I have sewn together five of – who knows how many still to stitch ??? – confetti quilt blocks and I know less now than I did before I started… Foundation paper piecing is all totally new to me and I’m finding it so counter intuitive…but, I persist figuring that one day soon the Eureka moment will arrive and then, there’ll be no stopping me …
I am also not having much success with a sock to be knit – tho’ one is done, the second is giving me fits as I am casting on …but, I persist , figuring that one day soon the Eureka moment will arrive and then, there’ll be no stopping me …
I thought I’d have finished The Great Circle by now but other books have cornered my attention: Samantha Dion Baker’s new book: Draw Your World and Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library. Rather eclectic assortment…
We have no special plans for this July 4th weekend; it is currently 97 degrees in the shade. The weather forecast is for at least ten degrees cooler over the next few days. I hope so for us and you.
Currently, I am participating in the annual May rendition of LOAD – Layout A Day. Our theme this month is The Golden Girls and thus far it’s been a lot of fun. I’ve watched Golden Girls since it first aired in 1985; I suspect I’ve seen all 185 episodes at least ten times but each one is almost always fresh, new and funny! I normally catch a few episodes, aired on the Hallmark Channel, on weekends.
In my last post, I shared a bit about a PiP (project in progress…or not ): knitting the sky. No, I’ve not yet started the project tho’ Thursday morning , I did begin reading the book Knit the Sky on my Kindle. I rarely read ebooks so I’m relearning the platform – which has been updated considerably since the last time I read a Kindle book. Above are the yarns I’ll be using for the project…now, to get started!
And, also in my last post, I shared a picture of Hazel – niece Chris’ labradoodle. Hazel has a new look and I thought she’d be OK with my sharing another photo. She’s such a cutie!
My daily schedule has been drastically changed over the past six months and I’ve too often found myself trying to fit things in the old time frame, only to run out of time and steam! As I was drafting this post, keenly aware that too many days have elapsed since I last posted, I had a bright idea: Usually , M- F, I’m on line during the noon hour, creating daily pages in small 3 x 5 or 4 x 6 journals. I had the bright idea: I’ll use the following 12:45 – 2 PM time slot, give or take 10-15 minutes, to draft, edit, schedule or publish posts as well as attend to other blogging activity: reading and responding to comments, visiting others’ blogs, etc. As I shared earlier, I think this plan is a prime candidate for time blocking… time will tell… and as friend of mine oft said: nothing beats a failure but a try… I’m not quite sure how this will all turn out but I plan to give it a good try. Now if I could only figure out how to use Word Press’ new editor program. I do not at all like it!
Wishing all a great weekend! My niece Kayla – age 20 – got her first Covid-19 vaccination today! Maybe by Memorial Day we’ll be able to have a family gathering…
… in just 4 days, December will be upon us and the end of 2020 – just 31 days away! I’m very much looking forward – – to 2020’s end and hopefully, the nightmare we’ve been living …
grateful:
… despite this year’s challenges, I am grateful that friends and family, have for the most part, fared well. Several friends and I lost a long-time very dear friend and it has been so comforting for us to have one another.
inspiring:
… I read this article this AM, selected for me by google – sometimes I resent google’s snooping in my search and email in order to personalize web content for me but this time, I’m OK. I immediately downloaded the Kindle book and I’m off to Ravelry to look some more. My mind’s racing with ideas for doing this ’cause sky/cloud/season watching soothes my soul …
fun:
… it’s a fact that I’ve made corn pudding dozens of times (see 11/26/20 post). Yesterday, I managed to burn the dish…for some reason, I set the oven for 450 degrees, not the required 350 degrees! Go figure. I’m just grateful that we weren’t having company and that, fortunately, only the top was charred. And – Elias is THREE today! Will share a photo or two, as soon as Dolly sends some.
1: last week I wrote that Norman and I were tested for Covid-19. we hadn’t been exposed nor exhibited any symptoms; we chose to do the test because the site was literally next door, in walking distance – tho’ only drive-up testing, available. today, we received the results – negative and told to continue: practicing social distancing, washing hands (and groceries!) and wearing a mask!
2: the neighborhood park I walk to/through most days on my #Walk20in20 is always so lovely; gradually, more people are social distancing (? ) these beautiful summer days. sadly, the pool didn’t open this season.
3: a little Unraveled Wednesday too: yesterday – July 15 – was the 100th day of #the100dayproject2020; I posted my log cabin 9patch lap robe finish (@honorel). my next project – socks – still where they were several weeks ago. hmm, I think I got stuck cause I only have one set of dbl pointed needles in the needed size… perhaps I’ll resume the Diamonds’ afghan… ah, choices. needless to say, resume quilting remains on my someday maybe list…
Joining Carole for this week’s take on 3 on Thurs.
Since the #100dayproject2020 began 7 April and we’ve been social distancing, since forever?, I have been taking a break at 4 pm to watch a bit of TV, along with picking up knitting the log cabin 9 patch lap robe. Today, I finished the second medium sized 9 patch blocks, just about 5:15 pm, and realized that it has been a long time since I’ve shared a simply a moment post. I’ve no idea why I stopped writing – but that is a good reason why I’ve not shared and for sure a good reason to resurrect the practice. NoteTo Self: add simply a moment to calendar!
We are having summer! Temp, as I write this, 86°F with relatively low humidity. A great day for a longer than usual walk. I went a different route, feasting my eyes on the lovely flowers, stopping to take a photo of this round house that has been renovated since the last time I walked by… easily a year or so ago…and
1 – I am reading a delightful book on clouds… and learning sooo much. Fascinating! Today’s very windy, cloudy morning is an added bonus. As is oft said “ the sky’s a study “ and for sure, today it is! I awoke to stratocumulus* clouds, fueled by winds, moving rapidly, tinged with pink colored by the sun’s rays . (*today’s new word ;-))
2 – I have a new iPhone XR. It’s different and learning how to turn it on, swipe whichever way to get to apps, etc is somewhat of a challenge. I had my former phone, a 6+ for 5-6 years with the push button. Habits are hard to make…and to break.
3 – I share a little unraveled wednesday, too. Block #12 is slowly coming along…I pick it up most times when watching the news or am joining Thursday Stitching friends ~ today, I won’t be. The color of the block in progress is a light blue…almost looks gray in the photo.
Such is the way it is on this last February Thursday. Today we’re getting a preview of March’s winds. Linking up with Carole and friends.
In 1985, my mother and I went to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City to see The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. On Saturday, I saw the current performance with a friend, my niece and my sister, in a local movie house, at the Metropolitan’s Opera Live in HD series. Before the opera began, I managed to knit about 3 stitches on the 9 Patch Log Cabin. During the Super Bowl I finished one block and started another!
The performance did not disappoint! The Met Live in HD is about as close to being there as can be! If you’re an opera fan, this is the next best thing.
Today we were greeted with a preview of Spring. Not warm enough – at least for me – to go coatless or short sleeved but certainly a breath of fresh air. Blue skies were made a study by all the jet contrails. I took this picture at the church where our quilting group meets – it’s quite close to BWI Airport and there was a lot of air traffic at 10:30 am.
And now I’ve got to get to work on today’s LOAD (Layout a Day); this session’s theme is Magic, inspired by Harry Potter books (which I’ve never read – but maybe I should ’cause I’m currently fresh outta inspiration) … I have til 12 PM Pacific Standard Time to get something posted…
Nearly twelve hours ago, 7:00 am, I settled in my favorite spot, the dining table in the Great Room (aka as the kitchen/dining area) and proceeded with MSQT – morning solitude and quiet time. I opened my journal and began to write: I am on a quest to create a new habit by eliminating an old one: writing on whatever’s within reach.” The consequences of my current habit: a myriad of notes on a myriad pieces of paper… My goal is to contain random thoughts and reflections, miscellaneous ideas, to do items, forget-me-nots, brain explosions, and lapses, etc in one-to-two spaces/places …only!
Thus, I have spent the entire day – still at it as I pen this post at 5:50 pm – sifting through a few months’ accumulation of random sheets of papers and transferring thoughts, quotes, ideas, lists, forget-me-nots, etc onto/into one common journal. All of this against the background of today’s Congressional impeachment inquiry hearing, still in process.
In the above photo, a hat I’m knitting – started last winter – to donate; a delightful book on forest bathing that friend Laura introduced at our beach weekend – I love trees, and that’s a topic for another post – and a pretty cool 3-D birthday card…
My stomach’s beginning to growl and the second hearing’s begun so I shall sign off…joining Kat and friends for this week’s unraveled wednesday.
Totally late to the party…it’s been a busy day, with :
laundry – more loads than usual …
monthly reconciliation of XPNS (expenses), etc…
broken up by a lovely walk this afternoon, accompanied by Gretchen Rubin and her sister, Liz Craft, on their weekly Happier podcast – my favorite walking companion… and
text messages – gazillions – among my nieces and sister. Dolly’s planning a Christmas craft party for Chris and Elias; invited guests are her mom, sisters, grandmother (my sister); best friend and her three kiddos and me…especially since the party will be here. Dolly’s excited and quiet as it’s kept, so am I!
Yesterday, I visited my local Barnes & Noble store: the doors wide open, an invitation to come in and browse…among a totally new display of books and more books, all brand new, multiple copies of a title, both fiction and non-fiction for all ages. Of course, I walked out with a title or two plus a couple gift items…
There are about 8 rows of stitches on my log cabin to knit and then, join the blocks…I’m thinking I’ll add successive rows around the perimeter in the lighter lavender yarn – I have lots of it…and somehow, also add smaller blocks of the various colors…all makes for good practice. I’m still practicing continental knitting…
This morning, I decided to make coffee – decaf! It was very good and a nice break from my usual, green tea. About 4:30 pm, I realized I had a headache! Green tea to the rescue. I am so grateful for the tea…and it tastes great in my reading mug, too!
