I am here – posting cozy, happy pictures – because it’s Tuesday and that’s what I like to do. I am not blind to what is going on in the world, but my discussion of it here will be summed up in one sentence. White people need to listen to and learn from black people.
Watching: All of Mrs. American on Hulu. (This definitely had a point of view and was a bit heavy handed at times, but I also really enjoyed it.) Finished all of the second season of Dead to Me (I love it) and started watching Riverdale on Netflix. I’m in the second season and like it, but it gets dark and weird at times. Watched a first couple of episodes of Space Force on Netflix but am feeling decidedly eh about it.
Reading: Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl (★★★☆☆) – I wasn’t the right audience for this one but the writing was beautiful. Unscripted by Nicole Kronzer (★★★★☆) – I bought this for Violet and after she finished she told me I had to read it. I’m glad I did. Perfect 8th grader romance. The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall (★★★★☆) – I actually read Unscripted in the middle of this because it was slow moving and very character driven, but as someone who grew up “in faith”, I appreciated it. The Guest List by Lucy Foley (★★☆☆☆) – plot holes and predictable but it was the dark mystery beach read I expected it to be.
Knitting: Still working on socks. Almost done with Violet’s pair.
Listening: to records!! I’ve been begging and pleading for a record player for years and Jesse and my sister got me one for my birthday. Lots of Carole King, John Denver, Merle Haggard, Tom Petty, John Prine. Abram likes his dad’s old Led Zeppelin. I can’t wait to get a table and get it all set up. (This also completes my hipster bingo – house plants in macrame hangers, library card catalog, grandma crafts, a grown-up mobile, vinyl).
Making: Visits to the garden. I love watching everything come up. We have tomatoes (those first little babies make my heart so happy), melon, peas, beans, radish, lettuce, broccoli, onions, sweet peppers, pumpkin, zucchini, and a second attempt at carrots (the first attempt was most likely lost to overzealous weeding). When the radish are done and things are a bit cooler we’ll put in spinach. Sourdough. Myrtle is a happy and bubbly starter but my first loaf was not a success. Underproofed, underbaked. I’m going to try again later this week when it’s a smidge cooler. Tie-dye t-shirts. I didn’t take pictures because I was too busy playing. I’ve never done it before but Violet and Abram have done it lots at camps and birthday parties. Having a craft where they were the ones helping me figure it out was fun.
I hope this finds you well and safe and healthy. I’d love to hear about what is going on in your world.
Oh I’m so glad to see your post today, Kate! And even happier that you chose to “posting cozy, happy pictures – because it’s Tuesday and that’s what I like to do.” That sentence made me smile.
The selection was fun!!
Are the flowers Primrose?
Those are the fanciest s’mores gadgets that I have ever seen!
Ok now. Is that beautiful completed puzzle by Thomas Kinkade? As it was being solved in a previous post, I thought it might be. It might not be, but I want to know!
Trail mix. I had a craving to create my trail mix this week too. I debated and debated on the M&Ms, decided to use raisins, dried strawberries and bananas for the sweet part.
Is the ring Jasper?
Enjoyed your joy!!!
The puzzle is actually by Dominic Davison. I’ve never actually looked to see the artist of a puzzle before so now that is something I’m going to start doing! Thank you!
I think the flowers are anemones? They were from a birthday delivery.
I think strawberries and bananas sound lovely and healthier!!
The ring is a Petoskey stone – which is Michigan’s (my home state) state stone. It’s actually a fossilized coral that you can find along the northern shore of Lake Michigan.
It was really great to hear from you, TD!!! Hope you are feeling cozy and settled!!
Ah, there is an artist with every puzzle. I grew up doing puzzles with family. Mom continued as an empty nester. I enjoyed the activity as well. It’s beautiful and fun!!
Yes, I think anemones! I added a pink periwinkle basket and a dozen red roses cut for two vases in separate rooms. It’s sweet luxury to have flowers to celebrate our milestones and memories!
The Petoskey Stone Ring is very interesting, cool, and sentimental. A treasure for sure!
We are settling in and creating our new routines now! (We- Yorkie & Me). The first week, I set up a place for my Yorkie to hangout including a stuffy toy in three rooms to learn where she’s comfy. To my sweet surprise when I was not noticing, she gathered those stuffy toys and took them to be all together in one place!!! So stuff and stuffy toys matter!!
And of course, I’m organizing my stuff and stuffy treasures too. We are settling in to home sweet home!
I woke up this morning with a vision of what I want to do for the wall that my bed backs up to… Yes I’m sleeping much better now! There is a print fabric from your previous post source that I want to see if I can purchase… we will see. It’s so vivid in my mind of what I want to do. I’m creative- so it’s part sewing, it’s part recycling antique treasures, part artistic hand painting and part of an artistic creation to come! We will see!!! Perhaps by the winter holidays!!!
So, that is what’s going on in my week…! Smiles. And enjoyment with your other pen pal readers.
I’m so glad to hear you’re getting good rest! It makes such a difference!
Your plan for the wall sounds so fun!! I love when I get an idea and get to plan how to execute it! I think that is my favorite part of any crafty endeavor!
I’m so grateful for my pet pals here – like you.
*pen pals
I have missed these posts so very much.
I wondered about Space Force and now I am pretty sure I don’t want to give it a try.
I’ve been watching YouTube videos of people traveling lately and that has made me happy. Almost feeling like I am actually going somewhere myself. 🙂
I’ve missed them too!
That sounds like such a wonderful way to escape right now! We all are getting so restless. Do you have a favorite? Or a keyword you use?
Before you take my word for it, I should point out that I also didn’t love the Office or Seinfeld or any of the hit comedy shows that everyone finds funny. I don’t like humor that makes me feel uncomfortable/bad for a character.
Hi Kate,
Beautiful photos! Random observations/affirmations/questions:
We love The Settlers of Catan (best family game ever, IMHO).
My older son made me three “medals” for three consecutive Mother’s Days (Not The Worst Mother Ever award; Most Generally Passable Mother award; Miss Decent Mom—Runner-Up award).
Did you knit that gorgeous intarsia blanket that’s draped on the yellow chair?
That pink sky is surreal.
It looks like you’re doing a fantastic job with your veggie garden.
Your experience with sourdough so far is making me glad I’ve just stuck to my “usual” bread baking; however, I hope you keep trying with the sourdough because once you’ve got it right, it’ll be SO good.
What’s going on in my world probably isn’t comment material. I’ll just say it’s a hard time to be an empathic HSP.
Hi Marian!!
I’m going to take your list in order because I tried writing a coherent reply that hit on your comments but it became a tangled mess.
Catan is a family favorite here as well. My brother is really good at it (because he plays a lot) and my sister is extremely competitive. We played 8 games that weekend and I didn’t win one.
I LOVE your medals, Marian. You obviously did a good job because your eldest has a great sense of humor.
I didn’t knit that blanket. I bought it before I really knew how to knit. The person who did, used a different yarn for the yellow which isn’t washable (which I didn’t know) and it’s shrunk/felted and while the other colors haven’t. It drives me a bit crazy so I want to knit one for myself someday.
Isn’t it? We’d had a huge thunderstorm right before sunset and everything cleared to a gorgeous/pink coral.
Thank you for the kind comment on my garden. The raised beds have made a HUGE difference from when I attempted before.
I was feeling very hopeful once I got my starter going but actually making a loaf of bread is a whole different beast. Attempting bread has taught me great respect for people (like you) who can do it well. My grandma used to sell hers to the neighbor ladies (until she was shut down because she didn’t have a permit! HA!) but she didn’t really like having people in the kitchen with her so no one learned her skills. It makes me kind of sad, actually.
Finally, I am so sorry, Marian. I believe you. I’m sending hugs your way (because I can do that even if we couldn’t hug in person) and wishing we could sit down at one of our tables for a very long chat, some tea, and needles of some type. If you want to email me, I’m here to listen. XOXO.
Hi Kate,
It’s nice to hear from you and see what’s going on in your world. As always, it looks rather lovely.
I haven’t been able to bring myself to watch Mrs. American. I remember the real Schlaffley (even though I was just a kid) and my astonishment/disillusionment when the ERA didn’t pass (I was in high school), and I understand now even more of what was happening then and how it has brought us to where we are now, and…nope.
My reading/watching has been more escapist, which is taking the form of crime/mystery. Not my usual genre, but what’s usual right now? The lack of library for print materials got me to finally learn how to access ebooks and audiobooks from my library. They use the Libby app, with Overdrive–and it’s life-changing. I love it.
Best recent listen: Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter: A mother-daughter mystery, in which the daughter learns that her mother is not who she thought she was. A bad-ass mom. A bit disconcerting to realize I am the exact same age as the mom, and my youth is now considered history and the character central to the story is not my generation, but whatever.
Best ebook read: The Witch Elm by Tana French: A bit slow going in the beginning (the protagonist/narrator isn’t very interesting and is self-absorbed and shallow when the story starts), but I’d recommend. Set in England, and I tend to like novels that are.
Have been watching the Swedish version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy. I watched the US version of the first story some years ago. I remember liking it. The Swedish version seems much more gritty and dark, but not in a gratuitous way, the way US films often seem to be. I can’t quite put my finger on the differences, but I prefer the Swedish. One thing I appreciate is that the actors aren’t all beautiful. Maybe that’s part of why it seems grittier? It feels more real. I will admit that there are parts I haven’t been able to watch; it’s pretty brutal. Have no idea why this is what I’m sitting with right now. Don’t want to think too deeply about it.
Other than that, not much happening here. Have been sick since last week. Don’t think I have C-19, but I had enough symptoms that my doctor’s office told me to get tested. On quarantine waiting for the result. It’s the last week of school of the longest school year in my life. I have some big tasks to finish before Friday, and it’s been difficult because I don’t feel well. But I’m just hanging on for the end of this week. And speaking of, I’d best get to work.
Hope you are having a good week, all things considered. I really want to be Vi in the photo you shared, listening to music and making some art. Maybe next week.
I’m sorry to hear you haven’t been feeling well, Rita!! I hope you feel better soon and can get rest despite work. (And then really rest and enjoy your summer.)
I didn’t remember much about that time, or the name Schlaffley, but I grew up in a house that definitely aligned with that movement. It was interesting to watch for me. Made me realize how much unlearning I’ve had to do in the last 25 years. I don’t blame you at all for skipping it because yes, the line from there to here is definitely visible (and sad).
I’ve been into escapism reads too. My favorite recently was The Bookish Life of Nina Hill – such a happy little rom com of a book.
Sending healing and restful thoughts your way.
Oh, I tried Bookish Life and couldn’t get into it! Guess I’m attracted to darker things these days. Which doesn’t seem like escapism, but must be? Brains are funny things, aren’t they?
And my test result was negative, which was both a relief (I can go to the grocery store!) and a disappointment (I can still catch it). Guess the digestive issues/body pain/fatigue is just stress. Boo.
I’m so glad to hear that your test results came back negative, Rita!
Our bodies respond to stress in all sorts of ways. Our minds respond to our bodies, too. I was influenced by someone to listen to my body.
Hoping all the best for you and yours!!
I completely get the relief/disappointment. I really hope you feel better soon.
And I get the different types of escapism. I’ve even gone through phases myself where I like lighter happier and phases where I like the darker grittier.
Not much is happening here. We are working on some landscape projects that involve moving bushes and creating a patio but rain interrupts us. I am in stasis vis-à-vis annual doctors visits and beauty appointments. I’m starting to re-read Chocolat by Joanne Harris because I’m not in the mood for anything new. Pretty much, it is dullsville here.
Ooooh!!! A patio sounds lovely!! We had 18 hours of off and on (mostly on) rain the last two days but the sun is out and glorious today.
I’ve never read Chocolat but I think maybe I’ll add it to my list!!