TGIF | 8.30.19

TGIF | 8.30.19

This year, I have really tried to be in the moment and enjoy the day at hand, rather than wishing for what comes next. I thought it might make the year feel like it is going slower, ha! I am sitting at my PC this morning wondering how on earth August is over, it is Labor Day weekend, and signs of fall are increasing daily.

Okay, so staying in the moment does not slow down the pace of days – however, it has allowed me to appreciate each day more and each season more fully! I think this might be the best summer of my life, not because I did all kinds of amazing things, but rather because I lived in each moment.

Thrilled —

This week, I finished and blocked my Morinne Short and Sweet. Oh my… this sweater is poetry. It fits perfectly, the yarn I picked has the perfect amount of drape and fluidity. The construction is brilliant – it is almost like a puzzle! You start and wonder how this will become a sweater and suddenly, before you know it (21 days from cast on to finish!) – you have knit a sweater! I posted more photos yesterday on IG and am making plans to knit another one!

Gathering —

I have been picking what appears to be the final tomatoes, beans, and peppers and that makes me a bit melancholy. I have loved the time I spend each morning in my garden. It has been the perfect place to also gather my thoughts each morning along with the produce and the recent thought gathering is full of blog ideas and fall morning routines. Stay tuned!

Inspired —

I recently read this post and it really resounded with me. I am going to spend some time thinking about how I can unplug myself one day a month – or at least unplug on my terms.

Finishing —

My summer of reading has been magical. I have read some of the most amazing books and if I can finish 2 more books by Monday, I will have read 55 books this summer…That is amazing to write and think about. I think I can do it because I am almost done with Bridge of Clay and more than halfway through Suite Françoise. I would like to thank Mary for hosting Book Bingo because it just might be my favorite part of summer!

That is all I have for this week. Have a great LONG weekend and I will see you all here next week!

When you have nothing and it is Tuesday

When you have nothing and it is Tuesday

Perhaps a throwback to Carole’s 10 on Tuesday with ten random thoughts courtesy from my brain!

  1. This head cold has totally derailed my night time reading – I have not even tried to read a single word. However, I feel I have turned a corner and perhaps tonight will be the night that before bed reading resumes… I have my fingers crossed.
  2. I made great strides on my catch-up list yesterday, which means my list for today is only semi-daunting! At this rate, my Wednesday list should be back to normal.
  3. I am almost finished listening to Orwell’s 1984 and wow. Just wow.
  4. This website has brought new clarity and understanding to my thought process.
  5. My forsythias are opening, the red-winged blackbirds have returned, and there is joy in my heart that the weather was mild again this morning.
  6. Amazon Prime Exercise Videos have not been a rousing success – I am blaming this waning but damned cold.
  7. However, Lenten meditations are – and have even offered a few moments respite from thinking about my foggy head.
  8. I jumped on the Helical Stripe Bandwagon last week – Birthday Socks have begun. A word about Helical Stripes – WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE???? Yes, they are that good.
  9. My concern level for the number of projects in the works is growing – there are way more of them than there are of me!
  10. Tomorrow is International Women’s Strike Day…I love this statement: “Some of us are striking, marching, rallying, and boycotting. Some of us wish we could. Everyone, everywhere can join the PUSSYHAT GLOBAL VIRTUAL MARCH!” YES!!! You can participate virtually! Really. It’s a wear, declare, and share kind of day – so, put some red on and your pussyhat, make a little sign about where you are from or what you are for, and take a selfie!! Share it on your social media and tag it #pussyhatglobal All the details are on Pussyhat Project.

There you have my Tuesday, Gentle Reader. Oh, and dust off your Pussyhat’s for tomorrow!

Summer Highs and Autumn Hopes

Summer Highs and Autumn Hopes

Hello Tuesday! And, you know what that means! Carole wants to know something!! This week she asks:

We’re going to shake things up a little bit this week and do two lists of 5 things. First, I want you to write about the 5 best things you did this summer. And then I want you to share 5 things you are looking forward to doing this fall.

Summer bests, there were quite a few of them!

  1. My Summer Knit Along takes first place – for me it was really just the motivation I needed to clean up a plethora of languishing knits. Best thing about it – absolutely no requirements, no pressure, just go at whatever pace you desired. A win-win for all! I  managed to get a good number of things done too!
  2. My vegetable garden had some tremendous successes. Tomatoes, beans, peppers, and raspberries were all in that category. I am still picking about a pint of raspberries every other day and tomatoes – what can I say – we have them in abundance!
  3. A couple of new flower beds that really added some lovely oomph to the back yard – including their being a huge draw for bees of all sorts!
  4. The new pergola which precipitated
  5. Some really nice extra-long weekend staycations. (although the summer ended on a very warm noted, it did get some use in May!)

Now, on to what autumn has in store! (Besides the cessation of AC usage – I am so over it!)

  1. Cooler days that will afford the use of the pergola well into the fall and
  2. Using our new re-purposed fire pit a number of times more before the bitter cold sets in
  3. A trip to Michigan to visit family – this is on the schedule currently and I am so eager for it!
  4. A trip to a Hops Festival (with my son and perhaps my daughter!!) and perhaps a winery or two while in Michigan. (Also, a stop at the Grand Traverse Distillery!) (After all that, you’d think a 12 step program would be on my list…)
  5. Some home improvement things in the house – not a super fun thing on the list, but some fresh paint will absolutely spark joy!

There you have it – the best of summer and some autumnal anticipation! What are you looking forward to?

Are you ready for some…

Are you ready for some…

September is upon us and that means FOOTBALL!

And for me, that means college football and especially MICHIGAN football!!

Why football, you ask? Well, Carole wants to know my:

10 Favorite Football Foods. (As in, your favorite things to eat while watching football.)

Well, let’s get to the starting lineup then!!

  1. Steve’s Buffalo Wings
  2. Hummus with fresh veggies
  3. Chili, which must have some nice warm….
  4. Cornbread, of course!
  5. Pizza – take out works so perfectly, really!
  6. Meatballs
  7. Chips and dip
  8. Sliders
  9. Nachos
  10. Jalapeño Poppers

Really, finger foods are key here (with the exception of the chili and cornbread!!)

Although Carole did not ask about things to drink – there should be beer!

There you have it, Gentle Reader – Football Eats! What’s on your menu?

A Labor Day Weekend, Sans Labor

A Labor Day Weekend, Sans Labor

Happy Tuesday that feels like a Monday to me! Although that is not all bad because tomorrow is Wednesday already and that is halfway to the weekend!

Although, there may have been a conversation yesterday about needing a weekend from our weekend…some things are so nice they just should not end!

Carole wants to know:

10 Things You Did This Weekend

There were so many good things this weekend, I will be hard pressed to hold them to 10!! So, let’s get this rolling shall we?

laborday collage

  • An extra special (and early) Happy Hour on Friday (thanks to Steve taking the day off from work, which started our weekend off nicely!!) It included his AWESOME Buffalo Wings and a plethora of Americano’s
  • Estate Sale-ing (I can fondue, can you?)
  • Walking – LOTS of walking! Up hills and down!
  • Enjoying our repurposed fire pit – twice! Simple but effective!
  • Eating… so much eating. And drinking!
  • Reveling in a less humid, cooler atmosphere… ahhhh!
  • Game playing… Uno, Bananagrams, and Pass the Pigs, note… these things inspired so much laughter, perhaps we spend too much time adulting and not enough time caring for our inner child.
  • A minute amount of knitting, very minute.
  • Picking MORE tomatoes and raspberries! Holy produce!!
  • Thoroughly enjoying the Hummingbird Moth visits! So amazing!

That was my very full weekend! How about you? How was your weekend?

P.S. Sherman did an awful lot of this. I think he had a very good weekend too!

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