Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Last Summer Days

Summer is having one last word. The days are hot, sunny, and dry. A basil plant rebounded from the almost-dead. If I can keep it alive until the first frost, I may get one batch of pesto. I picked a few leaves yesterday to season the last garden tomatoes and pasta. Sandals and walking shorts are the most comfortable attire. As I yearn for crisp fall days, I try to remember that I will miss my sandals and the fresh produce.  

I made a batch of pumpkin scones the other day in order to have a little taste of fall. Yes, I did grate frozen butter on a sheet of wax paper so I could scrape it all into the flour mixture. The process was a little messy. The big pile of shredded butter made me gasp but the shredded butter and cream made the scones. I shaped them into a small size and tucked half into the freezer. How is that for rationalization?

This guy celebrated his ninth birthday with a LA Dodgers party. He and his brother, the Phillies fan, along with their Dad and good friend attended a Mets/Dodgers game. He requested cake pops for his birthday treat and my daughter created dairy-free cake pops. They were a hit - no pun intended. I can remember the hot September day when he was born. We waited for him all day. A big thunderstorm blew in just as we pulled into the hospital parking lot to meet him. He blew in with the storm and changed our world. He certainly has grown in the past year. 


In knitting notes, I set the sweater aside until the days cool off. I need to put it on waste yarn to check the length of the raglan increase lines. I finished one of Kate's socks and cast on the other. I also finished the Indikon Mitts. They will be as fun to wear as they were to knit. Because I can't seem to throw away any scraps, I weighed and divided the rest of the blue gray yarn. Last night I cast on another pair of scrappy mitts. Small projects make me happy on these last summer days. Knitting from scraps and leftovers challenge my creativity and there is the satisfaction of using up the yarns I enjoy.


I am reading The Shadow of the Wind, my book group selection for this month. This is a novel driven by plot and set in Barcelona in 1945. The story feels like a labyrinth with many characters and stories. It begins with the young boy choosing a book from The Cemetery of Forgotten Books. Although I don't have the audio version, I think hearing the names and places would be enjoyable. I continue to read parts of Arctic Dreams and then drift off to sleep thinking about Lopez's ideas. 

As I link with Kat and the Unravelers, I hope these last days of summer are treating you well. Whether it is a taste of pumpkin, the last summer tomatoes, or a cake pop may you have whatever your heart desires. 






8 comments:

  1. That scone recipe looks delicious! Thank you for sharing! Your mitts are so cute and will be pleasant companions for cooler weather walking! And, September babies are truly the best!

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  2. It sounds like you (and hopefully your basil) are hanging on to summer as long as possible. If you are going to make scones, make good ones and use butter and cream. That's what I tell myself when I bake chocolate chip scones. It looks like you are lucky to have a wonderful nine-year-old in the family, and he's lucky to have a mother who makes him dairy-free cake pops, Enjoy the waning of summer, and your mitts (hopefully soon!) on chilly fall mornings.

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  3. I feel summer holding on tight ... but fall is surely gonna be welcome once she arrives. Seems you have a lot of that pull and push in your life right now and I hope that tension is helping you make a smooth (ish) transition. Sara baked wonderful pumpkin scones (yikes, ten years ago!) and I think I might be inspired to try a few of her recipes once I'm home. Meanwhile - I just hope I can wear jeans once I'm home :-)!!

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  4. Nine is SUCH a great age. Happy birthday (a little late) from this Phillies fan. Looks like he had a great celebration.

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  5. Your mitts are gorgeous! They will feel so good (and look wonderful) on a crisp fall walk. Our weather seems to be back and forth. 40's this morning...upper 80's by Saturday. The pumpkin scones sound wonderful - I think I printed out that recipe the other day. I loved Shadow of the Wind (and there is a sequel...).

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  6. What wonderful memories of your grandson's arrival! It sounds like he had a fun celebration. I'm enjoying this lingering summer! The days have been very pleasant, and the nights cool. You just can't beat that combination. Your knitting is perfect for summer weather -- and those mitts will be so nice to have ready once those cold winds blow. I listened to Shadow of the Wind -- it was quite dramatic! I thought it was . . . okay. (But I won't be reading the sequel.) Have a wonderful day!

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  7. your book is on my to read list. Happy birthday to your grand!!! Love your mitts and summer is trying to do her last roar. It will be hot this weekend but it will go back to the 70s supposedly.

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  8. Your mitts are just amazing . I LOVE them!

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