november on a page
Somehow, it’s November. The entire month whisked by in a busy blur and I thought I’d spent most of it working, but looking through the photos I took, I can see November had a lot of goodness.
My favourite thing about this month is the intensity of the green and pinks of springtime. It’s very hard for me to resist posting too many flower pics so I just went with it. Other joys: live music, markets, garden walks and exhibitions. Visitors and coffee meet-ups. Plus two trips to Tamaki Makaurau - Auckland to celebrate family, friends and art.
Earlier in the month I went to see Anne Noble’s exhibition ‘Hidden Lives: the work of care’ at Te Papa. Noble documented the everyday activities of some families in Wellington in the 1990s and the black and white images are so moving, especially because they’re accompanied by quotes from the women in the pictures about what it means to care and be cared for. You can find more of the images here.
Other beautiful experiences this month:
Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory - (who wants to live forever? my favourite to hear live)
Yiyun Lee’s Things in Nature Merely Grow - a devastating read but one I’ll never forget
A fresh take on a classic Aotearoa play at Circa Theatre: Every Kind of Weather
Discovering this Kate Bush song for the first time - an amazing unreleased B-side from Hounds of Love
Not so much in the way of making and creativity of my own. But I’m feeling inspired to do some summer sewing so there might be more in my next post. Tom gave me the new Nani Iro pattern book for my birthday and I’ve made the first, simplest pattern from it - a summer top. I’m really happy with the shape and know I’ll make more from this design. It can be surprisingly difficult to get the perfect fit with a sleeveless top.
November is also the month each year when our local woollen mill has its annual open day and sale to the public. They offer a factory floor filled with cones - all different fibres, weights and colours, with a focus on possum blend yarns. This year I bought three lots - I could have taken home much more, but am mindful of my growing stash! I’m thinking that one or two of these will be Christmas gifts for keen knitters in my family, and with the green, I’m planning a raglan sweater for next winter.
I hope you’ve had a great month of making, listening, reading, and all the things you love to do. Would love to hear what you’re enjoying in the comments section!
M X
