a magic retreat (part one)

Just back, inspired, soothed, and rather giggly from my first but definitely not last knitting retreat.*

(To die for. Or dye for.)

It took place Bland Tomtar & Troll in a haven of sea, lichen, and wilderness on a nature reserve in the Norwegian archipelago (in truth, it is more Elsa Beskow Tomtebobarnen (Children of the Forest)). We were quite oblivious to the impending election and possible change of power, or any other news.

The landscape itself is magic in any season or weather.
The real magic, perhaps, was four days of balmy, warm – even hot (!) – sunny weather, and starry nights. In Norway. In September.
And there was also the magic of the generosity and off-kilter humour of knitters.

An added bonus for me: thanks to the patient trial-runners the Ziggurat workshop format got whipped into shape.

And that without anybody getting stabbed with knitting needles and only two cases of serious frogging.

Allow me to present our magic hostess, Princess Tuvstarr (aka Annabel) and her Prince (aka Fred).

Our own Tuvstarr at the helm (in so many ways):

The generous hospitality and unperturbed calm would reassure even the most trepid knitter – our particular group was a congenial mixture of trepid and intrepid… at least if you ask one of the latter.

True to their reclusive character, the trolls made no appearance. We did leave a greeting for them in the guest book by the bronze-age burial site. Just in case. It’s right behind us here:

For this trial-run retreat, we all, more or less, knew each other from previous Ravelry (and the Posh Yarn Group) meet-ups so we knew beforehand we were up for a long weekend of serious fun.
Still, I had very much hoped to meet one or two other knitters who either couldn’t make it or for whom there simply was no space this time around. Next time!

 

*This was the wildly successful trial run for what are to become regular knitting retreats run by Annabel, knitter, cook, basket-weaver, hostess extraordinaire. A huge thank you to everyone, and especially to Annabel for hosting, and to her and knitter & tech editor Stephanie Boardman for planning & logistics.

 

p.s. By special request I have refrained from posting my seventytwelve photos of moss and lichen. (I may not be likewise restrained in part two.)