Cold Days, Warm Knitting

It was cold, cold, cold two weeks ago, when I traveled to Minnesota for the Knitajourney Midwinter Retreat. You may remember my 2014 and 2015 posts about this retreat, which is so much fun that I return each year. Two years ago, there was a lot of snow, last year, there was very little snow. This year, there was definitely snow, but the word of the weekend was not just cold, but frigid! On Sunday, the coldest day, it got down to -18 degrees Fahrenheit, which was the actual temperature, not the windchill (which was -38).

With temperatures this cold, most of the activities of the weekend were indoors, but I did get some amazing outdoor photos, too. Here is a sampling:

The setting sun, seen through the old oak trees at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. I took this photo (from the warmth of my friends' car) in the section of the cemetery where my grandfather is buried. I hope to return next September when I'm in Minneapolis to look for his grave.

The view of Lake Superior  from the upstairs window at Playing With Yarn, in Knife River, Minnesota.

Sea smoke on Lake Superior, which is caused by cold air moving over warmer water. 

 Jack Frost left his calling card on this window at Playing With Yarn.

It wasn't all snow and cold, of course. Lots of knitting was going on, as well as a bit of spinning, weaving, and, of course, eating.

I finished one sock, and cast on another. Here is the finished sock. The yarn is Intrepid Otter Rustic Stripes.

Here is Ellen at her spinning wheel. I took the photo at her house before we left for the retreat.

Susan experimented with a backstrap loom while Ceci looked on. 

 I ate very well all weekend. On Friday night I had pan-fried whitefish and wild rice risotto, Saturday lunch was warm beets and carrots and Sunday dinner was macaroni and cheese.

The overarching theme of the weekend was fun, laughter and fellowship. Many thanks to my fellow retreaters for their friendship, which keeps my heart warm on the coldest of days!