Pumpkin Sunrise

On Friday, we ate at a relocated restaurant, same great food in a different location.  The buffalo wings were oh so delicious! They create the best veggie wrap that I've ever eaten.  There is a magical ingredient that I quite can't figure out.  Whenever I make them...well, let's just leave the magic to the experts. Saturday morning found us garage sale-ing.  My husband focused on the mad hunt for records or CDs and I'm just there for moral support (or whining if I'm bored).  I rarely fine an item worthy to purchase but I do love the experience.  The first stop was my lucky day!  I found five wade figurines that begged me to take them home.  I guess I'm a collector now that I own fourteen of them.  My husband unearthed a Barry Manilow record (I know I'm dating myself here) for 50 cents. Once we arrived home we read, knit (just me), mowed (just him) and whipped up a simple dinner of chicken on the grill with rice and steamed vegetables. ...

What a storm we had last night.  Thankfully we kept our electricity and nothing was damaged on the property.  I continue to only value my electricity when it is threatened.  Funny how I'm like that.  This morning I brought my camera outside to capture the beauty before the day starts, soaking in the quietness.  My gram was an early riser and I like to think I take after her.  My mom was not and we knew not to talk until she put her eyeglasses on AND had her first cup of coffee. It's been quiet around here, but a nice kind of quiet.  The house is empty and yet we hear from the kids frequently.  It's nice to know they are fine and having a good time.  My nest might be empty of children but my heart is full and that is what matters.  My husband and I have been exploring towns, farmer markets and new recipes.  We even harvested our first lettuce!  All that washing makes me appreciate the price of organic lettuce at the stor...

This weekend I wanted a fast reading book, not that I'm a fast reader.   The Fault in our Stars  by John Green is loved by my son and daughter and I believe they have read it through twice.  So I snatched the book off of my son's shelf and began to read.  I'm enjoying the style of writing and how the author captures teenage angst.  Unfortunately, many of the teens have been diagnosed and treated for cancer-that makes it a sad sad story.  Despite the seriousness of the disease, it's a funny book.  My daughter dared me not to cry when I read the ending (which implies someone will die, just guessing). I'll let you know. My knitting is all about this shawl , on Saturday I decided to knit like crazy to get to the next pattern chart.  So that has been the goal and I'm nearly there.  Only 10 more rows?  I love when there are tons and tons of stitches on tiny needles :)  The pattern is memorized and I'm on auto-pilot knitting.  Ye...

Last week I finished knitting my Waves Upon the Shore Shawl .  If only fall or winter were here so I could wear it comfortably.  It is a treasure!   The pattern is kuura .  It was easy and quickly memorized, who could ask for anything more?  I loved that it was a charted pattern and with a quick glance I could knit away.  I highly recommend the pattern. The yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere  and as you can guess it was heaven to knit with for this project.  It had lots of energy, spring and yet was so so soft.  I have romantic thoughts of wrapping the shawl around my neck on a cold cold day and being snuggle-y warm. ravelry notes are here

Our local library had a book sale on Friday, my husband and I adopted books that needed to be loved again.  My choices were stringent.  You see, I have books overflowing in this house.  I've even purged some off the shelves for others to read.  I was selective, strategic and successful.  Four books were worthy of adoption. Saturday we went to an organic farmer's market.  It was our first time visiting, the drive was picture perfect with fields of farm animals and the quiet you hear in the country.  The market had a great feeling to it.  I loved that everyone there was interested whole food living. We browsed, we contemplated and we bought a few items.  Now that I know what is available, my grocery shopping list will be altered once again to accommodate "real food".  We did splurge on some raw cheese for him.  He says it's delicious and I'm not brave enough to try some (lactose intolerance). Yesterday was novel reading, knitti...

It's summer!  As I was reading last night in bed, I was thinking of how quickly spring came and went.  Personally I thought it was a beautiful spring, my husband would say different.  He's disappointed that the pool is still a tad too chilly for swimming.  I could go on about how summer is my least favorite season (I know I'm an odd one) but instead I'll give you my list of what I do like about summer. -sitting at the patio table with my husband mid morning drinking iced tea -bird watching from the same table (we're thinking of binocular investing) -no set alarms for early morning because the daylight and the birdsong are enough -basil pesto pasta by the buckets full -homegrown vegetables -early evening walks without a coat -sandal wearing with blue toe nail polish -day trips without the worry of bad weather (as in snow and ice) -knitting outside -and reading outside -the feel of grass tickling my ankles while walking Frodo ar...

Sometimes I am consumed with an overwhelming desire to cast on something new.  This weekend I gave in to that desire-that is how I live on the edge of life.  It gives me that roller coaster feeling, the one where you drop from a great height.  The new shawl  is knit from Manos del Uruguay  lace containing a blend of alpaca, silk and cashmere.  Oh so soft!  I've started twice on this pattern .  I did not like how tight the knitting looked on size four, so I upped the size to five.  Chunky needles for me ;)  Surprisingly, the pattern is one I can easily memorize, an added knitting bonus.  The yarn is kettle-dyed and is beautiful. Yes...I'm reading the same book The Orchardist .  It's been a busy week and my reading time has been limited.  I'm half way through the novel and it's a captivating read.  I'm going to be sad when I read the last page.  When I was a teenager, I would try to purchase or borrow from the...