Oh July

I feel a little groggy today. Personal fireworks are allowed in the city limits of Lincoln on July 3rd and 4th. The last two evenings were a barrage of explosions until midnight. When I walked this morning, I saw lots of leftover debris. Last night a terrific thunderstorm blew through as we gathered with friends for a potluck dinner. Later, light rain continued as citizens lit fireworks. It was a little crazy. The storm is the third one in the last two weeks and the rain is very welcome. My cucumber vines are about to jump the edge of the raised bed. The cosmos are glorious in their orange and purple shades. 

As for making this week, I cast on a couple of projects. I have one skein plus some odds ends of a nice cashmere merino yarn so I cast on a shawl/scarf. The pattern was designed for mini-skeins but is easily modified for odd bits of yarn. I sewed the project and notions bags so they are fun to use. Once in awhile it's fun to coordinate bag and project. 

I am also knitting these Kvetching Mitts from the top down. I decided to try this method in order to joggle my brain cells and they have been joggled. There might have been some kvetching going on. This is the first time I've knit mitts from the top down. The first go around I misread the pattern. The second time, the thumb gusset was too big, the third time was a charm. I am knitting them from leftover Mountain Colors yarn. Awhile back, I read the company was for sale. I've enjoyed their yarn over the years.

I finished both Remarkably Bright Creatures (audio) and The Violin Conspiracy. At times I wanted to shake Cameron, the young man in Bright Creatures and tell him to get his act together. I appreciated the older characters in the story, especially Tova. The Violin Conspiracy seemed like a plot driven novel. Still, I enjoyed the descriptions of music and shook my head at the heartbreaking racism directed toward the main character. As the author wrote in his note, "music should be for everybody." I predict a good discussion of the book with my local group. Currently I'm listening to The Housekeeper and the Professor, a novel translated from Japanese. What an elegant story about a kind woman caring for a Mathematics Professor whose memory lasts only eighty minutes. Although he is old, frail, and rather quirky, the professor is a mathematics savant. I'm sure I'm not getting all of the Math concepts but I like the story. I wish the Professor or someone like him had been one of my Math teachers. 

Thanks for reading. Here's to the beginning of a new month and high summer days. I hope all is well. 

Ravelry Links

Shawl of Leftovers

Kvetching Mitts