by Kat | Sep 23, 2024 | General, In My Backyard
September tries its best to have us forget summer. — Bernard Williams
Yesterday, autumn arrived and I am feeling a deep sorrow in my heart at the end of summer… which is the most curious coming from a person who never really liked summer at all. Yes, I am grieving the end of summer. And even though September began tempting me with some decidedly autumnal weather earlier in the month, I am happy that that cooler weather has given way to a return to warm summer days.
I am not ready to give up Porch Sitting at all. It is my most very favorite time of the day. Now some might say that it all is just a colossal waste of time… sitting quietly in the morning, sipping my coffee, listening, reading a poem or two, and jotting down my thoughts. But for those few moments… as I am “in the world” and not in my house, I have discovered and experienced things I would have missed if I was “busy” doing something else in my house (and trust me… the dust will wait!!) I am contemplating figuring out a “Mr. Heater” that can help me extend my time outdoors! (Thanks to Kym for putting Mr. Heater on my radar!)
Some treasured moments from my “summer sitting” time:
- The oriole feeder that not a single oriole visited, but I discovered that the house finches dearly love some grape jelly, so I kept it full for them. Watching them feed their babies a “spot of dessert” was just so fun. But the most fun visitor to the oriole feeder were the wee Downy Woodpeckers who sipped the hummingbird nectar… and yes, that same oriole feeder saw loads of Hummer’s each and every day!
- I also discovered that juvenile Red-bellied Woodpeckers also love hummingbird nectar. They were regular visitors to my hummingbird feeders!
- I delighted in the chipmunks antics at avoiding the squirrels but still getting their fair share of peanuts. They grew so used to me sitting on the porch, that they stopped ‘taking the long way’ back to their nest, and instead scampered past me!
- It was the summer for rabbits in my yard as well, we had a plethora of babies all summer long and as we close in on autumn, I find myself happy that three have evidently decided that our yard is a good space to hang out. I see them regularly.
- I have been amazed at how very smart blue jays are! I, perhaps, learned the most about them this summer! Their “bird bath” antics though are most hilarious! They have brought laughter to my days, which was so appreciated in the days after we lost Sherman. A good reminder that laughter does not diminish sorrow but it does ease it for a bit.
- I reveled in the long days and mourned when the days shorter length became evident. And I really delighted in a season that contained four full moons… two of which were super moons!
- Yes, I even tried to spend some time outside when the sun was down! I did okay until the mosquitos got very bad but I very much loved watching the fireflies.
- And speaking of insects…I know many of you had a bout of super noisy cicadas however, I found their drone delightful on a sunny afternoon! And as August gave way to September I am delighting in the songs of the crickets as the sun sets.
- My butterfly bush was seriously amazing this year. It was immense… and full of blooms from late June to now… yes, it is still going strong! I watched a plethora of bees navigate systematically from bloom to bloom. I delighted in the abundance of butterflies… swallowtails, monarchs, and fritillaries galore! I also watched hummingbird moths as well as actual hummingbirds!
So as I turn the page of summer and I try and ready myself for fall… I am most thankful that I am here to experience the seasons!
What memories of summer will you carry with you into fall?
See you all back here on Wednesday for some Unraveling!
**Image by Viktor Hanacek on PicJumbo**
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 | Jul 1, 2024 | General, Welcome
It was an early, very warm morning in July, and it had rained during the night. The bare granite steamed, the moss and crevices were drenched with moisture, and all the colors everywhere had deepened. Below the veranda, the vegetation in the morning shade was like a rain forest of lush, evil leaves and flowers …
― Tove Jansson, The Summer Book
This might be one of the best opening lines of a book and one that certainly describes how I think of July in my neighborhood.
But!!
While we had a plethora of “pop up” rainstorms Saturday making the day warm and muggy but a front moved through late Sunday and this morning temps in the 50’s greeted me… Hello, July indeed!
But I know that before I know it, July will have raced past and August will be upon us… so I better have some things I’d like to focus on this month, right?
- Cast on and finish my 7th pair of socks this year! (Yes, I finished pair number six with a day to spare!) And I’d like to figure out how to knit those “heel tab ” shortie socks… so I began this pattern yesterday afternoon! For the Yarn Mavens here… I have no idea what yarn this is. It is something I tried to use in another project some years ago.
- I got myself back to my daily stitching last month, and July is ready to begin as soon as this is posted. But I would like to find some minutes this month to “catch up” the end of April and begin and finish all of May.
- And as far as the “big thing” for the month… I really need to do a big clean out of my closet. It has lost the plot (or I have given up on it…) and it needs a reorganization!
- I have a couple of “lighter” sweaters (i.e. ones I wear in the deep freeze that is my house when the AC is blasting!) that have “thinning” elbows and loose buttons that need a bit of TLC. I think I have some yarn from when I originally knit them, but how to accomplish the “bolstering of the elbows” is currently being debated in my brain.
June lines give way to July flowers… and a start on a sock!
And there you have my list for July!
What about you? What is on your list this month?
by Kat | Aug 1, 2022 | General, In This Moment
Welcomes August.
So, August… how should I fill your days?
Of course, painting. I am just having so much fun. I have no expectation for the results… outside of learning new things! This is delightfully freeing! My inner perfection demon has been curiously silent!
Some sewing… not just talking about it. I have almost finished the cutting… so let the sewing begin!
And this weekend I re-organized my spinning and I even did some spinning this weekend! I am looking forward to more spinning this month. I have a SQ of fiber that I really want to make into yarn so I can knit a sweater with it! So I have a a good bit of spinning to do this month! Stay tuned for a little surprise update later this week on the spinning front!
As you can see, I have many ideas of what I’d like August to hold… but then I saw this on IG from Emily P. Freeman and I stopped dead in my tracks when I got to this bit:
I love this so much, I wrote this in my journal this morning. And so my list and… change?
While I wait for what August will bring… poetry. Because, of course, always poetry! I have been working through two poetry books this summer but this poem by Derek Walcott has spurred an urge to fill my August days with him. I leave you with some beautiful Walcott imagery to fill your Monday. See you all back here on Wednesday!
Midsummer, Tobago
by Derek Walcott
Broad sun-stoned beaches.
White heat.
A green river.
A bridge,
scorched yellow palms
from the summer-sleeping house
drowsing through August.
Days I have held,
days I have lost,
days that outgrow, like daughters,
my harbouring arms.
from “Sea Grapes,” 1976, published by Jonathan Cape.
by Kat | Jul 16, 2021 | General, In This Moment
Hullo, Friday! Like clockwork, you arrive bringing with you the weekend, which might be the best constant ever.
Last night my “new” book club finished Good Talk. It seemed most fitting that we met in the Lincoln Gallery for our final discussion. The conversations around this book have been enlightening and so very helpful. I am eagerly anticipating our next book, which will likely be Caste.
I don’t love FB, but every once in a while something amazing shows up there and this week brought a two-for! First, this story showed up and I could not get that story out of my head! I started Googling and discovered this article which included information to donate fabrics to these amazing men. (scroll down to the bottom of the article for that info!)
The second good thing that showed up was a post by a spinning “friend” who was feeling a bit overwhelmed at the size of her stash and she wondered if there would be any interest in joining forces to “spin down our stash” in the second half of the year. Ummm, YES!! (and so many people said yes! lol) More spinning in my life is never a bad thing. I have a sweater I want to spin for so this is exactly what I need to get that done! (if you want to join this group, let me know and I will send you the link to the group)
Finally… I have worked for two weeks on a pastel drawing… and this week I think it is finished. I put some final touches on it this morning and signed it. Oh boy… it is not perfect. I learned so much about my limitations with pastels… but I kept working and I learned some work arounds… and that is always a good thing.
That is all I have for this week. Have a great weekend everyone!
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