Looks like the return of winter!
The bitter cold and inches of snow are messing with my springtime yearning. Although this wintry blast might be the perfect backdrop to my latest listen – South by Sir Ernest Shackleton – it is a riveting listen!
And despite all this winter raging, I know spring is coming so I will be starting some seeds for the garden today.
Roar on winter, you won’t last forever!
Despite a topsy turvy week that was very out of kilter on any kind of schedule yes, it’s finally Friday! I am reminding myself of that because it does not feel very Friday-like to me…but hopefully I am over that feeling by the time Happy Hour™ starts! And if not an icy beverage and some fun eats will certainly help me get into that Friday Mood, right?!
Totally over – winter! I mean really. This week was my tipping point. It was a week of almost all the weather seasons happening in.the.same.week. It is impossible to know how to dress and I need hip-waders to walk in the swamp that is my back yard! I just am really ready for spring and all the spring things! I am itching to get outside and not be hampered by the bitter weather!
Grateful for – The Amazon email suggesting I watch Agatha Christie’s ABC Murders! The casting is spectacular with John Malkovich as Hercule Poirot and the trio of stories are brilliantly done and I can thank the ABC Murders for all the knitting company! Yes – I have just 3 colors to go to completion!
Inspired by – Katrina Rodabaugh! Yes, I finally check out Mending Matters from the library. I started reading it last night and oh my. The ideas are mind-blowing and brilliantly executed. I also had a lovely chat with the librarian who checked me out – she had just finished the book and her enthusiasm for hand sewing encouraged me to not knit last night and instead dig into the book! I was profoundly struck by her motto: Just begin. How true that is for everything – stop worrying that your technique is not perfect or that your skills are lacking, “Begin this journey with whatever skills you have today and trust…You’ll improve techniques as you practice.” This is definitely a book I will be adding to my library!
Fun, fun, fun – Pittsburgh Indie Knit & Spin is Saturday. And though I don’t need any yarn, but I do want to knit this sweater and I do not have enough of any yarn to do so. Right now, the forecast is just calling for a rainy day and if that does not change this is on the list for the weekend!
That is all I have for this week; the knitting is calling! Have a wonderful weekend and I will see you back here next week!
I did indeed finish my first Thea Rachelle Raglan on Friday. Sewing time was about 2 hours total. Yes, I like it, but I need to make some pattern adjustments. The neck line needs to be a bit narrower and higher in the back, at least for a cold weather garment! I am not sure how easy those things will be to adjust – what with facings and all. However, this exact pattern would make a truly lovely summer top from linen!! So, yes! I will sew this again!
Saturday, we had the most amazing visitor in the tree in my front yard!! A Pileated Woodpecker!! I know – my heart about stopped. I was not quick enough to get a photo, but oh.my.gosh. A Pileated Woodpecker in my front yard! I am pretty sure it was a female, because I did not see any red stripe on its face.
More BIG excitement here on Sunday when the water main that supplies our housing plan broke leaving us with no water for most of Sunday afternoon and evening. I won’t even go into all the complaining that caused. However, things seem to be back to normal this morning and I have laundry underway to prove it!
I have been entirely enamored with Cara’s 100-day Sashiko Stitching Project. You should especially look at her stories…so.much.fun!
AND!! I started listening to the latest Armand Gamache installment, Kingdom of the Blind – I am limiting my listening time each day to make it last as long as possible.
How is your Monday looking?
Joining with Carole today to share three things today!
Thing One:
There was a sunrise this morning!! With some blue skies! I know – that is one heck of an amazing thing, especially in Pittsburgh! Sadly, the sunshine and blue skies were not long lived, and it is grey and, yes, even a bit foggy outside right now. However, there is no precipitation falling from the skies!
Thing Two:
We finally have all the pieces of information necessary to complete our taxes for the year. I have some trepidation about that this year, and I am not alone…
Thing Three:
We have a pair of robins that have not migrated south this winter and I have been extremely worried about what on earth they could find to eat! Especially in the bitter cold we have been having, but a quick Google search turned up this information! Frozen fruit to the rescue! Bonus in that the grey squirrels also think the fruit is a very good thing!
That’s all I have for today – I hope you have a nice Valentine’s Day!
Are grey and sloppy!
Yep, we got about 5 inches of very wet, sloppy snow over night and there is a lovely mixture of snow and rain falling this morning.
All this makes this Monday the perfect day to tackle a few projects that I have been putting off ignoring.
What does your Monday look like?
P.S. Shingles vaccine side effects fell in the “few to none” category, for which I am most grateful!
Hello, Friday! I am so glad you are here! It’s been a crazy week and I am more than ready for the weekend to be here! I have no major plans this weekend other than doing some catch up reading because I have a book due on Monday and there is a wait list for it, so I need to finish it!
Thinking About – The ongoing conversation in the Fiber Community about being more welcoming and inclusive of all, especially of those of the BIPOC community. These are painful, but necessary discussions – change is not easy and seeing things from the viewpoint of someone else is even harder. I am learning to be a better ally and learning much about myself in the process.
Grateful For – The incredibly warm week we have had! There were even more than a few moments of sunshine scattered between the rain showers! Temps in the 60’s are unusual for us in February, but it was much appreciated even if it is short-lived! Yes, winter returns today! But that taste of spring might just be enough to get me through the month!!
Inspired By – All you sketchers out there! Did you see The Sketchbook Project? What a fascinating idea! And, shame on me for not knowing about the Brooklyn Art Library! It “is home to over 41,000 sketchbooks from over 130 different countries.” Yes, this has made it to the “need to visit” list! No, I am not going to get a sketchbook, but if you participate – let me know! I will cheer you on!
Focused On – Getting my first shingles vaccine today with some trepidation. Great way to potentially sideline part of a weekend but I have been on the wait list for the vaccine for almost 8 months and it is something I really need to get done! I have had a couple of friends suffer from shingles outbreaks and I have no desire to be that miserable…ever!
That is all I have for today! Have an amazing weekend and I will see you back here next week!
