August's End

What is that hiding in the tomato/cucumber tray? I picked up the leaf this morning. Even though the temperatures continue to soar into the 90's, the mornings begin to cool off. August 31 is not yet autumn but transition is in the air. The sun is setting earlier each day. A few leaves on the maple trees are withered and brown. I wonder if the trees are so exhausted from heat and drought they are shutting down early to conserve water. A rumpled house finch chick perchs in the tree outside my window. He looks a little bewildered by his world. I know how he feels. 

Anyway, today is Unraveled Wednesday with Kat and other makers. I finished and washed the Forager Sweater. The ends need to be woven in and then I'll post a few photos. Spurred on by that finish, I went back to the summer socks. This week I finished the first sock and cast on the second one. I like to get the second sock on the needles so I don't procrastinate or forget about the project. 

I plied this skein of Targhee Fiber on my spinning wheel. This is the first real skein spun on my wheel. As I said to my husband, it's not the best yarn I've spun but it sure isn't the worst. The singles on the first bobbin were more inconsistent then the second so it is thick and thin yarn. However, the yarn is balanced, that is it hangs in a long loop without twisting around itself. This might be the skein I keep on hand to use as a baseline for spinning skills. 

This week I listened to The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd. Goodreads describes it as a thriller. I wasn't entranced by the story but I listened to the end in order to see how the plot resolved. I enjoyed the descriptions of the New York Public Library and the central question asked by several characters: "What is the purpose of a map?" I found the audio performance overly dramatic and some plot twists predictable. I also had a hard time suspending my beliefs about the value of a map/cartography concept versus the value of human relationships. Writing more would be a spoiler. The story with magical realism kept me entertained while preserving tomatoes in the kitchen and doing some household chores. 

I read Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi and am still thinking about it. It is this month's selection for my local book group. I predict we will have a great discussion about this story of a Ghanian family living in Alabama. All of the main characters are well developed and written but I loved the strong young woman who is the narrator. The tension she feels between science and religion runs throughout the story. Gyasi is a talented writer. She explores racism, addiction, mental illness, and neuroscience by "showing, not telling." The novel wasn't as heavy or as difficult to read as I thought it might be. I found it an excellent book for these August days.  

I'm late today because Norah and I Face-timed this morning. Kate, Norah and I made decaf lattes (hers has a lot of oat milk), clinked our matching Minnie Mouse mugs and read "Where's Spot?" I am happy to report Spot was not in the tomatoes or drinking out of a Minnie Mouse Cup. "No Grammy, he's in the basket" and so we found him. As we hung up, she was off to paint a picture of Spot and I with a smile to carry me through this last day of August. 

What is making you smile today?

Ravelry Link

Summer Socks