Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Unraveled Wednesday 2/12/25

 Bonjour and Hello,

I'm posting a little later today.  We have a snowy winter wonderland outside and I decided to fix breakfast for my love and me (bacon & eggs, pastry for Fletch, English muffin for moi).  One load of wash is in the dryer and another in the washer, so it has been a productive morning.


A snowy feeder and Cardinals in the bushes.  (The pole keeps the feeder propped up high enough that Mabel cannot jump into it...)



Those are Mabel's footprints going out into the backyard.  There are deer tracks all over the place and the birds have been feeding (only a junco at my window feeder though).  Yesterday I ventured out the front door and poked around in the ice to find the piece of the feeder that Mr. Squirrel had removed.  I found it, almost slipped on the ice, and then re-filled that front feeder with the "hot seed."  While poking around, I saw buds on my lilac!!


They are small, but they are there.  And now they are covered in snow.  The "white stuff" in the picture is the ice that is still on the flower bed.

Of course, tomorrow it is forecast to be 50 degrees with rain...which will make a mess of everything.  Then the temps will drop in the evening into the 20s which means the mess will freeze...sigh.  And, Colin told me that one of his employees said they saw that we could have a MAJOR storm next Thursday with 15" of snow!  I'm not looking that far ahead and anyway, by the time that date rolls around the forecast will have changed.

So, it's Wednesday and time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk about making and reading.  On the making side of things, my Eye of the Partridge heel flap is finally finished.  Whew!  That sure took a long time.  I hope to turn the heel today and then rapidly progress down the foot.  That would be nice.  Time will tell...


This past week was another good one for reading.  I finished reading Braided Creek which is the collection of Haiku-like poems that Ted Kooser and Jim Harrison sent to each other.  It is a wonderful book.  Some are funny, many are poignant, and all tend to be soothing.  Highly recommend.

I also read Blue Light Hours by Bruna Dantas Lobato and loved it.  This is a book I learned about through Mary's blog.  Based on her review and recommendation, I requested it from my library.  It came in within a couple of days and I picked it up after lunch one day.  I read half the book in one sitting and would have finished it except that someone was hungry for dinner (not me and not Mabel).  A wonderful, beautiful book filled with love and yearning.  Again, highly recommend.

And, I am still plugging away on "The Secret History" for our RWU group.  I'm past the halfway mark and am still not fond of the characters or the story, but the writing is just so good!

And that does it for me!  Time to rinse out my coffee cup, check the laundry and do a few things.  I hope your Wednesday is a good one!

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

Tiny Needle Tuesday 2/11/25

 Good Morning!

Well, it is still cold here (22 this morning).  There is still ice on part of the yard and flower beds and on the picnic table.  Sigh.  I did manage to get out yesterday to run a couple of errands - we needed sunflower seeds and peanuts for our feathered friends.  The roads were fine and the sun came out.  It was a pretty day, but there was a chill wind stirring everything which I did not like.  When Fletch took the trashcans out last night at 10 p.m. for pick up this morning, he said it was really nice out.  No wind and almost mild.  10 p.m.  Not a time for walking....

Meanwhile, it is Tuesday and time for a TNT post.  After finishing my BIG sampler piece last week I went stash diving over the weekend to find something new to stitch.  At first I thought how about a tiny red sampler?  Then I found some red linen in my stash and thought why not a tiny ecru sampler on red linen?  Well, that did not look good AT ALL.  It was pretty fugly as a matter of fact.

I ditched that idea and pulled out some ivory linen and some red DMC and started stitching a small bird piece.  Then I looked in the dough bowl I have in my office filled with smalls and found I already had that one done!  Kind of like starting a book only to discover I'd already read it.

Next I pulled a different sampler and tried that.  Awful!  I persevered but did not like it and then discovered I had stitched over 3 instead of 2 at the very beginning of what I stitched.  So, naturally, everything was off.  I decided it was the fabric that I just wasn't happy with, so that went in the trash (it was only a 7.5" square random piece of linen, so no huge loss).

Yesterday I pulled an old small Blackbird Design piece to stitch.


It is called "Summer Iris" so of course I HAVE to stitch it!  (You can click on the picture to enlarge so you can see the design.). Not liking the pale, pale border I decided to make that darker.  And I just managed to get the top border completed last night before my eyes grew weary.


A small start, but so far so good.  And, most importantly, I like the linen and floss (Weeks Dye Works).  I've also come to realize that I really prefer stitching with one thread over two (or over one) rather than two threads.  It just looks neater for me.  This is a small piece, so it shouldn't take too long to complete.  After this, I may have to go back to a BIG piece!

How is your Tuesday moving along?  I hope you have something fun to do!

Monday, February 10, 2025

Weekending 2/10/25

 Good Morning!

Last night sounded like New Year's Eve here with the Eagles winning the Super Bowl.  You all know I am not into sports AT ALL.  Fletch did have the game on, but then we watched All Creatures at 9 after which he flipped back to the game, so I was aware of the win.  But I didn't (and don't) care.  Ha!

I made some Ginger Cream cookies at the end of the week.  These are cookies that my Aunt Ellen used to make all the time.  They taste like gingerbread to me, so I find them delicious.  Fletch doesn't really care for them, but I thought Colin & Mailing would enjoy some (and I was right).


We had a nice time seeing Colin, Mailing and Iris on Saturday.  They made home-made maple-sage sausage and then fixed biscuits, sausage & gravy.  Yum!!  Once again Iris was a bit fussy, but I can't blame her - she pooped 3 times in the first hour we were there!  I'd be fussy too.  LOL

We got home before any of our wintry weather started.  We ended up with sleet and freezing rain.  Since it didn't really warm up yesterday, everything is still coated in ice.  Even the yard is icy!  Mabel was pretty slow coming across the yard yesterday...stepping gingerly and trying not to slide.  Luckily the wintry mix they had been forecasting for tomorrow is now not showing.

A friend emailed me this poem over the weekend:

The Nest

           For Alfredo Espino

 

This morning

I watched a goldfinch

Disappear into a tree

Through a hole no bigger

 

Than my open mouth.

From the hollow

The bird

Began her crooning.

 

That’s what poetry is

I thought – 

Not the tree,

But the hidden song.

 

Not the yellow bird,

But the instinct to climb

Inside the darkness

To sing.

                          – Benjamin Gucciardi

I found the poem beautiful and thought you all might enjoy it as well.  I had never heard of Benjamin Gucciardi and ended up down a rabbit hole when I googled him.

Wishing you all a beautiful start to the week - enjoy!


Friday, February 7, 2025

TGIF and a Finish!!! 2/7/25

 Hello My Friends,

And Happy Friday!  It's been a week, hasn't it?  Lots going on and I'm sure lots more to come.  Let's hold steady and not lose faith.

We did end up with ice and sleet overnight Wednesday night into Thursday.  Fletch and I stayed in all day yesterday.  No need to venture out.

And...drumroll...because of staying in all day and ignoring the cleaning chores, I have a finish!  My big sampler is complete!!  Woo-Hoo!


Isn't she pretty?  I really do like this one a lot.  I am also really happy to be finished stitching on it!  The piece is "The Blessing" by Vilma Becklin of Examplars From the Heart.  (BTW, I don't believe she is designing these days.). The fabric I used is 36 count linen and I stitched the sampler over two threads of linen with silk threads by Vicki Clayton.  She had put a packet together with threads specifically for this sampler.  I wasn't keen at first with the variegated threads, but I truly love how the sampler turned out.  This was a long haul:  I started this piece on September 3, 2024 and just finished yesterday, February 6, 2025!  For those of you curious about the back, here is a shot of that:


So today I will have the pleasure of looking for something new to stitch!  When I was awake during the night I was thinking about various pieces.  I might pick up something that was started a long time ago and never finished...but those are all BIG pieces.  I may be in the mood for something small and quick.  Maybe something all in red for February?  I'm not sure, but I'll enjoy looking through my stash later on.

I suppose I should get to at least some of the cleaning that I've been ignoring as I finished this sampler.  But honestly, cleaning is so easy to ignore!!  Especially when I have projects and books calling my name.  I did take butter out to soften to make a batch of cookies.  We are heading over to Colin & Mailing's for lunch tomorrow and I wanted to make some cookies for them.

Now it is time to pour another cup of coffee and get the day started.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Unraveled Wednesday 2/5/25

 Good Morning,

Hope this Wednesday finds you well and enjoying life.  I think that watching the birds at our feeders is good for me and good for my soul.  I think it helps lower my blood pressure...until Mr. Squirrel comes calling that is.  BUT, he's gotta eat as well and his antics can be amusing.  The other day I caught a weird sight:  a squirrel on the ground under our sunflower feeder was busy munching away.  His tail was in the usual question mark shape, but it looked like a skinny rat's tail!  There was no hair or fur or whatever on it.  Fletch came to see him and said that it looks like either Mabel got ahold of him or he had some strange birth defect or disease.

And now we are expecting wintry weather again!  We are supposed to have snow, sleet and freezing rain starting late tonight/early tomorrow morning and going through 9 or 10 a.m. tomorrow.  Getting around should be pretty miserable.  Be safe and warm if you are in the path of this mess.

But right now it is Wednesday and time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to chat about making and reading.  Goof stuff!

I will spare you yet another picture of my sock that is taking FOREVER for me to knit.  Perhaps if I would pick it up and actually knit on it there would be progress.  This past week all I managed to do was 6 rows on an eye of the partridge heel flap (I did get a lot of stitching accomplished though as yesterday's post revealed).

This morning I pulled out an old, lingering project.  My Hitch on the Move shawl.


This has not seen the light of day in months...maybe 6 months?  My intention was to pull it out and rip it out...or rather unravel it all.  I had not been happy with it.  BUT, when I pulled it out and spread it on the table, I liked it!  Whoa - maybe I should try knitting on this for a bit and see how it goes.  To be continued.

Meanwhile, on to the reading.  I finished Winter Morning Walks which is a collection of poetry by Ted Kooser.  After he had undergone some treatment for cancer, his doctor advised him to stay out of the sun, so he took to taking (very) early morning walks.  And, after a lull in his writing, he found that he was writing again.  These are short poems that he wrote and sent on postcards to Jim Harrison, another poet.  This is such a calming selection of poetry and I found myself sad when I finished the book.  But then I had also ordered Braided Creek which is a collection of poems that Ted Kooser and Jim Harrison wrote to each other.  They are haiku-like and quite beautiful.  There is no indication as to which poet wrote each poem - it makes it fun to guess.

Fletch and I stopped listening to The Warmth of Other Suns a week or so ago.  He was getting bored with it.  I will finish listening to it as I think it is quite good.  We have not yet come up with something to read (or listen to) together.

I am also reading The Secret History by Donna Tartt which is the current selection for the RWU book group.  I'm roughly 150 pages into it and am enjoying the writing a lot.  The story?  Not as much.  BUT, I still have a long way to go, so the story may grow on me.  I'm not finding it a fast read, but luckily I have enough time to finish it before our Zoom discussion in March.

And finally, I started reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer.  I had bought this book a few years back, but never started it.  After enjoying "The Serviceberry" by Kimmerer, I moved Braiding Sweetgrass from a bookshelf to my nightstand.  This will be a long term read as I can only read a few pages at night before my eyes start to close.  I've gotten through 1.5 chapters and am thoroughly enjoying it.

Today I will venture to the library as four books came through on my queue!!  Three for me and one for Fletch.  I need/want to get them before any winter weather comes our way.  I'll leave you with a picture of my Valentine Cactus with its second bud opened.  It is gorgeous!



Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Tiny Needle Tuesday 2/4/25

 Hey There!

Good Morning!  How are you?  I can feel that it is a bit warmer this morning, but I can't yet tell whether it is clear or somewhat cloudy.  Yesterday I actually managed to do a few things.  I paid the bills that were sitting on my desk (too many) and I took everything out of the freezer to do an inventory.  It is possible that I could be accused of hoarding food!  LOL.  I discovered that we have roughly 5 different kinds of fish in the freezer, along with a whole chicken, chicken breasts, drumsticks, different packages of beef, some vegetarian stuff I had made a couple of months ago, and on and on and on.  Whew!  No pork chops or ground turkey, so those are on the list for today's shopping.  Mostly though we just need fresh produce, milk, OJ, bread.  Also TP and tissues.

Do you remember a few months back "they" said there would be a shortage of Sriracha?  Luckily that did not happen.  But now, we cannot find Pickapeppa sauce - the original.  I can find mango pickapeppa, but not the old original.  I even checked Amazon!  None of our stores have it currently.  Just seems weird to me.

Anyway, moving on, it is Tuesday and time for a TNT update.  So close!


Look!!  The lawn is finished, a sunflower has been added on the right along with a little heart and the last blackbird is flying off in the upper right.  What's left?  A big ol' harvest moon in the upper right.  I hope the moon is not as much of a slog as that green grass was.  The green grass and the blue house seemed to take forever!

This sure has been a fun piece to stitch.  I'll have to think about what's next...and I'm thinking smaller for sure.  LOL

Time to grab more coffee and make sure Fletch is getting up.  Hoping your Tuesday is a good one.

Monday, February 3, 2025

Weekending

 Good Morning!

It's a bit chilly in my office (remember, I try not to use heat in this room because of Christmas Cacti and other plants) and we had snow last night!  What???  We had heard that we could have a wintry mix, but Fletch said it didn't look like we would.  Then around 8:30 he looked out and our picnic table was covered, there was snow on the grass and the cars in the driveway had a dusting.  And...it is supposed to get into the 50's today!  Talk about a roller coaster.

How was your weekend?  Mine was relaxed in many ways.  We had dinner Saturday night at Mailing's parent's home to celebrate the Lunar New Year.  Dumplings, fish, green beans, etc., etc.  All was delicious.  I brought a beet salad to go with everything and there were cakes with red bean paste (which I LOVE) for dessert.

Iris had slept for 6 hours straight Friday night!!  But, she was cranky and fussy on Saturday.  Dinner was early as C&M wanted to get home in time to give Iris a bath and get her settled down for the night.  I'll have another chance for Iris snuggles next Saturday when we go to C&M's for brunch.


A pink Christmas Cactus is blooming again...maybe it's a Valentine's Cactus?  LOL

My fight with the squirrel continues.  Carole had suggested that I get some hot seed for the feeder since squirrels don't like that.  Well...I bought hot seed.  The bag specifically states "no squirrels, just birds" BUT after filling the feeder, who came to dine?  Mr. Squirrel.  He feasted for some time and then finally went away (he doesn't even move when I bang on the window now...grrrrr).  I thought ok, maybe he will get a tummy ache and not come back.  But, day two found him back at the feeder munching on the hot seed.  He has pretty much destroyed that feeder - ripping it apart.  I also found Mr. Squirrel sitting in the peanut feeder we have hanging on our patio.  

Time to have another cup of coffee and try to wake up.  I have errands to run this morning and, once it does warm up some, I am hoping to get out for a walk.  I hope your Monday is off to a great start!

Friday, January 31, 2025

Ending the Week...and the Month

 Hello My Friends,

Let's wave goodbye to January as we welcome February tomorrow.  It's been a long month, huh?  And so much negativity - it is truly wearying.  Add to that today's weather which is damp and grey.  We are supposed to have rain on and off all day long.

But yesterday the sun was out and I decided to get out and clear my head.  I drove over to the River Walk in Valley Forge Park.  There were just two other cars in the parking lot and I did not see a single soul during my walk.  I had to walk slowly and cautiously at times as there was a lot of ice on the trail.


The ice was not thick, but it sure was slippery!  There was also ice at the edge of the Schuylkill River.


There were some ducks on the River, but I did not see any other birds or creatures.  I enjoyed the solitude so much.  

When I turned around to walk back to my car, I discovered that it was still a bit windy.  Enough that my eyes watered and my nose was running.  And, despite wearing an ear band and having a scarf wrapped around my neck, I was a little chilly.  Still, though, it was a beautiful day and I'm glad I ventured out.


That blue sky was amazing!!

We are looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow evening for a Lunar New Year celebration.  And, of course, getting in some Iris snuggles.  Wishing you all a wonderful weekend - enjoy!!

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Unraveled Wednesday 1/29/25

 Hello All,

A balmy 36 degrees this morning!  It is overcast, but warmer.  However, the winds are supposed to really kick in.  I'm happy to say that my dermatology appointment was great - no spots of bother" were found which is a wonderful thing.  Today I will run out to CVS to pick up a prescription for a cream for my itchy finger.  My doctor is sure it is a type of eczema.  I have been using an over the counter cortisone cream but not with much success.  My doctor says that what she prescribed is roughly 100% stronger/better than any over the counter stuff.  Fingers crossed (but not the itchy one).

And, Happy Lunar New Year!  2025 is the Year of the Snake.  I'm not fond of the animal, but both Colin and Mailing are snakes and I love them dearly.  Iris is a dragon!  We will be celebrating with Mailing's family on Saturday - dumplings for dinner!!

So, it is Wednesday and time for an unraveled update.  Let's link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk about making and reading.  I do love Wednesdays - to find out what others are up to and what they are reading.

My "making" has been a bit on the slow side.  I guess that once again I've stitched a bit more than knit, but there has been progress on my sock.  A third color has been added:


If you enlarge the picture, you may see the color better.  These three yarns are are my November 2024 Sock Squad yarns from The Farmer's Daughter.  The Silver and Mulberry skeins are half skeins (50 grams) and the purple is a mini.  I'm about to start the heel flap, then turn the heel and start down the foot.  I'll switch back to the silver and then add some more purple at the toe.  Hopefully it will all turn out lovely.  I like the silver and purple and I like the silver with the mulberry, but the purple and mulberry together seem to clash to me.  We shall see....

Reading has been good.  I have three books to tell you about.  First up I read The Farmer's Wife: My Life in Days by Helen Rebanks.  Her husband, James, is apparently a famous author...but not one I've heard of.  Anyway, they live on a farm in the Lake District of England where they raise their four kids along with a whole lot of sheep and cattle and other animals.  Helen also includes recipes in this book.  So between the book being a memoir and recipes, I was drawn in.  It was good.  Not great, but good.  The recipes to me were rather ordinary and I didn't bother writing any of them down.  The book did make me realize (again) that I'm sure glad not to be married to a farmer and living that life!!  LOL

Next up I read Broken Ground by Val McDermid.  I had written down Val McDermid's name on my TBR list noting that she is an author of Scottish mysteries...detective type books.  This one is the 5th (I think) in a series starring Karen Pirie a cold case detective.  It was just ok for me.  An easy read, but not all that compelling.  I may try another one of McDermid's books and see how that goes.

Saving the best for last, I finished Water, Water the latest collection of poems from Billy Collins.  What is not to love?  Fletch had given me this book at Christmas and I was keeping it on my nightstand and spacing my reading out to savor each poem and to make the book last.  But last night I picked it up and finished the last 20 or so poems.  Though not my favorite Billy Collins collection, it is wonderful.

The reason I picked it up and finished it was that I started my latest library book Conjure Women - a book that Karen had just read and recommended.  But, when I started reading it I discovered I'd read it a few years back!  Now my list of errands today includes a stop at the library to find something new to read!

If you are still here, thanks for sticking with this long post.  Happy Hump Day and enjoy your Wednesday.

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Tiny Needle Tuesday 1/28/25

 Good Morning My Friends,

The thermometer outside our bedroom window was almost at 30 when I got up an hour ago!  It feels almost balmy outside.  I sure hope the wicked cold is over.  Our electric bill came yesterday and it is a whopper!  We have electric heat which we have always loved.  We have thermostats in every room (including the two bathrooms) and rarely turn the heat on upstairs (we do use that bathroom's heat when getting showers).  Usually we just have heat on in the living room, kitchen (when I am not cooking) and sometimes the downstairs bathroom.  Recently though we've had to really crank things up and turn on the guest room heat to help warm up the downstairs.  Our electric bill is roughly double what it was last month!  As I said, I sure hope the dangerous cold is over, but I heard the wind again in the night howling around the house.

It's time for a TNT update on my sampler.  I managed to add a few things this past week.  Here is a closeup of what was added:


The tree on the right side is now sporting some Fall leaves.  The grass has started to grow and a few critters (I'm guessing they are dogs) are strolling across the bottom.  And, one and a half blackbirds have been added (one-half at the top and one near the top of the tree).  It sure has been fun to stitch some things other than a BIG dress!  The grass gets a little boring, but then I switch to something else.  Here is a picture of the overall piece.


Still a lot of stitching to go, but progress is being made!  The poor linen is so wrinkled...it will be a bitch to iron this one and get it flat!

I have my semi-annual check up with my dermatologist this afternoon - wish me luck!  Ever since losing half my nose to skin cancer, I see her every six months for a full body check.  Luckily there have been no further issues, but I'm always a little anxious when I go.

Well, time for me to pour another cup of coffee and try to wake up.  I can hear Fletch is in the shower and we will go grocery shopping later this morning (I can't wait to see the price of eggs - NOT).  Hope your Tuesday is a good one!

Monday, January 27, 2025

Weekending 1/27/25

Hello Everyone,

 

How are you this Monday morning?  Who else is finding it hard to believe that we are at the end of January?  Once again, time is zipping by at a rapid pace.

 

We had a delightful weekend.  We were at Colin & Mailing's on Saturday and Iris is growing so fast!  She is enjoying holding up her head...or banging it against you when you hold her.  LOL. She is loving her walks outside - she pretty much falls asleep immediately.  A girl after my own heart.

 

Talbot is doing well too.  He has taken Iris' appearance at the house in stride with no issues.  Saturday was a sunny day and he was lounging on the ottoman most of the time we were there.



He's a furry one!

 

Mailing is usually the baker, but Colin has started trying his hand at sourdough and he gave us a boule to take home!



Oh yum!!  Sunday I cut a few slices for our lunch and made a meal that I hated as a kid and now I love!  You toast your bread, then spread it with deviled ham (the kind you get in a little can).  Top it with some barely steamed fresh asparagus and then a bit of very sharp cheese.  Stick it under the broiler to melt the cheese and bang!  You have a wonderful sandwich.


 

It always amuses me how many things I disliked as a kid and now I love:  turnips, parsnips, Brussels sprouts, cooked cauliflower (I always loved it raw), etc.  This sandwich is one of those things.


We are a little late to the party, but we are now hooked on the show Shrinking.  I'm looking forward to getting into Slow Horses too.  Amazing - I am actually enjoying TV!  LOL


Time to pour another cup of coffee and sort the laundry.  Hope your Monday is off to a good start!

Friday, January 24, 2025

End of the Week 1/24/25

 Good Friday Morning!

It's milder this morning - already up to 15!  I was thinking about C&M getting Iris out in this weather and really, they are smart.  And, Iris seems to love it.  Yesterday Colin texted Fletch a picture when they were out for a walk.  Mailing was bundled up in her puffer coat and had Iris strapped to her front - all bundled up of course.  They both had great grins on their faces.

I also remember eons ago - decades - when I was a little kid (single digits), we had a big snow and we built an igloo right outside our front door.  My parents got out sleeping bags and let us kids (my two older brothers and me) get in the igloo and be all cozy and warm.  We did not spend the entire night in the igloo, but it sure was a fun time.

Another memory is of my Mom gathering freshly fallen snow to make sugar on snow (maple syrup on snow).  Delicious!!

I did get some cookies baked in the past couple of days.  First up are oatmeal cookies with dried blueberries and pistachios in them.  Yummy!!


The next batch were chocolate chip with the addition of caramel chips.  Oh man!  I will make these again!!

Well, I can't get the picture to load, but they just look like chocolate chip cookies!  LOL. We will take some of both kinds over to Colin & Mailing tomorrow.  And, I did share some with Rob & Eva (neighbors).  I didn't see them or go in - Rob just tested positive for Covid.  He got on Paxlovid right away, so hopefully he will be feeling better soon.

My hope is to ease into the weekend nicely.  I want to get out to pick up wine to take over to C&M tomorrow, but otherwise I plan to stay in and read, knit and stitch.  Make your Friday a good one!


Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Unraveled Wednesday 1/22/25

 Good Morning All,

I do hope everyone is managing with this bitter cold weather (IF you are in polar vortex that is).  I looked at two different weather apps this morning.  One told me it was -5 outside and the other told me it was +1.  To me they feel pretty much the same!  Those crazy kids (C&M) took Iris out for a walk yesterday!  They texted a picture to Fletch and she was so bundled up (thank goodness and as she should be).  I don't know how long they were out or how Iris took to the frigid air.  Colin had bought a fleece bunting (complete with bear ears, covered feet and covered hands) for Iris, so I'm sure she was toasty.  And, my friend Leslie had crocheted her the cutest hat.  (At this point I am remembering how Colin would literally howl and scream and cry any time I tried to put a winter coat on him - LOL - he was the child who would go outside in the snow in shorts and a tank top.)

Yesterday I did get out to do the grocery shopping...but many shelves were bare (none of Fletch's yogurt, no broccoli, no scallions, etc., etc.).  However, there were plenty of fresh flowers and I just had to get some.


Actually the yellow roses are from the prior week.  They never really opened up, and some wilted, but I added some new flowers to brighten up our days a bit.  There is also a vase on the table.  Today I will probably venture to a second grocery store to see if I can find what the first store was lacking.  First, though, I have promised Fletch that I will bake some oatmeal cookies for him.

Before I get to the baking though, it is time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk all about making and reading.

Only a little knitting was accomplished during the past week.  I know the sock looks the same, but a number of rows have been added.


I need/want to pick another color for this sock (there is not enough of the light grey for 2 socks).  I will try to get to that today.  Also on the intention list is to get back to my Heart Warmer Cowl and to cast on a hat.  Colin continues to walk on these chilly mornings and I think a nice warm hat is in order for him.  As usual, I'm full of good intentions. (Isn't that quote something like the road to hell is paved with good intentions?  Hopefully I will not end up in hell.  LOL)

Reading has been excellent though.  I have two books that I highly recommend for you.  They are so good that I have, in fact (Carole - do NOT laugh) started keeping a journal (yes - moi) of quotes.  I kept a journal like that years ago and then stopped.  Anyway, onward to the books.  The first is The Heartbeat Library by Laura Imai Messina.  This novel is all about loss, grief, healing, friendship and is simply marvelous.

The second book is one a number of you have already read:  The Serviceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer.  Gratitude, reciprocity and community.  Lovely concepts.  As I mentioned in my post yesterday, our neighbor Rob bringing over fresh baked bread from his oven made me think of this book (and I will be sharing cookies with him!).  Reading this book got me thinking about how my grandparents lived in Vermont.  They did an awful lot of bartering.  At one point my grandfather was running the village creamery and would trade butter and milk for meat from other villagers.  My grandparents never had much but they did have plenty.  Having read this I am also reminded that I bought "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Kimmerer but have not read it.  I need to make room on my nightstand for that book for some "before I turn out the light reading" each night.

That's a wrap for me on this Unraveled Wednesday.  Be sure to head over to Kat's to see what others are up to in the making and reading worlds.  I guarantee you will be filled with inspiration.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Tiny Needle Tuesday 1/21/25

 Good Morning!

My coffee tastes particularly good this morning - my phone tells me that it is zero degrees outside.  Yikes!  I did not go outside at all yesterday.  Fletch did clean off the cars.  One of the cars has doors that are frozen shut and will not open...luckily the other one has doors that open.  Fletch has an appointment this morning, so he has to go out.  I will wait and do grocery shopping later in the day.  The next few days are not forecast to be any warmer, so no real point in waiting.

Time for a Tiny Needle Tuesday update.  Some stitching was accomplished!


The lady's rather big dress is finally completely stitched!  Next will be a walkway to the house and then the yard.  Lots of space will be filled in completely.  The tree on the right still needs leaves and then there is the big moon to stitch in the upper right...and some blackbirds.  I am not going to figure out how many stitches are in this piece - that would just make me nuts!!

Fletch has been keeping a glass of water on the counter by the sink - easier to take a sip from that than opening a water bottle all the time.  However...this is what I saw yesterday:


Mabel was a little thirsty I guess.  I washed that glass and put out a fresh one for Fletch and once again Mabel helped herself.  This is the first I've ever seen her drinking from a glass.

Time for me to get a second cup of coffee and start moving around.  Have a good Tuesday!

Monday, January 20, 2025

Weekending 1/20/25

 Good Morning!

Pretty chilly here (11 when I looked at my phone earlier), but not as cold as Boulder, CO.  My brother texted me that it was -7 at his house yesterday morning!

So, what has been happening?  I was at the King of Prussia Mall twice in the past 4 days.  This is a place I have not been to for at least a decade!!  But, necessity demanded a visit.  I (finally) got an iPhone and needed to pick it up at the Apple Store.  Then we ditched cable on Friday but could not get our TV hooked up to our new internet (we had to upgrade that...of course...), so we bought an AppleTV to hook up and that seems to be working.  Eliminating cable has not saved us very much $$$ (we are now streaming Hulu plus live TV) because our internet fee went from $35 to $100.  It's all a game and I don't enjoy playing it at all.  Bottom line:  I hope I don't need to go back to the mall...ever...!!

Then on Saturday mid-day, I received a text from our neighbor Rob with this picture:


Fresh out of the oven and he wanted to know if we wanted one.  They are either round loaves or gigantic rolls!  LOL. And they are a combination of sourdough, rye and whole wheat.  I replied "you bet" and within 5 minutes Rob was walking into our house with one of these beauties.  We ended up having part of it last night with bowls of chili and it is delicious!

(For those of you who have read "The Serviceberry" by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Rob's sharing reminded me of that book.)

Sunday started off chilly and damp feeling.  We were expecting a "big" snow and it finally started around 11 a.m. and continued to snow most of the day.


We ended up with maybe 3" or so...maybe a little more (I did not go out to measure).  You can see in the bottom left of the photo where Fletch had shoveled a path out to our bird feeder hanging on the clothesline.  Gotta keep our avian friends well fed in this weather!  Our temps are forecast to dip into the single digits overnight for the next 3 nights or so.

My plan for today is to stay inside and do some knitting and stitching, some reading and perhaps a little napping.  If I get motivated or ambitious, I may try to do something with my recipes (organizing would be a good idea) or my knitting and stitching supplies.  Sometimes it is easier to just close my eyes and mumble "another day."

Please stay warm if you are in the path of this deep freeze.  We have food to keep us going for days which is a nice feeling!

Thursday, January 16, 2025

A Poem. 1/16/25

Good Morning!

I was not intending to post today, but then I saw Bonny's Post and was reminded that it is the third Thursday of the month (already!!) and time for A Gathering of Poetry.  Today I am sharing one of my favorite Ted Kooser poems.  It can be found in his book "Valentines."


Screech Owl

All night each reedy whinny

from a bird no bigger than a heart

flies out of a tall black pine

and, in a breath, is taken away

by the stars.  Yet, with small hope

from the center of darkness

it calls out again and again.




Wednesday, January 15, 2025

Unraveled Wednesday 1/15/25

 Good Morning Friends, 

I hope this Wednesday morning finds you doing well.  Mabel allowed me to sleep a little later this morning, but I was awake in the night (from roughly 2 a.m. through 4 a.m.) and listened to the wind once again howling around outside.  I've never been one to be bothered by the wind.  I don't like being in it (sensitive ears), but it hasn't "bothered" me per se.  This year?  I am bothered.  It just feels like it is incessant and unrelenting.  I say enough already!

And, I can't seem to warm up.  Yesterday I was cold all day long.  (I was wearing wool socks and slippers, leggings, a turtleneck and sweatshirt and had a shawl wrapped around me.). I took a nap under a heavy wool Pendleton blanket and woke up shivering!  What's up with that?  I'm trying to remember the sweltering heat of the summer and how I longed at the time for cooler temps, but that is not working.

OK, enough complaining.  Time to get on with the day.  It's Wednesday which means Unraveled Wednesday and time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk all about the making and reading.

I haven't yet started back on the Heart Warmer Cowl.  I had also hoped to cast on a hat, but that hasn't happened yet.  I did, however, start a new sock so that I would have something easy and simple to knit while Fletch and I listen to a book after dinner.


 (My cute little sheepy stitch marker is from a visit to the Finger Lakes Fiber Festival years and years ago.). The yarn is some of my 2024 Sock Squad yarn from The Farmer's Daughter.  No pattern - just a plain vanilla sock.

Several books were finished this past week.  First there was The Secret Life of Sunflowers by Marta Molnar.  This is a novel based on the life of van Gogh's sister-in-law, Johanna Bonger.  Of course there is a modern day story to go along with Johanna's story and that was a little bit of "chick-lit," but overall I enjoyed the book.

Next up was A Single Thread by Marie Bostwick.  Definitely "chick-lit."  There was divorce, cancer, new friends, opening a quilt shop, etc., etc.  A very quick read that was not all that inspiring, but apparently what I needed at the time.

Lastly, there was Here by Richard McGuire.  Graphic novels are not my typical genre, but Kat had recommended this book last week.  And you know what?  I enjoyed it!!  I requested it from my library, picked it up Saturday morning and read it Saturday night.  Really, there is not a lot to read, but the art work is very interesting and parts of this look at a corner of a room over hundreds of thousands of years was pretty humorous as well.  I'm sure I did not catch a lot of things since I did not look again (and again and again) at the book.  I also saw that it is a movie (which I'm having a hard time understanding...but...I may look for it).

Finally, Fletch and I are continuing to listen to The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson after dinner and are continuing to enjoy it.  This will be going on for some time as we have at least 22 hours left to listen!!

I'm headed to the library later to pick up another book or two and we also need more peanuts for the birds.  Hope your Wednesday is a good one!

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Tiny Needle Tuesday 1/14/25

 Hello and Good Morning,

I was up early this morning - like 5 a.m.  Someone (that would be Mabel) was crowding me a little bit...nudging up heavily against my legs.  Sigh.  But, that's fine.  I got up, showered and am now having coffee and feeling pretty awake!

It is Tuesday and time for a check in on my stitching.  I have some wonderful news:  the house has finally been completely painted!  Yup!  It took some time (if it had been my house I would have fired the painter and gotten a new one...so long...), but now that part is complete.


The lady still needs the bottom part of her dress, but the outlining is done on her.  Whew!  I really dislike doing outlining.  It adds a lot, but I find it to be a PITA.

What else?  It stayed pretty gloomy looking yesterday until late in the afternoon when the sun finally decided to shine.  I made a big pot of soup for dinner along with some biscuits - a perfect day for that.  I'm not sure what today will be like weather-wise (it is still very dark outside).  But shrimp is on the menu for dinner, so that will be good!

Fletch has an appointment this morning, so I will be on my own for groceries.  We are desperately in need of fresh produce - I think we are down to broccoli and radishes in the frig and two apples in the fruit bowl.  Time to replenish!

Whatever you are up to, I hope your day is an enjoyable one!  Stay warm (or cold if that is your preference).

Monday, January 13, 2025

Weekending 1/13/25

 Greetings from Grey PA,

It's certainly not very inspiring outside this morning.  It's all grey and overcast, though (thankfully) no precipitation in today's forecast.

How was your weekend?  Ours was relaxed and pretty lazy.  There was time for reading, knitting and stitching!  I did venture out to the State Store on Saturday to get wine and also to the library to pick up books.  Fletch was good enough to clean off my car before I ventured out (we had more snow overnight Friday night).

Yesterday we ventured over to Colin & Mailing's for brunch.  It was Iris' 1 month birthday!!  Colin fixed pineapple mimosas (Yum) and delicious chicken and waffles.  We had some greens on the side.  Everything was delicious.  We only stayed through brunch.  It was pretty obvious that C&M were both tired.  And, truth be told, we were tired too. I took a 1.5 hour nap once we got home!


This morning has been a bit on the busy side.  I got up a little late (for me) (7 a.m.), came down and got the coffee perking and then dove in to some chores.  I put a clean tablecloth on the table, took the Christmas things off the buffet and put a new runner down.  Brought back my fairy light tree and the little house that Zhongren built.  Put some more things in the donation bag and got the first load of wash going.

I also watered all the house plants and my largest Christmas Cactus is still blooming.  Lots of blossoms and more buds.


Well, time to get the first load of wash into the dryer and get the second load started.  And, time for another cup of coffee!  Hope your Monday is off to a great start!

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Unraveled Wednesday 1/8/25

 Good Morning!

Mabel was kind enough to not wake me up until almost 7 this morning!  That was wonderful and enabled me to get 8.5 hours of sleep.  Bliss!  It is a crisp 23 degrees outside and the birds are coming to the feeder at my office window.  Mabel is somewhere else in the house - she is not on her ledge where she can bat against the window.

Last night's Book Zoom meet-up was good.  Even though I had not read the book.  And even though the discussions did not led me to want to read the book.  LOL.  It was nice to see everyone again.

Now it's Wednesday.  Hump Day.  Mid-Week.  Time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk all about making and reading.  Two of my favorite subjects.  As I mentioned the other day on my blog, there was a bit of unraveling that went on.  In fact all that I had knit on the Heart Warmer Cowl was ripped back to the very beginning (meaning cast on).  I had gotten through the first round of lace work and was starting on the second round when (somehow) I was distracted and really messed it up.  I tried for over an hour to un-knit or tink back what I had done but honestly I could not make sense out of any of it.  Finally I realized it would be faster to rip it out and start over.  So, that is what I did.


This is how it looks now.  Ten rows of ribbing (1x1) are completed and the first two rounds of the cable and lace pattern have been knit.  Yesterday I did no knitting thanks to being busy and my finger bothering me.  Today I am hoping for some quiet time when I can get back to work on this (no distractions and no irritating background noise!! - wish me luck...).

Reading has been good.  I finished The Return of the Light - Twelve Tales From Around the World for the Winter Solstice which I enjoyed.  This is a book I had suggested to Fletch that we read after dinner, but he did not enjoy it.  The tales are short and easy to read and they are all about light (sun).  Easy to read a tale before turning out the light to go to sleep.

I also read The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd - another book that I enjoyed.  At first I thought it was one I had already read, but as it moved along, I realized I had not.  (I guess I may have read a number of books like it - slavery in the South in the early 1800's.)  The book was a good read for me - easy to read and not too taxing on my brain.  Exactly the kind of book I like to read in early January.

I'm happy to say that Fletch and I have agreed on a book that we are listening to after dinner:  The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson.  The narration, so far, is wonderful.  This book has been on my TRB list for quite some time and Sunday the post from MDK was about it which was the reminder I needed!  For those of you who have already read the book, and for those interested in it, I had a newsletter from our local PBS station and it mentioned that Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (of "Finding Your Roots" fame) has made a documentary titled "The Great Migration."  The four part series will start airing on PBS at the end of January.

And that's a wrap for me.  Today is a day where I have absolutely no plans and that suits me just fine!  I hope everyone has a wonderful day and remember to check out Kat's blog to see what everyone else is up to in the making and reading worlds.

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Tiny Needle Tuesday 1/7/25

 Hey Everyone,

Good Morning!  Man is it cold here in Eastern PA.  It snowed all morning yesterday!  Despite that, we only got about 2" or so of snow.  Which is fine with me.  Then it snowed again last night for a couple of hours, but just a dusting.  And the wind!  Still howling around outside.  It's hard to remember back to those sweltering summer days when I was wishing for winter!  LOL

Finally, finally, I got back to stitching a little over the weekend.  It felt like years since I had picked up a needle.


Another sunflower was added to the left of the house as well as a third black cat and another red squirrel.  So many critters!!  A little more of the woman's dress was stitched, but there is still a long way to go on that.

Winter has taken a toll on my hands.  Or, more specifically, my right hand.  I have a crack that has formed at the top of my thumb.  My right index finger is covered in eczema (at least that's what I think it is).  It's a wonder how something can itch and hurt at the same time!  At any rate, this has made stitching a little difficult and also knitting.  I have a dermatologist appointment at the end of the month and I'll be happy to have my doctor take a look at my hand.

Looking forward to seeing some of you tonight for our Zoom book discussion with Kym, Carole and Bonny!

Monday, January 6, 2025

Weekending 1/6/25

 Hello and Good Morning!

First of all, Happy Birthday to my friend Carol!  May this year be one of joy and good health for you.

Second of all, it's snowing!  Yup, we had a dusting (again) on Friday, but today more is expected.  They are forecasting 1-3" for us.  But, of course, they don't really know what they are talking about.  When I look at our radar map, it appears that it could snow through 1 p.m. - that is 6 plus hours of snow, so we shall see.  Meanwhile, it is cold and periodically the wind is still howling around.



Luckily, I have no pressing need to go out.  Saturday I spent ALL day inside.  I did manage to get dressed (just barely).  I found time to knit, stitch, read, nap and cook.  It was (for me) a perfect day.


Some unraveling occurred.  The entire cowl that had gotten to the 20th row or so was taken off the needles.  Apparently I cannot work on lace work when there are distractions (TV) in the background.  I'm back to where I need to start the lace work and cables, so wish me luck (and some peace and quiet).

Yesterday I did venture out.  We were low on sunflower seeds and with the storm predicted, wanted to be sure we had enough for our feathered friends.  And, since I was out I also picked up wine - it would be horrible to get snowed in without wine!  LOL

Yesterday I did more stitching and some knitting and also cleaned off my desk.  That took some time.  I have journals out that I will use for 1) books that I read or listen to in 2025 and 2) a journal to record my walking.  More things were pulled together for the donation bag.  I would like to pull things together to donate to our local food pantry - a bunch of "food stuffs" are on shelves in our basement, so if I can tolerate being in the basement (it's cold!!) I will do that.

Today the plan is to do more knitting and stitching, a bit of reading and maybe some more organizing of "things."  It is so easy for stuff to pile up and before you know it, it's overwhelming to deal with it all.  I also took Thanksgiving turkey out of the freezer so that I can make mini turkey pot pies for dinner.

How was your weekend?  Please stay warm and safe - especially if you are in the path of the storm.