Category: Unraveled Wednesday

unraveled wednesday | 8.19.20 …

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… These are – with the exception of Begin Again by Eddie Glaude – two of the books I bought last Saturday at Barnes & Noble; the other is Roller Skates which had to be ordered and has now arrived. I guess I’ll make a quick trip tomorrow afternoon to pick it up. Roller Skates is a children’s book- one of my childhood faves – set in NYC. I enjoyed fantasizing about skating up n’ down the streets of NYC… Just thought a little trio back in time might be a pleasant antidote during these times of Covid -19.

… I am slowly reviving two knitting projects : the second sock is on the needles and I decided to do both toes at the same time. The other, Diamonds are Forever afghan, is going to receive some TLC beginning next week.

… I think I need a new chair for my computer – one that allows me to adjust the height for sitting when I’m at the “stand-up” – counter height computer desk as well as the “sit down” positions. Counter intuitive? Does such exist? Google search in order…

… I’m not really happy with the new block editor  Word Press launched …I  resisted using  during the trial period- guess it’s just my mind rebelling…perhaps in due time I’ll change my mind. Always hard to teach an old horse new tricks . <smile>

Joining Kat and friends. Gotta have a quick dinner…have a Zoom session at 7 PM, EST.

Cheers~

 

unraveled wednesday | 7.29.20 …

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~ sunset @ 8:41 pm –

I like the reflection of the sunset in the window – occasionally I can get a good enough picture; last evening was one of those times. I see that the wind chime needs to be replaced…the chimes, victim of high winds over the years. Perhaps one of these days, I’ll get to a nursery/garden store, my fave closed last year…

On Sunday, I started the Kitchener stitch on the sock (that has been languishing on needles for, ahem, awhile) and/well, I just need to consult a video and focus…I’ve knit socks before so it’s not a question of can I – rather, I just need to shake up my muscle memory …in the meantime, I shall start the second sock. Today is the day!

I started Song Yet Unsung via audio last Sunday and decided, with encouragement from readers – who’d already read and listened to the book – to read it with my eyes rather than ears. So, I’m waiting for my copy to arrive, TODAY by 9 PM. Time will tell…

In the meantime, I’ve restarted Gift from the Sea and a few other titles in my library on mindfulness – plus my morning reads: Sarah Ban Breathnach’s Simple Abundance and Ryan Holiday’s The Daily Stoic. I am absolutely amazed at how timely this book is, copyright 2016 and based on the wisdom of the ancient Stoics. Blows my mind and makes one wonder: is there any hope for us humans? We ain’t doin’ so well…

Another hot one on the books today/tomorrow – low 90s both days. And then, we get a break, according to the forecast: August arrives with temps only in the mid 80s for the first 7 days. Time will tell… In the meantime, I’ve plenty to keep me occupied and company.

Stay cool as well as you can. Knit and Read on! Have a good week.

Joining Kat and friends; off to see what’s up with them.

Cheers~

unraveled wednesday |7.8.20…

Published on by Honoré10 Comments

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In early April, I started a noon time practice : Daily Pages, led by rukristin of the Awesome Ladies Project. We meet via Zoom and have a virtual creative party for about 20-45 minutes… each of us makes some type of art page in a journal of our choice on a technique/topic of our choosing. We can choose to share or not! No pressure. Just a lovely way to spend time during Covid-19, +++

Over the past two months, I’ve shared about 6 of my pages on this blog. The photo above shows the pages I made yesterday and today; the top half also features the little art zine booklet by Malaka Gharib that appeared in npr’s Jan 7 Life Kit (and also shared by Bonny on her blog, Highly Reasonable). I find that I really enjoy this noontime break and have at least 3-5 pages in various stages of make… No pressure. No illusions. Just fun!

Today, I went to the dentist and my hygienist inquired about my quilting. I admitted I’ve not really done any quilting. I’m not sure why – other than I’ve just not been so inclined or inspired or both.  In fact, I’ve barely stitched anything – other than mask making – since I finished Kayla’s quilt (pictured above in the lower photo) when she graduated high school June 2019!  Funny that she asked that question for just earlier this morning, before my appointment, I began again – for the first time-  a book from my personal library: Why We Quilt: Contemporary Makers Speak Out about the Power of Art, Activism, Community and Creativity by Thomas Knauer,  Storey Publishing, ©2019. Perhaps I was feeling the desire to resume quilting. I suppose time will tell.

I find it interesting that on the one hand I’m buoyed by a new creative practice and on the other, rather out of sorts with an older one … for both have in common creating something new and whole out of pieces.

Joining Kat and friends for Unraveled Wednesday.

 

unraveled wednesday | 7.1.20 …

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~1 july 2020 Daily Page~

Starting my third month of  creating Daily Pages in 3.25 x 5.5 pocket-sized FieldBooks. I find that I am very much enjoying this mid -day break (held via Zoom, 5 days a week)… a chance to stretch, express my creativity, play around with paper, glue, paints, color, design, stickers, etc with no required outcome beyond F-U-N!  Plus, the added bonus of using a BIG LOT of my scrappy supplies. When I started this activity, I had no idea I’d take to it so wholeheartedly or that it would be such a welcome diversion to Covid-19 times. And for that, I am extremely grateful.

Knitting on the log cabin-9patch continues, tho’ with some difficulty. As I join rows, I’m stressing my hand so I’m taking 1-2 days off in between the row joins. I may just stitch, rather than knit, the one last row of join. I’ve been knitting during the 4  – 5 pm hour most days. My next project: a second sock to knit, including the toe of the first sock. I thought I’d knit the 2nd and then do the toes on both at the same time…

Walking and Reading the past few days accompanied by the audio version of Louise Penny’s Bury Your Dead; I’m about 1/3rd through. It’s been too hot to go out every day…and that has slowed my audio reading to a crawl. I’ve four books – print- in the queue that I am starting this week…keeping track in a new planner…more to come, later.

Looks like it’s time to publish this and go downstairs for the 4 pm knitting hour.  Joining Kat and Friends for another Unraveled Wednesday

Have a great week.

Cheers~

 

unraveled wednesday | 6.17.20 …

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Things have been topsy turvey all day, starting at 7:30 am …work on installing the new air conditioner, at ruinous cost, began. Of course, the install requires more work . Why? Because the original space where the unit is installed  – the ceiling of the Great Room (aka as the addition) – needed to be widened. But the installers have made great progress and suggested, as they left for the day, that they’d be done noonish tomorrow. Just in time for we’re scheduled to welcome the season of summer with 90+ degrees heat on Friday.

I have spent the day upstairs in my craft room, creating pages in a 5.5 x 5.5 Field Book; I’ve come to call this little tool  – used to awaken my creative play – my analog version of Instagram. I think I need to come up with a catchy hashtag. Ideas welcomed. This is not quite how I envisioned I’d spend June or May or April or March …but then again, I, we,  the world never envisioned Covid-19,* either.

Last night, I completed joining the rows on one part of my Log Cabin 9 Patch lap robe…I have 5 more sections to join and then, for all intent and purpose, I’ll have completed the project. I suppose, if I pushed it, I could finish the project by the 100 day project end – July 15…but considering we’re about to enter the season of  hot, hot and hotter, there’s no rush…but then again, maybe the new A/C will be so cold I could use a lap robe. Something to ponder…

A painting is never finished -it simply stops in interesting places, a quote by Paul Gardner prefaces  Personality Isn’t Permanent, by Benjamin Hardy, PhD. Today is the release/publication date and my copy arrived bright and early this morning. I’ve been  somewhat in a reading slump lately so perhaps this book will get juices flowing… I hope so for I’ve a bunch of good-sounding titles in my TBR queue – print, ebook and audio.

Joining Kat and frieinds for Unraveled Wednesday!

Cheers~

*In my April 9 post, I shared a fun graphic on coping with Covid-19.  For more information, do visit Brandy’s blog, The Counseling Teacher.com where you’ll also find an editble version of the graphic.

3 for …

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1.  and now he is SIX!

Tuesday, June 9, Chris graduated from KDG to First grade – virtually!  Yesterday, 10 June, he turned 6. We celebrated via Zoom and watched with drooling mouths as his cake was cut and eaten. Despite being miles apart, as far away as Ohio where his great grandad lives, we had a raucous good time…Norman and I celebrated with champagne, of course!

2. back to the future is now 

Earlier this month, in this space and on my Instagram, I allowed as how I was learning the 3 Needle Bind Off  technique for joining squares of the LogCabin9Patch lap blanket I’m knitting – or is it that I’m being knitted? Whatever, I’m running into a problem with dropping stitches, losing count. So it’s tink, tink, tink. I am determined to master this and have the 4 PM hour reserved for the endeavor. So far, success remains elusive but I shall push on…

3. it ain’t just broke 

 IT is Central Air and has to be replaced! The entire system, mais oui (but of course). Naturally one finds this out when the temperature is in the 90s with the humidity equally high! I guess it’s a good thing I am not going to Oregon this Fall, as I’d tentatively planned before Covid-19 …

Joining Unraveled Wednesday and 3 on Thursday this week.  Do visit Kat and Carole and see what’s going on with others this week.

I think I feel a slight breeze. Wahoo!

Cheers~

 

 

unraveled wednesday|6.3.20 …

Published on by Honoré9 Comments

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On this, the 3rd day of June, the thermometer, at 2:30 pm, already registers 90° F! Eeek, it’s h-o-t!  Frankly, I am not ready for Washington’s summer heat; summer is still 19 days away!  The heat makes it really hard to continue knitting on my log cabin/9 patch blanket but I shall.  I am at the point now where I begin joining the pieces …  If I remain focused, I might even finish this project by the #100daysproject2020  end: 15 July. Time will tell.

Over the past week, reading has been usurped by TV –  watching the continuous reporting of the protests across the country.  The TBR list grows and now that I have ink for my printer, at last, I can even print out my stay-at-home summer 2020 bingo card… I think it’s time to reconnoiter, refresh and renew my plans …

Laundry’s done; chicken baked. Time to hit publish and pick up those knitting needles as I watch TV. Joining Kat and friends.

 

 

 

unraveled wednesday |5.27.20 …

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~the three balls of yarn are colors for the last blocks~

weeks come; weeks go ever so slowly. I note the subtle shifts and changes in my daily routine: I always start each day with a lot of enthusiasm but near 4 PM, I feel my energy begin to drain. Today, my favorite podcast : Happier with Gretchen Rubin will accompany me on my walk, which I’ll take around 5 pm… the opening music always adds a little spring to my step.

I am about to start the last (next?) three blocks of my Log Cabin 9Patch lap robe and restart Commonwealth; I enjoyed Anne Patchett’s Dutch House so much and thought I had a copy of Commonwealth – I  do, found the other day by accident in the book cabinet. I have so much stuff I need to donate and/or discard; the problem: when? where? who will take? because of Covid-19?

Time to hit publish, put on my shoes, ear plugs and head out for #walk20in2020 with Gretchen and Liz. Joining Kat for another unraveled wednesday.

Cheers~

unraveled wednesday | 5.20.20…

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My entry for the 20th day of LOAD – Layout A Day – May 2020 Challenge. Last December, I gifted myself some luscious  pearlescent water colours; I finally got around to taking them for a test spin today! In person, they’re more pearlescent and I think using smoother cardstock paper will make a difference.  It’s all fun…and to be continued.

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I am still reading Before We Were Yours and started the above – it’s non-fiction – Monday… Miter blocks are movin’ right along – two to go and this block will also be done. If I play my cards right, I may even finish the lap robe by the end of #the100dayproject. Time will tell…

Joining Kat and friends for another Unraveled Wednesday.