January 2009 – Jennie the Potter

Month: January 2009

Bohus Weekend!

I just spent the most glorious weekend at the Swedish Institute! On Saturday I attended the showing of, “Bohus Knitting- from Relief Work to World Success” This was followed by a Q&A from the documentary filmmaker Kjell Andersson. Did you know Bohus began it’s life…

Gauge (@(#$%)%*)

In my excitement to begin my long awaited post holiday Aran I neglected to find a gauge swatch I knit with my Black Water Abbey yarn last summer. “I think I knit that on a size 7.” I cast on with with an 8 to…

Today I stood on Lake Superior

We visited the dunes along the lake before coming home today and the waves from a churning Lake Superior combined with sub zero temperatures has fuzzied the generally distinct line between land and water with a solid coating of snow and ice. The result is a beautiful and slippery concoction. So for a brief moment I stood on what is generally water (a good fifty feet from actual open water mind you) on Lake Superior. I wanted to take pictures of the mini ice chunks in the water but couldn’t get close enough without making us both very nervous!It would have been silly (read stupid) to knowingly tempt fate by walking out farther than where I was.

Here are the humongous rocks at the shore of Lake Superior covered in frozen lake water. A particularly big storm must have been raging for the water to splash all the way up there and cover the rocks. This picture is in front of the US Army Corps of Engineers Maritime Museum which has always been closed or too crowded on previous trips.

It was perfect timing and we finally got to see the museum. If you want to see a movie about the taconite industry circa 1980 complete with rockin’ sound track I highly recommend it. Who knew iron ore pellets were so compelling?! There are highly detailed models of boats that have traveled throughout the history of the twin ports. Grain, salt, limestone, ore, and more – each has it’s own dock and boat design. Steam engines, a real pilots house, and some of the best views of the harbor complete with ship manifests. Bonus, it’s really warm in there too!

This last picture is of the little tug named “Bayfield” at rest in front of the Duluth lift bridge. I Couldn’t post about Duluth without the bridge, and who doesn’t love a tug?!