Geometric January: Square Challenge #1

January 1, 2025January 5, 2025 annbh3562 Comments

square photo of cobblestones set in geometric shapes with the toes of black shoes poking into the frame at the very bottom

Rather than simply start the new year by sharing good wishes (although I certainly offer those!) I am joining Becky for her GeometricJanuary challenge. With other bloggers from around the world, I will share images (all squares) that convey this quarter’s topic. The rules are simple: post a square picture that expresses the geometric theme. If you blog, consider joining the fun as the posts are always creatively entertaining.

While I cannot envision posting daily, I promise an assortment of the fresh images throughout the month starting with the cobblestone paths at the Montreal Botanical Garden that I traversed with friends in August 2022.

Park Shawl

April 25, 2024 annbh3561 Comment

snow covered mountain in the distance against a blue sky with trees and craggy rock in the foreground — Glacier National Park – July 2006

two-toned taupe and speckled pink and green hand knit shawl on on wooden hanger — Glacier National Park – July 2006

Just off my needles is Christina Campbell’s International Peace Park Shawl. Her inspiration for this simple asymmetrical shawl knit in two colors, came from Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the world’s first international park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The design begins and ends with solid segments representing the two bordering countries, color shifting stripes portray the mountain ridges, and the delicate lace segments depict the fragile nature of peace.

My knitting journal usually documents December projects designed by Christina when I have joined 100s of other knitters participating in her annual Project Peace knit-alongs (KAL). The delicate hand-dyed merino fingering skeins from last June’s Hand Dyed Happy Yarn Club are reminiscent of craggy peaks after snowmelt and spring flowers dotting high mountain meadows. The pattern sat in my queue while I waited for that just right combo of yarns since, after three visits, Glacier National Park remains among my favorite natural places with these fond memories…

A mid-summer visit with nieces and nephews when thirteen of us hiked a glacier trail. The sun sparkling so brightly off the snowpack there were sunburned calves, despite a slathering of sunscreen.
When, despite a sunny June day, we could only venture as far as Lake McDonald Lodge as heavy, late season snowfalls blocked Going-to-the Sun Road.
And the thwarted plans to visit Glacier’s Canadian counterpart, Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada, due to lack of proper documentation. We had incorrectly assumed drivers’ licenses were sufficient IDs and we learned (too late) that without our passports, US customs would not allow reentry. Instead, we simply enjoyed rustic Rocky Mountain scenery on our side of the border.

Happy knitting on happy trails!

Racing

20 Drivers & 24 Races – New F1 Season

March 2, 2024 annbh3561 Comment

red F1 Ferrari in the lead at hairpin corner at the Montreal Gran Prix June 7, 1998 — Schumacher wins in Montréal for Ferrari – 1998

In not quite a decade, between meeting Richard (June 7, 1981) and June 1989, I went from watching races only sporadically to track side attendance at the inaugural Formula 1 street race in Phoenix. In my early days of race viewing, the challenge was simply finding a re-play of a race as only the “jewel” in the racing crown – Monaco – might, just might be aired in real time.

Six seasons of Drive to Survive has increased viewership and a variety of streaming services now ensures race coverage with experienced commentary. And, with more viewing my familiarity with tire degradation and slip stream passes also expands. The longest season ever run started this weekend in Bahrain and we will follow this most expensive motor sport from lights out starts to checkered flag finishes all the way to Abu Dhabi.

Bahrain podium finishers: 1- Max Verstappen, Red Bull; 2- Sergio Perez, Red Bull; 3- Carlos Sainz, Ferrari.

Photo details: Canadian Gran Prix, Montréal, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, June 7, 1998. Last lap, with Michael Schumacher in the lead and winning the race for Ferrari.

Other items of interest · Travel

Underfoot

April 17, 2021May 16, 2024 annbh3561 Comment

bronze sundial — Left to right: Chişinău – Lugano – Vancouver

sidewalk with one black shoe walking next to stone gutter — Left to right: Chişinău – Lugano – Vancouver

BeckyB’s “Brightly Coloured” post featuring an earlier photography of a mosaic octopus in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park offered an inspiration for sunny textures under my feet.

Travelogue:

Chişinău, Moldova – October 14, 2018
Parco Ciani, Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland – September 4, 2018
Chinese Garden, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – July 7, 2017

Other items of interest · Travel

Water – Travel – Squares

April 17, 2021May 16, 2024 annbh3562 Comments

from hillside with grass and purple flowers in foreground overlooking river valley with hills

mountain river with, wooden balcony extending over river, mountains in the distance

Mirroring an earlier installment for this quarter’s Squares Challenge by BeckyB — This time from my travels as near as Wisconsin and as far as Italy with water made bright as sunlit waves break on a rocky shore, from a high vista over the river and even higher clouds filter sunlight on the Trans Canada Highway , or white rapids on two rivers half-a-globe apart at sunset.

Travelogue:

Lake Superior along the Minnesota shore – 2013
Columbia River above Revelstoke Dam, British Columbia, Canada – July 9, 2017
Pozza di Fassa, Italy (in the Dolomite mountains) – September 6, 2018
Chippewa River from the High Bridge in Eau Claire, Wisconsin – May 6, 2016