I hope your weekend was good and that you are refreshed and energized to tackle the week!
We had an abrupt return to winter on Saturday and I am a bit concerned for all the things that are now growing in my yard…
Forsythia are about to bloom
Tarragon, mint, chives, and thyme are growing like mad
The lilac bush has oodles of leaf buds on it (however, I do not see any flower buds yet…)
The Spiraea in the front yard is filled with a beautiful green haze of new leaves
And, I have a plethora of perennials coming up all over
So, the snow and bitter winds on Sunday were especially unwelcome.
Despite the wild weather – it was a good weekend!
There was another “huddle” with my fellow resister’s which has become something I am really looking forward to. The bit of time in camaraderie with like-minded souls is definitely a boost!
I discovered when I was almost done with the first part of the chart on sock one that I somehow skipped 12 rows. So… riiiiiiiip! I am glad I discovered this before getting much further – AND before beginning sock two. I am back on track with a post it™ to help me with my obvious confusion! However, both socks being done before the final clue comes out on Wednesday is highly unlikely.
We also found some nice looking Romanesco at Whole Paycheck (although they were not insanely expensive) and made my favorite salad, Romanesco alla Diavola, with it to accompany pasta with meatballs for dinner last night. It was so good!
We watched some of the Oscars, but being the lively, stay-up-late crew that we are we did not last until the end. (Actually, it was far from the end, and as such we missed all the uproar over the best picture!!) Now, I am waiting for the same thing to happen with our last general election…
And that brings us to Monday – a hit the ground running morning here. How about you?
As I sit here today with the window open, drinking coffee and listening to the birds singing gloriously – it is a very un-February-like morning. All week it has been in the unbelievable – well into the 60’s for much of the week and all this warm weather has made Sherman the happiest of Pugs!
Apparently Spring is the new Winter…next week it does not look quite as warm, but these temperatures are still not normal.
All this crazy weather makes me think of warm weather knitting… shawls and the like.
And, gardening…Planting.All.The.Things.
It is the perfect being-out-of-doors weather!
So, how about some links so we can get on with our Friday?!
Something new from Lori Versaci that Mary might need to add to her queue!
This week’s prompt for Think Write Thursday is to write about the movie you can quote the most. This may or may not be your favorite moving but you all know what we mean, right? What’s that movie, the one that once you start quoting from (probably with your friends) and you just can’t stop? Share some of your favorite quotes and tell us why you think it’s just so darn quotable.
First up, let’s cue up some music shall we?
Perhaps the best movie series ever and one I have watched dozens of times – although, the book is excellent – overall the series of movies did well to portray the saga told by Mario Puzo in his book by the same name. And, talk about a plethora of movie quotes! The Godfather is one that delivers!
My favorite quote of all is one from Don Corleone: I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.
But really, Don Corleone gives some of the best lines ever:
You can act like a man! What’s the matter with you?
A man who never spends time with his family can never be a real man.
Consigliere of mine, I think you should tell your don what everyone seems to know.
Some day, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, consider this justice a gift on my daughter’s wedding day.
Peter Clemenza also gives some great lines:
Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
He’s thinking of going to the mattresses already.
Sal Tessio gets one of the most famous quotes:
…Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes.
Michael Corleone’s growth over the course of the movie is dramatic, and he gives some chilling quotes:
Fredo, you’re my older brother and I love you. But, don’t ever take sides with anyone against the family again.
What’s the Turk paying you to set up my father, Captain?
It’s not personal, Sonny. It’s strictly business.
You have to answer for Santino, Carlo.
Only don’t tell me you’re innocent. Because it insults my intelligence and makes me very angry.
Just lie here, Pop. I’ll take care of you now. I’m with you now. I’m with you.
And, his power culminates so incredibly in the famous Baptism Scene:
There you have it – my all-time favorite and most quotable movie, ever. Now, if you’ll excuse me – I have a bit of watching to do!
If you would like to join Carole and me for Think Write Thursday’s, we would love to have you – please sign up here!
The change in the weather has brought with it the urge to cast on all the things. And, really it is not that I do not have enough knitting going on, because I definitely do.
But, despite that fact… yesterday I cast on my first Hitchhiker. Oh, and Bonny was right – that Smooshy will be divine.
I need to lock myself away with my stack of audio books and ignore the world and knit.
I am a little more than halfway through I am No One – up next in the queue is a bit of George Orwell.
As for the reading but not listening – it seems a bit of the same issue as the knitting. Tana French Book One started – and the library just let me know that Fredrik Backman’s latest book, And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer, is available. I have so much reading to get through!
I am immersed in the Month of Letters and enjoying every moment. I have gotten letters from dear friends and letters from new friends! Every moment has been so much fun.
I have written letters, postcards, and even birthday cards!
But, I have not done blog letters in quite some time – so today is your lucky day!!
So, let’s get to the mailbag…
Dear Senators Mc Cain and Graham,
I would like to take a moment to thank you for standing up for a free press (although, why this is even a thing is beyond me)
Good reminders from you both last week on the importance of the press being free, adversarial and worth dying for.
Now, I would like you to focus some of your attention on the importance of education so that we are no longer a nation that cannot discern fact from fiction.
Sincerely,
A Believer in the Fourth Estate
Dear Mother Nature,
I am not sure what is up, but you do realize that it is February, not April or May right?
Because, it is still winter for a few more weeks not to mention you are making Punxsutawney Phil look bad.
Oh, and in case you are thinking winter in April would be a fabulous joke – I promise you I won’t be laughing!
Signed,
A Global Warming Believer
Dear Bathroom Scale,
For months you have been giving me such great encouragement. It was almost as if you were cheering me on in my change in eating and exercise habits.
However, the past couple of weeks you and I have seemed to hit a wall. The encouragement has stopped and we seem to be at a standstill.
As in an actual standstill… a holding pattern… maintaining status quo…
I promise you I did not call a halt to our journey!
Sincerely,
Seeking Losses
Dear Hitchhiker Scarf,
I know that I have not knit you – ever. And, that is truly an error in my judgement.
However, the urge to cast you on has been increasing almost daily.
Except, I have these other projects going and this infatuation I have with you is not a good thing. All these amazing photos of you on Ravelry is not helping either.
I am not sure how much longer I can resist…
Love,
Infatuated and Trying to Resist
That’s all I have today – I hope you have a great Tuesday and maybe write a letter – it is good for you!
How is your weekend going? I hope as wonderfully as it has here!
I am not sure what weather in the upper 60’s in February says about Global Warming, but it sure makes for a glorious weekend!
There was an abundance of walking this weekend in an effort to spend as much time as possible outside! Saturday we walked in our “old standby” out at Boyce Mayview Park – clear blue skies and warm sunshine coupled with a cacophony of birds singing and the distant rat-a-tat-tat of woodpeckers made for a wonderful walk!
Sunday we decided to venture outside our usual walking route and headed to Dormont Park where the walk was invigorating (lots of hills in Pittsburgh means a walk can be a good work out!) And, the views from the park were incredible as you can see above! On our way home, we decided to stop in Carnegie at their park and imagine my surprise in finding a Skate Park there! It was busy and we had fun watching the variety of ages all zipping around on bikes and boards.
Hopefully there will be a bit more time to walk today because this weather surely cannot be here for good – can it? (Although we have forecasts of 60’s all week!)
