Tonight, Havlfjorour

January 7, 2021January 7, 2021Mimi Leave a comment

Hvalfjörður (Whale Fjord), is a quiet fjord, with shores lined by canyons and waterfalls. Glymur, the highest waterfall of Iceland (198 m) is in Hvalfjordur.

Until the late 1990s, travel necessitated a detour of 62 km around the fjord in order to get from the city of Reykjavik to the town of Borgarnes. As of 1998, the tunnel Hvalfjardargongin, which shortens the trip considerably, was opened to public traffic. The tunnel is approximately 5,762 m in length, and cuts travel by car around the fjord by about an hour. The tunnel runs to a depth of 165 m below sea level.

At the innermost part of Hvalfjordur lie two valleys – Brynjudalur valley and Botnsdalur valley. High above Botnsdalur valley rises the mountain Hvalfell (852 m over sea level) and behind it lies the mountain lake Hvalvatn which is the fourth deepest in Iceland.

The area has a history of whaling. This movie, Whale Valley is set in Hvalfjordur.

and of course,

January 6, 2021Mimi Leave a comment

Anyone who knows me knows there is more than one project on the needles. I did just finish these two adorable little owls, gifted to my grandkids with some books about owls. Love Owls were designed by Madison, Wisconsin artist Susan B. Anderson, who specializes in hand knit animals, toys and figures. I think mine came out showing a bit of attitude – I’m ok with that!

Also in progress, a squishy warm sweater, Glenbarrow, by Irish designer Carol Feller. I’m working this in a scrumptious teal blue (a bit greener than shown in the photo, but when it is finished, I will try to take a better picture.)

And, a pair of socks, always! These will be Powerscourt Waterfall Socks by KnittyMelissa on Ravelry.

Are there ore? Yes! But that’s all for now.

Peace Tower, this is the best!

January 6, 2021January 6, 2021Mimi Leave a comment

My virtual ride across Iceland brings me tonight to the gift of finding The Imagine Peace tower. Wow. Talk about ending up in the right place at the right time. I find myself another 7 miles along the Ring Road in Grundarhferfi, just across from the island of Viðey Island, Iceland, still on the outskirts of Reykjavík. Yoko Ono dedicated this tower of imagining peace in 2007, on John Lennon’s birthday. As we face a president who refuses to bow gracefully (or otherwise) to defeat, and instead is riling up violence and racism in the US, I am so happy to be (virtually) somewhere else right now.

Today, my virtual ride would have been ridden in 0 degrees F., whereas my real ride was at Pleasant Ridge County Park, at 55 degrees.
Tonight I will stay in a 100 year old cottage by the sea, which the photo of which would not let me copy, but this will be the view:

Good night, cheers and Peace. Above all, Peace.

What’s on the needles?

January 5, 2021January 5, 2021Mimi Leave a comment

There’s always something – actually more than one or two or sometimes even three somethings. Today I will focus on the new shawl I began last week called Winter Lights, by super knit-wear designer Stephen West of Amsterdam. I am knitting with one of my favorite yarns, Yummy 2-Ply by Miss Babs in four colors: peppercorn, dark parchment, adobe and a dark blue. I am knitting along with a group on Ravelry as a Hibernation KAL (knit along).

Iceland

January 5, 2021January 5, 2021Mimi Leave a comment

I just joined the Ring Road 828 mile virtual challenge, starting out from Reykjvik. DAY 1. 10 miles in, made it to Mosfellsbaer.
Imagine my surprise, as an everyday knitter, I find out that Mosfellsbær was once one of the main production centers of Iceland’s wool industry. A wool factory, founded in 1896, is still in operation today. Today some of the old buildings around the factory are used for other commercial ventures. Icelndic wool is a knitter’s dream! Here is the link to the factory: https://alafoss.is/pages/about-alafoss