Mid October

Hello Gentle Readers. This October week in southeast Nebraska brings warm days and cool nights. Either the autumn color will be subdued due to extreme heat or the peak colors are late in arriving. Somehow I sense the temperatures will drop and most of the still green leaves will wither and fall all at one time. Late last week, we had a light frost that barely nipped the zinnias so they begin to fade and dry. I also haven't watered them for several weeks so they could just be dry. 

At any rate, here I am on Wednesday, linking with Kat and the Unravelers. My knitting this week is brought to you by the color gray. The socks are a Christmas gift knit. I wasn't sure if I'd like the KnitPicks Stroll yarn but it seems fine. I had the dark green heather in the same base and wanted to knit this pattern so I ordered the soft gray. I jiggled around the stitch count for the circumference, knowing the sock would fit better with a few more stitches in the color-work area. After finishing the color-work, I decreased a couple of times on the leg. Notes are on my Ravelry project page. In between the socks or when my hands needed a break, I knit this cardigan down to the sleeve separation. I'll knit another inch or so of the body, then block and try on the piece. It should fit as I have knit this sweater previously in this yarn base but better to check and make sure. 

This week I read The Three Graces of Pearl Street by Elizabeth Wellington Rollins. This debut novel is a heartwarming story of three generations of women of Italian heritage living near New York City. Although the story isn't written in the lyrical language of a seasoned author, it is an outstanding first novel. Character rather than plot drives the narrative. The three Graces, in their individual seasons of life, grow and change. None are without flaws and make mistakes but all learn to extend grace and kindness to others and each other. Although all three characters are well developed, the oldest "Graziella," who takes on the establishment as she offers food, monetary assistance, and a helping hand to her neighbors is my favorite. The descriptions of food are an integral, mouth-watering part of the story. Once again, I find myself wishing the wisdom and strength of women was more widely recognized. I very much enjoyed this novel and look forward to more work by Rollins. 

I wish you a good week filled with the grace and stories of wise women. 

Ravelry Links

Forest Path Socks

Don't Ask Cardigan

Now it is October

Hello Gentle Readers. This week leaves turn and begin to fall. The colors, while not as vibrant as some years, are familiar. I don't know about you but these days, seasonal change comforts me. Even though this past week brought 90 degree afternoons, the mornings were pleasant. As I walk, I listen to the sounds made by the wind and visit the white rose bush that blooms along a neighbor's fence. Yesterday clouds blew in as temperatures dropped. Rain is in the forecast. 

Although Kat is not posting a link-up today, it's Wednesday and I'm here. I completed the pouch embellished with small scraps and embroidery. This was a project with low stakes made to try something new. Choosing tiny scraps, some with strong memories, others with none, and plunking them down in a square was fun and absorbing. Somewhere I heard a tip to use a tapestry needle to bring the yarn for the grid up from the wrong side, lay it on the line, and push the tapestry needle back down to the wrong side. Then I couched it (attached by stitching) onto the fabric. Threading the ends back to the wrong side allowed me to adjust the tension as I couched it down and also to tie a knot on the wrong side that kept the ends from popping loose. 

I machine sewed the sides of the lining but otherwise constructed the project by hand. I find hand-stitching much more peaceful and less anxiety producing than machine stitching. 

Because one project is never enough, I'm working on a cover for another stitch journal. Perhaps "circles" will be the theme for most of the stitch pages although that could change.   

My reading has been lack luster. I returned two books to the library that weren't for me. Currently, I'm listening to This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page. It might be another novel I return without finishing which is ironic considering how long I waited for the book. Before the husband of the main character died, he arranged for her to receive one book per month for a year after his death. I thought the nod to books and the way they affect our lives might be enough for me. However, I'm finding it a little predictable and syrupy sweet. At another time or for another reader, it might be just the story.  

I hope you are enjoying some fall or spring color and these October Days. 

Zinnias and lavender continue to bloom.

Early Autumn

Hello Gentle Readers. Early Autumn sun streams in the south windows. After two and a half weeks of on again, off again rain and cloudy skies, the sunshine is welcome. Here the mornings are cool while the afternoons warm up into the seventies and later this week, the eighties. As I walk, I watch for signs of autumn. Leaves on the ash trees begin to turn to copper and dark purple. Tuesday morning I spied a flicker, a red-bellied woodpecker, and two little nuthatches. I love the way nuthatches chirp softly to each other as if to day, "here I am, where are you?" A few monarchs visit the zinnias and many weeds grow. I hope to pull a bunch of them this week. If only I didn't have to cook dinner, right? 

On Wednesday, I link with Kat and the Unravelers. I had one brief stint of unraveling after casting on a gift knit and then snipping the working yarn instead of the excess length of tail yarn. At least that was a simple fix for a silly mistake. Still, these fingerless mitts knit up quickly. They are a Christmas gift for my daughter-in-law. The yarn, Cashmerino Bloom from Purl Soho, is so nice to work with and made pretty mitts. I think I can get another pair from the same skein. The free pattern was fun and easy. I knit the cuff in 3 x 1 ribbing switching to broken rib at the top of the wrist. My notes on the modifications I used are on Ravelry. 

Since last writing about this project, I stitched the squares on the front of the pouch. They will be partially covered by the flap when the pouch is in use but closed. Then the front will look like this. 

Originally I planned to machine stitch the side seams but now I'm considering seaming by hand from the right side. I want the grids to line up on the front and the front flap. Or I could baste them together by hand, turn them right side out, to check for accuracy and then machine stitch. Time will tell. I need a quiet afternoon to work on it but on these nice days I should work on the weeds. 

I am rereading These Precious Days by Ann Patchett. After returning a couple of library books that weren't for me, I needed something well written and thoughtful. I first read this book when it was published in 2021. I recalled the subjects of some essays but not all. It was fun to rediscover Patchett's essay on Eudora Welty as well as the one on book covers. They are all worth a reread. 

The light on these late afternoons is so lovely. I happened to look out the window last week and saw this sight. The Linden leaves begin to turn bright autumn yellow. Whether the yellowy gold is from the light or the leaves, it's a beautiful reminder of the beauty of early autumn. Wishing you warm autumn days to savor and enjoy. 

Ravelry Link

Jacque's Mitts

September's End

Hello Gentle Readers. Where did the September days go? Perhaps because we were a week in Connecticut, the days went by more quickly. Here, September delivers warm and rainy days. The zinnias, although bowed down by the rain, continue to bloom brightly. Monday the sun came out so I began fall weeding. After I finished and put my tools in the shed, I stood a short distance from the zinnias and watched the butterflies. The fluttering wings of six monarchs, one swallowtail, and two painted lady butterflies remind me to look for beauty amidst the weeds and raggedy edges. 

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit with our daughter, son-in-law, and family. We celebrated two birthdays. Emmett, the oldest is sixteen and Norah, the youngest is eight. We tagged along to football, gymnastics, and diving. Sadly Emmett's baseball game was cancelled due to rain. We attended church where our son-in-law is the Senior Pastor. Kate and I walked around the "Point" adjacent to Long Island Sound so I came home with a small bag of treasures, including shells, rocks, and sea glass. Norah and I made little beaded bracelets for each other. We caught up with Micah and his baseball card collection. Being part of their ordinary days for a week was such fun. We flew home on Thursday before the Nor'easter landed which was a piece of luck. The day before, we were at the beach with Kate and Jonah to watch the wind begin to churn the waves. Jonah, eleven, is the guy who could beach comb and fish all day so he was game to come with us. 

Wednesday is the day to link with Kat and the Unravelers. Before we left, I cast on a pair of socks. I didn't make as much progress as I usually do because of the fun. I often wonder if a lace design creates a loose fabric for a sock but that isn't the case with this pattern. The pattern is free and well written. Because the yarn is a neutral tonal, I knit an "eye of partridge" heel flap. I have some holiday gift knits to work on so I'm not sure when I'll finish these. 

Since coming home, I mended a quilt that has been waiting for attention. I made progress on this cardigan. Rowan Felted Tweed is one of my favorite yarns and this is the second time I've knit the pattern. The modified saddle shoulder/raglan construction fits me well and I have notes about modifications so the knitting is smooth sailing. (I hope I didn't just jinx myself here.) Once I get past the sleeve separation, I will be able to pick it up in odd moments. The plum colored yarn beside the sweater is destined to be a pair of mitts as a Christmas gift. I generally make two or three smaller knitted gifts for the holidays so it is time get those projects on the needles. 

While traveling, I read The Light After the War by Anita Abriel. This historical fiction is the story of two young Hungarian Jewish women in the aftermath of World War II. After being sheltered in rural Austria, they make their way to Naples and eventually to Caracus. Having been friends from childhood, the bond between the two women is heartening. The novel focuses on their recovery as they rebuild their lives. While the writing is average, the story is remarkable because it is based on experiences of the author's grandmother. It is also a tribute to the human spirit of hope and resilience.

As September turns to October, I wish you well with shelter from the storms. 

Ravelry Links

Autumn Latte

Don't Ask 2

Mid-September

Hello Gentle Readers. This mid-September brings changeable weather with alternating cold and warm fronts. Sunday morning was chilly. Then on Monday, a warm humid day was sandwiched between morning and evening thunderstorms . When the sun shines, the skies are beautiful beyond description. I continue to cut and enjoy bright zinnia bouquets although the rest of the garden looks ragged. Some of zinnia blooms have morphed into slightly different hues. Perhaps they also age. 

Depending on how Wednesday goes, I hope to link with Kat and the Unravelers. If not, I'm there in spirit. This week, as changeable as the weather,  I worked a little on this and a little of that. I enjoy knitting the handspun shawl and have just started a second section of eyelet lace. From the photo you can see I cast on a pair of socks that I hope will be a travel project. 

I stitched on the piece of fabric that I plan to sew into a small pouch. I finished the grid on the back as well as the front flap. Even though it isn't visible in this photo, I couched on the last six square grid that will be the inside front of the pouch. All of this makes sense in my head so I hope it comes together in real life. I don't have a pattern although I have made other pouches following tutorials by k3n (Kathryn) Cloth Tales. 

This week I listened to A Line in the World: A Year on the North Coast  by Dorthe Nors, translated by Caroline Waight. This nonfiction is a description of Nors' homeland on the Jutland Peninsula of Denmark. I would classify this five plus hour audiobook as nature writing with a touch of memoir. In a calm but clear-headed voice, Nors explores the connection between inhabitants, environment, geography, and history of the rugged area. She doesn't shy away from controversy or ugly truths but still the narration was peaceful and hearing the pronunciation of names and locations in several languages added to my enjoyment. Nors' purpose in writing the book was to explore a woman's relationship to the land and area and she did so without romanticizing it. I came away with a sense of the rugged beauty and a respect for those who live there.

I also read the mystery, Murder at the Spirit Lounge by Jess Kidd. This is the second in a series featuring Nora Breen, the fifty some year old former nun pursuing a criminal in "Gore-on-the-Sea" along the coast of England. I am enjoying this indomitable woman who is forging a new life for herself in middle age as well as the cast of quirky characters. While it's not a Louise Penny novel, the sardonic humor and plot twists kept me entertained. 

I hear rain on the roof. I need to find a raincoat and run a few errands. Enjoy your making and reading while you stay well and safe.   

A September leaf

Still Summer

Hello Gentle Readers. Even though I begin this post with wool socks, the last ten or so days have been very summery as in extremely hot and dry. Rain is forecast for late this Tuesday evening. Hopefully cooler days will follow. One tomato plant still grows giving us a few ripe tomatoes. Down the street, a neighbor has a glorious patch of sunflowers between the street and the sidewalk. On the other side of that driveway, morning glories twine over and around catmint and the bees hum. I love that little bit of wildness.

On Wednesday I will link with Kat and the Unravelers. The Beach Glass socks are finished. I enjoyed the yarn and the little bow-tie design down the side of the leg. This week, I continued knitting on the "Same As it Ever Was" hat. I am using helical knitting to blend yarns from a mini skein set. It's a great project for spare moments of knitting. 

Once I knit a colorwork yoke sweater with Rowan Felted Tweed. Although I loved the fabric, every time I put on the sweater, I took it off. The fit was wonky. Earlier in the year I reclaimed and washed the yarn. Since I used the same yarn base in the Don't Ask cardigan and it fits well, I cast on another one with the reclaimed yarn. I completed the neck shaping and am happily increasing the modified saddle shoulder portion. I don't remember ever successfully knitting with reclaimed sweater yarn but I'm pleased with this project.

This week I needed a light read so I picked up The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict. Benedict writes historical fiction about remarkable women whose contributions are often overlooked. The narrator of this story, set in 1930, is mystery writer Dorothy L. Sayers. Sayers' cohorts include four other female mystery writers, Agatha Christie, Nagaio Marsh, Margery Allingham, and Baroness Emma Orczy. During a humorous but maddening episode, Sayers and Christie elbow the queens' way into a mostly male club of detective writers. While I noted a few instances of too-modern vocabulary, I enjoyed the friendship forged between the women as they set out to become appreciated in the Club by solving a real-life murder. Soon, setting the record straight about the deaths of two young women who were ill-used by powerful men and maligned by the press, becomes their higher purpose. My daughter thought I'd enjoy reading this book and sent me her copy. My mother was an avid reader, including mysteries. I'm sure she read Christie and Sayers so this book is a nice connection for us. Your mileage may vary, but I enjoyed the novel. 

As summer winds down, I wish you a good week with peaceful making and interesting reading. 

Ravelry Links

Bowtie Beach Glass Socks

Same As It Ever Was Hat

Don't Ask Cardigan

  

Hello September

Hello Gentle Readers. Summer has one more story to tell on this early September day. Through next Monday, high temperatures will remain in the mid-nineties. I walk on the shaded sides of streets, shamelessly zigzagging back and forth in order to stay in the shade. If anyone asks, I'm claiming more steps. On one route, a large rose garden with many varieties blooms a second time. It is glorious. Monday I went out to snip parsley and basil for a pasta salad and found three small (monarch) caterpillars in the parsley. Since the two plants are small, I made do with basil. Our salad was plenty tasty. 

Today I link with Kat and the Unravelers. I finished the heel flap and gusset on the second the Bow-Tie socks. I also cast on some new projects. I have admired the "Same As It Ever Was" hats that Sarah knits from the pattern she designed. I gathered some leftover yarns and a pastel mini skeins to knit one from scraps. After completing the increases, I used helical knitting to blend the first two mini skeins. My only regret is, unlike Sarah, I don't have a Ruthie dog as a way to measure progress. I have plenty of yarn to make a nice hat but haven't decided whether I will mix the colors or knit all the pinks on one side and the blues on the other. 

I wanted to knit with this batch of handspun yarn. I ripped out my first attempt as the stockinette pattern didn't suit the yarn. Garter stitch at a looser gauge looks better to me. I cast on a favorite, the Rewilding Shawl. Helen Stewart's row by row pattern provides percentage of yarn used at certain points in the project which will be useful as I figure out where to use the yarns. My plan is to use solid colors to create eyelet sections. It's an adventure.

Today is my birthday and so here I am walking into my seventy-fifth year in my walking shorts and faded shirt. (All of the stuff in the background belongs to my neighbors who like that sort of thing.)  I am very grateful to be in reasonably good health but that could turn on a dime. In the meantime, I try to savor the ordinary days. My plan is to love deeply, enjoy my family and friends, seek beauty, read thoughtfully, write a bit, and engage with making that sparks joy and peace. I remind myself to focus on what I have and be grateful for those things. Every now and then I need to put my feet up in the middle of the day and so I try to accept this with grace. In the last few months, I've come to realize that energy is equally as precious as time.  At this age, every day is a gift to be unwrapped with care. 

I think it is quite warm most places in the northern hemisphere. I hope you can stay cool and take care in the heat. 

 

August's End

 

Hello Gentle Readers. Here, late August days are slightly cooler. While the crab grass and other weeds grow, the zinnias bloom brightly. Yesterday I saw a yellow swallowtail butterfly from my kitchen window. Monarchs flit around the zinnias. Some evenings, a bumblebee snoozes underneath a flower. Today while walking, I noticed ash leaves on the ground and a few maples have an early hint of red. The season begins to turn. 

Today I link with Kat and the Unravelers. As promised, I'll write about the vest I recently knit. I like the fit that gives me a little less than four inches of positive ease. The yarn, Juniper Moon Rambouillet, has a lovely hand. I'd knit with it again in a heartbeat though I don't know for sure how it will wear. By the time I was finished, I had blocked the upper part of the vest at least three times and the fabric wasn't any worse for it. 

The pattern is for either a classic V-neck or round-neck vest with nice attention to detail. The increases along the armhole and neck become a design feature that made picking up stitches for the ribbing go smoothly. The suggested ratio for picking up stitches also worked well. If you recall, I had a slight flaring in the ribbing around the armholes but that blocked out nicely. I chose to do the round neck because I knit the vest with DK instead of worsted weight called for in the pattern. If my row gauge differed from the pattern, I thought a round neck would be easier to adjust. As it happened, that wasn't necessary. I did add an inch length to the yoke/armhole because I often need that modification. The fabric grew a little with blocking so the armholes are slightly deeper than necessary. If I knit it again, I'd knit it per pattern instructions. However it fits well enough. All in all, the pattern and the yarn made for a successful project.  

I read We The Women, The Hidden Heroes who Shaped America by Norah O'Donnell with Kate Anderson Brower. This nonfiction is a collection of short pieces about women trailblazers, including women from a variety of cultural and racial backgrounds. While I learned of several women I had not known of, for example Anna Dickinson, Belva Lockwood, Emily Roebling, and Mary Tape, I found the journalistic writing flat. O'Donnell inserted personal reactions in italics often followed by exclamation points (like this!) that I found unnecessary. One of her often used phrases was "Can you imagine?" Less emphasis on the suffragettes would have left room for writers like Nella Larsen and political trailblazers Shirley Chisholm, Margaret Chase Smith, Bella Abzug, and Ann and Cecile Richards. Although most of the women from previous eras stirred up plenty of controversy, the authors avoided women of our current time whose politics might be seen as controversial. While the premise of the book is admirable, it wasn't well executed. 

Some of the Bruno mysteries are now available via Hoopla audio from my library system, so I listened to The Dark Vineyard by Martin Walker. Although about half-way through I identified the culprit, I enjoyed Bruno's romp through the French countryside. Listening to a story of a kind compassionate police officer is a nice diversion from the news. 

Have you noticed the change in the light?  Below is the sky that greeted me as I rounded a corner on Monday morning. 

Mid August

Hello Gentle Readers. I write to you from a rainy overcast morning. I woke to the low rumble of thunder and rain falling on the roof. Since I wasn't going out to walk soon, I rested a little longer. What a luxury. The two small vegetable patches have the end of summer look. The cucumber vines are in the compost. The tomato plants aren't far behind although I have one plant with green fruit. The weeds are out of control but for now they are ground cover. I'll weed later when the weather is cooler.

Today I link with Kat and the Unravelers. My making is a little ho-hum but isn't that the way it goes? I also get a little restless when just before the season transitions. I plied the first skein of my latest spin. This skein is 338 yards of fingering to sport weight yarn. I spin more consistent yarn when I ply smaller skeins with the bobbin/flyer combination used to spin singles. As much as I read about and adjust the larger bobbin/flyer on the wheel, that plying doesn't go as smoothly. 

The Avenue Vest is finished and once again drying on the blocking mats. With the rain and humidity, drying is going to take some time. The ribbing around the armholes had the slightest flare so I blocked it again. I'll post some photos and write more about it next week.  

I finished the first Beach Glass sock and cast on the second. I cast on a shawl with some older handspun but am not sure whether the yarn is a good match for the pattern. I looked through some stash but nothing really inspired me at the moment. 

I am late to this party but I read The Women by Kristen Hannah as it is the current selection by my local book group. This novel is the story of three women who served as nurses during the Vietnam War. In my opinion the writing was a little above average while the plot carries the story. These women survived and slowly overcame the horrific conditions and experiences of their service and traumatic return to this country largely because of their friendship. I understand why the author plotted the events as she did but at one point I thought there was a little too much drama. It was as if she included all of her research about the Vietnam Nurses and Vets into one character.  However, the novel will give us some good discussion points and tells an important story.

I graduated from high school in 1969 so I remember the news coverage of the war and subsequent protests. Several young men from our small town were killed in the conflict. Later I understood how the government lied to the country and the world about the war.  However, I didn't know the returning nurses were not eligible to be treated by the Veteran's Administration because they didn't officially serve in combat. Being bombed and shot at in a hospital unit, evidently didn't quality as combat. I have the utmost respect for everyone who serves in the military but stand by my belief that war is hell and a waste of human potential, resources, and the environment. 

On a cheerier note, I leave you with a photo of a sunny August flower. It turns out if you deadhead coreopsis beside a driveway, they bloom a second time. One of these flowers had double petals which I thought was beautiful.  Have a good week.

 

 

August Stitches

Hello Gentle Readers. August heat continues to ripen tomatoes while the vines wither. The coneflower petals fade but the vibrant zinnias attract monarchs and a black swallowtail butterfly. Butterflies are remarkable for their resilience and beauty. When I've been out evenings to stroll around the block, the cicada chorus accompanies slightly earlier sunsets. Back in the day, when their rasping became deafening, my Grandad used to remark, "six weeks to the first frost." Growing up on a farm in the early 1900's, he learned to read the natural world. 

Today is the first day of school for public school kindergarteners, sixth graders, and ninth graders. The first year students in the buildings have a day to adjust before all students are in attendance. Maybe because I was a teacher and a mom, the start of a school year feels like a big milestone. Last evening while walking, I spoke to a kindergarten teacher returning from Open House. She was full of enthusiasm and empathy for her little students. She is one of many excellent teachers who have been hard at work, preparing for the school year. I wish the teachers and the youngsters well. 

Today I link with Kat and the Unravelers for posts about making and reading. I enjoy stitching on this little notions-sized pouch. The four squares in the bottom right square were from a long strip of cloth. Otherwise I've worked with the scraps as they present and with two strands of embroidery floss. I don't pre-mark patterns and sometimes I go back to a square and add stitching. I've noticed that I like some open space. 

Sunday I finished the body of the Avenue Vest. When it dries from wet blocking, I'll pick up and knit the neckline and the armhole ribbing. I'm pleased with the way it came out. Meanwhile, I made some progress on the foot of the first Sea Glass sock. 

I reread an older book of poetry, Lost in Seward County by Marjorie Saiser, published in 2001. The cover art is by a local artist, Hilda Raz. Seward County is adjacent to Lancaster County where I live. While reading the title poem I pictured the roads Saiser describes as she drives to visit "Ted." I assume she refers to Ted Kooser who lives in rural Seward County. Some of the poems in this book are quite long but I enjoyed their short story like quality. They also give the book a different kind of rhythm. One of my favorites from this volume is "My Old Aunts Play Canasta in a Snowstorm." The last line, "deal, sister, deal" is the perfect conclusion to the poem. 

So I best freeze some tomato puree and find a cool indoor space to walk. I'd rather be outside but even the mornings are too humid and hot for me. I wish you a good week.

True Colors

Hello Gentle Readers. As I write, the sky is overcast and the temperature is a balmy seventy seven degrees. Thunderstorms are in the forecast but as usual we can use the moisture. The more temperate summer weather is a welcome relief from the heat. I'm up to my elbows in fresh tomatoes but am not complaining. Garden ripened tomatoes are so good. The black-eyed susans self-seeded to create a bank of flowers against the shed. They grow where nothing else will. The zinnias that survived the rabbits bloom brightly. Monday a monarch flitted among them. A male goldfinch bobbed on and off the coneflowers. The vivid summer colors lift my heart.

Today I link with Kat and the Unravelers to post about knitting and reading. I made good progress on the Avenue Vest with three more inches of knitting to finish the body. I photographed it outdoors in order to capture the subtle tonal quality of the yarn. I'll write more about the pattern, yarn, and fit when the vest is finished.

Please excuse the gardening hands.

In between, I picked up a sock that began in the airport on the day of our attempted June trip. The little detail on the side of the leg is supposed to look like a bow-tie. It's fun and easy to knit. The pattern calls for the motif to be knit on both sides of a shortie sock. I chose to make a full sized sock and knit the motif down only the outside of the leg. The pattern is free, well written, and comes with several photo tutorials. The way Lisa of Fibernymph Dye Works matched the colors of the Sea Glass stripes to real sea glass is remarkable. 

I reread Love Forms by Claire Adam because it is the August selection for my local book group. The novel is a meandering story of a middle-aged woman trying to come to terms with her traumatic teen-age pregnancy. At the same time she is looking for the daughter she gave away at birth. The ramifications of that pregnancy and birth echo through all of her life. I predict we will have an interesting discussion because the pacing is slow and some readers may find the detailed description superfluous. Although, if the narrator is telling this story to her lost daughter, all the detail might be relevant. I can think of other reasons the details might be included. Even though I like a slow quiet story, I enjoyed the novel less the second time through. Still I think the novel warrants reading and discussion. A traumatic teenage pregnancy and birth have long-lasting effects that aren't always considered in public policy discussions. 

And so, I hope you too are experiencing vibrant colors of the season. Happy August. 

Ravelry Links

Avenue Vest

Bowtie Beach Glass

July's End

Hello Gentle Readers. As July winds down, the fresh vegetables and fruits are abundant. Sunday I made seven 8 ounce jars of ginger peach jam. Colorado peaches arrived in the grocery stores and they are delicious. Running the canner on a very hot day wasn't the smartest idea but one must strike when the peaches are ripe. I use a stand-alone (water bath) electric canner that is more efficient than the blue enamel variety on the stovetop. Fresh stone fruit and melons as well as garden vegetables are one of the best parts of summer. Monday evening, after being indoors all day, I ventured out in the 90 degree heat. At 7:30 p.m. not a creature or a breath of air stirred. It was as quiet as a winter evening. I walked down one side of our short street, back up the other, and came in for a glass of ginger iced tea. A dilly of a thunderstorm blew through about 2:00 a.m. slightly lowering the temperature but raising the humidity.

Today I'll link with Kat and the Unravelers where we share our making and reading. I'm happy to report the Gemma shawl is finished and blocked. I love the soft shade of blue and the generous size. The yarn, a blend of wool, alpaca, and linen/flax is interesting. In one skein, the linen/flax fiber poked out of the yarn enough that I sometimes pulled out two to three inch strands of fiber. The other skein didn't have nearly as much as that happening. I used two full skeins and broke into a third skein to knit the last six rows of garter stitch. Mostly I didn't want to rip back sixteen rows of the body and twenty four rows of patterned border to get to the place where I could knit both borders with the second skein. In other words, I lost a soft game of yarn chicken. No chickens or skeins were harmed though. 

Once the shawl was blocking, I picked up the Avenue Vest. The stockinette edges curl so I'll block it before picking up and knitting armhole and neckline ribbing. After joining the front and back, I tried it on and am happy with the fit. Blocking may add a little more ease but that will be fine. 

This week I listened to Wild Girls by Tiya Miles, the Michael Garvey Professor of History at Harvard University. I have read other books by Miles and admired her research methods, insights, and writing. She is the author of five prize winning works of nonfiction. This book, published in 2024, is a lyrical, concise, and thoughtful inclusive history about how the outdoors and physical activity shaped the views and ideas of girls of all races. By examining the historical record about Louisa M. Alcott, Harriet Tubman, and Sacajewea as well as lesser known (at least to me) activists including Gertrude Bonnin and Grace Lee Boggs, Miles connects the influence of landscape and/or physical activity to the independence, action, and resilience of the women. I learned things never taught in my history classes.  Of particular mention, is the text devoted to girls' basketball team at a Montana boarding school for Indigenous children. In the conclusion and epilogue, Miles links ideas in the book to the current inequities in green spaces and tree canopies and what that means for families and youngsters today. I'm not sure how I happened onto this book but I found it fascinating.

I began July posts with homemade bread so I'll end with dessert, a peach cobbler.  Excuse the ratty potholders in the background. They have been well used and loved. 

Stay cool and safe in the summer weather. 

Ravelry Links

Soft Gemma Shawl

Avenue Vest

 

Almost

Hello Gentle Readers. Tuesday morning a north wind blew in a few days respite from extreme heat. Mercy but the days have been hot and the nights stay warm. As my Granddad used to say, "this is tomato growing weather." A squirrel got the first full size tomato but unless there is a natural disaster there will be plenty. We are almost to fresh tomato sandwiches. Last night I made a pasta salad with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, chopped parsley and basil from the garden. I added some chopped bell pepper, a can of chickpeas, and feta. Then I dressed it with a honey mustard vinaigrette and we ate it with watermelon.  

Today I link with Kat and the Unravelers. I'm now knitting on the shawl border. Six rows of pattern and six rows of garter stitch remain before I can bind it off and give it a bath. The rows are long. Thank goodness I can bundle it off my lap and onto the love seat while knitting. I am also almost finished with the second bobbin of my current spinning project.

I missed slow stitching and remembered Kat's stitching project with a grid of squares. Katherine of K3nCloth Tales did a similar project incorporating small scraps of cloth. This will not be a daily stitching practice but perhaps become a pouch for hand sewing notions. I marked separate grids on a piece of muslin. Then I basted flannel to the back of muslin, and couched fingering weight yarn to mark one of three grids. In my previous quilting life, I threw out tiny scraps. Last year I saved small bits while working on the Stitch Journal. The challenge in this project is to choose small pieces at random and then stitch around them. The blue piece reminded me of the Dresden Plate quilt block so I stitched it into the corner and added the embroidery on either side. I pinned the other two pieces on to audition them. So much for completely random. I am what I am. This is a "for fun" project so any rules are just guidelines.

Earlier this morning I did something I rarely do. I sat down with a cup of tea and savored the last few pages of Whistler by Ann Patchett. Publicity and information about this novel is everywhere, as it should be. It's a tender sweet story about human connection, impermanence, and kindness in the face of imperfection. The writing is lovely. Every word is well chosen and well placed. I enjoyed all of it; setting, character development, plot, themes, subtle connection to the writing and publishing world, and Patchett's ability to wander around in time with clarity. It's a welcome respite from our troubled world and a novel worth rereading. 

My July garden beds are wild and leggy.  Earlier in the summer, I found what I thought was a weed growing in my pollinator garden. I left it after a plant app identified it as wild bergamot, also known as bee balm. Now it blooms and feeds the bees and butterflies. It is also part of the mint family so will need to be kept in check. I'm off to make a grocery list and hope the prices haven't gone up - again.  I wish you at least one pleasant surprise this week.

 

Summer Days

Hello Gentle Readers. Greetings on this summery summer day. While the hot July sun shines on the flower beds and vegetable patch, the flax and the larkspur go to seed. The cucumber vines ramble out of their space to climb a tomato cage and twine around zinnias. Maybe the raspy cucumber leaves will keep the bunnies out of the zinnias. I've harvested a few cherry tomatoes and Juliets, a small Roma tomato that is generally prolific. The two other tomato plants are full of green fruit. Yesterday I canned eight half-pint jars of bread and butter pickles and made one quart jar of refrigerator dill pickle spears. "Basil bombs" are next on my list. Last night I watered and so it goes. 

Eventually today I will link with Kat and the Unravelers to post about making and reading. We are updating a bathroom and the washing machine repairman is due here sometime today. In between, I continue to work on two knitting projects. I am ready to finish the shawl in the photo. I have a third skein of yarn but am hoping not to need it. Time and stitches will tell.

I made some progress on the Avenue Vest. It's been a while since I knit on size 7 needles but I'm enjoying the shaping. I really do want to finish the shawl so will focus on it for a week or so and see what happens. Sometime if I knit on something, I can finish it. Funny how that happens. 

As for book notes, I reread two books on my shelf.  The Woman in the Moon, poetry by Marjorie Saiser, was lovely. As Saiser notices and records the world, she reminds me, "In the dark times there will be singing"  (Saiser, M. The Woman in the Moon, Backwaters Press, 2018, p. 54) I loved the metaphor in the title poem. [She - the moon]  has dimples and doesn't care. She "has paled and doesn't mind that she has put her gold away." (Ibid. p. 42- 43) I enjoyed every poem in the book.

I read The Magnificent Spinster, published in 1985, by writer and poet, May Sarton. I first read this novel in the 1990's when I was a fan of her nonfiction journals. The main character, a beloved teacher, is loosely based on Anne Longfellow Thorp, the granddaughter of Longfellow, that Sarton knew. In the novel, she skims the surface of all kinds of relationships between strong women. Perhaps in another time she would have written more honestly about homosexuality and identity, creating a stronger story. In addition, the book could have been edited in order to avoid repetition and a trite New England-y kind of story. The times are different so my judgement may not be fair. 

Sarton published and sold a lot of novels, nonfiction journals, and some poetry but was never pleased with the critical reception of her work, especially poetry. A biography of Sarton noted she was mercurial and didn't work well with editors. Maybe her work would have been better if she had been able to work cooperatively with her editors. Who knows, maybe she just couldn't find the right editor. After reading the biography, I felt I had been duped by the image she presented in her published "journal" series and so I gave them away. Now this novel and the biography no longer need to be on my bookshelf. I don't plan to read them again. I enjoyed her work when I read it but I'm a different reader these days and my bookshelves hold plenty of other books to reread.

What are you reading or rereading these summer days?

Late afternoon and the repairman has come and gone. After seven years of use, replacing our washer is more economical than repairing it. No wonder the planet is in peril. More poetry and perhaps a song is in order this evening. 

Early July

Hello Gentle Readers. Summer days have arrived. Green tomatoes are setting on the vines and a few cherry tomatoes turn from orange to red. They are smaller than I like, especially for the first ones, but they taste like home grown tomatoes. On the 4th, I harvested the first three cucumbers. I replanted cucumber seeds several times and now the vines are going wild. If we can keep everything watered as the temperatures soar to 100 degrees, we should have plenty of tomatoes and cucumbers. 

Today I link with Kat and the Unravelers to post about making and reading. Our son, Aaron, is visiting this week. He has remote work obligations but having him here from Texas is delightful. He loves cooking so it is fun to be in the kitchen together. He brought his small flour mill as well as wheat and rye berries. Saturday he ground fresh flour and made bread dough. He left me in charge of the rising. We thought one pan would be enough but it was not. When the dough overflowed the bread pan, I divided it and set it to rise a third time. Leaving your mother in charge of an unknown recipe is a risk but disaster was averted and the bread was delicious. That evening we used tomatoes from his garden and fresh bread in BLT sandwiches. I cut up watermelon from a local produce stand and we had snickerdoodles for dessert. It was a perfect meal for the 4th of July. 

At some point I wrote about this small piece of patchwork. A month ago, I finished the piecing and quilted three circles and diagonal lines with two strands of embroidery floss. Then I made it into a pillow. 

As for other making, I'm knitting away on the shawl. I'm close to the border and the rows are long. This odd piece of knitting is a second try with the Avenue Vest. Interesting construction and size seven needles make the knitting go quickly. The fabric I'm getting with this yarn and needle size is soft and made me wonder if the deep V-neck would flop open and not lay flat. I decided to knit the round neck. Let's hope the vest fits. It's all an experiment but it's only yarn. 

This week I read Hot Chocolate on a Thursday by Michiko Aoyama. This gentle book is almost a collection of short stories. Having a minor character from each previous story become the main character for the next provides the structure. Setting, either Japan or Sydney, Australia and sometime both also provides continuity. At first, the stories felt a little too sweet but as I read I appreciated the theme of how easily misunderstanding leads to misconception and hurt feelings. Conversely the author used small moments to convey the power of kindness offered to others. What seemed like a simple story left me wondering what could happen if more of us, myself included, were willing to let go of slights and hurts and see the viewpoint of each other. This fiction isn't great literature but a sweet story of possibility in everyday lives. I also enjoyed the references to cherry blossoms of Japan and jacaranda flowers in Australia.  

Just as an aside, thinking about the differences in structure and management of characters in Aoyama's book as compared to that of Good People by Patmeena Sabit (the Read With Us Selection in June) was an interesting exercise. The authors handled those two devices differently and of course the storylines are quite different but it gave me food for thought. 

I can't show you cherry blossoms but my neighbor has a beautiful stand of cone flowers in an area adjacent to the street. I hope you are finding beauty in this summer season. (Or in the Southern Hemisphere - the winter season.)

Ravelry Link

Avenue Vest