Riding to work has been a feature of many of the lists that I’m good at writing but not completing. Today I started. By pure coincidence it was ride to work day, so I guess in some sense, it was the best day to start.

I’m not a confident cyclist, particularly in urban settings. I grew up in the country, so there wasn’t all the traffic and road rules to contend with like there is in towns and cities, but I’m sure I’ll get better the more I ride.

This is the noble steed that got me there and back safely:

I am unashamed to say that I adore this bike. I love all the rattles it makes, the whirring and clicking noise the rear wheel makes and the slightly dodgy brakes and gears just as much as the colour, the handle bars and the noise the bell makes. It also makes me wonder, what is carbolite 103, and how could I have existed without it?

It was a Christmas present from my boyfriend, my part time reluctant knitwear model, found at a salvage yard. It makes me sad that someone sent this beauty to the tip, but their loss is my gain, I guess. I’m quite hesitant to give my bike a name, because as soon as there’s a name, there’s an emotional attachment. I gave my first car a name (Basil), and when my Dad took him away to get the gearbox reconditioned, there was many a tear shed, because it was like a friend or close family member was leaving me. I’m not sure that would have happened if Basil was nameless.

The only drawback to riding to work I can see is that I won’t be able to knit on my commute anymore. I could try to knit and ride, but I suspect that it’s illegal, dangerous, and perhaps a bit silly.

Even though I mentioned that gift knitting wouldn’t really be blogged until it was in the recipient’s possession, I’m still going to blog about this one. So, if you happen to be my mother, look away now!

Snicket (Ravelry link) is a project that ticks all the boxes for me right at this very point in time. My Mum, whose birthday is at the end of this month, has made positive noises about me making a pair of socks for her, I’ve been itching to do some cabling and I’m currently quite enamoured with single ridges of rib against large sections of reverse stockinette. Can’t go wrong, really!

Georgie recently blogged about knitting epiphanies. My most recent one was a couple of centimetres into the cabling on Snicket. I was sick of the mess of needles that I had from cabling in the round, so I learnt how to cable without a needle using this very clear and useful tutorial. I think Snicket’s a really good project to learn this technique, as you’re only ever switching one stitch over at a time.

The heel of the first sock has just been turned, so I do need to get a wriggle on, but I’m relying heavily on the assumption that the second sock goes quicker than the first, despite the threat of second sock syndrome. I’m really enjoying knitting with this yarn, cashmere merino sock from the Knittery, so I’m hoping that will help me get through any tough times.

The only drawback to this yarn is that it has a wee bit of a halo to it, which seems to be causing all sorts of focus problems for my camera, even when using manual focus. So, apologies for the slightly fuzzy photos.

This season I decided to have a go at growing peas. Things were looking promising when 8 little sprouts sprang up from the soil, but only one really kicked on. I noticed a couple of flowers on it a week or so ago, but didn’t think much of it. Today when I checked on them, there were pea pods! I’m trying very hard to be patient and leave them for a couple more days before picking them.

It’s such a satisfying feeling growing veg, even if there’s really not enough to make even one meal out of the crop. I’ve grown tulips before, and while they were very pretty, it just wasn’t quite the same as growing peas or even herbs.

The mild success with the peas is perfect timing, as I was planning on putting in some more peas this weekend, as well as some chilli and capsicum plants, and I’m now even more motivated to give it a shot. Here’s hoping they do alright!