summering

the last string of days has felt like a summer daydream realized.
little hands in the garden: watering, digging, picking.
"be gentle" is our garden mantra
so we don't end up with too many beheaded marigolds.

longtime friends visited from overseas.
i love them and who i am when i'm with them.
they're the people i can be weird with
and they're just as weird, in the most delightful way.

i have been knitting from evening right up till bedtime.
my linen sweater, a gramps cardigan, and some colorwork to be cast on tonight.
pots of fresh mint tea, chocolate, and marzipan round out my evenings.

also, yoga.
i know, this is a summer daydream, right?
i don't know where this came from
but these last few weeks i've found ways to fit yoga into my days
just a bit, but it's enough.

oh oh oh,
that's my own private mantra
"this is enough."
i've been using it lately to remind myself
that really, it is.

and my little guy--
these days we play an endless game of charades.
he has a handful of words that mostly all sound the same,
but he knows so much and has started to show us:

i need a new diaper.
i am hungry.
i am hungry for chocolate, but i'll take watermelon.
will you put the coconut oil on my feet?
there are goldfish in the vent!

* * *

i'm off to wind that pretty blue yarn and make my evening tea. i hope your days are dreamy, too.

allison

first monday of summer in kentucky

jude's day started with yogurt, mine with coffee,
and we split a bagel smeared with avocado.

then it was on to water a garden full of herbs and weeds
with a toddler who, when beckoned, points out basil, calendula, and mint.
today he learned "bird poop" and we searched the driveway for white splatters.

nap time
for him, but laundry time for me,
two loads today,
and a few rounds of knitting on my blue socks.

but then he's up again and we read peter rabbit
while he bounces on the bed
he just learned that today
so it's still charming.

* * *

tonight on my desk sits a yellow teacup
warm milky tea with brown sugar to sweeten the evening's work.

i break to stretch my legs and find my husband at the window.

a hawk perched on the ridge of the house across the street,
unperturbed by the summer rain and the robins diving at him.
he shakes his head just once,
flinging the gathered rain from his feathers.

* * *

thank you to everyone who commented on my last post. i appreciate your thoughts and will have more to say about them in the future. i know i'll be referring back to them when i hit a rough patch in blogging.

the winner of the yarn giveaway is liesl.

rosas

This past weekend we had such wonderfully cool, sunny days. We spent an entire afternoon outside and didn't break a sweat. We went for a morning walk and I had to wear a shawl! It's what I imagine summer in northern climes must feel like. Now I understand why some people claim summer as their favorite season. My heart still belongs to fall, but I'll take more summer weekends like this past one.

Come fall I'll have a new hat to warm my ears on crisp days because I finished this blue-gray Rosa hat. I loved knitting with handspun yarn! As soon as I cast this Rosa off, I cast on another one, this time in pink with gray stripes for my sister. It will match the fingerless mitts I made her a couple Christmases ago. I showed her the hat in progress, and she got goosebumps because she liked it so much! She's definitely knit-worthy!

I'm joining Andi's KAL/CAL, and it's already motivated me to get my knitting organized. I'm still trying to be resourceful (and frugal!), so I combed through my stash and picked out yarn for a Cable Baby hat, a baby-sized Antler Cardigan, and a Pei hat (my first stranded knitting project! wish me luck!). Are you joining in? I completely failed at the one knit along I joined before, but this one is just about finishing any projects you happen to have on the needles. I can handle that!

* * *

And finally, I'm joining in Ginny's yarn along. I've been in a nonfiction mood for quite some time. I'm currently engrossed in The Cornbread Mafia, a book about a large-scale marijuana-growing operation (and bust) centered in Marion County, Kentucky. I find it fascinating that the author links Prohibition-era attitudes and activities in Marion County with attitudes on illegal drugs a generation or two later. The book can get pretty tangential at times, but overall it's an interesting narrative. I'm also reading Gulp, which makes me queasy. Even so, I can't stop reading it! 

rocky coast update

Rocky Coast progress

I may have overestimated my ability to finish a cabled, worsted weight wool sweater in the heat of August. Some days it's hard to muster any enthusiasm, and the cardigan sits alone in a heap in my stuffy upstairs living room. I am still chugging away most days and am nearly finished with the first sleeve. That's progress! I think my knitting group is tired of hearing me complain about how much I dislike knitting sleeves, so I'll keep the whining to a minimum here. Just know that I am having no fun at all knitting these sleeves. Ha. Well, it's not so bad actually. K and I have been hanging out and watching movies together, which makes for good knitting time.

* * * * *

I haven't spent all my days knitting. My mom, sister, and I went to the Kentucky State Fair over the weekend. We watched spinning demonstrations, looked at all the knitted and crocheted entries, strolled through the layer cakes, watched a circus show, and finally took in the colors and crowds of the midway.

* * * 

I'd love to hear what you've been doing! 

What projects are you making? What sights have you seen?

*

kitchen scenes

peach pie and zinnias

popovers that taste just like the ones from jordan pond house in maine.

 homegrown garlic. the first thing i planted at our house.

homemade mozzarella for caprese salad. 

i'd highly recommend ricki's kit if you'd like to make your own.

broccoli and zinnias from the garden.

a new dishcloth. i want to knit a whole pile of houses!

here's the pattern. i found it via casey.

* * * 

What's been keeping you busy lately?

summer light (and a winner)

top photo: a sign. bottom photo: berries in my mug.

Oh me. Oh my. Summer is here. I've sweated through more clothes and taken more showers in the past week than I can ever remember. Despite the heat, humidity, and sudden avalanche of yard work (Seriously weeds? You're killing me.), I still feel so glad it's summer. I love the summer light (and I've been trying to capture it!).

* * * 

I chose a winner for the yarn giveaway using the random number generator. The winner is Kepanie of Knitspiring Odyssey! Kepanie, please send me your info and I'll send you a pretty skein of yarn.

Thanks to everyone who entered! I appreciate that you stopped by to visit, and I'm looking forward to checking out all of your blogs and pattern recommendations.

* 

loving lately

Strawberry jam shortbread cookies from Apples for Jam

It feels like summer here. We've had hot days and warm nights. Last night we sat outside with friends, talked, and stargazed by candlelight. It felt like the perfect start to a summer of fun.

In the spirit of summer fun, here are things that have made me happy lately:

I fell into a local music hole the other day, and I never want to come out. I keep listening to Sweet Dark-Haired Man. Joan Shelley's voice sounds vintage and familiar (in a way that makes her songs feel like old favorites), and I love any song with a good whistle in it.

A post about endearing annoyances.

A strawberry cake in the woods. I need more picnics in my life.

As much as I love stargazing, I'm pretty much in the dark when it comes to constellations. The only one I can consistently identify is the Big Dipper! I'd love to wear this Big Dipper necklace (via blue moss).

And wouldn't this dress be fun for summer adventures?

* * * 

Speaking of summer adventures, I need to get busy and plan some summer getaways.

Have a great weekend!

*

P.S. Thanks for all of your well-wishes for my dad. He got great results back from the doctor!

dream home

I've been thinking a lot about my dream home lately--the place where I want to spend my life and build a family. Yes, I've got a laundry list of wants and needs and wouldn't-it be-cool-if-we-hads. But when I really try to picture my dream home, here is what I see.

It's spring, and we've just planted vegetables in the yard. The flowers are starting to come up. They are old-fashioned varieties of roses, peonies, and lilacs that have been growing here for many years. We've planted herbs near the patio, just out the back door, for quick snipping around dinnertime. It's still quite cool in the evenings, so we spend time curled on the couch with piles of books and yarn. During thunderstorms we watch the rain out the wide front windows until the weather gets too scary, and then we hide out in the basement till it calms down.

Summer comes with its hot and heavy days. The kitchen is busy with canning and jamming vegetables from our garden and fruit from our trees. We've got summertime craft projects spread out across the long dining room table. Suppers are quick salads and grilled vegetables eaten outside on the deck. Evenings are spent on the porch swing with iced tea. When the mosquitoes drive us inside, we break out a board game and stay up too late playing.

Autumn is my favorite season of all. We pull quilts from the cedar chest and pile them on the beds. Windows stay open all evening long so that my porch-swing-knitting is accompanied by the sounds of Dinah Washington records. We carve pumpkins and line them up on the porch steps. We build the first fire of the season and feel so cozy in our living room. We cuddle under crocheted afghans for movie nights with a big bowl of kettle corn and hot apple cider.

During winter we put our stack of firewood to steady use, and our home is filled with the rich smell of wood smoke. We linger under the covers longer every morning, scurrying out in woolen slippers to put the kettle on. The Christmas records play regularly after dinner as we make wish lists and homemade presents. We bake more cookies than we could ever possibly eat and pack lots up to give away to neighbors and friends. The kitchen is the place to be this season. When it snows we clamber outside to make snow angels in the front yard and build an igloo in the back.

I am looking forward to many seasons in my dream home. I know that everything on my laundry list of wants is not going to be checked off, but I'm looking for a house that captures that feeling of home that I want. And a big kitchen would be nice, too! We're still on the hunt...

* * * * * 

What's your dream home like? Is it a cabin in the woods? A cottage at the beach? Do you live there now? I'd love to here about the place where you dream of spending your days. 

* * * * *

P.S. I've been listening to this song over and over. It's perfect for dreaming! (found via Cast On)

good things lately

a feather in my path.

lucky horseshoes.

quiet trails.

a new coffee shop.

i had the campfire tea!

picking yarn for a new project. yellow won.

* * * 

i'd love to hear what good things you've found in your life lately. 

weekend snippets: storm

power outage

smashed

uprooted

K and I returned from a day trip on Saturday to find the streets in Louisville dark. We had no idea what had happened, but found out that a wild storm with high winds had ripped through the city. Nearly 120,000 homes and businesses were without power, and public schools ended up being canceled for two days. 

We spent our power-less night with the windows open and candles burning. On Sunday morning we walked around the neighborhood to survey the storm's damage. In our area there were some big trees down. We saw this smashed car, but no heavily damaged houses like in other parts of the city. Despite the loss of beautiful old trees, we're feeling pretty lucky. Hope you're having better weather where you are.

picnic blanket

breakfast picnic/photo shoot

After eyeing Amanda's blanket for ages, I finally got around to sewing a vintage sheet picnic blanket of my own. The bright colors and crazy floral patterns make for a festive summer outing. K and I have been enjoying the heck out of it and inviting our friends and family to come share it with us. I'm looking forward to using this blanket even more when the weather cools off in September and October (fingers crossed--it will eventually cool down, right?).

Our friend Christine relaxed on the blanket while listening to a concert by the river.

K rested while my sister and I played gin rummy.

Mom, K, Julie, and I all squeezed on the blanket to play one of our favorite new card games, No Thanks!. 

* * * 

For my next picnic blanket, I'd like to use a thicker backing and make the whole thing a block or two bigger. The chenille I used to back this blanket is on the thin side, so we layer another blanket underneath for cushioning and to sop up any moisture from the grass. 

(Photos by Christine, me, and my mom)

woodcarving class

K and his dad using a froe and mallet to split cedar

David, my father-in-law, gave K and I a woodcarving class this weekend. He started off by introducing us to the tools we'd be using--these were all old-fashioned handtools. Some of the tools have been in David's family for 130 years or more. These bear the initials NM for Nathaniel Morgan, David's great-great-grandfather, who used the tools to make furniture in the 1880s. Others belonged to David's grandfather, Homer Morgan, who was a tobacco farmer and ran a saw mill. 

Using the drawknife



We began with a cedar fencepost and the goal of making a little cedar cross. David recently taught a woodcarving class at his church, so the first step of sawing the cedar was already done for us. We skipped ahead to using a froe and mallet to split the wood, then used a brace with an auger bit to make a hole for the wood to intersect. Next was one of my favorite parts. We used a drawknife to square up the wood and shave it down to the right size. Then we used a miter saw, miter box, plane, rasp, eggbeater drill, and a mythbuster, which is a tool that David invented to create round pegs from square pieces of wood. (In case you're wondering, I aced the tool quiz at the end of the class.)

Using a rasp to smooth the edges

Two hours went by so quickly as David demonstrated each step and then K and I took our turns. My mother-in-law, Phyllis, snapped photos of the whole process.

Cedar crosses

Soon we had handmade, cedar crosses of our own (they smell so good!). And the best part? Coming up with ideas for the next project...

* * *

Thanks for sharing your talents with us, David. And thanks Phyllis for keeping us company and taking great photos.



today

Today has been a slow Sunday.

K and I went on a couple of hot walks--one to the grocery and one to pay the rent. Even though I started sweating the moment I stepped out the door, I'm glad that we live near enough to walk to a lot of places, and I plan to keep walking despite the weather.

I took photos of flowers that I saw along the way (and may have snagged one growing from a crack in the sidewalk to put in a vase at home). I'm keeping mental notes of all the flowers I want to plant once I finally have a yard again. The list is long.

Our galley kitchen was crowded as K and I spent the afternoon preparing pitas, hummus, feta dip, and lemonade for dinner. The results were delicious, but the making...eh...not so much. Two cooks in a tiny kitchen with lots of food prep going on is just plain frustrating. When my shoes stuck to the floor because of spilled lemon juice and every surface seemed covered in flour, I took a mid-afternoon yoga break to keep myself from cussing anymore. When I felt calm again, I returned to baking bread only to burn my forearm on a 450* oven door. Yeah, so much for that not cussing idea. Some days aren't meant for cooking and I just have to accept that.

I did discover a new love: shandy. When I first heard mention of this beer and lemonade concoction I gagged a little. It sounded like a terrible combination. Rest assured, it is not. Shandy tastes like sweet, bubbly lemon soda, and I'm hereby dubbing it my drink of the summer.  

A sunny perch on the couch was the perfect place for knitting today. The baby cardigan for my friend is coming along quickly.

* * * 

How's your weekend? What have you been up to?

csa day: summer stuff (and a comfort food recipe)

last week

This is what we've gotten the last two weeks from our CSA. I love that we're getting summer stuff like tomatoes (yay!), squash, basil, and watermelon, but also getting things like carrots, potatoes, and onions. Planning dinners has been a cinch lately because of all the food we've got on hand, and our weekly grocery trips are getting shorter and cheaper. We often look in our cart as we stand in line at the register and ask, is this really all we need? I'm really impressed with the variety and amount of produce we've been getting from the farm this year.

this week

Want to know what we've been making? I've included a menu for the past two weeks since I am behind in my posting.

Menu
Tuesday: Leftover okonomiyaki and tamagoyaki

Wednesday: Homemade pizza with onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach. Crust recipe is here. I also made a whole-wheat version to try.

Thursday/Friday: Thai curry with squash, green beans, and tofu

Saturday: Out to eat at the Sante Fe Grill, our new favorite Mexican restaurant in town

Sunday: Veggie burgers. Corn, tomato, and basil salad with vinaigrette.

Monday: Japanese curry with potatoes, carrots, onions, and tofu

* * *

Tuesday: Out with co-workers (me), fending for himself (K)

Wednesday: Leftover curry

Thursday: Pasta with tomatoes, basil, feta, and fried eggs

Friday: Barbecue tofu, cabbage casserole, sauteed squash

Saturday: Out

Sunday/Monday: Hummus, pitas, feta dip, and lots of fresh vegetables

* * * * * 

I've made the cabbage casserole twice recently for company and both times the guests went back for seconds, which I think says a lot for a cabbage dish. The cabbage flavor gets a layer of depth from roasting in the oven and is complemented by buttery cracker crumbs and sharp cheddar cheese. It's savory comfort food.

I wanted to give you a recipe, but I don't measure anything for this--I just use what we have on hand. Here's what I estimate I used this last time. Feel free to change things up and eyeball amounts.

Cabbage Casserole
(adapted from a dish K's mom makes)

2 small heads of cabbage (equivalent to 1 large)
4 tiny onions (equivalent to 1 medium onion)
1/2 sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed
2 TBSP butter, melted
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350* and oil a 13" x 9" baking dish.

Chop the cabbage and onions into thin strips. Saute cabbage and onions with a bit of oil over medium-high heat until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Be sure to salt and pepper generously.

While the vegetables cook, mix the melted butter and crushed crackers.

Transfer cabbage and onions to the prepared baking dish. Top with cheddar cheese and cracker crumbs. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately and amaze your friends and family with how delicious cabbage can be. This is also great reheated the next day.

today

Today feels good. Life is full.

K and I spent the morning slowly waking up over coffee, scrambled eggs, and the newspaper. We still enjoy holding the printed pages in our hands, even if all the news seems bad. The sections I read end up in a messy wad. When K's finished reading the paper looks as if it's just been delivered.

Mid-morning saw us out house-hunting. We finally found one today that we could picture ourselves living in, which certainly doesn't mean we'll end up buying it, but still...exciting. I found myself sitting in the kitchen there in yellow chair at a tiny yellow formica table. I mentally added a lamp and imagined the coziest late-night tea parties. Nightcaps would also be appropriate. It seemed like a place to share secrets and talks about the future. Yes, that sweet kitchen is still on my mind.

This afternoon I've talked to my mom, dad, and sister. Being in touch with them makes me so happy. They are the reason that buying a house in my hometown feels right. I love Louisville for many reasons, but what anchors me here are those three people. I am lucky enough to also have a large extended family living here and K's family is only a short drive away.

Right now three pots of beans simmer on the stove. Granola sits cooling on the kitchen table, tempting me each time I pass by. I grab a pinch of cinnamon-scented oats and pecans and debate mixing up a batch of dough for granola bread. Right now K is taking a break from doing laundry--the fourth and final load is in the dryer. He is re-reading a book he has read probably five times before. Some well-loved books never get old.  And here I am, happily blogging for the first time in a week. I am glad to be here chatting with you.

Lately I've been looking for balance in my life. My new job takes much of my time and energy, but I find it very fulfilling. I've never felt (or expected to feel) so professional in my work. The people I work with are all incredibly smart and fun, a winning combination in my book. Even though I do like my job, I'm trying not to let it sap all of my creative energy. I want to devote some time each day to crafting, whether it be designing crochet projects (I can't wait to show you the mitered crochet cross block), knitting, or sewing. So far I've done well, but I haven't yet figured out how to fit blogging into my routine. I love blogging in the morning, but mornings now are busy with getting ready and going to work. So, bear with me as I figure out this new routine.

I am looking forward to tonight. We're making Japanese curry for dinner and I'm planning to watch a good hour of trash TV. I can't resist it sometimes.

* * * * *

What's going on in your life today? 

csa day: first day of summer

Summer is here! I'm anxiously awaiting some juicy tomatoes, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the cooler weather crops. 

This week we got kale, cabbage, mixed salad greens, radishes, onions, and potatoes.

Menu

Tuesday/Wednesday: Black bean, kale, and onion tacos

Thursday/Friday: Pitas stuffed with hummus, salad greens, radishes, and carrots. Topped with feta dip from Sweet Paul magazine. This meal was slated for last week, but we didn't get around to it.

Saturday/Sunday: Toasted kale with eggs and marinara sauce

Monday: Okonomiyaki

Snack: Kale chips

We've got a lot of kale. So far we've eaten it in soup and pie, toasted it, sauteed it, and baked it. We even put it on our tacos tonight. I know. I was desperate because we suddenly had two giant bunches in the fridge. We did find a new favorite kale dish last week when we made kale and feta pizza. I'd recommend that one. The tacos are only for the really adventurous. If you've got other ideas, let me know. We'd like to try them all while we've got so much kale on hand. Actually, I just want new recipes so that I can trick myself into thinking I'm eating something different instead of kale again. Please send ideas. 

Red Sweater Day

I'm so excited to show you my second knitted sweater. Strawberry red and mostly cotton, it's perfect for summer cookouts and picnics in the park. It's comfortable with a t-shirt and jeans, and I think it is going to look very cute over a jersey dress. What I love most is that I can wear it right now without having to take a trip to the Southern hemisphere (or Maine). 

The sweater and I had our first evening out together last night. We rented movies and went to the post office. Since K was with us (way to be a third wheel, Honey), I had him get a few photos. The sweater and I are pretty smitten with each other. I think every day should be a red sweater day!

The knitting was great--fast and fun. I left the sweater at home when we went on vacation because it was too big to haul around by that point and found myself missing my knitting time with it. While I do like knitting with wool better, this cotton/wool blend yarn is wonderful to work with on sweaty summer days.  

For more details, check out my Ravelry page.