by Kat | Aug 9, 2021 | General, In This Moment
Is for seeking input!
Last week we had a wee break in the heat and humidity, but that all ended over the weekend. This week is supposed to be warm and so humid. But that break…it makes me think about moving out of this season and easing into autumn.
It’s been such a strange summer… this was my “harvest” from this morning. Six little cherry tomatoes…sigh. I talked with someone this weekend who is having no better gardening luck that I am… and they garden on a much larger scale than the tiny garden we have.
But rather than dwell on the disappointments to start the week… I thought I’d ask the Knitting Hive Mind for some knitterly input. I have been thinking about Pressed Flowers …lots! I have even dreamt about it! (sorry, Ravelry link… I looked for other ways to share the shawl, but alas… Rav appears to be the only place Amy sells her patterns.) It would be a lovely thing to knit this fall and I think some of you have made it, but I honestly can’t remember if that is true. If you have made Pressed Flowers, what are your thoughts? Is it wearable…or maybe I should ask, Do you wear it often? I am contemplating using plötulopi to knit it with… my vision is a light, but warm layering piece.
That is all I have for this morning! See you all back here on Wednesday and I look forward to your Pressed Flowers input!
by Kat | Aug 6, 2021 | General, In This Moment
An overly full week is winding down. Stress seems to be intent on becoming the center of our lives… and I pondered in my morning meditations if my fighting against the stress was causing more stress than acknowledging the stress and moving on around it. (I am pretty sure I just answered my question… but still, the struggle is real.)
This week, Mary helped me with the word I have been feeling about COVID numbers…. Fraught. All.the.fraught.feels. I confess I am struggling to muster any empathy for those who are causing the “Pandemic of the Unvaccinated” and I overheard my neighbors pride in not being “Fauci Sheep” – they are maskless and proud of their unvaccinated status. They are not alone on their stupidity… my county is now in the “substantial zone”. I hope I am preaching to the choir here, but if you are not vaccinated – please, please, please! Speak to your family physician and ask them to vaccinate you (or explain what the vaccine is, what it does, and – most importantly – what it won’t do!)
Despite the Stress Battle and Fraught Feels, I did manage to carve out some time for a few good things this week…
My woefully sad patio pots have started to show some improvements. I would say that we must have gotten some bad dirt, but my herbs are going like gang busters and they are in the same dirt… so I am not sure what’s up with the pots this summer. But, at least there has been some growth!
My freezer has a 7 “basil bombs” tucked away for a summery reminder in a wintery meal! I also am hoping that I will be able to harvest one more cup of leaves before summers end to steep in some vodka!
I have been wearing my new sweater and I am LOVING the versatility of it. It is perfect over a pair of wide-legged pants and is also works well over a tunic and leggings. I have made a notation in my April ’22 calendar to cast one on for next summer! (That was my huge AHA moment this week… making notes for my future self on projects I want to make, but not right this instant!) I had been toying with the idea of swatching for another sweater with Tides… however I am not getting gauge, but perhaps that is a good thing. I have some sleeves to finish and it will be so lovely to have not one, but two new Lopapeysa’s in my wardrobe later this year!
I had been struggling with my “Summer of Pastels” and I hit a wall in my creativity… I was stuck. Really stuck… I looked at this every day last week… and added nothing. But this week I took a deep breath, picked up a piece of chalk and began again. Sometimes only for a minute or two, but those minutes helped get over the hurdle. Is it perfect? Nope. But I was reminded of something important… quitting does not ever help. I feel back on track this morning and I am eager to start a new piece! (you can see the image I used for inspiration here)
The final good things that occurred this week were inspired by Dr. Kendi’s podcast. I listened to two episodes this week that have given me some new things to think about. (My inspiration this week… Repairing the Past and Prison and Police Abolition)
And that is all I have for this week! I hope your weekend is full of good things and I will see you back here next week!
by Kat | Aug 4, 2021 | General, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings dear Unravelers!
How on earth is it possibly August???
I have a finish this week, yes Shakerag is done! And I love it very much and am contemplating making another one! Shoulder seaming woes and all! Yes… it was a bitch and a half to seam… somehow the fronts and backs were not.the.same.width. I was NOT ripping back again to try and figure out what was the problem (I should have noted this in the pattern, but did not. I have not looked for errata, but I feel certain there must be because the fronts have 10 stitches more than the backs…ugh) Anyway, I managed to “ease” them together. I then decided not to do the “pick up and bind off” neck and arm finish and instead did a single crochet edge, which I like very much. It helps the neckline lay flat and once I re-block the sweater, I don’t think the arm holes will curl under. I LOVE the yarn I picked for this and will absolutely be using it again. It washed up and blocked beautifully! And the feel… it almost has a suede-like texture. It is really quite lovely. My next version will have a split hemline, I think…
And as for the transparency of this sweater… well, it is barely, which I think is just perfect!
I have the body of my second Test Knit done and have departed for Sleeve Island… I wish I could share more, but soon!
Oh this week’s reading! Wonderful!! Plus!! I have my Summer Book Bingo Coverall with the finish of McEwan’s Saturday! A brilliant finish for my card!
Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable.”
Imagine wanting to be something… anything… and writing a letter to someone who does what you want to do and he responds to the letter – sharing wisdom, insights, encouragement, and friendship.
This book is the story of that journey… Rilke’s letters to the young friend are beautiful. Gracious. Full of encouragement and hope. The tenderness and beauty of these letters is really quite incredible. The reader only sees Rilke’s responses and I spent a great deal of time pondering what it would have been like to have a mentor like this. But most of all, the wisdom Rilke shares are things you should store away… and you should remind yourself of that wisdom frequently. I highly recommend this book!
Saturday by Ian McEwan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“When anything can happen, everything matters.”
My goodness can McEwan take you on an incredible journey… this is one of those journeys. Buckle in though… it’s going to be a bumpy ride! Fast-paced and fascinating, this story pulled me in from the beginning and about midway though the day, I remember thinking… boy, if ever the thought of it being a “good day to just stay in bed” this was it! What I really loved was how things eventually are all interconnected. Brilliant writing and McEwan never disappoints! I very much recommend this story!
Summer Book Bingo Square: Month or day of the week in the title
Unsettled Ground by Claire Fuller
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Wow. Just wow. This title is pure perfection for the story that unfolds. I could not put it down… and I tried to go slowly to savor it but 24 hours later it was done. This is a story that will stay with me for a very, very, very long time though. I want to say I loved this story… but while I loved the characters, I did not love the story… until it grew on me, or perhaps it is better to say that as this story unfurled it began to envelop me… and as I settled in, I saw things differently.
This will absolutely be one of the best books I have read this year and I highly recommend it!
That is all I have for today but what about you? What does August hold for you?
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Aug 2, 2021 | General, In This Moment
Are beautifully overcast and almost chilly enough to need a sweater!
This morning it feels like a switch has been turned off as August ushered in some much cooler nights. This paired with the now noticeably darker mornings and earlier darker evenings brings the knowledge that summer is not here to stay.
(Outside of my gardening woes) It has been the most glorious summer I can remember in quite some time. The pace at which I have been savoring summer has been perfect. I am not rushing to the “next thing” and while I am very disappointed in my gardens lack of productivity… my attitude of “it is what it is” is helping ease that disappointment. One thing I love is puttering in the garden in the early morning hours and productivity or not, that is where I like to be.
The outside time has brought another treat this summer… I have been enjoying the antics of a pair of Hairy Woodpecker’s brood of chicks and their unceasing demands for “more food…NOW”! Watching their parents fill the hungry mouths has been a delight!
One thing growing that has been on “hyper-growth” this year are my herbs… particularly my basil! And while I am sad that Kym is not having the same success… I am thankful that she shared a link for Basil Bombs. That bushy plant is about to get “de-leafed” and my freezer is waiting for those little green treasures. I don’t have an ice cube tray but I think I can make it work with “snack sized” ziplock bags.
One final very good thing from the weekend was an Amazon delivery that has brought things into focus… lol. Yep, I got an Ottlite and have been doing some stitching this weekend. What an incredible difference *seeing* makes! This stitching project is eons old (and I think it might almost qualify as an antique!) But, I made some very good progress yesterday once I got the right distance figured out! This is my “trial run” to see how it goes, and if it goes well… I have my eye on a couple of patterns from Etsy. (namely this and this)
And that is all I have for today… I will see you all back here on Wednesday!
by Kat | Jul 30, 2021 | General, In This Moment
Or, a “Currently” update…
I have not done a “currently” update for a very long time. Too long, maybe. Anyways, one has kind of been rattling around in my brain so I thought I’d share a bit. Sadly, it is not all of it is good… but that is often life, right?
Remembering — I read this morning that Senator Levin died and it reminded me of an interaction I had with him a very, very long time ago. I was at a gas station filling up my car on my way to work in Saugatuck. Senator Levin and his brother pulled in and while Sandy filled up their car, Senator Levin engaged in conversation with me. I, of course, recognized him and was kind of awestruck that he would talk with me. In our conversation, he asked for a recommendation on a place to eat. I asked him what he was hungry for… fish was the answer. I gave him a couple of options and he asked me where would I go… I gave him my response and he said that’s where they will go then! Such a great man with a legacy that will live on.
Tackling — This morning I have queued up a YouTube video on how to do horizontal mattress stitch. Honestly, it feels a bit daunting with all the “steps” because you bind off X stitches at the beginning of the row for X rows… which creates a series of steps. If I knit this sweater again, I will contemplate doing some knitting math and do some short rows to create the shoulder slant, which would allow me to bind off the row in its entirety (making seaming easier, I think…)
Reading — This week has been a banner week. First, I was finally “next in line” for Uncommon Ground and I stayed up a bit too late reading the past two nights – my plan for today is to get those shoulders seamed and then knit some mindless stockinette and read! Yesterday, I completed my Summer Book Bingo card with the finish of Ian McEwan’s Saturday. A brilliant way to finish my card… I just love his writing. And it is a book that will “sit with me” for some time.
(not) Growing — This summer will likely go down as the worst year ever for growing things. My vegetable garden has been a serious disappointment this year… I planted beans, some peppers, tomatoes, summer squash, and zucchini. Lots of things that are just not producing anything. Half of the zucchini have produced nothing… and this morning I noted that one plant has two zucchini starting… so maybe? The summer squash provided only 3 squash… and it appears there will be no more. Normally, I have more tomatoes than I know what to do with but it looks like I will be lucky to get a dozen tomatoes from 6 plants. I am holding out hope for some beans (to date, I have picked 5… that’s right, five beans) because I have blooms (again) so maybe this time I will get some beans. The peppers have had flowers, but no production beyond the flowers. One might think that my problem is bees… or the lack thereof. This is not the case… I have bees galore! So I am not certain what the problem is and Steve is now complaining about wasting water on a garden that is not producing.
(over) Grown — We made a decision earlier this year to not trim the bushes in the back yard in the spring, but rather cut them back significantly this fall. I worried about how “unkempt” the riot of bushes would look like, but I never imagined that those untrimmed bushes would be the source of some surprising visitors this summer! I usually hang a couple of hummingbird feeders, but had not gotten them out yet when the warnings went out about not feeding birds this summer… I was disappointed, because it is just so much fun to see hummingbirds from our porch. But, I never imagined the volume of birds that would flock to our Rose of Sharon… time spent watering in the yard is a joy with all the hummers zooming around. I have seen more of them this summer *with no feeders* than I ever did with feeders. This has caused me to reconsider garden beds and things that need pruning to “look good” … some good food for thought for the fall and winter!
Counting — Nine weeks from today we leave for Michigan. And while it seems like eons away… I know it will be here sooner than I think. I just can’t wait… although I have some trepidations about the trip (thank you, Delta Variant) My fervent hope is that both PA and MI will continue to stay out of the “red zone” as they currently are!
And there you have my “current” thoughts. I hope that you all have a great weekend and I will see you back here next week!
