Tiny Needle Tuesday 5/28/24

 Hello All,

Here's hoping everyone enjoyed a nice, long weekend.  Ours was nice, though a bit soggy yesterday.  The morning was gorgeous, but the afternoon saw heavy rain.  We are not complaining because we need it.  While Fletch and I were sitting on the patio yesterday afternoon I spotted something:

A sweet little heart at the top of one of our trees.  The tree is actually dead and is just being held up by a gigantic trumpet vine that has surrounded it.  The delicate little heart is just so nice.

Well, it's Tuesday and time for a Tiny Needle update.  I had thought/hoped to have a finish for you today, but that is not to be.  On Saturday, when I met up with Dee I mentioned that I had not done any stitching ALL week.  Right then and there I decided I needed to hop to it.  And I did...on Sunday...and then again yesterday.  Yesterday afternoon I had almost finished the final motif in the center.  But, as I was attempting to join it all together I realized that on the left hand side I was off by one single thread of linen.  For the life of me I couldn't see where my mistake was (in my defense, the last motif is stitched in the off-white thread which is difficult to see on a good day...add in clouds and rain...and you get the picture).  Anyway, I spent as much time frogging what I had stitched as I did stitching it.  You can probably see where I pulled out my stitching.

I left it at that and will pick it up again this week and (hopefully) finish it.

Today, however, will be taken up with some cooking.  Colin & Mailing were going to come over yesterday for a cookout, but the rain messed up those plans.  Instead they will be coming tonight.  Fletch is going to grill wings (hot and bbq) and I will make a corn & black bean salad.  Dessert will be strawberry shortcake, so I've got to make the biscuits, pick up heavy cream to whip and cut up some strawberries.

No other plans, which works for me.  Hoping your ease into this new week is a gentle one.  Enjoy!

Friends

 

Good Morning!

Happy Friday and Happy Memorial Day.  Nice to be at the start of a long weekend.  The yellow flag iris in our bog area have really multiplied this year.  I'm happy the deer have not destroyed them.  Colin & Mailing are headed out for a nice backpacking weekend with their friends Rob and Faye, so Fletch and I are on cat duty again this weekend starting with dinner tonight.  Luckily he and I have no real plans for the weekend.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting up with Dee and Bonny!

I'm fortunate that both of these lovely ladies live within a reasonable distance so that we can get together.  I drove to Dee's house and left my car there and she drove us to Peddler's Village where we met up with Bonny at Mama Hawks for some quality time catching up, sipping beverages and doing a little knitting.  We followed that with some lunch at Caleb's American Kitchen (the arugula salad was WONDERFUL!!).  By the way, we all get some brownie points for NOT visiting Twist Knitting and Spinning which is right across the street!  No stash enhancement, just a wonderful time with friends.

Pollen is still nasty around here.  Yesterday Dee and I came upon a cloud of dust...which turned out to be yellow pollen in the air.  It was thick.  Also, I ran into a bit of a traffic jam when I left Dee's yesterday afternoon.

There were another dozen or so (some even younger/smaller) crossing after these.  Everyone (human) was polite and let the geese cross the road.

In other news, my hearing aids have been ordered!  Yup.  I met with an audiologist on Thursday, had extensive testing and I do need some aids (which I had assumed).  Turns out our Medicare Advantage insurance is excellent (yay!) and basically I am getting two aids for the price of one!  They should be in within 2-3 weeks.  

No other news.  I'm just planning to ease into the weekend with a few chores and time with my needles (both kinds).  Sleep last night was not good, so there will most likely be a nap at some point.  Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Unraveled Wednesday 5/22/24

 Good Morning!

Hoo-Boy was yesterday warm.  Make that HOT (86 by my car's thermometer).  I ended up going to Evansburg State Park to walk after lunch.  I had not walked this particular trail in years (Fletch and I used to walk it a lot).  The access road is now blocked and you have to park at the head of that and walk down...in the sun...over a rough and uneven semi-paved-semi just rocks road.  Not all that pleasant...might be a better spot to walk come the Fall and Winter weather.  I did see some pretty flowers though.

There were not many folks about...one guy walking two small dogs (who had been swimming), one guy fishing and one couple sitting on rocks by the water.  For now (warm weather) I will stick to my other trails, but it was nice to be somewhere different.

Now it's Wednesday and time to meet up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravelers to talk making and reading.  My knitting has been slow, but steady.  The first shortie sock for my friend Merelyn has been finished and the second one started.

That's a mighty big looking foot!  LOL. The second sock is now at the heel flap.  This is what I will be bringing with me to work on when I meet up with Dee and Bonny tomorrow!

Another 8 rows of pattern have been added to my Fairy Maiden sock.  This is the first one and I sure wish it were going a little faster.  But those cables slow me down.  It is a pretty project though.

And the project that is really exciting me:  my Shakerag Skirt!!!

A bit hard to see the lace pattern here, but it is just so pretty and I absolutely LOVE the color of the yarn (Rowan's Creative Linen in Oasis).  I only have about 5 rows left and then I will be to the point where it will be mindless knitting round and round.  It's hard for me to figure out why I stopped working on this last summer.  The pattern is not all that difficult to memorize.  Yes, the rows are long, but you can get in a rhythm and they just sort of get done.  Anyway, whatever the reason, I'm happy to have picked it up again.

My reading has slowed a little bit.  The books are good, but it is hard to stay awake!  I've read the first three stories in Table for Two by Amor Towles.  Like everyone else, I'm enchanted by Towles' writing.  However, short stories are still not my favorite genre.  

Last night I was so tired (after minimal sleep the prior night and no nap), I went up to bed at 8:30!  Before turning out the light I picked up Musical Tables by Billy Collins.  I picked up this book when we were on vacation with Colin & Mailing and her parents earlier this Spring.  Billy Collins never disappoints.

Fletch and I started listening to Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo.  We've only listened for 3 nights and although I'm enjoying it, Fletch is getting bored.  It is becoming increasingly difficult to find books that are appealing to both of us...

Let me hear/read about what you are making and reading!

Tiny Needle Tuesday 5/21/24

 Good Morning My Friends,

How are you on this fine Tuesday?  I'll admit to being a bit sleepy still...we got home late from Colin's (after 10:30) last night.  It was so delightful sitting out in his backyard with a small fire blazing away.  Dinner was delicious too - Colin grilled hot and sweet Italian sausage he had picked up at the farmer's market, some fresh bread, a salad of romaine hearts with breakfast radishes and grated carrot, and braised broccolini.  

Talbot and Marcel were there and in fine form.  

We will be on cat feeding duty again this weekend as the kids are going backpacking with some friends.

This past week found me finishing the border motifs of the Vierlande Elisabeth Sampler.  I also added a small amount to the middle.  

Two of the medallions are a bit difficult to see unless you click to enlarge.  I'm still enjoying this piece very much even though it is taking me longer to stitch than I thought it would.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with audiologist.  What??  Yup, that's been me - constantly saying "what?" and having trouble hearing the TV.  My main question is why do I hear things I don't want to with no problem, but can't pick up dialogue on the TV?  Anyway, I'm pretty sure I will need hearing aids, but I will learn more tomorrow.

Today, meanwhile, is for grocery shopping and hopefully a walk (I never did get to that yesterday).  I'm trying a new recipe for dinner - a Sicilian Caponata with eggplant (duh), celery, leek, onions, capers, passata and a bunch of other things.  The leftover bread from Colin will go fabulously with it!

Now, however, it is time to hit "publish" and then pour a second cup of coffee.  Have a great Tuesday!

Weekending 5/20/24

Hello and Happy Monday,

Funny how the word "Monday" doesn't quite have the same meaning for me that it used to have.  LOL. In case you all have not figured it out, I am loving retirement!!  And the days/weeks are zipping by.  Here we are at May 20th already!  And another weekend over...hoping yours was a good one.

Fletch and I watched an interesting "nature moment" Friday afternoon.  As usual, we were sitting on the patio enjoying a beverage before making dinner.  There was a blur to the left and Mr. Fox was racing across our neighbor's back yard and into our woods...then across our woods (we could see him through the trees) and then out of sight.  The interesting thing was that a crow was chasing him!  The crow was very noisy.  Mabel had been on our driveway (off to the right), but she came racing to the back door and wanted in.  Smart cat.  I also tried to tell her that the crows are her friends, but I'm not sure she believes that.

Friday night I made a couple of loaves of lemon-walnut bread, planning to take one to our neighbors Rob & Eva.  Saturday morning Rob texted me that they had made focaccia and had saved some for us!  I was out running errands, but once home, Fletch and I walked over to Rob's to trade bread.  While talking with him outside, we saw Mr. Fox again, cross the street from Rob's property and then run between our house and our neighbor's.  There are so many of them (foxes) around!!  Rob also told us that one a young doe is keeping her little fawn safe in his barn!  Hopefully safe.

A shout out to Carole who a few weeks ago shared the recipe she used for little mini chicken pot pies.  I made little mini turkey pot pies on Saturday!

Boy were they good!  I wasn't sure that one would be sufficient for either of us, but it was!  So, we have two left for another dinner this week.  There was also quite a bit of filling left over which I think would be tasty over biscuits or toast or something...or just heated up in a bowl.

Just as our "regular" iris are beginning to wane, our flag iris are beginning to open up.  We have both purple and yellow in our "boggy area" and more yellow by the patio.

The boggy area is also where we have day lilies, but the deer have pretty much destroyed them.  Hoping they will leave the iris alone.

I've got a few errands to run today and am hoping to get a nice walk in.  Tonight Fletch and I are heading over to Colin's for dinner.  Mailing will be in Austin for work, but it will be good to see Colin again.

Here's hoping your week is off to a nice start!

Little One

 Good Morning All,

The weekend is upon us which is a marvelous thing (even though with retirement just about every day is a weekend!!).

I've no real news to share or pictures of works in progress, but yesterday afternoon a (very young) mother and her newborn fawn came out of our woods.

That cute little fawn was so wobbly on his/her legs!  Yes, we do have a problem with deer eating some of our plants, but when I see a little fawn, I cannot help but be happy.

No specific plans for today...hoping to do a few chores, hoping to get out for a walk, hoping to find time to stitch, knit and read.  All of that to be determined.  

Wishing you all a glorious weekend - enjoy!!

Unraveled Wednesday 5/15/24

 Good Morning!

It's a very drippy and grey morning here in Eastern PA.  I feel as though I may soon sprout webbing between my toes and fingers.  

The weather may be a bit on the uninspiring side of things, but it is Unraveled Wednesday and time to link up with Kat and her Merry Band of Unravels to talk making and reading.  Trust me, you will find inspiration there!

My knitting is moving along.  I completed a couple more pattern sections on my Fairy Maiden socks.  They are not fast to knit (on the cable rows anyway), but progress is being made.

I also did a little more on the shortie socks for my friend Merelyn.  Next up will be another color!

Miracle of miracles, I actually knit a number of rows on my Shakerag Skirt!!  I didn't take a picture because it's not that exciting, but soon it will be at the point where I just knit round and round and round!

The real miracle though is the sock I knit way back in January with my first Farmer Daughter's yarns.  The sock where I knit tiny crescent moons just under the cuff...and then couldn't get the sock over my (very high) instep.

Well, the miracle is that it fits my friend Carol!!  Woo-Hoo!  Now I need to knit a second one so that she can have a pair.  Of course, I threw out my pattern when it did not fit me, but it will be easy enough to re-create.

Onto the reading side of things.  I did finish "This Other Eden" by Paul Harding and enjoyed it a lot.  Now, once again, I am about 45 pages away from finishing a book.  This time it is Cane River by Lalita Tademy.  I found my copy of this book at a thrift store for 25 cents!  What a story.  Though a novel, it is based on the author's family history from pre-Civil War through the mid 1900's.  There are a lot of pictures in the book - both of the author's family members, but also letters, bills of sale (slaves), etc.  I would have finished it last night, but my eyes kept closing!  Up next I have a copy of "Table for Two" on my nightstand (thanks for the loan Dee!) and I'm looking forward to starting that, perhaps even today!

Fletch and I have a little under two hours left of listening to "West With Giraffes."  Not sure what will be next for us to listen to or read together...I've been thinking of Confederacy of Dunces which I loved when I read it decades ago...and Fletch has never read it.  But, we may go with something completely different.

Well, it is still grey and drizzling here.  I hope your Wednesday is a good one!