Winding Down 4/17/26

Good Morning!

It's Friday and time to prepare for the weekend.  Yay!  Our redbud is in full bloom right now and is gorgeous.  I see a lot of red buds as I drive through our town.  I used to see them along a creek when I would drive to work but...I'm retired!  I have not been driving to work for two years now!

On this fine Friday in National Poetry month, I do have a poem to share with you.  It's one that my friend Leslie Parker wrote.  Leslie and I met when we were 12 and have been best friends ever since - 60 years!  How lucky I am to have her as my friend.  This poem is one that was published in NC Bards 2025 Anthology and with Leslie's permission I am sharing it with you.

Dandelion

 

Wishes 

sail on a breath, 

scatter, take root,

shoot skyward. Yellow

blooms command attention

in envious lawns—

shaggy-headed stems

childish hands pluck,

weave into halos—

before they shrivel 

in the sun, 

sprout anew.

 

My mother curls, close-eyed,

breathing slow

and shallow

in a wrinkle of green sheets.

Her hair,

gone to seed, stirs

beneath a breeze

whispering through 

the open window,

as if ready,

at long last,

to take to the air.

 

I hope your weekend brings you much joy.  We will be having dinner at C&M's tomorrow night and I know that will bring us joy!

Unraveled Wednesday 4/15/26

 Good Morning and Whoosh! 

Halfway into April which does not seem possible at all.  Time (and days) slip away faster and faster.

But, hey!  It's Wednesday which means time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers.  Let's see what everyone is making and reading.  I'm betting you find inspiration and, perhaps, a touch of enabling (I know I will).

Last week I showed you my first Panning for Gold sock which was at the toe decrease point.  I did finish it that night and started the second Panning for Gold sock immediately.  No second sock syndrome for me!  The second sock is almost at the heel flap.  I think I have maybe 10 more rows or so and then the flap will commence!

This yarn is just so nice to knit!  It is from Twisted Owl Fiber Studio in Longview, TX and was bought at a fiber festival.  Quite a steal at $11 per skein (100 grams).  I bought two other skeins as well.

On the reading side of things I listened to Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks.  Oh my!  Although Brooks' writing is just so good, The Plague is not a happy topic.  Some of Brooks' descriptions were a bit much.  I didn't really feel as though the ending fit, but that's me.

With my eyes I read Sex of the Midwest by Robyn Ryle which was laugh out loud funny.  It's not about sex, but rather about the lives of folks in a small mid-western town post Covid.  In some ways it reminded me of Olive Kitteridge.

The last book is a volume of poetry by Ada Limon that I found at my library.  I found Lucky Wreck to be pretty raw and at times almost angry.  Not familiar with Limon's poetry, I wasn't sure what to expect, but this was not really for me.

Lucky me!  I get to have a mammogram this morning...a necessary evil.  Here's hoping that your day holds better surprises for you!  It's going to be pretty warm here.

Tiny Needle Tuesday 4/14/26

 Hi Everyone,

How's it going?  I ran out of time yesterday and didn't post, but I will tell you the weekend was lovely.  Saturday felt so much like summer!!  The kids had a wonderful time camping.  Iris loved sleeping in the tent.  Sunday morning was chilly enough that a fire felt great as they enjoyed breakfast outdoors.  I was happy to have slept in my own bed...I fear my camping days are over.

Now it's Tuesday and time for a TNT update.  Some stitching was accomplished in the past week.  The last tree/bush/plant/whatever has been started in the Appil sampler.  Most of the outline and one bloom has been stitched.

I decided to go with the plant instead of one of the creatures just because the brown trunk and green leaves can be a bit tiresome (aka boring) to stitch and I wanted to be sure they get done!  Here's an overall shot of the sampler as a whole:

So, a couple more creatures on the left (and more ground of course...also a little boring to stitch).  The blank space on the right will be filled in with a few words (and, if I remember correctly, one more bug/crawly thing).  I do feel as though the end is in sight!  I also know it will take me some time to get to the end.  That's ok, I'll get there in good time.

No plans for today other than grocery shopping and a stop at the township to pay some taxes.  What fun!  It's going to be warm and even warmer later in the week, so I want to plan some easy and cool meals.  Here's hoping that your Tuesday is a good one.

A Silly Zip Ode

 Hello Friends,

It's Friday...or Friyay.  Though honestly, not much difference day-to-day for me since I retired.  But still, I appreciate a weekend.

Yesterday was a lovely day with Iris.  I won't see her again till Monday (boo-hoo).  They are going camping over the weekend with Zhongren and it looks like a great weekend for that.  

Both Bonny and Kat posted "Zip Odes" this week.  A form of poetry where the number of words in each line corresponds to the numbers in your zip code (with zero being a "wild card").  It's a fun idea and I decided to try my hand at it.  So far all I've come up with is a silly one for Iris.  One of the books we read (over and over again) is about a farm and the animals greeting the day.  And so...

My zip code is 19403

Hello!

The Rooster greets the day with a hearty crow

Sheep bleat, pigs grunt

All the animals are waking up       

The day begins

It's a fun exercise.

Time to get back to the kitchen.  I'm making eggs and sh*t this morning (eggs with left over veggies and/or meat all scrambled up) and I can hear Fletch upstairs walking around.  Later I have yoga and yet another visit to the library.  After being #62 in the queue last week, our next RWU book, Good People by Patmeena Sabit is now available for me to pick up!  Woo-Hoo

Hope you can all get out and have some fun this weekend...or at least have a peaceful and restful few days.  Whatever you do - ENJOY!!

Unraveled Wednesday 4/8/26

 Good Chilly Morning My Friends,

Yes, a chilly morning.  It is 26 degrees here and the heat is on in the house.  Freeze warnings and watches are popping up on my phone.  And it looks like this up and down weather will continue for some time.  Sigh...

But hey!  It's Wednesday, so let's link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday.  We'll chat about making and reading - both very good things.

On the making or knitting side of things, here is my first Panning for Gold Sock:

The leg and foot - or rather most of the foot - are knit.  I'm at the spot where I will begin the toe decreases.  My plan was to finish this up last night, but a friend called to chat and then I watched some TV with Fletch.  (Is anyone else watching Drops of God on Apple TV?  We've watched 2 episodes and are pretty much hooked now.). Back to the sock - no rush to finish these.  It's not like I don't have any number of socks to choose from to wear.  I may end up giving these to Fletch, but again no rush.

It has been another good week for reading.  I listened to the last available Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion - Volume 8.  The author, Beth Brower, is planning many more volumes, but she is not writing quickly enough!  I thought Volume 8 had some surprises in it and now I can't wait to see where this goes.  Plus the narration is just perfect.

With my eyes I read This is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman.  After loving her earlier novel, "Isola," I had high hopes for this book but it didn't quite make it for me.  I found the story (stories) okay, but after a while a bit on the tedious or tiresome side...and a little trite at times.  The writing was good, but I wanted more.

I also read the debut novel by Nancy Foley I Am Agatha: A Novel which I really liked.  All about love, memory, art, secrets.  I was not expecting the ending at all!  The book was inspired by an artist in New Mexico - one I had not heard of (Agnes Martin).  Now I want to find out more about her and her art.  Georgia O'Keeffe is mentioned which was fun.

Having picked up two more books last night at the library, my nightstand still has a large stack of books on it.  One of the books I picked up is Everyday Sacred: A Woman's Journey Home by Sue Bender.  I saw this in one of Juliann's posts and remembered liking "Plain and Simple" by Sue Bender when it came out years ago.  I started "Everyday Sacred" last night when I went upstairs to bed, but only got through the introduction.

Wishing you all some delightful making and enjoyable reading on this chilly April day.  I will be caring for Iris, but perhaps will sneak in a little bit of reading when she naps.

Tiny Needle Tuesday 4/7/26

 Good Morning!

Our roller coaster weather continues.  It is not too cold this morning - in the forties, but my phone is showing a freeze warning for tomorrow.  Geeze....

Meanwhile, Colin is starting some seeds.  Yesterday he took a little break from work to get some pepper seeds into starter pots and Iris helped!  This, of course, gave me a little break which was nice.  I guess I'll have some pots and/or seedlings to tend to while they are away (they head to China and Taiwan on the 25th for two weeks and I'll be going over twice a day to feed Talbot and give him some love).

But now it is Tuesday and time for a TNT update.  I am happy to report that Adam is (finally) fully fleshed out!

The flesh was a bit of a slog (as it was for Eve as well).  And, a little more of the ground has been completed.  Still more creatures and another tree to be stitched, but it is moving along.  Here's a shot of the overall piece as of this morning.

My thought is that I should (theoretically of course) be able to get more done on this whilst the kids are away, but only time will tell.  I'm still hoping to wrap this up before the end of May.

I took NY strip steaks out of the freezer and tonight I will grill them on the new indoor grill we got.  Hoping they are good!  And, since it is grocery shopping day, I need to figure out what we will be having for the balance of the week.  The freezer is fairly full with an assortment of meat and fish, but as usual, we are in need of fresh produce.  Wednesday and Thursday I will be with Iris, so I'd like meals to be quick and easy those nights (plus yoga Thursday night). 

There are books to pick up at the library and some to drop off, so a visit there will most likely happen.  I'd best sip my coffee, wake up and get the day started.  Hope your Tuesday brings you some happiness.

Weekending 4/6/26

 Hello One and All,

Happy Easter Monday.  How are you?  And, how was your weekend?

It definitely was not the best Easter Sunday for a Sunrise Service!  It was breezy and chilly (cold at times) and rainy quite a bit.  My Dad and I used to go to a Sunrise Service North of here - above New Hope when a friend was the minister there.  He moved on after a bit and is now retired.

Anyway, on with the weekend.  I had yoga both Thursday and Friday.  Saturday was a gorgeous day.  And warm.  Capri leggings, a tee shirt and flip flops were the order of the day.  I baked the coconut pie

First I had trouble with the crust.  I think I processed mine too long...I could roll it out, but it was goopy and I could not get it into the pie plate.  I ended up running out to buy Pillsbury pie crusts.  The kids liked the pie ok, neither Fletch nor I really cared for it and the last of it went home with C&M last night.

By the time the kids arrived, the rain had pretty much stopped so Colin was able to help Fletch outside with some projects.  The meal pretty much sucked!!  Although everyone seemed to enjoy it.  I have always loved the 7 hour leg of lamb recipe. I've made it so many times.  Yesterday?  Not so much.  Even the smell was making me sick.  I joked that maybe I was pregnant.  LOL. The lamb was tender and falling off the bone (as it should be), but I found it dry and (again) the smell make me sick to my stomach.  The carrots, parsnips and onions all caramelized but so much they were hard to get out of the pan!  The tomatoes and potatoes were good though.  And the asparagus was tasty.

I enjoyed pulling out the china and silver (which I should have, but did not, polish).  Most importantly, the kids all loved the dinner.  Iris was particularly excited when six deer wandered into our yard.  She kept waving to them!  Too cute.

A little lamb and some veggies were saved for Fletch, but the balance went home with C&M&I.  

Today I'm looking forward to playing with Iris.  I hope your Monday is a good one!