How are we already at the end of April? As many have already noted, the months seem to be speeding by. The days are so often all alike and yet all of a sudden a full month is gone! It's that "Oddball Effect" that Kym mentioned on Monday. Weird stuff.
So here we are at the last Unraveled Wednesday for April 2020. A little progress was made on the Tutti Fruitti sock for my SIL.
The heel is not quite the HOT pink I had envisioned...but I seem to be out of that and this Mad Tosh yarn in the colorway "Coquette" seems to work well enough. A bit more to knit on the foot and then I will add in the green for the toe area.
And, I've been making my Granny Squares. I'm up to 8 now!
I really am enjoying these. Sometimes I think about the color and a lot of times I just stick my hand into the basket where all my bits and bobs are and see what comes out! The colors for #9 are in a bowl waiting for me to pick up my crochet hook. Maybe today.
On the reading front, I believe I finally am into a book that I will finish AND enjoy!! LOL My reading slump has gone on for so long and I've been so distracted. I do love memoirs, and finally picked up Bella Tuscany by Frances Mayes. I loved "Under the Tuscan Sun" (the book...I didn't really like the movie) and this continues their story of their second home in Tuscany. So far, so good and I'm about 100 pages into it.
Head on over to Kat's to see her gorgeous knitting and also see what others are making and reading.
Meanwhile, yesterday turned out to be an unexpected day of SUNSHINE!!! So, after lunch I headed over to the towpath for a much needed walk. It was a little busy but everyone kept their distance. There were people in kayaks, walkers, runners, bikers and a bit of wildlife. Turtles were everywhere basking in the sun (some are SO big!!):
Some cute ducks by the side of the trail and then a family of geese out for a little swim.
On my way back a gorgeous cormorant flew from the river to the canal and landed nearby:
When I got home, Fletch was mowing the yard which desperately needed it. When he was finished I walked around a bit. First up our redbud which is so gorgeous this year:
And our arbor looks so pretty. This is sort of at the end of our back yard and at the entrance to our woods. We do have a (very young - not visible here) forsythia trained around part of it and a wild rose also.
The garden is really coming to life. Lettuce is abundant and the rhubarb leaves are already the size of dinner plates!
And lastly...out front I came across this...near the front door....
A segmented spider egg case. Yuck! But, it is interesting and I had never seen one before. Ironically Colin had taken a picture of one at his house the other day and sent it to Fletch to see if he knew what it was. And then I find this!
Well, if you've read through all this, thanks for sticking with me. I was just so happy to be able to spend time (comfortably) outside yesterday! Today seems to be a mix of sun and clouds. There is a flood watch for our area, but I don't see a strong likelihood of rain in the forecast. Who knows?
Hope your Wednesday is a good one!
Yay for outdoor time! We are supposed to warm up a bit today, so I have my fingers crossed that I can get out a bit too!
ReplyDeleteI cleaned out the outside kitty huts yesterday and I found the BIGGEST spider I have ever seen. It was almost the size of a tarantula and had the prettiest markings. It's not our usual big brown wolf spider so I guess I better do some investigating.
ReplyDeleteSo much good stuff in this post, Vera! First, I LOVE those tutti-frutti socks! They remind me of confetti cake, and that gives me the happy feeling. :-) Your granny squares - and how much fun you're having playing with random colors - also give me happy feeling. :-) When my sister and I visited Tuscany a few years ago, we spent a couple of days in Cortona, which is the city Frances Mayes settled in. We actually found the original house on a walk! Anyway, lots of great stuff, Vera. And your garden is looking so good. XO
ReplyDeleteLots of great stuff here, and I thank you for sharing it! Those socks are the most cheerful I've seen in a while, and I'm glad you're sticking with the granny squares and embracing the random. I love seeing the turtles stacked up like that and wonder if I can expand my walking areas to include a stream and some wildlife. The garden is looking great, too. Thumbs up to all of it!
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely sights, all of them. It really brings home the idea that Life Goes On.
ReplyDelete(And I'm having some serious Garden Envy!)
I, too, picked up a book yesterday and just started reading, out in our surprise sunshine and 70 degrees: Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls, and I'm thrilled to say that it brought back my Reading Mojo instantly. What a relief!
Loving the Confetti Sox, and can't wait for the bright green toe.
lovely socks and I like the heel. Your squares are gorgeous! I like the idea of random color adding. How can you go wrong? Your walk is beautiful, I wish we had ducks at our duck pond but the lady who owns it (and is elderly) quit buying the pet ones so now we have the odd wild pair.
ReplyDeleteSuch pretty and happy socks Vera. I also love your arbor. I've always wanted one of those with vines of some sort growing up the side and over the top. I hope all is well with you today. We had sunshine yesterday and I spent the afternoon sitting under the deck knitting and talking/videoing with Piper. Today is supposed to be even warmer but it's completely cloudy. I finished the toddler blanket with the yarn from you. Exactly the right amount with about 2 yards leftover! Thank you again.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Betsy
I've never seen a spider case like that either! So cool!
ReplyDeleteThe goslings bring back some great memories of my life on the farm. Hmm, I’ll pass on the spider case - ewwww!
ReplyDeleteI love your nature pictures, and that sock is so pretty! The speckled yarn is pretty.
ReplyDeleteOh, how I love goslings!! I'm reminded of being up north at my grandparents' cabin -- there were always waterfowl families swimming around.
ReplyDeleteLove all your photos Vera. IT is rainy , dreary here. Sigh. We could use the rain, but how about a little sunshine please!
ReplyDeleteHello, April has gone by too fast. Your sock is looking great, I like the pink heel and the yarn. Cool sighting the turtle lie-up. Love the ducks and cute goslings. The redbud is one of my favorite blooming trees. Take care, enjoy your day and week ahead.
ReplyDeleteI recently saw a granny square throw that was the best I've ever seen. It was more of a lap throw with a very wide border of single color rows.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed all your photos and the story of your good day. We're enjoying our outdoors, too. I'm just so thankful for having some land of our own. I wish everyone did. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)
ReplyDeleteBlue skies as a surprise is a real joy! and I'm glad to see those 8 squares. What a fun project!
ReplyDeleteWell this week got away from me for no good reason. I love all your outdoor photos. I don't believe I've ever seen a segmented spider egg case. The granny squares look like great fun. I am knitting a sock and the contrasting yarn isn't the shade I thought it was but I decided to keep going. Hooray for the new picnic table benches too. They look great.
ReplyDelete