Summer Delights

A welcome rain fell last night. Today the sun shines on a humid day. As I walked my morning route, a gentleman told me he had a half-inch in his rain gauge. Sometimes I think I should walk somewhere else but then I would miss brief exchanges with familiar faces. We don't know each other's names but we wish each other good mornings and exchange a few words or just wave and smile. Eighteen months ago, one home experienced a fire that caused extensive damage. Last week one of the owners, a woman, was on the sidewalk after collecting her mail. I told her we'd been watching the progress of repairs and were glad they were back in their home. We chatted a few minutes about the rose bushes that line her sidewalk. These simple social courtesies make the world feel a little more civilized. 

This last Wednesday in July, I join Kat and the Unravelers to post about making and reading. These days I have more projects on the needles than usual. The little baby sweater is finished and sent on its way. I rarely knit newborn size but this one is bigger than I expected. Luckily, babies grow before we know it. It will fit eventually. The adult sweater I'm knitting needs four more inches of stockinette before I begin the ribbing. Last night I turned the heel on this first sock. Blue Lagoon is the name of the colorway, a delightful idea on a summer day. 

I cast on a shawl in my favorite shape. I had two half skeins and one partial skein left from a set I bought and used for another shawl project. Of course I didn't have enough for another shawl so I ordered a skein to go with the leftovers. This often happens. In an attempt to use leftover yarn, I buy more to go with it. It's no wonder the stash bins never empty. Do any of you do the same thing?

I am listening to the memoir, The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War and What Comes After by Clemantine Wamariya and Elizabeth Well. The book is well written and the audio narrator does a good job. The story of a young girl and her sister as refugees during the Rwandan massacre and eventual immigration to the United States is not a feel good rags-to-riches story. Instead it's a hard story about the hell of war, the value of small kindnesses, and the strength of human spirit. Chapters alternate between Wamariya's time in Africa and what happens to her after arrival in Chicago. It's also the story of how one young woman makes sense of her experiences. The book would be eye-opening for anyone helping refugees arriving in a first-world country. It's worth reading.  

I am reading Cultivating Delight: A Natural History of my Garden by Diane Ackerman. I ordered a used copy and the cover jacket is very pretty. Ackerman writes nonfiction well, exploring ideas in depth. This is a book for the senses with beautiful descriptions of plants, trees, and critters. Written in 2001, some ideas seem a bit dated environmentally but it's a pleasant summer read. I've just begun. Kym wrote a post about her library, including her bookmark collection. In that spirit, I photographed the bookmark I'm using in this book. Given to me long ago by a good friend, the bookmark reads: "Fine friends, good books, hot chocolate . . . When one has these, one has a rich life."

My garden isn't nearly as spectacular as Ackerman's but last night I picked a little bouquet that delights me. The bread and butter pickles, made from our garden cucumbers, also delight me - or they will in the months to come. 

What delights are you finding this week?

Ravelry Links

Baby Sweater

Summer Socks

Cosmic Girl Shawl