the NICU, the scarf I knitted during my first KAL, the beach bag I knitted on the beach (where else?), the summer top that required hours of untangling linen yarn.

For me, this hat will always evoke images of a drive through the Alps. We were fortunate enough to be able to spend a week in a chalet, in a ski resort called Bad Kleinkirchheim. It was a three hour drive from our place in Vienna, and I spent it chatting with my cousin, a wonderful, uninterrupted talk we hadn't had in years. The babies were sleeping, and we chatted away while I knitted my Renfrew. It was fantastic, quality girl-time. And what better backdrop for photographing a knit then hiking trails in the Alps?

Ravelry notes here

Christmas Abroad

As promised, I am back to tell you about our amazing trip to Austria. We spend three glorious weeks with my family. It had been more then 20 years since we celebrated the holidays with them last. It was a picture-perfect experience. The house, filled with laughter and chatter, the smell of the most delicious home cooking wafting through the air at all times. We feasted on traditional dishes and gorged on the most incredible cookies.

I was glad that Aidan got to experience a different kind of Christmas traditions. It was refreshing for us grownups as well. A celebration away from the hustle and bustle of shoppers and malls, from the pressure to find the latest, trendy gift. 

We instead were able to focus on family and togetherness.

I have always lived in a big city. I am used to being one among many, incognito if you will. Even living in the suburbs there is a certain anonimity that can be reassuring. But experiencing the holidays in such a close-knit community as the one of my family lives in, was refreshing. 

They live in a small village about 50km outside of Vienna. Everybody knows each other, helps each other. Every day, a new neighbour would call at our door with home-made goodies. (I suspect that we were also a curiosity to check out... the far off relatives, you know. ) My uncle, the beekeeper, shared his bounty with villagers as well. On Christmas eve we all joined in a little church ceremony during which our Christmas tree magically appeared at home, to the children's delight. They were in awe, their belief in the magic of the holidays renewed.

This Christmas will remain a cherished memory for our little family. I can only hope that we will have others like this in the future!

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