Witches in Fiction 2016

The lovely and talented Magaly has sent out her invitations for this years Witches in Fiction. I've decided to join in this year rather than sitting on the sidelines.  I have no idea yet what I'll do, but something will show up here.  

Please follow the links above to Magalys' site to find out more about it and maybe sign up yourself?  

thanks for stopping by!

love & blessings
~*~

in the garden...

I thought I'd share a little peek at what is going on in my little garden these days.  There is not a whole lot going on, but what there is I find fascinating.

I've been watching the busy bee spending lots of time in the basil and now is resting on my screen door.  He's been there since last night and I'm a bit worried about him.  Hopefully he will get home safely soon.

The hummingbird vine is still sending out little blooms, as is the morning glory (a volunteer plant).  I still have tomatoes ripening and jalapenos growing.  Yesterday dawned cloudless and sunny but later in the day the clouds arrived.  Today is completely cloud covered and drizzly.  

I took the glass out of my back storm door yesterday and put in the screen.  I'm going to enjoy that as the weather cools.  I would have opened it today but the humidity is 100%, so even though the temps are in the low 70's it is still too muggy and hot to open the windows.  Hopefully tomorrow.  :-)

I've been working this week on an upgrade in my studio.  Most of my time is taken up with painting wood that is going to become shelving.  

I'm having so many ideas of things I want to make right now, but all of my craft supplies are boxed up behind stacks of materials so I can't get to any of it.  I'm hoping the muse will stick with me until I can get to things.  Hopefully, she'll at least stay long enough for me to make some notes on the things I want to make.  

Anywho, that's what is going on around here this week. How are things in your neighbourhood? Anything still growing in your garden?

thanks for stopping by!
love & blessings
~*~

Ahhhh...

Do you feel that?  The slight change in the air.  A new gentleness in the light.  Ah...Autumn.  

I love this time of year.  The trees changing colors, a coolness in the breeze.  Everything seems to be calming down, instead of the rush of summer.

We've had cooler weather (in the 70's) here these last several days and my windows have been open wide letting in that fresh air.  I'll have to close them again for the weekend and turn the A/C back on as it is to hit 90 on Saturday.  But, then the temps drop again and I've a feeling that will be it for hot weather.

I've spent quite a bit of time outside, puttering around in my little garden.  Everything is settling down and going to seed.  I keep thinking of planting a few collards, but I haven't done it.  I'm not sure if it is too late or not.  I'll have to look into that.

I have several projects going on around here.  Mostly I'm trying to collect supplies for this years Red Thread Retreat.  I'm so looking forward to going.  It is less than a month away.  

Well, I just wanted to pop in and say a quick hello, and welcome to Autumn.  I hope you are having a wonderful week.  

thanks for stopping by!
love & blessings
~*~

ps...if you follow me on Instagram you'll know I've been a bit obsessed with the skies lately.  hence the top photos :-)

wips and an fo...

I've been trying to keep busy.  I find that the more my hands are busy, the more productive I feel.  Feeling productive seems to be becoming more important to me every day.  I guess I'm tired of feeling like I'm just wasting space in this world.

Anywho, the last couple of weeks, the cognitive difficulties I've been experiencing for the past couple of years has become worse.  I was knitting away on the Lake Country Throw and all of a sudden, I couldn't remember what to do next.  I sat there looking at the needles and yarn feeling as if it was the first time I'd ever picked them up.  I kept thinking and concentrating.  Trying to figure out what to do next.  When I finally started again, I messed everything up.  But, of course!  I ended up having to pull out several rows and ended up stopping it at a place that I'm not sure exactly how to pick it back up.  I'm terribly afraid I'm going to have to frog the whole thing and start all over.  

 Lake Country Throw before my mix up

My other big knitting project is the Scoreboard that I started last September.  I finished it just a week before the new NFL season started.  I was shocked at just how big it turned out.  When I tried it on it almost smothered me.  Luckily, my brother, whom I made it for, is much taller than I am and when I gave it to him, it didn't look bad at all.  He really liked it, which pleased me no end.   

Completed Steelers Scoreboard 2015-2016 season

I enjoyed it so much I decided to do another one (there are four of us in our family that would wear them) and also planned to do one for the Tarheels season.  When I went to start the new one I found out why it turned out so big.  I'd used the wrong size needles!  Yep, I have NO IDEA how I ended up doing that but it's what happened.  

Anyway, I procured the correct size needles and started working on my Tarheel Scoreboard (the 2.0 version). Unfortunately, I ran into the same problem I had with my LCT above.  So, I frogged it (hadn't even finished knitting the first game) and am planning to start again.  I've decided to order the recommended yarn (which I didn't use for the Steelers Scoreboard, nor for the Tarheel Scoreboard) so that should help with size issues, etc.  

While I wait for the yarn, I'll keep recording the scores and go back to working on the LCT.  I guess all I can do is to keep trying.  I've become very proficient in balancing my kindle while knitting so I can watch you tube videos to help when I get stuck.  Somehow, I'll figure it out.  (fingers crossed!)

Well, that's what is happening around here.  Do you have any projects going on?  Yarn related or otherwise?  I'd love to hear about them.

thanks for stopping by!
love & blessings
~*~

40 things about me...

I've been meaning to get here all week but it has been a busy one and I just haven't sat down to write.  I do have some things I plan to share soon, but when I saw this questionnaire over at Debra's it seemed like a quick and fun thing I could do. 

So...here we go.

1. Are you named after anyone?   Yes, a character my mom liked on General Hospital (not the one you're thinking because mom quit watching long before that chick showed up in Port Charles*) and my paternal Grandmother.

*I have to admit I'm ashamed that I actually remember the town in that show. Haha

2. When was the last time you cried?  Yesterday, watching Juan Martin del Potro tearing up during his last set at the 2016 US Open.  

3. Do you like your handwriting?  Yes and No.  If I can take my time and concentrate (and keep the shaking down) then yes.  If I'm in a hurry or the tremors are really bad then no.

4. What is your favorite lunch meat?  Probably deli-style honey ham.  Or a cheeseburger.  That's a meat at lunch right?  ;-)

5. Do you have any kids?  Unfortunately, no. 

6. If you were another person, would you be friends?  Goddess, I hope so.  At least then I'd have one.

7. Do you use sarcasm?  I try, but 99% of the time I fail.  

8. Do you still have your tonsils?  I think so?  Maybe?  Um, yeah.  I am missing a few other things though.

9. Would you bungee jump?  No.  I would (and have) para-sailed though.

10. What is your favorite cereal?  Peanut butter captain crunch!  

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Yes, although this is a habit I've picked up in the past few years.  

12. Do you think you're strong? Not as strong as I could be, but I'm working on that.  

13. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?  Baskin Robbins Chocolate Chip Mint

14. What is the first thing you notice about people? Their energy.

15. Red or Pink?  Pink!  In fact, I noticed earlier today just how much I like pink, especially with black.  :-)

16. What is the least favorite thing you like about yourself? Geez, how long do we have?  I guess if I had to pick just one thing, it would be how easily I slip into negative thoughts/behavior/depression.

17. What color pants and shoes are you wearing right now? I'm not!  hahahaha

18. What was the last thing you ate? an organic banana

19. What are you listening to right now?  ESPN (watching the US Open).

20. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Violet or Sky Blue

21. Favorite smell? that first hint of snow in the air

22. Who was the last person you talked to? A staff member at the Y.  Or my mum, if "hi, how are you?" isn't enough talking.

23. Favorite sport to watch? NFL football

24. Hair color that's real? Dark brown with lots of silver.

25. Do you wear contacts? Not anymore.  I wore corrective lenses since I was 7 or 8 and then back in 2005(+/-) I had lasic surgery.  It was the best thing I'd ever done!  Unfortunately, I had to start wearing cheaters last year and quickly progressed to needing prescriptive lenses. :-(  
(**Side note, the only downside to the lasic is that it completely corrupts seeing close up - I can't look through view finders on cameras, etc.)

26. Favorite food? Yeah, um...pizza?  No, wait...burgers.  No, pasta.  No...  I really can't pick just one.

27. Scary movie or happy endings? Happy endings.  Everyone deserves one.

28. Last movie you watched? Suicide Squad

29. What color shirt are you wearing? See #17.   Haha, I'm wearing a gown and it is light blue with dark blue flowers.  :-)

30. Summer or Winter? WINTER!!!  ALWAYS!!!  WINTER!!!

31. Hugs or kisses? I guess, hugs.  I reserve my kisses for a special someone.  If anyone knows him, send him my way.  

32. Favorite sweet food? ice cream or cookies or hershey's milk chocolate caramels

33. What book are you currently reading? I'm re-reading The Inn at Eagle Point by Sherryl Woods.  Hallmark Channel turned her Chesapeake Shores series into a TV series and I wanted to refresh myself on the books.

34. What is on your mouse pad? mouse pee?  jk - nothing, I don't have one.

35. What did you last watch on TV? refer back to #19.

36. Favorite sound? thunderstorms!

37. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Depends on my mood. 

38. What is the farthest you have traveled? North - Salem, MA. East - North Carolina coast, South - Disneyworld (when I was 6) or NOLA as an adult, West - Arkansas.

39. Do you have a special talent? Yes.  (It doesn't ask what that talent is!)

40. Where were you born? In a hospital.  In the South.  ;-)

See, I told you Debra's had better answers!  If you want to play along, I'd love to read your responses and learn a little more about you.  

thanks for stopping by!

love & blessings
~*~

 

 


 

A Little Garden Visit...

I don't have much of a garden here but a few things are growing well.  This is the first year I've planted basil in the ground instead of a pot and I'll never pot it again.  It is so prolific and I love it!  I also love the tiny frogs I find hiding on the basil leaves when I water in the mornings.

With the little pond directly behind my building, I'm enjoying the dragonfly antics.  I'm not sure what it means when they stand with their bodies pointed up, but it was interesting to watch.  The one in the last picture was resting on a paver.  I love the colors and textures, especially on the wings.

I haven't had as many san marzano tomatoes as I'd hoped but I've had enough to make a nice spaghetti sauce.  My plan had been to make a basic tomato sauce, but I didn't know what I was doing.  My first version was just tomatoes, garlic, peppers and spices.  That was really good served over rice.  I later added ground beef and mushrooms and more seasoning.  Yum!

On Friday, I spent about an hour and a half pulling up rogue grasses, etc. in the garden.  I made a good dent before I had to stop due to back pain.  It has been so cool in the mornings (low 60's) and I've been able to get my walks in before the heat returns later in the day.  If I can get myself up a little earlier in the mornings I could walk and then spend some time in the garden.  That is the plan anyway. 

I'm contemplating trying to plant some collards soon.  I think I have some seeds and I figure I could plant them between the tomatoes since those will probably get pulled out soon. 

Do you have a garden?  How are things growing for you?

thanks for stopping by,

blessings

~*~

And Breathe...

September.  How happy I am to see you.  Now that August has passed by I feel like I can breathe freely.  August is not my friend, but this one went by pretty quietly. 

It has been so hot this summer, I've barely moved from the house.  The patio garden is very overgrown with weeds and it makes me not want to spend any time out there.  The good news is that for the most part, the areas I'd cleared, lined and mulched have held up pretty well.  As soon as the weather breaks, I intend to be out there clearing things up. 

Well, I just wanted to pop in for a minute or two to say hello.  I'd hoped to post after the tea party but I just never got to it and then, well...August. 

If you are in the path of Hermine, stay safe. 

Thanks for stopping by,
love & blessings
~*~