Unraveled Wednesday 4-22-26

 Good Morning!

It's a little wet outside this morning.  I heard heavy rain during the night, but looking at my phone, it appears that the rain is over for the day.  However, a sweatshirt and leggings will be my outfit today for watching Iris.  I tend to feel cold when it is damp out.

The other day when I pulled out of our driveway heading to Colin's I stopped and stared.  At first I thought I was seeing a wild turkey (we used to have them all around the neighborhood).  But, it turned out to be a turkey vulture.  Friends, these birds are HUGE!  He/She was in Rob's yard pulling up something with a bone attached.  He/She flew off as soon as I snapped the picture and that wing span was just amazing!

Happy Earth Day!  It also happens to be Wednesday, the day I usually link up with Kat for Unraveled Wednesday, but Kat is taking a little break from blogging, so there is no link up today.  I'd still like to show you my knitting and talk about what I've read.

The second Panning for Gold sock is progressing nicely.  I'm a little more than halfway down the foot.  Some mornings at Colin's I can knit a row or two as Colin and Iris finish up their morning walk.  And, usually when they have lunch I can manage 5-8 rows.  Not fast progress, but it is progress.

This sock will be finished up in good time. 

Reading has again been great!  I finished our next RWU book (our discussion will be in June).   Good People by Patmeena Sabit is a powerful book.  I wasn't sure that I would like the format, but I thought it worked quite well.  Even though I would have liked to hear the voices of the family, I think the absence of those voices gave a certain strength to the novel.  I'll reserve my other thoughts/comments for our discussion in early June.

Next up I read Everyday Sacred: A Woman's Journey Home by Sue Bender.  I read and enjoyed "Plain and Simple" by the author decades ago when it came out and enjoyed it.  The story of the Begging Bowl in "Everyday Sacred"was interesting.  The book is a very quick and peaceful read.  Looking in one of our bookcases, I found a copy of "Plain and Simple" and I may re-read that some point (right now I have way too many library books on my nightstand!).

The last book I finished this past week is The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating by Elisabeth Tova Bailey.  Oh my!  I absolutely loved this book.  So many fascinating details...I almost want to find a snail of my own!!  A very beautiful and thought provoking book.

As if I don't already have enough library books on my nightstand, yesterday on my way home I picked up 3 more!  Two are poetry books that I'm looking forward to reading.  One will go in my bag today when I head over to Colin's.

Have a wonderful Wednesday and tell me what you've been making and reading lately.

  

Tiny Needle Tuesday 4/21/26

 Good Morning!

Another chilly one - perfect for snuggling with Iris!!  And, it's Tuesday - time for an update on my Appil sampler.  A bit of stitching was accomplished during the past week.

The tree is fully outlined and one leaf has been filled in.  There was also a bit of ground work completed, but that might not be as noticeable.  Here's the obligatory overall shot of where things stand.

Lots of filling in to do...the tree trunk, branches, leaves, etc.  And then, of course, more creatures as I keep promising.  My mantra is:  I think I can, I think I can.....  Still enjoying this piece and having fun stitching it.

Time for me to get moving.  My head is cold so the first order of business is to dry my hair (while sipping some hot coffee).  Hope your day is a good one!

Weekending 4/20/26

 Good Morning All,

A bit of a change in the weather.  We have a freeze warning for tonight!  Yup, it's a chilly one and yesterday was a wet one in the morning.  I ran out to CVS (of course) and I nearly froze!  On the flip side, we had dinner at Colin & Mailing's on Saturday and were able to eat outside.  We also enjoyed a fire in the pit later that evening.

I noticed that our iris are now budded and the wisteria has begun to blossom.

Our lilac is finally beginning to open its buds.  I wish those would last longer when cut...they always droop within a day or so.  I most likely won't bother cutting any this year.

This week I'll be watching Iris every day.  Bonnie (Mailing's Mom) is in China.  The kids will fly over on Saturday, so I'm going to cherish this week and enjoy all the snuggling I can squeeze in!  They will be gone two weeks and I will miss them so much.

Not much else to report.  I was successful in avoiding most chores (I did do laundry) over the weekend.  A little cooking was done.  A delicious shredded raw beet and carrot salad was made and this will definitely be made again and again.  Wonderful!  (I did not put the walnuts in, though I may add them next time and I used Agave rather than date syrup).  One beet and two carrots made the perfect amount for the two of us.  I don't think I had ever had raw beets, but it was a very yummy dish.

There was time for some knitting and some stitching and a bit of reading.  Overall a great weekend.  I hope yours was just as nice.

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!!