Apricots For Solace

Dear readers,

This post is about unkempt orchards, cherries, and Angélique.  It is also about a need for solace, knitting and the colour apricot. 

I am a little tearful as I write this post though happy too.  Life is beautiful but there are also testing times when, in our case, learning the art of patience is almost too hard to bear.  Mickaël and I are awaiting the final (we hope) verdict of one of two  long-drawn-out legal battles which should come in the early days of July; a painful case of unfair dismissal which occured shortly after Angélique was born.  Thanks to his splendid determination and sunny outlook I have witnessed my husband making great advances in a new professional sphere and I am so very proud of him.  

We strive onwards and upwards in our own small ways every day.  We both take enormous pleasure in our three children and relish their passions and achievements.  From time to time however frustration seeps into our hearts and makes them a little heavy although for the most part we bear the discomfort quietly.  I gain solace from many things; dreaming up my linen rabbits (or hares as many prefer to call them) is the first thing which springs to mind.  I also need to be outside.  For Mother's Day a couple of weeks ago I had the great joy of receiving a beautiful bicycle and I take it out to the vineyards whenever possible with my knitting bag slung in the basket and breathe quietly and freely.  I have found that knitting grounds me perfectly too.  The excitement of choosing a pattern, mulling over colours and yarns but mostly the simple fact that I am in control of the garment I am constructing.  If I stumble across a mistake I give a little sigh and frog it knowing that I alone can undo, redo and complete the project.  There is no sense of helplessness.  This is a very heartening thought indeed and much better than coming unravelled myself.

I would like to share with you, if I may, some of the many pockets of pure joy savoured during the past week.

Angélique and I have walked to this orchard several times this week.  There are cherry trees, pear, plum, peach, and fig trees growing alongside the vineyards.  It is a heavenly spot. We have the good fortune of being able to pick cherries by the handful. Today we forgot our basket and ended up using a pair of boots to hoard our treasure.

There has been some solace knitting in between stitching my beloved rabbits/hares.

Whilst orange is not my favourite colour apricots are my favourite fruit.  This is the time of year when we indulge in kilos of peaches - the French always scoff at my preference for yellow over white peaches with their more delicate flavour - melon, and apricots.  I always add a vanilla pod cut lengthways when preparing a batch of apricot jam. 

I decided to buy my first Quince & Co. Lark yarn in Apricot.

 Kelly Herdrich's "In Threes" pattern, as you can see, is a v-e-r-y simple pattern indeed.

Which is just what I needed this week ... 

before starting a more challenging knitting project next week.

Details are on Ravelry, of course and I will be slipping this little number into my 12 Sweaters In 2012 challenge.  That makes it six in total so far I believe.

I have lingered beside these apricot-coloured roses on my way to and from my children's school.

I am looking forward to visiting the International Garden Festival at Chaumont sur Loire very soon whilst reliving some memories of last year's which was on the theme of "Future Gardens" - Jardins de l'Avenir.

Le Jardin de Madame Irma was one of my favourites. 

Madame Irma is a fortune teller which makes her's a garden of the future, naturally!

And, as you know, I love gypsy caravans although I'm pretty sure our future one will not look similar to this one.  It's wonderful to dream although putting our dreams into reality is much more satisfying, don't you think?

And it's apricot coloured, right?

There are so many delights surrounding us all.  Which things have been giving YOU joy this week?

I'm off to give my children a hug and to make more rabbits. I'll be back with an update on those creatures soon.

Stephanie