It has been a very chilly week here in my corner of the Burgh… the frosts have come (as did one morning with a dusting of snow!) This weekend we are supposed to be a bit milder so I am hoping to get the remainder of my bulbs in. This is my first time planting any bulbs and confession time… I much prefer warmer weather to be in the garden!
I have just a few of things to share with you all this week.
First up, I saw this post on Threads and I think his idea of practicing getting up from the floor as a game is a good idea. I am adding this to my “November List” of things… maybe you should too!
Anne Lamott wrote a beautiful opinion piece on the idea of “borrowed time” in the WaPo this week. It has stayed with me all week and I wanted to share her (profound) words with you all as well so I am gifting you the article, you can read it here.
Yesterday, I saw bits of an interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates which spurred me to find the entire interview. You might want to find a bit of time to watch it as well… as always, Coates has a way about him that makes me stop and think.
Finally, MY YARN ARRIVED for The Sweater! I need to find a spot of time to begin the swatch-o-rama! (My yarn choice? I went with Peace Fleece in the same color that Emily used… I do not have anything in my wardrobe like it and I am so excited!)
One large ball of Peace Fleece and four little bits that will soon be a gnome!
I am eagerly awaiting my class today… I wound some yarns and am ready to go!
See you all back here on Monday! Have a great weekend!
So today I am sharing some things that have helped me move forward this month. Things that have helped the hope within me increase. Hope that I have made a point of sharing.
It is my wish that you will find something that lifts you… perhaps even in these things I share:
First up… thank the gods for librarians, but most especially for Mychal (You should absolutely follow him… he is a highlight of every day!)l:
Next up is Levi... or perhaps my love is really for Levi’s dad… I don’t know, but gosh does Levi eat well!! If there is reincarnation, I would like to come back as a sibling of Levi please!
Finally, I have tried chai numerous times in my life and it has always been just too sweet nor am I a person who “googles” tea… ever. So I found it funny that Chai Ads began showing up on the Meta™ platforms… One in particular kept showing up on the regular and it piqued my interest. So I broke down and bought some… and WOW! And I mean WOW! If you, like me, are not a chai fan but wondered what good chai might taste like… wonder no more. The Kolkata Chai Co delivers! It has all the amazing flavors and none of the über sweetness that other chais have. And it is so good with oat milk. It is my new afternoon cuppa…
My hope for you is that you find somethings this weekend that lifts you in unexpected ways. See you all back here on Monday with my word update.
Friends, we have reached the halfway point of September. I know, it makes me sad too!
I have some finds to share with you this week…so let’s get started!
First up, I really love Kym’s monthly activity share that she focuses on. I actually try and add them into my daily routine…sometimes successfully even! That’s right, I am very vested in my Squat-ember squatting and every time I engage in my daily squat I remind myself that this will make planting the plethora of bulbs the tiniest bit easier! That’s my story… and I am sticking to it (not that I think planting a plethora of bulbs will be easy… at all! HA!)
Anyways, this week NPR brought my attention back to Kym’s monthly activity focus with this intriguing article which led me down a very fascinating rabbit hole! I have been watching a little bit of Dan’s Live to 100: The Secrets of the Blue Zones on Netflix every evening and I have been enjoying it. (I especially love the gardening, the spending time on the floor, the eating… really, I think he talked to Kym before writing his book!) Anyways, if you are looking for something to watch instead of sports, I recommend this (you can watch an episode on the floor… easily! They are short and packed full of fun things!)
Some months ago I signed up for Ailbíona McLochlainn’s newsletter, Nuacht Cniotála (Knitting News) and have discovered a delightful peek into life in Ireland in a small making community. She lives on the Inishowen Peninsula and I am in love with everything she shares. If you are looking for knitting news that is not all knitting, not all selling… you might like to sign up for her newsletter as well. The peek into her community is delightful!
Recently, I also signed up for Ellen Bass‘ newsletter… and this week the first one showed up in my inbox! It is packed full of goodies… one of which is that she highlights poetry from her students. This one caught my attention… I don’t know about you, but I have had several classmates who have walked hiked the Camino de Santiago… and it was an undertaking! This little book of poetry sounds like a good way to experience it… without making the trek!!
And there you have my recent finds! Have a fantastic weekend and I will see you all back here next week!
Last week’s break was such a good thing for me… mentally. I did not blog and I did not spend much time on social media… the total time I spent was picking photos for two IG posts from Erie. Posting and not scrolling seems selfish as I am writing this today. But being away from social media has given me lots to think about and while I am not at all ready to give up my blog, perhaps I am ready to give up social media.
But while I mull all that over in my brain… I do have some AMAZING finds for you this week! Things that will get you outside, give you things to think about, and perhaps discover something new! Let’s get started:
Thing One —
Tomorrow is Global Big Day! That’s right, another bird count day… an important one because we are at the peak of migration season! Recording the birds you see or hear is super fun… and super easy! All the “how” details are here so get out there and look for birds!
Thing Two —
This one has been loudest in my brain. I have listened to this episode twice and I have it saved so I can listen again. It is the Emergence Podcast discussion with Jenny Odell about time. I am on the waitlist for her book so I can delve deeper into her thoughts on time. One thing I know for sure, I have been working on incorporating more vertical time into my day… less horizontal time and my gosh, I love it!
Thing Three (a) —
This week, The Slowdown podcast has done something amazing… Major Jackson has spent the week discussing poetry with a guest host… a young guest host! It has been so much fun! I have LOVED the poems the kids have selected, I have LOVED the conversations the kids had about their love of poetry, and I have really LOVED the poetry word games that Major Jackson played with the kids each day. If you have children in your life… queue up The Slowdown and introduce them to the joy of poetry!
Thing Three (b) —
It has been the week for Discovering Youth Poets! Twitter has become less of a hellscape since I discovered Joseph Fasano and his “daily poetry thread” But really, his poetry prompts for kids might be my favorite and have blown me away! And he has a prompt for Mother’s Day!
This Sunday we will celebrate all mothers. Here is a poetry prompt to help us say thank you to our mothers for helping us find and love ourselves. Teachers, students, anyone, feel free to share what you create ❤️ pic.twitter.com/M8S971Dod0
Whew! It’s been a week… and I have arrived on Friday with a completed list! Yes, yes! All the sewing is done! I am closing in the the toe of the second red sock! And I have started on the Vacation List!
And I managed to stumble across a few things this week that are share worthy! So lets get started!
One —
As you all know, I love a good cocktail. I especially love the complex layers of flavor that an aperitif provides. (Think Aperol, Campari, Fernet Branca, Amaro, etc.) This week, I discovered Cynar (pronounced Chee-nahr) and I have a new love! It is made from artichokes(!!) along with some other ingredients and I think the flavor is not as bitter as Campari and Aperol… but it makes a delightfully complex cocktail. This week I made a Cynar Negroni (equal parts dry gin, sweet vermouth, and cynar) I liked it better than a “regular” Negroni, as did Steve. But my favorite of the week’s “Taste Testing” was the new to me Bensonhurst. (if you scroll down you will find the recipe here) We tried a number of different rye’s and our favorite was the smokier flavored Double Barrel Old George Rye from Grand Traverse Distillery. If you are looking for a new addition to your drink repertoire, I highly recommend Cynar!
Two —
A knitted skirt crossed my path this week and it has been rattling around my brain ever since. (Apparently others have been struck by this same phenomena!) Some years ago I knit a skirt (Ravelry Link) and I wore the absolute hell out of it and it was one of my most comfortable knits! I am contemplating… but I am not loving a skirt of a linen/cotton blend knitted fabric. I have had poor results with linen/linen blend knitted fabrics… they grow. So I am thinking that a wool/cotton blend might be smarter. (Hello, Coast… yes, I am thinking about you!) No swatching will happen before May… but I might be looking at colors!
Three —
I have prepared myself for a nationwide ban on Mifepristone… I mean really, does anyone think that a ruling delay to Friday at midnight could mean anything positive? My rage has reached the Off the Charts level. Some years ago I read The Power and recently I discovered that Amazon has made a series based on the book. I have watched a couple of episodes and admit to recently fantasizing about obtaining the power… I mean, a good jolt is what some of these people need, imo.
And that is all I have for this week! I will be back on Monday with my word update!