Oh boy. It has been a very hard week. A week that took an already dismal month and ramped it up by about 1000% and while I am thankful that Jacob Blake survived, I am so angry that there was an incident which put that in question. And, I can’t even be sane about 17 year olds with assault weapons walking away unscathed. So I spent lots of time this week listening. Listening to the pain. The hurt. The eloquence. The raw emotion.
And then a cascade of events began to happen, starting with the Milwaukee Bucks! And I say GO BUCKS (except, it’s not a boycott… they are striking, boycotting is what the viewer would do, but okay) (and Hurrah to the NBA for standing with the Bucks!) Rapidly many other sports players followed suit – MLB and MLS, WNBA, and yes…even a tennis player… I say BRAVO!! Perhaps you are not a sports fan, but my hope is that this will finally be the tipping point for monumental change.
The Milwaukee Bucks have decided to boycott Game 5, source tells ESPN.
But perhaps the best moment came last night at a baseball game that wasn’t. Oh but that leadership…
With zero leadership in the White House, these men are speaking with their actions! Well done, gentlemen, well done. This is leadership. https://t.co/HTO10hvgsk
And that beautiful note ushers in the rest of the good things this week:
This past Tuesday, Ali Smith’s Summer dropped and I am number eight on the library wait list. I can’t wait, especially after reading this excellent review! I have loved this brilliant series, and if you were waiting for them all to be available… your wait is over. Start with Autumn and move through the seasons. They are just brilliantly written and eerily timely!
The September issue of Vanity Fair is a special project, called The Great Fire and it has grabbed my attention. The guest editor is Ta-Nehisi Coates, and it is a must-read issue. His editor’s letter is powerful, stirring, and so painfully true: “And so evil does its business in the shadows, ever-fearing not the heat of the Great Fire but the light. To clearly see what this country has done, what it is still doing, to construct itself is too much for any human to take. So it was with the slave narrative. So it is with the cell phone.” I broke down and bought a subscription this week and the reading that I have done thus far is incredible!
And because we all could use something to escape…coming September 23rd to Netflix… Enola Holmes! I.can’t.wait! (Yes, it is starring Eleven from Stranger Things!)
For all the Vera fans out there, Ann Cleeves shared that there will be a season 11 of Vera! Wahoo!
**A warning, this link goes to a Ravelry project page** In my never ending Ranunculus love… this one here has me rethinking the idea that I have finished Ranunculus knitting! Oh my, I love her sleeves! Yep, a third Ranunculus is being considered!
And, finally!! Isabell Kraemer has released a pattern that I have been oogling on Instagram! (Yes, I purchased it!)
History says, Don’t hope
On the side of the grave,
But then, once in a lifetime
The longed for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up
And hope and history rhyme.
— Seamus Heaney, The Cure of Troy (an excerpt from Joe Biden’s acceptance speech, 20 August, 2020)
There has been a most welcome reprieve of the miserable hot weather this week! We have had cooling nights, chilly mornings, and moderate days, which in turn meant no drone of the AC, wide open windows, and autumn dreams! This week I noted a marked change in morning light as well! I am up before the sun and the dark mornings have added to my autumnal mood! Add to that, the four stellar nights of the virtual DNC convention and I have “fall feelings on overload” and my election day count down clock reminds me that there are just 74 days to go.
Last night, I sat on the porch for “Zoom Knitting” and watched hummingbirds flock to my verbena. It was the perfect ending to the day… knitting and laughter!
Taking to Heart —
My inner poli sci major has loved the “un-conventional” convention this week. From the beautiful diversity, to the pointed speeches… I soaked up every bit of it. But I especially took to heart President Obama’s jeremiad on Wednesday night…honestly, I am still thinking about all he said but if we want this democracy to continue, we need to vote like our lives depend on it. The election results need to be overwhelming… and hearing so clearly this week about the desperate need to return to decency is so true. I am ready for a president who will represent all 3.28 million of us! Do you have a plan for voting? If not, get one! And if you need inspiration to make that plan, look no further than Joe Biden’s acceptance speech last night! First, Joe is a man who “reads everything,” including poetry! In his closing words, he shared the lines from Seamus Heaney’s poem, The Cure of Troy. We need to be part of that tidal wave of justice! Why? Well, Joe told it best: “For love is more powerful than hate. Hope is more powerful than fear. Light is more powerful than dark. This is our moment. This is our mission. May history be able to say that the end of this chapter of American darkness began here tonight as love and hope and light joined in the battle for the soul of the nation. And this is a battle that we, together, will win.”
And in case you need a bit of levity, Mark Hamill provides some:
“Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not of the darkness.”- Joe Biden
Vacation in Pandemic is not happening (at least not anywhere out of the state because of the current guidelines that Steve would have to follow to return to work…) but I have been contemplating places to go that are nearby… Although, Steve is absolutely not on board with this I am having some fun day dreaming about a trip to Lake Erie.
Inspiration —
I have gotten to the point in Pandemic Times that I am seriously contemplating my wardrobe. I wear leggings and a tunic almost every day…soon it will be leggings, a tunic, and a sweater, lol. I have no desire to go shopping, but boy… my wardrobe is feeling very monotonous. So when Grainline Studio’s dropped a new pattern this week I felt the desire to change things up and make an Augusta shirt! It is just different enough to break up the monotony of the days! I will be looking at my fabric stash to see what might work for it! And, since masking up is the new norm I need to have another “Bout of Mask Making” so there will be more mask sewing next week. I am going to try a new pattern and will let you know what I think next week!
Farmer Girl —
My daughter sent this photo this week… Vivi got her first egg! Personally, I think all Farmer girls should be in mermaid dresses and boots while they collect eggs! Ha! And yes, Vivi has charmed the chickens… she likes to carry them around!
I cannot remember the last time I shared what is my “current world” (small as that world is these days) So here you have a little slice of my world!
Celebrating —
K-A-M-A-L-A…. oh my gosh! Yes, there were tears and cheers! I am so thrilled! But honestly… watching Kamala debate Pence in October will be a must see event! Ha! But we have reached the 80 day mark, people. 80 days!! Although, I think these next 80 days are going to be a really rocky ride… but I will take a moment to ask you all… are you registered to vote? Have you applied for your absentee ballot? 80 days will go a lot faster than we think!
Anticipating —
I am a huge proponent of my local library and usually I don’t mind waiting my turn for a book… that is until I listened to Isabel Wilkerson talk about her new book, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. After listening to this and then this I don’t think patiently waiting to read this is an option. Now to decide, physical book? Kindle copy? Audible?
Contemplating —
Some weeks ago, I made myself a promise to *finish my plethora of in process projects before starting anything new* but boy… the new MDK Field Guide has some amazingly yummy things in it! I can’t get the Aperture Stole out of my head and I am itching to make it however, I have not bought any yarn… yet.
Harvesting —
I had a brief lull in bean production, but that has resolved and now I am back to picking an overflowing handful every day. And so.many.tomatoes! I roasted some cherry tomatoes yesterday. And have shared more tomatoes with neighbors… But I think the end is near for the plants. This heat has really put the garden on “fast forward” it seems. My containers look like they do after Labor Day and the tomato plants are about “done” so I don’t think I will have the luxury of a September garden that is producing anything significant.
Over —
This unrelentingly hot summer. Since Memorial Day we have only had 20 days where the temperature was between 70 and 80 degrees (no days below 70 at all) and 61 days of 90+ degrees. Steve has not mowed the yard since mid-June. I am not kidding you. We have had virtually no rain to speak of and it is so dry. It’s not that I want to usher in the next season early, but boy do I need a break from these endless days of heat and humidity. (And really… a week of soaking all day rain would be so welcome!!) The weather person (whose reliability in forecasting is really not good) says that next week no temps above 80…. I have my fingers crossed!
And with that… this week is a wrap! I hope your weekend is exactly what you need!
What a week, eh? There is only so much avoidance one can do in any given week. I tried mightily to ignore, but sometimes that just does not work and that happened a lot this week. But despite the onslaught of bs, there were some pockets of goodness. And that goodness was enough to inspire me, lift me, fill me, and carry me through the chaos. So let’s get started!
First, are you missing intelligent conversation? Mm-hmm! Need a fix of a nostalgia for what was? Oh yes, I do! Well look no further… The Michelle Obama Podcast started this week! I mean really, stop everything and queue this up right now! You won’t be disappointed… at all! I promise!! Just do it!!
Then this piece just amazed me yesterday. John Lewis wrote it two days before he died… words for us, instructions for us… marching orders, as it were.
While my time here has now come to an end, I want you to know that in the last days and hours of my life you inspired me. You filled me with hope about the next chapter of the great American story when you used your power to make a difference in our society. Millions of people motivated simply by human compassion laid down the burdens of division. Around the country and the world you set aside race, class, age, language, and nationality to demand respect for human dignity. – John Lewis
Thank you for these final words, Mr. Lewis. May you rest in power.
But the best was Barack Obama’s eulogy for “St. John”! It was so amazing. It is must watch…so settle in and be filled and inspired!
But it was not all inspiring finds this week because the Ravelry imbroglio continues, but there was this update from Jess which, frankly had me shaking my head. To say I am disappointed is an understatement. Honestly, all of this is so unacceptable. I don’t know what the fix is to all of this, but I do know this… I am not using Ravelry until it becomes accessible for everyone.
And if that was not all just enough, there was this update from Cat Bordhi… my heart is breaking for her and her dear family. If you’ve a mind to send her an email, you will find her address in her post.
That’s all from me this week… (have you requested your mail in ballot? The deadline is fast approaching!) See you all back here next week!
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!
