Summer Continues

 Hello sweet readers of this ol'blog! I have been away a while even though I said I'd be back soon.  I think there are just too many electronic distractions.  I took Facebook and Instagram off my phone (I left them on my iPad) because I found I was spending a lot of time checking them when I could be thinking about real life doings.  I've also been reading quite a bit (Angle of Repose, Becoming Madeline, Clock Dance, The Story That Inspired the Sound of Music . . . ) and of course, knitting.  

This is the exact time of summer when the posies are at their best.  I've pulled a weed or two, but remember I don't like to get dirty so I've not spent hours in the garden. (Just to be honest!  LOL!)

 Rhubarb!  I've made sauce, no crumbles or pie.  

 I must show you what Timothy does when he isn't sleeping.  He LOVES to play in the downstairs shower.  We usually hide this drain cover because he puts it in his teeth and carries it away.  Weird, huh?

 Our Kelli bought herself a new sewing machine so she can sew costumes for the theatre company where she directs children's shows.  She's such a smart cookie.  She then decided to buy fabric and recover her outdoor cushions.  I'm so proud of her!  She figures things out and does them.  Good girl! 

 Speaking of shows.  Her three were in a production of Princess and the Pea just last week.  

 Birdie played the minister.  She said, "Granny, my costume makes me look like a pope."  It does.

I found this photo of Birdie taken NOT THAT LONG AGO!  Oh, they DO grow fast.  I thought that was just something grandparents say when they can't think of anything else to comment about!  LOL! Now I know it's true.  

 I also found this old photo of me in my old eighth grade language arts classroom.  The classroom was so cute, but I must admit I was quite chubby.  

These days I am thinner, but older.  Of course.  (saggy eyelids)

I took this photo the other evening when Kelli's family came for dinner.  That's my knee that Birdie is lying on.  She wanted her back tickled.  Then, Kelli joined in.  Tired mommies need their backs tickled, too.  

I am hosting my bookclub tomorrow so I am doing my usual clean sweep.  It's hard because I am not a routine housekeeper.  I am like a crazy crow.  I dust something and then I put all the teapots and pitchers that have gathered A LOT of dust into the dishwasher.  I suddenly realize that there is too much to do and not enough time to do it.  I adjust my standards.  I wish I didn't care if people find out that I am not efficient.  Smile.  I pray that I could let it go.

I will be (gasp) 60 in December and I've been thinking about it a lot more than I thought about turning 50.  One thing I am really looking forward to is baking a pink cake and eating a LARGE piece.  

This morning I enjoyed my devotional routine.  I read Ann Voskamp's daily One Thousand Gifts and write in the space provided. I read my daily 2-year Bible and I read Bible verses and my Thin Within book. I write a little in my journal and then I use the Centering Prayer app on my phone.  I'm very thankful that I have time to do this.  I need discipline. Everybody does.  I'm happy to adhere to the Weight Watcher Freestyle program.  It works for me.  I'm happy to read The Little Book of Hours at night most of the time.  He must become greater and greater and I must become less and less.  This I like about growing older.

God be with you, kind visitors.  YOU are very much appreciated by me.

(BIG WARM HUG!)

A Small Hello

Just in case you didn't know about the fairy parties taking place while you are sleeping, I thought I'd give you a glimpse.  Isn't this adorable?  I found it on Pinterest.  I'm not sure who the artist is.  

Here's another sweetie pie.  

Because we have a houseguest I didn't want to sit in the family room where I usually knit in the morning, so I knit up in our bed.  Why have I not done this before?  It is perfectly cozy to knit on a bed!  

I'm off to the mall to meet our Jenny and the girls.  We'll eat salads and then walk where it is COOL.  It is very hot here.  We ate outside on the patio last night and our Australian friend thought it felt wonderful (he's tired of winter down under) but I got a little too warm.  I like to walk at the mall when the shops are open.  I'll get some fancy shampoo while I'm there, because I have been using cheap stuff (smells good but isn't really good, you know?) and my hair is like hay.

I can't upload photos easily on the computer in my office, so I'll post again very soon.

I hope you are doing well, enjoying your summer (or your winter) and doing things that cause you to feel joyful and loved.  You are VERY loved, you know.  

A Lot of Summery Things

 When Jenny was on her last camping trip there were chickens at the campsite.  Plum likes to cuddle chickens.  

I found some very small canvases at Walmart.  It is a sweet pleasure to create a doodle on a tiny canvas.

I LOVE to glue pretty images I find in old magazines, into small notebooks.  This is truly how I feel about pie eating.  Sadness.  It's all good though because I have eaten my fair share of pie slices in my almost sixty years on planet Earth.  

 Some days Timothy simple relocates to extend his naps.  He chooses different spots and moves according to where Bill and I are.  

Here is grubby Pom Pom on a gardening day.  Dig. Dig. Dig.  

 See what I mean?  He loves sheep skin. 

He also loves a golden velveteen cushion right beside my big cushy knitting chair. 

 It is NOT knitty enough around  here unless I am adding new projects to my knitting line up.  This yarn is part cotton and part alpaca.  The nice friend at the knitting store thinks it will be lovely and drape well.  

 Tim smells the skeins and wonders what it is like at this yarn store he often gets whiffs of. 

The fancy feature of this shawl = bobbles

 Here it is the first of July which means the first week in August is only a month away which means it will be time for my Jane Austen festival.  Reading and viewing, knitting and drinking tea . . . writing and drawing in my Jane Austen journal.  Yay!

 I really should have a Beatrix Potter festival, too.  Maybe I'll do that in September.

 Sometimes my sister sends me gnomes and this one sits on the shelf in my office/study/prettymessyspot.  Look at his socks!  The ribbon trim on his jacket!  His basket!  No WONDER a bird perches in his hand. 

 Here is my ongoing colorful yarn artistry which will eventually become a garment that is VERY heavy and will necessitate the buying of a $20 shawl pin.  

 Tis the season for gorgeous fruit.  The cheery cherries tasted way too delicious and upset my digestive system a little bit, but I must over indulge at least once during Rainier cherry season.  

 Can you believe the blush on the pear?  The taste of pear is miraculous.  

I am so tea-blessed.  Brad and April buy me tea at Happy Lucky. Christie and Jeff gave me the love bird cup for Christmas.  

 Kelli gave me the one thousand gifts devotional by Ann Voskamp.  I am enjoying it SO much this time around. 

 I bought the "stick it in the dirt" cup holders from Target. We use them all.the.time.  Here's my view of the fairy/Shirley poppy garden.  

 And I finished a tunic!  I made a few mistakes. I cut the neckline too big and I must be somewhat long-waisted because it seems short for a tunic.  I like the 100 Acts of Sewing patterns but they are intended to be very basic and doable, so sometimes they are less tailored and fitted than patterns often are.  The dresses and tops are very boxy.  The pants are the MOST comfy and I remember that stretchy waisted pants felt very good when I was a child and now they feel very good to Granny.  Confining waist bands are not kind.  Baggy clothing is a great idea and it makes for happy and relaxed people.  That's your bit of wisdom for the day. 😃

I really hope you have a peaceful and pleasing week.  I hope you eat some pie if you are an American and celebrate Independence Day.  I hope you revel in sunshine if you live in this hemisphere and if you live down under, I hope you drink lots of tea, play with fabric and wool, and feel cozy.

YOU readers (family and friends!) are very kind to click over here and view my photos, read my commentary, and leave a nice little note via the comment section.

Bless you.