what the fuss is about

Signature circular needles.  Sundara Black over Violet.

Damson by Ysolda...meditative and serene.

KnitPicks DPN's.  Cascade Heritage hand painted socks.

A second pair of Monkey's found on Knitty.com.  Brilliant.  This is Sunday-morning-knitting-on-the-porch at its best.  The finest materials and tools in my hands.  Woman's Best Friend at my feet -

pickin' peas

The sugar snap pea season is hauntingly brief in these parts.  Neglect to plant by St Patrick's Day and you'll regret this indiscretion all summer.  There is nothing to compare to the taste of a pea, sweet,tender and amazing - right off the vine!

We'll be feasting on these tonight with our grilled and marinated flank steak.  We still allow ourselves beef - once a month, maybe twice.
The most wonderful book arrived today - this is a Keeper -

Two chapters in and I'm HOOKED.  This, coming from a knitter who is trying to ween herself off of Amazon.  I am stoic for days at a time.  But I always crumble!
I brought hydrangeas into work this morning and saved some for the kitchen table -

The winter was hard on my Endless Summer shrubs.  The blooms are vibrant, but small.

My all-time favorites.
This blog seems to have been limping along throughout the early spring.  Truly, it's been a difficult time, punched through and through with one emotional roller coaster after another.   Summer has officially arrived and with it, renewed energy and hopefulness.  Thank you for hanging in there.  I mean it.

 Fruit Salad socks completed and ready for soaking - Onward and Upward!

father's day w/o the father

My father was odd when it came to presents.  He always seemed to struggle with gift-giving - ours, not his.  For whatever reason (s), he felt that our money was best spent on ANYTHING other than a gift for him!!!  And so, when a gift was presented it was often received with a "why'd ya spend your money on this for?" instead of, "thanks, that's great."  The last decade found me presenting the perfect gift - something that he could neither criticize or minimize.  Father's Day fell in late June - just when my romaine lettuce came in.  I always brought him a head or two of perfectly grown lettuce!  He was content; I was relieved.


And now he is gone.  Mom and I visited his grave site today.  It is a beautifully serene spot with a clear view of the river.  She left rocks gathered in Nantucket and red roses.  It was not as hard as I'd anticipated.  The suffering is over and the memories move us forward.  Mom brought something else back from Nantucket (I ended up staying behind this year for various reasons) - something quite scrumptious ...

What can I say about cashmere that hasn't already been said?

Absolutely nothing, and entirely everything.
Wandering around the gardens I found both lavendula and hungarian poppy in bloom - how did I miss them?

The Golden Dog and I sat outdoors for awhile and contemplated a perfect June afternoon, complete with knitting and a rawhide chewie.

We hope that your Father's Day was excellent in all ways.  

under the weather

Have been feeling a bit under the weather.  Added to that, Blogger has irritated me so much that I cannot express my disappointment.  Each time that I have a post readied, Blogger craps out.  Something has to give.

The 'Fruit Bowl' superwash from Knitting Notions is really wonderful fiber and has done a lot to improve my grumpiness.  I have a new fav sock pattern as well - it's Spring Forward by Linda Welch and you can find it at Knitty.  


The tea cloth that you see my sock resting on was made for me by my wonderful cousin.

Everything she creates makes me smile.  I am reading -

It hasn't grabbed me yet - never a good sign three chapters in.

peas and carrots

'Me and Bubba is like peas and carrots' - do you recognize this line?  It's from Forrest Gump, one of my all-time favorite films.  I like to think that me and my knitting are like that, peas and carrots.  

I've been knitting like a maniac, completely avoiding the garden.  The russian kale awaits, the purple cabbages.  If the peppers don't get established this weekend, well, who knows?  I've lost my garden mojo.  I wish to reclaim it, but have no idea where it went.

A small sleeve - the beginning of an Inky Dinky cardigan - so hard to put this kind of magic away.  I can hear the tractor puttering around outside the window.  Scott is still cleaning up branches and debris from this -

I fear that we will have to take some of the ancient trees down before the next storm catapults them through the roof.  I worry about this stuff.  I worry about my animals being alone in the house during a severe storm and having a tree impale the roof - injuring and/or freeing my street-unwise beasts!  Scott says that I worry too much.  Look at this face and tell me what you think -

How could I ever forgive myself if anything happened to this guy?  I adore him.  I love him so much that I don't even flinch when he runs through my hosta bed.

Now THAT'S true love!

cooling off

We've been suffering.  The temps have hit and stayed in the high 90's this week, that is, until last night.  Around 5:00pm the house grew spooky dark, as if a heavy sheet had been thrown over its head! In the next moment the kitchen door sprang open with a crash! (which scared the living beJesus out of myself and the canines!)  Two seconds later the big party commenced - howling winds, swaying trees, the sound of wood splitting, the terrible hammering on the roof. 

Here we go again.  The early morning fog cleared enough to reveal our damage - the entire top of the maple stand is now lying on my herb garden.

Harley seemed mystified ... hmmm, where did THAT come from?  The front of the house is wearing huge conifer branches on its roof, but somehow,(miraculously) we never lost our power.  This early summer storm cleared away the weeks' heat and humidity.  The sound of chain saws will destroy our weekend peace.

I finished the Blue Moon Monkey socks - they need a good soaking bath.  Cookie is a brilliant sock designer and I understand that she has a new book published ... I wonder if I can get it through Amazon (a true addiction).

I know.  It's juicy, yes?  Knitting Notions - a first for this knitter, another Anne Hanson referral. She has never once steered me in the wrong direction and this is no exception -  I am going to adore knitting this merino sport as much as I already love its name - 'Fruit Bowl'!  One more glimpse?  Ok, ok ...

There's a new project in the works - one of my high school pals is about to become a grandmother.  Y'all know what THAT means!  I'll have something delicious to show you tomorrow.  IT'S PIZZA FRIDAY!  Around our house this means delivery=knitting time!!  YAY.

simplify

'Year by year the complexities of this spinning world grow more bewildering and so each year we need all the more to seek peace and comfort in the joyful simplicities.'
-Woman's Home Companion, 1935

Peonies before they shatter - delicate soapy fragrance, unmistakable.

A new 'Monkey' knit in Blue Moon cotton - scrumptious in vanilla.

Navy beans soaking, dreaming of molasses and brown sugar.

Tomato plants waiting patiently to sink their toes into the soil.

The happy knowledge that my homegrown gourds have been discovered and occupied.