by Kat | Jul 18, 2019 | General, In This Moment
Joining together with Carole and friends this week again. And, I don’t know about you, but holy hell this been the week of all.the.horrific.things!
My things this week, have been things to pick me up…and I hope they do you too!
Thing One:
This week I discovered #tinypricks on Instagram. Stitchers might just be the most brilliant people ever! (And, my inner juvenile laughs hilariously at the hash tag…)
Thing Two:
Speaking of Instagram, @ladydyeyarns shared this awesome support list! I do not consider myself an “influencer” but I absolutely believe we should all support these businesses!
Thing Three:
Finally, because in this week of hell I have looked to James Baldwin for hope and wisdom and I stumbled across this article that is full of both of those things! I watched the video and I agree that James Baldwin is still very relevant today and I will leave these words here. I will be spending some uncomfortable time pondering them today.
There are my things… what about you? Do you have any things that are helping you get through this week?
by Kat | Jul 17, 2019 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
It’s Wednesday and that means me giving you an update on what I am making and reading!
The color work on my Early Bloomer is complete and now I am just knitting around and around and around. I generally like mindless knitting, but I am happy that I am almost 1/3 of the way done! This has been my pickup project at the end of the day so it has not seen much knitting time – but hopefully I will find some “daytime” knitting so I can finish the body!
Sewing continues to satisfy and I began a Tunic Dress on Monday. I have tweaked a few things – a bust adjustment and lengthening of the bodice worked out very well. I have the neck facing and sleeves to finish and then hemming and it will be done!
I do have 3 bingos this week and three books read!
I finished American Indian Stories, Legends and Other Writings – this was perhaps my most interesting read all summer. This book was originally published in 1921 and there was an extensive introduction by Cathy N. Davidson and Ada Norris that gives some very interesting details about Zitkala-Ša’s life and background. But, the most fascinating part is her writing. The book begins with “Old Indian Legends” that all surround a “spider-trickster” named Iktomi. They are fascinating and are full of things to think about. The second portion of the book revolves around Zitkala-Ša’s life. If you are interested in reading more about the Sioux Indian life – I highly recommend this book, 4-stars.
My second book for my bingo card was a short read from Ta-Nehisi Coates, The World Between You and Me – which is a letter he writes to his son. I listened to Coates read it and it was simply wonderful. This book was one that President Obama highly recommended and I agree with his recommendation! 5-stars.
My third finish this week was another short but powerful book: When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir. Powerful, painful, and yes, hopeful. If you have not read it, you should – and soon! 5-stars.
But, what about you? What’s got your attention this week?
As always – if you wrote a post to share today, please leave your link below!
Thank you!
by Kat | Jul 16, 2019 | General
I tried this cocktail on Thursday (because all cocktails need a test run, right?) and it was just kind of bland and I did not think the tequila was really the best in this application. But I thought the idea had potential. So, I worked on it Friday and found that my “fixes” made a much better beverage!
So, I thought I’d share my recipe with you all, in case you want to try it out… say like tonight, non?
Step One: Make a blackberry-thyme simple syrup
- 1-pint blackberries
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- lemon zest (I used 4 strips from a very small lemon)
- 6 sprigs of thyme
Combine berries, water, sugar, and lemon zest and bring to boil. Stir to ensure sugar has dissolved and to mash berries a bit. Add thyme and bring heat down and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes to steep. Strain mixture and cool before refrigerating. Will last approximately 10 days.
Step Two: Make Cocktail
- 2-ounces Dry Gin (I used London Dry Gin)
- 1.5-ounce blackberry-thyme syrup
- 1-ounce fresh lemon juice
- Sparkling water
Combine gin, syrup, and lemon juice over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Serve over ice in tall glass and top with sparkling water and enjoy!
I found this to be an incredibly delicious and refreshing cocktail.
AND, totally unrelated but incredibly awesome!!
Yesterday, the mail carrier brought a lovely little surprise to my doorstep from Washington D.C. Yes, my dear friend Honoré sent me the loveliest little gift! It is a mouse pad that you can take notes on! And, it is so wonderful! As you can see, I am already using it (although – no notes…yet!) Thank you so much, Honoré for this lovely gift! Even the Roald Dahl quote is perfect – and it reminds me of her!
Happy Tuesday, everyone!
by Kat | Jul 15, 2019 | General
I waited until Sunday again and rushed to get some photos. My rushing did not serve me well this week – there was a light breeze, so all my shots were just a bit blurry.
I love that the Butterfly Bush is blooming in stages on each panicle! You can see the little square buds that will open into the fragrant little blossoms!
My Lamb’s Ear may look storm battered, but that does not deter the bees! And, this bee is gilded with pollen!
The weekend was sort of a blur as well, and it seems Monday wins the race every time! I managed to squeeze in some knitting, I cut out a pattern, and pondered sleeves.
We had several visits from a Hummingbird Moth, but I was not quick enough to capture either video or a photo! What sweet little moths they are – I love watching them flit around the butterfly bush!
Also, the sunflowers I got from the farmers market have started to bloom – at least the ones I planted in the back yard! Sadly, the ones I planted in the front yard have all been eaten by the darned deer.
I hope your weekend was not at a blur! Happy Monday all!
by Kat | Jul 12, 2019 | General, In This Moment
Another Friday and another weekend. Summer is not being lazy at all!
Thinking About:
The future came and went in the mildly discouraging way that futures do. – Neil Gaiman, Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch
I find myself pondering the passage of time this month. In less than 10 days, Genevieve will be 4 years old and that seems so impossible to me. July is almost halfway over, and that also seems impossible to me. Gaiman’s quote seems most appropriate – indeed the future is coming and going all to rapidly. And speaking of Genevieve – her mom and dad took her to get her ears pierced last week. Genevieve has been begging and begging to have this done. Well, as you can see – she has one ear pierced but there was no way in hell she was getting the second one done! I confess, I am laughing about this – I should not, but I am. That face looks so angelic… ha! Bribery to get the second ear done has begun in earnest but she has not yet succumbed!
She looks so innocent…
Grooving On:
Early Bloomer’s color work! There is something addictive about color work – it is hard to put down. The urge to knit just more row to see how the pattern will unfold pulls me in and keeps me knitting. I have one set of flowers to go and their magical lure will be complete! Vera asked to see the colors I am knitting with… a dark brown, coffee-colored yarn paired with a green and a turquoise. I think they work well together. I am a little concerned that the neckline is going to be too wide – but maybe not. Once I am done with the color work, I am going to take Heidi’s suggestion and finish the neck to check the fit.
Just one more section to go!
Impatiently Waiting:
While I would like summer to slow down a bit, I am eager for my growing tomatoes to ripen! I think we need more sun than we have had for that to happen, but I am hoping that soon I have at least a handful of tomatoes to put on my salad!
Yes, those are raindrops on my tomatoes!
Fed Up With:
Rain. And really, the volume of rain we have been having! We got another 2 inches of rain yesterday. The flooding here is crazy and my garden has had a moat surrounding it more days than not. I might not mind the rain so much if we had an all-day, soaking rain versus the torrential downpours we have been having. They are “rain events” not rainstorms.
That is all I have for this week! I have my fingers crossed that I will win the battle and Happy Hour tonight will be outside. Have a great weekend everyone and I will see all of you back here on Monday!
