Where did the summer go? You would think that working from home for weeks on end would result in a long, boring season. It was not that way for me. In my last post I wrote about all the knitting I did, without much to show for it. Today, I thought it would be fun to go off-topic somewhat and share with you some of my non-knitting wins.
I turned 55 in June. In spite of my health, it was a fabulous day! I wore my birthday tiara, got pretty flowers from my sweetie, bought myself a Razorbacks t-shirt, got a new Kitty for my desk and had lots and lots of CDC approved kisses.
The gyms may have been closed, but I spent my time in the Lord’s Gym!
I turned over gardens, hauled blue stone, thinned and transplanted perennials., and made lots of places for my birds to relax.
We had some victories at work due to solid leadership and a dose of teamwork:
Preparing to open school for the students…
…while a major capital project is underway.
I found some cute shirts to wear when I putter in the yard. I see a theme.
One of my first social outings was a visit to my friend’s porch to discuss her class budget. It was a beautiful day to snuggle up for a photo with her littles.
This was so good for the soul!
New friendships were made.
I met Malcolm who noticed a certain Kitty on my desk!
Say hello to Winston!!
It was hard not hugging Malcolm when he gave me his drawing, but Winston and I had a squeeze-fest!
My honey had a birthday too! What do I give a guy who doesn’t ask for anything? A garden! Moving more dirt and stone for my man!
Once it fills in and blooms, it will be lovely. I planted Russian Sage and Rose of Sharon (both dwarf varieties), a miniature pine and some periwinkle for ground cover. St. Francis seems very happy! Next year I would love to add a hummingbird feeder.
Welp, that is my summer in a nutshell. Not bad if I do say so myself!
Have a blessed week and if you celebrate Yom Kippur, G’mar chatima tova! May you be sealed in the Book of Life!
Last week, while walking in the yard, I noticed a head peeking out of the birdhouse we have mounted in our garden. It was a chickadee! I have never had a chickadee nest nearby, at least that I am aware of. This was very exciting. They are cute, chatty and well…cute. A few days later, when I was sitting on the deck knitting, I heard the bluebirds. I love everything about bluebirds. They have a cheerful song and the prettiest blue feathers. As I sat there, I heard a commotion. I picked up the binoculars (because everyone knows you need binoculars when you knit outside) and saw a bluebird sitting on the perch of the birdhouse with the chickadee hopping on the roof all pissy. Now what? Is it possible for them to share the space? Maybe it can be like a time-share? What if they think this is a bad neighborhood altogether, and vacate? Will this affect my taxes? How will I ever live with myself?
Yesterday Razz had a birthday! He is 11yrs old. It is tradition to take him to Holy Cow Ice Cream. We pop open the back hatch of the Subaru and tailgate in the parking lot. Razz gets a kiddie cup of soft vanilla. The first time we did this, I made the error of ordering a cone. He took that down in one gulp. He also got brain freeze and pressed his head against my leg. Even though there was no tailgating this year, he still had his bowl of Holy Cow vanilla ice cream and all was right with the world. Well, at least in his world.
Do you ever wonder if the stay at home order is getting to people? Wonder no more. This was a headline in my news feed: “Naked man punching cars, fighting officers, taken down by K-9”.
In knitting news, I have a new pair of socks. The pattern is the Slip it Simple Sock by Christine Long Derks. I love the pattern, I love the yarn, but can I be honest? I am not crazy about the the two of them together; I just don’t know if they flatter each other. I will wear them proudly, none the less. Do you swatch for socks? I don’t because I know my preferred needle size and stitch counts. So now, my trio of NFL socks are complete. I fully expect that none of my teams make it to the playoffs. I am the kiss of death.
I love working on this!! It is fun and I am using up odd balls of yarn from previous projects as well as mini samples of new-to-me yarn. Deciding on what yarn to use next is like poking around inside a box of chocolate. This is the perfect project to work on while waiting for the charcoal to heat up, or the pasta to boil.
Speaking of pasta. I had the pleasure to meet Bill, Maker of Masks. He arrived at our door with his little nephew, who was carrying a bouquet of ramps. I added olive oil and cream and tossed it over thin spaghetti. Be still my Tarantella beating heart!
I bet you are wondering how Razz and I are doing on our walk. We have gone another 70 miles, and find ourselves on Million Dollar Highway in Bangor, PA. It appears there are some wineries in Bangor but what appeals to us most is Bear Swamp and Lake Minge, a tree-filled swamp with a wooden boardwalk to a nature center with a pond for wildlife observation. Right up our alley. I’ll grab my binoculars.
Did you know that soup doesn’t really qualify as “dinner”? I did not know that until 2 weeks ago. Even if you add cornbread and a salad, it falls short of dinner material. This is apparently a known fact that has eluded me for 50 years. That leaves me at a loss as to what to serve for dinner this evening.
If you are not this tall, you may not ride the roller coaster!
I hope you are well and in good spirits. I love reading all about your gardens and knitting, pets and baked goods, as well as hearing of your frustrations and fears as we all bumble around trying to settle into some type of normal. On that note, I will leave you in peace.
Happy Days,
Regina
I am not drinking anything. Shocking, I know.
I am not listening to anything. Shocking, I know.
But there is a Saint for today!
St. Catherine of Siena. St Catherine was born during the outbreak of the plague in Siena, Italy on March 25, 1347. She was her mother’s 25th child. You heard me right. 25th! She is the patroness against fire, illness and of nurses. She is a Doctor (and rock star) of the Church
“Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.” ― St. Catherine of Siena
Cosmicknitter 