by Kat | Jul 12, 2016 | General, Words
It’s Tuesday and you know that means that Carole is wondering about something. This week she wants to know:
10 Things You Loved About Summer Camp
Well….
This poses a serious problem for me, because I never attended summer camp as a child.
I know. Talk about deprived!
However, it did get me thinking…If I could go to summer camp now, what would it look like?
- Knitting Camp, I mean really – how could this NOT be fun.
- CIA Boot Camp seems like the perfect way to spend a week!
- Or perhaps Wine Camp could be the thing!
- And after Wine Camp, the only thing to do is to go to Cheesemaking Camp, of course!
- Spy Camp? Really, this could be so.much.fun. Sans stilettos, of course.
- Perhaps something to rekindle my inner child at Soul Camp
- There are options galore at the John C. Campbell Folk School.
- Perhaps Language Immersion at one of the Concordia Language Villages?
- Knitting in Provence, Tuscany, or Norway – I mean really. Can I leave now?
- Yoga and Nora Gaughan Camp…in Maine.
There you have it, Gentle Reader – a plethora of choices for the camp yearning adult. Where would you go?
Photo courtesy of bluebirdsandteapots
by Kat | Jul 5, 2016 | General, Words
It’s Tuesday and you know what that means, Carole wants to know:
Ten Things You Did This Weekend
Without any fanfare, here is my weekend recap:
- Enjoyed a Happy Hour, or two
- Grilled Brittner’s specialty hotdogs, because can It really be the fourth without a hotdog?
- Harvested things from the garden – fresh produce waits for no holiday.
- Enjoyed farm fresh corn on the cob, grilled of course!
- Listened to Garrison Keillor’s last PHC from the Hollywood Bowl.
- Listened to NPR read the Declaration of Independence – their 28th year of doing so and it is crazy that I have listened to most of them!
- Tour de Fleece spinning took place, I finished the lovely Merino Yak and am working through the Columbia rolags.
- Mystery knitting happened (although I am still not finished with Clue #4…)
- Lots of reading – I finished Dead Water and started The Summer Before the War (in my ears) and A Man Called Ove (on my Kindle) and I am still working through Big Magic.
- And, savored every single second of this glorious summer weekend because, before we know it Labor Day will be upon us.
It was really an amazing weekend, but what I want to know is how was your weekend?
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by Kat | Jun 30, 2016 | General, In This Moment, Words
Sometimes, you just need to send a letter.
Dearest Airborne Antigens,
It is almost July and you have long over stayed your visit. Surely there are greener pastures that are in dire need of your pollen.
Please find them and soon!
Signed,
My itchy, watery eyes and runny nose
My Dear Backyard Wildlife,
If I consider the Portulaca an offering, could you please stop eating the Rapini and Romanescu?
Because, if you continue to eat them, along with the strawberries and raspberries it will not end well.
I will consider your continued munching a declaration of war.
You have been warned.
Sincerely,
The Irate Gardener
Hello Starbucks,
Enough with the daily emails about the latest star incentives. This will not encourage me to visit you more frequently.
In fact, it is having the opposite effect. Please stop punishing me because you changed your reward program.
Regards,
No Stars For Me
Attention Local Weather Persons,
How hard can it possibly be to give an accurate weather forecast? Perhaps you should try looking out the window, perhaps that approach will prove more successful because the current methods are not. At. All.
Regards,
Weather Confused
Dear, Sweet Friday,
You are here and gone far too quickly, and it would be so lovely if you surprised me and started arriving earlier than scheduled.
I miss you so much and wish that you could find a way to visit more often and stay longer.
XOXO,
Your Girl, Friday.
If only these letters would work…
Happy Thursday, Gentle Reader.
by Kat | Jun 27, 2016 | General, In This Moment
It was a warm summer weekend here in the ‘Burgh. Our usual Friday snacks were done Al Fresco, including a Bee’s Knees Cocktail, and it was so nice to have a spot on the cool porch to sit. There were beautiful breezes though, which made sitting under the pergola after we had eaten a real treat.
The Fireflies even put on a light show. It was really a lovely evening.
Saturday was Mt. Lebanon Farmer Market and a visit to our favorite farmer. He still has strawberries and we got some raspberries as well. I turned both fruits into jams – another batch of Judy’s Oven Roasted Strawberry Jam and Nigella Lawson’s “Hand’s Free Raspberry Jam.” I have not tried the raspberry jam as yet, but I will give it points in simplicity. I am not sure how it will set up but, worst case scenario – it will be perfect in plain Greek yogurt. I will let you know when I have tried it.**
Saturday also saw us spending another good chunk of the day in the gardens. There were some things that still needed planting (3 Weigela bushes and 4 Salvia plants, to be exact) all of which required the expansion of a garden bed.
I also began working on the clue number four for the mystery shawl – however, I think my brain was done in by the heat from earlier in the day – I kept making the same mistake over and over. If you like me are having some issues with the Knit 5 Together’s – I think Lorilee Beltman has something that might help you – it certainly helped me!
Some easier knitting was in order in the form of Carole’s Picot Edge Socks! A pair completed and I immediately cast on another pair. This is really my favorite knit.
Sunday we decided to make the early trek to Mount Washington to cross an item off my Summer Bucket List – a sunrise was beautiful and the skies were clear. It made getting up at the crack of dawn so worthwhile!
I love standing above the Monongahela River with a view of how it winds into Pittsburgh. The confluence is visible also from our vantage point, the merging of the Mon with the Allegheny to create the Ohio River. Magnificent views that I never get tired of!
The remainder of the day was filled with a flurry of activity and poof! It was over before I was ready for it to be over. The only saving grace is knowing that next weekend will be a nice long one.
Hope your Monday is over before you realize it and it is filled with a little of this and that.
**The worst case scenario is really excellent on yogurt. Oh man, so excellent!
by Kat | May 31, 2016 | General, Words
Welcome to Tuesday (that really feels like a Monday)!
What could possibly help this dire situation? Reliving the weekend thanks to Carole and her 10 on Tuesday request:
10 Things You Did This Weekend
The weekend arrived a bit early here, Steve only had to work a half a day on Friday. Summer arrived in full force as well, with temperatures into the 90’s here. But, all in all it was a great weekend with a full spectrum of things to do.
We finished a garden bed that we had been working on expanding this month. Whew!
It was also a weekend of discovery – that is discovery in muscles I did not know – or forgot – I had!
There were plenty of cocktails – thank you Blackberry Brambles, Frose’s, Shrubarb (Thanks Vicki for this FANTASTIC new word!!) coolers, and even a beer or two.
The grill got the maximum amount of possible usage for burgers, grilled chicken, and grilled asparagus! There was also Lobster Ravioli, which was not grilled but so delicious!
In moments of respite from the maximum heat and humidity, there was sewing. Specifically, 100 Acts of Sewing, Dress No. 1 in a lovely Robert Kaufman Essex Yarn Dyed Linen that I got from Spool in Pittsburgh. Bonus points were achieved in making and installing the best bias tape I have made and stitched in to date!
There was some spinning – I finished up spinning and plying the ITW batt that I got last year from Maryland Sheep and Wool – I love how it turned out – 400 yards of heavy fingering weight yarn. I almost finished the Shetland done for my sweater project. I just have a tiny bit of spinning to finish and then plying can begin.
There was knitting…I finished sock number one from Carole’s Picot Socks. I LOVE it! Sock number two will be cast on shortly. I also began my Summer Wish List of those WIPs I want to get done this summer – starting with Indigo Cones. Sitting and knitting under the pergola is really lovely, just sayin’.
There was reading – I finished Ann Cleeves White Nights and it was excellent! I thought it was much better than book number one, and I will definitely be continuing with this series this summer! Which is good, because I need a book set in another country for my Book Bingo card! I started The Goldfinch, and within a few pages I was enthralled. This book will be hard to put down – this is a very good thing because as everyone has reminded me this book has over 700 pages!
There was a spectacular Happy Hour under the pergola on Friday!
There was time spent just enjoying that it was the weekend, with deep gratitude that it was not over yet on Sunday night.
There was time spent in meditation and reflection of what the holiday really means, beyond a long holiday weekend, and being filled with profound thankfulness to those willing to serve and give their lives in defense of freedom.
So, tell me – what was your favorite part of your weekend?
