Unraveled Wednesday 8/12/26

 Hello My Friends,

The weeks keep zipping by, don't they?  It's hard to believe that soon the school busses (or, as my brother calls them, the little yellow prison wagons) will be on the road again.  And, the bottom of my street (which is a narrow road) will be clogged with cars waiting for the school bus (apparently the kids can't walk down to the end of the street and wait...they must be driven).

The doctor's office was successfully found yesterday and I had a great visit with my primary care physician.  All of my "numbers" have improved which is great news.  I am going tomorrow for an X-ray of my knee.  My doctor is sure it is simply arthritis (which is more than enough) and not some other issue with the knee...but an X-ray will be done for confirmation purposes.  Meanwhile, I've started doing some exercises specifically for arthritic knees and this morning things already feel better!

I'm continuing with my arm exercises with baby weights (3 lbs) and doing that has completely eliminated the shoulder pain I was having (again arthritis).  And I've started incorporating some other movements that I used to do on a regular basis.  I believe that movement is key.

Meanwhile, enough of the aches and pains of aging.  It's Wednesday and time for linking up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk about making and reading.  I don't have a whole lot to talk about, but let's jump right in!

First up is the almost finished first Honky Tonk shorty sock.

I was positive this would have been finished by today, but life got in the way.  I've about 10 rows left on the foot until the toe decrease.  With any luck, I will finish this today whilst Iris naps.  Then it will be time to start (and finish quickly) shortie #2.  My August yarn from the Farmer's Daughter arrived and Fletch really likes it, so I will be making a pair of socks for him.  And, of course, there are still many more skeins waiting to be knit up for various people.  Iris has said she would like another pair of socks (I'm sure the ones I last made for her no longer fit...she is growing so much!).

The Farmer's Daughter's August yarn:  "Harvest Lantern" - the little mini skein has a bit of loden green in it and the two skeins together are so pretty.

On the reading side of things, I'm still reading The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett.  I'm past the halfway mark, but my reading has slowed.  I'm actually getting a little tired or bored with this.  The book seems way longer than necessary...but that's just my opinion and I may have a change of heart once I finish it.  There are so many different stories going on and of course various bits of ugliness (1933 Oxford, MS).

Fletch and I are continuing to really enjoy Robert Mcfarlane's The Wild Places.  We have enjoyed all of the McFarlane books we have listened to, but perhaps this one may be the best so far!

Not started yet, but I decided to go ahead and download from Audible John of John by Douglas Stuart.  The queue at my library for the book is still pretty long and I'd like to have read it before our RWU book club meeting in September.

And that's a wrap for one.  I'll be with Iris again today and am looking forward to that time.  I hope your Wednesday brings you something delightful to enjoy!

Tiny Needle Tuesday 8/11/26

 Good Morning!

It's Tuesday and we seem to have survived another most humid day...more in store of us I'm afraid.  We had a few sprinkles and some distant thunder, but nothing significant.  We need a good, strong summer thunderstorm to clear the air (and water the garden).  However, it did cool down enough last evening that I did not even have to use the AC in the bedroom!!  That was wonderful.

Well, time for a TNT update.  I managed to finish the second row in the sampler.

Quite wrinkly, but there it is.  Next up some numbers.

I've a busy morning ahead of me.  My 9 a.m. appointment with my primary care doctor will be at an office I need to find!  Last week I got a phone call from the doctor's office telling me that a pipe had burst in their building and that upcoming appointments would be at another office.  It's not that much further away, but I need to locate it which means leaving the house a little earlier than normal.

Grocery shopping may be skipped.  We have so many (so many!!) leftovers in the fridge that it is crammed to overflowing.  I really want to use stuff up and then scrub the fridge.  Tonight I'm planning to make a quiche with asparagus and some left over ham.  I'll probably add mushrooms and onions because they are plentiful!

Here's hoping that this Tuesday finds you enjoying life!  Have some fun.

Weekending 8/10/26

 Good Monday Morning!

How are you and how was your weekend.  Mine was good.  I found time for a little bit of everything.  Some chores (bathrooms, laundry, kitchen floor) were done.  There was time for stitching and knitting as well as a bit of reading.  And baking and cooking.

A huge yellow bean casserole was made - like Thanksgiving huge.  Lots of onions and mushrooms sautéed up to go with the beans.  Actually I mixed yellow and green beans for the dish.  We've had it twice and there is still at least another serving!  And those beans keep coming in.  I won't bore you with yet another picture, but trust me when I say that Saturday I picked another two servings (at least).  And one of the large tomatoes finally ripened to where it could be picked.

A peach-blueberry cake was baked.  Good, but very sweet and rich.  Most of it will be going over to C&M today.

When I ventured out to the garden on Saturday I noticed that our hibiscus has opened a few of its buds!

The plant is loaded with clusters of buds - often 3 or 4 together.  It should be amazing when more open.

Figgy is doing well - still figs on it, but they do not seem to be getting larger or ripening.  Fingers crossed we get some.  And our apple tree is loaded with fruit.  The apples are all on the small side, but some look to be in very good condition - I may be able to make some applesauce!  So far the deer are sticking with consuming the fruit that has fallen - no standing on hind legs and reaching for branches (yet).

I hope your weekend brought some good things to you and I trust that the week ahead will be a good one!

Thursday Doings 8/6/26

 Bonjour!

We had some strong thunderstorms yesterday evening - just when we settled in to watch the first episode of the new season of Ted Lasso.  Fortunately the power stayed on.  We were gifted another inch of rain.

What you see above is perhaps the final glad blossom (there may be one more stalk that has not yet opened) along with a couple of zinnia, a couple of snap dragons and one marigold.  I do love fresh flowers in the house.

Yesterday was busy, but my mile long list was almost fully accomplished.  The only remaining thing that wasn't done was grocery shopping and we will take care of that this morning.  I've been wanting to cut the dead stalks from the Iris as well as the Glads and that was done.  More beans were picked and then blanched and quickly frozen.  Not having a chest or second freezer, my space is limited, but a few bags of summer beans are now in the freezer for cooler days.  There are still plenty in the fridge that I will be using in a day or two.  I also picked more cherry tomatoes, a cucumber, and noticed that FINALLY the bigger tomatoes are beginning to ripen.  There are not that many - maybe four on the plant, but any garden tomato will be so welcome.

There was a bit of running around - a trip to the post office to mail off a birthday gift for Leslie and (of course) a trip to CVS.  Another trip to CVS will be made today or tomorrow.  I'd also like to get to Trader Joe's - either today or (most likely) tomorrow.

Domestic chores (laundry, cleaning) were deliberately left off my list!  HA!  But really, towels should be washed and bathrooms cleaned.  Time will tell.

What are you up to as we wind down the first week of August?

Unraveled Wednesday 8/5/26

 Hello, hello,

I was out early this morning to have a blood test done.  On the way home there were actually sprinkles on my windshield.  I don't think rain is in the forecast, so that was a surprise.  It is very, very humid.  Thankfully my knee continues to feel better...it's just so weird though.

You all know I'm not a huge list-maker, but today I have a list of things to do that is a mile long.  There are not enough hours in the day.  But first, it is Wednesday and time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk about making and reading.  Two things very dear to my heart.

Though it seemed to take FOREVER, I got through the heel flap and turn on my shortie sock and I am now onto the foot.

There were several times whilst knitting the heel flap that I would end up with extra stitches...or too few...always on a purl row.  I think I was just plain tired.  At least I was able to fix it.  The gusset stitches were picked up and then the decreases were done.  I'm now 20 rows into the foot, so not quite a third of the way, but close.  With luck I'll be casting on the second shortie sock soon.

Reading has been a pleasure.  Fletch and I did finish listening to The Old Ways: A Journey on Foot by Robert Macfarlane and we are now well into The Wild Places.  I had not realized, but these are part of a series on "Landscapes" by Macfarlane.  "The Old Ways" is book 2 and "The Wild Places" is book 3.  We will need to go back and listen to #1 and then #4.  Macfarlane's writing is so enjoyable and the narration of these books has been great.

I also read a volume of poetry:  The Wild Iris by Louise Gluck.  Though as a review states these poems celebrate being alive, I found them to be a bit on the dark side.  Still, some of the poems were extremely beautiful.  This particular volume won the The Nobel Prize in 1993.  Colin had seen a write up about Louise Gluck in The New York Review of Books and then bought this volume (because of the title!!).  Once he finished reading it, he passed it on to me to borrow.  I do love having a son who loves to read!

Before leaving Colin & Iris yesterday I grabbed one of the cucumbers from their garden.  Last week Colin used about 15 to make pickles and there are now at least another 15 on the counter in his kitchen!  I had used the last of mine the other day and the one still in the garden has not grown large enough to pick yet.  I think the one I took had been sampled by someone...perhaps a little mole?

No worries - I can just cut that section out.

Well, time for more coffee and getting a move on my long list of things to do.  I hope your Wednesday is a good one!

Tiny Needle Tuesday 8/4/26

 Good Morning!

How are you this first Tuesday in August?  I am doing well.  I've been having serious issues with my right knee - it often feels like it is going to "give out" or that I can't bend it properly to walk, etc.  This morning I woke up and it is just about 100% better.  Go figure.  I do see my primary doctor for a routine check up next week and I will talk to her about it.  The knee issue has been going on for several weeks - days that are bad and then a day or two that feel normal.  Weird.  Not sure if it is arthritis or some other issue, but hopefully it will stay feeling good!

Anyway, it's Tuesday and time for a TNT update.  I managed to stitch a few more letters and actually got to the end of the first (top) line, so now I can see how wide the piece will be.

Once again, the photo doesn't come close to doing justice with the thread color.  One of these days I will take it outside in the sun for a picture.  I should be able to get to the end of the letters soon and then I think there might be some numbers and then I'll be able to start in on the motifs.  I really enjoy stitching alphabets a lot, but it will be nice to get to the other things.

It was great to catch up with Colin and Iris yesterday (Mailing was at her office).  Their trip to Boston and East Greenwich, RI sounds like it was a wonderful time.  While in Boston Iris ate oysters on the half shell twice!  (I say yuck).  The first night she and Colin split a dozen oysters and she wanted more!  That girl can eat.

They enjoyed visiting the New England Aquarium and even watched the penguins being fed breakfast on Saturday morning!  Lots of fish and a giant sea turtle (500 lbs!).  They visited friends in Boston and Iris had her first subway ride.   

Though short (less than 24 hours), their visit in East Greenwich was fun.  The drive home was long, but luckily the rain held off.

I will be back over to watch Iris today and then I am done for this week!

Whatever your Tuesday holds, I hope it is something fun for you.

Weekending 8/3/26

 Good Morning!

Whew!  I woke at 2:30 this morning to very heavy rain, thunder and lightening.  We ended up with about an inch of rain overnight.  It still feels muggy and more rain is in the forecast for throughout the day.  I'm sure the garden is happy.

How was your weekend?  Mine was good.  Plenty of back and forth to C&M's to care for Talbot, plenty of cooking to put food for C&M&I in their fridge for their return from Boston and more garden produce was picked.  I made some ginger cream cookies.

Yum!  These cookies are soft (which means Fletch doesn't much care for them) and delicious.  The cookie jar at the house in Vermont was often filled with these (the recipe is from my Aunt Ellen),  More than half will find their way over to Iris today!

There were also blueberry muffins baked, Spicy Cuban Beef prepared and rice cooked.  Also a confetti corn salad (fresh corn, red pepper, cucumber, ginger, garlic, basil and mint with a dressing of oil, rice wine vinegar, a pinch of sugar and fresh lime juice).  The kids made it down from New England around dinner time, so hopefully they enjoyed an easy meal!

Talbot was happy to see me when I made it over to feed him.  I sat and read for a bit on Saturday morning after feeding him and he kept me company!

Talbot is a big licker - LOL.  When I was standing ini the kitchen getting his food bowls filled, he would rub up agains me and then lick my leg.  Better than clawing me I suppose!

I found a wine that I HAD to buy:

Great label - naturally from California.  The wine is ok, not great, a little sweeter than I prefer, but drinkable.

Meanwhile, the garden continues to produce.

A few green beans, some lettuce and Swiss chard, a few sun gold cherry tomatoes and another abundant amount of yellow pole beans.  This was yesterday's haul.  The yellow beans are on a mission to outshine any zucchini plants in the neighborhood!  I have never seen pole beans produce so much (we really do not have that many plants!).  Luckily our neighbors Rob and Eva took yesterday's amount.  I had also left a huge bag in C&M's fridge and still have way too many beans in our fridge.  I may take a page from Bonny's book and start blanching and freezing some.  We love them...just not every night!

Colin's front garden bed has another Tigridia bloom:

I just can't get over how gorgeous these flowers are.  I'm definitely getting some bulbs to plant next Spring.  He also has another flower blooming that I have not seen before:

Very pretty.  I'm pretty sure this is one of the native pollinators he bought.

Well, time for coffee and I want to pull together some kind of lunch to take over to C&M's today.  I'm excited to see Iris again.  Whatever your plans, I hope they bring you joy.