Plugging Along

This time of year is often difficult for people who live in snowy climes.
It will be March in just a few days, and outside it is still covered with snow. The temps are slightly warmer, above freezing at any rate so hopefully the snow will disappear soon.
Before, I used to pore over gardening magazines beginning around the end of January to help make it through the grisly final weeks of winter. Now that gardening is not a good option, at least not without a lot of things happening first, I have been burying myself in reading. It isn't quite as satisfying, but it does pass the time.
It helps that Oscar buys blooming bulbs. We have a bit of spring in the house, and we even have a beautiful dark red amaryllis in bloom (photos later this week).
The big thing keeping me a bit down right now is continuing illness. The antibiotics don't appear to have helped completely. Perhaps they kept me from being sicker, but my health is just about where it was when I started taking them, still have a sore throat which was diagnosed as tonsillitis, and my sinus infection is a bit worse today judging by the nagging pain. I see the doc again on Friday to discuss what we should try next.
In the meantime, I am working on reviews. Although I work on them every day, the illness makes it very slow going. I don't need them to be perfect, but I do need them to make sense, and to say what I want them to say. I have lots of rough drafts started, and I won't give up, but I am a bit disappointed in my progress so far this year.
I am also designing. I have a new hat pattern on the needles, based on one of Barbara Walker's stitch patterns. In technique it is similar to my Elijah Hat, but in effect it is quite a bit different, lots of curvy lines.
I hope to have it ready to send to my testers in the next few days. If you are a knitter, and interested, just drop me a line and let me know and I'll gladly add you to the tester list.
Contact info:
Ravelry - Otterwise
Email - otterwise At gmail DOT com
(image above is from my old backyard. The snow level is about the same outside my new front window, but the management does all the snow clearance, thank goodness!)