Currently Inked in February

 

It’s February, and here I am with a few new inks in my pens.

 

1. J. Herbin Cafe des iles in a TWSBI Mini Fine
2. J. Herbin Stormy Grey in a Parker Sonnet Medium
3. Rohrer and Klingner Verdigris in a Pilot Custom 92 Medium
4. Noodler’s Navajo Turquoise in a Lamy 2000 Fine
5. Sailor Kobe #14 Maya Lapis in a Platinum 3776 Medium

 

 

 

I’ve always been more of a Lie de the person, and so I’m surprised by how much I’m liking the warmer tones of Cafe des iles, rather than the more greyish tone of tea.

 

 

 

Ah, Stormy Grey, without a doubt my favourite of the J. Herbin sparkle inks. I think Emerald of Chivor is the most popular by sales in our shop, but I love the dark, charcoal, warm grey. And it just flows well in every pen I put it in.

 

 

 

This is Rohrer and Klingner Verdigris. I spelled this Vert de gris, and I had to do a double take in case I actually mixed it up with J. Herbin’s Vert de gris and confused myself but it is in fact Rohrer and Klingner. Another old favourite of mine.

 

 

 

Noodler’s Navajo Turquoise. I haven’t been using Noodler’s as much for any number of reasons. I guess it’s mainly because there have been so many more inks coming into the shop over the years, and it’s hard to try them all.

 

 

 

Another beauty, Sailor Kobe #14 is an ultra vibrant blue purple with some strong sheen. It’s super rich, and I almost fine myself saving it for special occasions, but why save the pop? And might as well put it in one of my favourite luxury pens, the Platinum 3776 Calico. This pen always cheers me up.

 

 

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In any case, we are humming along here. We seem to have lots of boxes coming in all the time, which is nice, even if it seems like we’re producing a lot of cardboard. The kids sometimes make forts out of the boxes, which is the worst, because they take up so much room, and then you have to crush your children’s spirits when you put it all out in the recycling. Such is life.

 

Caleb has recently returned to school, and despite all of the anxiety around it, I’m glad he’s back, having the chance to learn in person, to get out of the house, to interact with his peers. It was eye-opening for me to see all the things that Caleb does in music and art, science and language, and I know, despite all of the accommodations his teachers made in the last minute pivot to virtual learning, that there are some things that are hard to do over a screen.

 

We are back to the chaotic early mornings, but now I find myself back to catching up on laundry, emails, photography, social media, here on the blog. Grateful for the fullness of life.

 

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Currently reading: The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt

Current favourite notebook set-up: Leuchtturm Red Dot Anthracite (blog post) inside a Superior Labor A5 leather cover 

Current view: from the middle of the empty main shop, looking out into the sunshine on Clinton Street