Saturday Song.

Remember when you were a kid and couldn't wait to get out of bed Saturday mornings?

Well, your life isn't over yet. Get your butt out of bed and enjoy the day!

Here's a Rare Earth song to get you started. https://youtu.be/8697G9RAi-Y

Love the lyrics written by Nick Zesses and Dino Fekaris:

Well I can't be bothered with sorrow,
and I can't be bothered with hate,
I'm using up my time by feeling fine ev'ry day.

Saw this band in the late 90's at the Budweiser Sound Stage at TAGS in Big Flats, New York. Fabulous show. Perfect venue for those who hate big crowds. Good times with good friends!

WAW (What A World!) Wednesday, 22 September 2016

The aforementioned pumpkin blossom DID turn into a pumpkin. As a matter of fact, the three pumpkin plants took over a sizable portion of the back border. They're still full of blossoms and the bees are happily buzzing 'round them.

pssssttt.... If you look closely at the window you'll see Reggie-cat (sometimes called "wedgie") checking out the back yard.

Up until late yesterday afternoon, we believed there was only one pumpkin and were rejoicing at the unexpected harvest from a late planting. Especially after the neighbors said theirs dropped off and died. ~ yikes! ~

The pumpkin we've been watching grow for the better part of this summer is about ten inches wide and the same in height. Nice and round. A very good size for a pie with perhaps enough extra to make some bread or soup.

Much to our surprise, on our way 'round the perimeter to finish our evening walk yesterday, we discovered a second pumpkin. And Oh What A Pumpkin! Made me think of Cinderella.

Check it out: about 14 inches wide by 18 inches high!

Both pumpkins have started to turn orange. Yippee!!!

I'm feeling truly blessed today. Hope your day is full of blessings as well.

Sunday. An actual day of rest.

Although the point was argued, five-thirty a.m. saw us out of bed and feeding the poor, starving kitty.

It's been hot fairly steadily in NE Pennsylvania for the last two months. Not a lot of rain to go with all the humidity (this morning it's 95% humidity). Luckily Mother Nature favored us with enough rain yesterday to ease the burden of watering the garden.

Speaking of garden...

The blueberries are starting to ripen. Only enough for one pancake today, but many more will be ready soon. Hopefully, enough for homemade muffins!

We had our first zucchini fresh from the garden a few days ago. Sauteed slowly in butter. A little salt, pepper and fresh thyme for good measure. Par for the course, the squashes are taking over the raised beds. Serves me right for planting so much in one bed. Am going to use the rusty old fencing to trellis it over the potatoes.

The basil is starting to make that bushy mound as is their habit. Am pleased there is enough to make some nice pesto for Meatless Monday.

Both tomato plants have grown at least a foot taller in the last two weeks and are covered with blossoms. The yellow pear plant has several "babies" and the Cherokee purple has one little marble-sized tomato so far.

The mint is now over three feet high. Surprisingly, the chives at either end of the bed are still thriving. Will be chopping some of those chives to top a baked potato tonight. Thank God for toaster ovens!

There is an open blossom on one of the late-planted pumpkins and the other two plantings are full of buds. The non-mulched plant flowered first, but am leaving two mulched to see which type of planting produces best through the heat and drought of August. In the same planting bed, the late-planted cucumbers seem to be adjusting. Wire fencing was bent to an arc and placed over the cucumbers to give them something to climb. A trellis will be added as soon as dowels are purchased.

Yesterday we all did a bit much. Today we're taking it easy. Y'all enjoy your Sunday!

Sunday. A Typical Day of Rest.

The solstice has passed and the sun, heat and humidity seem relentless. This is the earliest in the season many of us have run our air conditioners. Everyone 'round about is praying for rain... and it's only June. Well, to be fair it's the end of June.

The heat and sun are great for the harvest. The gardens in these parts are growing like mad. Berries, apples and nuts are full of fruit. Two of the four trees in the yard have apples - the Gala and Fuji varieties. The branches of the blueberry bushes are so heavy with fruit they almost touch the ground.

Our radishes are finished until the weather cools a little. They bolted and unless we get a cool spell, the lettuce will bolt as well. Put three pumpkin plants in the ground along the back of the house. Hopefully the rabbits will refrain from eating them (fencing is on the supply list).

Last week the Great Valley Berry Patch opened some strawberry fields for picking. They are big, sweet berries. Perfect sliced over vanilla ice cream or on cereal. Will wait until later in the season to pick some for freezing and making jam.

The watermelons from the grocer are exceptional this year!

Speaking of gardens... I'm off to water the transplants, have a second cup of coffee, and take the dog for a walk. Not necessarily in that order. Perhaps I'll turn the TV on for a bit and watch that CBS Sunday Morning show.

Y'all have a great day!

Sunday. A Typical Day of Rest. Snowy 15 May 2016.

Snow on the Woodpile

Today we woke to light snowfall and cold wind. Quite a change from the 75 degrees reached on Wednesday.

Luckily, the earth has warmed up enough that the flakes quickly turn to water once they stop moving.

Still -- quite a change in temperature in only a few days. I wonder if rapidly fluctuating temperatures is because of Global Warming (it's real, folks) and if we still have enough time to change those repercussions. (That's as deep as my thinking is gonna get today. lol)

After getting the grocery shopping done by 9:30 a.m., I have decided to follow the rabbit and take a break from social media for the remainder of the day.

Y'all enjoy the day wherever you are.

Finally Friday. If At First You Don't Succeed...

As discussed in last Friday's post, backwards knitting took care of the error I had made. If you look close you'll see that there's another error with the pattern, so this week I'll be knitting backwards again to make it right or tearing it all the way back and trying again.

The pattern size chosen was 3 months, but this sweater is making up much, much larger. Based on current measurements this sweater is going turn out to be a size 2 or 3. HUGE in my little world of 3, 6, 9 and 12 month sizes.

For now this project has been put on hold while I decide whether to knit backwards or rip back all the way and start again. Perhaps I'll modify the pattern so it is the proper size.

Am doing my best to count my blessings - like my tape measure advises.

This weekend is the 50th Maple Festival celebration in my home town. Maple syrup and candy here I come!

Y'all have a great weekend. Remember to count your blessings!

Sunday. A typical day of rest.

We've had gray, rainy days since last Wednesday. Which is good because we need to raise the water table a bit. Most folks don't care too much for the rain and I can understand their viewpoint (I feel the same way about snow).

I usually enjoy the rain. Listening to the pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof has a rather calming effect. As children, sister and I would run outside in our cute little rubber raincoats and hats and our brightly patterned knee-high boots to splash in the driveway puddles.

Today Bandit and I were caught in a mild sprinkle on the way home from the morning constitutional. Pretty day anyway. As you can see, the apple trees have "budded out".

Today I'll be working on finding the knitting error I made about two rows back on the knitted baby sweater. Backward knitting, if you can imagine that.

Hope y'all can get out and enjoy your day.

Bless someone else today with a smile or kind word. You'll be glad you did!

Finally Friday. Knitting.

10 pattern rows completed

Y'all know my fondness for crocheting baby sweaters, hats and booties. They're generally quick, easy projects. Many of the patterns I use are available for free on Ravelry.com. I've purchased a few patterns from there and also from Etsy because they were just so dang cute!

Recently I purchased two separate crochet patterns for both a girl's sweater and a boy's cardigan. Absolutely adorable! But the instructions are too much like work, so I set them aside and went on another search. In my haste, I neglected to restrict the results to "crochet" and all these cute little sweaters magically showed up on the computer screen. Most of the ones I liked were knitted.

Found a really cute free pattern from Red Heart (the yarn folks). It's called "Star Bright Baby Cardigan". The pattern is very simple and relatively short. A good project for someone getting back into knitting after a lengthy absence.

Even though I've been knitting since grade school, I had to go to YouTube to watch "how to" knitting videos. Found some really good videos by "iknitwithcatfur". I refreshed my memory of how to knit and even learned how to cast on by knitting. Here's a link to that video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fSWKZrcbTI

Where's the pattern?

I set to work making the Star Bright Baby Cardigan, but the pattern didn't look right about ten rows into the project. Back to youTube and re-learned the proper way to "yarn over". *sheesh* Started the project over using the correct weight of yarn to obtain gauge.

Confession time:
The first attempt at the sweater pattern was WAY off gauge because I "assumed" the baby yarn was a heavier weight. Yup - didn't read the label.

Although it's standard practice to knit a swatch and check gauge before you begin a project, I don't normally swatch. My gauge is usually spot-on and the few times it hasn't been correct the project has usually just begun and not much time has been lost.

I measured the stitch and row length about the same time the "pattern" problem became obvious. Because only ten rows were complete, the project was re-started using the correct weight of yarn.

With about ten rows completed, the pattern is looking much better (those "holes" are yarn-overs).

Knitting may be pretty, but crocheting is fast. I'm impatient to see the finished product! Will post photos of the finished sweater.

Y'all have a great weekend!

Thankful Tuesday.

Electric heating pads with auto-off features.

Artwork that simply needs a coat of varnish to be finished.

Dandelions bravely poking their faces above the newly mown grass.

Leaf buds on the apple trees.

Old television shows that take us back in time where life was lived at a slower pace.

Old movies with their painted backdrops. New movies with computer enhanced graphics.

Jango.com - internet music.

Watching construction equipment work.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Life is grand -- enjoy it!

Sunday - A Typical Day of Rest.

These photos were taken along near a local short-cut. Untraveled dirt roads are very restful.
A reminder to my fellow outdoors-people (is that what they call it these days?)

• Remember to tell someone where you're going and when you expect to be back. Fully charged cell phone. 
• Always carry emergency supplies. 
• Water and a high energy snack are imperative.
• Emergency poncho.
• Whistle.
• Compass - learn how to read it if you don't already know. 
• TP - in plastic bag.
• Hand sanitizer.
• Bug spray. The ticks are supposed to be bad this year, so you'll probably want something with high DEET content. Or if you know of a good organic - please let me know. It has to be something that works.

If you're in NW PA, BEWARE OF BEARS! Especially this time of year. It's best to stick to populated areas until they've finished waking up.


Some photos of yesterday's physical therapy.

This was taken at the half-way point of our walk. Perfect place for a water break!

It's not a bench, but close enough for the likes of me. Full of woodpecker holes. A very nice straight piece of lumber.

You can see one of the uprooted trees in the background from that high wind we had two winters ago.

We call this one the Whale Rock. It juts it's nose out proudly and has a weathered hole right where you'd imagine an eye socket.

It's HUGE. and has it's own little micro-climate. Hence the thick, barnacle-like moss on it's underbelly.

Isn't it neat how the textures and colors of the moss on the forest floor differ depending on sun exposure and the mineral content of the soil?

The whale rock is on the North side of the mountain, this tree is on the East and basks in the sunlight for the better part of the day.

The first spring beauty detected. Pretty, dainty little flower with pink stripes on a white background. in it's bed of fallen leaves.

With the rains of the past week, the ferns have started to rejuvinate.

Large ferns were sometimes used as foundation plants on the northern side of a home. Even today, they lend a certain grace to the landscape.

While these have the look of "Adder's Tongue" from afar, I'm not convinced. The leaves don't appear to be spotted.

A second guess would be false solomon's seal - which should be sprouting soon - but the leaves don't have the typical ovoid shape nor requisite prominent lobes.

Unless you're a fast learner, it can take years to learn to identify flowers by their leaves.  Years well spent, though - right? 

The green certainly is a welcome sight to see. Doesn't matter if you like Winter or not. The change of seasons is always beautiful.

To me this says "Goodbye Winter; Hello Spring".

The sun is shining. Another beautiful day.

Enjoy it as best you can, folks! One of the last things Momma told me was "These are the good old days". Sometimes song lyrics get it right.

For my love: You made my heart beat fast then and you still do today. Five years of laughter, tears, and friendship. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Throwback Thursday

Hard to believe this was taken a year ago today.

His favorite place for a soak on a hot summer day and mine for a leisurely stroll.

Thankful Tuesday on a Wednesday (a day late and a dollar short)

Spring flooding

Today I'm thankful for slip on shoes.

Rocking chairs with rocking ottomans.

Central air heating. Natural Gas.

Cats wagging their tails while watching finches at the feeder.

Sunshine after rain.

Hot coffee.

Fresh bread.

People who love me and check up on me.

Washers and dryers -- although I DO enjoy the fresh smell of clothes dried outside on a line.

Birdsong.

... and all the other ordinary joys that make up our days.

These are the good old days.

Sunday – A typical day of rest. 10 April 2016.

Snow Day – 9 April 2016

“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Most times you choose between the two – wonderin', wonderin' if you have made it.” From the song Sweet Seasons, as sung by Carole King.

Today my best friend is getting married. Actually, she's renewing her vows. Hard to believe they've been together twenty years. She read me her vows. Can't wait to hear his vows. They're downstate and it's a very small wedding for their immediate families. Then they're taking a mini-vacation in N.O. where they're also celebrating a school reunion. At least, it won't be snowing down there.

I've been a stranger to this blog for a long, long time.

Have had lots going on in my personal life that took precedence. 

Because of recent events, I haven't painted anything in a long time and don't see that happening anytime soon.

I have been able to crochet a little and have worked on some baby sweaters.

My favorite is THIS ONE.  I love Drops creations, but the patterns leave something to be desired. I brought it into a text document and edited it to something my brain could follow. I posted a link to the size I''m working on (12-18 months) in my Ravelry Project page. Here is a link if you want to give it a try: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Hope4TheBest/sweet-shells-jacket. 

Had to go down to a size C hook in order to get the gauge. Their Baby Merino must be fingering weight. I'm working with Bernat Baby Sport. Drops patterns are harder than the simple ones I usually make for market. I have been working on it a little at a time for the last six weeks. A few rows at a time. I messed up the last time I picked it up and worked 6-7 rows before I noticed that I missed part of the pattern. NOTICEABLY - as you can see in the inset detail photo. Haven't had the heart to pick it up again because I know I have to rip it back.

Posts on here will be random until I get back into the routine of posting again. In the meantime, here's some more pictures of baby sweaters. The last six months of them. (Not very productive, eh? It's been a hard winter for many reasons.)

 A simple baby sweater with plain white button neck-closure. Size 6 months.

A sweater worked in that luxurious "Unforgettable" yarn by Red Heart. Size 3 months.

A "premie" sweater with a blue dragonfly button closure.

Worked in red Caron brand, Simply soft. This sweater is also size 6 months and in addition to the soft hand features three ladybug buttons.

 "Matinee Jacket" (designed by patternsforcrochet) worked in Unforgettable yarn. Size 12 months.

This pretty little shell jacket was crocheted using Baby Bernat. The pink flower buttons enhance the design, don't you think?  Size 3 months.

 This sweater is so popular on Ravelry, I just HAD to hook one. Size 12 months.

 This cute little collared sweater is a combination of several patterns. The green-over-orange 3-button closure sets it off quite nice. Size 6 months.

Y'all have a blessed day.