What to do when it's so cold outside...

Go Skating!

I don't know about you but around these parts this winter season has been a cold one. Like -50C with the windchill cold. Too cold to do much but fight for a spot in front of the fireplace.

Fortunately (or not depending on my mood) I made a resolution to be more active this year and cold or not, I really mean to make this one stick. So my family has been taking advantage of the ice rinks in town, one is outside (the temps were a balmy -20C that day)...

And the other is indoors. Mr. Man is playing his first year of hockey and it's a hoot to watch his practices. They do lots of stretching and drills and games. This one I call hockey yoga...

Our rink also has a family skate time on Sundays. We were there on the weekend so the Superstar and I could test out our new skates (the temps were so cold I don't even want to talk about it, it was way warmer in the rink)...

skating selfie, no one on the rink! Crazy!

When it's cold I also knit... Ha! Who am I kidding... it doesn't matter what the temperature is, I knit all the time! I've been working on a sheep pillow by Purl Soho called Bobble Sheep Pillow. It's a free pattern and the bobbles are fun to knit. I just need to knit the head, legs and tail and stuff it.

I'm working on the first of my Year of the Shawl 2014. It's Windward by Heidi Kirrmaier (PiPiBird on Ravelry). I'm using some yarn I picked up at Michael's because the yardage is right and the colour is pretty. I'm not an acrylic fan but so far this is knitting up really well. And it's uber soft! I'm a lot further in the pattern than the picture shows. The construction of this shawl is so strange, it changes directions and stitches in every section, fun to knit.

I'm also working on my 12 pair plunge for 2014. The first pair of socks is the Katniss pattern by Rose Hiver (free on Ravelry). I got past the gussets and knew all the while that they were too small. I thought I'd be all smart and take out a bunch of stitches on the cast on because Rose said in the pattern that they fit a ladies medium/large. I have small feet. Apparently my feet are only small in my mind because this sock was so small I couldn't get it on properly. I think these socks will fit me just fine if I cast on the correct amount of stitches. Gah, sometimes it's just better to knit the pattern and not try to modify everything... So I've frogged these and plan to re-cast on tonight at Mr. Man's hockey game.

The yarn is on old skein from Tanis Fibre Arts Colour Club from 2 years ago called Spice. I think it suits the pattern and I'm excited to have an orange pair of socks!

As for reading, because I'm linking with Ginny's Yarn Along... I'm on a magazine kick this week. I got the latest Shape magazine when standing in line at the grocery store (hopefully I'm not the only one that does this!) and the latest seed catalogue came in the mail the other day (so excited!). I love seed catalogues, they're like porn for my gardening soul... The last magazine is the Clean Eating one which I've subscribed to for 2 years now. I love this magazine for it's recipes, they're really good and clean, which is how I like to eat.

So there you have it. When it's cold I say, get active, knit and read...
Happy Wednesday!