Dark Deep Beautiful Blue

Dark Deep Beautiful Blue

My days have been recently filled with blue – from clear blue skies (read, no rain and lots of sun), to Indigo colored fabrics, and denim blue yarns. Clearly, this is not my usual color palette – however, I am truly in love with these blues – so much so in fact, that I am knitting a Beach Glass Blues shawl for my third month of Loopy’s Summer Safari.

Blue skies and warm days are the stuff that gardens dream of, unless they are exceedingly warm and lack rain in which case, things begin to look worn and tired and production dips significantly. Shade was the answer – in the form of some creatively “stitched together” sheets of burlap – which allows for just the perfect filtered amount of sunlight through to my parched tomatoes. It was one long, hot day to install this creation, but my garden did the dance of joy upon completion. The work looking tomatoes are now growing new foliage and are budding again. The peppers are not fazed by long, hot, sunny days – I just made six pans of stuffed peppers (yes you read that right) to freeze for the winter. I am eating about six tomatoes a day and life in general is abundant.

Bees on the Butterfly Bush

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A Grandbaby’s a ‘Comin

A Grandbaby’s a ‘Comin

In a few short weeks, my first grand baby will be here and I could not be more excited. As you can imagine, I have been doing some knitting for this little one. It was a pleasant task to knit my favorite baby sweater pattern – EZ’s Baby Surprise Jacket for my first grand baby! I think it turned out beautifully and it will get some use before she grows, as it is chilly at night in Northern Michigan. I made a pair of Saartje’s Booties and a rolled brim hat with the remainder of the skein. I am eager to head to Michigan tomorrow to spend some time with my daughter, attend her baby shower, and enjoy all things baby for a few days.

Baby Knitting

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Summer Time and the Eating is Easy…

Summer Time and the Eating is Easy…

Or – Trying to Cook All the Things

I have been trying to take advantage of the bounty of the season of both my garden and the local farmers markets.

I am certainly not short of great ingredients! The trick is to become creative in your use of the season’s bounty, because the same thing day in and day out can get boring no matter how good it is!

I have canned tomato sauce as well as a zippy little version of Rotel-Style tomatoes that will serve us well over the winter months. I have frozen fresh sweet corn that I cut from the cob, and I will be blanching green and yellow beans to freeze as well. I have pickled radishes and cucumbers. I roasted and froze some amazing poblanos and some great jalepenos too!

3ucmshwy

 

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Waves on the Shores of Lake Michigan

Waves on the Shores of Lake Michigan

Well, Gentle Readers, I have survived the second month of Camp Loopy and this month our project needed to remind us of a place we like to be. For me it was an easy pick – I love the shores of Lake Michigan and so I began my search. I found Tincan Knits Estuary quickly and it was even easier to invite Mrs. Crosby along for the trip.

I loved the pattern – again kudos to Tincan Knits. This is my second project I have done for Camp Loopy. Last year I knit the Low Tide Cardigan and loved it so picking another of their patterns was easy.

Waves on the Shore of Lake Michigan 1

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