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