Sometimes Monday | 2.17.20

Sometimes Monday | 2.17.20

Is still the weekend, at least for some of us… I find it curious that Steve does not have MLK Day off but he does President’s Day…

Anyway, it was a good weekend, one with tulips for Valentine’s Day and, thanks to Sarah’s Saturday release, a new sock was started (and holy cow, look how much I knit on said sock on a size ONE needle!!) This yarn has been marinating in my stash for more than a decade, but I think it was waiting for these socks! It is perfect!

A frosty start, but we have blue skies!

Today, more sock knitting as I watch something on Netflix that my son, Sam, told me is MUST WATCH TV (which is rare for him, so I am starting today!)

I also made the most delicious pot of soup, which will be most convenient today as I binge a bit! Steve is off to spend the day at the Pittsburgh Auto Show, so I don’t have to “make a new meal” lol

I hope your Monday is full of good things! (and over quickly if you must work!) XO

Loving February | 2.14.20

Loving February | 2.14.20

February brings the rain, Thaws the frozen lake again. – Sara Coleridge

Rain. Rain mixed with snow. Snow. Snow mixed with rain. And now bitter cold. Yet, lengthening days and increasing birdsong hold the promise that spring is coming, even if it does not feel like it this morning!

Add in my shawl to this sad mess. I got to the point in my knitty math to add in the gold and what had been the most soothing knit suddenly became one filled with angst. A few rows in and that angst did not go away, so I listened to that voice telling me this was not working and stopped. I ripped back and now I am in a holding pattern while I ponder what to do. My inner voice is telling me this needs a cool color rather than the warm gold. I don’t think I have anything in my stash that might work, but I have not looked that closely. Fortunately, I am not a “solo project knitter” so my Pheasant Pullover got some attention instead!

However, despite the miserable weather and shawl angst, there were plenty of things to love this week, starting with Mr. Rogers. NPR shared some amazing photos of Fred Rogers here. The images are brilliant, and the words that accompany them are perfect! Just like he was!

I listened to a really smart podcast this week, Stay Tuned with Preet! He interviewed Dan Goldman, the conversation was fascinating and so informative!

I want to thank Mary for telling me about Poetry Unbound! Today was a special treat when Pádraig read one of Ocean Vuong’s poems from Night Sky With Exit Wounds. I love hearing what someone else thinks about a poem – a new perspective adds a new dimension to a poem.

Finally a bit of poetry by Edward Hirsch to close out the week:

I’m Going to Start Living Like a Mystic
by Edward Hirsch:


Today I am pulling on a green wool sweater and walking across the park in a dusky snowfall.

The trees stand like twenty-seven prophets in a field, each a station in a pilgrimage—silent, pondering.

Blue flakes of light falling across their bodies are the ciphers of a secret, an occultation.

I will examine their leaves as pages in a text and consider the bookish pigeons, students of winter.

I will kneel on the track of a vanquished squirrel and stare into a blank pond for the figure of Sophia.

I shall begin scouring the sky for signs as if my whole future were constellated upon it.

I will walk home alone with the deep alone, a disciple of shadows, in praise of the mysteries.

Have a great, long weekend everyone. See you all back here next week!

Sometimes Monday | 2.10.20

Sometimes Monday | 2.10.20

Brings sunshine on slender green stems!

Our wintry blast from last week has been ushered out by warming temps and lots of rain. The robins seem most gleeful as they hop around in the back yard.

It was a quiet weekend here, and sometimes that is exactly what was needed. Curiously my week’s list is not overly full, so I added a much needed “pantry clean out” to it. Now, that does not necessarily mean it will get done – this task has been added to numerous lists and yet it remains undone…

I hope your lists are all in order! Happy Monday everyone!

Loving February | 2.14.20

Loving February | 2.7.20

February, fill the dyke With what thou dost like. Thomas Tusser, A Hundreth Good Pointes of Husbandrie

Friday’s in February will focus on finding things to love about a month that for me is an “in-between month” – it’s not quite spring and not quite winter, although those deliciously mild temps have given way to a full-on blast of winter here in the ‘Bergh, but despite that, my thoughts turned to spring! Funny how a few mild days does that, right?

I am really loving Marie Yovanovitch this week who shared these inspiring words: “It has been shocking to experience the storm of criticism, lies and malicious conspiracies that have preceded and followed my public testimony, but I have no regrets. I did — we did — what our conscience called us to do. We did what the gift of U.S. citizenship requires us to do.” Ambassador Yovanovitch provides the light of hope in the most beautiful way, and after this week I really needed that light!

I have recently felt the urge to declutter and clean out things. This led me to haul out some knitting bags that are filled with languishing projects. Most I have frogged, but one little gem was found in the midst of all the “what was I thinking” projects. My inspiration comes from Gale and her gorgeous take on KK’s Cladonia. Renewed love for a languishing project is a very good thing! I have a little bit of knitty math to do to figure out how big I want it, but I have a new “old project” that is calling my name!

There was lots of knitting temptations to love this week – in case you need a new project to love:

Finally, one of the best things this week was the love of friends. From messages from friends I have never personally met, a FaceTime call that brightened my week, to the most wonderful surprise that came via snail mail. I want to take a moment to tell all of you how much I love this community here at AsKatKnits, and how much I appreciate each of you. You make the world an infinitely kinder, lovelier place and my world is richer because of you! Thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

Happy Friday and my wish for you all is that you weekend is one of long slow days! See you back here next week!

Photo by Simon Matzinger from Pexels

Gemütlichkeit for Friday | 1. 31.20

Gemütlichkeit for Friday | 1. 31.20

Bis zum nächsten Mal, January! But, in actuality – you weren’t so bad! I was inspired by Katie to track A Year of Temperatures and I started on January 1 and I am really stunned at how warm it has been! In these past 31 days we had 2 days in the 60’s, 6 days in the 50’s, only 2 days in the 20’s, and the rest of the month rested easily in the 30’s to 40’s. A January Thaw on Global Warming! (Also, we did not have much sun in January… sigh.)

It’s Super Bowl Ad Weekend (for those of you who only watch for that aspect of the game!) Carole shared a great one this week and I am jumping right on that band wagon with one that I chuckled over. I live in an extremely Alexa-fied house and this really hit home!

I heard this fascinating piece on NPR this week and in case you don’t like either football or ads – streaming on Amazon Prime, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is so binge-worthy and yes… her outfits are to die for and I love every.single.thing.she.wears! It is truly a wonderful series and I highly recommend it!

In the I did not have enough to knit category – I have been oogling my daughters hat with some serious Hat Envy and I had enough of the main yarn to knit another one, but not enough KSH, but I did have some grey so I cast on and knit myself a hat in one day. Yes, yes, I did! It needs a bit of a soak and a pompom and it will be done. I really love how they are a warm and cool version of the same hat! Never fear, I have now returned to my Pheasant Pullover and will be dividing for the sleeves this morning!

Are you wondering what caught my eye in the knitting world this week? There were a few things that I did like:

That’s all I have for this week – have a great weekend and I will see you all back here next week!

Three on Thursday | 1.30.20

Three on Thursday | 1.30.20

I am joining with Carole today to share some brilliance regarding the Impeachment Trial currently underway…Yesterday began the question phase of the trial where the Senators submit questions for Justice Roberts to read out loud at which point either the selected counsel or both the House Managers and the President’s counsel answers the question or does not, as the case may be. (and there are a lot more not answered questions than are answered)

Thing One:

Don’t expect there to be any more honesty in this trial than there is from the IMPOTUS-in-Chief…

Thing Two:

Meanwhile, while no one is paying attention:

Thing Three:

Finally, if you do nothing else today – please call your Senators!

That’s all I have for today, see you back here tomorrow!

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