The Book in My Ears

The Book in My Ears

It’s Tuesday and that means Carole wants to know:

10 Things to Do While Listening to an Audiobook

Well, I have been enjoying Audiobooks a tremendous amount. I don’t know about you, but for me there is just something amazing about getting things done and reading (listening to) a book as the same time!

So, here is the list of things I have recently accomplished while listening to Audiobooks:

  1. Laundry is really not so bad when you are listening to a great book!
  2. Knitting – of course, this has been a huge help in me getting my Knit Along List whittled down!
  3. Spinning – again, the best companion to treadling away!
  4. Walking – this really is fabulous. Getting some exercise in during a half hour or so walk has helped increase my daily step count!
  5. Gardening – specifically, weeding. Thanks to a good book, the gardens are staying weed free this summer!
  6. Cooking dinner – unless your other half wants to talk to you while you are cooking…
  7. Preserving – making pickles and jams is fun, but more fun while listening to a good book!
  8. Sewing – Inspector Gamache is fabulous while sitting at the Bernina™
  9. Vacuuming – while it does not make the task entirely fun – it helps tremendously!
  10. Ironing – again, a most tedious task made better with a good book in your ears!

So tell me, Gentle Reader…Audiobooks – yes? No? What’s in your ears right now?

A Full Weekending

A Full Weekending

Recipe for the Practically Perfect Summer Weekend:

  • The best Friday Happy Hour, complete with barbecued shrimp and martini’s.
  • Gardening time.
  • Strawberry top infused Blushing Mules, oh my was this good! Oh, and both GIN and vodka are spectacular, just sayin’.
  • Knitting and spinning. (Another item crossed off my Summer Knit Along list!)
  • Moving my blog to a new server. (A million thanks, Steve!!)

This combination makes for a much more palatable Monday.

How was your weekend?

P.S. If you previously subscribed to my blog, you will need to do so again, thank you!

 

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The Yay-est of Days!

The Yay-est of Days!

Friday. Oh how I love you! But, some Friday’s are just uber-appreciated. Today is one of those days.

It has been a busy week here, work has changed things up for me and I have still not gotten into a good rhythm with the new schedule, thus Friday arrives and I am still feeling a bit “behind the eight ball” with a list that still has things to get done.

Time coordination – the bane of my existence. Seriously.

And, apparently plying is right up there as well.

Which brings me to the Fiber portion of today’s post! Thanks to Rachel for hosting Fiber Friday’s!

I spent some time this week plying up the singles I spun. Some of it was lovely, and some…not so much. It is the one aspect of spinning that I really struggle with. I look at all the amazing photos of plied yarns that drift around on Instagram and I am in awe that people do this so well, yet it seems somehow elusive for me. I struggle most with worsted spun yarns – but maybe that is because the loftiness of woolen spun yarns fills in the plying problems I seem to have. I am not sure exactly how to fix this, but I am really thinking a plying class is in order.

But, not one to give up – I will “re-ply” this yarn and see if I cannot improve the areas where it is under-plied, or not plied as the case may be. I will update you next week on how this re-do goes!

There is some welcome rain forecast for today, and while an “on the road” version of Happy Hour is not looking good for today, there will be a snacks and beverages to usher in the weekend. Photos courtesy of last week’s FriYAY celebration that were preempted on Monday for a more somber post.

PicMonkey Collage

And, lest you think there were no links this week – you’d be incorrect! There are a few, even a few spectacular ones:

First off – everyone could use More Love! (and right now it’s free!)

Gradient Knits – how I love thee!

Perhaps you’d like a Party on your needles?

This is such a fascinating construction method.

And, then there is Jutta! I am in love and I am pretty sure that Genevieve needs one!

That’s all I have for today, Gentle Reader. Have a fantastic Friday and be safe this weekend.

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The Piquant Tastes of Summer

The Piquant Tastes of Summer

Reveling in the lush greenness that is everywhere I look,

Weeding the garden and marveling at how it is growing,

Sipping iced coffee in the early morning while listening to the birds sing their summer operas,

Savoring the delicate flavors of freshly pickled vegetables,

And, knitting under the pergola,

These are the tastes of my summer.

Finishing

Finishing

I am so happy to share that I can move some things from in-process to completion: The Goldfinch is finished, as is Written in My Own Heart’s Blood, and Indigo Cones is finished, except for the button selection.

I loved, loved, loved The Goldfinch and really wished it would not end, despite the length of the book. I truly was enamored of young Theo. He tugged at my heartstrings, made me laugh at some of his antics, and at times I wanted to wring his neck! The writing was really perfection, as well. Donna Tartt’s turn of a phrase was ingenious. I give this book a 5-star rating!

Twenty-five years ago I read and LOVED Outlander and quickly read the two subsequent novels in the series that Diana Gabaldon wrote. So, I really thought I’d like Written in My Own Heart’s Blood. I could not be more wrong. I did not like it at all. How curious that one’s taste can change so dramatically in that amount of time. I kept hoping that if I just read one more chapter, I would like it. Sadly, it did not and I only gave it 2 stars.

Book Bingo Card

That means I have 2 squares crossed off on my Book Bingo Card!

Up next in my reading queue is The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo and in my ears is Still Life (Book One of the Inspector Gamache series).

PicMonkey CollageI also have completed an item from my Summer Knit Along List – Indigo Cones that I started some 2 years ago is off the needles! I know – even better, I have the entire summer to wear it! Button selections to commence shortly. I made some modifications to the project, and you can see all the details of it here.

I completed Clue Two on Kirsten Kapur’s Mystery Shawl and I am ready to start knitting Clue Three (which is out this morning) I am also working on finishing up the edging on Aestlight – this will be done quickly, I hope, but at least they are short rows!

Hopefully your knitting is progressing well and that you have some things that you are finishing! But, what I really want to know is what are you reading next! Want to see what the other Yarn Along-ers are up to? Head over to Ginny’s and see! There is rain here today (thankfully) so I am going to make like BooksCatsYarn and queue up Chef’s Table in Netflix and knit clue #3.

P.S. I made some jam yesterday. OMG, the jam! Really. The.Best.Jam.EVER! Really. Thanks, Judy! And, the color – seriously! Deep, intense, dark red jam with flavor that is amazing. I used balsamic vinegar and fresh rosemary from my garden. I made half the recipe and the jam was thickened in about half the time. No pectin used at all and this is the thickest, most perfectly set jam I have ever made. But, really – I am telling you that you need to make this jam! ASAP!

My Backyard Bucket List

My Backyard Bucket List

It’s Tuesday and that means that Carole wants to know:

10 Things On This Summer’s Bucket List

Well, there are a number of ways to approach this, but I am going to make this be a “doable” list – as in things I can do here in my little corner of the world.

Sometimes, there are the best things right in your own backyard!

  1. Go to the zoo
  2. Eat shaved ice – Gus and Yia Yia’s to be specific
  3. Get a pedicure – really, this is so Summer Bucket List Worthy!
  4. Watch the sunrise from Mount Washington
  5. Take a long walk along the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio Rivers
  6. Ride on the Gateway Clipper
  7. Visit the Heinz History Museum
  8. Have one of Lucy’s World Famous Banh Mi
  9. Write and send handwritten letters (this is one you can help me out on – want to exchange handwritten letters this summer?)
  10. Take our FriYAY Happy Hour on the road for a new perspective

So, there you have it – my Pittsburgh Bucket List! Now, what I want to know is what would you put on your “backyard” bucket list?

When is enough, enough?

When is enough, enough?

In the coming hours and days, we’ll learn about the victims of this tragedy. Their names. Their faces. Who they were. The joy that they brought to families and to friends, and the difference that they made in this world. Say a prayer for them and say a prayer for their families — that God give them the strength to bear the unbearable. And that He give us all the strength to be there for them, and the strength and courage to change. We need to demonstrate that we are defined more — as a country — by the way they lived their lives than by the hate of the man who took them from us. –  President Obama’s on the Orlando Shooting

On a Monday where I will be challenged to find anything at all that I can be grateful for; these words give me strength. I pray they give you strength today, as well.

Orlando, you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Fiber Friday

Fiber Friday

Happy FriYAY everyone! It has been what feels like a long week – insomnia has been an ugly companion most of the week. But, on the bright side – the lack of sleep has spawned an increase in reading and a good bit of thought organization.

I did some sampling this week (while waiting for the Shetland to rest for a few days before I ply it up) Above are some Gulf Coast locks that I got from Sheepspot and I was really not sure what I wanted to do with it. I flicked the locks spun them – this sample is a fingering weight that when plied springs up with a really lovely, airy loft – even though this is spun worsted. I have not washed the sample yet – but I have a bag of locks in this lovely orange-y red and one of a funky green.

It’s Fiber Friday, (thanks Rachel!!) and this post really got me thinking…I had this bump of fiber from ITW that I was really not enamored of the color, but I wanted to try out what Rachel did here, I split the fiber down several times – keeping the colorway intact, but breaking it into smaller segments with more repeats. I will spin up this orange merino that I got from Beth eons ago (really, eons – way back when she owned The Spinning Loft) and then ply the two together. I am really excited to spin this up to see how it turns out.

Plus, I have the Cormo on the Turkish spindle that I am still spinning. There was not much spinning outside with Sherman this week – I used the time to weed the garden beds that were in need of some attention. But, with those beds all cleaned up, I can resume spindling, guilt free!

There were some really great links this week in the fiber world:

I also made a tiny bit of progress on clue two of Kirsten Kapur’s Mystery Shawl, which I plan to finish up this weekend. I have picked up button band stitches on Indigo Cones and will be heading out to do some Pergola Knitting momentarily! That is all I have today, have a great weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!

An Explosion of Color – Internalized

An Explosion of Color – Internalized

I am not sure if it has been the volume of rain we have gotten, or the suddenly warm days, but my roses are on steroids this year! The branches are so full of blooms and buds; they are weighed down with the volume of them! And yet the buds keep coming.

This little bouquet was hastily picked before bad thunderstorms and winds arrived here three nights ago – and they still look amazing.

This got me thinking, or perhaps it was all the curiosity that this post stirred up (really, go read all the linked posts – if you were not curious before, you will be soon!)

How often do I take what comes my way, good or bad, and allow it to bloom an explosion of color in my life? Or, perhaps an explosion of something good/positive/enriching is a better way to think about it.

Honestly, I can tell you that the answer is not very often.

Oh, it is easy to do when what comes your way is good – but the bad? Yeah…

For me, that almost always just makes more bad.

I have been carefully working on my gratitude focus – trying to quietly find one or two things to be grateful for each day. Some days, I am hard-pressed to find anything, and other days the things I am grateful for flow easily into my journal.

One blessing that has come out of journaling is that I can look back and clearly see how the external effects me internally.

Now I need to focus on how to be like those roses – good or bad – create an explosion of color where I am planted!

P.S. I wrote a guest post on the Sheepspot blog with my thoughts on the first year in the Fiber Club! Sign-ups open again soon, just sayin’

Cooler with a side of knitting and reading

Cooler with a side of knitting and reading

The weather has taken a detour back to spring temperatures over the past 24 hours. The humidity has gone elsewhere (sorry if elsewhere is where you are) and the high temperature yesterday was on 73, and last night was perfect sleeping weather! This is so welcome, because I am not a fan of air conditioning and never really sleep well with it running non-stop. However, this weather is supposed to be with us for a few days, so on top of perfect sleeping conditions; I have some real motivation to get a summery sweater done!

I am making progress on Indigo Cones, with a number of modifications. It is strange that no one else has had these issues – or if they did they have not posted any notes about them. Just a heads up knitters – if you alter a pattern or if a pattern has issues, please post some notes about this!! It is helpful for the knitters that will come behind you!

indicones collageAnyways, the openings for the sleeves were HUGE (each opening is 15 inches from shoulder to body) – so my alteration for this was to seam up the openings (I am using mattress stitch and seaming 5 inches on each side) then I picked up sleeve stitches. One sleeve is done, the other to join its partner shortly! Then all that is left is to decipher the button band instructions – wish me luck! I hope to have this completed before the week is over!

Plus!!

Clue number two for Kirsten Kapur’s Mystery shawl is out today and I am eager to continue knitting that!

I also am happy to report that I almost finished with The Goldfinch! I have just under 200 pages to go and hopefully will have it done this week! I have some good things in the “on deck reading circle” so I have some good incentive to get it done!

How is your summer reading going?

I am off to try to finish this sleeve and the button band. If you are looking for knitting or reading inspiration, there is always something good to be found on Ginny’s Yarn Along!

Have a great Wednesday!

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