Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 AD. We came in peace for all mankind. – Neil Armstrong
The past couple of weeks I have been reminiscing in my mind about the summer of 1969. Eight-year-old me was fascinated with the Apollo 11 journey to the moon. I watched the landing on our black and white television in awe that Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin were soon going to be landing on the moon! I remember thinking that it took 4-days to get to something I could easily see. It’s funny how looking back at that time, I see the beginnings of a child that was fascinated with science. I loved that the moon could look so close to us, but it was so very far away! It was also the start of my love of Star Trek…and that love continued for years. Apollo 11 went “where no man had gone before” and my life was certainly richer because they did.
I found this Moonwalk Montage video on the NASA website and watching it brought the same thrill today as it did when I was eight! (if you want to watch the restored, full-length version you will find it here!)
Some years later, I was in Washington D.C. and I saw the Space Window at the National Cathedral, it filled me with awe and wonder that I was seeing a piece of the moon those brave men had brought back.
In these days when travel to the simplest of places seems impossible, it is a very good thing to remember and celebrate this incredible journey.
Finally, it would be remiss of me to not mention the passing of John Lewis. He might have been a man of small stature, but he possessed the drive of the mightiest of men! Though he is no longer here to inspire us, he has given us our marching orders: “I want to see young people in America feel the spirit of the 1960s and find a way to get in the way. To find a way to get in trouble. Good trouble, necessary trouble.” We must not let him down and find some good trouble! May you rest in power, dear sir.
One salvation in these endlessly mind numbing days has been The Slowdown. This week has been especially fun as each post has been about food. However, the Ode to Butter might just be the best thing I listened to all week!
This week saw the end of the 100 Day Project. Oh boy, the best laid plans of mice and stitchers…I started off very well and managed to keep up the momentum until about day 50-ish when I realized that there was no way this stitching was going to take 100 days to complete. I have a few bits to fill in, I think. I have been looking at the stitching with a critical eye over the last 20 or so days. Some days I add a bit of stitching, others I do nothing but look and think. Am I happy with what I have? Yes! I will continue to contemplate and fill in when the mood strikes me…and I am okay with that.
This weekthis news made me squeal and dance with joy!
This week … this photo has filled me with all the feels!
All.The.Love!
But this week also had some hard things…I have been reading some blog posts that really have spoken to me…loudly. It felt good to know I am not the only one who is horribly out of sorts, unsettled, scared, and just so damned angry. I should not be surprised because every day is out of sorts, unsettled, scary, and full of things to make one rage…but I have been trying to ignore, avoid, pretend, and keep my rose-colored glassed clean. Except sometimes ignoring, avoiding, pretending, and trying to see good when there just isn’t any takes more work than a body can handle. I found myself unable to focus on the simplest things, unable to follow through (see last Friday’s blog post for a prime example… I spent about 30 minutes ‘polishing’ it on Friday morning but never published it…and I never realized it until Monday morning!) unable to let go of little things. I have had thinner skin, which has resulted in an increase in arguments and/or hurt feelings. So this week…I got off the “isn’t life grand if you ignore, avoid, and pretend train” and took off those damned rose colored glasses and stared reality down… the ugly, out of sorts, scary, oh.my.gosh I am so angry reality. I allowed myself to be angry at what is happening rather than smothering that anger only to have it erupt when I least expect it. I allowed the fear in… and I meditated with that fear. Did the fear depart? Nope…but acknowledging the fears and remembering that I am not alone helped. The thing I learned is that life is not always rosy…and pretending it is, or letting everyone think that it is, simply is not working for me.
But in the midst of all this chaos…there are only 108 days until the election! Are you registered to vote? Have you applied for an absentee/mail in ballot? If not, put that on the top of your to-do list and I will see you back here next week!
The weather has been simply divine! I have been doing a bit of outdoor knitting and I am *this*close* to finishing my mystery shawl! I really can’t wait to see what blocking does to the sections of lace! It might be one of the favorite pieces I have knit in a while! I don’t know if I will have enough of the brown/grey yarn to do the edging that Kirsten did, but Carole made an excellent suggestion! If I don’t, I will try that…stay tuned!
Thanks to all of you, I have a nice list of little boy sweaters! To start, I am tossing the stash to see what I can put together to knit a Leland for “little” Win!
I also can’t get another Ranunculus out of my brain. It is the best summer sweater, ever! I am thinking that another one will be on my needles soon. (Then it will be back to all things woolen, I promise! 😆 )
The reading this week has been mixed. I really tried to join in with the Read With Us selection, but I just could not. I tried to read Wild Game, but this is not not a book that is for me.
I am still circling around that cover all on my first bingo card while filling in a square on my second card with one excellent finish this week!
I really enjoyed this book and for me, Louise hit it out of the park. The story is compelling, the characters are endearing, and I loved how expertly Erdrich weaves this beautiful story. I had originally given this book 4-stars, but I changed it to 5-stars… it is worthy of a 5-star rating! I highly recommend!
That’s all I have for today, I am going to try and actually be back on Friday…including hitting the “publish” button!
As always, if you wrote a post to share please leave your link below!
‘Cause a little bit of summer is what the whole year is all about. – John Mayer
Joy of joys, this morning I found the temperature had departed from the 90+ degrees where it had been lingering far too long. A little bit of 90+ days go a long way, right? The weather person says that I will get a few days of reprieve before those hot days come roaring back. My plan for this welcome relief…knit.like.the.wind!
I finished Clue 5 last night, and I am having a bit of panic because I am not quite sure I will have enough of the darker yarn…sigh. If that is the case, then I will just figure out some work-around bind off.
I also have been watching the US COVID-19 numbers in horror. I listened to this timely Life Kit episode this morning. I added “make more masks” to my weekly list.
Random things from my Gratitude list last week:
Rain
More rain
Ripening tomatoes
All.the.beans!
AC
That is all I have for this slow starting Monday. How about you? What things were you grateful for last week?
P.S. Apparently, my brain was totally fried from the heat last week. I spent lots of time working on this post, which I then did not publish. What? LOL So, you get a bonus post today… from Friday, published late. But, better late than never, yes?
It has been a very warm week here in Pittsburgh… I enjoy summer, but 90+ degree weather dripping with humidity…not so much. Hibernating in my house with the AC is not my favorite way to spend summer. But all that warm weather has made my gardens just explode! I am picking an over-flowing handful of beans every night, which means my 8 bean plants are producing way more than we can eat! Which means I will be blanching some beans to freeze! This is an incredible unexpected boon from my little garden!
This week I also made a delicious Clafoutis! (Nothing says summer like Clafoutis does!) I will generally pass up cherry pie, but Clafoutis…never! I love channeling my inner Julia Child while making it as well! Bon Appétit!
I am hesitant to post Ravelry links right now. I hope that fixes happen SOON to make it accessible for everyone. (although I did come across this on Twitter, which might help if you are having issues!) All that aside… I had so much fun looking at all the little boy sweater links that you shared on Wednesday! I will be ordering some yarn and whipping a few of them up! Thank you all!
Speaking of Twitter, this week was full of good things there!
First up, Romi shared this bit of information that I did not know! Again, Pittsburgh!! (and the episode IS very good!)
You all: you must listen to this! Another piece of Black history I just learned: the first paramedics in the US were in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, and they redefined the role of the police. Both incredibly inspiring and frustrating in the erasure. But wow! This episode! https://t.co/XWn3UFZMyd
Next, some Brexit Hilarity thanks to a new account I stumbled across! RS Archer is a must follow!! Hi.lar.i.ous! (also, why aren’t my neighbors that funny??)
That is all I have for this week! Have a good weekend everyone and I will see you all back here next week!
Summer has arrived in Pittsburgh in full force. We are on, what feels like, day eleventy billion of 90+ degree weather. My yard is entirely burned out, as is every yard in my neighborhood. Yard burnout brings a bonus though…it is not growing so Steve does not have to mow! But boy does it look bad! We had some brief rain showers late yesterday, but I don’t think it was enough to revive the grass! And all this heat is making knitting not much fun either!
I *finally* completed Clue 4 and have begun Clue 5…but I am still on the first chart of Clue 5. Yes, it is slow going. But my love for this shawl grows with each clue! I am so happy with my low-contrast yarn choice! This will be done and ready for fall weather, once it arrives… oh, maybe in November! lol
I am also working slowly on Purl Strings… I love the dark, inky yarn but boy… not after sundown!
I also have been looking at baby boy sweaters! I usually knit up a BSJ with fingering weight yarn…but this is not sweater weather! So, I am thinking that something for the fall will be just perfect. I welcome all your little boy sweater suggestions!
The reading this week has had highs and lows. One book I loved, and one that really missed for me. AND!! I am one square away from a Cover All on my first bingo card!
I did not like this book. I could not connect with Monte at all. A failed writer, who then flees his family… taking off with a criminal. Seems likely…not. I so enjoyed Peace Like a River and was eager to read Virgil Wander… but I think I am taking a break from Enger’s works.
If you grew up in Pittsburgh, you should read this book.
If you live in Pittsburgh, you should read this book!
If you want to know about Pittsburgh you should read this book!
We said “tele pole,” pronounced “telly pole,” for that splintery sidewalk post I loved to climb. We said “slippy”—the sidewalks are “slippy.” We said, “That’s all the farther I could go.” And we said, as Pittsburghers do say, “This glass needs washed,” or “The dog needs walked”—a usage our father eschewed…
It is the epitome of Pittsburgh! I highly recommend!
And that is all I have for this week! What’s good in your world this week?
As always, if you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below and thank you!
