It feels like Autumn turned off the summer switch and plunged us directly into fall here in Western PA. Late Wednesday afternoon some storms pushed through bringing rain, winds, and much cooler temperatures. Thursday morning was all about the layers for Sherman’s morning constitutional. I was so happy to have a cozy sweater to put on!
Fall brings the return of some of my favorite things (besides cooler days, that is!) I made a happy discovery on Monday morning when I opened my podcast queue to see that The Slowdown has returned! Yes, it is back with a lovely new host… Ada Limón. (today’s episode is especially moving!) And for all of you Pádraig Ó Tuama fans, he returns with Poetry Unbound on Monday!
I was fortunate to watch Nadia Bolz-Weber interview Pádraig about In the Shelter this week and it was such a lively, fun, beautiful conversation. I have since started re-reading In the Shelter with new eyes and it is helping with those feelings of discomfort, angst, etc that I have been feeling. (The Chapel has been the best thing I decided to do this year. It has brought a renewal of joy to my life. And it is decidedly “un-church-y” and is missing all of that Uber-religious-sanctimonious-fake bs that I have zero tolerance for.)
I might have stumbled on they key to returning my missing Knitting Mojo… I had been talking to Steve about Sherman needing a new sweater … a lighter weight layer rather than the “winter wooly” he has for those super cold mornings. And then, serendipitously, I saw this on IG Wednesday night. I am purchasing the pattern today and I have some well-aged hand-dyed red sock yarn in my stash that I think will make the perfect Fall Sweater for Sherms!
In the realm of Completely Weird and Definitely Wrong I need to talk about my lilac bush. In the middle of August it started dropping a few leaves and then as the month progressed more leaves dropped and it started getting some dark brown spots on the leaves. I did a bit of a Google search and decided that it might have bacterial blight… except that the branches did not wither or die at all so I figured I would solve this problem *after* we returned home from our little vacay. Fast forward to our return from Erie and my entirely de-leafed lilac had a plethora of new green leaves on the top 12-inches of all the branches… like ALL the branches. And this week it began blooming. Dozens and dozens and dozens of blooms. Seriously, easily 6 dozen lilac blooms. It looks like some strange Seussian plant with pale green leaves and a riot of pale purple booms on a long stick. I have no idea what on earth is wrong with it… but if you have any ideas please share! Lilac blooms in October is something I never ever imagined. lol
Finally, I have this urge to bake.all.the.things. and have been looking with longing at all you who have sourdough starters you are reviving for the fall. Sigh. I have never had sourdough starter success. Ever. And I have tried. But I reminded myself that I have successfully baked very good bread… so instead of wishing for something I am not likely to be successful with, I have put “bake bread” on my Monday To Do list and I am excited to renew my relationship with Peter Reinhart. (and some freshly baked bread will be the perfect accompianment to the left over chicken soup I made yesterday!)
That is all I have for this week… I will see you all back here on Monday with my September update for my word. Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
Can’t help with your lilac dilemma but would love to see a picture. I think back to sitting on the porch…when the wind would blow, the scent from the lilac brush would just fill the air. What a memory!
Hoo boy. That’s a weird thing about your lilac! (I have no clue, and it’s kind of unsettling, isn’t it?) (Sometimes dying plants will bloom like crazy right before they go for good – as a way to produce as many seeds as possible on their way out. Maybe that’s it?) I think a sweater for Sherman will be a perfect knitting-palette-cleanser, Kat! I’ll be that will get your knitting juices flowing again. 🙂 Have a great weekend!
Sorry that I don’t have any suggestions for your lilac. They are one of my favorites and I would hate to have a Seussian tree. Hope you figure something out. Do you have County Extension Services nearby? They have been helpful to me in garden matters. I’m glad your knitting mojo has been found! I once knit a dog sweater for a friend without a pattern and it was the most difficult thing I think I’ve ever knit. (It probably contributed to my angst about sweaters.) I hope you have fun knitting Sherman’s!
I agree with what Kym said about plants blooming like mad right before they . . . die. Sorry, I hope that’s not the case here. Sourdough bread is a challenge, for sure. Yeast bread is just as good, if not better, and you can get significantly more consistent results. Have a great weekend!
I think I’m on the same page with Carole and Kym… it seems like it might have “restarted” somehow in the wrong season and it might not be dormant enough to survive the winter. I hope that’s not the case and this could be a totally ridiculous suggestion, but maybe it would help to protect it from the cold weather somehow? But wow – what a lovely gift to have lilac blooms in late September!
This post was full of wonderful things – thank you for putting it together! The links you’ve offered will keep me busy for quite a while 🙂
I hope you have time today to go for a nice walk (perhaps a bit longer than just walking Sherman) because it is DELIGHTFUL out there. The air is still crisp, but the sun is warm — it’s just the perfect fall day.
I had no success with my sourdough last year, either. And anytime I try to bake challah, something weird happens. I feel like I never get my dough to rise enough. Maybe 2022 should be all about baking bread for me!
Enjoy your weekend!
my knitting mojo is suffering because I’m knitting for everybody else except for me! I’m hoping I will be fixing that soon.
Oh you got your knit mojo back ! The knit gods are sneaky!! Im happy for you.
Bread. My nemesis. I wish I was bad at making it .IT is one thing I exceI at. But I cannot bake a cookie for anything. Your IiIac story is so neat. We just never know when we garden!