Unraveled Wednesday 4/1/26

 Good Morning Everyone,

Welcome to April!  I feel like I'm running behind - after a less than ideal (meaning extremely restless) night of sleeping (or not), I fell asleep early this morning and then slept in longer than usual for a day when I'm scheduled to be with Iris.  I've showered and coffee has been poured, but that's about it!

Yesterday I was able to procure a leg of lamb for Easter dinner!  The 7 hour leg of lamb that I will be cooking (Patricia Wells' recipe) is cooked along with potatoes, onions, carrots and tomatoes and becomes so tender that it falls off the bone.  According to the recipe, you should be able to eat it with a spoon.  I never have, but it's a good recipe.  I need to get a couple of bottles of wine to pour in - most likely I'll use white this time (you can make it with either red or white).  I plan to also have asparagus, but I will pick that up later in the week.  And a coconut pie which I'll most likely make on Saturday.

I also accomplished quite a bit on my long to do list including rubbing all the cabinets in the kitchen with orange oil.  It smelled so good!  And the cabinet doors are no longer dusty!

Now it's time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk about making and reading.

My Panning for Gold sock has not seen any love since Monday, but it is further along than last week.

I'm roughly half way through the heel flap which this time is a simple slip stitch rather than eye of the partridge.  Maybe I can manage the balance of the heel flap and heel turn whilst at C&M's today (while Colin and Iris have lunch together).

Monday's mail included a bounty of new yarn stash!  First up is the April yarn for The Farmer's Daughter's 2026 Sock Squad.  Aptly named Morning Honey.  I love it!

And the yarn I ordered from Lisa at Fibernymph Dyeworks arrived.  Fast!!  First up the set up minis that I requested.  The color way is River Rocks and I couldn't resist it.  There's a bit of Stellina in the yarn, so sparkles!!

And then two full skeins from Lisa:

The skein on the right is her Pollinator Pi color way and the one on the left is Mountain House Winter.  Both are gorgeous!  I've knit with Lisa's yarn in the past and it does not disappoint.

I'm pretty sure that Pollinator will become socks for Colin (bright!!  cheerful!!) since he has talked of wanting to have bee hives.  And Mountain House Winter may become socks for Fletch.  Of course, I need to finish what's on my needles and there are so many other things I want to knit.  More hours in each day, please.

Reading has been good.  I finished listening to Blaze Me a Sun by Christoffer Carlsson about a crime in a Swedish town.  This is the book that Fletch and I had started listening to but stopped when Fletch got bored.  I decided to finish it.  It was good, but I wish I had paid more attention (meaning stayed awake) early on when Fletch and I were listening.  I'm not planning to jump out and find other books by this author, but I did enjoy it.

With my eyes I read Speak to Me of Home by Jeanine Cummins - a saga of family, home, identity, love.  It was good though in places it felt a bit long and drawn out.  Still, a good read.

Fletch and I are continuing to listen to The Long Ships by Frans Bengtsson after dinner.  There is much that I had forgotten about this story that we read out loud decades ago, including a lot of humor.  We are both really enjoying this one.

And that's a wrap for me.  Time to pour some more coffee and try to wake up.  Happy Wednesday!

Tiny Needle Tuesday 3/31/26

 Good Morning!

And whoosh!  Just like that we are at the last day of March 2026.  The last day of the first quarter of the year 2026.  That just does not seem possible.  Really!  (I know I say that all the time.)

Anyway, all that being true, it is Tuesday, so time for a TNT update on Appil.  Despite all my running around at the end of last week I did manage to find a little bit of time to stitch.  Adam is beginning to be fleshed out and a bit more of the Garden is appearing underneath him.

And here is the overall shape of how things look right now.

My plan is to work on Adam's flesh today, but my list of things to do is long (isn't it always?), so time will tell.

I'm happy to let you know that the kids (and Iris) loved the soup and muffins I had left for them.  Iris ate two bowls of the soup Sunday night!  They were too full for the crostata, so they probably had that last night.

It is cloudy out and I woke to heavy rain early this morning.  Today I'm off to hunt down a leg of lamb for Easter dinner on Sunday!  Here's hoping your Tuesday finds you having some kind of fun.

Weekending 3/30/26

 Hello Everyone and Good Morning!

How are you this morning and how was your weekend?  Mine was good, though filled.  Lots of errand running and lots of back and forth to C&M's to feed Talbot (and clean the litter boxes...).  The kids are back home again safely and they had a lovely time in Virginia.

After errand running Friday morning, I baked a strawberry crostata.  YUM!!

It was like a taste of summer!  Half of it ended up in C&M's refrigerator for them to enjoy.

Then on Saturday I made a new-to-me recipe for chicken and garbanzo bean soup,  I used dried chick peas (soaking them overnight).  The soup had chicken thigh meat, carrots, onions, fennel, celery and spinach.  It is a recipe my sister-in-law shared with me.  I didn't much care for the scent while it was cooking, but the soup was actually very good.

I also made Morning Glory muffins which have shredded carrots and shredded apples in them along with applesauce, white & whole wheat flour.  (I think I remember the recipe from long ago - the "hippie days" of eating brown rice and veggies for dinner - LOL). A large container of soup and half the muffins migrated over to C&M's on Sunday morning.  I wanted to be sure they had something to eat when they got home from their travels.

Despite all the errand running and back and forth to C&M's, time was found for some knitting, a little stitching and some reading as well.  All-in-all, a lovely weekend.  I even managed to do some chores (laundry - of course - as well as vacuuming and dusting).

Even though it cooled down over the weekend, I think temps are back on the rise.  And then a bit of rain is forecast over the next few days.  My expected yarn never showed up over the weekend, but it should arrive today!  I'm back to watching Iris today and I cannot wait to see her again!

Here's hoping your Monday is a good one.

Unraveled Wednesday 3/25/26

 Good Morning My Friends,

I hope this Wednesday finds you doing something fun and enjoyable.  Me?  I'll be with Iris again which is always enjoyable.  Mailing is in Richmond (VA) for work, and Colin and Iris will be joining her there tomorrow.  They plan to meet up with a few members of Fletcher's family.  Even though I won'[t be watching Iris for the balance of the week, I'll be heading over to their house twice a day to feed Talbot.  No rest for the weary and all that.  Honestly, though, I'm happy to do that.  Talbot is a sweet cat and they don't live that far away.  I also plan to do a little baking and leave some treats for the kids to find when they get back home Sunday evening.

Meanwhile, let's link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers for Unraveled Wednesday.  There is not a lot of knitting to share.  It seems I spent more time stitching than knitting, but sometimes that's how it goes.  My "panning for gold" sock has gotten a little longer.

I managed another 15 rows or so.  Quite a bit more to do.  I've yet to swatch for the sweater I want to make (Shakerag), but perhaps I will get to that this weekend.

More yarn is on the way from The Farmer's Daughter (should be here by Friday I think) and not like I need even more yarn,  but a sale is going on at Fibernymph Dye Works so I naturally ordered some.  Oy!  I will share a picture once it arrives.  I'm excited because one of the skeins I ordered is Lisa's Pollinator Pi Self-Striping yarn.  Colin has long expressed an interest in raising bees and C&M have ordered some pollinator flowers for their yard.  I'm thinking the skein will be perfect for a pair of socks for Colin!

Meanwhile, on to the reading.  Fletch and I started listening to a new book after dinner.  The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson is a book that we read out loud after dinner many, many moons ago.  It is an epic adventure and a wonderful tale.  It is also quite long so we will be listening for some time.  I'm listening to the balance of the other book we had started (that Fletch became tired of):  Blaze Me a Sun by Christoffer Carlsson which is ok...a bit longish at times, but I'd like to finish it.

With my eyes, I read Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May.  How appropriate that I finished this book on the very last day of Winter 2026.  I found the book enjoyable, but it did not quite live up to my hopes.  At times I found it to be bogged down and a bit off course.  Still a worthwhile read.

Thanks to Kat, I requested and got a book from my library:  Bright Scythe: Selected Poems by Tomas Tranströmer translated by Patty Crane.  These poems were just wonderful and I highly recommend reading some of his work.

Lastly I read Ursula K. LeGuin's Book of Cats.  What a fun book!  Colin had seen this and ordered it for me the other week.  It is a bunch of stuff:  poems, musings, sketches (including Cat Tai Chi - LOL), meditations, etc.  A quick book that was just a delight.

You all know that when it rains it pours.  I received an email the other day that there are five books waiting for me at the library!  I definitely need more hours in each day.  Oh well, it's certainly not a real problem to have a wealth of books.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Tiny Needle Tuesday 3/24/26

 Hello and Good Morning!

How are you on this next-to-the-last Tuesday in March?  And how is it possible that we are just about a quarter of the way through 2026?  Yikes - time is flying.  

Yesterday was such a nice day (despite the weather) with Iris.  Something happened that has never happened before.  We were sitting on the couch and I was reading to Iris.  I realized she had gotten a bit still and when I looked over at her I saw that her eyes were closed and her head was bobbing.  She was sound asleep!  This was earlier than she usually naps - around 11:30 or so.  Colin was wrapping up a meeting and then they were going to have lunch together, but Iris ended up sleeping for an hour!  And then she took a two hour nap in the late afternoon!

Traffic was light coming home later than usual from C&M's which meant that Fletch and I were still able to sit down to dinner by 6 p.m. which was nice.  Then we listened to our audio book for a little bit.

And now it's Tuesday and time for a TNT update.  A bit of stitching was completed in the last week.  Modest Adam now has his fig leaf (leaves) filled in and a bit more of the ground beneath his feet has been stitched (including some kind of leaves sticking out of the grass).  Another creature (bug) has been placed upon the Evil Serpent's back.

And here's an overall shot of how things are looking at the moment.

Slowly but surely...more ground to the left and also some larger creatures!!  And one more flowering plant.  Adam needs his flesh as well.

I'm looking forward to seeing some of you tonight for our postponed RWU book discussion.  Till then, have a wonderful Tuesday!

Blooms! 3/23/26

 Good Morning,

It is a rainy Monday here.  Heavy rain.  Maybe the stereotypical April Showers are starting early?  

Finally we have some blooms!  I spied these crocus just outside our front door:

So pretty!  And, on the north side of our house (where I often don't go), there are daffodils planted.  They were there when we bought the house and they continue to perform.  It always surprises me when they are the first to bloom (because...north side...), but perhaps it is because they are snug up against the house.  There are five clumps of them and here is one.

I cut a bunch and have one vase on the buffet and a small vase on one of the kitchen windowsills.  They always cheer me up.

I hope your weekend was a good one.  I spent much time reading and stitching and in-between doing some laundry and cooking.  Last night we had dinner at Colin & Mailing's (ham, green beans, pineapple stuffing and an amazing lemon tart for dessert).  It was mild enough that windows were open and once Iris was in bed, we had a fire outside.  Around 8:30 or 9:00 it started sprinkling a bit, so we called it a night and came home.

Time for me to get moving.  I was late getting up and I have a longish day ahead of me watching Iris - longish because Colin let me know he has a meeting from 4-4:30 (usually I leave around 4).  Whatever your plans are, I hope your Monday has some bright spots.

Happy Spring! 3/20/26

 Good Morning My Friends!

Spring has arrived!!  (Or it will a little later at 10:46 a.m.)  Although still chilly outside this week, the sun is stronger.  We just need a series of sunny days so that flowers will begin to pop a bit.

Today is also my Mom's birthday.  If she were still alive, she would be 107!  Here is one of my (and my siblings) favorite photos of my Mom.  It was taken probably in the early 1930's.  We call it "The Gunslinger" - LOL

Such a skinny girl!  Here's a later picture of her with my Dad.  I took this shot at Hawk Mountain in the mid 1970's.  Both my parents were avid hikers.

I sure do miss my Mom's laughter, silliness, and all the fun we had together over the years.

Yesterday I had a most wonderful massage in the afternoon.  Pure bliss.  I followed that with a Yin Yoga class last night.  Today I have another Yin Yoga class at Noon and then a Restorative Yoga class tonight.  So much yoga!  But between the classes and regular massages, I think my back and shoulders are doing better.  I'm still conscious of (all) the arthritis I have, but some days movement has improved.

Today I plan to venture out to Trader Joe's this morning for a few things (including flowers!).  A stop at my doctor's office is also in order to pick up a prescription for a mammogram (ugh but necessary) and there are a couple of books ready for me to pick up at the library.

I'll leave you with a fun wine label.  You know I often buy wine for the label and I could not resist this one.  It is a cab from CA and though not outstanding it's ok and pretty drinkable!

Let's get the first Spring weekend started!