by Kat | Jan 10, 2025 | General, Looking Back
It’s been A Week, hasn’t it?
In an attempt to keep my Clean Out List in my focus… I started with my closet yesterday while I watched the funeral service for President Carter.
I was percolating along at a pretty good clip until I discovered a box of loose photographs on the back of the shelf. I found it at the time that Steve Ford delivered his father’s moving eulogy. I spent the rest of the time remembering…
The box contained some envelopes of photos from my childhood but mostly they were photos of my kids that my ex decided were not “album” worthy. It is funny how a photo can instantly take you back… or maybe that only happens when you are decades past those children being small beings. One photo made me laugh and cry… There was a photo of 3 year old Heidi getting ice cubes from our brand new refrigerator that had an “in-door” ice dispenser! (a first for our household!) She would get ice cubes out for my beloved Clumber Spaniel, Picabo (yes, she was named after the skier!) Anyways, the image captured Picabo sitting patiently waiting for the next ice cube to come from Heidi. A treasured memory… I could hear her voice in my head.
I listened to people sharing such incredibly beautiful memories of President Carter as well… and while there were no stories about him feeding a beloved pet ice cubes… there were so many stories of he and Rosalynn working to make the lives better of people all over the world. It made me wonder how much more he did that we will never hear about… but I am sure that those tales are being shared where he and his beloved Rosalynn are.
Rest well, dear President Carter, rest well… you have earned it!
As for me, there will be no rest for me today… I have that closet to finish! Sigh.
Have a great weekend everyone! See you all back here on Monday!
Header photo by Miray Bostancı
by Kat | Dec 18, 2024 | General, Looking Back, Unraveled Wednesday
Greetings dear Unravelers! We have arrived at the very last Unraveled post of 2024!
Winter is a season of recovery and preparation. — Paul Theroux
Welcome to my 2024 Knitting Making Review… and yes, that quote is perfect for remembering what I made this year and for doing some preparation for how I want to go next year.
I had some significant failures in my knitting this year… particularly Sweater Failure… not once, but twice. This has made me “knit-shy” when I contemplate trying to knit another sweater. At least I learned to stop with the second sweater failure rather than completely forging ahead and getting further along in the process… but knitting failure is not enjoyable at any stage of knitting. And yet… there must be a spark of Sweater Hope inside me because I have not been able to stop thinking about this sweater. I even bought the yarn to make it… but I can’t even bring myself to begin the swatching process. I think a bit more recovery time is needed… and I have a bit of penance to complete with the two sweaters awaiting “frogging” … sigh. But I feel this is a necessity because those yarns deserve to become something wearable!
But I did have some successes… 2024 was the year of socks for me and although I lost my “sock steam” with the arrival of a new puppy, I did manage to add 8 pairs of socks to our house! This is the most socks I have ever knit in a year and I really enjoyed having a “sock in process” it made it easy at the end of the day to have a project that did not require much thinking, just familiar knitting… round and round and round. In other words, a habit I need to get back to!
Of course, I knit more Gnomes this year! I even knit a couple of Gnome Trees to perk up the Gnome House for The Gnome Season of Love (FYI this is much longer than a day in February… Gnomes think love is the most important thing ever and celebrate the Season of Love year around!) I close out the year with five new gnomes for The Great Blue Cupboard and two that will hold space on the mantle, and one that is in process… slowly becoming. The Mantel Duo… have become my favorites despite not caring for Gnock (the mystery gnome) much at all when he was in process. However, since his finish he has very much grown on me! He is the OIG (the Original Introvert Gnome) and he much prefers his own company to any others, but he has found joy in quiet evenings reading a cozy mystery out loud as he smokes his pipe. Gnock has a ready audience with Gnelson (the marled gnome) who having spent the day fishing is happy to just sit quietly, listening to Gnock read. Gnelson savors the sweet smell of cherry tobacco as it burns slowly from Gnock’s pipe! Although he occasionally does drift off as he thinks about the fish that got away, he mostly is attentive! I have hopes to make him a worthy fishing creel and soon. But I love his chop stick turned fishing pole! I think he also needs a couple of “flies” tucked in the knots at the top of his cap! And there are months of inspiration in Sarah Schirra’s book, The Gnomes of Grimblewood… and while I have not “jumped” on the bandwagon for another Year of Gnomes, I will absolutely be knitting more because Steve’s mom has asked if she could grow her collection…
I knit with handspun yarn… not once but four times! A pair of socks (which have not held up well and have had heel repairs x2… sigh), two Honey Cowl’s – which I wear on the regular, and a sweater for Frankie! I would like to think that I will do more spinning in 2025, but I am not sure I will follow through on that… at least for the time being spinning is on the shelf.
I knit a Christmas gift with a brand new yarn. (No images of this gift until after Christmas… but the yarn is one of the nicest yarns! I even have some inspiration for another project using this yarn and what fantastic inspiration it is!)
What do you mean, it’s time to get in bed… I am in bed!
Speaking of Frankie… I knit him a starter sweater, which he rapidly outgrew…but looking at how little he was when he came here is just too funny. He has rapidly outgrown his puppy shyness and his personality is just so fun to watch develop. My favorite time of the day is when he “asks to snuggle” in the morning and “whispers” softly in my cheek. He owns my heart and I am just so happy he came to live with us.
Carole asked how big Frankie is getting… 24″ IKEA pillow for scale… Frankie is about 18″ long from his nose to his backside, tail not included! Haha!
Stitching was a big part of my year again… and it will remain so in 2025. I absolutely love my daily stitching and I have found a way to work it in around Frankie’s puppy busy-ness! I am doing something different this year, I am following Karen Turner’s suggestion this year of a whole-cloth versus 12 individual pieces… and I am excited to get the year “set up”… the tracing will begin soon and likely will happen in spurts between now and the new year!
I also am keeping my membership with Ann Wood’s stitchy group. She is leading another 100 Day Stitching project, which was truly the best thing I made all year! I am excited to begin another 100 day book… especially with the things I learned while doing the last one! (and yes, I still have my Fall book to finish… which will happen, I promise!)
I took advantage of an online class in 2024… and I plan to keep utilizing online classes as an inspiration in 2025. The class I took with Cecelia Campochiaro was the best knitting class I have ever taken… hands down. I think her genius of color theory paired with a simply repeating pattern sequence to be the thing that made me realize that sometimes, simple is best (Fail Sweaters, I am looking directly at you!) I did not get my scarf completed, but I am well past the half way point and I think with some focused time this winter, I could have it done in time for spring!
One thing I miss… desperately… is painting and I need to get back to it… I just need to figure out how it can work in my day. I am hopeful that once wee Frankie has the “snip” he will calm down a bit… right now he has energy – on steroids! HA! There is no middle for him right now, he is either sleeping or going full speed! It makes painting impossible right now. But, my hope is that in the first quarter of next year, I find a way to ease painting back in!
Now for a bit of housekeeping, there will not be an Unraveled Wednesday next week… but I wish you all the happiest holiday… whatever you celebrate! There will be a New Year’s Day Unraveled and, if you want to join me, I will be sharing my 2024 Reading… and it was a very good year!
As always, if you have a post to share please leave your link below and thank you!
by Kat | Oct 21, 2024 | General, Looking Back
Means “back to the grind”… sigh. But rather than tackle the normality of Monday, I thought I’d share some highlights of our week in Erie!
We had such a delightful time away… it was a week of each new day striving to be better than the day before! We had “layer” weather, which I love. You know the kind… one where it is helpful to have layers so you can add or remove as needed. (I posted almost every day on IG…)
I knit the minutest amount… but I did start the October sock.
I stayed pretty up to date with my stitching.
But the greatest delight was my new journal. I painted every single day… mostly “thumbnails” but some full pages, some half pages… all of it incredibly delightful! They were all done in less than 30 minutes and I found this little act to really cement memories for me. I can look at these little paintings and remember exactly where I was… it is a better “memory keeper” than many of the photos I have taken!
I found it simply stunning that one day… the day of the full moon… the sun set and the moon rose at the exact same time (this astounding phenomenon will become two pages in my autumn stitch book).
We watched for a comet but never caught a glimpse… but we did watch a rather large flock of seagulls soaring in the orange skies of twilight on the night of the full moon. I like to think they were as in awe of the sunset/moonrise phenomenon as we were!
I even saw some “new-to-me” birds on our daily treks. We “stumbled upon” a group of deer on one walk… I am not sure who was more curious… us or them! They watched us for a very long time. We saw a plethora of turkeys… and we even spotted a solitary mink! We walked so much and it felt so very good! I did not take an abundance of photos but I think I found a good balance between being in nature and capturing nature! We ate out a few times and had some really lovely happy hours. But mostly… just an extraordinary amount of treasured vertical time!
We saw very few yards signs for you know who… and lots more signs for you know her! (dare I let my hope grow brighter??)
It was truly the best vacation… and despite not really wanting to get back to the grind, I am more than ready!
So happy Monday everyone, see you all back here on Wednesday!
by Kat | Aug 30, 2024 | General, Looking Back
Happy last Friday of August, everyone!
I know that there are still a few weeks left of summer…but for me, autumn begins when I turn the calendar to September!
Way back in May, I created what I thought was a very “doable” bunch of things to try and accomplish over the summer.
So how did I do? Well… I did some things very well… and other things, not so well at all. I found that the things that required the participation of *someone* else did not go well at all… as in, they did not happen at all because *someone* was not interested.
Lesson learned…Bucket lists should never include the participation of another. Although, it is really rather funny that *someone* was quite happy to eat s’mores and ice cream, just sayin’!
Be a tourist in my town… at least once!- Opt for more porch time!!
- Make some summer play lists… I am thinking a motivating weeding play list will do wonders! And a new Summery Happy Hour play list will be so fun!
- Learn something new… and then learn something else new!
- Reread some favorite books… I am thinking A Gentleman in Moscow, 4 3 2 1, and Charlotte’s Web!
- Make ice cream!
- Make s’mores!
Revisit Meadowcroft Rock Shelter and OhiopyleTry a few new restaurants!- Schedule a few “technology break” days!
As you can see… some things did not happen. But there were some things that really worked for me this summer!
- More porch time… I created a “portable office” that I could take with me to the porch. And I sat most mornings. It was perfection… and I plan on continuing this as long into the fall as I can!
- I made a really motivating weeding play list! It helped tremendously on the summer of hot days… really, without that list I would have stayed indoors! And instead of creating a Happy Hour playlist…we found several already created playlists on Spotify that have quickly become favorites!
- Learning something new had a twist I did not think of. I have been making an effort to paint a bit every day. Really, just dabbling… but I am trying new things and retrying them and it has been so fun! And yes, I am learning things!
- It was absolutely the summer for reading! I did reread A Gentleman in Moscow, 4 3 2 1, and I have queued up Charlotte’s Web for my “weekend” listen!
- I did make ice cream! Peach ice cream!! It was yummy and, yes, we had it for dinner twice!
- I did not make “traditional” s’mores, but I found a fun twist on Pinterest and they were yummy and just enough to get the urge for s’mores out of my system!
- Technology break days started out great … I “unplugged” the most in June. July had a couple of breaks… and August saw not a single day that I was not attached to my phone. I am recalling those unplugged June days and especially how they were such a boon to my well-being. I don’t know about “scheduling” a day or two a month, but I am going to see how I can incorporate a “tech break” into my days more regularly!
A finish of 70% is not bad… and if I consider the “me only” portion of the list, I achieved a 100% completion!
What about you all? Was there something you did this summer that was a stand out?
Happy Long Weekend and I will see you all back here next week!
by Kat | May 10, 2024 | General, Looking Back
What is there to say about a place where the Warbler Chorus is punctuated by Oriole Arias? Birder’s Heaven? Because that perfectly describes the week in Erie… specifically at Presque Isle. And those Oriole’s? Well, I saw dozens of them… dozens. I have never seen so many Baltimore Oriole’s in my life!
We were in Erie for The Great Migration… and let me tell you. It absolutely is great! And yes, I saw new-to-me birds… still. And that amazes me! I feel so fortunate that we are so close to such a significant migration route!
My brief, but spectacular “new bird” list included Common Yellowthroats, Indigo Buntings, Great Crested Flycatchers, Blue-headed Vireos, Yellow-breasted Chats, Black-throated Blue Warblers, Nashville Warblers, Eastern Kingbirds, Eastern Wood-Pewees, and Tennessee Warblers.
But perhaps the best moments of all on this vacation were the hours we included Sherman. I am not sure how many more “vacations” we will have with Sherman. Earlier in April we invested in a Dog Stroller… yes, I have become that person… and it might have been the absolute best part of the trip! He has never liked being “left behind” but since losing his hearing being in his crate really stresses him. But there was no way he could walk as much as we do when we are in Presque Isle… even with the new medication he is on. The stroller made amazing LONG walks possible and their “paved path system” is one that goes all around the peninsula… so we just kept walking! Sherman thought he was in Dog Heaven… all the sights, all the smells, *almost* none of the walking!
The weather was perfect spring weather… some overcast days, some days with light rain, some days with sun… and all days cooler! I watched the trees go from bare branches to new leaves and all the stages between! Presque Isle is a place that is never the same any day but the leafing out was so dramatic and gorgeous to experience!
Carolyn had sent a text about what looked like an amazing exhibit at the Erie Art Museum and I really wanted to go but Steve absolutely did not (and it was not worth an argument, lol) so I missed it… sigh.
I did not take a ton of pictures… I leaned into Margaret Renkl’s wise advice: “How truly valuable is a device that makes you take your eyes from an experience so momentary you might miss it altogether?” So for the most part, my phone stayed in my pocket!
And speaking of phones – and technology in general – perhaps that was the best part of our time away… being truly away. I was not scrolling apps. I was not looking at emails. It was such a good break!
The ONLY thing I regularly used with my phone was the Merlin app… sadly, I cannot hear most birdsong so Merlin telling me what it was hearing was helpful for me to then find the bird with binoculars. Thankfully, that Warbler Chorus was loud and lovely and constant! And those Oriole Arias… unbelievably delightful!
I only had one incident with a tic and it appears I found it before it bit me! Whew! (But I kept thinking “something” was crawling on me for days afterwards!)
But as great as the week away was, it was so good to get back home. This is my last Friday without hearing aids… yes, I go to get them next Tuesday and I really cannot wait!
Thanks for revisiting our Erie getaway! Have a great weekend and I will see you all back here on Monday!
by Kat | Jan 2, 2024 | General, Looking Back
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.
― George R.R. Martin, A Dance with Dragons
It has been an excellent year of reading (again!) I truly do not understand how the non-reader gets through the day… happily that is something I will never have to experience because reading is essential to my day!
I am most profoundly grateful for my local library… most of what I have read, I read courtesy of my library. My reading life is all the more richer and fuller thanks to them! I love the people that work there… they are some of my favorite people on the planet! They were some of the first to welcome me to the area when I moved here 10 years ago!
It was a stellar reading year for me… I read a whopping 106 books! I read more this year than last year, but less than other years. But the most amazing statistics from the year show how really magnificent my reading was this year!
I doubled my Netgalley books this year… I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to read 26 ARC’s (advanced reader copies) and so many of these books (Netgalley books are flagged with **) made my “best books of the year” list!
I listen to books… a lot! Of the 106 books read, 54 of them were audiobooks and almost every single one was courtesy of my library!
There were 7 books that I did not finish this year… books that just weren’t for me. Years ago, I would have felt guilty to not finish a book… but “bailing” on a book was something that I embraced in my Year of Release… it was one of the best things ever.
I read LOTS of books that I gave a 5-star rating… of the 106 books… I gave 46 of them a 5-star rating.
So you might now be wondering how one chooses the best from that many “best” choices… well, I have some criteria for my Best Reading of 2023. The books on this list have stayed with me since I read them. They have delightfully lingered and for some of these books… they inspired me to read them more than once!
So here is my Best Reading of 2023 List… I highly recommend every book on this list! (They just might change your life!!) There are 11 books here with each book better than the one before it…. so when you get to the bottom, you have reached the best book of my year.
- Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro (I loved this book so much that I immediately re-read it.)
- The Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude and Inciting Joy by Ross Gay (I think a bit of Ross Gay every day is a very good idea! I will be reading more of him in 2024!)
- No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister ** (a book about the power of a book is one I have not stopped thinking about!)
- Sarah Winman… yes, just the author! I read 3 of her books this year and each one was tremendous, thought provoking, and each lingered in the most wonderful way!
- The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl. ** This book is life changing… and I loved it so much that I am going to spend the entire year with it… in my backyard. Two weeks in and I am discovering new things already… I can’t wait to see where my backyard and Margaret take me!
- Above Ground by Clint Smith. A moving volume of poetry that took me back in time to when my children were small. I loved Clint, but these poems reminded me of a forgotten time!
- Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward. ** This book was so necessary in a time where the “whitewashing” of history is happening in real time. I have not stopped thinking about Annis and her journey.
- Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan. I would not have even known about this book were it not for the Read With Us book club… we read The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida and I needed to know more… so a bit of Googling led me to Brotherless Night. This story is one that has not left me, it reminds me that even the obscure story needs to be heard!
- My Friends by Hisham Matar. ** This was a Netgalley book that “picked me” … an editor emailed (I am sure a volume of readers) and suggested I might enjoy this book. I am so glad I followed her suggestion! This book would have been my top read (if I did not read Rilke and Tommy Orange!) This book opened my eyes, changed how I think about the displaced… refugees… those without a homeland. Thank you, Hisham for writing such a compelling, beautiful, heartbreaking story!
- Rilke… my goodness, I love Rilke so much. I read two Rilke books this year (a re-read of one by a different translator.) The more I read Rilke, the more I want to read more. There will be more Rilke in 2024 as well!
- This last book barely squeaked under the wire… Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange ** (it will be out next March) It has only been a few days but I have not stopped thinking about the Star Journey. This might be Tommy’s best book ever… at least until he writes another one! Ha!
There you have it… 11 books… roughly 10% of my reading year.
I will be back tomorrow with my Year of Unraveling review!
Photo by Anthony ????
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