I am joining Carole and friends today and I am sharing three things I am anticipating with some excitement!
First, queue the music please…
Thing One:
Summer Solstice! I have been in a summer-frame-of-mind since the “unofficial” start of summer way back on Memorial Day weekend. Summer is really not my favorite time of the year weather-wise, the dreaded uber-hot days and the humidity… really, not my favorite things. But this year I made the decision to NOT be that person and I discovered that if you change your way of thinking, you can absolutely make a difference where it counts – with yourself! I have plans for a lovely evening outside enjoying the glorious weather – even if it rains! Because is there anything more lovely than summer rain and cocktails on the porch?
Thing Two:
Vegetable Garden Anticipation has been in “Worry Mode” this year – things have been slow growing, very slow growing! So, slow growing that I worried that all our efforts in planting would result in no fruits of our labor. But this week things all started turning around! The beans have blossoms (finally!!), the peppers are showing signs of life as well! And, this morning I was greeted by a plethora of tiny tomato flowers! PLUS!! I picked my first handful of raspberries this morning and I am deliciously reminded that good things sometimes do come to those who wait!
Thing Three:
I have finally made my way through the avalanche of library books and yesterday I began Middlemarch, which is perfect timing for my longed for “Summer of Classics” to begin! I am listening and happily settling into life in in early 1800’s England. Sometimes things you anticipate do not quite measure up, but 6 chapters in and the story is most welcoming and inviting. Good thing because I have another 31 hours of listening to go! I think that Dorothea will be the most wonderful sewing companion as well which is a very good thing because today I am beginning the process of cutting out Vivi’s quilt!
And there you have my anticipations! What are you looking forward to this week?
I am joining with Carole and friends today to share a few tidbits from my brain this week.
Thing One:
I loved Bridget’s paparazzi comment yesterday, but the truth is those glasses are hiding my Allergy Eyes… is it just me or does the pollen seem at an all-time high this year?
Thing Two:
The other thing that many of you commented on was the length of my hair. I had a hair appointment in May that I had to cancel due to our trip to Michigan and I have yet to reschedule that appointment. But!! I have been contemplating pulling a Vicki and not going until the fall.
Thing Three:
Reclaiming yarn from a sweater is usually not a day-long task… unless you are reclaiming yarn from a sweater that you knit with double strands. My task today is to skein the yarn up so it can have a bath to get the kinks out! Oh, and not one minute of sadness entered the equation in ripping that sweater out – it was a poor decision to knit it in the first place (sometimes jumping on that Bang Out a Sweater Bandwagon is just wrong!) The yarn is about to get new life in a new sweater!
Those are my things, pitiful as they might be! What’s rattling around your brain today?
I am joining with Carole and friends with some sobering things this week. Hopefully, thought-provoking – but sobering none the less.
Thing One –
I just want to be healthy and not feel ugly. – Rosemary Hill, IG post
I have been thinking about some posts on IG, especially this one. And, in perfect timing – the latest West Michigan Woman arrived on my doorstep last weekend and Kim Bode’s words jumped off the page at me. And specifically, her answer to the “When do you feel the most beautiful?” question! My head nodded frequently as I read both Romi’s post and Kim Bode’s interview. Why is this such a struggle for most of us me. The answer might be easy, but the reality is so much harder! I wrote these words from the bottom of the WMW article in my journal: Be yourself. Don’t let anyone dictate what beautiful means to you as a daily reminder to ignore the voices – particularly that hyper-critical inner voice.
Thing Two –
So much of the progress that would define the 20th century, on both sides of the Atlantic, came down to the battle for a slice of beach only 6 miles long and 2 miles wide. – Barack Obama, 65th Anniversary of D-Day
Today is the 75th anniversary of D-Day. I do not have any grandparents who fought in WWII – both of my grandfathers wanted to enlist to fight neither could because of their health. However, I did have a great uncle who fought on Omaha Beach in Normandy – he was seriously wounded but survived and lived well into his 80’s. There are so many images from D-Day, but Marina Amaral’s colorized images are amazing! And this article from USA Today has some amazing facts about D-Day. I was struck by the number of WWII vets still living and I am profoundly thankful to every single one of the 16 million Americans who served.
Thing Three –
The real danger is if we hear enough lies, we no longer recognize the truth at all. – Chernobyl mini series
I finished the final episode of the Chernobyl mini-series to watch. I enjoyed it tremendously, especially when paired with The Chernobyl Podcast that the Two Peter’s (Peter Sagal and Peter Mazin) host. Watching it made me wonder what Chernobyl and Pripyat look like today and I found this drone video footage. And, if you think that Chernobyl is simply about the disaster that happened – you’d be wrong. It is really about what happens when the government lies, and the people believe those lies despite what they can see with their own eyes. It is both shocking and scary how eager the citizens are to believe the lies – but then we have some first hand experience with people not believing what they see in this country too! But long live the scientists – they are truly the heroes/heroines of this story!
I am joining with Carole and friends today to share a few things with you today!
Thing One:
The volume of rain has me singing this song from the Winnie the Pooh movie. Thankfully we have not yet had any of the flooding that some of those in Western PA have. Yesterday my phone received one alert after another with a multitude of weather warmings. Unbelievably, there is more rain in the forecast for today…
Sadly, it does not surprise me that few people have read the Mueller Report. However, I am righteously angry that most of the members of congress have not read it…I have read it – every.single.page. I do not have a law degree and I had no problem understanding it. Yes, there are some parts that have been redacted, but that does not impact the understanding of the report. So, Dear America – be like Justin Amash and read the damned report! (And, if you don’t want to read the report his twitter feed is a virtual CliffsNotes™)
Thing Three:
Finally, a good problem to have: It is always a risk to put things on hold at the library, because if they all become available at once – you have a flood of books to read. That happened to me this week! I have 9 books to read in 21 days, most of which I have been waiting for a very long time, so wish me luck! Lol
I am happily joining with Carole and friends this week to share some “ah-ha” things in my world this week!
Thing One:
Tuesday was local Primary Election Day in PA and turn out was sad… so sad. However, despite the horrendously poor turn out (we only had 82 voters in our precinct) the numbers were most interesting! The Democrat turn out beat the Republican turn out – in fact it was almost double! But the horrendously poor turn out meant I could spend more time talking with the people who voted! I met the gentleman who was Michael Chabon’s teacher and advisor when he was a student at Pitt! We talked about books and shared some “new to each of us” titles. It was almost the best moment of the day. The only better moment was the gentleman who was born in 1918 who came to vote. He still lives in his own home, he is very ambulatory, but his eyesight is “not what it once was” and he was happy that his son in law (who lives next door to him) drove him to vote. We should all take a page from this amazing 101-and-a-half-year-old man – voting is indeed our right and a privilege and we should exercise that right every single time we can!
Thing Two:
Book Bingo is on – and I “reset” the card twice and ended up with this one – lots of “ah-ha” things on here! And, I think it will work for my “Summer of Classics and New to Me Authors”!
Thing Three:
My final ah-ha moment this week was when I realized yesterday that this weekend is a LONG weekend! Now, I am hoping that Steve will be able to at least leave work early on Friday and our long weekend can be a little longer!
That is all I have for today – did you have any “ah-ha” moments this week?
