Rainy Wednesday’s

Rainy Wednesday’s

We have had more than our fair share of rain recently. Although, I believe that this is the direct result of the lack of snow over the winter months. However, this makes for a soggy, wet backyard that has become the cultivator for mushrooms of all shapes and sizes! There is a plethora of dandelions thrown in for good measure as it has been too rainy to put down any weed and feed (and maybe there just needs to be a weed option, sans feed because with this rain, the grass is growing so rapidly it needs to be cut twice a week!)

All this wet weather does not make it conducive to be out working in the garden, but it is a bonus for knitting, spinning, and reading! (Along with laundry, vacuuming, and housework!)

In the finished object category – I finally finished my TTL Mystery socks. I only had about 3 inches of each foot left to knit – so it is really sad that I put the finishing off so long, but the last clues had me concerned as I was not I was not sure how great the leaf motif would feel on my toes. So I changed them up a bit, I continued knitting the top of the foot in the seed stitch pattern to the toe decreases and then changed to plain stockinette to finish the sock off. I think they turned out nicely this way and they will get a little soak later today.

I am plugging along on my Morenstowe socks and will have some uninterrupted passenger time when we head to Maryland on Friday so I am hoping to get them finished over the weekend.

I am working my way through the Sheepspot Cormo on my drop spindle – and I have 2 turtles done. I am enjoying how portable this really is and how fun! I still have a good bit of fiber to go yet, but should end up with about 300 yds of dk weight singles from my spinning.

I am almost done with Mink River and waiting in the wings is Cockroaches by Jo Nesbo.

That’s it for me this dreary Wednesday, I am linking up with Ginny on the Yarn Along today, but I will leave you with the masterful words of Longfellow from his poem, The Rainy Day:

Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

 

Oh, Hi Monday

Oh, Hi Monday

I don’t know about you, but it seemed like the weekend sped past.

And, there was no carding completed.

I know.

But, there was so much other stuff that got done, I am almost not upset.

Almost.

april18

There was also no laundry getting done over the weekend so this morning I was greeted by Mount Kilimanjaro – the laundry version.

But, there were days of Al Fresco dining, cocktails, and lots of yard work – even a little bit of sunburn was obtained!

I hope your weekend was wonderful and that your Monday is not harsh!

P.S. Rhubarb experts… do I cut the flower out now, or wait? Help!!

Make it Monday

Make it Monday

After a very cold, snowy, blowy weekend a milder Monday has arrived. Milder temperatures, softer breezes, and gentle rains greeted my morning.

It was so bitterly icy and cold on Sunday morning I am afraid I may have lost my poppy and yarrow, which were growing nicely and this morning look quite miserable. I could just cry!

But, there was some fun this weekend!!

better april

There was a simple, but delicious Friday Cocktail Supper. A bit of hummus, salami, carrots, grapes, crackers, and Manhattans were perfect to usher in the weekend.

There were new herbs obtained. They smell so much like summer! I am itching to get in my garden, but these little beauties are a nice way to pacify that urge until the weather is more conducive to gardening!

There was some spinning. I think I did a fairly good job of replicating the singles in the Briar Rose Yarn, I won’t know until I have washed the yarn though. I hope to ply and finish the sample skein later today and maybe it will be dry enough to knit a sample with it tomorrow or Wednesday!

And there was an impromptu get away on Saturday night – a change of scenery can have a positive impact! And, confession time – I took knitting, but I did not knit one stitch! There was some discussion of Sheep and Wool in Maryland, and while I know Steve is not overly thrilled about the prospect, I think we figured out an option to satisfy (okay, maybe not satisfy exactly) err, make it work.

On our way home we stopped for lunch at Fathead’s – two words – Buffalo Cauliflower. The sandwiches and beers were fantastic (I mean, a Reuben with Kimchi?? YUM!!) but the Buffalo Cauliflower stole the show! The cauliflower was not at all over cooked, and it was not breaded! I think this might be a fairly healthy option if you are a fan of wings! There was much discussion of how we could replicate this for our Friday Night cocktail suppers. I think we might have figured it out, stay tuned to see.

I hope your Monday is like the weather here today – mild, soft, and gentle.

Hello Friday!

Hello Friday!

This week went by at warp speed. It seems like it was just Monday and, blink, here it is Friday already.

Spring is still springing even with a couple of good frosts that we had here this week. I think it helped this bush stay in bloom – although the high winds of yesterday are making it “snow” petals now.

I am itching to get in the garden, but I will settle for taking a stroll through a couple of greenhouses instead. I saw these on Pinterest and we are now reconsidering potatoes again this year. They took up so much garden space last year – potato bags might be the perfect alternative! Have any of you tried them? Good? Bad? Please share!

I also have the urge to Bang Out A Sweater after seeing this on IG and Ravelry yesterday – I may have picked out colors… A lace-weight sweater might be perfect for summer. Who’s in with me??

I hope your Friday is awesome and it ushers in a weekend of perfection.

The Beauty Outside

The Beauty Outside

The very definition of ‘beauty’ is outside. – Adam Carolla

The weather is turning nicer and, appropriately, Carole wants to know:

10 Things You Love To Do Outside

Does Carole have perfect timing, or what? Especially with the weather warming nicely here, I am itching to get outdoors and do things!

10tuesHere are my 10 Favorite things to do outdoors:

  1. Work in my garden. There is really nothing better than watching things you planted to grow, bloom, and produce! While I do have a small flower/perennial garden – my first love is my vegetable garden and especially eating and preserving the good things we’ve grown!
  2. Al Fresco dining – I just love it. Outdoors, fresh air, and good food. Is it just me, or does everything just taste better outdoors?
  3. Cooking outdoors – from grilling to making pizza in the pizza oven. Perhaps this is why the food just tastes so much better – because this is not a flavor you can replicate in the house.
  4. Enjoying sunrises, sunsets are nice too but there is just something spectacular about a sunrise.
  5. Walking along the water’s edge – especially the shores of Lake Michigan, perhaps my favorite place on earth.
  6. Improving my photography skills with the spectacular things in nature – nothing like a nice walk outside to give you a new perspective on photography!
  7. Exploring – my city and places I visit.
  8. Enjoying the wildlife in my neighborhood. There is nothing quite like sitting outside listening to the birds sing, watch the hawks, and see the deer (yes, we have lots of deer in Pittsburgh!)
  9. Knitting and spinning!
  10. Another of the best things of summer. Nothing quite like sitting around the fire as the day draws to a close. It is just so peaceful.

There you have it, my outside favorites, but tell me, what is your favorite thing to do outside?

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