Category: Knitting

Gone are the days of “summer vacation,” the merciful cessation of homework and responsibilities. Once that final bell rings on a sticky late-June afternoon, kids bolt out the door, released from their bondage of books, not a second thought to be devoted to learning for the next 6 to 8 weeks. Making a clean break with the world of school work and taking the time to reset the mind, it still seems like an excellent model for preventing stress and burnout when it comes to most jobs. Unfortunately, as we all know, rarely is that the case when the days of grade school are behind us. In fact, my schedule has perversely flip-flopped to the other extreme, and I now find myself mired in the knee-deep sludge of a full-time summer semester. Rather than being kinder and gentler than the usual course load as one might imagine, this intersession study is twice as intense, attempting to pack in the full material of each class in half the normal time allotted. Needless to say, it’s rather demanding.

Already feeling the additional strain, passing the hours studying, writing, and pounding away at the keyboard, it’s easy to lose touch with the outside world. Beautiful clear skies stay safely obscured by the drab white ceiling directly overhead. Sweets remain unphotographed and recipes languish in unsaved files, half-written. All that matters are the quizzes and assignments, discussions and commentary, that all weigh so heavily on my mind. Time stands still, until I finally come to and watch a whole day elapse in just an instant. By then, any number of things could have happened without my conscious knowledge. I got a first-hand example of that when I went to take a sip of my water… and was jolted firmly back into the land of the living by quite a shocking discovery.

Unbeknownst to me, a tiny green frog had taken up residence in my glass while I had been tuned out! Looking quite comfortable perched upon his flat lily pad, bobbing up and down amongst the ice cubes, I can only imagine how long he had been sitting there before I noticed. Enjoying the cool little oasis I had constructed on this hot summer day, he didn’t seem the least be disturbed to have caught my attention, but kindly hopped out as a courtesy to me. Such a thoughtful fella, willing to share this treasure he had found without any prompting.

Though still disturbed about where exactly my new friend came from, and how long he intended to stay, I restrained my alarm and resisted the urge to fling him straight out the open window. How could I be so selfish to kick him out into the harsh elements outside when I could just get another glass of water, anyway?

Now staring at me with those dark, thoughtful eyes, possibly waiting to see what my next move would be, I thought it might be best just to get back to work. Clearly, the heat and long hours of study were beginning to get to me. Maybe this is why most kids go on summer vacation.

[Tiny frog pattern by Anna of MochiMochi Land]

The imagination of a child is truly a precious thing. Before the ways of the world and common sense are stamped into those malleable brains, they can come up with some pretty amazing ideas, far beyond the grasp of someone accustomed to assuming the obvious answers. The greatest tragedy is that we can’t see our surroundings through such a creative lens as we grow older and “wiser.” For example, I know full well that the stoplights are set to change either at fixed intervals of time, or according to sensors that detect traffic flow. When I was much younger, however, I was convinced that it was someone’s job at every single intersection to keep an eye on traffic, and switch the lights manually. This person might also know if you had been good or bad that day, and speed up or delay the lights as they saw fit. It made perfect sense at the time, and I would always breathe a sigh of relief when the light finally turned green, proving I had been a good little girl that day.

Another thing I always wondered about was where the forest creatures went at night, or when it suddenly turned chilly or rainy. Did they have their own little blankets and umbrellas hidden away, to be removed from storage only when nobody was looking? Even that idea was a little far fetched for me to believe, but I had my own theories…

In the cover of darkness, deep within the woods where no one was looking, every night the animals would convene for big slumber parties. Together, they would share each others warmth and company, instantly becoming the best of friends. All would return to normal in the morning, the circle of life and survival of the fittest back into effect, but just for the evenings, animals large and small would act like family. From the birds to the mooses, it didn’t matter the species, there would be peace and community within the animal kingdom. I could practically picture it: Birds of all colors would flock to the safety of outstretched antlers, and nestle in for the evening, perfectly warm and cozy. Like a trusty mobile home, surely the moose could move to take shelter from a storm if needed, and danger could easily be outrun.

Looking through the eyes of a child, doesn’t that scheme tie up the unknown, loose ends nicely and make good sense? I’d sure like to hear you propose a better idea!

[Knit moose pattern from Knitting MochiMochi by Anna Hrachovec]

It’s a highly contagious ailment that has no cure and no one is immune to. Spreading like wildfire once exposed to any considerable population, it could take down all of civilization as we know it in mere days. Don’t be alarmed, but there’s no sugar-coating the fact that we’re all at risk for this ruthless malady. Identifying those affected is an easy task, however- Just look for the glassy eyes, goofy smiles, stuttering, rapid heart beat, and lack of coordination. These people are to be avoided at all costs, because they’re likely to spread their affliction in the blink of an eye, without even knowing it. Sadly, most are far beyond saving by the time their symptoms become evident, as they’re often head-over-heels… In love!

As you can see, this horrible, gruesome affliction turns mild-mannered folks into certifiable hug monsters. Especially dangerous as Valentine’s Day approaches, one suffering from the disease is liable to latch on to the nearest person and simply hug and squeeze until they turn blue. Their system overwhelmed with more love than they can handle, hugs are the only way to release any of the otherwise painful tension. It’s such a terribly sad thing to see.

So guard yourselves, cross Valentine’s Day off your calendar, and stay away from anyone you care about, or you too might become an unwitting victim! I don’t mean to alarm anyone, but left unchecked, I’m afraid this thing called “love” might just take over the world, if we sit back and let it.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Make sure you give a hug to everyone you love!

[Pattern available at MochiMochi Land]