It’s a lot of pictures, I know. It’s been a lot of days. I’ll sum up. I celebrated my birthday in Michigan. Violet celebrated being fully vaccinated with shopping and lunch at a restaurant. Abram celebrated turning twelve with his first dose of vaccine. Days are full of summer school and camps and swimming at the community pool. The garden is neglected. My flower baskets are dry and dying because we have baby birds (and because I forget about them but let’s blame the birds). I do not take one second of this normalcy for granted and have spent a good portion of the last month happy crying. In fact, just typing that sentence made me emotional. Let’s talk things.
Knitting: I should have the pair Jesse promised on blockers by the end of this week. I’ve already picked out the yarn and pattern for my next pair. I also purchased a pattern for a sock yarn sweater which may be wishful thinking. When not working on socks, I’ve been knitting dishcloths.
Reading: Davenport reads aplenty!! Majesty by Katharine McGee, What Comes After by JoAnne Tompkins, Shipped by Angie Hockman, The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah. I’m currently reading Pretty Things by Janelle Brown. I liked What Comes After and The Four Winds. I haven’t been doing a good job with my Audible reads. I’m going to try and listen while puttering or knitting.
Watching: The Handmaids Tale (Hulu) which is so dark and disturbing but fantastic. Violet and I watched Moxie (Netflix) which I thought was heavy handed but enjoyable (Violet loved). I’m looking forward to the new seasons of Ted Lasso (Apple) and Atypical (Netflix).
Making: I need to spend some time on the Chicago cross stitch if I’m ever going to get that finished. Violet and Abram both learned to water ski. They made it look easy so I tried. It wasn’t easy. I haven’t decided if I’m going to try again. I’m trying to get back into a morning person routine. I was doing so well (and noticed a big improvement in my mood) but rejoined social media and have been scrolling too late into the night. I need to break the bad habit snowball and just go to bed.
So that’s me. I hope you are enjoying your summer and staying safe and healthy. Tell me about your -ings?(especially book recommendations if you have them!)
I love seeing your face in these pictures. Your smile makes me smile.
I’m so happy we are back to doing more things outside. Happy things.
Sending you hugs!
Thank you, Kari. I love hugs!! Sending one back! I’m glad for summer outdoor time too! Though I’m liking the 70-80’s more than the stretch of 90’s we had. That’s too HOT for June. 🙂
Lots of celebrating for your family, Kate! Happy every every every thing!!
What type of baby chicks are you growing in your garden?!? So much fun!
My St Augustine grass garden project is growing in so well. I have conquered the weed and invasive plant overgrowth. Now the St Augustine is so happy growing it’s stolons looking pretty as I had imagined. There were two nests of morning dove chicks growing in my oak trees which have flown away already.
Audiobooks might not be your thing. While I enjoy them for various reasons, I would not be able to actually focus on listening while doing any other tasks. For me audiobooks were more about my focus to listen, to pay attention, to calm my mind similar to meditation. Recently, I finally picked up my book Turn of the key by Ruth Ware. I have only read 25 pages. The style that she chose to start with is very interesting and intriguing. Suspense on page one. I can tell that I will enjoy this book. Perhaps it might be one for your list. I’ve only been able to read a page or three at a time as I’m must still need more rest as my eyes can’t seem to stay open once I sit to read. I went to the doctor about my wrists once I could gathered up enough courage to venture outside the safety of my home zone a month ago. I learned that I have larger health concern than I thought. I have Peripheral neuropathy (nerve pain not just in my wrists and I’m not diabetic). I’m trying low dose Pregabalin (Lyrica generic). The cocktail of meds maybe the reason that I’m only get 3 pages at a time. I’m certainly falling asleep and sleeping much better throughout the night despite my anxiety issues.
I was taking out the trash one hot early evening. I was about a foot away from stepping into the bite of a Gardner snake. I was so close I could see it’s tongue which scared me senseless causing me to twist my body as I fell onto the hard cement screaming. I certainly hurt myself with the fall. One of those funniest TV videos which really isn’t too funny. It has taken 2 weeks for me to recover from all the twisting damage of my body.
I remember water skiing during my late twenties and then later in life in my late thirties. Yes, it is hard to learn how to get up on the skis and maneuver the water and go over the wake of the water. Once I was able to get my brain fears to work with my body, it was a lot of fun… until I knew I was going to fall into the water (which hurts, even in water). So if you choose to just stay in the boat and watch the fun of your kids that’s good enough fun!!
I counted the candles on your son’s cake. His wish must have been a wonderful thought for him. He looks so happy about it! I thought back about that age of 12. I was too young to fall in love with boys and very much into swimming competitions. I was ask to teach stroke lessons which was my first paying job at 12. It is fun for me to read your blog and watch your children grow up through pictures you take and words you write. Sweet!
How wonderful to here from you, TD!! I’m so sorry to hear about your fall and pain, but I’m hoping you are feeling much better!!
Thank you for the Ruth Ware recommendation. I have read. A few by her in the past but not Turn of the Key!
The past two years have been about relocating “home” demanding an over abundance of projects to care for myself independently living in retirement of my life remaining, no luxury book time for me really. My lists of projects notebook is complete and I feel good of all accomplishments. I will not be creating anymore projects for sure. My cottage is very old with lots of wrinkles and decay; very much la reflection of me. I feel happy to say what I’ve learned from you: This cottage is “good enough”! Now I’m officially retired!! …And thank you, I am feeling better with less nerve pain and all the injuries from my fall has healed. Enjoy summer as your blog post truly illustrates a wonderful time of year and I will hope to see a pen pal email in my inbox whenever or if you feel like a blog post chat again. 🤗
Great photos. I love you in braces. Oh yes I do.
I see the birthday cake and I suddenly have an urge, perhaps need even, to bake a cake. I can’t tell you the last time I baked a cake, usually making a tea bread instead.
We’ve started watching Monk. I’d forgotten how much I adore Sharona. We’re also trying to watch Columbo on the suggestion of another blogger, but we find it slow moving, interesting mysteries, but my goodness it drags on.
I’ve only watched a few episodes of Monk, but I think that’s such a good suggestion!!
Please share a recipe for tea bread! I’ve never had that and it sounds delightful. Abram’s cake has always been chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, sprinkles. I once made a chocolate cake (and the icing) from scratch and was told that he prefers the box mix, thank you very much.
And thank yuh so much for the compliment on my braces. I’ll be very ready when they come off, but I’m having fun with them.
Catching up late because I was visit-ing my parents. A kind of normalcy I doubt I’ll ever take for granted again. We got to do all the normal things we used to do, and it felt so nice.
As for other -ings, working has been the main one. School didn’t end for us until last week (and I have a few more days to get in before the 30th). I did freeze some berries to enjoy later, and Cane and I are prepping his house to put on the market, which will keep us busy in the coming weeks. I’ve been listening to Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica, which is fairly engrossing in a summer-read sort of way. Started Sweet Tooth (Netflix) but have lost interest. (The deer-kid is annoying.) I’m print-reading Alice Waters’s You Are What You Eat: A Slow Food Manifesto. I have thoughts, but too many for here.
Your summer looks wonderful. I love the braids! And I am impressed that you tried water-skiing! I have not done that for years, and I’m guessing that my water skiing days are behind me. It is harder than it looks, and I fear what a wipe-out would do to my body now.
So nice to see a post from you (as always).