Pumpkin Sunrise

Oh September thank goodness you are finally here.  September hasn't been one of my favorite months because it tends to be hot and summery.  However, September leads to October and I am all for that month!  There were a couple of cool mornings this past week with low humidity that hinted of fantastic weather to come.  Yesterday the humidity was back and I hid inside the house doing my crafts. My September goals are quite minimalistic.  I want to read, knit, work on my artistic skills and journal.  For quite some time I was reading a lot in June and July but August was not a reading month.  I don't have a reason but I can reset and focus.  I want my sketching and watercoloring to improve and the only way that can happen is to do it more than once a week.  Do you get into ruts?  You know, the kind that you do everything else but what you really want to do.  I'm not sure why I sabotage my own goals.   My journalling and keeping track of what is important is helping immensely.  

  I set my mind to finishing this shawl over the weekend.  As you can see, I succeeded!  I love how it turned out and as we know, blocking out the shawl is magical.  I was worried that the size would be too small and my fears were unfounded.  I blocked the daylights out of it! I love the lacy look and the way the shawl is shaped as a crescent shawl.  Crescent and asymmetrical shawls are my favorite at the current moment. Ravelry notes     What have you been working on this week? Joining Ginny

  I had the best weekend ever because I stuffed my days with lots of creativity.  Yup.  My Saturday and Sunday were filled with knitting and painting and setting up my journal.  I can assure you I'll be doing this daily so as to continue this good feeling.  The above photo is yarn for my son in law's Christmas present (socks).  I'll be finishing my daughter's pair first before I begin another pair. The weather felt like fall - low humidity and a cool breeze in the air.  I had the back door opened and was delighted to listen to the birds and the cicadas while fresh air billowed into the house. The St. Francis book was written in the late 90's and it could be applied to our life today.  I'm enjoying reading this book. Have you read it? I also put my sister's have finished featherweight on the needles, deciding to drop down a size to match her tighter gauge.  This will be my Christmas present for her - to finish off the ribbing on the body, knit two sleeves and

Good morning!  How are you doing on this fine Friday?  We are wishing and hoping for some rain but who knows what will happen.  It spritzed a minute yesterday and that added nothing to the low pool level.  Did you notice my first photo?  FALL - it's coming maybe not tomorrow but the signs are there for all to see.   Mr. newly retired has been biking nearly every day and has been making upgrades to one of his bikes.  Overall he is glad to be retired.  If you are wondering if I started his list of things to do around here, you can be assured that indeed we sat down and formulated some must do tasks. His office boxes are in our garage and they need to be put away somewhere here.  I have many ideas of additional storage space but first we need to clean out the garage.  It's been a long time.   Our retaining wall has continued to look great and the grass has mostly filled in.  The landscaper is coming to drop off some more topsoil  for one section of our lawn that was washed away by

Good morning!  How are you doing and how have your projects been coming along?  I feel like I'm knitting the same stuff, well actually I am knitting the same projects.  My zoom socks are only a few rows ahead than what they were last week.  During zoom meetings I talk more than I knit. My golden wheat shawl is slowly getting bigger - I work on this in the afternoons for an hour or so. There might be one more repeat before I cast off. I don't think I'll be adding additional contrasting colors because the shawl might be big enough on its own once I block the daylights out of it. What have you been working on this week?

  Holly staring down Frodo who is under the ottoman Hello!  How was your weekend? Mine was pretty good.  We had an outing!  I know you're wondering 'what is an outing'.  Well, ours was a simple one.  We picked up subs and ate them at the park near the river.  It was one of the best decisions of of the week. We also went to a neighboring town for selective store shopping.  I was strategic and brief while shopping and was thrilled to see mask wearing everywhere I went.   Saturday and Sunday were blissfully uneventful.  I did my weekly chores as well as spent time knitting and reading.  Holly has been bold bugging Frodo and Frodo has been up to his barking antics as well.  It's been a noisy weekend. It's now Monday and my to do list is mighty long!  Tell me about your weekend -

Hello! How has your week been?  I've been down a delightful rabbit-hole on the internet.  I have no idea why it happened but I was noodling around looking at art journaling and wow, I was inspired!  Down I jumped willingly and happily looking at journalling pages and ideas on Pinterest.  Of course there is the big question of 'do I need a new notebook or a notebook system?'.   Do I need it?  No.  Does it matter? No, of course not.  I've admired Julian's notebook for some time and maybe just maybe I'll be following in her footsteps.  Do you have a notebook system? The butterflies in my yard continue to delight me.  They seem to be most active in the afternoon while my husband and I sit on the back patio talking about nothing.  (He's retired now, so no work talk).  Talking about nothing is wonderful.  I was going to make him a list of things to do around the house but I'll give hime a few weeks before shocking him. We've walked a few times this week i

    Good morning!  I've been busy with three knitting projects this week and yet I'm yearning to cast on a new one.  I'm resisting the urge since I really want the golden wheat shawl done.  I am getting very close to running out of the yellow wool and debating whether to add a contrasting color and make the shawl bigger or just finish the shawl with one color.  I'll let you know what I decide, it'll depend on what is leftover in my stash. The Wedding shawl  is making great progress.  I work on this at night since I can watch a tv show at the same time.  The row with beads is very slow going but ultimately satisfying!  I'm using this method to place the beads .  I love how this is turning out. The socks for my daughter's Christmas present are my zooming socks.  I can knit and talk with this project and so I save this project when I'm gabbing away.  I adore the color-way and the stripe sequence. What are you working on this week?

Good morning!  How was your weekend?  Mine was busy.  I went to see my sister and brother in law on Saturday who delightfully surprised my husband with a retirement present (yay retired!!)  We had a lovely time in their backyard enjoying the butterfly garden or should I say sanctuary?   Her garden is registered as a monarch wildlife something or other...I cannot remember what the title is.     Above is a newly hatched (born?) butterfly.  They act a bit slow when they emerge as they pump their wings and then get going onto living life.  We had a great time visiting and being with them.  My husband and I stayed at hotel. I'm amused that I get excited about staying at a hotel but once arriving I am missing my home.   My bed is the best bed and my home doesn't have little people (sounded like a preschooler to me) running up and down the hallways at 11 o'clock at night yelling, of course there was an adult with letting them be loud.   Yesterday I attended a bridal shower that wa

  Butterflies are abundant in my backyard!  I've seen monarchs and swallowtails on the butterfly bush. My challenge is having a camera on hand when they are around.  How have you been?  Are you loving the summer days?  Or are you like me waiting patiently for the heat to abate and some cool breezes to waft slowly in?  I truly try my very best to enjoy what I like about summer even though deep down it's my least favorite season.   I love:  - the cicadas and the tree frogs singing in harmony - sitting outside with my husband in the shade chitchatting -  dangling my feet in the pool - big salads and easy dinners to grill - all the flowers - butterflies and bees enjoying my blossoms - witnessing the changing landscape as early/mid/late summer evolve eagerly awaiting soft signs of fall Today is my husband's last day of work and then he is officially retired.  I was teasing him this morning on what will fill his mind and his days.  His work has been stressful for the last few yea